All Roll Calls
Yes: 156 • No: 2
ArkansasSB6122025 Regular SessionSenate
TO CREATE A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT CAUSES HARM; AND TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY ON A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT KNOWINGLY AND WILLFULLY CONTRIBUTES TO A MINOR'S SUICIDE OR SUICIDE ATTEMPT.
Sponsored By: Tyler Dees (Republican), Jon S. Eubanks (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Parents can sue platforms after suicide harms
Parents or guardians can sue when a child or legal dependent under 16 dies by suicide or attempts suicide after seeing content promoting self-harm or suicide. The event must cause significant bodily or cognitive harm. The platform must have hosted, promoted, shared, or otherwise helped connect the minor directly to that content. Courts can order steps to reduce the content's effects and award compensatory damages, medical costs, funeral expenses, and punitive damages. Awards can also include lawsuit costs and reasonable attorney fees. A winning parent's or guardian's attorney-fee award has a minimum: the lesser of the platform's total legal fees or reasonable defense fees had the platform won. Lawsuits must be filed within four years after the claim arises. Liability excludes displaying content created and hosted entirely by a third party, including third-party ads, and constitutionally protected conduct.
New protections against harmful social media designs
Social media platforms accessible to Arkansas users cannot use designs, algorithms, or features they know—or should know—cause listed harms. These include buying controlled drugs, eating disorders, suicide or suicide attempts, and developing or sustaining platform addiction. For non-suicide risks above a very small level, platforms can avoid a violation by proving they fixed it within 30 days of discovery. That correction option does not apply to suicide-related harms. Knowing and willful violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, plus lawsuit costs and reasonable attorney fees. These are platform liabilities, not household charges.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Tyler Dees
Republican • Senate
Jon S. Eubanks
Republican • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/16/2025
Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 9:22:34 AM
Yes: 32 • No: 0 • Other: 1
House vote • 4/15/2025
House Vote - Tuesday, April 15, 2025 4:10:18 PM
Yes: 91 • No: 2 • Other: 4
Senate vote • 4/8/2025
Senate Vote - Tuesday, April 8, 2025 3:52:43 PM
Yes: 33 • No: 0 • Other: 1
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB612 is now Act 901
4/22/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
4/16/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4/16/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
4/16/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/16/2025SenateRules suspended.
4/16/2025SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 read first time, rule suspended, read second time and concurred in.
4/16/2025SenatePlaced on second reading for purpose of amendment.
4/16/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed as amended # 1 .
4/15/2025SenateReturned to Senate as passed, as amended # 1
4/15/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
4/15/2025HouseREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
4/14/2025HouseAmendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
4/14/2025HousePlaced on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
4/14/2025HouseReturned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 1
4/10/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE
4/8/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
4/8/2025HouseOrdered immediately transmitted to the House.
4/8/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/8/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
4/7/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - SENATE
4/2/2025SenateFiled
4/2/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB612 - Introduced
4/2/2025
Act Version
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