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*JAR125* 04/14/2026 2:00:34 PM JAR125
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 SENATE BILL 60 3
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By: Joint Budget Committee 5
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO REAPPROPRIATE THE BALANCES OF CAPITAL 9
IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC 10
DEFENDER COMMISSION; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC 15
DEFENDER COMMISSION REAPPROPRIATION. 16
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
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SECTION 1. REAPPROPRIATION - JUVENILE OFFENDERS. There is hereby 21
appropriated, to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, to be payable from 22
the Development and Enhancement Fund, for the Arkansas Public Defender 23
Commission the following: 24
(A) Effective July 1, 2026, the balance of the appropriation provided 25
in Item (A) of Section 1 of Act 75 of 2025, for expenses related to the 26
resentencing of juveniles sentenced to mandatory life without parole, in a 27
sum not to exceed ..................................................$167,641. 28
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SECTION 2. DISBURSEMENT CONTROLS. (A) No contract may be awarded nor 30
obligations otherwise incurred in relation to the project or projects 31
described herein in excess of the State Treasury funds actually available 32
therefor as provided by law. Provided, however, that institutions and 33
agencies listed herein shall have the authority to accept and use grants and 34
donations including Federal funds, and to use its unobligated cash income or 35
funds, or both available to it, for the purpose of supplementing the State 36
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Treasury funds for financing the entire costs of the project or projects 1
enumerated herein. Provided further, that the appropriations and funds 2
otherwise provided by the General Assembly for Maintenance and General 3
Operations of the agency or institutions receiving appropriation herein shall 4
not be used for any of the purposes as appropriated in this act. 5
(B) The restrictions of any applicable provisions of the State 6
Purchasing Law, the General Accounting and Budgetary Procedures Law, the 7
Revenue Stabilization Law and any other applicable fiscal control laws of 8
this State and regulations promulgated by the Department of Finance and 9
Administration, as authorized by law, shall be strictly complied with in 10
disbursement of any funds provided by this act unless specifically provided 11
otherwise by law. 12
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SECTION 3. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General 14
Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations 15
contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for 16
which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive 17
Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget 18
manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or 19
summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative 20
Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption. 21
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SECTION 4. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the General 23
Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits the 24
appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the 25
effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of 26
the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in 27
the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the 28
effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm 29
upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental 30
programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act 31
being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health 32
and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026. 33
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