Arkansas Senate Bill 1 Summary

• Approves the Governor's decision to terminate Arkansas's participation in six federal unemployment programs: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation, Emergency Unemployment Relief for Governmental Entities and Nonprofit Organizations, and Temporary Full Federal Funding of the First Week of Compensable Regular Unemployment.

• Approves termination of the Agreement Implementing the Relief for Workers Affected by Coronavirus Act between the U.S. Department of Labor and Arkansas, effective May 19, 2021.

• Amends Arkansas Code § 11-10-312 to clarify that the Director of Workforce Services may (but is not required to) participate in voluntary, optional, special, or emergency federal unemployment programs, and may cease participation in such programs without conflicting with other state law provisions.

• Declares the act retroactive to May 19, 2021, and establishes an emergency clause citing economic recovery, decreased unemployment rates, and tens of thousands of unfilled job vacancies as justification for immediate effectiveness.