SB18 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the emergency clause makes the act effective July 1, 2026, but notes that delays beyond this date could cause harm if the session is extended; it does not specify an alternative effective date in such a scenario.

Funding for the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board in Arkansas

This law provides money to the Department of Energy and Environment's Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board so it can pay staff and run its operations during the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

What This Bill Does

Sets a limit on how many full-time workers the board may hire, including one director, three inspectors, one fiscal support supervisor/expert, and one administrative specialist.
Allows the hiring of up to one temporary or part-time worker when needed.
Provides $721,554 from the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Fund for salaries, travel, professional fees, equipment, data processing, grants, and other operating expenses.
Requires that all spending follows state laws on purchasing, accounting, budget rules, and salary procedures.
States that funds must be used only for the reasons listed in official budget documents.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Energy and Environment - Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board
Employees working at the board who receive salaries or temporary pay

Terms To Know

Appropriation: An official act by lawmakers to set aside money for a specific government purpose.
Fiscal Year: A 12-month period used for budgeting, which in this case runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Fund: A specific pool of state money used to support the operations of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board.

Limits and Unknowns

The law sets maximum salary rates by grade but does not list exact amounts for individual employee salaries.
While an emergency clause declares the act effective on July 1, 2026, specific details about potential delays if the legislative session is extended are described as causing harm rather than defining a new date.

Official Summary Text

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS BOARD APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
*WFP025* 03/30/2026 3:44:00 PM WFP025
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 SENATE BILL 18 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 ENERGY 10
AND ENVIRONMENT - LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS BOARD FOR 11
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER 12
PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND 17
ENVIRONMENT - LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS 18
BOARD APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 19
FISCAL 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. There is hereby established for the 25
Department of Energy and Environment - Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board 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) PEM04C LP GAS BOARD DIRECTOR 1 GRADE SPC05 33
(2) FFS05P FISCAL SUPPORT SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE SGS07 34
(3) IIN01P INSPECTOR I 3 GRADE SGS04 35
(4) PAS03P ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST 1 GRADE SGS02 36
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MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 6 1
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SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP. There is hereby authorized, for the Department 3
of Energy and Environment - Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board for the 2026-2027 4
fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-time or temporary 5
employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds appropriated 6
herein for such purposes: one (1) temporary or part-time employee, when 7
needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the Uniform 8
Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this act for the 9
appropriate classification. 10
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - OPERATIONS. There is hereby appropriated, 12
to the Department of Energy and Environment, to be payable from the Liquefied 13
Petroleum Gas Fund, for personal services and operating expenses of the 14
Department of Energy and Environment - Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board for the 15
fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 16
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 18
NO. 2026-2027 19
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $341,608 20
(02) EXTRA HELP 8,300 21
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 126,546 22
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 23
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 153,300 24
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 4,000 25
(C) PROF. FEES 7,800 26
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 50,000 27
(E) DATA PROC. 0 28
(05) GRANTS AND AID 30,000 29
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $721,554 30
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SECTION 4. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 32
authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 33
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 34
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 35
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 36
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Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 1
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 2
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 3
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 4
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SECTION 5. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 6
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 7
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 8
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 9
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 10
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 11
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 12
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 13
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SECTION 6. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the General 15
Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits the 16
appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 17
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 18
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 19
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 20
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 21
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 22
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 23
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 24
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 25
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