SB3

This bill seeks to prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin by the State of Arkansas and its public entities. It modifies existing statutes by renaming the 'Equity Assistance Center' to the 'Equality Assistance Center' and reframing its focus from affirmative action to general nondiscrimination. The bill explicitly repeals several sections of the Arkansas Code that mandated recruitment and retention plans for minority teachers, administrators, students, and staff in public schools and higher education institutions. Additionally, it changes the criteria for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division to focus on the benefit of market competition rather than ownership diversity. The bill retains existing preferences for veterans. It mandates that public institutions remove requirements for affirmative action reporting and diversity-based strategic planning.