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 SENATE BILL 391
4
5 By: Senator J. Dismang
6 By: Representative Eaves
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION GRANT
10 PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ROBOTICS TEAMS IN PUBLIC OR
11 PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING STUDY
12 IN THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING,
13 AND MATHEMATICS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO CREATE THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION GRANT
18 PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ROBOTICS TEAMS IN
19 PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THE
20 PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING STUDY IN THE
21 FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
22 ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS.
23
24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
25
26 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 16, is amended to add an
27 additional subchapter to read as follows:
28 Subchapter 20 -- Robotics Competition Grant Program
29
30 6-16-2001. Creation -- Purpose.
31 (a) There is established a Robotics Competition Grant Program.
32 (b) The purpose of the program is to provide grants to expand
33 opportunities that increase interest and improve skills in science,
34 technology, engineering, and mathematics through participation in robotics
35 competitions that:
36 (1) Provide hands-on learning experiences;
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1 (2) Establish community partnerships to increase awareness of
2 local workforce and postsecondary opportunities;
3 (3) Highlight career opportunities through adult mentors;
4 (4) Prioritize a connection to manufacturing, machining, and
5 fabrication skills for students in grades six through twelve (6-12);
6 (5) Prepare students for future career opportunities through
7 industrial proficiency; and
8 (6) Develop students' skills through problem solving, design,
9 programming, teamwork, critical-thinking abilities, communication,
10 collaboration, time management, perseverance, and leadership.
11
12 6-16-2002. Definitions.
13 As used in this subchapter:
14 (1) "Allowable expense" means:
15 (A) Robotics competition fees, kits, and supplies required
16 to:
17 (i) Establish or maintain a robotics team; and
18 (ii) Participate in a robotics competition;
19 (B) Event registration fees, materials, transportation and
20 travel costs, and other expenses associated with attendance at and
21 participation in a robotics competition; and
22 (C) The payment of a stipend for a robotics team mentor,
23 coach, or sponsor;
24 (2) "Eligible school" means:
25 (A) A public school within a public school district;
26 (B) An open-enrollment public charter school; or
27 (C) A nonpublic school that is accredited by the Arkansas
28 Nonpublic School Accrediting Association, Inc., or another organization
29 identified by the State Board of Education;
30 (3) "Eligible team" means a robotics competition team that
31 consists of:
32 (A) Students in grades six through twelve (6-12) who are
33 enrolled in an eligible school; and
34 (B) At least one (1) adult who is a team mentor, coach, or
35 sponsor; and
36 (4) "Robotics competition" means a competition that:
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1 (A) Requires participating teams to design, construct,
2 program, and operate a robot;
3 (B) Is sponsored by a nonprofit corporation under Section
4 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as it existed on January 1,
5 2025, that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Internal
6 Revenue Code of 1986, as it existed on January 1, 2025, and that has a
7 purpose or goal of encouraging young people to develop an interest in
8 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and
9 (C) Is hosted by a program provider that includes without
10 limitation:
11 (i) For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
12 Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition;
13 (ii) For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
14 Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge; or
15 (iii) VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes,
16 hosted by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation.
17
18 6-16-2003. Administration.
19 (a) The Robotics Competition Grant Program shall be administered by
20 the Department of Education.
21 (b) A grant awarded under this subchapter shall be subject to an
22 eligible team obtaining a matching contribution from other sources, which
23 shall be equivalent to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the total grant
24 amount awarded to the eligible team under this subchapter.
25 (c) The department shall award a grant under this subchapter in a
26 manner that maximizes the number of eligible teams that receive a grant and
27 expands the geographical distribution of eligible teams.
28 (d) A grant awarded under this subchapter shall be distributed by the
29 department to an eligible school on behalf of an eligible team.
30 (e) The availability of grants under this subchapter is subject to
31 appropriation by the General Assembly for the administration of the program.
32
33 6-16-2004. Eligibility.
34 (a) An eligible team may apply for a grant from the Robotics
35 Competition Grant Program under this subchapter through the process
36 established by the Department of Education.
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1 (b) In order to receive a grant under this subchapter, an eligible
2 team shall show proof of the following in its application:
3 (1) A partnership for the purpose of a robotics competition with
4 at least one (1) sponsor, business entity, institution of higher education,
5 or technical school;
6 (2) An adult robotics team mentor, coach, or sponsor;
7 (3) A proposed budget, which shall include without limitation
8 estimated allowable expenses of the eligible team for the school year in
9 which the eligible team is applying for a grant under this subchapter;
10 (4) A commitment to compete in at least one (1) robotics
11 competition within one (1) year from the date the award under this subchapter
12 is granted;
13 (5) A commitment to create an original, iteratively designed
14 robot; and
15 (6) The ability to meet all program requirements.
16 (c) An eligible team may apply for more than one (1) grant per school
17 year if the eligible team participates in more than one (1) robotics
18 competition, including without limitation the advancement to a regional,
19 state, or national competition.
20 (d) Allowable expenses under this subchapter may include a stipend for
21 a robotics team mentor, coach, or sponsor, which shall not exceed one
22 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per school year.
23
24 6-16-2005. Rules.
25 The Department of Education shall promulgate rules for the
26 administration of the Robotics Competition Grant Program established by this
27 subchapter, which shall include without limitation the process for applying
28 for a grant under this subchapter.
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4 03/05/2025 12:35:10 PM TNL251Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.