AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S4/15/26 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 SENATE BILL 52 3
4
By: Joint Budget Committee 5
6
7
For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICES 9
AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC 10
DEFENDER COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 11
30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12
13
14
Subtitle 15
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC DEFENDER 16
COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-17
2027 FISCAL YEAR. 18
19
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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 - STATE OPERATIONS. There is hereby 23
established for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - State Operations 24
for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of regular 25
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) EEX34A PUBLIC DEFENDER DIRECTOR 1 GRADE EXE02 32
(2) LPD02C CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER II 1 GRADE SPC10 33
(3) LPD01C CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER I 9 GRADE SPC09 34
(4) FFS05P FISCAL SUPPORT SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE SGS07 35
(5) IIV05P INVESTIGATOR SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 2 GRADE SGS07 36
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(6) ILS03I LEGAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST 4 GRADE SGS06 1
(7) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 2 GRADE SGS05 2
(8) IIV03P INVESTIGATOR II 2 GRADE SGS05 3
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 22 4
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SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP - STATE OPERATIONS. There is hereby authorized, 6
for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - State Operations for the 2026-7
2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-time or temporary 8
employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds appropriated 9
herein for such purposes: three (3) temporary or part-time employees, when 10
needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the Uniform 11
Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this act for the 12
appropriate classification. 13
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - STATE OPERATIONS. There is hereby 15
appropriated, to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, to be payable from 16
the State Central Services Fund, for personal services and operating expenses 17
of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - State Operations for the fiscal 18
year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 19
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 21
NO. 2026-2027 22
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $2,110,019 23
(02) EXTRA HELP 12,000 24
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 661,223 25
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 26
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 247,648 27
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 19,690 28
(C) PROF. FEES 925,000 29
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 30
(E) DATA PROC. 0 31
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $3,975,580 32
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SECTION 4. REGULAR SALARIES - TRIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE. There is 34
hereby established for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - Trial Public 35
Defender Office for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number 36
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of regular employees. 1
2
Maximum Annual 3
Maximum Salary Rate 4
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 5
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 6
(1) LPD02C CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER II 6 GRADE SPC10 7
(2) LPD01C CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER I 20 GRADE SPC09 8
(3) LPD05P PUBLIC DEFENDER III 106 GRADE SPC08 9
(4) LPD04P PUBLIC DEFENDER II 60 GRADE SPC05 10
(5) HDH06C HR MANAGER 1 GRADE SPC04 11
(6) LPD03P PUBLIC DEFENDER I 34 GRADE SPC03 12
(7) CPR04I INTERPRETER 1 GRADE SGS07 13
(8) HDH05P HR COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS07 14
(9) IIV05P INVESTIGATOR SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 8 GRADE SGS07 15
(10) IIV06P MITIGATION INVESTIGATOR 11 GRADE SGS07 16
(11) PAS04C ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISOR 2 GRADE SGS06 17
(12) ILS03I LEGAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST 54 GRADE SGS06 18
(13) FFS02P FISCAL SUPPORT COORDINATOR 2 GRADE SGS06 19
(14) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 3 GRADE SGS05 20
(15) PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 3 GRADE SGS04 21
(16) IIS10C IT INFRASTRUCTURE SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE IST10 22
(17) IIE02P IT SECURITY ANALYST I 1 GRADE IST06 23
(18) IUS04P USER SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2 GRADE IST02 24
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 316 25
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SECTION 5. EXTRA HELP - TRIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE. There is hereby 27
authorized, for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - Trial Public 28
Defender Office for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number 29
of part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable 30
from funds appropriated herein for such purposes: three (3) temporary or 31
part-time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those 32
provided in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its 33
successor, or this act for the appropriate classification. 34
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SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION - TRIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE. There is 36
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hereby appropriated, to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, to be 1
payable from the State Central Services Fund, for personal services and 2
operating expenses of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - Trial Public 3
Defender Office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 4
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 6
NO. 2026-2027 7
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $24,748,805 8
(02) EXTRA HELP 15,000 9
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 8,361,355 10
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 11
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 678,256 12
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 34,000 13
(C) PROF. FEES 725,000 14
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 15
(E) DATA PROC. 0 16
(05) PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION PROGRAMS 770,000 17
(06) BAIL BOND COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER 300,000 18
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $35,632,416 19
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SECTION 7. REGULAR SALARIES - COMMISSION FOR PARENT COUNSEL. There is 21
hereby established for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - Commission 22
for Parent Counsel for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum 23
number of regular employees. 24
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Maximum Annual 26
Maximum Salary Rate 27
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 28
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 29
(1) LAT05P ATTORNEY III 2 GRADE SPC08 30
(2) LAT04P ATTORNEY II 1 GRADE SPC05 31
(3) ILS03I LEGAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2 GRADE SGS06 32
(4) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 1 GRADE SGS05 33
(5) LAT06C ATTORNEY IV 1 GRADE SPC09 34
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 7 35
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SECTION 8. EXTRA HELP - COMMISSION FOR PARENT COUNSEL. There is hereby 1
authorized, for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission - Commission for 2
Parent Counsel for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of 3
part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from 4
funds appropriated herein for such purposes: fourteen (14) temporary or part-5
time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in 6
the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this 7
act for the appropriate classification. 8
9
SECTION 9. APPROPRIATION - COMMISSION FOR PARENT COUNSEL. There is 10
hereby appropriated, to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, to be 11
payable from the State Central Services Fund, for personal services, 12
operating expenses and parent counsel refunds/reimbursements of the 13
Commission for Parent Counsel for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the 14
following: 15
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 17
NO. 2026-2027 18
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $535,172 19
(02) EXTRA HELP 280,000 20
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 200,523 21
(04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 22
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 50,000 23
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 10,000 24
(C) PROF. FEES 75,000 25
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 0 26
(E) DATA PROC. 0 27
(05) PARENT COUNSEL REIMBURSEMENTS 3,630,231 28
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $4,780,926 29
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SECTION 10. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 31
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 32
INDIGENT PARENT COUNSEL REPRESENTATION. The Commission for Parent Counsel 33
shall have the authority to use the appropriation provided in line item 34
Parent Counsel Reimbursements of the Parent Counsel Program appropriation 35
herein for the purpose of entering into independent professional service 36
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contracts on a full-time or part-time basis with attorneys who are qualified 1
to provide counsel for indigent parents in dependency-neglect cases. 2
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 3
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 4
5
SECTION 11. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 6
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 7
TRANSFER PROVISION – LINE ITEMS - COMMISSION FOR PARENT COUNSEL. After 8
receiving approval from the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State and prior 9
review by the Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee, the 10
Director of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission is authorized to transfer 11
appropriation, with the exception of Personal Services Matching, between the 12
line items authorized herein for the Commission for Parent Counsel, to best 13
utilize resources to meet the needs of the Parent Counsel’s clientele. 14
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 15
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 16
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SECTION 12. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 18
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 19
EXTRA HELP EXEMPTION - COMMISSION FOR PARENT COUNSEL. Extra Help positions 20
authorized herein for the Commission for Parent Counsel are specifically 21
exempt from limitation of hours. Employees currently working on a part-time 22
basis may be utilized concurrently as Extra Help within the agency. The 23
total amount of compensation for part-time and Extra Help work combined 24
cannot exceed the maximum compensation allowed for a grade SPC05 as 25
authorized in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act. Flexibility 26
is needed to allow for non-traditional work schedules that may be necessary 27
to accommodate the schedule of the individual being represented. Attorneys 28
utilized as Extra Help employees are not prevented from having other 29
employment. 30
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 31
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 32
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SECTION 13. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 34
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 35
TRANSFER PROVISION. If the Public Defender Commission should determine that 36
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the appropriations made available for payments to the Counties are 1
insufficient, appropriation may be transferred from the Public Defender 2
Commission Program line item to the Bail Bond-County Public Defender line 3
item, after receiving approval of the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State. 4
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 5
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 6
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SECTION 14. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 8
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 9
PUBLIC DEFENDERS. (a) No funds appropriated herein shall be used for 10
expenses in cases where a defendant is represented by retained counsel where 11
retained counsel have not gone through the Public Defender Commission's 12
attorney certification procedure and designation process as established by 13
state law and the Commission's regulations. All defendants and retained 14
attorneys must strictly adhere to the procedure established by the Commission 15
to equitably and responsibly monitor and distribute State funds for this 16
purpose. 17
(b) The Public Defender Commission may approve exemptions to subsection 18
(a) as needed. Reasons for granting exemption should be specified in writing. 19
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 20
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 21
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SECTION 15. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 23
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. 24
MAXIMUM SALARY. In order to maintain equity between the prosecutors and 25
public defenders, the following classifications are authorized to be paid up 26
to the maximum salary of their grade as determined by the Public Defender 27
Commission after approval by the Office of Personnel Management: 28
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1. LPD02C CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER II SPC10 30
2. LPD01C CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER I SPC09 31
3. LPD05P PUBLIC DEFENDER III SPC08 32
4. LPD04P PUBLIC DEFENDER II SPC05 33
5. LPD03P PUBLIC DEFENDER I SPC03 34
6. LAT06C ATTORNEY IV SPC09 35
7. LAT05P ATTORNEY III SPC08 36
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8. LAT04P ATTORNEY II SPC05 1
9. LAT03P ATTORNEY I SPC03 2
3
The Office of Personnel Management shall file a report of all salary changes 4
established pursuant to this section with the Legislative Council or, if the 5
General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee, at the next 6
regularly scheduled meeting following the approval. 7
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 8
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 9
10
SECTION 16. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 11
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. EXTRA 12
HELP EXEMPTION. The Arkansas Public Defender Commission may utilize their 13
authorized extra help positions up to a maximum of one thousand eight hundred 14
(1,800) hours. The rates of pay may not exceed those provided in the Uniform 15
Classification Act or its successor, for the appropriate classification. 16
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 17
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 18
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SECTION 17. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 20
authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 21
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 22
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 23
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 24
Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 25
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 26
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 27
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 28
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SECTION 18. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 30
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 31
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 32
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 33
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 34
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 35
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 36
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Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 1
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SECTION 19. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 3
General Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits 4
the appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 5
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 6
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 7
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 8
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 9
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 10
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 11
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 12
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 13
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/s/Joint Budget Committee 15
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