PRIA Logo™
ArkansasSB212026 Fiscal SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF AGING, ADULT, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

Sponsored By: Joint Budget Committee

Enacted

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Special pay allowances for state clinicians

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, listed state doctors and Psychologist II employees can receive special allowances. Each allowance is capped at 2.5 times the employee’s salary authorized by the General Assembly. This cap applies to the allowance, not total pay. Allowances must be consistent with those available to University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences physicians and professional faculty. The Chief Fiscal Officer must approve each allowance before payment, and the designated legislative personnel or budget committee must review it.

Funding for state care staff and operations

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides about $148.782 million for division staff and operations. It allows up to 1,181 regular positions and 347 temporary or part-time extra-help workers, subject to hiring and budget rules. Funding includes $58.680 million for regular salaries, $5.764 million for extra help, and $24.751 million for benefits and payroll contributions. It also includes $5.712 million for overtime and $11.461 million for professional fees, plus operating costs, travel, and capital purchases. Extra-help pay cannot exceed the rate allowed for the job classification. The law bars closing the Arkansas Health Center and protects its March 1, 2003 approved funding level, except federal matching funds. The Chief Fiscal Officer chooses the paying account; spending must follow procurement and budget laws and stay within available appropriations.

Funding for community alcohol safety programs

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides about $2.417 million for community alcohol safety grants. The money comes from the Highway Safety Special Fund. It supports community safety activities, not direct household payments.

Funding for Independent Choices and patients

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides $400,000 for Independent Choices grants and aid. It separately provides $70,000 for patient benefit expenses from a State Treasury cash fund. The Arkansas Chief Fiscal Officer determines the paying accounts. Neither appropriation sets individual eligibility or the amount any person receives.

Funding for mental health crisis services

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides about $47.553 million for mental health grants. It also provides $5 million for crisis intervention grants and operating costs from the Behavioral Health Services Fund Account. The law allows crisis-service funds to carry forward for continued use. The mental health grant paying account is chosen by the Arkansas Chief Fiscal Officer. These funds support services but do not set household eligibility or individual payment amounts.

Funding for seniors’ meals and care

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides about $56.157 million for aging and adult services. This includes $22.790 million for nutrition, $4.802 million for nursing home alternatives, and $10 million for senior centers. It also includes $17.437 million for project grants, $1.053 million for older workers, and $75,000 for senior volunteers. Nursing home alternatives can fund home meals, adult day care, respite, personal care, and related services, with Medicaid matching allowed. Senior-center money follows the federal Older Americans Act formula and must add to, not replace, existing services. Its use depends on federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approval and available General Revenue; specified General Revenue can carry forward. Separate funding provides $2.4 million for Meals on Wheels transportation, $400,000 for Fight Senior Hunger grant matches, and $70,000 for Senior Olympics. The Olympics match requires two state dollars per local dollar, with the local share certified before payment. These appropriations do not guarantee each person a payment or service.

Mental health grants for veterans’ families

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides $5 million for veterans’ mental health grants. Grants go to veterans service organizations supporting veterans and their families, rather than directly to households. The Arkansas Chief Fiscal Officer chooses the paying account. The appropriation does not set individual eligibility or payment amounts.

Substance treatment funding and licensing changes

From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides about $49.667 million for education, drug prevention, and treatment. The money comes from the Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Fund; no individual benefit or eligibility formula is set. Licensing exemptions cover acute-care hospital programs, clergy, and licensed professionals working within their professions. They also cover self-help, twelve-step, and faith-based treatment or recovery programs. The law removes the prior licensing exemption for federal agencies.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 132 • No: 0

House vote • 4/29/2026

House Vote - Wednesday, April 29, 2026 10:35:04 AM

Yes: 97 • No: 0 • Other: 2

Senate vote • 4/28/2026

Senate Vote - Tuesday, April 28, 2026 2:43:42 PM

Yes: 35 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB21 is now Act 149

    5/1/2026Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    4/29/2026Senate

  3. Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.

    4/29/2026Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    4/29/2026Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    4/29/2026Senate

  6. Returned to the Senate as passed.

    4/29/2026Senate

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/29/2026Senate

  8. Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.

    4/29/2026Senate

  9. Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR.

    4/28/2026Senate

  10. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    4/28/2026Senate

  11. Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House.

    4/28/2026Senate

  12. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/28/2026Senate

  13. Read the third time and passed.

    4/28/2026Senate

  14. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    4/27/2026Senate

  15. Amendment # 2 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.

    4/27/2026Senate

  16. Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment.

    4/27/2026Senate

  17. Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 2

    4/23/2026Senate

  18. Re-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

    4/21/2026Senate

  19. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    4/21/2026Senate

  20. Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.

    4/21/2026Senate

  21. Withdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1

    4/21/2026Senate

  22. Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

    4/8/2026Senate

  23. Filed

    4/1/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • SB21 - Introduced

    4/1/2026

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation