# Arkansas SB479: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VOTER ASSISTANCE; AND TO REQUIRE A PERSON ASSISTING A VOTER WITH A DISABILITY TO PRESENT IDENTIFICATION.

Arkansas SB479, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VOTER ASSISTANCE; AND TO REQUIRE A PERSON ASSISTING A VOTER WITH A DISABILITY TO PRESENT IDENTIFICATION., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by RJ Hawk (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-14 (Notification that SB479 is now Act 593) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB479-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB479
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VOTER ASSISTANCE; AND TO REQUIRE A PERSON ASSISTING A VOTER WITH A DISABILITY TO PRESENT IDENTIFICATION.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-17
- Last action: 2025-04-14, Notification that SB479 is now Act 593
- Sponsors: RJ Hawk (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (110 yes, 14 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Arkansas voter helpers face new identification rules: cost, low. In Arkansas, a voter with a disability must choose someone present at the polling site to help at the voting machine. The helper must be at least 18 and show a document or identification card that meets state election board requirements. The State Board of Election Commissioners must issue rules se…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: RJ Hawk (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Kim Hammer (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-07 | House | House Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 9:00:26 PM | pass | 82 | 8 | 4 |
| 2025-03-31 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, March 31, 2025 3:41:41 PM | pass | 28 | 6 |   |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-04-14: Notification that SB479 is now Act 593 (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)
- 2025-03-31: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-03-31: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-03-31: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB479 - Introduced, 2025-03-17: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB479.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=593.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)
- 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)
- SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (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
- [SB479 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB479.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=593.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)
- [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025)
- [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025)
- [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB479-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).