All Roll Calls
Yes: 109 • No: 16
ArkansasSB4172025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
Sponsored By: Jim Dotson (Republican), John Maddox (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
More medical university workers qualify for overtime
At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, overtime eligibility now covers all jobs that provide or support patient care. Overtime pays 1.5 times the base rate. The Patient Care Administrator, Associate Administrator, and Assistant Administrator of Patient Care positions remain excluded. Extra pay can include shift differentials up to 24%, incentive pay up to 1.2 times base hourly pay, and specialty differentials up to 10%. Shift differentials cover shifts outside normal schedules; specialty differentials cover required specialty work. Total pay with these additions can exceed the position's state salary limit. Separate board-approved special allowances cannot put a position more than 20% above that limit.
College property deals lose approval step
Higher education boards no longer need Building Authority Division review and approval for the property transfers and leases covered by this repeal. This removes an approval step for those transactions. It does not specify transaction values or direct changes to household costs.
Nearby colleges no longer need service agreements
Arkansas colleges no longer have to sign written agreements to address duplicated services with nearby institutions. The repealed rule applied when a campus or center was within 25 miles of another college's main campus. The law does not specify changes to tuition or student services.
Two-year colleges gain construction contracting flexibility
State-supported two-year colleges can use the specified construction exemption for projects costing more than $5 million. Colleges must first adopt policies that follow state law for awarding and overseeing design and construction contracts. The law does not quantify project savings or changes in student costs.
Colleges drop required minority recruitment plans
State-supported colleges no longer have to prepare affirmative-action programs to recruit African-Americans and other minority groups. Required annual summaries and five-year plans also end. Colleges no longer have to assign an employee to help with this recruitment. The repeal removes these requirements; it does not require colleges to stop voluntary recruitment efforts.
State ends college energy research coordination
The law ends the Institutional Energy Research Committee and required statewide coordination of participating public colleges' energy research. It also ends the Arkansas Energy Summary and Report requirements and related energy-data reporting. No replacement coordination process or funding amount is specified.
College workers face new leave rules
Arkansas state-supported colleges are no longer covered as state agencies under the Uniform Attendance and Leave Policy Act. The law does not specify replacement leave policies or changes in leave amounts. Colleges can choose to pay nonclassified employees for unused sick leave, using classified employees' accrual and payment rates. These payments do not count toward final average pay used to calculate Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System benefits.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Jim Dotson
Republican • Senate
John Maddox
Republican • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/19/2025
House Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:13:41 PM
Yes: 82 • No: 11 • Other: 1
Senate vote • 3/13/2025
Senate Vote - Thursday, March 13, 2025 3:11:35 PM
Yes: 27 • No: 5
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB417 is now Act 402
3/31/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
3/20/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
3/20/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
3/19/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed.
3/19/2025SenateReturned to the Senate as passed.
3/19/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
3/19/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
3/18/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE
3/13/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
3/13/2025HouseOrdered immediately transmitted to the House.
3/13/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
3/13/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
3/12/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE
3/10/2025SenateFiled
3/10/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB417 - Introduced
3/10/2025
Act Version
Related Bills
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