Signature
Legislation
The Pregnant & Parenting Students Act
The Arkansas Advocate published a great story about this policy win! You can read it here.
After studying our state’s new and restrictive abortion laws, it became clear that Arkansas’s pregnant students and teen mothers would need more support. Too often, young mothers who are students don’t have the resources they need, and their pregnancy is de facto punished. Many of Arkansas's pregnant and parenting students have to drop out of high school, because they miss too many classes.
This law provides for additional leave for students for post-partum bonding time and recovery, pre- and post- natal doctor’s appointments, court appearances for adoptions, and other leave associated with caring for infants and small children. It also requires schools offer breastfeeding students a private place to pump or nurse that’s not a bathroom.
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This law ensures no Arkansas student has to choose between their child and finishing high school. This was law was a strategic bipartisan accomplishment and passed without opposition.
Ashton & Abbie's Law
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette featured this policy win here.
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In early 2024 the Governor signed HB1486, Ashton and Abbie's Law, making it Act 445. This bill creates enhanced penalties for distracted drivers in accidents that cause serious injuries or death to another person.
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I decided to write this bill after a dear friend of our family, Jim Woods, lost his daughter Ashton in 2022 in an accident with a distracted driver. Ashton's entire family has been steadfast in their desire to make sure that Ashton is still able to make a difference, even though her time here on Earth was cut tragically short. I was resolved to try to help them in any way I could.
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As the bill made its way through the House and Senate, Sen. Ricky Hill reached out about collaborating, and told me about another family who had lost their young daughter, Abbie Cooley, in a distracted driving accident, so we decided to honor her memory in the title as well. Abbie's mother, Chandler Sullivan and grandmother, Minnie Sullivan, also joined us today for the bill signing, as did Michele Paden, the founder and leader of Families Against Distracted Driving (FADD).
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I am beyond humbled by and grateful to these families for their advocacy on this important topic and for being at the Capitol today for the bill signing.
The Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act
Check out this Futures Caucus story about this landmark achievement here!
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For generations, Arkansas has had some of the worst infant and maternal health outcomes in the nation. In the 2025 Legislative Session, we finally did something about it. I was proud to serve as co-sponsor for this package of reforms.
Act 627 - Supporting New Mothers
KATV published a wonderful article about this signature policy win here.
Act 627 is another step forward for infant and maternal health in Arkansas. The health benefits of breastfeeding to both new moms and their babies are well-documented. When we found out that some insurers in Arkansas did not cover critically needed breastfeeding supports and consultations, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. With a big, bipartisan group of colleagues, we drafted this law to require private insurers and Medicaid to cover these services. The result is more Arkansas mothers and babies with the health supports they need.
Act 506 - To Serve Incarcerated Veterans
Act 506 was a critically needed piece of legislation that requires better oversight and accountability in veterans' incarceration and benefits allocation. This was a good government fix that does better by certain over-looked members of the Arkansas veteran community by forcing better inter-governmental collaboration.
Act 642 - Protecting Arkansas Children
Act 642 bans the sale of over the counter diet pills to Arkansas minors. Arkansas has some of the worst rates of eating disorders and diet-related health outcomes in the country, and this change protects Arkansas's most vulnerable residents (our kids) from products that may contribute to their harm.
Act 984 - Protecting Victims
Act 984 requires greater disclosure from Arkansans who are required to register on a sex offender registry, by creating a designation for registered sex offenders on drivers licenses.
Act 1001 - Release from Parole for Minors
Act 1001 was a good government reform that implements a more compassionate and commonsense treatment of Arkansas youth who are involved in the justice system.
Act 579
This law clarifies and adds additional protection for proceeds of life insurance policies, so that Arkansans can be assured that their final wishes to provide for their loved ones will be honored.
Act 621
I was proud to co-sponsor Act 621 with Senator Clarke Tucker, which provides for an excused absence so kids can go with their parents to vote!