AR HB1444

Lowers the minimum investment threshold for qualified data centers from $500 million to $100 million, with the investment required within 5 years after construction begins

Creates a new "qualified large data center" category requiring $2 billion investment within 10 years and $3 million in annual compensation, allowing facilities at multiple nonadjacent locations connected by fiber

Expands sales and use tax exemptions to cover data center equipment, eligible costs, related services, and electricity for both qualified data centers and qualified large data centers

Excludes facilities primarily engaged in virtual currency mining (adding transactions to distributed ledgers) from qualifying for the tax exemptions

Transfers application processing authority from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to the Department of Finance and Administration, with 30-day approval timeline and annual certification requirements