# Arkansas SB88: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. Arkansas SB88, AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Joint Budget Committee; status enacted, last action 2025-04-14 (Notification that SB88 is now Act 610); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB88-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB88 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-22 - Last action: 2025-04-14, Notification that SB88 is now Act 610 - Sponsor: Joint Budget Committee - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (126 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Career school students get claim-fund support: benefit, low. 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 prov… - Arkansas funds aid for health students: benefit, low. 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.… - Arkansas funds scholarships for college students: benefit, low. 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 m… - Low-income residents get training program support: benefit, low. 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… - Arkansas colleges receive research grant funding: benefit, low. 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 i… - Arkansas funds AmeriCorps grants and aid: benefit, low. 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 amount… - Arkansas funds workforce education grants: benefit, low. 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 and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joint Budget Committee ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-08 | House | House Vote - Tuesday, April 8, 2025 4:13:55 PM | pass | 92 | 0 | 1 | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 4:10:09 PM | pass | 34 | 0 | | ## Actions (25) - 2025-04-14: Notification that SB88 is now Act 610 (Senate) - 2025-04-09: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Returned To Senate as Passed. (House) - 2025-04-08: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (House) - 2025-04-08: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-08: Considered in the Committee of the Whole, and recommended do pass. (House) - 2025-04-08: RULES SUSPENDED (House) - 2025-04-07: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR. (House) - 2025-04-07: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-04-07: Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-04-07: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-03: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-04-03: Amendment # 2 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-04-03: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 2 (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Re-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE (Senate) - 2025-03-17: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Withdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB88 - Introduced, 2025-01-22: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB88.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=610.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [SB88 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB88.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=610.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [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-SB88-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).