Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 444 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 344 3
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By: Senator Irvin 5
By: Representative L. Johnson 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO TRANSFER THE HEALTHY EMPLOYEE LIFESTYLE 9
PROGRAM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO THE 10
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES; TO 11
AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 12
PROGRAM; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO TRANSFER THE HEALTHY EMPLOYEE 17
LIFESTYLE PROGRAM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF 18
HEALTH TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 19
TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES; AND 20
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE HEALTHY 21
LIFESTYLE PROGRAM. 22
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Cabinet-level department transfer of the 26
Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program from Department of Health to Department of 27
Transformation and Shared Services. 28
(a) The Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program is transferred by a 29
cabinet-level department transfer under § 25-43-101 et seq. from the 30
Department of Health to the Department of Transformation and Shared Services. 31
(b) The administrative functions of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle 32
Program are transferred by a cabinet-level department transfer under § 25 -43-33
1502 from the Department of Health to the Department of Transformation and 34
Shared Services. 35
(c) The statutory authority, powers, duties, functions, records, 36 SB344
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personnel, property, contracts, and unexpended balances of appropriations, 1
allocations, or other funds, including the functions of budgeting or 2
purchasing of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program, are transferred to the 3
Department of Transformation and Shared Services. 4
(d)(1) The transfer of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program does not 5
affect the orders, rules, regulations, directives, or standards made or 6
promulgated by the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program before the effective 7
date of this act. 8
(2) The orders, rules, regulations, directives, or standards 9
under subdivision (d)(1) of this section shall continue to be in effect until 10
amended or repealed under authority given by law. 11
(e) The Department of Health shall grant access to and provide all 12
information requested by the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program to accomplish 13
the transfer of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program and the mission of the 14
Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program. 15
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 21 -4-106 is amended to read as follows: 17
21-4-106. Leave of absence for participation in Healthy Employee 18
Lifestyle Program — Definitions. 19
(a) As used in this section: 20
(1) “Agency” means a department, agency, bureau, including the 21
Bureau of Legislative Research, board, or commission of any branch of state 22
government; 23
(2) “Employee” means a full -time employee of the State of 24
Arkansas or any branch, department, agency, board, bureau, including the 25
Bureau of Legislative Research, or commission of any branch of state 26
government; and 27
(3)(2) “Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program” means the incentive 28
program of the Department of Health Department of Transformation and Shared 29
Services that will reward encourages and rewards an employee for regular 30
exercise, good nutrition, and other healthy lifestyle choices .; and 31
(3) "State entity" means a department, agency, bureau, including 32
the Bureau of Legislative Research, board, or commission of any branch of 33
state government. 34
(b)(1) Upon completion of a pilot program to be conducted by the 35
department, the department The department shall: 36 SB344
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(A) Make Manage the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program 1
available to all agency directors ; and 2
(B) Assist the agencies state entities in the 3
administration of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program's implementation 4
Program. 5
(2) Upon completion of the pilot program, every agency director 6
shall consider making the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program available to the 7
agency's employees. On or before July 1, 2026, a state entity shall allow for 8
employee participation in the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program. 9
(c)(1) At the discretion of the agency director, an employee may be 10
granted paid leave of up to three (3) days per calendar year for satisfactory 11
compliance with the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program. The department shall 12
determine appropriate methods to reward employees who satisfactorily complete 13
the requirements of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program. 14
(2) A reward under subdivision (c)(1) of this section may 15
include up to twenty -four (24) hours of leave per calendar year. 16
(2)(3) The leave granted under subdivision (c)(2) of this 17
section shall be used in the calendar year in which it was granted within six 18
(6) months of approval . 19
(3)(4) The leave granted under subdivision (c)(2) of this 20
section is not compensable at termination. 21
(d) Each agency state entity shall identify and maintain, if 22
practicable, in or near each agency building an area or areas that employees 23
may use for walking exercise. 24
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APPROVED: 4/3/25 27
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