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Arkansas Senate Puts Alcohol Delivery Bill on Ice

Feb 4, 2025Jerry CoxAlcoholAlcohol, Arkansas Legislature

On Monday a measure expanding alcohol delivery in Arkansas failed receive enough votes to pass in the state senate.

Generally speaking, state law did not make it possible for stores to deliver alcohol directly to people’s homes prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers first enacted alcohol delivery legislation following COVID lockdowns.

S.B. 98 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. John Maddox (R — Mena) expands alcohol delivery in Arkansas.

The measure expands the list of stores that can deliver alcohol to include grocery stores, small farm wine convenience stores, and retail beer sellers. The bill also lets delivery companies obtain permits to deliver alcohol to consumers on behalf of the stores.

Currently, retailers are directly responsible for ensuring all alcohol deliveries comply with state laws — including laws against delivering to minors. S.B. 98 shifts liability from the retailer to the delivery service.

Right now, retailers have accountability in following alcohol laws. Under S.B. 98, alcohol deliverers may not have the same amount of oversight or accountability — which, for example, could increase the likelihood of alcohol being delivered to a minor.

As we have written before, alcohol is already readily available in Arkansas. Any law expanding its strength, availability, or consumption raises serious concerns about DUI offenses, crime, public health, and public safety.

That is why Family Council generally opposes the expansion of alcohol in Arkansas.

Although S.B. 98 failed to pass on Monday, the measure could be brought back up for another vote in the future.

The Following Senators Voted FOR S.B. 98

J. Boyd
J. Bryant
Crowell
B. Davis
J. Dismang
J. English
Flippo
Hester
Irvin
M. Johnson
G. Leding
M. McKee
Stone
D. Sullivan
D. Wallace

The Following Senators Voted AGAINST S.B. 98

A. Clark
Dees
S. Flowers
Gilmore
Hickey
Hill
F. Love
J. Payton
C. Penzo
Rice
J. Scott
G. Stubblefield

The Following Senators Did Not Vote

Caldwell
J. Dotson
K. Hammer
B. Johnson
B. King
R. Murdock
J. Petty
C. Tucker

Arkansas House Rejects Bill to Expand Alcohol Content in Beer

Feb 4, 2025Jerry CoxAlcoholAlcohol, Arkansas Legislature

On Monday the House of Representatives rejected a bill expanding alcohol content in beer and malt beverages in Arkansas.

H.B. 1173 by Rep. Matt Brown (R — Conway) and Sen. Scott Flippo (R — Bull Shoals) raises the legal alcohol content for beer from 5% to 14% alcohol by weight, and it allows malt beverages to contain up to 21% alcohol by weight. Under this measure, beer could contain nearly three times as much alcohol as it currently does.

The bill passed the House Rules Committee last week, but it failed in the Arkansas House of Representatives, where only 36 members voted for the bill on Monday.

That is why Family Council generally opposes the expansion of alcohol in Arkansas.

The Following Representatives Voted FOR H.B. 1173

Achor
F. Allen
Andrews
Beck
K. Brown
M. Brown
N. Burkes
Clowney
Dalby
Eaton
Eubanks
K. Ferguson
Furman
D. Garner
Gramlich
Hall
Hollowell
L. Johnson
Long
Lynch
Magie
McCollum
B. McKenzie
J. Moore
Nazarenko
Painter
Perry
Pilkington
J. Richardson
Schulz
R. Scott Richardson
T. Shephard
M. Shepherd
Steimel
Walker
Warren

The Following Representatives Voted AGAINST H.B. 1173

Barnes
Barnett
Beaty Jr.
A. Brown
R. Burkes
Joey Carr
Cavenaugh
A. Collins
C. Cooper
Cozart
Crawford
Duke
Ennett
Gazaway
Henley
Hudson
Jean
Ladyman
Lundstrum
Maddox
J. Mayberry
McAlindon
McCullough
M. McElroy
McGrew
McGruder
McNair
S. Meeks
Milligan
K. Moore
Puryear
Ray
Rose
Rye
Steele
Torres
Tosh
Unger
Vaught
D. Whitaker
Womack
Wooldridge
Wooten
Gonzales Worthen

The Following Representatives Voted “Present” on H.B. 1173

Barker
Bentley
S. Berry
Brooks
John Carr
Childress
Eaves
Gonzales
Hawk
Holcomb
Pearce
Richmond
Underwood
Wing

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

Breaux
Duffield
Evans
McClure
Springer
Wardlaw

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

Lawmaker Withdraws Bill Concerning Acts of Negligence by Healthcare Professionals

Feb 4, 2025Jerry CoxLegislationArkansas Legislature, Life, Pro-life, Tort Reform, Update

Last Tuesday Rep. Lee Johnson (R — Greenwood) withdrew a bill that dealt with criminal liability for negligence and misconduct by healthcare professionals.

Right now if someone is harmed because of a healthcare professional’s negligence or misconduct, authorities can investigate the situation, and prosecutors can take appropriate action.

H.B. 1168 was a bill similar to legislation that other states have proposed to protect healthcare professionals from being prosecuted for honest mistakes. But H.B. 1168 was drafted in such a way that its wording could have made it difficult to prosecute healthcare workers who deliberately hurt another person. Fortunately, Rep. Johnson took the time to listen to people with concerns about the way the bill was drafted, and he chose to withdraw it from the legislature.

It’s important to protect good healthcare professionals, but our laws need to hold bad actors accountable as well. That is part of the reason Family Council has consistently opposed legislation that would shield nursing homes and similar facilities when their negligence harms or kills another person.

Family Council deeply appreciates Rep. Johnson taking the time to listen to Arkansans who had concerns about unintended consequences H.B. 1168 might have caused, and we support his decision to withdraw the bill from consideration.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.