# Arkansas SB437: TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ACT. Arkansas SB437, TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ACT., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Brad Hall (Republican), Bart Hester (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-22 (Notification that SB437 is now Act 945) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB437-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB437 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ACT. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-03-12 - Last action: 2025-04-22, Notification that SB437 is now Act 945 - Sponsors: Brad Hall (Republican), Bart Hester (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (120 yes, 26 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 10 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Landowners gain payment checks and insurance: benefit, low. Landowners paid based on wind electricity under an agreement must receive a payment explanation and verification instructions within 10 business days. They can inspect supporting records once per calendar year for payments made during the previous 24 months. Records must be available in Arkansas du… - Neighbors gain noise and shadow limits: benefit, low. Turbine noise is limited to 35 dBA at a nonparticipating landowner's home and 45 dBA at the property line. An applicant-paid expert must measure existing noise before construction; qualified experts measure turbine noise under commission rules. The noise limits do not apply during bad weather that… - Wind turbines must keep their distance: benefit, low. A nonparticipating landowner is someone without a lease or other agreement for the wind project. Turbine bases must stay at least 3.5 times their total height or 2,500 feet from that owner's property line, whichever is greater. The landowner can sign a waiver allowing a distance as short as 1.1 tim… - Neighbors get hearings but limited records: mixed, low. Applicants must send certified-mail notice to specified offices, affected county libraries, and landowners and residents within 4 miles. Notices must describe turbine numbers and sizes, include a map and timeline, and list places to review the application. Applicants must publish application and he… - Wind applicants fund environmental impact reviews: mixed, low. Applicants must pay for a qualified third-party assessment, subject to commission approval, of possible harms within 4 miles of the facility perimeter. It covers economic effects, code compliance, wildlife, views, water, hazards, aviation, communications, and lighting. No separate assessment is req… - Wind operators must prepare for emergencies: mixed, low. Applications must include a written federal aviation finding of no hazard and a development plan addressing public health and safety. Operators must follow applicable electrical and building codes and maintain emergency procedures. They must notify the commission and local emergency agencies within… - Older wind projects escape new requirements: mixed, low. The law covers wind facilities meeting its 5-megawatt capacity and greater-than-200-foot height thresholds. Residential wind devices under 200 feet are excluded. Facilities built or whose construction began on or before September 1, 2024, are exempt. Projects under development as of April 9, 2025,… - Wind developers face permits and fees: mixed, low. Wind developers need a Public Service Commission permit to build, operate, redevelop, or expand a covered facility. Each application carries a $2,500 filing fee. Local permits are also required where local governments have adopted wind construction or expansion rules. Local rules must follow state… - Wind projects must coordinate with drilling: mixed, low. Wind applicants must send certified-mail notice to specified oil and gas operators and qualifying lessees on affected tracts. Notice must include a map or plat, an approximate construction start date, and a return address. Recipients must provide site, operations, and infrastructure information nee… - Wind owners must fund site cleanup: mixed, low. Before construction, applicants must provide financial security covering 100% of removal costs estimated by an independent consultant they select and pay. Security is filed with the commission using approved bonds, guarantees, credit, cash, or other approved instruments. The commission may require… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Brad Hall (Republican), House - Sponsor: Bart Hester (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: James Eaton (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-16 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 12:04:51 PM | pass | 18 | 14 | 3 | | 2025-04-16 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 10:32:26 AM | pass | 73 | 11 | 13 | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 1:41:53 PM | pass | 29 | 1 | 5 | ## Actions (27) - 2025-04-22: Notification that SB437 is now Act 945 (Senate) - 2025-04-16: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Rules suspended. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: House Amendment No. 1 read first time, rule suspended, read second time and concurred in. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Rules suspended. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Returned from the House as passed as amended # 1 . (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Returned to Senate as passed, as amended # 1 (House) - 2025-04-16: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-15: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (House) - 2025-04-15: Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed. (House) - 2025-04-15: Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. (House) - 2025-04-14: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 1 (House) - 2025-04-07: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on INSURANCE & COMMERCE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-04-07: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-04-07: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-03: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Re-referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-03-20: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Withdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB437 - Introduced, 2025-03-12: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB437.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=945.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 - [SB437 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB437.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=945.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-SB437-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).