# Arkansas SB58: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. Arkansas SB58, AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR., is a 2026 Fiscal Session Senate bill sponsored by Joint Budget Committee; status enacted, last action 2026-04-29 (Notification that SB58 is now Act 138); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB58-2026F - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB58 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2026 Fiscal Session - Title: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-04-06 - Last action: 2026-04-29, Notification that SB58 is now Act 138 - Sponsor: Joint Budget Committee - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (127 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 16 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Career school students’ protection fund gets money: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $300,000 for private career school protection claims, expenses, and fees. The money comes from the Private Career School Student Protection Trust Fund; individual payments and eligibility are not specified. The State Board of Private Career Education… - Low-income families get funded training services: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $10.15 million in designated federal funds for TANF programs. TANF is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Self-sufficiency and job-training grants get $6.54785 million, while enrollment and education get $3 million. The remaining money pays for… - Health students get education and debt help: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $7.11777 million for health education aid at participating out-of-state schools. Dental grants get $2.95 million and dental loans get $987,370; optometry grants get $650,000 and loans get $140,000. Chiropractic aid gets $260,000, podiatry aid gets $1… - Scholarship funding supports historically Black colleges: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $4 million for scholarships to historically Black colleges and universities. The money also covers outreach staff and operating costs, as determined by the Division of Higher Education. This provision does not set individual award amounts or eligibil… - State funding helps students pay college costs: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $71.55 million for student grants and scholarships. Academic Challenge gets $25 million; Governor’s Scholars gets $22 million; Arkansas Future Grants gets $5 million. Arkansas Heroes gets $5.5 million, and National Guard tuition assistance gets $4.4… - Teacher candidates get funded academy scholarships: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $12 million for the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program. The money pays for scholarships, staff, and operating costs to create and maintain the program. This provision does not set individual scholarship amounts or eligibility requirements. - AmeriCorps gets funding for service programs: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $983,244 for AmeriCorps staff, operations, and aid. That amount includes $50,000 for grants and aid. A separate appropriation provides another $2.010704 million for AmeriCorps grants and aid. These provisions do not set individual awards or eligibili… - Funding supports job seekers’ workforce training: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $8 million for workforce education grants and related costs. The Chief Fiscal Officer can transfer money from the Division of Higher Education Fund Account to fund these grants. Transfers cannot exceed the $8 million appropriation and must fund grant… - Funding supports medical residency planning: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $10 million from the Graduate Medical Education Fund. Eligible entities receive planning grants to expand medical residency programs or create new ones. The money also covers board expenses and reimbursements. Separately, the law provides $400,000 fo… - Northwest Technical Institute gets operating funds: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, Northwest Technical Institute gets $5.568196 million in state operating funding. The law also provides $316,156 in designated federal funds and $4.713118 million from cash funds. The money supports staff, operating costs, and cash-funded resale activities. The instit… - State colleges get building repair loans: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $7.437405 million for state-supported colleges and universities. The money comes from the Sustainable Building Maintenance Program Revolving Loan Fund. Loans or transfers fund deferred repairs, critical maintenance, or renovations of state-owned prop… - State funds college aid administration: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the Division of Higher Education gets $4.549547 million for general operations. This includes $295,000 for statewide promotion, funded by a transfer from the Higher Education Grants Fund. At least $147,500 must promote Arkansas Future Grants. Separate appropriations… - Veterans’ education approval agency gets funding: benefit, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $393,415 in designated federal funds for the Veterans’ Approving Agency. The money pays for staff and operating costs. It does not change veterans’ education benefits, eligibility, or payment amounts. - College budget transfers face caps and approvals: mixed, low. From July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, public college leaders can request budget and position transfers for reorganization or administrative consolidation. Each institution gets at most two requests; transfers cannot exceed 5% of specified General Revenue and Special Revenue funding, appropriations, and… - College research gains funds beyond maintenance threshold: mixed, low. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the law provides $750,000 for research grants to colleges and universities. It also redirects deposits after the Higher Education Building Maintenance Fund receives $13.2 million. Additional deposits go to the Research Development Fund instead of building maintenance… - Colleges can redirect limited contingency budgets: mixed, low. From July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, colleges can transfer specified contingency budget authority with division and Chief Fiscal Officer approval. Cash authority stays within cash-funded budgets; State Treasury authority goes to operations funded by the same fund. Tobacco Settlement authority stays wit… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joint Budget Committee ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-27 | House | House Vote - Monday, April 27, 2026 3:41:26 PM | pass | 94 | 1 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Senate Vote - Thursday, April 23, 2026 12:21:05 PM | pass | 33 | 0 | | ## Actions (19) - 2026-04-29: Notification that SB58 is now Act 138 (Senate) - 2026-04-28: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2026-04-28: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2026-04-27: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2026-04-27: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2026-04-27: Returned To Senate as Passed. (House) - 2026-04-27: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (House) - 2026-04-27: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2026-04-27: Considered in the Committee of the Whole, and recommended do pass. (House) - 2026-04-27: RULES SUSPENDED (House) - 2026-04-23: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR. (House) - 2026-04-23: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2026-04-23: Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2026-04-23: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (Senate) - 2026-04-23: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2026-04-23: Rules suspended. (Senate) - 2026-04-23: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE (Senate) - 2026-04-06: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB58 - Introduced, 2026-04-06: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2026F%2FPublic%2FSB58.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2026F%2FPublic%2F&file=138.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2026F) ## Related bills - SB31: AN ACT FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1066: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1007: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - SB21: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF AGING, ADULT, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1005: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1103: TO INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX CREDIT. (enacted) ## Sources - [SB58 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2026F%2FPublic%2FSB58.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2026F%2FPublic%2F&file=138.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2026F) ## Related - [SB31: AN ACT FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB31-2026F) - [HB1066: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1066-2026F) - [HB1007: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY E…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1007-2026F) - [SB21: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF AGING, ADULT, AND BEH…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB21-2026F) - [HB1005: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL Y…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1005-2026F) - [HB1103: TO INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX CREDIT.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1103-2026F) - [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-SB58-2026F (as of 2026-10-16).