2025 Arkansas Legislative Session Summary

2025 Arkansas Legislative Priorities

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Arkansans impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease.

In 2025, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the Arkansas Legislature in support of the following priorities:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care 

• Genetic Testing Access: The Arkansas Legislature passed, and the governor signed into law, legislation that will require health plans to provide coverage for genetic testing for inherited cancer risk and eliminate cost-sharing requirements for clinically appropriate genetic testing and guideline recommended cancer imaging for those at high-risk of developing cancer. This legislation will ensure that more Arkansans will have access to information regarding their cancer risk, without the burden of out-of-pocket costs.
   
• Supplemental Breast Imaging Access: The Arkansas Legislature passed, and the governor signed into law, legislation that will expand access to supplemental breast imaging by prohibiting commercial insurers from charging patients for supplemental imaging needed because of personal risk factors.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection 

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to increase funding to $5 million for BreastCare, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Arkansas Department of Health. 

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco  

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding:  ACS CAN worked to increase funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The Arkansas Legislature approved, and the governor signed into law, a 2025-2026 fiscal year budget to increase funding for the Arkansas Tobacco Control and Prevention Commission to more than $11.8 million.

For more information, contact: Matt Glanville, Oklahoma and Arkansas Government Relations Director  

ACS CAN   

[email protected] Phone: 405.301.6311 

 
ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, please visit www.fightcancer.org.