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*CJW009* 03/30/2026 11:53:34 AM CJW009
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 HOUSE BILL 1046 3
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By: Joint Budget Committee 5
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICES 9
AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 10
- ARKANSAS WATERWAYS COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 11
ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12
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Subtitle 15
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE - 16
ARKANSAS WATERWAYS COMMISSION 17
APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL 18
YEAR. 19
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. REGULAR SALARIES - OPERATIONS. There is hereby established 24
for the Department of Commerce - Arkansas Waterways Commission for the 2026-25
2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of regular employees. 26
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Maximum Annual 28
Maximum Salary Rate 29
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 30
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 31
(1) PPE13C WATERWAYS COMMISSION DIRECTOR 1 GRADE SPC04 32
(2) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 1 GRADE SGS05 33
(3) PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS04 34
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 3 35
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SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION - OPERATIONS. There is hereby appropriated, 1
to the Department of Commerce, to be payable from the Miscellaneous Agencies 2
Fund Account, for personal services and operating expenses of the Department 3
of Commerce - Arkansas Waterways Commission for the fiscal year ending June 4
30, 2027, the following: 5
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 7
NO. 2026-2027 8
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $171,883 9
(02) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 63,856 10
(03) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 11
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 88,879 12
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 8,151 13
(C) PROF. FEES 0 14
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 15
(E) DATA PROC. 0 16
(04) STATE'S CONTRIBUTIONS 2,555 17
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $335,324 18
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - WATERWAY DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM. There 20
is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Commerce, to be payable from the 21
Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program Fund, for 22
grants to port authorities and intermodal authorities under the Arkansas 23
Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program for port development 24
projects as defined by Arkansas Code 15-23-205 for the fiscal year ending 25
June 30, 2027, the following: 26
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 28
NO. 2026-2027 29
(01) WATERWAY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS $5,000,000 30
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SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION - ARKANSAS RIVER NAVIGATION SYSTEM FUND. 32
There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Commerce, to be payable 33
from the Arkansas River Navigation System Fund, for expenses for the 34
development, improvement, and expansion of river transportation resources 35
within the portion of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System 36
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located in the State of Arkansas for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, 1
the following: 2
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 4
NO. 2026-2027 5
(01) ARKANSAS RIVER NAVIGATION SYSTEM 6
EXPENSES $2,000,000 7
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SECTION 5. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 9
authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 10
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 11
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 12
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 13
Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 14
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 15
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 16
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 17
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SECTION 6. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 19
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 20
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 21
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 22
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 23
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 24
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 25
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 26
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SECTION 7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the General 28
Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits the 29
appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 30
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 31
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 32
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 33
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 34
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 35
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 36
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being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 1
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 2
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