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*KMW072* 03/31/2026 1:38:30 PM KMW072
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 SENATE BILL 57 3
4
By: Joint Budget Committee 5
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7
For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICES 9
AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF 10
EDUCATION - ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND 11
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR 12
OTHER PURPOSES. 13
14
15
Subtitle 16
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - 17
ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND 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. There is hereby established for the 25
Department of Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind for the 26
2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of regular employees. 27
28
Maximum Annual 29
Maximum Salary Rate 30
Item Class No. of Fiscal Year 31
No. Code Title Employees 2026-2027 32
(1) ESA04C SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT 1 GRADE SPC08 33
(2) ESA03C PRINCIPAL 2 GRADE SPC05 34
(3) EES02P EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL II 1 GRADE SPC04 35
(4) EES01P EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL I 6 GRADE SPC02 36
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(5) SCM02P LICENSED ASSOCIATE COUNSELOR 1 GRADE SPC01 1
(6) SCM07P SCHOOL COUNSELOR 2 GRADE SPC01 2
(7) TFS03C FOOD SERVICES MANAGER 2 GRADE SGS09 3
(8) SIA23P PUBLIC SAFETY SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE SGS08 4
(9) TMA02C MAINTENANCE MANAGER 1 GRADE SGS07 5
(10) PRC02C RESIDENTIAL SERVICES MANAGER 1 GRADE SGS07 6
(11) PAS08I EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT 1 GRADE SGS07 7
(12) EEP03P EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR 5 GRADE SGS07 8
(13) ETF06P TEACHER II 44 GRADE SGS07 9
(14) EEP05P EDUCATION PROGRAM SPECIALIST 1 GRADE SGS06 10
(15) ELI01P LIBRARIAN 1 GRADE SGS06 11
(16) TST04P SKILLED TRADESMAN 4 GRADE SGS06 12
(17) ETF05P TEACHER I 22 GRADE SGS06 13
(18) PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 3 GRADE SGS05 14
(19) FGM02P GRANTS COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS05 15
(20) TIW04P INVENTORY SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE SGS05 16
(21) PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 4 GRADE SGS04 17
(22) PRC05P RESIDENTIAL CARE SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 4 GRADE SGS04 18
(23) THT01I CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT 1 GRADE SGS03 19
(24) EEP01P EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONAL 29 GRADE SGS03 20
(25) TIW03P INVENTORY SPECIALIST 2 GRADE SGS03 21
(26) TFS05P KITCHEN SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 2 GRADE SGS03 22
(27) TMA05P MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN 9 GRADE SGS03 23
(28) PAS03P ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST 9 GRADE SGS02 24
(29) TGR01P LANDSCAPE COORDINATOR 1 GRADE SGS02 25
(30) TFS01P COOK 16 GRADE SGS01 26
(31) THO01P HOUSEKEEPER 7 GRADE SGS01 27
(32) PRC04P RESIDENTIAL CARE SPECIALIST 30 GRADE SGS01 28
(33) MLM01C AUDIOLOGIST 1 GRADE MED07 29
(34) MLM07C SPEECH PATHOLOGIST 6 GRADE MED07 30
(35) MNU08P REG. NURSE SUPERVISOR/EXPERT 1 GRADE MED06 31
(36) MNU06P REGISTERED NURSE 2 GRADE MED05 32
(37) MNU01P LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE 4 GRADE MED02 33
(38) IUS01P USER SUPPORT ANALYST 1 GRADE IST04 34
(39) IUS04P USER SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2 GRADE IST02 35
(40) FAC11C DIVISION FISCAL ADMINISTRATOR 1 GRADE SPC07 36
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(41) CPR04I INTERPRETER 1 GRADE SGS07 1
(42) SSE01P SECURITY GUARD 1 GRADE SGS03 2
MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 235 3
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SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP - OPERATIONS. There is hereby authorized, for 5
the Department of Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind for the 6
2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-time or temporary 7
employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds appropriated 8
herein for such purposes: seventy-two (72) temporary or part-time employees, 9
when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the Uniform 10
Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this act for the 11
appropriate classification. 12
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SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - STATE OPERATIONS. There is hereby 14
appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the Arkansas 15
School for the Deaf and Blind Fund Account, for personal services and 16
operating expenses of the Department of Education - Arkansas School for the 17
Deaf and Blind - State Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, 18
the following: 19
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 21
NO. 2026-2027 22
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $11,043,181 23
(02) EXTRA HELP 120,000 24
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 4,322,375 25
(04) OVERTIME 35,000 26
(05) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 27
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 3,172,510 28
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 36,329 29
(C) PROF. FEES 111,308 30
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 100,000 31
(E) DATA PROC. 0 32
(06) SPECIAL MAINTENANCE 2,719,627 33
(07) VOCATIONAL WORKSTUDY 20,000 34
(08) MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES 20,000 35
(09) SUMMER PROJECTS 25,000 36
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TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $21,725,330 1
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SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL OPERATIONS. There is hereby 3
appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the federal 4
funds as designated by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for personal 5
services and operating expenses of the Department of Education - Arkansas 6
School for the Deaf and Blind - Federal Operations for the fiscal year ending 7
June 30, 2027, the following: 8
9
ITEM FISCAL YEAR 10
NO. 2026-2027 11
(01) REGULAR SALARIES $127,405 12
(02) EXTRA HELP 69,000 13
(03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 55,446 14
(04) OVERTIME 8,393 15
(05) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 16
(A) OPER. EXPENSE 1,360,020 17
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 120,000 18
(C) PROF. FEES 409,171 19
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 175,000 20
(E) DATA PROC. 0 21
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $2,324,435 22
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SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - CASH OPERATIONS. There is hereby 24
appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from cash funds 25
as defined by Arkansas Code §19-4-801, for operating expenses of the 26
Department of Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind - Cash 27
Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 28
29
ITEM FISCAL YEAR 30
NO. 2026-2027 31
(01) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION 32
(A) OPER. EXPENSE $439,644 33
(B) CONF. & TRAVEL 48,000 34
(C) PROF. FEES 126,864 35
(D) CAP. OUTLAY 145,000 36
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(E) DATA PROC. 0 1
(02) SPECIAL MAINTENANCE 175,000 2
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $934,508 3
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SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION - BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT TEXTBOOKS. There is 5
hereby appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the 6
Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind Fund Account, for purchasing, copying, 7
and shipping braille and large print textbooks for the blind and visually 8
impaired students attending public schools in Arkansas by the Department of 9
Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind - Braille and Large Print 10
Textbooks for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following: 11
12
ITEM FISCAL YEAR 13
NO. 2026-2027 14
(01) BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT TEXTBOOKS $223,024 15
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SECTION 7. APPROPRIATION - STUDENT NEEDS AND CAMPUS ENHANCEMENTS. 17
There is hereby appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable 18
from the cash fund deposited in the State Treasury as determined by the Chief 19
Fiscal Officer of the State, for student needs and campus enhancements of the 20
Department of Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind - Student 21
Needs and Campus Enhancements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the 22
following: 23
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ITEM FISCAL YEAR 25
NO. 2026-2027 26
(01) STUDENT NEEDS AND CAMPUS ENHANCEMENTS $250,000 27
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SECTION 8. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 29
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. ARKANSAS 30
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND - TRANSFER PROVISION. Upon approval from the 31
Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind 32
shall transfer appropriation from the Summer Projects line item, in the State 33
Operations Appropriation of this Act, to the Regular Salaries, Extra Help, 34
Personal Services Matching, Overtime and Maintenance & General Operations 35
line items in the State Operations Appropriation of this Act, to compensate 36
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staff who work during the summer months on summer projects, and to cover 1
other expenses of summer project activities. The Summer Projects line item 2
may also be used for the annual cost related to the compensation of eligible 3
staff for shift differential pay as well as compensation of employees for 4
performance of duties assigned as referenced in the Special Allowance Special 5
Language Section of this Act. Such additional compensation shall not be 6
construed as exceeding the maximum salary authorized for said employees. 7
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 8
2025 2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 9
10
SECTION 9. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 11
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. ADE - ASDB 12
- SUMMER SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. Exempt employees who require job responsibilities 13
less than 2080 hours may work during summer months with approval from school 14
Superintendent. Said employees shall be authorized as additional 15
compensation an amount not to exceed 1/12 of their annual salary for each 16
month or part thereof worked. Such additional compensation shall not be 17
construed as exceeding the maximum salary authorized for said employees. 18
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 19
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 20
21
SECTION 10. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 22
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. CARRY 23
FORWARD OF FUNDS - ASDB. 24
(a) The Chief Fiscal Officer of the State shall cause to be 25
transferred on his or her books and those of the State Treasurer and Auditor 26
of State the balance of General Revenue funds remaining in the Arkansas 27
School for the Deaf and Blind Fund Account on June 30, 2025 2026 into a sub-28
fund created within the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind Fund Account 29
to be used for special maintenance, renovations, or future construction 30
projects of the Department of Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf and 31
Blind. 32
(b) Any carry forward of the unexpended balance of funding as 33
authorized herein, may be carried forward under the following conditions: 34
(1) The Office of Budget of the Department of Finance and 35
Administration shall report to the Legislative Council all amounts carried 36
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forward by the September meeting of the Legislative Council or the Joint 1
Budget Committee meeting which report shall include the name of the agency, 2
board, commission, or institution and the amount of funding carried forward, 3
the program name or line item and the funding source; and 4
(2) The Department of Education - Arkansas School for the Deaf 5
and Blind shall provide a written report to the Legislative Council or Joint 6
Budget Committee containing all information set forth in subdivision (b)(1) 7
of this section no later than thirty (30) days prior to the time the 8
Department presents its budget request to the Legislative Council or Joint 9
Budget Committee, or both; and 10
(3) Thereupon, the Department of Finance and Administration shall 11
include all information obtained in subdivision (b)(2) of this section in the 12
budget manuals. 13
(c) The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 14
2025 2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 15
16
SECTION 11. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS 17
CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. ARKANSAS 18
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND - TRANSFER PROVISION. Upon approval from the 19
Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind 20
shall transfer appropriation from the Miscellaneous Activities line item in 21
the State Operations Appropriation of this Act, to the Regular Salaries, 22
Extra Help, Personal Service Matching, Overtime, and Maintenance and General 23
Operations line items also in the State Operations Appropriation, to 24
compensate staff who work during the summer months on summer projects and to 25
cover other expenses of summer project activities. The Miscellaneous 26
Activities line item may also be used for the annual cost related to the 27
payment of contracted interpreter services, compensation of eligible staff 28
for shift differential pay, and compensation of employees for performance of 29
duties assigned as referenced in the Special Allowance Special Language of 30
this Act. Such additional compensation shall not be construed as exceeding 31
the maximum salary authorized for said employees. 32
The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025 33
2026 through June 30, 2026 2027. 34
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SECTION 12. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds 36
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authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency 1
and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and 2
the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and 3
Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary 4
Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal 5
control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by 6
the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be 7
strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds. 8
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SECTION 13. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 10
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 11
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 12
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 13
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 14
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 15
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 16
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 17
18
SECTION 14. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 19
General Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits 20
the appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 21
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 22
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 23
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 24
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 25
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 26
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 27
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 28
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 29
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