PRIA Logo™
ArkansasSB742025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026.

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.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Aid funded for veterans’ minor children

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $179,381 for Arkansas Veterans’ Child Welfare Service. This includes $107,762 in grants or aid for veterans’ minor children. The rest supports staff and operating costs. The law does not specify individual award amounts or eligibility details.

Funding supports local veterans’ service offices

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides about $2.59 million for Arkansas veterans’ agency operations. This includes $516,000 for county veterans’ service offices, which help veterans seek benefits, and $4,000 for promotional items. A separate $51,752 funds staff and operations at the Disabled Veterans’ Services Office. These funds support services, not direct household payments.

Leftover funds support veterans’ cemetery upkeep

The state’s chief fiscal officer can transfer up to $50,000 in leftover 2024–2025 veterans’ agency operating funds for cemetery upkeep. This supports cemetery realignment and maintenance during July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026. The department must explain the carryforward in writing to the state budget office before June 30, 2025. The budget office must report amounts and supporting information to the Arkansas Legislative Council by its September meeting. The department must submit required information and current project status to the council or Joint Budget Committee at least 30 days before presenting its budget request.

Veterans’ burial services and expansion funded

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, cemetery operations receive about $1.18 million in state funds and $668,808 in cash funds. The state funding includes $50,000 for cemetery realignment and maintenance. Cash funding includes $125,000 for equipment and other capital purchases, plus $6,500 for promotional items. Another $2 million in federal funds supports construction and expansion at North Little Rock Veterans’ Cemetery. The Military Funeral Honors Fund provides $45,900 for funeral honors program operations, not direct family payments.

Funding keeps Arkansas veterans’ homes running

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law authorizes about $33.13 million from cash funds for Arkansas veterans’ homes. The money covers staff, care operations, equipment, and maintenance. It includes about $11.20 million for regular salaries, $550,000 for overtime, and $72,831 for special maintenance. The law does not set resident fees or provide a direct household payment.

Northwest Arkansas veterans’ home project funded

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law authorizes $45 million for a Northwest Arkansas State Veterans Home. This combines $15 million in state cash matching funds with $30 million in federal funds. The money is for land, improvements, construction, renovation, and equipment. The law does not set an opening date, resident fees, or individual payments.

Veterans’ agency staffing allowed but capped

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, Arkansas’s veterans’ agency can have no more than 305 regular employees. The law lists authorized jobs and salary grades. It also allows up to 30 temporary or part-time workers at veterans’ homes and five at veterans’ cemeteries when needed. Extra-help workers must be paid from funds set aside for that purpose. Their pay cannot exceed the approved rate for their job classification under state pay law or this act.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 131 • No: 0

House vote • 2/18/2025

House Vote - Tuesday, February 18, 2025 2:27:28 PM

Yes: 97 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/17/2025

Senate Vote - Monday, February 17, 2025 3:23:48 PM

Yes: 34 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB74 is now Act 192

    2/25/2025Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    2/20/2025Senate

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

    2/20/2025Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    2/18/2025Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    2/18/2025Senate

  6. Returned To Senate as Passed.

    2/18/2025House

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    2/18/2025House

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

    2/18/2025House

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

    2/18/2025House

  10. RULES SUSPENDED

    2/18/2025House

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

    2/17/2025House

  12. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    2/17/2025House

  13. Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House.

    2/17/2025Senate

  14. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    2/17/2025Senate

  15. Read the third time and passed.

    2/17/2025Senate

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

    2/13/2025Senate

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

    1/16/2025Senate

  18. Filed

    1/16/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • SB74 - Introduced

    1/16/2025

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation