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ArkansasSB522026 Fiscal SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

Sponsored By: Joint Budget Committee

Enacted

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Public defender salaries can reach grade maximums

For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, listed public defender and attorney jobs can pay up to their grade maximums. Covered jobs include Chief Public Defender II and Attorney IV. The commission sets the pay, with approval from the Office of Personnel Management. That office must report approved changes at the next regular meeting of the Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee. No employee is guaranteed a raise.

Arkansas funds lawyers for low-income parents

For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the State Central Services Fund provides about $4.78 million for the Commission for Parent Counsel. This includes about $3.63 million to pay lawyers and $280,000 for extra help, with seven regular and 14 extra-help positions. Qualified lawyers can receive full-time or part-time contracts to represent parents who cannot afford counsel in child abuse or neglect cases. The director can move existing funds between parent-counsel budget lines to meet client needs, but cannot move employer-benefit funds. Transfers require state chief fiscal officer approval and prior review by the Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee.

Arkansas funds public defense services

For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the State Central Services Fund provides about $35.63 million for trial defense and $3.98 million for commission operations. Trial defense gets about $24.75 million for salaries, $770,000 for commission programs, and $300,000 for county public defenders. Commission operations gets about $2.11 million for salaries, $12,000 for extra help, and $925,000 for professional fees. The law allows 316 regular trial-office staff and 22 regular operations staff, plus three extra-help workers in each office. When county payment funds fall short, the commission can shift existing commission-program funds to county payments with state chief fiscal officer approval.

Private-lawyer cases face public funding limits

For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the commission cannot use this law's funds for certain privately represented defendants' case expenses. The restriction applies when the hired lawyer has not completed the commission's attorney certification and designation process. The commission can grant an exception but must explain its reasons in writing. This limits agency spending; it does not create a general duty for defendants to pay these costs.

Extra-help staff gain flexibility with pay limits

For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the Public Defender Commission can use authorized extra-help positions for up to 1,800 hours. Authorized parent-counsel extra-help positions are exempt from hours limits, and current part-time employees can also work as extra help. Their combined part-time and extra-help pay cannot exceed the maximum for grade SPC05. Attorneys working as extra help can hold other jobs. Extra-help pay cannot exceed the applicable job rate, and no worker is promised a set number of hours.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 129 • No: 0

House vote • 4/23/2026

House Vote - Thursday, April 23, 2026 11:39:14 AM

Yes: 95 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/22/2026

Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 22, 2026 1:59:05 PM

Yes: 34 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB52 is now Act 81

    4/27/2026Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    4/24/2026Senate

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

    4/24/2026Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    4/23/2026Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    4/23/2026Senate

  6. Returned To Senate as Passed.

    4/23/2026House

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/23/2026House

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

    4/23/2026House

  9. Considered in the Committee of the Whole, and recommended do pass.

    4/23/2026House

  10. RULES SUSPENDED

    4/23/2026House

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

    4/22/2026House

  12. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    4/22/2026House

  13. Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House.

    4/22/2026Senate

  14. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/22/2026Senate

  15. Read the third time and passed.

    4/22/2026Senate

  16. Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass

    4/21/2026Senate

  17. Re-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

    4/15/2026Senate

  18. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    4/15/2026Senate

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

    4/15/2026Senate

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

    4/15/2026Senate

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

    4/8/2026Senate

  22. Filed

    4/1/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • SB52 - Introduced

    4/1/2026

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

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