Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
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1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1127
4
5 By: Joint Budget Committee
6
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICES
10 AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
11 EDUCATION - ARKANSAS STATE LIBRARY FOR THE FISCAL
12 YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2026; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION -
17 ARKANSAS STATE LIBRARY APPROPRIATION FOR
18 THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.
19
20
21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
22
23 SECTION 1. REGULAR SALARIES. There is hereby established for the
24 Department of Education - Arkansas State Library for the 2025-2026 fiscal
25 year, the following maximum number of regular employees.
26
27 Maximum Annual
28 Maximum Salary Rate
29 Item Class No. of Fiscal Year
30 No. Code Title Employees 2025-2026
31 (1) U031U STATE LIBRARY DIRECTOR 1 GRADE SE01
32 (2) N161N STATE LIBRARY DEPUTY DIRECTOR 1 GRADE GS12
33 (3) E012C STATE LIBRARY DIVISION MANAGER 1 GRADE GS10
34 (4) E021C STATE LIBRARY MANAGER 8 GRADE GS09
35 (5) E030C LIBRARY COORDINATOR 5 GRADE GS08
36 (6) E041C SENIOR LIBRARIAN 7 GRADE GS07
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1 (7) A074C FISCAL SUPPORT SUPERVISOR 1 GRADE GS06
2 (8) E052C LIBRARIAN 3 GRADE GS06
3 (9) P027C PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST 1 GRADE GS06
4 (10) V014C BUYER 1 GRADE GS05
5 (11) C056C ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST III 2 GRADE GS04
6 (12) A098C FISCAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2 GRADE GS04
7 (13) C073C ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST II 1 GRADE GS03
8 (14) C069C LIBRARY TECHNICIAN 4 GRADE GS03
9 (15) C085C LIBRARY SUPPORT ASSISTANT 3 GRADE GS02
10 (16) C089C LIBRARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANT 2 GRADE GS01
11 MAX. NO. OF EMPLOYEES 43
12
13 SECTION 2. EXTRA HELP - STATE OPERATIONS. There is hereby authorized,
14 for the Department of Education - Arkansas State Library - State Operations
15 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the following maximum number of part-time or
16 temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help", payable from funds
17 appropriated herein for such purposes: seven (7) temporary or part-time
18 employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those provided in the
19 Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its successor, or this act
20 for the appropriate classification.
21
22 SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - STATE OPERATIONS. There is hereby
23 appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the State
24 Library Fund Account, for personal services and operating expenses of the
25 Department of Education - Arkansas State Library - State Operations for the
26 fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, the following:
27
28 ITEM FISCAL YEAR
29 NO. 2025-2026
30 (01) REGULAR SALARIES $1,677,479
31 (02) EXTRA HELP 10,000
32 (03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 631,344
33 (04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION
34 (A) OPER. EXPENSE 1,125,091
35 (B) CONF. & TRAVEL 10,000
36 (C) PROF. FEES 0
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1 (D) CAP. OUTLAY 0
2 (E) DATA PROC. 0
3 (05) BOOKS & SUBSCRIPTIONS 230,000
4 TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $3,683,914
5
6 SECTION 4. EXTRA HELP - FEDERAL OPERATIONS. There is hereby
7 authorized, for the Department of Education - Arkansas State Library -
8 Federal Operations for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the following maximum
9 number of part-time or temporary employees, to be known as "Extra Help",
10 payable from funds appropriated herein for such purposes: five (5) temporary
11 or part-time employees, when needed, at rates of pay not to exceed those
12 provided in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, or its
13 successor, or this act for the appropriate classification.
14
15 SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL OPERATIONS. There is hereby
16 appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the federal
17 funds as designated by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, for personal
18 services and operating expenses of the Department of Education - Arkansas
19 State Library - Federal Operations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026,
20 the following:
21
22 ITEM FISCAL YEAR
23 NO. 2025-2026
24 (01) REGULAR SALARIES $458,899
25 (02) EXTRA HELP 22,000
26 (03) PERSONAL SERVICES MATCHING 194,756
27 (04) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION
28 (A) OPER. EXPENSE 2,347,700
29 (B) CONF. & TRAVEL 145,000
30 (C) PROF. FEES 0
31 (D) CAP. OUTLAY 10,000
32 (E) DATA PROC. 0
33 TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $3,178,355
34
35 SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION - AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES. There is hereby
36 appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the State
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1 Library Public School Fund Account, to provide aid to public libraries by the
2 Department of Education - Arkansas State Library - Aid to Public Libraries
3 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, the following:
4
5 ITEM FISCAL YEAR
6 NO. 2025-2026
7 (01) AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES $6,500,000
8
9 SECTION 7. APPROPRIATION - GRANTS ADMINISTRATION - CASH. There is
10 hereby appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the
11 cash fund deposited in the State Treasury as determined by the Chief Fiscal
12 Officer of the State, for operating expenses of the Department of Education -
13 Arkansas State Library - Grants Administration - Cash for the fiscal year
14 ending June 30, 2026, the following:
15
16 ITEM FISCAL YEAR
17 NO. 2025-2026
18 (01) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION
19 (A) OPER. EXPENSE $20,000
20 (B) CONF. & TRAVEL 20,000
21 (C) PROF. FEES 0
22 (D) CAP. OUTLAY 0
23 (E) DATA PROC. 0
24 TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $40,000
25
26 SECTION 8. APPROPRIATION - STATE LIBRARY REVOLVING. There is hereby
27 appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the State
28 Library Revolving Fund, for operating expenses of the Department of Education
29 - Arkansas State Library - State Library Revolving for the fiscal year ending
30 June 30, 2026, the following:
31
32 ITEM FISCAL YEAR
33 NO. 2025-2026
34 (01) MAINT. & GEN. OPERATION
35 (A) OPER. EXPENSE $500
36 (B) CONF. & TRAVEL 0
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1 (C) PROF. FEES 0
2 (D) CAP. OUTLAY 0
3 (E) DATA PROC. 0
4 TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED $500
5
6 SECTION 9. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS
7 CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW.
8 CARRY FORWARD. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 2025,
9 any unexpended balance of monies provided from the State Library Fund Account
10 for Books and Subscriptions, as provided in the State Operations
11 Appropriation of this Act, shall be transferred forward and made available
12 for the same purpose for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 2026.
13 Any carry forward of unexpended balance of funding as authorized herein,
14 may be carried forward under the following conditions:
15 (1) Prior to June 30, 2025 2026 the Agency shall by written statement
16 set forth its reason(s) for the need to carry forward said funding to the
17 Department of Finance and Administration Office of Budget;
18 (2) The Department of Finance and Administration Office of Budget shall
19 report to the Arkansas Legislative Council all amounts carried forward by the
20 September Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee meeting
21 which report shall include the name of the Agency, Board, Commission or
22 Institution and the amount of the funding carried forward, the program name
23 or line item, the funding source of that appropriation and a copy of the
24 written request set forth in (1) above;
25 (3) Each Agency, Board, Commission or Institution shall provide a
26 written report to the Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee
27 containing all information set forth in item (2) above, along with a written
28 statement as to the current status of the project, contract, purpose etc. for
29 which the carry forward was originally requested no later than thirty (30)
30 days prior to the time the Agency, Board, Commission or Institution presents
31 its budget request to the Arkansas Legislative Council/Joint Budget
32 Committee; and
33 (4) Thereupon, the Department of Finance and Administration shall
34 include all information obtained in item (3) above in the budget manuals
35 and/or a statement of non-compliance by the Agency, Board, Commission or
36 Institution.
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1 The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2024
2 2025 through June 30, 2025 2026.
3
4 SECTION 10. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS
5 CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. STATE
6 FUNDING FOR LIBRARIES PROVISIONS.
7 (i) The Department of Education � Arkansas State Library provides
8 grants and aid to Libraries across the state. The Arkansas State Library
9 has developed the Standards for State Aid to public libraries which creates
10 standards public libraries must meet to be eligible for state aid.
11 (ii) The Standards for State Aid to Public Libraries contains the
12 requirement that a public library shall maintain a one-mill county or city
13 property tax, and the requirement that the library have a qualified
14 librarian.
15 (iii) Less populated areas in the State may not have the ability to
16 pass and maintain a one-mill county or city property tax.
17 (iv) Due to the importance that the public library represents to rural
18 communities, the Arkansas State Library shall review and modify the
19 requirements that prevent rural public libraries from receiving state grant
20 and aid that is authorized by the General Assembly, as set out in subsection
21 (v).
22 (v) Therefore, the Arkansas State Library shall promulgate rules that
23 allow a public library to adequately demonstrate a source of revenue in lieu
24 of the requirement to maintain a one-mill county or city property tax.
25 (vi) One month prior to the distribution of state aid to public
26 libraries for the 2025 2026 Fiscal Year, the Arkansas State Library shall
27 report to the Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee, if
28 meeting in legislative session, the revised Standards for State Aid to Public
29 Libraries which shall address in writing the actions taken to address the
30 issues as set out in this section. The report shall include all criteria,
31 including but not limited to how a local public library may become certified
32 to receive funding from the Arkansas State Library.
33 (vii) The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July
34 1, 2024 2025 through June 30, 2025 2026.
35
36 SECTION 11. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds
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1 authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency
2 and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and
3 the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and
4 Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary
5 Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal
6 control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by
7 the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be
8 strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds.
9
10 SECTION 12. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General
11 Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations
12 contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for
13 which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive
14 Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget
15 manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or
16 summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative
17 Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption.
18
19 SECTION 13. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
20 General Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits
21 the appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the
22 effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2025 is essential to the operation of
23 the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in
24 the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the
25 effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2025 could work irreparable harm
26 upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental
27 programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act
28 being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health
29 and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2025.
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7 01/14/2025 4:03:19 PM KMW007Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.