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*LCW080* 04-21-2026 14:55:34 LCW080
State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H4/21/26 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 HOUSE BILL 1077 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 HUMAN 10
SERVICES - DIVISION OF COUNTY OPERATIONS FOR THE 11
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER 12
PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN 17
SERVICES - DIVISION OF COUNTY OPERATIONS 18
APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL 19
YEAR. 20
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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 - OPERATIONS. There is hereby established 25
for the Department of Human Services - Division of County Operations for the 26
2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of regular employees. 27
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Maximum Annual 29
Maximum Salary Rate 30
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 31
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 32
(1) EEX22A HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION DIRECTOR 1 GRADE EXE02 33
(2) SSP03C DHS DIVISION ADMINISTRATOR 1 GRADE SPC09 34
(3) SSP07C SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR 5 GRADE SPC08 35
(4) LAT04P ATTORNEY II 1 GRADE SPC05 36
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(5) SSP09C SOCIAL SERVICES AREA MANAGER 8 GRADE SGS11 1
(6) SSP14C SOCIAL SERVICES COUNTY MANAGER III 11 GRADE SGS10 2
(7) CTR03C TRAINING MANAGER 1 GRADE SGS10 3
(8) PQA02C QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER 1 GRADE SGS09 4
(9) SSP13C SOCIAL SERVICES COUNTY MANAGER II 32 GRADE SGS09 5
(10) SSP15C SOCIAL SERVICES MANAGER 3 GRADE SGS09 6
(11) SSP12C SOCIAL SERVICES COUNTY MANAGER I 39 GRADE SGS08 7
(12) PQA04P QUALITY ASSURANCE SUPVR/EXPERT 5 GRADE SGS08 8
(13) SSP17P SOCIAL SERVICES SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE SGS08 9
(14) CTR04P TRAINING SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 6 GRADE SGS08 10
(15) IIV05P INVESTIGATOR SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 2 GRADE SGS07 11
(16) PPE04P PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY SUPVR/EXPERT 187 GRADE SGS07 12
(17) SSP11P SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATOR 3 GRADE SGS07 13
(18) CTR02P TRAINER 21 GRADE SGS07 14
(19) PPE03P PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY SPECIALIST II 152 GRADE SGS06 15
(20) PQA03P QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST 27 GRADE SGS06 16
(21) SSP16P SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST 1 GRADE SGS06 17
(22) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 21 GRADE SGS05 18
(23) FBU03P BUDGET SPECIALIST 2 GRADE SGS05 19
(24) FGM02P GRANTS COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS05 20
(25) IIV03P INVESTIGATOR II 20 GRADE SGS05 21
(26) PPE02P PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY SPECIALIST I 977 GRADE SGS05 22
(27) PAS07I COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISOR 35 GRADE SGS04 23
(28) PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 14 GRADE SGS04 24
(29) FFS04P FISCAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST 1 GRADE SGS04 25
(30) FGM01P GRANTS ANALYST 7 GRADE SGS04 26
(31) PAS03P ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST 417 GRADE SGS02 27
(32) MPH03P PHYSICIAN 1 GRADE MED10 28
(33) MNU06P REGISTERED NURSE 2 GRADE MED05 29
(34) IUS04P USER SUPPORT SPECIALIST 5 GRADE IST02 30
(35) PPR02P PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS07 31
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 2,010 32
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SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP - OPERATIONS. There is hereby authorized, for 34
the Department of Human Services - Division of County Operations - Operations 35
for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-time or 36
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temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds 1
appropriated herein for such purposes: forty-three (43) temporary or part-2
time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in 3
the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this 4
act for the appropriate classification. 5
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - OPERATIONS. There is hereby appropriated, 7
to the Department of Human Services, to be payable from the paying account as 8
determined by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for personal services 9
and operating expenses of the Department of Human Services - Division of 10
County Operations - Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the 11
following: 12
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 14
NO. 2026-2027 15
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $89,928,947 16
(02) EXTRA HELP 503,937 17
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 36,871,495 18
(04) OVERTIME 130,000 19
(05) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 20
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 27,469,893 21
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 124,000 22
(C) PROF. FEES 19,037,338 23
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 24
(E) DATA PROC. 0 25
(06) DATA PROCESSING SERVICES 20,356,228 26
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $194,421,838 27
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SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION - GRANTS - STATE. There is hereby 29
appropriated, to the Department of Human Services, to be payable from the 30
Department of Human Services Grants Fund Account, for grant payments of the 31
Department of Human Services - Division of County Operations - Grants - State 32
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 33
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 35
NO. 2026-2027 36
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(01) AID TO AGED, BLIND, DISABLED $4,000 1
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SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - GRANTS. There is hereby appropriated, to 3
the Department of Human Services, to be payable from the paying account as 4
determined by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for grant payments of 5
the Department of Human Services - Division of County Operations - Grants for 6
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 7
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 9
NO. 2026-2027 10
(01) COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT $13,943,475 11
(02) SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE 12
PROGRAM (SNAP) 5,378,754 13
(03) TANF BLOCK GRANT 57,200,764 14
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $76,522,993 15
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SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION - COUNTY OPERATIONS - MEDICAID TOBACCO 17
SETTLEMENT PROGRAM. There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Human 18
Services, to be payable from the Medicaid Expansion Program Account, for 19
personal services and operating expenses of the Department of Human Services 20
- Division of County Operations - Medicaid Tobacco Settlement Program for the 21
fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 22
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 24
NO. 2026-2027 25
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $1,677,881 26
(02) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 704,614 27
(03) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 28
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 197,197 29
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 0 30
(C) PROF. FEES 0 31
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 32
(E) DATA PROC. 0 33
(04) DATA PROCESSING SERVICES 50,000 34
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $2,629,692 35
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SECTION 7. APPROPRIATION - EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS. There 1
is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Human Services, to be payable 2
from the federal funds as designated by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the 3
State, for grant payments of the Department of Human Services - Division of 4
County Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 5
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 7
NO. 2026-2027 8
(01) EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE $2,131,685 9
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SECTION 8. APPROPRIATION - SUMMER EBT. There is hereby appropriated, 11
to the Department of Human Services, to be payable from the paying account as 12
determined by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for expenses associated 13
with the Summer EBT of the Department of Human Services - Division of County 14
Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 15
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 17
NO. 2026-2027 18
(01) SUMMER EBT $50,555,398 19
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SECTION 9. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 21
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. TRANSFER 22
OF TANF BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. Each fiscal year, the Department of Human 23
Services shall transfer the sum of seven million five hundred thousand 24
dollars ($7,500,000) from the state's federal Temporary Assistance for Needy 25
Families block grant to the Department of Education Division of Elementary 26
and Secondary Education Public School Fund Account to be used solely for the 27
Arkansas Better Chance Program. 28
If the state match for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant 29
or the state's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant is reduced, the 30
amount to be transferred may be adjusted in proportion to the percentage 31
change in the state match or the state's Temporary Assistance for Needy 32
Families grant. The amount to be transferred may also be reduced 33
proportionately if new cost requirements are imposed upon the state as a 34
result of new or revised Temporary Assistance for Needy Families regulations 35
at the federal level. 36
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The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 1
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 2
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SECTION 10. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 4
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 5
RESTRICTIONS ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY 6
FAMILIES PROGRAM. 7
(a)(1) Determining the maximum number of employees, the maximum amount 8
of appropriation, for what purposes an appropriation is authorized, and 9
general revenue funding for a state agency each fiscal year is the 10
prerogative of the General Assembly. 11
(2) The purposes of subsection (a) of this section are typically 12
accomplished by: 13
(A) Identifying the purpose in the appropriation act; 14
(B) Delineating such maximums in the appropriation act for a 15
state agency; and 16
(C) Delineating the general revenue allocations authorized for 17
each fund and fund account by amendment to the revenue stabilization law. 18
(3) It is both necessary and appropriate that the General Assembly 19
restrict the use of appropriations authorized in this act. 20
(b)(1) Upon the request of the Governor or the General Assembly, the 21
Department of Human Services shall request a waiver from the federal 22
government to: 23
(A) Restrict the financial assistance granted to a recipient of 24
the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program or its successor program 25
to purchase goods and services that are considered essential and necessary 26
for the welfare of the family, including without limitation: 27
(i) Food; 28
(ii) Clothing; 29
(iii) Housing; 30
(iv) Utilities; 31
(v) Child care; and 32
(vi) Incidentals, including without limitation 33
transportation and medicine or medical supplies or equipment not covered by 34
either the Arkansas Medicaid Program or the health benefit plan of the 35
individual; and 36
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(B) Restrict the cash withdrawal from an electronic benefit 1
transfer card account that receives financial assistance under the Temporary 2
Assistance for Needy Families Program or its successor program by electronic 3
benefit transfer system. 4
(2) If the federal government denies the waiver application, this 5
section shall not be implemented. 6
(3) If the division does not request a wavier under subdivision 7
(b)(1) of this section, the department shall not allocate, budget, expend, or 8
utilize appropriations under this act for the participation of persons in the 9
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program. 10
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 11
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 12
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SECTION 11. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 14
authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 15
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 16
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 17
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 18
Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 19
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 20
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 21
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 22
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SECTION 12. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 24
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 25
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 26
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 27
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 28
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 29
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 30
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 31
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SECTION 13. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 33
General Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits 34
the appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 35
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 36
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the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 1
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 2
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 3
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 4
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 5
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 6
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 7
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/s/Joint Budget Committee 9
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