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*JAR148* 04/21/2026 12:50:41 PM JAR148
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 SENATE BILL 1 3
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By: Senate Efficiency 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 ARKANSAS SENATE FOR 10
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER 11
PURPOSES. 12
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Subtitle 15
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS SENATE 16
APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL 17
YEAR. 18
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 21
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SECTION 1. REGULAR SALARIES - STAFF SERVICES. There is hereby 23
established for the Arkansas Senate for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the 24
following maximum number of regular employees. 25
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Maximum Annual 27
Maximum Salary Rate 28
Item No. of Fiscal Year 29
No. Title Employees 2026-2027 30
(1) DIR OF SENATE/SECRETARY OF SENATE 1 GRADE EXE01 31
(2) CHIEF COUNSEL/PARLIAMENTARIAN 1 GRADE SPC10 32
(3) ASST SEC OF SENATE/CONSTITUENT SVCS MGR 1 GRADE SPC08 33
(4) COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC INFO OFFICER 1 GRADE SPC05 34
(5) FISCAL OFFICER/EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LIAISON 1 GRADE SPC05 35
(6) ASST COMMUNICATIONS & INFO OFFICER 1 GRADE SPC04 36
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(7) TECHNICAL SERVICES COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SPC04 1
(8) SENIOR CONSTITUENT SERVICE ADVISOR 1 GRADE SPC03 2
(9) ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE 1 GRADE SPC03 3
(10) CONSTITUENT SERVICE ADVISOR 8 GRADE SPC02 4
(11) LEGISLATIVE ASST/RECEPTIONIST/SESSION 1 GRADE SGS08 5
(12) CSO ADMIN ASST/RECEPTIONIST/SESSION 2 GRADE SGS07 6
(13) PROPERTIES OFFICER/INVENTORY 1 GRADE SGS07 7
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 21 8
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SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP - STAFF SERVICES. There is hereby authorized, 10
for the Arkansas Senate for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum 11
number of part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", 12
payable from funds appropriated herein for such purposes: two (2) temporary 13
or part-time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those 14
provided in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its 15
successor, or this act for the appropriate classification. 16
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - STAFF SERVICES. There is hereby 18
appropriated, to the Arkansas Senate, to be payable from the State Central 19
Services Fund, for personal services and operating expenses of the Arkansas 20
Senate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 21
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 23
NO. 2026-2027 24
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $1,963,896 25
(02) EXTRA HELP 50,000 26
(03) PERSONAL SERV MATCHING 587,183 27
(04) MAINT. & GEN OPERATION 250,000 28
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $2,851,079 29
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SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION - ORIENTATION. There is hereby appropriated, 31
to the Arkansas Senate, to be payable from the Constitutional Officers Fund, 32
for expenses of the State Orientation including the payment of per diem and 33
mileage of members of the Arkansas Senate who attend the Senate Orientation 34
program held prior to the convening of a Legislative Session of the General 35
Assembly, the sum of.................................................$15,000. 36
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SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - REAPPROPRIATION - CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS 2
FUND. There is hereby appropriated, to the Arkansas Senate, to be payable 3
from the Constitutional Officers Fund, for the balance remaining on June 30, 4
2026 in the appropriations Section 3 of Act 1 of 2025 and Sections 4 and 5 of 5
Act 1011 of 2025, there to be used for any purpose to defray the necessary 6
expenses of the Arkansas Senate of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly, in a 7
sum in the aggregate not to exceed................................$4,000,000. 8
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SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION - REAPPROPRIATION - STATE CENTRAL SERVICES 10
FUND. There is hereby appropriated, to the Arkansas Senate, to be payable 11
from the State Central Services Fund, and payable from the balance remaining 12
on June 30, 2026 in the appropriations, Sections 3, 6, 7 and 8 of Act 1011 of 13
2025 there to be used for any purpose to defray the necessary expenses of the 14
Arkansas Senate of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly, in a sum in the 15
aggregate not to exceed...........................................$4,000,000. 16
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SECTION 7. APPROPRIATION - COMPUTERIZATION. There is hereby 18
appropriated, to the Arkansas Senate, to be payable from the State Central 19
Services Fund, for expenses necessary in continuing the computerization of 20
the legislative process in the Arkansas Senate, the sum of..........$700,000. 21
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SECTION 8. APPROPRIATION - RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS. There is 23
hereby appropriated, to the Arkansas Senate, to be payable from the State 24
Central Services Fund, for construction, improvements, renovations and 25
equipping of the Arkansas Senate facilities and other purposes of the 26
Arkansas Senate, the sum of.......................................$1,500,000. 27
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SECTION 9. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 29
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 30
TRANSFERS. If the Senate Efficiency Committee and the Secretary of the 31
Senate, subject to the approval of the Arkansas Senate, should determine that 32
any item or portion thereof appropriated herein for a specific purpose is not 33
needed for such purpose, the Secretary of the Senate may certify such fact to 34
the State Auditor and the State Auditor shall cause a transfer to be made 35
from one item to another. 36
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SECTION 10. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 2
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. SALARIES. 3
In order that exceptionally well-qualified personnel may be recruited and 4
retained, the Senate may exceed the maximum salary levels by no more than 5
twenty percent (20%) for no more than one-third (1/3) of the positions 6
authorized in their operation appropriation act, and may exceed the maximum 7
salary levels for the purpose of merit adjustments for all positions. 8
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SECTION 11. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 10
authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 11
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 12
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 13
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 14
Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 15
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 16
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 17
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 18
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SECTION 12. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 20
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 21
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 22
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 23
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 24
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 25
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 26
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 27
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SECTION 13. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 29
General Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits 30
the appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 31
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 32
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 33
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 34
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 35
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 36
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programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 1
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 2
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 3
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