SB 59

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
  Act 155 of the Fiscal Session
1 State of Arkansas  As Engrossed:       S4/21/26
2 95th General Assembly  A Bill
3 Fiscal Session, 2026  SENATE BILL 59
4
5 By: Joint Budget Committee
6
7
8For An Act To Be Entitled
9AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICES
10AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
11EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION FOR THE
12FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027; AND FOR OTHER
13PURPOSES.
14
15
16Subtitle
17AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION -
18EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION
19APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL
20YEAR.
21
22
23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
24
25SECTION 1. REGULAR SALARIES.  There is hereby established for the
26 Department of Education - Educational Television Division for the 2026-2027
27 fiscal year, the following maximum number of regular employees.
28
29Maximum Annual
30Maximum  Salary Rate
31  Item    Class  No. of  Fiscal Year
32   No.    Code       Title  Employees  2026-2027
33   (1)    EEX03A AR PBS DIRECTOR  1  GRADE EXE02
34   (2)    PPB01C        AR PBS DEPUTY DIRECTOR  1  GRADE SPC09
35   (3)    FAC08C CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER I  1  GRADE SPC09
36   (4)    EEP02C EDUCATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR  1  GRADE SPC07
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1  (5)   FAC10C CONTROLLER  1  GRADE SPC06
2  (6)   PPB02C AR PBS DIVISION DIRECTOR  8  GRADE SPC05
3  (7)   CMA02C MARKETING DIRECTOR  1  GRADE SPC05
4  (8)   HDH06C HR MANAGER  1  GRADE SPC04
5  (9)   FAC03P ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR  1  GRADE SPC03
6 (10)   FAC01P ACCOUNTANT I  1  GRADE SPC01
7 (11)   EEP06P EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPV/EXPERT  3  GRADE SGS10
8 (12)   PAS08I EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT  1  GRADE SGS07
9 (13)   CME01P BROADCAST EDITOR  2  GRADE SGS07
10 (14)   EEP03P EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR  1  GRADE SGS07
11 (15)   FFS05P FISCAL SUPPORT SUPERVISOR/EXPERT  1  GRADE SGS07
12 (16)   CME03P GRAPHIC ARTIST  2  GRADE SGS07
13 (17)   HDH05P HR COORDINATOR  2  GRADE SGS07
14 (18)   PPR02P PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR  1  GRADE SGS07
15 (19)   CME06P PRODUCER  17  GRADE SGS07
16 (20)   EEP05P EDUCATION PROGRAM SPECIALIST  6  GRADE SGS06
17 (21)   PAS01P ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST  2  GRADE SGS05
18 (22)   CME04P MEDIA SPECIALIST  11  GRADE SGS05
19 (23)   PAS02P ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR  2  GRADE SGS04
20 (24)   FFS04P FISCAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST  2  GRADE SGS04
21 (25)   CMA03P MARKETING SPECIALIST  4  GRADE SGS04
22 (26)   CME05P MEDIA TECHNICIAN  11  GRADE SGS04
23 (27)   TMA05P MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN  1  GRADE SGS03
24 (28)   IIA06C IT MANAGER  1  GRADE IST10
25 (29)   IAS08I WEBSITE SPECIALIST  1  GRADE IST05
26 (30)   IIS09P IT INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIALIST  3  GRADE IST04
27 (31)   IUS01P USER SUPPORT ANALYST  2  GRADE IST04
28MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES  92
29
30SECTION 2. SPECIAL LANGUAGE.   NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS
31 CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW.
32 EXTRA HELP – STATE OPERATIONS.   There is hereby authorized, for the
33 Department of Education - Educational Television Division – State Operations
34 for the 2025-2026 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of
35 part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from
36 funds appropriated herein for such purposes: five (5) temporary or part-time
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1 employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the
2 Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, for the
3 appropriate classification. Many of these positions are related to specific
4 projects, and those positions so related are specifically exempt from
5 limitations of hours, either by act or regulation.
6    The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025
7 2026 through June 30, 2026 2027.
8
9SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - STATE OPERATIONS.   There is hereby
10 appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the
11 Educational Television Fund Account, for personal services and operating
12 expenses of the Department of Education - Educational Television Division -
13 State Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following:
14
15 ITEM  FISCAL YEAR
16  NO.  2026-2027
17 (01)   REGULAR SALARIES  $4,029,233
18 (02)   EXTRA HELP  11,959
19 (03)   PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING  1,461,745
20 (04)   MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION
21(A) OPER. EXPENSE  1,631,949
22(B) CONF. & TRAVEL  0
23(C) PROF. FEES  0
24(D) CAP. OUTLAY  0
25(E) DATA PROC.  0
26TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED  $7,134,886
27
28SECTION 4. SPECIAL LANGUAGE.   NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS
29 CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW.
30 EXTRA HELP – CASH OPERATIONS.    There is hereby authorized, for the Department
31 of Education - Educational Television Division - Cash Operations for the
32 2025-2026 2026-2027 fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-time or
33 temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds
34 appropriated herein for such purposes: forty-six (46) temporary or part-time
35 employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the
36 Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, for the
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1 appropriate classification.      Many of these positions are related to specific
2 projects, and those positions so related are specifically exempt from
3 limitations of hours, either by act or regulation.
4    The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025
5 2026 through June 30, 2026 2027.
6
7SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - CASH OPERATIONS.    There is hereby
8 appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the cash
9 fund deposited in the State Treasury as determined by the Chief Fiscal
10 Officer of the State, for personal services and operating expenses of the
11 Department of Education - Educational Television Division - Cash Operations
12 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following:
13
14 ITEM  FISCAL YEAR
15  NO.  2026-2027
16 (01)   REGULAR SALARIES  $1,255,554
17 (02)   EXTRA HELP  366,930
18 (03)   PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING  475,587
19 (04)   MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION
20(A) OPER. EXPENSE  6,665,555
21(B) CONF. & TRAVEL  56,450
22(C) PROF. FEES  600,000
23(D) CAP. OUTLAY  1,500,000
24(E) DATA PROC.  0
25 (05)   GRANTS AND AID  40,000
26 (06)   RESALE (COGS)  5,000
27 (07)   PROMOTIONAL ITEMS  60,000
28TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED  $11,025,076
29
30SECTION 6. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS.    Disbursement of funds
31 authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency
32 and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and
33 the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and
34 Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary
35 Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal
36 control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by
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1 the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be
2 strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds.
3
4      SECTION 7. LEGISLATIVE INTENT.     It is the intent of the General
5 Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations
6 contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for
7 which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive
8 Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget
9 manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or
10 summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative
11 Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption.
12
13      SECTION 8. EMERGENCY CLAUSE.     It is found and determined by the General
14 Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits the
15 appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the
16 effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2026 is essential to the operation of
17 the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in
18 the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the
19 effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2026 could work irreparable harm
20 upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental
21 programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act
22 being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health
23 and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2026.
24
25/s/Joint Budget Committee
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28APPROVED: 5/1/26
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