The proposed bill seeks to eliminate discrimination and preferential treatment by the State of Arkansas and public entities based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin, while clarifying that veteran preferences remain unaffected. It amends existing laws by replacing the term "Equity" with "Equality" in relation to the Equality Assistance Center, which aids school districts in fulfilling desegregation and nondiscrimination obligations. Additionally, the bill emphasizes competition in the permit issuance process by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division and repeals provisions related to minority recruitment and retention plans in public education, signaling a shift towards a broader commitment to equality.

To address the teacher shortage in Arkansas, the bill revises the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program by substituting "minorities" with "individuals" for scholarship eligibility and allowing any individual in an approved teacher education program to apply, provided they intend to teach in critical shortage areas. It also introduces a new section that prohibits discrimination in state employment, public education, and procurement, enabling individuals to pursue civil action if their rights are violated. Furthermore, the bill repeals previous provisions aimed at promoting minority participation in state contracting and establishes compliance reporting requirements for state agencies to ensure adherence to the new regulations.

Statutes affected:
Old version SB3 Original - 11-21-2024 08:06 AM: 3-4-223, 6-10-111, 6-15-202(f), 6-60-703(b), 6-61-121, 6-61-122, 6-63-103, 6-82-1501, 6-82-1502, 6-82-1503(a), 6-82-1503(c), 6-82-1503(e), 6-82-1504(a), 6-82-1505(a), 6-82-1506(a), 6-82-1506(h), 16-123-338(4), 21-3-101, 22-9-203(i)
Old version SB3 V2 - 1-21-2025 11:17 AM: 3-4-223, 6-10-111, 01-21-2025, 6-15-202(f), 6-60-703(b), 6-61-121, 6-61-122, 6-63-103, 6-82-1501, 6-82-1502, 6-82-1503(a), 6-82-1503(c), 6-82-1503(e), 6-82-1504(a), 6-82-1505(a), 6-82-1506(a), 6-82-1506(h), 16-123-338(4), 21-3-101, 22-9-203(i)
Old version SB3 V3 - 2-3-2025 09:31 AM: 3-4-223, 6-10-111, 02-03-2025, 6-15-202(f), 6-60-703(b), 6-61-121, 6-61-122, 6-63-103, 6-82-1501, 6-82-1502, 6-82-1503(a), 6-82-1503(c), 6-82-1503(e), 6-82-1504(a), 6-82-1505(a), 6-82-1506(a), 6-82-1506(h), 16-123-338(4), 21-3-101, 22-9-203(i)
SB 3: 3-4-223, 6-10-111, 6-15-202(f), 6-60-703(b), 6-61-121, 6-61-122, 6-63-103, 6-82-1501, 6-82-1502, 6-82-1503(a), 6-82-1503(c), 6-82-1503(e), 6-82-1504(a), 6-82-1505(a), 6-82-1506(a), 6-82-1506(h), 16-123-338(4), 21-3-101, 22-9-203(i)
Act 116: 3-4-223, 6-10-111, 02-03-2025, 6-15-202(f), 6-60-703(b), 6-61-121, 6-61-122, 6-63-103, 6-82-1501, 6-82-1502, 6-82-1503(a), 6-82-1503(c), 6-82-1503(e), 6-82-1504(a), 6-82-1505(a), 6-82-1506(a), 6-82-1506(h), 16-123-338(4), 21-3-101, 22-9-203(i)