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HB 1696

Public health and safety; Oklahoma Public Health and Safety Reform Act of 2025; effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Cindy Roe

HB 1696 creates a 15-credit transferable general education core (communication, critical thinking, American history/government) for Arkansas public colleges, effective Fall 2027.

Second Reading referred to Rules
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Bill Summary · HB 1696

Summary — HB 1696 (Strengthening Arkansas Education Act)

Note on documents: The provided packet contains mixed metadata (including an unrelated bonds title and out‑of‑state bill excerpts). This summary focuses on the Arkansas bill text and fiscal statement titled the "Strengthening Arkansas Education Act" (sponsored by Rep. McAlindon and Sen. J. Dotson).

Purpose and intent

HB 1696 would create a statewide, fully transferable minimum general education core for state‑supported institutions of higher education in Arkansas — the “Arkansas Requisite Core Curriculum” — to ensure undergraduates receive shared exposure to communication, critical thinking, and U.S. history and government.

Key provisions

  • Creates a new statute (proposed 6‑61‑144) establishing the "Arkansas Requisite Core Curriculum."
  • Requires a 15 semester‑credit hour “requisite core” of introductory survey courses, consisting of:
    • Two (2) three‑credit courses in oral or written communication (6 credits total);
    • One (1) three‑credit course in critical thinking/problem‑solving/logical reasoning (3 credits);
    • One (1) three‑credit course in American history (3 credits);
    • One (1) three‑credit course in American government (3 credits).
  • Beginning with the entering class of Fall 2027, the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (the division), in consultation with state‑supported institutions, must establish a minimum general education core that:
    • Includes the 15‑credit requisite core;
    • Applies toward associate and baccalaureate degree requirements; and
    • Is fully transferable among all state‑supported institutions.
  • Repeals existing statutory provisions: Ark. Code §§ 6‑41‑704(2), 6‑41‑804(2), 6‑61‑105, and 6‑61‑218 (these relate to prior core‑curriculum provisions and an older American history/civil government requirement).
  • The division may:
    • Establish reporting requirements to monitor implementation;
    • Exempt Applied Science degrees;
    • Grant credit‑hour equivalency for competency‑ or proficiency‑based degree programs;
    • Allow substitution of advanced coursework for some requirements (but American Government and American History remain required for every student);
    • Promulgate rules to implement the section.

Who would be affected

  • Students pursuing associate and baccalaureate degrees at state‑supported (public) colleges and universities in Arkansas (entering Fall 2027 onward).
  • Academic programs and registrars: institutions must align degree plans and course offerings to meet the new core and transfer rules.
  • Arkansas Division of Higher Education: responsible for establishing specifics, oversight, reporting rules, and rulemaking.

Fiscal impact

  • Arkansas Department of Education fiscal statement: direct revenue impact $0.
  • Administrative impact: campuses would need to restructure degree plans and course offerings to comply; no direct cost estimate provided, but implementation could require administrative/academic adjustments.

Timeline and procedural status

  • Introduced: December 20, 2024. Sponsors: Rep. McAlindon (primary), Sen. J. Dotson (co‑sponsor).
  • Effective‑policy timeline in bill: required for entering class of Fall 2027.
  • Reported status in supplied materials is inconsistent across documents. The top file metadata lists the bill status as “Died In Committee.” (Because the package contains mixed legislative logs from other jurisdictions and duplicative entries, users should verify the current status in the Arkansas legislative tracking system.)

Implementation considerations

  • Ensuring true statewide transferability requires coordinated course definitions and discipline‑level agreements.
  • Institutions offering competency‑based or applied degrees would need processes for equivalency and possible exemptions.
  • Monitoring and reporting requirements will shape administrative workload and timelines for curricular change.

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

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