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ArkansasSB752025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

Sponsored By: Joint Budget Committee

Enacted

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Extra summer pay for school employees

Certain exempt employees at the Arkansas Schools for the Blind and Deaf can earn extra pay for summer work. Their regular job duties must require fewer than 2,080 hours, and the school superintendent must approve the summer work. Extra pay can reach one-twelfth of annual salary for each month or part-month actually worked. This extra pay does not count toward the employee's authorized maximum salary. The authority runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Accessible textbooks for Arkansas public-school students

The law provides $223,024 for braille and large-print textbooks from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The Arkansas School for the Blind uses its fund account to buy, copy, and ship these books. The books serve blind and visually impaired students attending Arkansas public schools, not just students at the specialized school.

Student support at Arkansas deaf school

The Arkansas School for the Deaf gets $250,000 for student needs and campus improvements. The funding runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The state's Chief Fiscal Officer chooses the cash fund held in the State Treasury that supplies the money. The law does not specify individual payments or particular campus projects.

Operating funds for Arkansas blind school

From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the Arkansas School for the Blind gets operating funds. The law provides $8.84778 million from its state fund account, including $4.299941 million for regular salaries. That total also includes $1.2 million for special maintenance and $25,000 for summer projects. The school gets $1.170793 million in federal funds designated by the state's Chief Fiscal Officer. It also gets $559,508 in cash funds, including $125,000 for special maintenance.

Operating funds for Arkansas deaf school

From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the Arkansas School for the Deaf gets operating funds. The law provides $12.865489 million from its state fund account, including $6.73204 million for regular salaries. That total also includes $1.519627 million for special maintenance. The school gets $1.153642 million in federal funds designated by the state's Chief Fiscal Officer. It also gets $375,000 in cash funds, including $50,000 for special maintenance.

Staffing limits for Arkansas specialized schools

These staffing authorizations run from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The Arkansas School for the Blind can have up to 95 regular employees and 17 temporary or part-time workers. The Arkansas School for the Deaf can have up to 140 regular employees and 55 temporary or part-time workers. Temporary workers can be hired when needed, with pay limited to rates allowed by state compensation law or this act. These are staffing ceilings, not promises of jobs.

Summer project funding for blind-school staff

From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the Arkansas School for the Blind can move summer-project funds. Transfers require approval from the state's Chief Fiscal Officer. The money can cover regular salaries, temporary staff, payroll-related costs, overtime, and general operating expenses for summer projects. It can also cover eligible shift pay and assigned duties. Unlike the separate exempt-employee summer-pay authority, additional compensation under these transfers cannot exceed employees' authorized maximum salaries.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 132 • No: 0

House vote • 2/27/2025

House Vote - Thursday, February 27, 2025 2:13:57 PM

Yes: 97 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/25/2025

Senate Vote - Tuesday, February 25, 2025 3:55:12 PM

Yes: 35 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB75 is now Act 244

    3/4/2025Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    2/27/2025Senate

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

    2/27/2025Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    2/27/2025Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    2/27/2025Senate

  6. Returned to the Senate as passed.

    2/27/2025House

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    2/27/2025House

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

    2/27/2025House

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

    2/25/2025House

  10. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    2/25/2025House

  11. Ordered immediately transmitted to the House.

    2/25/2025Senate

  12. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    2/25/2025Senate

  13. Read the third time and passed.

    2/25/2025Senate

  14. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    2/24/2025Senate

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

    2/24/2025Senate

  16. Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment.

    2/24/2025Senate

  17. Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1

    2/20/2025Senate

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

    1/16/2025Senate

  19. Filed

    1/16/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • SB75 - Introduced

    1/16/2025

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

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