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HB 1632

relative to the lethality assessment program screening tool.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Debra Altschiller and 7 co-sponsors

Requires reimbursements to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for revenue lost to new free/discounted annual resident licenses, funded from General Revenue reserves and audited.

Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 9
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Bill Summary · HB 1632

Summary — HB 1632 (Arkansas, 95th General Assembly, 2025)

Subtitle: To require reimbursement to the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission for free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses

Note: The provided document includes multiple unrelated bills from other states labeled “HB 1632.” This summary focuses on the Arkansas bill authored by Rep. Wardlaw (the text beginning “AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING HUNTING AND FISHING…”).

Purpose / Intent

The bill is intended to protect conservation funding administered by the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission (the Commission) by requiring state reimbursement for revenue lost when statutes create free, discounted, or exempted annual resident combination hunting and fishing licenses on or after the bill’s effective date. Sponsors frame this as preventing erosion of sportsmen-generated revenue that funds conservation.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new statute (codified as Arkansas Code 15-42-131) establishing reimbursement requirements.
  • Reimbursement trigger:
    • Applies only to free or partially discounted annual resident combination sportsman hunting and fishing licenses created by statute on or after the act’s effective date.
    • Also applies to statutory exemptions from licensure created on/after the effective date.
    • Reimbursement amount equals the lost revenue (i.e., the discounts or exemptions).
  • Accounting and payment:
    • The Commission must maintain an accounting of lost revenue and submit that accounting to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) on or before June 30 each fiscal year.
    • Within 30 days of DFA’s receipt, DFA shall deposit the amount for the previous fiscal year into the Game Protection Fund.
  • Audit and oversight:
    • The Commission’s accounting and related records are subject to audit by Arkansas Legislative Audit (amendment changed reference from Treasurer of State to Arkansas Legislative Audit).
  • Funding source and appropriation:
    • Reimbursements are drawn from the General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund (amendment substituted this fund for “General Revenue Fund”) and are subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.
  • Applicability limitation:
    • The statute explicitly applies only to statutes enacted on or after the effective date of this act (it does not retroactively reimburse prior statutory discounts/exemptions).

Who is affected

  • Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission: receives reimbursements for qualifying lost license revenue but must track and report losses.
  • Department of Finance and Administration: charged with depositing reimbursed amounts into the Game Protection Fund and handling payments.
  • Arkansas Legislative Audit: authority to audit the Commission’s accounting records.
  • State budget / General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund: bears the fiscal impact (subject to appropriation).
  • Individuals/groups who receive free/discounted licenses under new statutes: their discounts will effectively be funded by the state’s general revenue appropriation rather than reducing the Commission’s license revenue.

Fiscal and procedural notes / Status

  • Reimbursements require legislative appropriation from the General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund — actual payments depend on future appropriations.
  • The bill was introduced December 16, 2024. Key actions: passed the House (March–April 2025), transmitted to the Senate, considered in Senate committee (public hearing, testimony taken) and ultimately left pending and recorded as “Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment” (May 5, 2025).
  • Two floor amendments were adopted during engrossment clarifying the audit authority and the funding account name.

Potential impact

  • Protects Commission funding by preventing new statutory fee discounts/exemptions from reducing the Game Protection Fund resources, shifting the incremental cost to the state’s general revenue/reserve (subject to appropriation).
  • Imposes administrative duties on the Commission to calculate and report lost revenue annually and be audit-ready.
  • Could create pressure on the General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund and the annual appropriations process if multiple statutes create exemptions/discounts that trigger sizable reimbursements.

If you’d like, I can: (1) produce a side-by-side comparison of current law vs. changes, (2) estimate potential fiscal exposure under hypothetical discount scenarios, or (3) extract the exact statutory language for citation.

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

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