All Roll Calls
Yes: 121 • No: 2
ArkansasSB332025 Regular SessionSenate
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF MEDICAL SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 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.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Funding for Arkansas Medicaid patient care
For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides about $10.398 billion for medical service grants. This includes about $8.336 billion for hospital and medical services and $625.637 million for prescription drugs. Nursing home care receives about $1.049 billion for private facilities and $217.529 million for public facilities. ARKids B receives about $167.661 million; the Child and Family Life Institute receives $2.1 million; the Infant Infirmary receives $327,608. The law also sets aside $37.6 million only for community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Those services must fall under the Community and Employment Supports Medicaid Waiver or its successor. Unspent dedicated funds remain available for the same purpose in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
Support for nursing home resident care
For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the Long-Term Care Trust Fund provides $4.5 million for resident and facility assistance. It can cover residents' moves, repay lost personal funds, or keep facilities operating while problems are corrected or closure is pending. The same fund provides $4 million for nursing home quality grants. A separate receivership fund provides $100,000 for legally authorized expenses of people managing facilities under receivership. The law sets no individual payment amount for residents.
Medicaid provider payments can rise or fall
For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, Arkansas DHS must use payment methods approved by federal Medicaid officials. DHS can raise or lower rates using those methods or for listed reasons. Reasons include equal-quality providers with lower costs, charges above comparable purchasers' prices, major technology or process cost changes, or a severe state downturn. Annual inflation adjustments use the federal Market Basket Index or other indices unless state appropriations and funding are insufficient. Proposed general payment methods or changes need prior Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee approval. If that approval requirement is ruled unconstitutional, the entire rate-setting section becomes void.
Extra Medicaid funding for Children's Hospital
From July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Arkansas Children's Hospital can ask DHS to retain up to $2.1 million. The money comes from the existing Child and Family Life Institute grant allocation, not an added appropriation. DHS must use retained funds to match federal money for extra Medicaid payments to the hospital. The state cannot take these funds back for transfer to the General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund. This supports hospital payments, not direct payments to families.
Funding and oversight for Medicaid operations
For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $12.75794 million for DHS medical services staff and operations. This includes $6.475248 million for salaries, $2.22557 million for staff-related matching costs, and $201,892 for temporary help. Data processing receives $1.2996 million, and professional fees receive $800,000; staffing is capped at 91 regular and 10 temporary positions. DHS must report Medicaid Program Trust Fund payments and balances monthly to the Legislative Council PEER Subcommittee or its budget-committee equivalent. State fiscal-control and purchasing laws apply, and the state's chief fiscal officer selects the paying accounts for operating and medical-service grants.
Limits on state insurance enrollment help
Through June 30, 2026, Arkansas DHS cannot use or seek funds to promote Marketplace or Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me enrollment. The ban covers advertising and mass messages; DHS also cannot move appropriated money to fund banned activities. Allowed exceptions include specified direct messages to licensed agents or DHS-licensed people, factual answers to requested inquiries, and enrollment-only Internet use. DHS also cannot fund covered navigator, guide, application counselor, or licensed producer activities, including with federal funds. Exceptions allow DHS training and regulatory work and application counselors at health-related institutions, including the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. These limits govern agency funding; people can still enroll.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Joint Budget Committee
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/10/2025
House Vote - Thursday, April 10, 2025 4:55:31 PM
Yes: 87 • No: 2 • Other: 7
Senate vote • 4/9/2025
Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 2:15:35 PM
Yes: 34 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB33 is now Act 887
4/21/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
4/14/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4/14/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
4/10/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed.
4/10/2025SenateReturned to the Senate as passed.
4/10/2025HouseEMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
4/10/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
4/10/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR.
4/9/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
4/9/2025HouseOrdered Immediately transmitted to the House.
4/9/2025SenateEMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
4/9/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/9/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
4/8/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
1/13/2025SenateFiled
1/13/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB33 - Introduced
1/13/2025
Act Version
Related Bills
HB1265, AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1237, TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIVIDUALS.
HB1686, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.
SB440, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES.
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 PERSONS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRIORITY OF UNRECORDED MUNICIPAL LIENS.
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 AS A DESIGNATED SURVIVOR.