# Arkansas SB421: TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION TO ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROJECTS. Arkansas SB421, TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION TO ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROJECTS., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), Bart Hester (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-14 (Notification that SB421 is now Act 578) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB421-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB421 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION TO ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROJECTS. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-03-11 - Last action: 2025-04-14, Notification that SB421 is now Act 578 - Sponsors: Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), Bart Hester (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (110 yes, 6 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More financing options for local water projects: benefit, medium. The Commission can use bond money or project revenue for local project loans, grants, and matching funds. It can buy local bonds or notes and refinance Commission loans or local debt used to develop eligible projects. Local entities can lend funds to others, and written procedures can establish rev… - Voters decide Arkansas water project borrowing: benefit, medium. The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission can issue up to $500 million in state bonds for water and environmental projects. This includes up to $165 million for irrigation facilities. Voters must approve borrowing at the 2026 general election or an earlier special election called by the Governor. A… - Water bond investors get tax protections: benefit, low. These bonds and their interest are exempt from Arkansas state, county, and city income, inheritance, and property taxes. Banks, insurers, fiduciary funds, trusts, and public funds can legally invest in them. The bonds can also secure deposits of public money. The law creates a contract with registe… - Arkansas gains water service and land powers: benefit, low. The Commission can develop, operate, and maintain projects and acquire, store, treat, transport, distribute, sell, or provide water. It can help local entities prepare sites to use its water and build project property there. It can use watercourse beds and tax-forfeited land owned or held by the st… - State revenue pays water bonds first: cost, medium. Arkansas pledges its full faith and credit to repay these bonds while they remain outstanding. The Treasurer must transfer money monthly from the State Apportionment Fund to the dedicated bond fund. These debt payments have first claim on state general revenues, with equal priority to other state g… - Commission can charge water borrowers and users: cost, low. The Commission can set and collect rates, fees, rents, and other charges for loans and loan commitments. Charges can also cover accounting, loan servicing, and use of Commission property or services. The Arkansas Public Service Commission does not control these charges. The law sets no charge amoun… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), House - Sponsor: Bart Hester (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-07 | House | House Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 8:21:06 PM | pass | 86 | 3 | 5 | | 2025-03-19 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:35:15 PM | pass | 24 | 3 | 3 | ## Actions (15) - 2025-04-14: Notification that SB421 is now Act 578 (Senate) - 2025-04-09: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-04-07: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-02: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-03-19: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- HOUSE (House) - 2025-03-19: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-03-19: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB421 - Introduced, 2025-03-11: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB421.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=578.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [SB421 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB421.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=578.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills) - [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB421-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).