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AR·Bill·2025 Regular Session

HB 1572

Signed into Law

TO CREATE A TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY ON NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY GENERATION; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

Introduced 2025-02-25Last action 2025-04-16 — Notification that HB1572 is now Act 707Committee Insurance & Commerce

Sponsor

M. McKeeR

Cosponsors

Unger(R)Beck(R)S. Meeks(R)C. Penzo(R)Gilmore(R)
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Signed into Law

Legislative Progress

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Introduced
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In Committee
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Passed Chamber
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Enacted / Signed

Votes

Senate2025-04-09PassedSee how each member voted →
Third Reading
Yea 33 · 5 D · 28 RNay 0NV 2 · Absent 0
House2025-04-03PassedSee how each member voted →
Third Reading
Yea 96 · 17 D · 79 RNay 1 · 1 RNV 3 · Absent 0

Summary

This bill requires the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment to hire an outside consulting firm within 60 days of funding to conduct a comprehensive technical feasibility study on implementing nuclear energy generation in the state, including small modular reactors and microreactors. The study must evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power in Arkansas, assess optimal reactor designs and suitable sites (such as data centers, military bases, and industrial facilities), analyze socioeconomic impacts including workforce development and job creation, and recommend policies to support potential nuclear development. The consulting firm must have extensive nuclear industry expertise and will engage with state agencies, utilities, and cooperatives to complete the study, with findings to be reported to the Governor and legislative committees.

Bill history

  1. 2025-02-25 · House
    Filed
  2. 2025-02-25 · House
    Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on ENERGY - JOINT
  3. 2025-03-19 · House
    Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
  4. 2025-03-19 · House
    Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
  5. 2025-03-19 · House
    REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
  6. 2025-03-31 · House
    Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
  7. 2025-03-31 · House
    Amendment No. 2 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
  8. 2025-03-31 · House
    REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
  9. 2025-04-01 · House
    Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 3
  10. 2025-04-02 · House
    Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
  11. 2025-04-02 · House
    Amendment No. 3 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
  12. 2025-04-02 · House
    REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
  13. 2025-04-03 · House
    Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
  14. 2025-04-03 · House
    EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
  15. 2025-04-03 · Senate
    Received from the House.
  16. 2025-04-03 · Senate
    Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE
  17. 2025-04-08 · Senate
    Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
  18. 2025-04-09 · Senate
    Read the third time and passed.
  19. 2025-04-09 · Senate
    EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
  20. 2025-04-09 · Senate
    Returned to the House as passed.
  21. 2025-04-09 · House
    Returned from the Senate as passed.
  22. 2025-04-09 · House
    TO BE ENROLLED
  23. 2025-04-10 · House
    Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office.
  24. 2025-04-16 · House
    Notification that HB1572 is now Act 707

Note

Historical import. Session: 2025

Full Bill Text
https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=707.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R
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