PRIA Logo™
ArkansasSB812025 Regular SessionSenate

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, HERITAGE, AND TOURISM - STATE PARKS AND TOURISM DIVISIONS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

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

11 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.

Park contest winners can receive prizes

From July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, authorized state park events can offer merchandise, gift certificates, and cash prizes. Winners must place first, second, or third, and the Division Director must authorize the event. Cash prizes across all contests cannot exceed $10,000 for the fiscal year; individual prize amounts are not set. Prizes are paid from the Parks Cash Fund Operations maintenance and operating budget.

Construction funding for Delta Heritage Trail

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides about $37.88 million for Delta Heritage Trail construction. The money comes from cash funds held in the State Treasury, as determined by the state’s chief fiscal officer. It funds trail construction, not direct payments to households.

Construction funding for parks and museum facilities

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides about $83.57 million for Conservation Tax Operations. The money comes from Amendment 75 conservation tax proceeds. It includes about $45.87 million for construction, $3.50 million for equipment and other major purchases, and $4 million for special maintenance. The funding supports conservation work and park and museum facilities, not direct household payments.

Funding for Arkansas parks and museum services

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides about $18.09 million for State Parks and Tourism operations. This includes about $12.57 million for regular salaries and $30,000 for tourism and museum grants. It also provides about $41.50 million from the Parks Cash Fund for staff, operations, resale goods, and projects. The Museum of Natural Resources gets $110,668 from its own fund for staff costs. Spending must follow state purchasing, accounting, and budget laws.

State and federal grants support outdoor recreation

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the state Outdoor Recreation Grants Program gets about $10.02 million. About $9.72 million of that amount is for grants. The statewide outdoor recreation plan also gets about $8.45 million in federal funds designated by the state’s chief fiscal officer. About $8.31 million of those federal funds is for grants. The department manages this money for recreation projects and related costs, not direct household payments.

Small towns get dedicated festival funding

From July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, the agency must budget $150,000 for festivals in communities with fewer than 10,500 people. This is part of the tourism-promotion budget, funded by the 2% tourism tax credited to the Tourism Development Trust Fund. The money can cover festival expenses, advertising, marketing, or grants. Funds not awarded as grants during the fiscal year can support other tourism promotion.

Delayed park repairs need legislative approval

From July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, State Parks needs prior approval to spend its $4 million special-maintenance budget. Approval must come from the Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee. The money covers park and museum repairs delayed because those facilities’ budgets lacked enough money. The General Assembly also retains authority to adjust staffing ceilings and funding.

Beautification funding comes with staffing limits

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, Keep Arkansas Beautiful gets about $1.06 million from Amendment 75 conservation tax proceeds. This includes $40,000 for grants and $600,000 for advertising. The program can have up to three regular employees and one temporary or part-time worker when needed. The temporary worker’s pay cannot exceed the job’s classification rate and must come from funds set aside for that purpose.

Stadium funding comes with worker limits

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, War Memorial Stadium gets $435,210 for staff, operations, maintenance, renovation, and repairs. A separate cash-fund budget provides about $1.51 million for staff and operations, including $144,000 for temporary workers. The stadium can use up to 144 temporary or part-time workers when needed. Seasonal extra-help workers and contract event staff are authorized for up to 1,800 hours. Pay cannot exceed the applicable job-classification rate, and the law does not guarantee anyone work.

Tourism promotion funding with spending limits

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the Tourism Development Trust Fund provides about $33.40 million for tourism promotion. This includes about $24.26 million for advertising and $2.92 million for tourist promotion. A separate $968,619 supports retirement and relocation promotion, including $898,619 for advertising—not payments to people who move. The agency can use up to $15,000 from the Great River Road operating budget for Mississippi River tourism marketing. Promotional and educational merchandise purchases need the Secretary’s approval and cannot exceed $75,000 from maintenance and operating funds.

Parks workers face staffing and pay limits

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, State Parks and Tourism can have up to 726 regular employee positions. The divisions can also use up to 807 temporary or part-time workers when needed. Regular salaries and temporary workers’ pay cannot exceed the limits for their job classifications. Temporary workers must be paid from money set aside for that purpose; the law does not guarantee jobs.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 128 • No: 2

House vote • 4/10/2025

House Vote - Thursday, April 10, 2025 4:50:22 PM

Yes: 97 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/9/2025

Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 2:02:20 PM

Yes: 31 • No: 2 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB81 is now Act 897

    4/21/2025Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    4/14/2025Senate

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

    4/14/2025Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    4/10/2025Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    4/10/2025Senate

  6. Returned To Senate as Passed.

    4/10/2025House

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/10/2025House

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

    4/10/2025House

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

    4/10/2025House

  10. RULES SUSPENDED

    4/10/2025House

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

    4/9/2025House

  12. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    4/9/2025House

  13. Ordered immediately transmitted to the House.

    4/9/2025Senate

  14. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/9/2025Senate

  15. Read the third time and passed.

    4/9/2025Senate

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

    4/8/2025Senate

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

    1/21/2025Senate

  18. Filed

    1/21/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • SB81 - Introduced

    1/21/2025

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation