The bill amends the law concerning capital murder in Arkansas by including a misdemeanor controlled substance offense as one of the predicate offenses for capital murder. Specifically, it modifies Arkansas Code 5-10-101(a)(1) to replace the term "felony" with "offense" in the context of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. This change broadens the scope of offenses that can lead to capital murder charges, allowing for a misdemeanor controlled substance offense to be considered in such serious cases.

Additionally, the bill outlines a list of offenses that, when committed alone or with others, can lead to capital murder charges if they result in the death of a person under circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life. The inclusion of misdemeanor offenses in this context reflects a significant shift in how the law addresses drug-related crimes and their potential consequences in capital murder cases.

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