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ArkansasSB882025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION 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.

Career school students get claim-fund support

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $300,000 for the Private Career School Student Protection Trust. The trust pays expenses, claims, and fees through the State Board of Private Career Education. Funding supports eligible claims, but does not guarantee payment to any claimant. The provision does not state individual payment amounts.

Arkansas funds aid for health students

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $7.11777 million for health education contracts, grants, and loans. This aid supports Arkansas citizens attending participating out-of-state programs in dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, or podiatry. Dental funding includes $2.95 million in grants and $987,370 in loans; veterinary funding includes $1.75 million for forgiveness and grants and $250,000 in loans. Optometry receives $650,000 in grants and $140,000 in loans, while chiropractic receives $260,000 and podiatry receives $130,400. Separately, the law provides $400,000 for rural osteopathic medical student loans and scholarships; individual awards and loan terms are not stated.

Arkansas funds scholarships for college students

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law sets aside $71.55 million for student grants and scholarships. This includes $25 million for Academic Challenge, $22 million for Governor's Scholars, and $5.5 million for Arkansas Heroes. Other funding includes $5 million for Arkansas Future Grants and $4.4 million for National Guard tuition assistance. It also funds State Teacher Education at $4 million, Teacher Opportunity at $2.5 million, and Higher Education Transition scholarships at $2 million. Smaller awards include $175,000 for Single Parent Scholarships, $150,000 for minority, doctoral, other scholarships and undergraduate research, and $350,000 for Tuition Adjustment. A separate $416,030 cash-funded operations budget includes $50,000 for scholarships; individual awards and eligibility depend on each program's rules.

Low-income residents get training program support

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $10.15 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding. This includes $6.54785 million for self-sufficiency and job training grants and $3 million for enrollment and education. The funds support education and training services for low-income Arkansans. The provision does not set individual eligibility or household payment amounts.

Arkansas colleges receive research grant funding

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $750,000 from the Research Development Fund. The money funds Arkansas Research Development Program grants to colleges and other higher education institutions. Institutions receive the grants, not households. Any household benefit depends on how the institutions use the money.

Arkansas funds AmeriCorps grants and aid

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law provides $2.010704 million for AmeriCorps grants and aid. A separate AmeriCorps operations budget includes another $50,000 for grants and aid. The funding supports community service programs. The provision does not state individual eligibility or award amounts.

Arkansas funds workforce education grants

For July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, the law sets aside $8 million for workforce education grants. The Workforce Initiative Act of 2015 Fund also covers related administrative and operating costs. The provision does not state who qualifies, individual award amounts, or a direct household payment.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 126 • No: 0

House vote • 4/8/2025

House Vote - Tuesday, April 8, 2025 4:13:55 PM

Yes: 92 • No: 0 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/7/2025

Senate Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 4:10:09 PM

Yes: 34 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB88 is now Act 610

    4/14/2025Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    4/9/2025Senate

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

    4/9/2025Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    4/8/2025Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    4/8/2025Senate

  6. Returned To Senate as Passed.

    4/8/2025House

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/8/2025House

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

    4/8/2025House

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

    4/8/2025House

  10. RULES SUSPENDED

    4/8/2025House

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

    4/7/2025House

  12. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    4/7/2025House

  13. Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House.

    4/7/2025Senate

  14. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/7/2025Senate

  15. Read the third time and passed.

    4/7/2025Senate

  16. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    4/3/2025Senate

  17. Amendment # 2 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.

    4/3/2025Senate

  18. Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment.

    4/3/2025Senate

  19. Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 2

    4/2/2025Senate

  20. Re-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

    3/17/2025Senate

  21. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    3/17/2025Senate

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

    3/17/2025Senate

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

    3/17/2025Senate

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

    1/22/2025Senate

  25. Filed

    1/22/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • SB88 - Introduced

    1/22/2025

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

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