Arkansas approves display of Ten Commandments and national motto in schools

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A set of bills centered around on healthcare, education, public safety, were passed by Governor Sarah Sanders on April 14, 2025.

One of the more notable bills that advanced through Arkansas legislation is the public displaying of the national motto and the ten commandments.

Arkansas bill proposes display of Ten Commandments, national motto in public classrooms

A full list of acts passed can be found below:

• SB123 - An act to amend the law concerning coverage for mammograms and breast ultrasounds; and for other purposes.

• SB237- An act to amend the law concerning the licensing and regulation of captive insurers; and for other purposes.

• SB405 - An act to amend the online marketplace consumer inform act; and for other purposes.

• SB463 - An act to require the Arkansas public service commission to approve or deny settlement agreements concerning closing or eliminating electric generation units or transmission assets between public utilities and certain entities; and for other purposes.

• HB1296 - An act to mandate coverage for healthcare services provided in mobile units; and for other purposes.

• HB1426 - An act to amend the healthcare contracting simplification act; to modify the definition of “healthcare insurer” under the healthcare contracting simplification act; to clarify the prohibition on leasing a healthcare contract or provider network; and for other purposes.

• HB1467 - An act to amend the uniform money services act; and for other purposes.

• HB1468 - An act to amend the Arkansas law concerning claims home improvement contractors, residential building contractors, and suppliers construction defects; and for other purposes.

• HB1703 - An act to provide a drug reimbursement process for certain healthcare providers; and for other purposes.

• HB1736 - An act to amend article 9 of the uniform commercial code; and for other purposes.

• HB1737 - An act to transmitting utility act; to amend the definition of “transmitting utility” to include fiber optic and broadband lines; and for other purposes.

• HB1788 - An act to amend the Arkansas health care consumer act; to reduce the time allowed for processing an application of a provider; and for other purposes.

• HB1794 - An act to amend the law concerning continuing education requirements for real estate licensees; to create continuing education exemptions for certain real estate broker licensees; and for other purposes.

• HB1821 - An act to create a more sustainable system of property insurance for public schools, state-supported institutions of higher education, and state-owned property; to create the office of property risk within the Department of
• Transformation and Shared Services; to amend the public elementary and secondary school insurance act; to revise the employee benefits division oversight subcommittee; to amend the Arkansas multi-agency insurance trust fund act; to combine public elementary and secondary schools with state-supported institutions of higher education and state-owned property under a single program to ensure property valuation for property insurance purposes; to create the state captive insurance program act; to prohibit the use of public adjusting in property insurance claims; to allow for the creation of a captive insurance company by the State of Arkansas; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

• HB1859 - An act to amend the law concerning mastectomies; and for other purposes.

• SB167 - An act to amend the dates by which applications for a transfer under the Arkansas opportunity public school choice act and public-school choice act of 2015 shall be submitted; to amend the date by which a foster child shall submit a request to transfer schools; and for other purposes.

• SB545 - An act to amend the law concerning higher education; to amend the law related to the property and finances of state institutions; to amend the law related to bonds; to amend the law regarding rents, tolls, fees, and other charges related to athletic contests; and for other purposes.

• HB1062 - An act to create the teacher and student protection act of 2025; to prohibit a student who is removed from a classroom due to violent or abusive behavior against a teacher or another student from being placed in a class with the teacher or student against whom the violent or abusive behavior was directed; and for other purposes.

• HB1696 - An act to amend the law regarding higher education; to establish the strengthening Arkansas education act; to provide a core curriculum at state-supported institutions of higher education; and for other purposes.

• SB348 - An act to amend the annual cap for diagnostic laboratory services within the Arkansas Medicaid program; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

• SB357 - An act to amend the uniform attendance and leave policy act; to apply military service credit to a public employee’s total service time for annual leave accrual calculation; and for other purposes.

• SB433 - An act regarding the display of the national motto and the ten commandments; and for other purposes.

• SB479 - An act to amend the law concerning voter assistance; to require a person assisting a voter with a disability to present identification; and for other purposes.

• SB510 - An act to allow for the cross deputization of municipal, county, state, and tribal law enforcement on federally-recognized tribal land within the state; and for other purposes.

• HB1515 - An act to amend the law concerning the authority to order the Arkansas National Guard into service; to authorize the use of the Arkansas National Guard for matters related to military justice and to address staffing shortages; and for other purposes.

• HB1526 - An act to authorize the Department of the Military to enter into public-private partnerships; to amend the law concerning gifts received by the Department of the Military; and for other purposes.

• SB351 - An act to amend the law concerning ethics and campaign finance; to amend portions of initiated act 1 of 1990; to amend portions of initiated act 1 of 1996; and for other purposes.

• SB361 - An act to create the industrial development authorities expansion act; to provide for the creation of industrial development authorities to secure and develop industry and foster economic development; to improve the state’s ability to effectively compete, win, and develop economic development projects; to increase job creation and capital investment; and for other purposes.

• SB407 - An act to repeal the Arkansas catfish processor fair practices act of 1987; and for other purposes.

• SB421 - An act authorizing the Arkansas natural resources commission to issue general obligation bonds to finance and refinance the development of water, waste disposal, pollution control, abatement and prevention, drainage, irrigation, flood control, and wetlands and aquatic resources projects to serve the citizens of the State of Arkansas, in total principal amount not to exceed five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) with no more than one hundred sixty-five million dollars ($165,000,000) in total principal amount of the general obligation bonds to be issued to finance and refinance the development of irrigation facilities, in series from time to time in principal amounts not to exceed, without prior approval of the general assembly, sixty million dollars ($60,000,000) in any two-year period beginning July 1 of each odd-numbered year; submitting the question of the issuance of bonds at the 2026 general election or a special election called for that purpose; prescribing other related matters; and for other purposes.

• SB498 - An act to amend the law concerning disclosure of driver and vehicle records; to protect driver and vehicle records from public disclosure; and for other purposes.

• HB1470 - An act to repeal the law concerning the review of information technology plans; and for other purposes.

• HB1690 - An act to transfer the nuclear planning and response program from the Department of Health to the division of emergency management; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

• HB1713 - An act to amend the law concerning the filing of an original draft before circulation as an initiative petition or referendum petition; to require ballot titles for initiated measures to be at or under a certain reading level; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

• HB1740 - An act to amend the law regarding agriculture; to exempt certain agricultural information from the freedom of information from the freedom of information act of 1967; and for other purposes.

• HB1743 - An act to amend the Arkansas feed law of 1997; and for other purposes.

• HB1774 - An act to amend the membership of the Arkansas fair housing commission; and for other purposes.

• SB148 - An act concerning the membership of the Arkansas teacher retirement system; to establish the creating an investment opportunity for early childhood workers act of 2025; and for other purposes.

• SB153 - An act to amend the law concerning various provisions of title 24 of the Arkansas code; to amend the law regarding the payment of retirement benefits to various city officials; and for other purposes.

• SB160 - An act to amend the law concerning administration of the Arkansas public employees’ retirement system; and for other purposes.

• SB252 - An act to amend the Arkansas tobacco products tax act of 1977; to inform the public of health risks caused by vapor products and e-liquid products; to prevent contamination, adulteration, or inclusion of ingredients or other substances in vapor products that might cause harm to public health and safety; to ensure the safety of Arkansas youth; and for other purposes.

• SB322 - An act to amend the law concerning construction and development; to allow third parties to perform plan reviews and site inspections; and for other purposes.

• SB448 - An act to create jobs, retain wealth, and grow Arkansas’s economy by enabling property assessed capital expenditure financing; to amend the property assessed clean energy act; to authorize the financing of energy efficient improvements, alternative energy improvements, building resiliency improvements, and water conservation improvements; and for other purposes.

• SB505 - An act to amend the law concerning municipal planning; to require an administrative procedure for changes to the zoning or district designation of property in certain instances; and for other purposes.

• SB564 - An act to amend the law concerning alcoholic beverages; to amend the definition of “beer”; to change the allowable alcoholic content in beer; to include malt beverages within the definition of “beer”; to amend references in the Arkansas code to beer with an alcoholic content of not more than five percent; and for other purposes.

• HB1148 - An act to create the Arkansas privacy act; to address certain images captured by unmanned aircraft systems; and for other purposes.

• HB1344 - An act concerning administration of the Arkansas teacher retirement system; to correct the name of Arkansas school for the blind and the Arkansas school for the deaf under title 24 of the Arkansas code; and for other purposes.

• HB1522 - An act to amend the law concerning the distribution of certain funds to municipalities; to amend the law to allow for the distribution of funds in the municipal aid fund, turnback funds, and county sales and use tax revenues to newly incorporated municipalities; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

• HB1630 - An act to amend the law concerning capital murder, murder in the first degree, and manslaughter; to add a misdemeanor-controlled substance offense to the predicate offenses for capital murder, murder in the first degree, and manslaughter; and for other purposes.

• HB1641 - An act to amend the law concerning harassment; to include the use of a tracking device in the offense of harassment; and for other purposes.

• HB1645 - An act to amend the law concerning microbrewery-restaurant private club permits; to amend the law regarding advertising by a microbrewery-restaurant private club; and for other purposes.

• HB1745 - An act to require certain commercial driver license holders to possess a United States work authorization to operate a commercial motor vehicle in the state; to require an operator of a commercial motor vehicle to have proficiency in the English language; to create the offense of presenting a false foreign commercial driver license; and for other purposes.

• HB1789 - An act to restrict a local government from providing funds for the purpose of issuing an identification card to an individual in certain circumstances; and for other purposes.

• HB1802 - An act to create the talent recruitment grant program; to provide incentives for individuals to relocate to the state; and for other purposes.

• SB25 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Commerce – state insurance department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB37 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Commerce for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB39 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Commerce – division of workforce services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB88 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Education – division of higher education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB125 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the University of Central Arkansas for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB127 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB359 - An act to make an appropriation for comprehensive out-of-school time program grants for the Department of Education – division of elementary and secondary education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• SB412 - An act to amend the income tax deductions for moving and travel expenses; to authorize the Department of Finance and Administration to set the per-mile amount for the income tax deduction for travel and transportation expenses by proclamation; and for other purposes.

• SB422 - An act to amend the law concerning the Arkansas brighter future fund plan act; to allow nonprofit organizations to contribute to a new or existing Arkansas brighter future fund plan account; to require the treasurer of state to facilitate contribution by a nonprofit organization; and for other purposes.

• SB503 - An act to amend the Arkansas income tax withholding act of 1965; to reduce the number of employees an employer must have to be mandated to file an annual withholding statement electronically; to require the electronic filing of a withholding return for certain employers; and for other purposes.

• SB529 - An act to amend the independent tax appeals commission act; and for other purposes.

• HB1089 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Commerce – Arkansas waterways commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• HB1094 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Commerce - Arkansas waterways commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• HB1191 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Public Safety for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• HB1194 - An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Public Safety for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.

• HB1594 - An act to amend the law concerning gross receipts tax exemption certificates; to create a farmers sales tax identification card; to relieve a seller of sales tax remittance liability upon good faith acceptance of a farmer sales tax identification card; and for other purposes.