This bill amends existing laws regarding capital murder, murder in the first degree, and manslaughter in Arkansas by adding a misdemeanor controlled substance offense to the list of predicate offenses for these serious crimes. Specifically, it modifies the definitions of predicate felonies in Arkansas Code 5-10-101, 5-10-102, and 5-10-104 to include violations of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act that involve the actual delivery of a controlled substance.

The amendments also replace the term "felony" with "offense" in several instances, clarifying the language used in the context of these crimes. This change aims to broaden the scope of offenses that can lead to charges of capital murder, first-degree murder, and manslaughter, thereby potentially increasing the severity of penalties for individuals involved in such activities.

Statutes affected:
Old version HB1630 V2 - 3-19-2025 02:34 PM: 5-10-101(a), 5-10-102(a), 5-10-104(a)
Old version HB1630 Original - 2-27-2025 04:56 PM: 5-10-101(a)
HB 1630: 5-10-101(a)
Act 599: 5-10-101(a), 5-10-102(a), 5-10-104(a)