Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 508 of the Regular Session
*ZRC022* 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/18/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1638 3
4
By: Representatives Painter, Ray 5
By: Senator Crowell 6
7
For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO MODERNIZE REFERENCES TO THE UNITED STATES 9
ARMED FORCES; TO AMEND ARMED FORCES AND UNIFORMED 10
SERVICES LISTINGS TO INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES SPACE 11
FORCE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12
13
14
Subtitle 15
TO MODERNIZE REFERENCES TO THE UNITED 16
STATES ARMED FORCES; AND TO AMEND ARMED 17
FORCES AND UNIFORMED SERVICES LISTINGS 18
TO INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES SPACE 19
FORCE. 20
21
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
23
SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings and intent. 24
(a) The General Assembly finds that: 25
(1) The United States Space Force was established on December 26
20, 2019, and is the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces and 27
eighth uniformed service of the United States under 10 U.S.C. § 101, as it 28
existed on January 1, 2025; and 29
(2) Arkansas legislation enacted after December 20, 2019, 30
includes the United States Space Force in statutory references to the United 31
States Armed Forces and uniformed services of the United States. 32
(b) The General Assembly intends for this act to: 33
(1) Add the United States Space Force to statutory references to 34
the United States Armed Forces and uniformed services of the United States 35
contained in existing statutes to ensure the eligibility of members and 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
2 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
veterans of the United States Space Force for existing programs; and 1
(2) Modernize the language and provisions of statutes adopted 2
during or immediately following World War II. 3
4
SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 5 -37-218(a), concerning the offense of 5
stolen valor, is amended to read as follows: 6
(a) As used in this section, “United States Armed Forces” means: 7
(1) Any branch regular or reserve component of the United States 8
Armed Forces Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States 9
Marine Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard ; and 10
(2) The National Guard of any state. 11
12
SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 5 -73-101, concerning the definitions 13
to be used in relation to offenses concerning weapons, is amended to add an 14
additional subdivision to read as follows: 15
(15) "United States Armed Forces" means: 16
(A) Any regular or reserve component of the United States 17
Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine 18
Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard; and 19
(B) The National Guard of any state. 20
21
SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 5 -73-105 is amended to read as follows: 22
5-73-105. Legitimate manufacture, repair, and transportation of 23
prohibited weapons. 24
Section 5-73-104 shall not be construed to prohibit the manufacture, 25
repair, transportation, or sale of the weapons enumerated in § 5 -73-104 to or 26
for an authorized representative of: 27
(1) The armed forces United States Armed Forces ; or 28
(2) Any law enforcement agency. 29
30
SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 5 -73-119(e)(2) and (3), concerning 31
instances in which the possession of a handgun by a minor or on school 32
property is permissible, are amended to read as follows: 33
(2) The person is a law enforcement officer, correctional 34
officer, member of a municipal fire department bomb squad who is authorized 35
to carry a concealed handgun under § 12 -15-204, or member of the armed forces 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
3 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
United States Armed Forces acting in the course and scope of his or her 1
official duties; 2
(3) The person is assisting a law enforcement officer, 3
correctional officer, or member of the armed forces United States Armed 4
Forces acting in the course and scope of his or her official duties pursuant 5
to the direction or request of the law enforcement officer, correctional 6
officer, or member of the armed forces United States Armed Forces ; 7
8
SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 5 -73-120(c)(2) and (3), concerning the 9
instances in which a person is presumed to be carrying a weapon with a lawful 10
purpose, are amended to read as follows: 11
(2) The person is a law enforcement officer, correctional 12
officer, member of a municipal fire department bomb squad who is authorized 13
to carry a concealed handgun under § 12 -15-204, or member of the armed forces 14
United States Armed Forces , acting in the course and scope of his or her 15
official duties; 16
(3) The person is assisting a law enforcement officer, 17
correctional officer, or member of the armed forces United States Armed 18
Forces acting in the course and scope of his or her official duties pursuant 19
to the direction or request of the law enforcement officer, correctional 20
officer, or member of the armed forces United States Armed Forces ; 21
22
SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 6 -4-302, Article II(R), concerning the 23
adoption of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military 24
Children, is amended to read as follows: 25
R. “Uniformed service(s)” means: the Army, Navy, 26
Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard as well as the Commissioned 27
Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public 28
Health Services. 29
30
SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 6 -17-306(b)(1), concerning a leave of 31
absence for a public school employee, is amended to read as follows: 32
(b)(1) A licensed employee or a classified employee who is employed by 33
a public school in this state is entitled to a leave of absence for fifteen 34
(15) days plus necessary travel time in any fiscal year for the purpose of 35
participating in: 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
4 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
(A) Military training programs or other official duties 1
made available by the armed forces of this state or any other state, 2
including without limitation the National Guard or a reserve component of the 3
armed forces United States Armed Forces ; or 4
(B) The civil defense and public health training programs 5
made available by the United States Commissioned Corps of the Public Health 6
Service. 7
(C) As used in this section, "United States Armed Forces" 8
means any regular or reserve component of the United States Army, United 9
States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United 10
States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard. 11
12
SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 7 -1-101(36), concerning the definitions 13
used in relation to elections, is amended to read as follows: 14
(36) “Uniformed services” means the United States Army, United 15
States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United 16
States Space Force, United States Coast Guard, the United States Commissioned 17
Corps of the Public Health Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 18
Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, or as defined in the federal 19
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. § 20301 et 20
seq., as it existed on January 1, 2025, if different from the definition 21
stated in this subdivision (36); 22
23
SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 9 -13-110(a)(1), concerning parents who are 24
members of the armed forces, is amended to read as follows: 25
(1) “Armed forces” means : the National Guard and the reserve 26
components of the armed forces, the United States Army, the United States 27
Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, the 28
United States Air Force, and any other branch of the military and naval 29
forces or auxiliaries of the United States or Arkansas; and 30
(A) Any regular or reserve component of the United States 31
Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine 32
Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard; 33
(B) The National Guard of any state. 34
35
SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 9 -21-102(18), concerning the definitions 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
5 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
to be used in relation to the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation 1
Act, is amended to read as follows: 2
(18) “Uniformed service” means: 3
(A) active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air 4
Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard of the United States; 5
(B) the United States Merchant Marine; 6
(C) the commissioned corps of the United States Public 7
Health Service; 8
(D) the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and 9
Atmospheric Administration of the United States; or 10
(E) the National Guard of a state. 11
12
SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 12 -60-102(13), concerning the definitions 13
to be used in relation to military affairs, is amended to read as follows: 14
(13) “Military” refers to any or all of means the armed forces, 15
including without limitation any regular or reserve component of the United 16
States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States 17
Marine Corps, United States Space Force, and United States Coast Guard ; 18
19
SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 12 -60-102, concerning the definitions to 20
be used in relation to military affairs, is amended to add an additional 21
subdivision to read as follows: 22
(22) "United States Armed Forces" means: 23
(A) Any regular or reserve component of the United States 24
Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine 25
Corps, United States Space Force, and United States Coast Guard; and 26
(B) The National Guard of any state. 27
28
SECTION 14. Arkansas Code § 12 -61-108(c), concerning the appointment 29
of deputy adjutants general, is amended to read as follows: 30
(c) The deputy adjutants general must have a thorough knowledge of the 31
organization and missions of the departments and components of the armed 32
forces of the United States Armed Forces. 33
34
SECTION 15. Arkansas Code § 12 -61-110(b), concerning the property and 35
finance officer of the state militia, is amended to read as follows: 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
6 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
(b) He or she shall be a citizen of the United States, a resident of 1
Arkansas, and shall have served on the active list as a commissioned officer 2
of either the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, or the 3
National Guard of this state. 4
5
SECTION 16. Arkansas Code § 12-61-111(a)(2), concerning the power of 6
the Governor to order the state militia into service, is amended to read as 7
follows: 8
(2) Such power shall include the power to order the organized 9
militia or any part thereof to function under the operational control of the 10
United States Army, United States Navy, United States Space Force, or United 11
States Air Force commander in charge of the defense of any area within the 12
state. 13
14
SECTION 17. Arkansas Code § 12 -62-406 is amended to read as follows: 15
12-62-406. Stay of proceedings. 16
(a) All lawsuits pending in any court of this state in which any an 17
attorney for either party or any party is a member of the a reserve 18
components component of the armed forces United States Armed Forces and who 19
has been ordered to a period of active duty in the armed forces of the State 20
of Arkansas or of the United States , pursuant to a written order issued by 21
the authority of the President of the United States or the Governor of the 22
State of Arkansas, upon written notice to the parties and the court, shall be 23
stayed for a period of not less than fifteen (15) days preceding the period 24
of active duty and for thirty (30) days following the period of active duty, 25
unless for a time less as requested by the party or attorney. The proceedings 26
shall be stayed without regard to the number of other attorneys also 27
representing the parties litigant. Judgments, decrees, sentences, or fines 28
rendered or imposed in violation hereof after written notice for continuance 29
has been filed hereunder shall be void and unenforceable. 30
(b)(1) This section does not apply to any dependency -neglect actions. 31
(2) However, in dependency -neglect actions, a member of the 32
National Guard or reserve component of the armed forces of the United States 33
Armed Forces who has been ordered to a period of active duty in the armed 34
forces of the State of Arkansas or the United States pursuant to a written 35
order issued by the authority of the President of the United States or the 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
7 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
Governor of the State of Arkansas shall be afforded the protections under the 1
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, 50 U.S.C. App. § 501 et seq., as in effect 2
on February 1, 2011, to the same extent as if his or her duties were for 3
federal military status. 4
5
SECTION 18. Arkansas Code § 12 -62-413(a), concerning employment 6
protections for members of the armed forces, is amended to read as follows: 7
(a) A person who is called to active state duty as a member of the 8
armed forces of this state or any other state, including without limitation 9
the National Guard, a reserve component of the armed forces, or the militia, 10
United States Armed Forces is afforded such employment and reemployment 11
rights, privileges, benefits, and protections in employment as though that 12
person had been called to active duty in the service of the United States and 13
shall not be denied hiring, retention in employment, promotion, or other 14
incidents or advantages of employment because of any obligation as a member 15
of the armed forces United States Armed Forces . 16
17
SECTION 19. Arkansas Code § 12 -62-802(5), concerning the definitions 18
to be used under the Military Service Protection Act, is amended to read as 19
follows: 20
(5) “Military service” means current honorable service or 21
honorable discharge from service within six (6) months from the date of the 22
alleged discrimination in any active or reserve component of the United 23
States Armed Forces armed forces; and 24
25
SECTION 20. Arkansas Code § 12 -63-305(a)(1)(A), concerning the 26
conveyance or disposal of military real property, is amended to read as 27
follows: 28
(a)(1)(A) If the Adjutant General of the State of Arkansas determines 29
that any military reservation, armory, landing field, hangar, or any other 30
estate in real property owned or possessed by the State of Arkansas for the 31
use and benefit of the Arkansas National Guard or the armed forces of the 32
United States Armed Forces is no longer useful or necessary for National 33
Guard or other military purposes, the Adjutant General shall then have 34
authority to sell, convey, or otherwise dispose of the property. 35
36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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SECTION 21. Arkansas Code § 12 -63-401(f), concerning the state's 1
acceptance of title to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, is amended to read as 2
follows: 3
(f) Such military training and support facilities, canteens, morale, 4
welfare, and recreational facilities, service clubs, and other facilities as 5
may be established and operated by the Adjutant General shall be operated in 6
accordance with applicable regulations of the United States armed forces 7
Armed Forces, subject to the orders, directions, regulations, and general 8
supervision of the Adjutant General, and subject to such restrictions and 9
requirements as provided by state law governing other military training 10
facilities, recreational facilities, and service clubs operated by the 11
Adjutant General. 12
13
SECTION 22. Arkansas Code § 12 -63-404(a), concerning military -type 14
canteens and exchanges, is amended to read as follows: 15
(a) The Adjutant General, as custodian of military properties and 16
military reservations, may institute and operate military -type canteens and 17
exchanges similar to those operated by armed forces of the United States 18
Armed Forces on any military reservation, and he or she may designate 19
suitable buildings and lands located on a military reservation for the 20
operation of military -type canteens and exchanges. 21
22
SECTION 23. Arkansas Code § 12 -64-817(1)(A), concerning actions for 23
which military personnel shall be punished as directed by a court martial, is 24
amended to read as follows: 25
(1)(A) Violates or fails to obey any lawful order or rule. A 26
lawful order or rule is a written, electronic, nonverbal , or oral 27
communication by a member of the armed forces United States Armed Forces 28
acting within the scope of official military duties regarding instruction, 29
decision, rule, judgment, directive, procedure, statement , or command, and 30
which primarily affects the action, organization, training, good order, 31
discipline, property, welfare, administration, operation, and procedure of 32
the armed forces United States Armed Forces . 33
34
SECTION 24. Arkansas Code § 12 -64-824(7), concerning actions that 35
constitute misbehavior before the enemy by military personnel, is amended to 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
9 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
read as follows: 1
(7) Causes false arms in any command, unit, or place under 2
control of the armed forces of the United States Armed Forces or the 3
organized militia; 4
5
SECTION 25. Arkansas Code § 12 -64-841(3) and (4), concerning frauds 6
against the government, are amended to read as follows: 7
(3) Having charge, possession, custody, or control of any money 8
or other property of the United States or the state, furnished or intended 9
for the armed forces of the United States or the organized militia or any 10
force thereof United States Armed Forces , knowingly delivers to any person 11
having authority to receive it, any amount thereof less than that for which 12
he or she receives a certificate or receipt; or 13
(4) Being authorized to make or deliver any paper certifying the 14
receipt of any property of the United States or the state, furnished or 15
intended for the armed forces of the United States or the organized militia 16
or any force thereof United States Armed Forces , makes or delivers to any 17
person such writing without having full knowledge of the truth of the 18
statements therein contained and with intent to defraud the United States or 19
the state. 20
21
SECTION 26. Arkansas Code § 12 -64-851(a) and (b), concerning 22
prohibited activities by a person in a position of special trust, are amended 23
to read as follows: 24
(a) An officer, a noncommissioned officer, or a petty officer shall be 25
punished as a court-martial may direct for abuse of a training leadership 26
position if he or she: 27
(1) Is in a training leadership position with respect to a 28
specially protected junior member of the armed forces United States Armed 29
Forces; and 30
(2) Engages in prohibited sexual activity with the specially 31
protected junior member of the armed forces United States Armed Forces . 32
(b) A military recruiter shall be punished as a court -martial may 33
direct for abuse of a position as a military recruiter if he or she engages 34
in prohibited sexual activity with: 35
(1) An applicant he or she is recruiting to enlist in military 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
10 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
service; or 1
(2) A specially protected junior member of the armed forces 2
United States Armed Forces who enlisted under a delayed entry program. 3
4
SECTION 27. Arkansas Code § 14 -2-102(b), concerning records of 5
military discharges, is amended to read as follows: 6
(b) The record shall contain a complete copy of discharges and shall 7
contain an index of the names of the discharged soldiers, sailors, airmen, 8
marines Marines, or other members of the United States Army, United States 9
Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States 10
Space Force, United States Coast Guard, United States Merchant Marine, 11
members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, Women's Reserve of the United 12
States Naval Reserve, nurses, and members of all other branches of the United 13
States Armed Forces with reference to page, alphabetically arranged. 14
15
SECTION 28. Arkansas Code § 16 -47-213 is amended to read as follows: 16
16-47-213. Acknowledgments by persons serving in or with the armed 17
forces of the United States Armed Forces within or without the United States. 18
In addition to the acknowledgment of instruments in the manner and form 19
and as otherwise authorized by this act, persons a person serving in or with 20
the armed forces of the United States Armed Forces or their dependents his or 21
her dependent may acknowledge the same wherever located before any 22
commissioned officer in active service of the armed forces of the United 23
States Armed Forces with the rank of second lieutenant or higher in the 24
United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, or 25
United States Marine Corps, or ensign or higher in the United States Navy or 26
United States Coast Guard. The instrument shall not be rendered invalid by 27
the failure to state therein the place of execution or acknowledgment. No 28
authentication of the officer's certificate of acknowledgment shall be 29
required but the officer taking the acknowledgment shall endorse thereon or 30
attach thereto a certificate substantially in the following form: “On this 31
............. day of ............. , 19 20............., before me, 32
............., the undersigned officer, personally appeared ............. 33
(Serial No. .............) known to me or satisfactorily proven to be 34
(serving in or with the armed forces of the United States Armed Forces) (a 35
dependent of ............., (Serial No. .............) a person serving in or 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
11 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
with the armed forces of the United States Armed Forces) and to be the person 1
whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged that 2
............. he or she ............. executed the same for the purposes 3
therein contained. And the undersigned does further certify that he or she is 4
at the date of this certificate a commissioned officer of the rank stated 5
below and is in the active service of the armed forces of the United States 6
Armed Forces. 7
............................................ 8
Signature of the Officer 9
............................................ 10
Rank and Serial No. of Officer 11
and Command to which attached." 12
13
SECTION 29. Arkansas Code § 16 -56-118 is amended to read as follows: 14
16-56-118. Suspension of limitations — Persons in the armed forces 15
United States Armed Forces . 16
(a) The statutes of limitations in this state are suspended so far as 17
those statutes affect the claim or cause of action of a person in the armed 18
forces of the United States Armed Forces during the existence of a state of 19
war between the United States and any other nation, and for six (6) months 20
thereafter. 21
(b) Any person in the armed forces of the United States Armed Forces 22
during the existence of a state of war between the United States and any 23
other nation may, at any time within one (1) year after the end of the state 24
of war and six (6) months thereafter, maintain a suit for the collection of 25
any debt or the recovery of any real or personal property to which the person 26
may be entitled if the statute of limitations had not run against the action 27
prior to the person's entry into the armed forces of the United States Armed 28
Forces. 29
(c) As used in this section, "United States Armed Forces" means: 30
(1) Any regular or reserve component of the United States Army, 31
United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, 32
United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard; and 33
(2) The National Guard of any state. 34
35
SECTION 30. Arkansas Code § 16 -112-118(a)(1), concerning who may be 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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discharged under a writ of habeas corpus, is amended to read as follows: 1
(1) Who is in custody or held by virtue of any legal engagement 2
or enlistment in the United States Army , or the United States Navy, United 3
States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, or 4
United States Coast Guard ; 5
6
SECTION 31. Arkansas Code § 17 -1-101(a) and (b), concerning the 7
examination credit for United States veterans and nurses on examinations held 8
by state boards, commissions, or bureaus for the purpose of examining 9
applicants for a license or permit to engage in a profession, trade, or 10
employment, are amended to read as follows: 11
(a) In all examinations held by any and all state boards, commissions, 12
or bureaus for the purpose of examining applicants for any license or permit 13
to engage in any profession, trade, or employment, all applicants for such 14
examinations who are veterans of the United States Army, United States Navy, 15
United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Space 16
Force, United States Coast Guard, or Nurses of the United States shall have a 17
credit of ten percent (10%) over and above all applicants who are not such 18
veterans or nurses. 19
(b) The only requirement on the part of the applicant for examination 20
to secure credit of ten percent (10%) shall be the delivery to the examining 21
board, commission, or bureau of the original or a duly and properly executed 22
certified copy of an honorable discharge from the United States Army, United 23
States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United 24
States Space Force, United States Coast Guard, or Nurses of the United 25
States. 26
27
SECTION 32. Arkansas Code § 17 -20-103(a), concerning exemptions to the 28
Arkansas Barber Law, is amended to read as follows: 29
(a) The following persons, firms, or corporations are exempt from the 30
provisions under this chapter while in the proper discharge of their 31
professional duties: 32
(1) Persons licensed by the laws of this state to practice the 33
healing arts; 34
(2) Commissioned medical or surgical officers of the uniformed 35
services of the United States Army, United States Navy, or United States 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service ; 1
(3) Persons licensed or registered by the Arkansas State Board 2
of Nursing; 3
(4) Undertakers and morticians; and 4
(5) Jails, prisons, or penitentiaries. 5
6
SECTION 33. Arkansas Code § 17 -82-302(1), concerning acts and 7
practices that do not require a person to be licensed as a dentist, dental 8
hygienist, or dental assistant, is amended to read as follows: 9
(1) The performance of duty in this state of a commissioned 10
dental or medical officer of the United States Army, United States Air Force, 11
United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, United States Department of 12
Veterans Affairs, or United States Public Health Service; 13
14
SECTION 34. Arkansas Code § 17 -83-104(2), concerning exemptions from 15
the laws concerning the licensing of dietitians, is amended to read as 16
follows: 17
(2)(A) A dietitian who is serving in the armed forces United 18
States Armed Forces or the United States Public Health Service or is employed 19
by the Department of Veterans Affairs from engaging in the practice of 20
dietetics, provided that the practice is related to that service or 21
employment;. 22
(B) As used in this subdivision (2), "United States Armed 23
Forces" means: 24
(i) Any regular or reserve component of the United 25
States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States 26
Marine Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard; and 27
(ii) The National Guard of any state; 28
29
SECTION 35. Arkansas Code § 17 -96-102 is amended to read as follows: 30
17-96-102. Exemptions. 31
This chapter shall not apply to physicians or surgeons licensed in the 32
State of Arkansas, nor to the surgeons of the United States Army, the United 33
States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the United States Public Health 34
Service, when in actual performance of their duties. 35
36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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SECTION 36. Arkansas Code § 19 -5-1095(b)(1)(B), concerning the 1
Military Support Revolving Fund, is amended to read as follows: 2
(B) All moneys received by the Department of the Military 3
from the United States Army, the United States Air Force, the United States 4
Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Space Force, the 5
United States Coast Guard, foreign allied governments, and reserve forces of 6
the United States, allied nations, and other federal agencies; and 7
8
SECTION 37. Arkansas Code § 19 -5-1127(c), concerning the Military 9
Family Relief Trust Fund, is amended to read as follows: 10
(c) The fund shall be used exclusively by the Adjutant General or his 11
or her designee to assist members and families of members of the Arkansas 12
National Guard and reserve components of the armed forces United States Army, 13
United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, 14
United States Space Force, and United States Coast Guard . 15
16
SECTION 38. Arkansas Code § 20 -64-205(2)(b), concerning the sale on 17
written orders of narcotics under the Uniform Narcotic Drug Act, is amended 18
to read as follows: 19
(b) To a master of a ship or a person in charge of any aircraft 20
upon which no physician is regularly employed, or to a physician or surgeon 21
duly licensed in some state, territory, or the District of Columbia, to 22
practice his or her profession, or to a retired commissioned medical officer 23
of the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air 24
Force, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Space Force, the 25
United States Coast Guard, or the United States Public Health Service 26
employed upon such ship or aircraft, for the actual medical needs of persons 27
on board of such ship or aircraft, when not in port. Provided: Such narcotic 28
drugs shall be sold to the master of such ship or person in charge of such 29
aircraft or to a physician, surgeon, or retired commissioned medical officer 30
of the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air 31
Force, the United States Coast Guard, or the United States Public Health 32
Service employed upon such ship or aircraft only in pursuance of a special 33
order form approved by a commissioned medical officer or acting assistant 34
surgeon of the United States Public Health Service; 35
36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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SECTION 39. Arkansas Code § 20 -64-205(5), concerning the sale on 1
written orders of narcotics under the Uniform Narcotic Drug Act, is amended 2
to read as follows: 3
(5) A person in charge of a hospital or of a laboratory, or in the 4
employ of this state or of any other state, or of any political subdivisions 5
thereof, or a master of a ship or a person in charge of any aircraft upon 6
which no physician is regularly employed, or a physician or surgeon duly 7
licensed in some state, territory, or the District of Columbia, to practice 8
his or her profession, or a retired commissioned medical officer of the 9
United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the 10
United States Coast Guard, or the United States Public Health Service 11
employed upon such ship or aircraft who obtains narcotic drugs under the 12
provisions of this section or otherwise, shall not administer nor dispense 13
nor otherwise use such drugs, within this state, except within the scope of 14
his or her employment or official duty, and then only for scientific or 15
medicinal purposes and subject to the provisions of this subchapter. 16
17
SECTION 40. Arkansas Code § 21 -2-105(b), concerning the administration 18
of oaths for public officers and employees, is amended to read as follows: 19
(b) However, if the officer is serving in or with the United States 20
Armed Forces, he or she may take the oath of office before any commissioned 21
officer in active service of the United States Armed Forces with the rank of 22
second lieutenant or higher in the United States Army, United States Air 23
Force, United States Space Force, or United States Marine Corps, or ensign or 24
higher in the United States Navy or United States Coast Guard. 25
26
SECTION 41. Arkansas Code § 21 -4-301(4), concerning definitions 27
related to military leaves of absence, is amended to read as follows: 28
(4) “Person in military service” and “persons in the military 29
service of the United States” shall include the following persons and no 30
others: 31
(A) All members of the United States Army, United States 32
Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States 33
Space Force, and United States Coast Guard; and 34
(B) All officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 35
Administration Commissioned Officer Corps and United States Commissioned 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
16 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
Corps of the United States Public Health Service detailed by proper authority 1
for duty with either the Untied States Army or the United States Navy the 2
United States Armed Forces under subdivision (4)(A) of this section . 3
4
SECTION 42. Arkansas Code § 23-64-302(9), concerning exemptions from 5
continuing education requirements for insurance licensees, is amended to read 6
as follows: 7
(9)(A) A member of the Arkansas National Guard on state active 8
duty or a member of the United States Armed Forces on active duty., including 9
without limitation an active duty member of the: 10
(A) United States Coast Guard; or 11
(B) Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. 12
As used in this section, "United States Armed Forces" 13
means: 14
(i) A regular or reserve component of the United 15
States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States 16
Marine Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard; and 17
(ii) The National Guard of any state. 18
19
SECTION 43. Arkansas Code § 24 -2-503(a), concerning the Arkansas 20
National Guard and armed forces reserve service credit under public employee 21
retirement plans, is amended to read as follows: 22
(a) As used in this section, "armed forces reserve" means one (1) of 23
the reserve components a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces 24
United States Army,United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States 25
Marine Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard . 26
27
SECTION 44. Arkansas Code § 24 -4-501(b), concerning prior service 28
credit under the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System, is amended to 29
read as follows: 30
(b) Any active member of the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement 31
System who would otherwise be eligible for free prior service credit under 32
the provisions of this chapter because of employment with a public employer 33
or with the public schools but who was drafted and was serving in the 34
military United States Armed Forces on active duty on a date which would have 35
made the member eligible for the free prior service had the member been an 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
17 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
employee on that date shall receive, upon application and submission of 1
proper proof to the board, free prior service credit for employment prior to 2
July 1, 1957, in the case of a state, municipal, or school employee, or prior 3
to July 1, 1959, in the case of a county employee, if the following 4
conditions are met: 5
(1) The member was an employee of a public employer immediately 6
preceding his or her involuntary service in the armed forces United States 7
Armed Forces; and 8
(2) The member was reemployed as an employee within six (6) 9
months of his or her discharge from the United States Armed Forces. 10
11
SECTION 45. Arkansas Code § 24 -4-501, concerning prior service credit 12
under the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System, is amended to add an 13
additional subsection to read as follows: 14
(d) As used in this section, "United States Armed Forces" means: 15
(1) Any regular or reserve component of the United States Army, 16
United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, 17
United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard; and 18
(2) The National Guard of any state. 19
20
SECTION 46. Arkansas Code § 24 -6-104(a), concerning credit for service 21
in the National Guard and armed forces reserve for the purposes of state 22
police retirement, is amended to read as follows: 23
(a) As used in this section, “armed forces reserve” means one (1) of 24
the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces United States Army, 25
United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, 26
United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard . 27
28
SECTION 47. Arkansas Code § 24 -7-610(a), concerning credit for service 29
in the National Guard and armed forces reserve for the purpose of the 30
Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, is amended to read as follows: 31
(a) As used in this section, “armed forces reserve” means one (1) of 32
the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces United States Army, 33
United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, 34
United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard . 35
36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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SECTION 48. Arkansas Code § 26 -51-306(c)(2) and (3), concerning the 1
definitions used in relation to the income tax exemption for compensation and 2
benefits from military service, are amended to read as follows: 3
(2)(A) “Armed forces” means the United States Army, United 4
States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United 5
States Space Force, and United States Coast Guard, the National Guard, and 6
the reserve components of the United States Army, United States Navy, United 7
States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Space Force, and 8
United States Coast Guard. 9
(B) “Armed forces” does not include: 10
(i) A military technician (dual status) under 10 11
U.S.C. § 10216(a)(1), as it existed on January 1, 2019; 12
(ii) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 13
Administration Commissioned Officer Corps; or 14
(iii) The United States Commissioned Corps of the 15
Public Health Service; and 16
(3) “Armed services” means includes the National Guard of any 17
state, reserve components of the armed forces, United States Army, United 18
States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, United 19
States Air Force, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 20
Commissioned Officer Corps, and United States Commissioned Corps of the 21
Public Health Service. 22
23
SECTION 49. Arkansas Code § 26 -51-307(e)(2), concerning the income tax 24
exemption for retirement and disability benefits, is amended to read as 25
follows: 26
(2) As used in this subsection, “member of the uniformed 27
services” means a retired member of any of the following: 28
(A) The United States Army, the United States Marine 29
Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States 30
Space Force, or the United States Coast Guard; 31
(B) A reserve component of any of the United States Armed 32
Forces listed in subdivision (e)(2)(A) of this section; 33
(C) The National Guard of any state; 34
(D) The commissioned regular or reserve corps of the 35
United States Public Health Service; or 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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(E) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1
Commissioned Officer Corps. 2
3
SECTION 50. Arkansas Code § 26 -51-2506(i), concerning the Military 4
Family Relief Check-off Program, is amended to read as follows: 5
(i)(1) The Adjutant General or his or her designee shall use funds 6
from the Military Family Relief Trust Fund to establish a grant program to 7
assist the families of members of the National Guard and the reserve 8
components of the armed forces United States Armed Forces . 9
(2)(A) The grant program created under this section shall assist 10
members and families of members of the National Guard and the reserve 11
components of the armed forces United States Armed Forces . 12
(B) The eligibility criteria for receiving grants under 13
the grant program shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 14
(i) The need of the family; 15
(ii) The pay grade of the member of the National 16
Guard and reserve components of the armed forces United States Armed Forces ; 17
(iii) The difference between the member's military 18
salary and civilian salary; or 19
(iv) Any other factors that establish the family's 20
financial hardship. 21
(3) As used in this section, "United States Armed Forces" means 22
the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United 23
States Marine Corps, United States Space Force, or United States Coast Guard. 24
25
26
SECTION 51. Arkansas Code § 27 -14-704(a)(4), concerning the operation 27
of motor vehicles registered in foreign states, is amended to read as 28
follows: 29
(4) The secretary is authorized and empowered to enter into any 30
agreement or issue any permit for the operation of any motor vehicles upon 31
the highways of this state without payment of license fees when the motor 32
vehicles are operated under and by the supervision of the proper authorities 33
of the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Navy, or 34
United States Marine Corps , United States Space Force, or United States Coast 35
Guard during any period of emergency. 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
20 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
1
SECTION 52. Arkansas Code § 27 -16-603(1), concerning persons exempted 2
from the licensing requirements for the operation of motor vehicles, is 3
amended to read as follows: 4
(1) A person who operates a motor vehicle for a military 5
purpose: 6
(A) While in the service of the: 7
(i) United States Army, United States Air Force, 8
United States Navy, United States Space Force, United States Coast Guard, or 9
United States Marine Corps; or 10
(ii) National Guard and reserve components of the 11
armed forces; or 12
(B) While serving as a National Guard military technician; 13
14
SECTION 53. Arkansas Code § 27 -24-203(6), concerning the definitions 15
to be used under the Special License Plate Act of 2005, is amended to read as 16
follows: 17
(6) “Retired member of the armed forces United States Armed 18
Forces” means a person who presents proof of retirement in the form of 19
retirement orders issued by one (1) of the following services of the United 20
States Armed Forces: 21
(A) The United States Army; 22
(B) The United States Navy; 23
(C) The United States Marine Corps; 24
(D) The United States Air Force; 25
(E) The United States Space Force; 26
(F) The United States Coast Guard; 27
(F)(G) The Army National Guard; 28
(G)(H) The Air National Guard; or 29
(H)(I) The reserve components of the United States Armed 30
Forces; 31
32
SECTION 54. Arkansas Code § 27 -24-209(c)(1), concerning the redesign 33
and simplification of military service and veterans special license plates, 34
is amended to read as follows: 35
(c)(1) The Office of Motor Vehicle shall design a branch decal based 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
21 03-18-2025 10:45:34 ZRC022
on the official emblem for each of the following: 1
(A) The United States Army; 2
(B) The United States Army Reserve; 3
(C) The United States Navy; 4
(D) The United States Navy Reserve; 5
(E) The United States Marine Corps; 6
(F) The United States Marine Corps Reserve; 7
(G) The United States Air Force; 8
(H) The United States Air Force Reserve; 9
(I) The United States Coast Guard; 10
(J) The United States Coast Guard Reserve; 11
(K) The United States Space Force; 12
(L) The United States Space Force Reserve; 13
(K)(M) The Army National Guard; and 14
(L)(N) The Air National Guard. 15
16
SECTION 55. Arkansas Code § 27 -24-210(a), concerning the special 17
license plate for retired members of the armed forces, is amended to read as 18
follows: 19
(a) The Department of Finance and Administration shall continue the 20
special license plate for a retired members member of the armed forces United 21
States Armed Forces that existed before the July 31, 2009. 22
23
SECTION 56. Arkansas Code § 27 -24-1313(a), concerning special license 24
plates for United States veterans, is amended to read as follows: 25
(a) The Department of Finance and Administration shall create for 26
issuance a special license plate that bears a decal stating “U. S. Veteran” 27
to be issued to an eligible applicant who establishes that he or she has 28
served in the: 29
(1) United States Army; 30
(2) United States Navy; 31
(3) United States Marine Corps; 32
(4) United States Air Force; 33
(5) United States Space Force; 34
(6) United States Coast Guard; 35
(6)(7) Army National Guard; or 36 As Engrossed: H3/18/25 HB1638
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(7)(8) Air National Guard. 1
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/s/Painter 3
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APPROVED: 4/10/25 6
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