Nicole Clowney is serving her fourth term in the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing District 21, which includes portions of Washington County.[1]
She teaches at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and graduated with a B.A. in classics from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Yale University.[1]She lives in Fayetteville with her husband and two children.[1]The legislature's member page lists her as House Minority Party Whip for 2026.[2]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Jobs & cost of living262 with · 9 against271 votes
Creates a licensing system for naturopathic physicians overseen by a new Arkansas State Board of Natural Medicine, defining their scope of practice, education requirements, background checks, and unlicensed-practice prohibition.
Phases down the soft drink syrup tax from $1.26 per gallon to 96 cents and then lower, as state sales tax revenue from soft drinks reaches thresholds starting at $16 million; requires an annual revenue estimate.
Requires employers with more than ten employees to give each minor employee an itemized pay statement showing pay basis, rates of pay, gross pay and deductions each time wages are paid.
Bars medical professionals from soliciting people injured in an accident or disaster for treatment unless they have a prior relationship or 30 days have passed; makes violation a Class D felony and voids related payment agreements.
Removes concealed handgun licenses, college employee badges and public assistance cards from accepted voter ID, and excludes noncitizen licenses. Requires monthly checks of noncitizen license holders against voter rolls, with matches cancelled and referred to the Attorney General for prosecution.
On the version voted Mar 11, 2025: Requires a person to read the ballot title, or hear it read aloud, in the canvasser's presence before signing an initiative or referendum petition, and makes it a misdemeanor for a canvasser to knowingly accept a signature without that. Takes effect immediately.
Creates a licensing system for naturopathic physicians overseen by a new Arkansas State Board of Natural Medicine, defining their scope of practice, education requirements, background checks, and unlicensed-practice prohibition.
Bars medical professionals from soliciting people injured in an accident or disaster for treatment unless they have a prior relationship or 30 days have passed; makes violation a Class D felony and voids related payment agreements.
Requires health benefit plans to pay providers a minimum reimbursement level set by the Insurance Commissioner from neighboring states' commercial-to-Medicare price ratios, phased in from 45% in 2026 to 100% in 2030; insurers must document compliance.
On the version voted Apr 15, 2025: Requires the Department of Human Services, with the Department of Education, to set up regional behavioral health programs by January 1, 2026, respond within 48 hours to school requests about students likely to injure themselves or others, develop management plans, and find funding.
Removes the requirement that a homeschooled student live within 25 miles of a private school to take part in its interscholastic activities, keeping the notice and academic eligibility requirements.
Lets a school district or open-enrollment charter school allow a private school student to join an interscholastic activity there when the student's private school lacks that activity approved by the Arkansas Activities Association.
Requires crop residue burns to be reported to the Department of Agriculture and follow state smoke management guidelines, and shields those who comply from civil liability unless the claimant proves negligence.
Makes it illegal to build or operate a solid waste landfill that did not exist when the act took effect in the outcrop area of geologic formations, including karst topography. Exempts transfer stations, recycling and composting facilities.
Mar 11, 2025 · Passed 76–11 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Bars governmental entities from contracting to buy electric vehicles or components unless the manufacturer certifies under oath that no forced labor was used in production, with civil penalties for knowingly false certifications.
Creates the Pregnancy Parking Act, letting a physician-confirmed pregnant woman get a temporary disability parking certificate that expires one year after she gives birth.
Requires Arkansas driver's licenses and ID cards to state gender as "M" or "F", matching the applicant's identity document or, if it shows "X" or none, a form the applicant completes; bars "X" or blank entries; allows changes only with an amended birth certificate.
Bars cities from enforcing municipal building and zoning rules on county-owned property inside city limits that is used for a public purpose; the county must follow its own building and zoning rules there.
Bars county recorders from accepting a real estate deed unless the grantor, or someone signing for the grantor, appears in person with a valid photo ID, with exceptions for deeds presented by attorneys, real estate brokers, lenders, title agents, and government representatives.
Extends the existing ban on local rent-control ordinances to also cover rental application fees and rental deposits for private residential or commercial property.
Requires each public school district and charter school, starting in 2027-28, to install audio recording devices in locker rooms and changing rooms with posted notices, and keep recordings at least 90 days but no more than 12 months absent an allegation.
Allows private landowners, leaseholders and commercial businesses to use automatic license plate readers to monitor access to their property, limits their data retention to 60 days, bars selling the data, and requires a subpoena for government to compel its release.
On the version voted Apr 7, 2025: Amends the data center sales and use tax exemption: adds a qualified large data center category (at least $2 billion invested within ten years), sets qualified data centers at $500 million, and excludes facilities primarily engaged in virtual currency transactions.
Bars people paid to lobby from lobbying for a covered foreign entity, defined to include parties on federal screening or entity lists and those based in or controlled by China or Russia, with penalties escalating from a fine to a felony.
Bars governmental entities from contracting to buy electric vehicles or components unless the manufacturer certifies under oath that no forced labor was used in production, with civil penalties for knowingly false certifications.
Bars state agencies from using the term "West Bank" in official materials, with the stated intent of using "Judea and Samaria" instead; an agency's executive head may waive the bar and must explain the waiver to the legislature.
Voted against most of their party on 8 of 134 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Rights & public safety (4), Jobs & cost of living (1), Health & care (1)
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING SEXUAL SOLICITATION; AND TO AMEND THE PENALTIES FOR THE OFFENSE OF SEXUAL SOLICITATION.
What it does: Reclassifies sexual solicitation penalties: a first offense becomes a Class A misdemeanor and a second or later offense a Class D felony, replacing the current maximums of 90 days and $2,000, and one year and $3,500.
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 6–7, Republicans 73–2
TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE ACCESS; TO AMEND THE ASSESSMENT FEES ON HOSPITALS; AND TO CREATE THE HOSPITAL DIRECTED PAYMENT ASSESSMENT.
What it does: Creates a hospital directed payment assessment on hospitals, with proceeds deposited in a Medicaid account to fund managed care hospital payments up to the federal limit, and creates a Graduate Medical Education Expan…
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 6–5, Republicans 12–43
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS FORWARD ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE ACT; AND TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS FORWARD ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP.
What it does: Creates a working group, the Arkansas Forward Engagement Committee, to review state spending for waste and inefficiency and to review unnecessary or burdensome regulations.
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–10, Republicans 76–0
APPLYING TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS FOR AN ARTICLE V CONVENTION OF THE STATES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION TO IMPOSE TERM LIMITS OF MEMBERS FOR THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
What it does: Applies to Congress for an Article V convention limited to proposing a constitutional amendment that sets term limits for members of the U.S. House and Senate.
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 5–9, Republicans 43–25
TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
What it does: Repeals several higher education requirements, including affirmative action plans and reports, written agreements between nearby colleges to avoid duplicating services, and the energy research committee, and changes w…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 6–11, Republicans 76–0
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
SB77 · AR HOUSE
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
YesVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and failed.
Appropriates $550,000 for fiscal 2026-27 to pay the Educational Television Division's Public Broadcasting Service membership dues, matched one-to-one with private donations that must be certified before funds are paid.
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - LICENSING AND REGULATION BOARDS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
YesVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
Appropriates money for salaries, extra help and operations of Department of Health licensing boards, including the medical, nursing, pharmacy, optometry, psychology and social work boards, for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE - STATE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
YesVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
Appropriates money for the State Insurance Department for the 2026-27 fiscal year, covering operations, fraud investigation, prepaid funeral programs, continuing education and state and public school employee claims.
TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; TO CREATE FUNDS; TO MAKE TRANSFERS TO AND FROM FUNDS AND FUND ACCOUNTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
NoVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
Sets 2026-27 revenue allocations to state funds, including $6.64 billion in the first allocation tier, and transfers $100 million to a Medicaid set-aside, $70 million to a Children's Educational Freedom Account set-aside, and other amounts to reserve set-asides.
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
YesVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and failed.
Appropriates $550,000 for fiscal 2026-27 to pay the Educational Television Division's Public Broadcasting Service membership dues, matched one-to-one with private donations that must be certified before funds are paid.
TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; TO CREATE FUNDS; TO MAKE TRANSFERS TO AND FROM FUNDS AND FUND ACCOUNTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
NoVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
Sets 2026-27 revenue allocations to state funds, including $6.64 billion in the first allocation tier, and transfers $100 million to a Medicaid set-aside, $70 million to a Children's Educational Freedom Account set-aside, and other amounts to reserve set-asides.
TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; TO CREATE FUNDS; TO MAKE TRANSFERS TO AND FROM FUNDS AND FUND ACCOUNTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
NoVOTED
Motion: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
Sets 2026-27 revenue allocations to state funds, including $6.64 billion in the first allocation tier, and transfers $100 million to a Medicaid set-aside, $70 million to a Children's Educational Freedom Account set-aside, and other amounts to reserve set-asides.
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
YesVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and failed.
On the version voted Apr 29, 2026: Appropriates $550,000 for fiscal 2026-27 to pay the Educational Television Division's Public Broadcasting Service membership dues, matched one-to-one with private donations that must be certified before funds are paid.
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
YesVOTED
Motion: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
Appropriates money from the Public School Fund for the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education for 2026-27, including about $3.66 billion in the main section, the school computer network, Office of Education Renewal Zones, and sexual risk avoidance education.