HB1683

House Bill 1683 prohibits Arkansas governmental entities—including state agencies, local governments, school districts, and public universities—from purchasing electric vehicles or their components unless the manufacturer provides a sworn certification that forced labor was not involved in any stage of production. The bill defines forced labor to include work obtained through force, fraud, coercion, child labor under age fourteen in hazardous occupations, or discrimination protected under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act. Manufacturers or sellers who knowingly provide false certifications are subject to significant civil penalties based on the value of the procurement. Additionally, the bill imposes personal financial liability on government employees and board members who knowingly approve a purchase that violates these requirements. The bill’s stated purpose is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to support supply chains involving human rights abuses, such as forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China or child labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.