Arkansas

Restriction reported

Governor's 2024 order makes biological, unchangeable sex state policy; its directives target education

Laws cited: Ark. Exec. Order No. 24-06 (May 2, 2024)
In effect since: May 2, 2024
Instrument: Executive order
Litigation: None found that bears on a statewide definition.
Researched: September 22, 2026 (Date of the primary-source research; not a legal effective date)

From the source text

an immutable characteristic... rooted in biology

Notes

Counted by executive order. E.O. 24-06 declares it state policy that sex is an immutable characteristic rooted in biology; its specific directives are aimed at schools and the Department of Education. Act 955 of 2025 defines sex by biology for public restrooms, shelters and prisons only.

Sources

Policy sources

Researched from primary sources

Trans Data Initiative research. Researched from primary sources (enacted text, the code on official sites, executive orders, court orders), starting from the Trans Data Initiative legislation tracker's bills. Each determination was checked independently by a second researcher; disputes were settled by a third review. No other tracker's descriptions were used.

A record is what a source reported on the date it was captured, not a legal effective date. An unobserved record is not a finding that no restrictions exist.

Dated records for Arkansas in this area

May 2, 2024 Reviewed primary source

Governor's 2024 order makes biological, unchangeable sex state policy; its directives target education

Ark. Exec. Order No. 24-06 (May 2, 2024)

Date basis: Effective date in the primary source. Researched September 22, 2026.

Inspect date source(opens another site) · E.O. 24-06 (May 2, 2024), education/Title IX order(opens another site) · Act 955 of 2025 (SB 486), facilities law; definitions apply 'in this subchapter' only(opens another site)PDF, external · Executive order on gendered language in state documents (Oct 19, 2023)(opens another site)