Arkansas SB375: TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF CAPITAL RAPE; AND TO AMEND A PORTION OF ARKANSAS CODE WHICH RESULTED FROM INITIATED ACT 3 OF 1936

What the bill says

An act to be entitled an act to create the offense of capital rape; to amend a portion of arkansas code which resulted from initiated act 3 of 1936; and for other purposes. subtitle to create the offense of capital rape; and to amend a portion of arkansas code which resulted from initiated act 3 of 1936.

From the enrolled text:

An Act To Be Entitled AN ACT TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF CAPITAL RAPE; TO AMEND A PORTION OF ARKANSAS CODE WHICH RESULTED FROM INITIATED ACT 3 OF 1936; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Subtitle TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF CAPITAL RAPE; AND TO AMEND A PORTION OF ARKANSAS CODE WHICH RESULTED FROM INITIATED ACT 3 OF 1936. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds that: (1) Adults who rape children "are the epitome of moral depravity." Kennedy v. Louisiana, 554 U.S. 407, 467 (2008) (Alito, J., dissenting); (2) The United States Supreme Court gravely erred in Kennedy v. Louisiana when it held that the Eight Amendment prohibited imposition of the death penalty for rape of a child when the crime did not result in death of the victim; (3) The United States Supreme Court reached its conclusion by asking whether "standards of decency" had evolved to render a death sentence *CEB074* 03/04/2025 1:57:07 PM CEB074 SB375 for child rapists unconstitutional; (4) To determine prevailing standards of decency, the United States Supreme Court canvassed the statutes of the fifty states and the United States Government and found that only six (6) states allowed the death penalty for child rape; (5) The outcome in Kennedy v. …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Matt Stone (R, 2) · primary sponsor
• Jeremiah Moore (R, 61)
• Matt McKee (R, 6)
• Joshua Bryant (R, 32)
• Steve Crowell (R, 3)
• Breanne Davis (R, 25)
• Tyler Dees (R, 35)
• Jonathan Dismang (R, 18)
• Jane English (R, 13)
• Scott Flippo (R, 23)
• Ben Gilmore (R, 1)
• Bart Hester (R, 33)

Latest actions

1. April 18, 2025: Notification that SB375 is now Act 662
2. April 10, 2025: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
3. April 10, 2025: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4. April 9, 2025: ORDERED ENROLLED
5. April 9, 2025: Returned from the House as passed.
6. April 9, 2025: Returned to the Senate as passed.
7. April 9, 2025: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
8. April 8, 2025: Returned by the Committee Do Pass
9. March 12, 2025: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE
10. March 12, 2025: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

Votes

• House Roll Call #1143 (April 9, 2025): 74 yea, 13 nay, passed
• House Roll Call #1134 (April 9, 2025): 56 yea, 27 nay, passed
• Senate Roll Call #606 (March 18, 2025): 32 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Senate Roll Call #505 (March 12, 2025): 26 yea, 6 nay, passed

Common questions

What is SB375?

SB375 is a bill in the Arkansas Legislature (95th General Assembly (2025 Regular)): TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF CAPITAL RAPE; AND TO AMEND A PORTION OF ARKANSAS CODE WHICH RESULTED FROM INITIATED ACT 3 OF 1936.

What does SB375 do?

In its own words: An act to be entitled an act to create the offense of capital rape; to amend a portion of arkansas code which resulted from initiated act 3 of 1936; and for other purposes. subtitle to create the offense of capital rape; and to amend a portion of arkansas code which resulted from initiated act 3 of 1936.

What is the status of SB375?

Chaptered as of April 18, 2025. Latest action: Notification that SB375 is now Act 662 (April 18, 2025).

Who sponsored SB375?

Matt Stone (R, 2), with 11 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for SB375?

On the Arkansas Legislature website: https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R&measureno=SB375