Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HB1365 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2		-	Act 938 of the Regular Session
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4		-
5		-	State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H4/1/25 1
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	3	+	State of Arkansas 1
6	4		95th General Assembly A Bill 2
7	5		Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1365 3
8	6		4
9	7		By: Representative K. Brown 5
10	8		6
11	9		7
12	10		For An Act To Be Entitled 8
13	11		AN ACT TO REMOVE RACIAL AND GENDER QUOTAS AND 9
14	12		QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP FOR CERTAIN BOARDS, 10
15	13		COMMITTEES, COUNCILS, AND COMMISSIONS; AND FOR OTHER 11
16	14		PURPOSES. 12
17	15		13
18	16		14
19	17		Subtitle 15
20	18		TO REMOVE RACIAL AND GENDER QUOTAS AND 16
21	19		QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP FOR CERTAIN 17
22	20		BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COUNCILS, AND 18
23	21		COMMISSIONS. 19
24	22		20
25	23		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 21
26	24		22
27	25		SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -1-703(b)(2)(B)(vii), concerning the 23
28	26		creation and membership of the Arkansas Financial Education Commission, is 24
29	27		amended to read as follows: 25
30	28		(vii) Three (3) members who have various financial 26
31	29		backgrounds, one (1) member of the three (3) to be a female, one (1) member 27
32	30		of the three (3) to be a racial minority, appointed by the Treasurer of 28
33	31		State. 29
34	32		30
35	33		SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6 -11-101(c), concerning the membership of 31
36	34		the State Board of Education, is repealed. 32
37	35		(c) The membership of the state board shall reflect the diversity in 33
38	36		general education. 34
39	37		35
40		-	SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6 -15-1601(b), concerning the establishment 36 ~~As Engrossed: H4/1/25~~ HB1365
	38	+	SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6 -15-1601(b), concerning the establishment 36 HB1365
41	39
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43		-
44		-
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45	41		and membership of the Commission on Closing the Achievement Gap in Arkansas, 1
46	42		is amended to read as follows: 2
47	43		(b) The commission shall consist of eleven (11) members representing 3
48	44		the racial and ethnic diversity of Arkansas as follows: 4
49	45		(1)(A) Five (5) persons appointed by the Governor. 5
50	46		(B)(i) One (1) of the Governor's appointees shall be a 6
51	47		representative of business and industry in Arkansas, a representative of 7
52	48		health and human services, or a public school teacher. 8
53	49		(ii)(a) Four (4) of the Governor's appointees 9
54	50		shall be minority or low-income parents concerned about the achievement gap 10
55	51		with one (1) representative from each of the four (4) congressional 11
56	52		districts. 12
57	53		(b) A minimum of two (2) of the individuals 13
58	54		appointed under subdivision (b)(1)(B)(ii)(a) of this section shall be 14
59	55		African-American. 15
60	56		(c) A minimum of one (1) of the individuals 16
61	57		appointed under subdivision (b)(1)(B)(ii)(a) of this section shall be 17
62	58		Hispanic; 18
63	59		(2)(A) Three (3) persons appointed by the President Pro Tempore 19
64	60		of the Senate. 20
65	61		(B)(i) One (1) of the President Pro Tempore of the 21
66	62		Senate's appointees shall be a member of the school of education faculty of 22
67	63		an historically black a college in the state with an accredited school of 23
68	64		education. 24
69	65		(ii) One (1) of the President Pro Tempore of the 25
70	66		Senate's appointees shall be a minority person who has demonstrated a 26
71	67		commitment to education. 27
72	68		(iii) One (1) of the President Pro Tempore of the 28
73	69		Senate's appointees shall be a public school teacher with a special expertise 29
74	70		in closing the achievement gap; and 30
75	71		(3)(A) Three (3) persons appointed by the Speaker of the House 31
76	72		of Representatives. 32
77	73		(B)(i) One (1) of the appointees of the Speaker of the 33
78	74		House of Representatives shall be a person who has experience working with 34
79	75		children from low income low-income families. 35
80		-	(ii) One (1) of the appointees of the Speaker of the 36 ~~As Engrossed: H4/1/25~~ HB1365
	76	+	(ii) One (1) of the appointees of the Speaker of the 36 HB1365
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85	79		House of Representatives shall be a minority person who has demonstrated a 1
86	80		commitment to education. 2
87	81		(iii) One (1) of the appointees of the Speaker of 3
88	82		the House of Representatives shall be a public school administrator with a 4
89	83		special expertise in closing the achievement gap. 5
90	84		6
91	85		SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 6 -15-1603(b)(3), concerning the local task 7
92	86		forces on closing the achievement gap, is amended to read as follows: 8
93	87		(3) Task force members shall be representative of community 9
94	88		demographics, race, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic diversity. It is 10
95	89		strongly recommended that they include: 11
96	90		(A)(i) Three (3) parents, as selected by the local school 12
97	91		district's parent organization. 13
98	92		(ii) One (1) parent who has a child at an elementary 14
99	93		school, one (1) who has a child at a junior high or middle school, and one 15
100	94		(1) who has a child at a high school; 16
101	95		(B) School administrators, teachers, instructional support 17
102	96		personnel, exceptional children personnel, and second language specialists, 18
103	97		each of whom shall be selected by the superintendent; 19
104	98		(C) One (1) member of the local board of education, as 20
105	99		selected by that board; 21
106	100		(D) One (1) representative of the local department of 22
107	101		social services; 23
108	102		(E) At least one (1) juvenile court counselor; 24
109	103		(F) At least one (1) representative of local law 25
110	104		enforcement; 26
111	105		(G) One (1) representative of the local Communities in 27
112	106		Schools Program, if present in the local school district, as selected by the 28
113	107		executive director of that program; 29
114	108		(H) At least one (1) representative of local businesses, 30
115	109		as selected by the local chamber of commerce; 31
116	110		(I) Representatives from community -based organizations, as 32
117	111		selected by the superintendent upon recommendation from those organizations; 33
118	112		(J) At least one (1) representative of a university school 34
119	113		of education, if there is one in the area, as selected by the chair of the 35
120		-	local board of education; 36 ~~As Engrossed: H4/1/25~~ HB1365
	114	+	local board of education; 36 HB1365
121	115
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125	117		(K) Two (2) high school students, as recommended by their 1
126	118		student councils and elected by the chair of the local board of education; 2
127	119		and 3
128	120		(L) Any other community representatives, as selected by 4
129	121		the superintendent. 5
130	122		6
131	123		SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 6 -15-2502(d)(4)(C), concerning the local 7
132	124		advisory group related to education renewal zones, is repealed. 8
133	125		(C) The membership and staff of local advisory groups 9
134	126		shall be reflective of the diversity of the population of the state. 10
135	127		11
136	128		SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 6 -61-529(b)(1), concerning the membership 12
137	129		of local community college boards, is amended to read as follows: 13
138	130		(b)(1)(A) If the local community college board chooses to become an 14
139	131		appointed board, positions on the board shall become vacant as current terms 15
140	132		expire, and persons who are residents and qualified electors of the community 16
141	133		college district shall be appointed by the Governor for terms of six (6) 17
142	134		years. 18
143	135		(B) To the extent possible, the Governor shall assure 19
144	136		equitable representation on the board with regard to race and geographic 20
145	137		distribution from throughout the district. 21
146	138		22
147		-	SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 17 -19-106(b)(3)(B), concerning the creation 23
148		-	and membership of the Professional Bail Bond Company and Professional Bail 24
149		-	Bondsman Licensing Board, is amended to read as follows: 25
150		-	(B)(i) Each congressional district shall be represented by 26
151		-	at least one (1) member of the board. 27
152		-	(ii) At least one (1) board member shall be an 28
153		-	African-American. 29
154		-	(iii) At least one (1) board member shall be a 30
155		-	female. 31
	139	+	SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 7 -6-217(b)(1), concerning the creation of 23
	140	+	the Arkansas Ethics Commission, is amended to read as follows: 24
	141	+	(b)(1) In making appointments to the commission, the appointing 25
	142	+	officials shall ensure that at least one (1) member of a minority race, one 26
	143	+	(1) woman, and one (1) member of the minority political party, as defined in 27
	144	+	§ 7-1-101, serves on the commission. 28
	145	+	29
	146	+	SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 17 -19-106(b)(3)(B), concerning the creation 30
	147	+	and membership of the Professional Bail Bond Company and Professional Bail 31
	148	+	Bondsman Licensing Board, is amended to read as follows: 32
	149	+	(B)(i) Each congressional district shall be represented by 33
	150	+	at least one (1) member of the board. 34
	151	+	(ii) At least one (1) board member shall be an 35
	152	+	African-American. 36 HB1365
	153	+
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	155	+	(iii) At least one (1) board member shall be a 1
	156	+	female. 2
	157	+	3
	158	+	SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 17 -22-201(b)(8), concerning the creation 4
	159	+	and membership of the State Athletic Commission, is amended to read as 5
	160	+	follows: 6
	161	+	(8)(A) Furthermore, one (1) of the seven (7) members of the 7
	162	+	commission shall be a member of a minority race. 8
	163	+	(B) One (1) of the seven (7) members shall be a senior 9
	164	+	citizen. 10
	165	+	(C)(B) Four (4) of the seven (7) members shall have 11
	166	+	experience with combative sports. 12
	167	+	13
	168	+	SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 17 -27-201(b), concerning the membership of 14
	169	+	the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling, is amended to read as follows: 15
	170	+	(b) Appointments shall be made so as to ensure that the Arkansas Board 16
	171	+	of Examiners in Counseling consists of citizens of the United States , and 17
	172	+	residents of Arkansas , at least one (1) member of each sex, and at least one 18
	173	+	(1) member of an ethnic minority . 19
	174	+	20
	175	+	SECTION 11. Arkansas Code §§ 17-80-301 and 17-80-302 are repealed. 21
	176	+	17-80-301. Purposes. 22
	177	+	The purposes of this subchapter are to: 23
	178	+	(1) Provide appointment recommendations for Arkansas state 24
	179	+	boards and commissions that license or otherwise regulate health -related 25
	180	+	professions to ensure board and commission compositions that reflect the 26
	181	+	diversity of the State of Arkansas; and 27
	182	+	(2) Ensure that cultural competency, health disparities, and 28
	183	+	other minority health issues are adequately represented in the health policy 29
	184	+	decisions determined by state health -related agencies, boards, and 30
	185	+	commissions for the State of Arkansas. 31
156	186		32
157		-	~~SECTION 8. Arkansas Code §~~ 17-~~22-201(b)(8)~~, ~~concerning the creation~~ 33
158		-	and ~~membership of the State Athletic Commission, is amended to read as~~ 34
159		-	~~follows:~~ 35
160		-	~~(8)(A) Furthermore~~, ~~one (1) of the seven (7) members of the~~ 36 ~~As Engrossed: H4/1/25~~ HB1365
	187	+	17-80-302. Minority members of state health -related agencies, boards, 33
	188	+	and commissions. 34
	189	+	(a) The appointing authorities for state health -related agencies, 35
	190	+	boards, and commissions shall consider appointment recommendations submitted 36 HB1365
161	191
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	193	+	by minority health-related professional associations. 1
	194	+	(b) The recommending organizations under this section include without 2
	195	+	limitation: 3
	196	+	(1) The Arkansas Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical 4
	197	+	Association; 5
	198	+	(2) The Arkansas Association of Black Social Workers, Inc.; 6
	199	+	(3) The Arkansas Black Nurses Association; 7
	200	+	(4) The National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Arkansas 8
	201	+	Chapter; 9
	202	+	(5) The National Pharmacists Association of Arkansas; and 10
	203	+	(6) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing. 11
	204	+	(c) Recommendations for appointments under this section shall: 12
	205	+	(1) Be submitted to the appointing authorities at least thirty 13
	206	+	(30) days before the expiration of a position in a state health -related 14
	207	+	agency, board, or commission relevant to the field or practice of the 15
	208	+	recommending body; 16
	209	+	(2) Be submitted to the appointing authorities anytime before 17
	210	+	the appointing authority fills a position that has opened due to resignation 18
	211	+	or removal before the end of the originally appointed term; 19
	212	+	(3) Be submitted by an officially designated officer or 20
	213	+	committee on behalf of the recommending organization; and 21
	214	+	(4) Include correspondence on official organizational letterhead 22
	215	+	and the resume or curriculum vitae of a recommended candidate. 23
	216	+	(d) If a recommendation for appointment under subsection (b) of this 24
	217	+	section is not received within the time allotted for the appointment, the 25
	218	+	appointing authority may make the appointment without a recommendation. 26
	219	+	(e) The health-related agencies, boards, and commissions for which 27
	220	+	recommendations may be considered under this section include the: 28
	221	+	(1) Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine; 29
	222	+	(2) Arkansas Psychology Board; 30
	223	+	(3) Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board; 31
	224	+	(4) Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners; 32
	225	+	(5) Arkansas State Medical Board; 33
	226	+	(6) Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy; 34
	227	+	(7) Board of Examiners in Speech -Language Pathology and 35
	228	+	Audiology; and 36 HB1365
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	231	+	(8) State Board of Optometry. 1
	232	+	(f) This section does not change or affect any existing delineations 2
	233	+	for minority appointments. 3
	234	+	4
	235	+	SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 17 -88-202(b)(1), concerning the creation 5
	236	+	and membership of the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining 6
	237	+	Committee, is amended to read as follows: 7
	238	+	(b)(1) The committee shall consist of five (5) members appointed by 8
	239	+	the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate for terms of five (5) 9
	240	+	years, each of whom is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the 10
	241	+	State of Arkansas. One (1) member shall be a member of a minority race. 11
	242	+	12
	243	+	SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 17 -92-201(a), concerning the membership 13
	244	+	and qualifications of the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, is amended to 14
	245	+	read as follows: 15
	246	+	(a) The Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy shall consist of eight (8) 16
	247	+	members, appointed by the Governor for terms of six (6) years: 17
	248	+	(1) Five (5) Six (6) members shall be experienced pharmacists 18
	249	+	who have been actively engaged in the practice of pharmacy for the last five 19
	250	+	(5) years immediately preceding their appointments, to be appointed by the 20
	251	+	Governor after consulting the Arkansas Pharmacist's Association and subject 21
	252	+	to confirmation by the Senate; 22
	253	+	(2) One (1) member shall be a minority who is a licensed 23
	254	+	practicing pharmacist in this state, to be appointed by the Governor after 24
	255	+	consulting the Pharmaceutical Section of the Arkansas Medical, Dental, and 25
	256	+	Pharmaceutical Association, Inc., and subject to confirmation by the Senate; 26
	257	+	and 27
	258	+	(3)(A)(2)(A) Two (2) members of the board shall not be actively 28
	259	+	engaged in or retired from the practice of pharmacy. One (1) member shall 29
	260	+	represent consumers, and one (1) member shall be sixty (60) years of age or 30
	261	+	older and shall represent the elderly. Both shall be appointed from the state 31
	262	+	at large, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Both shall be full voting 32
	263	+	members but shall not participate in the grading of examinations. 33
	264	+	(B) The two (2) positions shall not be held by the same 34
	265	+	person. 35
	266	+	36 HB1365
164	267
165		-	commission shall be a member of a minority race. 1
166		-	(B) One (1) of the seven (7) members shall be a senior 2
167		-	citizen. 3
168		-	(C)(B) Four (4) of the seven (7) members shall have 4
169		-	experience with combative sports. 5
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	269	+	1
	270	+	SECTION 14. Arkansas Code § 20 -14-508(b)(1), concerning the membership 2
	271	+	of the State Interagency Council, is amended to read as follows: 3
	272	+	(1) At least twenty percent (20%) of the membership shall 4
	273	+	include parents, including minorities, of infants and toddlers with 5
	274	+	disabilities, or a child with a disability who is twelve (12) years of age or 6
	275	+	younger, with knowledge of or experience with programs for infants and 7
	276	+	toddlers with disabilities, and at least one (1) of the members shall be a 8
	277	+	parent of a child who is six (6) years of age or under; 9
	278	+	10
	279	+	SECTION 15. Arkansas Code § 20 -47-505(a)(2)(B), concerning the 11
	280	+	creation and membership of the Child and Adolescent Service System Program 12
	281	+	Coordinating Council, is repealed. 13
	282	+	(B) A member of an ethnic minority; 14
	283	+	15
	284	+	SECTION 16. Arkansas Code § 20 -48-203(a)(1), concerning the creation 16
	285	+	and membership of the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services, is 17
	286	+	amended to read as follows: 18
	287	+	(a)(1) The Board of Developmental Disabilities Services shall consist 19
	288	+	of seven (7) members , at least one (1) of whom shall be a woman, who shall be 20
	289	+	citizens and residents of the State of Arkansas and more than twenty -five 21
	290	+	(25) years of age. 22
	291	+	23
	292	+	SECTION 17. Arkansas Code § 20 -78-703(b)(7), concerning the membership 24
	293	+	of the Rita Rowell Hale Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation 25
	294	+	Program Advisory Council, is amended to read as follows: 26
	295	+	(7) Two (2) members from the public at large, at least one (1) 27
	296	+	of whom shall be active in child advocacy within the state and one (1) of 28
	297	+	whom shall be African -American. 29
	298	+	30
	299	+	SECTION 18. Arkansas Code § 22 -3-303(b)(3), concerning the creation 31
	300	+	and membership of the Capitol Zoning District Commission, is amended to read 32
	301	+	as follows: 33
	302	+	(3) Four (4) resident electors of this state, to be designated 34
	303	+	by the Governor and who shall serve three -year terms, one (1) of whom shall 35
	304	+	be a black; 36 HB1365
	305	+
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	307	+	1
	308	+	SECTION 19. Arkansas Code § 23 -61-1011(b)(7)(A), concerning the 2
	309	+	membership of the Health and Economic Outcomes Accountability Oversight 3
	310	+	Advisory Panel, is amended to read as follows: 4
	311	+	(7)(A) Three (3) community members who represent health, 5
	312	+	business, or education , who reflect the broad racial and geographic diversity 6
	313	+	in the state, and who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the health 7
	314	+	and welfare of Arkansans, appointed as follows: 8
	315	+	(i) One (1) member shall be appointed by and serve 9
	316	+	at the will of the Governor; 10
	317	+	(ii) One (1) member shall be appointed by and serve 11
	318	+	at the will of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and 12
	319	+	(iii) One (1) member shall be appointed by and serve 13
	320	+	at the will of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 14
	321	+	15
	322	+	SECTION 20. Arkansas Code § 24 -7-301(3), concerning the membership of 16
	323	+	the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, is amended 17
	324	+	to read as follows: 18
	325	+	(3) One (1) trustee shall be a minority, as defined under § 1 -2-19
	326	+	503, person who: 20
	327	+	(A) Is an active or retired member of the system; 21
	328	+	(B) Is elected from the active and retired membership of 22
	329	+	the system; and 23
	330	+	(C) Has at least five (5) years of actual service; 24
	331	+	25
	332	+	SECTION 21. Arkansas Code § 26 -57-255(a)(3), concerning the creation 26
	333	+	and membership of the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board, is amended to read as 27
	334	+	follows: 28
	335	+	(3) Four (4) members of the board shall be members of the public 29
	336	+	at large who are not public employees or officials, at least one (1) of whom 30
	337	+	shall be an African-American, and two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the 31
	338	+	Governor after consulting the Arkansas Medical Society, Inc. , and subject to 32
	339	+	confirmation by the Senate. 33
	340	+	34
	341	+	SECTION 22. DO NOT CODIFY. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE. If any provision of 35
	342	+	this act or the application of this act to any person or circumstance is held 36 HB1365
	343	+
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	345	+	invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of 1
	346	+	this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or 2
	347	+	application, and to this end, the provisions of this act are declared 3
	348	+	severable. 4
	349	+	5
170	350		6
171		-	~~SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 17 -27-201(b), concerning the membership of~~ 7
172		-	~~the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling, is amended to read as follows:~~ 8
173		-	~~(b) Appointments shall be made so as to ensure that the Arkansas Board~~ 9
174		-	~~of Examiners in Counseling consists of citizens of the United States , and~~ 10
175		-	~~residents of Arkansas , at least one (1) member of each sex, and at least one~~ 11
176		-	~~(1) member of an ethnic minority .~~ 12
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	352	+	8
	353	+	9
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	355	+	11
	356	+	12
177	357		13
178		-	~~SECTION 10. Arkansas Code §§ 17 -80-301 and 17-80-302 are repealed.~~ 14
179		-	~~17-80-301. Purposes.~~ 15
180		-	~~The purposes of this subchapter are to:~~ 16
181		-	~~(1) Provide appointment recommendations for Arkansas state~~ 17
182		-	~~boards and commissions that license or otherwise regulate health -related~~ 18
183		-	~~professions to ensure board and commission compositions that reflect the~~ 19
184		-	~~diversity of the State of Arkansas; and~~ 20
185		-	~~(2) Ensure that cultural competency, health disparities, and~~ 21
186		-	~~other minority health issues are adequately represented in the health policy~~ 22
187		-	~~decisions determined by state health -related agencies, boards, and~~ 23
188		-	~~commissions for the State of Arkansas.~~ 24
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	359	+	15
	360	+	16
	361	+	17
	362	+	18
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	366	+	22
	367	+	23
	368	+	24
189	369		25
190		-	17-80-302. Minority members of state health -related agencies, boards, 26
191		-	and commissions. 27
192		-	(a) The appointing authorities for state health -related agencies, 28
193		-	boards, and commissions shall consider appointment recommendations submitted 29
194		-	by minority health-related professional associations. 30
195		-	(b) The recommending organizations under this section include without 31
196		-	limitation: 32
197		-	(1) The Arkansas Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical 33
198		-	Association; 34
199		-	(2) The Arkansas Association of Black Social Workers, Inc.; 35
200		-	(3) The Arkansas Black Nurses Association; 36 As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1365
201		-
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203		-
204		-
205		-	(4) The National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Arkansas 1
206		-	Chapter; 2
207		-	(5) The National Pharmacists Association of Arkansas; and 3
208		-	(6) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing. 4
209		-	(c) Recommendations for appointments under this section shall: 5
210		-	(1) Be submitted to the appointing authorities at least thirty 6
211		-	(30) days before the expiration of a position in a state health -related 7
212		-	agency, board, or commission relevant to the field or practice of the 8
213		-	recommending body; 9
214		-	(2) Be submitted to the appointing authorities anytime before 10
215		-	the appointing authority fills a position that has opened due to resignation 11
216		-	or removal before the end of the originally appointed term; 12
217		-	(3) Be submitted by an officially designated officer or 13
218		-	committee on behalf of the recommending organization; and 14
219		-	(4) Include correspondence on official organizational letterhead 15
220		-	and the resume or curriculum vitae of a recommended candidate. 16
221		-	(d) If a recommendation for appointment under subsection (b) of this 17
222		-	section is not received within the time allotted for the appointment, the 18
223		-	appointing authority may make the appointment without a recommendation. 19
224		-	(e) The health-related agencies, boards, and commissions for which 20
225		-	recommendations may be considered under this section include the: 21
226		-	(1) Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine; 22
227		-	(2) Arkansas Psychology Board; 23
228		-	(3) Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board; 24
229		-	(4) Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners; 25
230		-	(5) Arkansas State Medical Board; 26
231		-	(6) Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy; 27
232		-	(7) Board of Examiners in Speech -Language Pathology and 28
233		-	Audiology; and 29
234		-	(8) State Board of Optometry. 30
235		-	(f) This section does not change or affect any existing delineations 31
236		-	for minority appointments. 32
237		-	33
238		-	SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 17 -88-202(b)(1), concerning the creation 34
239		-	and membership of the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining 35
240		-	Committee, is amended to read as follows: 36 As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1365
241		-
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243		-
244		-
245		-	(b)(1) The committee shall consist of five (5) members appointed by 1
246		-	the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate for terms of five (5) 2
247		-	years, each of whom is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the 3
248		-	State of Arkansas. One (1) member shall be a member of a minority race. 4
249		-	5
250		-	SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 17 -92-201(a), concerning the membership 6
251		-	and qualifications of the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, is amended to 7
252		-	read as follows: 8
253		-	(a) The Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy shall consist of eight (8) 9
254		-	members, appointed by the Governor for terms of six (6) years: 10
255		-	(1) Five (5) Six (6) members shall be experienced pharmacists 11
256		-	who have been actively engaged in the practice of pharmacy for the last five 12
257		-	(5) years immediately preceding their appointments, to be appointed by the 13
258		-	Governor after consulting the Arkansas Pharmacist's Association and subject 14
259		-	to confirmation by the Senate; 15
260		-	(2) One (1) member shall be a minority who is a licensed 16
261		-	practicing pharmacist in this state, to be appointed by the Governor after 17
262		-	consulting the Pharmaceutical Section of the Arkansas Medical, Dental, and 18
263		-	Pharmaceutical Association, Inc., and subject to confirmation by the Senate; 19
264		-	and 20
265		-	(3)(A)(2)(A) Two (2) members of the board shall not be actively 21
266		-	engaged in or retired from the practice of pharmacy. One (1) member shall 22
267		-	represent consumers, and one (1) member shall be sixty (60) years of age or 23
268		-	older and shall represent the elderly. Both shall be appointed from the state 24
269		-	at large, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Both shall be full voting 25
270		-	members but shall not participate in the grading of examinations. 26
271		-	(B) The two (2) positions shall not be held by the same 27
272		-	person. 28
	370	+	26
	371	+	27
	372	+	28
273	373		29
274	374		30
275		-	SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 20-14-508(b)(1), concerning the membership 31
276		-	of the State Interagency Council, is amended to read as follows: 32
277		-	(1) At least twenty percent (20%) of the membership shall 33
278		-	include parents, including minorities, of infants and toddlers with 34
279		-	disabilities, or a child with a disability who is twelve (12) years of age or 35
280		-	younger, with knowledge of or experience with programs for infants and 36 As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1365
281		-
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283		-
284		-
285		-	toddlers with disabilities, and at least one (1) of the members shall be a 1
286		-	parent of a child who is six (6) years of age or under; 2
287		-	3
288		-	SECTION 14. Arkansas Code § 20 -47-505(a)(2)(B), concerning the 4
289		-	creation and membership of the Child and Adolescent Service System Program 5
290		-	Coordinating Council, is repealed. 6
291		-	(B) A member of an ethnic minority; 7
292		-	8
293		-	SECTION 15. Arkansas Code § 20 -48-203(a)(1), concerning the creation 9
294		-	and membership of the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services, is 10
295		-	amended to read as follows: 11
296		-	(a)(1) The Board of Developmental Disabilities Services shall consist 12
297		-	of seven (7) members , at least one (1) of whom shall be a woman, who shall be 13
298		-	citizens and residents of the State of Arkansas and more than twenty -five 14
299		-	(25) years of age. 15
300		-	16
301		-	SECTION 16. Arkansas Code § 20 -78-703(b)(7), concerning the membership 17
302		-	of the Rita Rowell Hale Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation 18
303		-	Program Advisory Council, is amended to read as follows: 19
304		-	(7) Two (2) members from the public at large, at least one (1) 20
305		-	of whom shall be active in child advocacy within the state and one (1) of 21
306		-	whom shall be African -American. 22
307		-	23
308		-	SECTION 17. Arkansas Code § 22 -3-303(b)(3), concerning the creation 24
309		-	and membership of the Capitol Zoning District Commission, is amended to read 25
310		-	as follows: 26
311		-	(3) Four (4) resident electors of this state, to be designated 27
312		-	by the Governor and who shall serve three -year terms, one (1) of whom shall 28
313		-	be a black; 29
314		-	30
315		-	SECTION 18. Arkansas Code § 23 -61-1011(b)(7)(A), concerning the 31
316		-	membership of the Health and Economic Outcomes Accountability Oversight 32
317		-	Advisory Panel, is amended to read as follows: 33
318		-	(7)(A) Three (3) community members who represent health, 34
319		-	business, or education , who reflect the broad racial and geographic diversity 35
320		-	in the state, and who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the health 36 As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1365
321		-
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323		-
324		-
325		-	and welfare of Arkansans, appointed as follows: 1
326		-	(i) One (1) member shall be appointed by and serve 2
327		-	at the will of the Governor; 3
328		-	(ii) One (1) member shall be appointed by and serve 4
329		-	at the will of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and 5
330		-	(iii) One (1) member shall be appointed by and serve 6
331		-	at the will of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 7
332		-	8
333		-	SECTION 19. Arkansas Code § 24 -7-301(3), concerning the membership of 9
334		-	the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, is amended 10
335		-	to read as follows: 11
336		-	(3) One (1) trustee shall be a minority, as defined under § 1 -2-12
337		-	503, person who: 13
338		-	(A) Is an active or retired member of the system; 14
339		-	(B) Is elected from the active and retired membership of 15
340		-	the system; and 16
341		-	(C) Has at least five (5) years of actual service; 17
342		-	18
343		-	SECTION 20. Arkansas Code § 26 -57-255(a)(3), concerning the creation 19
344		-	and membership of the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board, is amended to read as 20
345		-	follows: 21
346		-	(3) Four (4) members of the board shall be members of the public 22
347		-	at large who are not public employees or officials, at least one (1) of whom 23
348		-	shall be an African-American, and two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the 24
349		-	Governor after consulting the Arkansas Medical Society, Inc. , and subject to 25
350		-	confirmation by the Senate. 26
351		-	27
352		-	SECTION 21. DO NOT CODIFY. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE. If any provision of 28
353		-	this act or the application of this act to any person or circumstance is held 29
354		-	invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of 30
355		-	this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or 31
356		-	application, and to this end, the provisions of this act are declared 32
357		-	severable. 33
	375	+	31
	376	+	32
	377	+	33
358	378		34
359		-	~~/s/K. Brown~~ 35
360		-	~~APPROVED: 4/21/25~~ 36
	379	+	35
	380	+	36