Arkansas unemployment rate

Foreign-born residents include naturalized citizens and lawfully and unlawfully present noncitizens. A provision about a particular immigration status concerns only a subset of that population; it does not change a person’s birthplace. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Residents who are foreign-born. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 21, Chapter 3, is amended to add an additional subchapter to read as follows: Subchapter 9 - E-Verify Requirement Act. 21-3-901. Title. This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the "E-Verify Requirement Act". 21-3-902. Definitions. As used in this subchapter: (1) “Employee” means a person directed, allowed, or permitted to perform labor or services of any kind for a state employer; (2) "Employer" means a state government department, board, bureau, political subdivision, or agency licensed under statute or rule to operate in this state; (3) “E-Verify” means the electronic verification system operated by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or its successor program, as authorized by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-208; and (4) “Unauthorized alien” means the same as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(h)(3), as it existed on January 1, 2025. 21-3-903. Requirement to verify all new employees. (a)(1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an employer shall register and create an E-Verify employer account. (2) After hiring an employee, an employer shall: (A) Employ provisionally the employee until the employee’s work authorization has been verified through E-Verify; (B) Submit the employee’s name and information for verification through E-Verify even if the employee’s employment is terminated less than three (3) business days after becoming employed; and (C) Keep a record of the verification for the duration of the employee’s employment with the employer or for three (3) years, whichever As Engrossed: H4/9/25 HB1974 3 04-09-2025 10:25:31 CRH069 is longer. (3) If the employee’s work authorization is not veri fied by E-2 Verify, an employer shall not employ, continue to employ, or reemploy the employee. (b)(1) An employer is not required to comply with subsection (a) of this section if an employee was hired by the employer prior to the effective date of this act. (2) The employer is not required to verify or reverify the eligibility of a current employee to work pursuant to federal law. 21-3-904. Compliance with federal immigration law. Nothing in this act shall be construed to abrogate an employer’s obligation to comply with federal immigration laws, including without limitation the completion and maintenance of federal employment eligibility verification forms or documents. 21-3-905. Prohibition on employment of unauthorized aliens. (a) An employer shall not employ an unauthorized alien. (b) Failure to comply with the requirements under this subchapter shall be presumed a violation of this section. 21-3-906. Enforcement. (a) For the purpose of enforcement of this subchapter, the Department of Labor and Licensing may request, and an employer shall provide, copies of any documentation relied upon by the employer for the verification of a new employee's employment eligibility. (b) A person or an entity that makes a request under subsection (a) of this section shall rely upon the United States Government to verify an employee's employment eligibility and may not independently make a final determination as to whether an employee is an unauthorized alien. (c) Beginning on July 1, 2026, if the department determines that an employer failed to use E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of employees as required under this subchapter, the department shall: (1) Notify the employer of the department's determination of noncompliance; and (2) Provide the employer with thirty (30) days to cure the As Engrossed: H4/9/25 HB1974 4 04-09-2025 10:25:31 CRH069 noncompliance. SECTION 3. DO NOT CODIFY. Effective date. This act shall be effective on and after January 1, 2026.

Foreign-born residents include naturalized citizens and lawfully and unlawfully present noncitizens. A provision about a particular immigration status concerns only a subset of that population; it does not change a person’s birthplace. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Residents who are foreign-born. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 21, Chapter 3, is amended to add an additional subchapter to read as follows: Subchapter 9 - E-Verify Requirement Act. 21-3-901. Title. This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the "E-Verify Requirement Act". 21-3-902. Definitions. As used in this subchapter: (1) “Employee” means a person directed, allowed, or permitted to perform labor or services of any kind for a state employer; (2) "Employer" means a state government department, board, bureau, political subdivision, or agency licensed under statute or rule to operate in this state; (3) “E-Verify” means the electronic verification system operated by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or its successor program, as authorized by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-208; and (4) “Unauthorized alien” means the same as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(h)(3), as it existed on January 1, 2025. 21-3-903. Requirement to verify all new employees. (a)(1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an employer shall register and create an E-Verify employer account. (2) After hiring an employee, an employer shall: (A) Employ provisionally the employee until the employee’s work authorization has been verified through E-Verify; (B) Submit the employee’s name and information for verification through E-Verify even if the employee’s employment is terminated less than three (3) business days after becoming employed; and (C) Keep a record of the verification for the duration of the employee’s employment with the employer or for three (3) years, whichever As Engrossed: H4/9/25 HB1974 3 04-09-2025 10:25:31 CRH069 is longer. (3) If the employee’s work authorization is not veri fied by E-2 Verify, an employer shall not employ, continue to employ, or reemploy the employee. (b)(1) An employer is not required to comply with subsection (a) of this section if an employee was hired by the employer prior to the effective date of this act. (2) The employer is not required to verify or reverify the eligibility of a current employee to work pursuant to federal law. 21-3-904. Compliance with federal immigration law. Nothing in this act shall be construed to abrogate an employer’s obligation to comply with federal immigration laws, including without limitation the completion and maintenance of federal employment eligibility verification forms or documents. 21-3-905. Prohibition on employment of unauthorized aliens. (a) An employer shall not employ an unauthorized alien. (b) Failure to comply with the requirements under this subchapter shall be presumed a violation of this section. 21-3-906. Enforcement. (a) For the purpose of enforcement of this subchapter, the Department of Labor and Licensing may request, and an employer shall provide, copies of any documentation relied upon by the employer for the verification of a new employee's employment eligibility. (b) A person or an entity that makes a request under subsection (a) of this section shall rely upon the United States Government to verify an employee's employment eligibility and may not independently make a final determination as to whether an employee is an unauthorized alien. (c) Beginning on July 1, 2026, if the department determines that an employer failed to use E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of employees as required under this subchapter, the department shall: (1) Notify the employer of the department's determination of noncompliance; and (2) Provide the employer with thirty (30) days to cure the As Engrossed: H4/9/25 HB1974 4 04-09-2025 10:25:31 CRH069 noncompliance. SECTION 3. DO NOT CODIFY. Effective date. This act shall be effective on and after January 1, 2026.

The fact measures diploma-or-higher attainment among adults age 25 and older. Completion and equivalency programs address a component of attainment; rules for current students concern a potential future component of the adult population. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Adults with at least a high school diploma. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 6-44-305 is amended to read as follows: 6-44-305. Payment. (a) An approved program provider shall not receive funding for a student under this subchapter if the approved program provider also receives federal or state funding or private tuition for the student. (b) An approved program provider shall: (1) Receive reimbursement for an enrolled, eligible student who meets the milestones defined in § 6-44-302; and (2) Invoice only for course and credit requirements needed to earn a high school diploma from an approved program provider that may include additional courses that meet workforce credential requirements. (c) The Department of Education shall pay an approved program provider the following amounts for each student who completes the following milestones: (1) Two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each: (A) Completed half (1/2) high school credit; (B) Completed employability skills certification; and (C) Earned workforce credential that requires no more than HB1571 3 02/21/2025 4:11:48 PM CRH044 fifty (50) hours of training; (2) Five hundred dollars ($500) for each earned workforce credential that requires at least fifty (50) hours but no more than one hundred (100) hours of training; (3) Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) for each earned workforce credential that requires more than one hundred (100) hours of training; and (4) One thousand dollars ($1,000) for each earned high school diploma. SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 6-44-306(b), concerning the process for paying invoices under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act, is amended to read as follows: (b)(1) The department shall pay an approved program provider in the order in which invoices are submitted until all available funds are exhausted. (2) Once all available funds are exhausted under subdivision (b)(1) of this section the department shall notify all approved program providers that funds are exhausted.

The fact measures diploma-or-higher attainment among adults age 25 and older. Completion and equivalency programs address a component of attainment; rules for current students concern a potential future component of the adult population. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Adults with at least a high school diploma. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 6-44-305 is amended to read as follows: 6-44-305. Payment. (a) An approved program provider shall not receive funding for a student under this subchapter if the approved program provider also receives federal or state funding or private tuition for the student. (b) An approved program provider shall: (1) Receive reimbursement for an enrolled, eligible student who meets the milestones defined in § 6-44-302; and (2) Invoice only for course and credit requirements needed to earn a high school diploma from an approved program provider that may include additional courses that meet workforce credential requirements. (c) The Department of Education shall pay an approved program provider the following amounts for each student who completes the following milestones: (1) Two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each: (A) Completed half (1/2) high school credit; (B) Completed employability skills certification; and (C) Earned workforce credential that requires no more than HB1571 3 02/21/2025 4:11:48 PM CRH044 fifty (50) hours of training; (2) Five hundred dollars ($500) for each earned workforce credential that requires at least fifty (50) hours but no more than one hundred (100) hours of training; (3) Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) for each earned workforce credential that requires more than one hundred (100) hours of training; and (4) One thousand dollars ($1,000) for each earned high school diploma. SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 6-44-306(b), concerning the process for paying invoices under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act, is amended to read as follows: (b)(1) The department shall pay an approved program provider in the order in which invoices are submitted until all available funds are exhausted. (2) Once all available funds are exhausted under subdivision (b)(1) of this section the department shall notify all approved program providers that funds are exhausted.

Wages and cash benefits can be components of household money income. Census income is measured before taxes, so tax relief alone is not an increase in this statistic; the provision does not determine the statewide median. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Median household income. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

That the Secretary of the Department of Commerce shall review and implement measures to enhance the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance Program, reduce the rate of inappropriate payments to ineligible applicants, and reduce fraud, including:Verifying applicant eligibility through the use of state and federal new hire directories; Cross-checking applicant eligibility through state and federal incarceration records, state death records, and the multi-state Integrity Data Hub; Conducting additional review and investigation of claims filed from a single internet protocol address using a similar mailing address or bank account; Ensuring that claims made from out-of-state applicants are strictly verified prior to approval and payment; Any other measures or methods that the Secretary deems effective and efficient in carrying out this directive. At the time of the effective date of this Order, the Secretary of the Department of Commerce shall begin implementing measures to complete these directives herein. The Secretary of the Department of Commerce shall provide quarterly progress reports to the Governor until the directives herein have been fully implemented.