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*WFP027* 03/30/2026 3:36:54 PM WFP027
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 HOUSE BILL 1074 3
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By: Joint Budget Committee 5
6
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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 ENERGY 10
AND ENVIRONMENT - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION FOR THE 11
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER 12
PURPOSES. 13
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15
Subtitle 16
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND 17
ENVIRONMENT - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION 18
APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL 19
YEAR. 20
21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
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SECTION 1. REGULAR SALARIES - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION. There is hereby 25
established for the Department of Energy and Environment - Oil and Gas 26
Commission for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of 27
regular employees. 28
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Maximum Annual 30
Maximum Salary Rate 31
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 32
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 33
(1) PEM05C PRODUCTION & CONSERVATION DIRECTOR 1 GRADE SPC09 34
(2) PEM01C E & E ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR 2 GRADE SPC05 35
(3) SGE04P PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST 2 GRADE SPC05 36
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(4) PEP03P ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT PROG SUPV/EXP 2 GRADE SGS09 1
(5) FFS05P FISCAL SUPPORT SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE SGS07 2
(6) IIN05P INSPECTOR SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 2 GRADE SGS07 3
(7) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 3 GRADE SGS05 4
(8) IIN02P INSPECTOR II 9 GRADE SGS05 5
(9) PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 4 GRADE SGS04 6
(10) PAS03P ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST 3 GRADE SGS02 7
(11) IIS11P IT SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE IST09 8
(12) IGI01P GIS ANALYST 1 GRADE IST05 9
(13) IUS01P USER SUPPORT ANALYST 2 GRADE IST04 10
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 33 11
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SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION. There is hereby 13
authorized, for the Department of Energy and Environment - Oil and Gas 14
Commission for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of 15
part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from 16
funds appropriated herein for such purposes: six (6) temporary or part-time 17
employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the 18
Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this act 19
for the appropriate classification. 20
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION - OPERATIONS. There 22
is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Energy and Environment, to be 23
payable from the Oil and Gas Commission Fund, for personal services and 24
operating expenses of the Department of Energy and Environment - Oil and Gas 25
Commission - Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the 26
following: 27
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 29
NO. 2026-2027 30
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $1,912,320 31
(02) EXTRA HELP 60,000 32
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 705,017 33
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 34
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 887,197 35
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 40,000 36
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(C) PROF. FEES 25,000 1
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 200,000 2
(E) DATA PROC. 0 3
(05) POLLUTION CONTROL 275,000 4
(06) REFUNDS/REIMBURSEMENTS 100,000 5
(07) DATA PROCESSING SERVICES 348,217 6
(08) INTERSTATE OIL COMPACT 35,000 7
(09) UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL 100,000 8
(10) GROUNDWATER PROTECTION 12,500 9
(11) ENERGY EDUCATION 30,000 10
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $4,730,251 11
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SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION - REFUNDS AND 13
REIMBURSEMENTS. There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Energy 14
and Environment, to be payable from cash funds as defined by Arkansas Code 15
§19-4-801, for refunds and reimbursements of the Department of Energy and 16
Environment - Oil and Gas Commission - Refunds and Reimbursements for the 17
fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 18
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 20
NO. 2026-2027 21
(01) REFUNDS/REIMBURSEMENTS $200,000 22
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SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - OIL AND GAS COMMISSION - WELL PLUGGING 24
PROGRAM. There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Energy and 25
Environment, to be payable from the Abandoned and Orphaned Well Plugging 26
Fund, for well plugging program expenses of the Department of Energy and 27
Environment - Oil and Gas Commission - Well Plugging Program for the fiscal 28
year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 29
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 31
NO. 2026-2027 32
(01) WELL PLUGGING EXPENSES $12,500,000 33
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SECTION 6. REGULAR SALARIES - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST. There is 35
hereby established for the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of 36
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the State Geologist for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum 1
number of regular employees. 2
3
Maximum Annual 4
Maximum Salary Rate 5
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 6
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 7
(1) EEX46A STATE GEOLOGIST 1 GRADE SPC09 8
(2) SGE03C MANAGING GEOLOGIST 1 GRADE SPC05 9
(3) SGE04P PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST 1 GRADE SPC05 10
(4) SGE05P PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST 5 GRADE SPC03 11
(5) SGE01P GEOLOGIST 5 GRADE SPC01 12
(6) TAT03I ENGINEERING SPECIALIST 2 GRADE SGS05 13
(7) PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS04 14
(8) FFS04P FISCAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST 1 GRADE SGS04 15
(9) IAS08I WEBSITE SPECIALIST 1 GRADE IST05 16
(10) IGI01P GIS ANALYST 1 GRADE IST05 17
(11) IUS01P USER SUPPORT ANALYST 1 GRADE IST04 18
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 20 19
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SECTION 7. EXTRA HELP - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST. There is hereby 21
authorized, for the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of the 22
State Geologist for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number 23
of part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable 24
from funds appropriated herein for such purposes: eight (8) temporary or 25
part-time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those 26
provided in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its 27
successor, or this act for the appropriate classification. 28
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SECTION 8. APPROPRIATION - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - OPERATIONS. 30
There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Energy and Environment, to 31
be payable from the Oil and Gas Commission Fund, for personal services and 32
operating expenses of the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of 33
the State Geologist - Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, 34
the following: 35
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 1
NO. 2026-2027 2
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $1,200,371 3
(02) EXTRA HELP 45,000 4
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 429,458 5
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 6
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 257,047 7
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 8,000 8
(C) PROF. FEES 0 9
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 40,000 10
(E) DATA PROC. 0 11
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $1,979,876 12
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SECTION 9. APPROPRIATION - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - MAP RESALE 14
PROGRAM. There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Energy and 15
Environment, to be payable from the Geology Map Resale Revolving Fund, for 16
operating expenses of the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of 17
the State Geologist - Map Resale Program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 18
2027, the following: 19
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 21
NO. 2026-2027 22
(01) RESALE REVOLVING FUND $49,000 23
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SECTION 10. REGULAR SALARIES - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - STATE 25
GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM. There is hereby established for the Department of 26
Energy and Environment - Office of the State Geologist - State Geologic 27
Mapping Program for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number 28
of regular employees. 29
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Maximum Annual 31
Maximum Salary Rate 32
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 33
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 34
(1) SGE01P GEOLOGIST 1 GRADE SPC01 35
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 1 36
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SECTION 11. EXTRA HELP - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - STATE GEOLOGIC 2
MAPPING PROGRAM. There is hereby authorized, for the Department of Energy 3
and Environment - Office of the State Geologist - State Geologic Mapping 4
Program for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-5
time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds 6
appropriated herein for such purposes: six (6) temporary or part-time 7
employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the 8
Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this act 9
for the appropriate classification. 10
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SECTION 12. APPROPRIATION - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - STATE 12
GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM. There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of 13
Energy and Environment, to be payable from the federal funds as designated by 14
the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for personal services and operating 15
expenses of the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of the State 16
Geologist - State Geologic Mapping Program for the fiscal year ending June 17
30, 2027, the following: 18
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 20
NO. 2026-2027 21
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $43,660 22
(02) EXTRA HELP 48,779 23
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 21,681 24
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 25
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 77,742 26
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 0 27
(C) PROF. FEES 0 28
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 29
(E) DATA PROC. 0 30
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $191,862 31
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SECTION 13. APPROPRIATION - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - GEOLOGY 33
MUSEUM. There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Energy and 34
Environment, to be payable from the cash fund deposited in the State Treasury 35
as determined by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for museum expenses 36
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of the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of the State Geologist - 1
Geology Museum for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 2
3
ITEM FISCAL YEAR 4
NO. 2026-2027 5
(01) MUSEUM EXPENSES $1,125 6
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SECTION 14. REGULAR SALARIES - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - 8
GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH - LANDSLIDE/SINKHOLE. There is hereby established for 9
the Department of Energy and Environment - Office of the State Geologist - 10
Geological Research - Landslide/Sinkhole for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the 11
following maximum number of regular employees. 12
13
Maximum Annual 14
Maximum Salary Rate 15
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 16
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 17
(1) SGE01P GEOLOGIST 1 GRADE SPC01 18
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 1 19
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SECTION 15. EXTRA HELP - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - GEOLOGICAL 21
RESEARCH - LANDSLIDE/SINKHOLE. There is hereby authorized, for the 22
Department of Energy and Environment - Office of the State Geologist - 23
Geological Research - Landslide/Sinkhole for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the 24
following maximum number of part-time or temporary employees, to be known as 25
"Extra Help", payable from funds appropriated herein for such purposes: two 26
(2) temporary or part-time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to 27
exceed those provided in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or 28
its successor, or this act for the appropriate classification. 29
30
SECTION 16. APPROPRIATION - OFFICE OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST - GEOLOGICAL 31
RESEARCH - LANDSLIDE/SINKHOLE. There is hereby appropriated, to the 32
Department of Energy and Environment, to be payable from the cash fund 33
deposited in the State Treasury as determined by the Chief Fiscal Officer of 34
the State, for personal services and operating expenses of the Department of 35
Energy and Environment - Office of the State Geologist - Geological Research 36
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- Landslide/Sinkhole for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 1
2
ITEM FISCAL YEAR 3
NO. 2026-2027 4
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $49,011 5
(02) EXTRA HELP 27,328 6
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 21,268 7
(04) GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH 143,762 8
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $241,369 9
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SECTION 17. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 11
authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 12
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 13
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 14
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 15
Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 16
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 17
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 18
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 19
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SECTION 18. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 21
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 22
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 23
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 24
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 25
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 26
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 27
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 28
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SECTION 19. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 30
General Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits 31
the appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 32
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 33
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 34
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 35
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 36
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upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 1
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 2
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 3
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 4
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