Summary — HB 1848 (materials provided include multiple, distinct drafts)
Note on source materials: The documents supplied appear to conflate at least three different measures from different jurisdictions (an Arkansas family‑law amendment, an Illinois ethics amendment, and a separate appropriation caption referencing Noxubee County). Below are clear, separate summaries of the two distinct bill texts included in the materials (Arkansas and Illinois), plus a short note about the conflicting appropriation metadata. Procedural history in the record also appears mixed across those measures.
A. Arkansas — HB 1848 (95th General Assembly, Regular Session 2025)
Purpose
- Amend Arkansas custody law (Ark. Code § 9-13-101(c)) to strengthen how courts consider domestic abuse allegations when determining custody and parenting time.
Key provisions / changes
- Court consideration: When domestic abuse is proven by a preponderance of the evidence, the court must consider the effect of that abuse on the child's best interest, whether or not the child was physically injured or witnessed the abuse.
- Definition broadened: “Domestic abuse” is defined to include (A) physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or infliction of fear of imminent physical harm between family/household members; and (B) sexual conduct between family/household members that constitutes a state offense.
- Rebuttable presumption: Creates a rebuttable presumption that it is not in the child’s best interest to place the child in the sole custody or care of a parent found (by a preponderance) to have engaged in a pattern of domestic abuse.
- Burden to rebut: The abusive parent/party must rebut the presumption by proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that custody would not endanger the child.
- Parenting time safeguards: If the abusive parent fails to rebut the presumption but the court nevertheless considers unsupervised parenting time, the court must make written findings regarding (a) ongoing risk of harm to the child and (b) why the abusive parent does not present risk; the court may impose safety conditions and require completion of a certified domestic violence intervention program for visits.
Who is affected
- Parents and other parties in Arkansas custody or visitation proceedings where allegations and findings of domestic abuse arise; children subject to those proceedings; family court judges.
Potential impact
- Strengthens protections for children and abuse survivors by shifting presumptions and evidentiary framing toward minimizing exposure to abusive parents, while providing an identified pathway (rebuttal) for an abusive parent to demonstrate safety.
Sponsors and procedural notes (from supplied text)
- Sponsors listed: Representatives Hudson, K. Moore, McCullough, Eubanks; Senator Irvin.
- Status in supplied record: Read and referred to Judiciary committees; at least some entries indicate the bill did not advance to final enactment. (Procedural entries provided are mixed across bills; see note below.)
B. Illinois — HB 1848 (Introduced by Rep. John M. Cabello, 2025)
Purpose
- Amend the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (5 ILCS 430/5‑40) concerning restrictions on political fundraising timing relative to the legislature being in session.
Key provisions / changes
- Deletes the prohibition on holding political fundraising on the day immediately before a day the legislature is in session.
- Retains the prohibition on holding a political fundraising function on any day the legislature is in session (subject to existing exceptions).
- Clarifies scheduling/exceptions language (the statutory text supplied is fragmented).
Who is affected
- Executive‑branch constitutional officers, General Assembly members and candidates, political committees in Illinois.
Potential impact
- Permits fundraising events on the day immediately preceding a legislative session day (where previously prohibited), potentially increasing opportunities for fundraising tied to session timing while retaining a ban during actual session days.
Sponsors and procedural notes
- Introduced 01/29/2025 by Rep. John M. Cabello; referred to Rules and to Ethics & Elections in the supplied timeline. The record supplied shows mixed procedural entries; one entry lists the bill as “Died In Committee.”
C. Conflicting appropriation metadata (Noxubee County)
- The initial metadata in the materials names “Appropriation; Noxubee County for the completion of certain road improvement projects” (Bill No. HB 1848) and classifies the bill under “Appropriations A.” That subject and the Mississippi county referenced do not match the Arkansas or Illinois texts included. No substantive text for the appropriation measure was provided in the packet.
Overall procedural observation
- The materials provided mix texts and procedural entries from multiple states and measures with the same bill number (HB 1848). Where possible the summaries above isolate the two identifiable texts (Arkansas custody amendment and Illinois fundraising amendment). The supplied status lines indicate the measures did not become law in the form provided (entries include “Died In Committee” / “Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment”), but the precise final disposition for each draft should be confirmed in the respective state legislative records for 2025.
