# Arkansas SB24: AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR Arkansas SB24, AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Joint Budget Committee; status enacted, last action 2025-02-17 (Notification that SB24 is now Act 56); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB24-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB24 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-02-17, Notification that SB24 is now Act 56 - Sponsor: Joint Budget Committee - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (123 yes, 4 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Funding for Arkansas wildlife agency operations: benefit, medium. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the law provides about $159.196 million for Arkansas Game and Fish Commission operations. Game Protection Fund money includes about $45.122 million for regular salaries, $1.892 million for temporary staff, and $16.456 million for related employer costs. It a… - Funding improves access to Arkansas waterways: benefit, low. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the law provides $6 million for the Marine Fuel Tax Program. Game Protection Fund money pays for Commission staff, operations, and work to increase and improve waterway access. This provision funds public access work; it does not establish a household paymen… - Funding restores Arkansas forests and wetlands: benefit, low. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the law funds restoration through the Game Protection Fund. It provides $13.25 million to address hardwood timber destruction in the Black River Wildlife Management Area under the settlement. That money also covers staff and related employer costs for restor… - Funding supports Farm Bill conservation staff: benefit, low. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the law provides $659,581 for Commission work carrying out Farm Bill programs. Game Protection Fund money includes $479,508 for salaries and $164,143 for related employer costs. It also provides $1,350 for operating expenses and $14,580 for conferences and t… - Gas lease budget funds disaster response: benefit, low. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the law provides $5 million under the Commission's Gas Lease Revenues budget. This includes $3 million for disaster response and $850,000 for operating expenses. It also includes $350,000 for professional services, $750,000 for major purchases, and $50,000 f… - Conservation groups get hunger relief funding: benefit, low. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the law provides $150,000 from the Game Protection Fund for hunger-related grants. Conservation partners or other eligible groups can receive money for operating, equipment, and maintenance costs tied to statewide hunger needs. The law funds organizations, n… - Wildlife agency spending flexibility has limits: mixed, low. From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the Commission can shift budget amounts within Operations or Gas Lease Revenues. Transfers require the state Chief Fiscal Officer's approval and prior review by the Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee. This authority does not allow transfers betwe… - Wildlife agency staffing and pay limits: mixed, low. For July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the Commission can employ up to 647 regular staff. Regular salaries cannot exceed the rates listed in the law. It can also hire up to 185 temporary or part-time workers, with pay limited by state classification rules or this law. Through June 30, 2026, the D… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joint Budget Committee ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-11 | House | House Vote - Tuesday, February 11, 2025 2:12:05 PM | pass | 91 | 4 | 3 | | 2025-02-10 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, February 10, 2025 2:36:59 PM | pass | 32 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (20) - 2025-02-17: Notification that SB24 is now Act 56 (Senate) - 2025-02-11: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-02-11: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-02-11: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (House) - 2025-02-11: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-02-10: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR. (House) - 2025-02-10: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-02-10: Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-02-10: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Re-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE (Senate) - 2025-01-22: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Withdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-01-13: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE (Senate) - 2025-01-07: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB24 - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB24.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=56.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [SB24 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB24.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=56.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills) - [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB24-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).