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HB 1847

Appropriation; Noxubee County for development of a 100-acre multi-industrial site.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Carl Mickens

The bill would create a statewide self‑exclusion list for Arkansas casinos, coordinating with multi‑state programs and prohibiting excluded individuals from winnings or losses.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 1847

Summary — HB 1847 (95th General Assembly, Regular Session 2025)

Note on source materials: The documents provided describe an Arkansas bill (HB 1847) that would authorize the Arkansas Racing Commission to establish a statewide casino self‑exclusion program. The metadata you supplied lists the bill status as “Died In Committee,” but the legislative action log in the packet contains conflicting entries (including amendments, engrossment, and an effective date). This summary describes the bill text, amendments, and fiscal/legal analysis included in the provided documents; it does not resolve the contradictory status entries.

Purpose / Intent

Authorize the Arkansas Racing Commission (the Commission) to maintain a centralized, statewide self‑exclusion list for persons who request exclusion from casino facilities, and to participate in multi‑state or national self‑exclusion programs or reciprocal agreements with other states.

Key provisions

  • Director discretion: The Director of the Commission may maintain a statewide self‑exclusion list (transitioning from separate casino-specific lists).
  • Interstate coordination: The Commission may join multi‑state/national self‑exclusion programs or enter agreements to share and mutually enforce self‑exclusion lists.
  • Confidentiality: Information submitted for the list is confidential and exempt from public inspection under FOIA; names/information cannot be disclosed without the individual’s authorization.
  • Enrollment and identity verification:
    • Individuals must present identification to enroll; a person may only add themselves (cannot add others).
    • Commission rules must provide a process to transition from single‑site lists to the statewide list, permit an individual to select which state(s) may receive their information, enable multi‑state enrollment with one form, and provide a removal process.
  • Winnings and forfeiture:
    • Self‑excluded individuals may not collect winnings or recover losses from prohibited gaming activity.
    • Money owed to or obtained by a self‑excluded person as a result of wagering is subject to forfeiture after notice and opportunity to be heard; forfeited amounts deposit into the General Revenue Fund (as amended).
  • Funding and costs:
    • Costs to implement and operate the program may be paid by an assessment on each casino or from forfeited amounts (amendments specify some forfeitures and assessments as funding sources).
  • Rulemaking: The Commission must promulgate implementing and enforcement rules.

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • The Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) fiscal analysis states the Commission has legal/administrative capacity to manage the program without additional full‑time staff but will need to procure a technology solution (likely via vendor contract).
  • Implementation costs are expected to be borne by casino assessments and/or forfeited funds; no direct appropriation from general taxpayer revenues is required.
  • Practical enforcement concerns noted: casinos that visually check IDs (rather than scanning) may find denial of entry impracticable and enforcement of exclusion may be imperfect.

Who is affected

  • Casino patrons (especially persons seeking exclusion for problem gambling).
  • Casino operators and employees (must rely on the centralized list and adopt new procedures).
  • Arkansas Racing Commission (rulemaking, program administration).
  • State finances (forfeitures deposited to General Revenue Fund; assessments fund operations).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced: January 15, 2025. Sponsors: Representative McAlindon and Senator J. Payton (cosponsor).
  • Amendments recorded (House Amendment H1; Senate Amendment S1) — S1 included an effective date of July 1, 2026, and clarified funding sources.
  • Provided legislative actions in the packet are inconsistent; metadata states “Died In Committee.” If enacted, the effective date listed in amendments is July 1, 2026.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a one-page brief focused on operational impacts for casinos, or
- Draft a side‑by‑side comparison of current law vs. the bill’s changes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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