Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1582 3
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By: Representatives McAlindon, Rose, Underwood 5
By: Senator J. English 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES 9
LAW; TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES TO 10
MATCH AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A JOB; TO REQUIRE AN 11
INDIVIDUAL TO APPLY FOR A JOB AS PART OF HIS OR HER 12
WORK SEARCH CONTACTS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL TO TAKE CERTAIN 17
ACTIONS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS 18
UNDER THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES 19
LAW. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 11 -10-507(a)(2), concerning the 24
registration and reporting requirement for eligibility for benefits under the 25
Division of Workforce Services Law, is amended to read as follows: 26
(2) Registration and Reporting. He or she has registered for 27
work at and thereafter continued to report to a Division of Workforce 28
Services office in accordance with such rules as the director may prescribe , 29
and has created an account on the state -maintained job board and uploaded a 30
resume listing work experience, credentials or licenses held or earned, and 31
any relevant job information . The director, by rule, may waive or alter 32
either or both of the requirements of this subdivision (a)(2) as to 33
individuals attached to regular jobs and as to such other types of cases or 34
situations with respect to which he or she finds that compliance with these 35
requirements would be oppressive or would be inconsistent with the purpose of 36 HB1582
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this chapter. However, no such rules shall conflict with § 11 -10-501; 1
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 11 -10-507(b), concerning required work 3
search contacts under the Division of Workforce Services Law, is amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(b)(1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(3) of this section, the 6
division shall require at least five (5) work search contacts per week in 7
which an individual submits a claim for benefits. 8
(2)(A) The division shall match open jobs posted on the state -9
maintained job board with an individual submitting a claim for benefits if 10
the job is available suitable work under § 11 -10-515. 11
(B) An individual matched with an open job under 12
subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section shall apply to the suitable open job 13
posted on the state-maintained job board that he or she is matched with as 14
part of his or her work search contacts. 15
(3) If an individual fails to complete the number of work search 16
contacts required under subdivision (b)(1) of this section during a week in 17
which he or she submits a claim for benefits, the individual is not eligible 18
for benefits for that week. 19
(3)(4) The division shall audit at least one hundred (100) of 20
all weekly work search reports for work search verification and suitable work 21
each week. 22
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This act is effective on and after January 24
1, 2026. 25
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