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HR 1033

TO RECOGNIZE THE ARKANSAS MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDERS ACADEMY DURING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH FOR PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN THE MILITARY AND AS FIRST RESPONDERS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Tara Shephard and 1 co-sponsor

HR 1033 recognizes the Arkansas Military and First Responders Academy for preparing students for military and first-responder careers through a tuition-free, college-prep model.

READ AND ADOPTED.
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Bill Summary · HR 1033

Summary — HR 1033 (95th Ark. Gen. Assembly, 2025)

Title: To recognize the Arkansas Military and First Responders Academy during Career and Technical Education Month for preparing students for careers in the military and as first responders.

Type: House Resolution (ceremonial)

Purpose and intent

HR 1033 formally recognizes the Arkansas Military and First Responders Academy (AMFRA) during Career and Technical Education Month for its role in preparing students for careers in the military and as first responders. The resolution highlights the academy’s educational model, mission, and contributions to student development and workforce preparation.

Key provisions

  • Expresses official recognition of the Arkansas Military and First Responders Academy during Career and Technical Education Month for preparing students for military and first-responder careers.
  • Describes the academy as a tuition-free, college-preparatory institution in Little Rock with features that include:
    • A safe learning environment
    • High academic standards
    • Student uniforms
    • Smaller class sizes
    • Personalized learning plans
    • Emphasis on critical thinking, leadership development, accountability, and discipline
  • Directs that, upon adoption, the Chief Clerk of the House provide a copy of the resolution to:
    • Commandant Lt. Col. Jason Smedley
    • Chief Academic Officer Dr. Kevin Durand

Who is affected

  • Primarily ceremonial: the Arkansas Military and First Responders Academy, its leadership, students, faculty, and stakeholders benefit from the official recognition.
  • No regulatory, funding, or programmatic changes are made for state agencies, school systems, or the academy.

Legal and fiscal impact

  • This is a non-binding resolution. It does not create new legal obligations, appropriate funds, or modify statutes or regulations.
  • No fiscal impact or implementation requirements are included.

Procedural status / timeline

  • Introduced in House: February 5, 2025; referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
  • Committee action: Committee returned a “Do Pass” (Feb 10, 2025).
  • Read and adopted: February 17, 2025 (and later procedural entries show rules suspended and formal adoption/reporting enrolled on May 2, 2025).
  • Filed: Feb 6 and May 1 entries appear in the record.
  • Sponsors listed: Representatives T. Shephard and Unger (state-level authors listed in the text). Additional sponsor information supplied elsewhere lists Ritchie Torres and Michael Lawler; this appears inconsistent with the state resolution text.

Notes / Observations

  • The bill text includes an opening line citing an unrelated act name (“College Oversight and Legal Updates Mandating Bias Investigations and Accountability Act of 2025” / “COLUMBIA Act of 2025”), which does not align with the body of the resolution. The operative content is the ceremonial recognition of AMFRA.
  • As a recognition resolution, HR 1033 primarily serves to acknowledge and publicize the academy’s contributions rather than to effect policy change.

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

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