Summary — HB 1592
Status: Died in Committee (per bill header)
Introduced: December 12, 2024
Subjects: Education; Ways and Means
Primary sponsor(s): J. Mayberry; C. Penzo (multiple cosponsors listed)
Note on sources: The materials provided contain multiple, partly inconsistent versions and texts labeled “HB 1592” from different states and on different topics. The header title for this bill relates to school boards and local property tax authority, but the full text documents included an Arkansas “Alzheimer’s and Dementia Public Health Act” and excerpts from unrelated state bills (Indiana, Illinois) and a DHS fiscal analysis. This summary (1) explains what the titled school-board/tax measure would do in plain terms based on its title, and (2) separately summarizes the full Arkansas Alzheimer’s and Dementia Public Health Act text that appears in the record.
1) Titled proposal (school boards / ad valorem tax authority)
Purpose and intent
- To create a statutory process to remove a member of a local school board from office “for just cause,” and to limit school boards’ authority to request ad valorem (property) tax increases above 2% without submitting the increase to a public referendum.
Key provisions (as indicated by the title)
- Establish a removal procedure for school board members based on “just cause” (would likely specify grounds, notice, hearing and appeal procedures — the full text for these procedural details was not provided).
- Eliminate or restrict an existing mechanism by which school boards request ad valorem tax increases exceeding 2% without a referendum — meaning any increase over that threshold would require voter approval.
Who would be affected
- Local school board members (subject to new removal provisions).
- School districts and their governing boards (limits on revenue-raising flexibility).
- Local taxpayers (would have increased direct control via referendum over large property tax increases).
- Potentially local governments and county election/finance offices (administration of referenda).
Potential impact
- Increases local voter control over significant property-tax increases, while reducing unilateral board authority to raise ad valorem taxes above 2%.
- Creates a new accountability mechanism for board members; specifics (due process, standards) determine legal and administrative implications.
- Could affect school district budgets if boards are unable to secure revenue increases without referenda.
2) Arkansas Alzheimer’s and Dementia Public Health Act (full text included in documents)
Purpose and intent
- Establish a statewide public-health framework to address Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias through prevention, early detection, provider education, caregiver support, data collection and interagency coordination.
Key provisions
- Adds a new subchapter to Arkansas Code (20-15-2501 et seq.) creating the “Arkansas Alzheimer’s and Dementia Public Health Act.”
- Directs the Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Health (DOH) to collaborate to implement the State Alzheimer’s State Plan.
- Requires integration of cognitive health and dementia education into public-health programs, including provider education on early detection, Medicare wellness visits and care-planning billing codes, and public awareness campaigns on risk reduction and early warning signs.
- Requires enhanced data collection and an annually updated publicly accessible “Alzheimer’s and Dementia Data Dashboard” with prevalence, demographics, geographic distribution, health care utilization and metrics on initiatives.
- Directs agencies to seek federal grants and partner with nonprofits and research institutions; implementation is subject to available funds.
- Temporary language: DHS and DOH must begin provider education and public awareness campaigns no later than January 1, 2026.
Fiscal impact (Arkansas Department of Human Services analysis)
- Total “computable” cost: $2,142,340 (state share $2,142,340).
- Line items cited: grant writer $40,340; data analyst $72,000; APRN $180,000; Deloitte dashboard estimate $1,500,000; campaign $350,000.
Who would be affected
- Older Arkansans and people with dementia, caregivers and families.
- DHS and DOH program operations and budgets.
- Health care providers (training and care-planning practices).
- Researchers and community organizations participating in campaigns and data initiatives.
Procedural/timeline notes and conflicts in the record
- The header for this request lists the bill as “Died In Committee.” However, the provided legislative actions include many entries from different states with mixed outcomes (passage, enrollment, signatures) — these appear to be unrelated HB 1592s from other jurisdictions or different legislative sessions.
- For the Arkansas Alzheimer’s provisions specifically, the bill text includes a hard deadline to begin education and awareness activities by January 1, 2026.
- Users relying on this summary should confirm the final official status and the authoritative text with the clerk or legislative counsel for the relevant state, because multiple, inconsistent documents were provided under the same bill number.
