An Act For The Department Of Finance And Administration - Child Support Enforcement Appropriation For The 2025-2026 Fiscal Year.
Summary
HB1088 is the annual appropriation bill for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s Office of Child Support Enforcement for fiscal year 2025-2026. It authorizes funding for the agency’s regular salaries, extra help, operating expenses, professional fees, capital outlay, and data processing/equipment, with a total appropriation of $77,906,388. The bill also sets the maximum number of authorized positions at 775 full-time employees and allows up to 15 temporary or part-time “extra help” employees.
The bill includes standard appropriation provisions limiting spending to the amounts appropriated and requiring compliance with state fiscal, procurement, accounting, and salary laws. It also contains special language exempting extra-help positions from hour limitations, while requiring reporting if such employees work more than seven months. The act is designed to take effect on July 1, 2025, through an emergency clause, so the agency can continue operating without interruption at the start of the fiscal year.
Impact
HB1088 does not change substantive child support law; instead, it funds the state agency that administers child support enforcement in Arkansas. Its legal effect is to appropriate state funds from the Child Support Enforcement Fund, establish staffing limits and salary authority, and impose temporary administrative conditions for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill affects the Department of Finance and Administration, its employees, and the delivery of child support enforcement services to families and obligors statewide.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong bipartisan support and little opposition. The bill passed the House 95-0 and the Senate 32-0 on third reading, indicating broad agreement that the agency’s operating budget should be renewed. No committee transcript or recorded debate was provided, and there is no evidence in the available materials of significant controversy or divided sentiment.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the record provided. The only potentially notable policy point is the special language governing extra-help employees, including the exemption from hour limits and the reporting requirement for longer-term temporary workers. Otherwise, the bill appears to be a routine budget measure, and the unanimous votes suggest no major disagreement among legislators about the appropriation levels, staffing cap, or emergency effective date.