# Arkansas SB550: TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY COMMISSION TO THE ARKANSAS BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH. Arkansas SB550, TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY COMMISSION TO THE ARKANSAS BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Ricky Hill (Republican), Stetson Painter (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-18 (Notification that SB550 is now Act 703); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB550-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB550 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY COMMISSION TO THE ARKANSAS BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-03-20 - Last action: 2025-04-18, Notification that SB550 is now Act 703 - Sponsors: Ricky Hill (Republican), Stetson Painter (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (123 yes, 4 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 13 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Horse chip workers lose certification requirement: benefit, low. The law repeals state training and certification requirements for people who implant or inject identification chips in equines. It also repeals the related fine for doing that work without certification. This removes those specific requirements, not every rule governing veterinary work. - Public funds cover farm calf vaccinations: benefit, low. The Agriculture Department performs on-farm calfhood vaccinations, with costs paid from state or federal funds. Livestock owners may instead hire and pay a veterinarian. A veterinarian cannot bill both the owner and the government for the same vaccination. - Government workers can collect disease samples: benefit, low. Unlicensed Arkansas or U.S. Agriculture Department employees can collect specified disease-control samples without a veterinary license. The exemption applies only to sample collection in programs carried out under state or federal authority. The law replaces the former reference to commission empl… - Veterinary practitioners face board enforcement powers: cost, low. After reviewing a complaint and finding probable cause, the Board can cite veterinarians or unlicensed people acting as veterinarians. Citations can require correction and impose a civil penalty up to $5,000. The Board can investigate or prosecute horse teeth-floating practitioners under its policy… - Research horse disease safeguards are repealed: cost, low. The law repeals special certification for Arkansas research facilities holding equines infected with equine infectious anemia or testing positive. It also removes the requirement to maintain those facilities to prevent infection of other equines. This repeal concerns those specific research-facilit… - Veterinary credential denial power is removed: mixed, low. The law removes the Board's authority under this section to deny veterinary technologist or veterinary technician specialist credentials. The Board can still suspend certification or revoke a certificate of qualification on a listed legal ground. Action must follow a written complaint or the Board'… - Horse disease oversight shifts to Agriculture: mixed, low. The Agriculture Department handles equine infectious anemia testing labs, authorized sample collectors, permits, quarantines, and holding-facility approval after inspection. Arkansas equines over six months old or weaned from a mare must be identified before testing. Samples must come from an accre… - Livestock brands go online with transfer rules: mixed, low. The Agriculture Department must post the State Brand Book online, including brands, owners' names and addresses, and related rules. Only listed brands qualify for sale, assignment, transfer, or inheritance under this provision. Sellers of livestock bearing their listed brand must give buyers a writ… - Livestock markets face inspections and closure: mixed, low. The Board sets minimum health, safety, and sanitation standards for livestock markets. The Agriculture Department or its agents inspect markets for compliance. Operators receiving written violation notices must certify corrective steps within 15 days. The Board may close a market until it complies… - Unclaimed livestock sale money rules end: mixed, low. The law removes a state holding process for livestock sale money when ownership remains unresolved after 30 days. The money no longer must be sent to the former commission for one year. The law also removes the required state-fund deposit if ownership remains unknown after that year. This provision… - Animal health board balances industry seats: mixed, low. The Arkansas Board of Animal Health replaces the Livestock and Poultry Commission and has nine members. No more than three may be veterinarians, with one each from poultry, large-animal, and general practice. The remaining members must work in Arkansas's livestock, dairy, or poultry industries. All… - Animal health funding rules change: mixed, low. The Agriculture Department can make cooperative agreements and receive and spend federal money, grants, gifts, and reimbursements. It also handles diagnostic fees and designated animal health funds. Veterinary civil-penalty money must go into approved public-fund accounts and support administration… - Egg oversight shifts and consultation ends: mixed, low. The law removes the Division of Markets and Grading, not the Egg Marketing Act or poultry and egg grading program. The Agriculture Department handles egg-law duties, including yearly permit-holder audits, inspections, records review, stop-sale orders, and impoundment. The Board keeps rulemaking and… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ricky Hill (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Stetson Painter (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-09 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 7:17:35 PM | pass | 94 | 2 | 1 | | 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 2, 2025 5:06:17 PM | pass | 29 | 2 | 1 | ## Actions (15) - 2025-04-18: Notification that SB550 is now Act 703 (Senate) - 2025-04-10: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-04-09: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-07: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-04-02: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- HOUSE (House) - 2025-04-02: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-04-02: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB550 - Introduced, 2025-03-20: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB550.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=703.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) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - 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) - 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 - [SB550 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB550.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=703.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) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [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-SB550-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).