Arkansas Senate Bill SB336

Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/27/25
• Refer: 2/27/25
• Report Pass: 3/6/25
• Engrossed: 3/10/25
• Enrolled: 3/19/25
• Chaptered: 3/20/25
• Passed: 3/20/25

Caption

An Act For The Department Of Health Capital Improvement Appropriation.

Summary

SB336 is a capital improvement appropriation bill for the Arkansas Department of Health. It authorizes spending for several facility and infrastructure projects, including steam plant conversion at the main campus, replacement of a generator at the Public Health Lab, parking and switchboard improvements, and major funding for replacement of the department’s main facility. The bill also includes appropriations from multiple funding sources, including federal funds, cash funds, and a paying account designated by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State. The largest items in the bill are the replacement of the Arkansas Department of Health main facility, funded at up to $114 million from cash funds and an additional $30,031,020 from the paying account, along with smaller but significant allocations for campus utilities and operational infrastructure. The act contains standard fiscal controls limiting obligations to available funds, requiring compliance with state purchasing and budget laws, and prohibiting use of the agency’s maintenance and operations funds for these projects. It also includes an emergency clause making the act effective July 1, 2025.

Impact

SB336 does not change substantive public health law; instead, it creates specific appropriations and spending authority for Department of Health capital projects. Its legal effect is to authorize the department to use designated federal, cash, and other funds for facility replacement and infrastructure upgrades, subject to state fiscal controls and oversight by the Chief Fiscal Officer. The bill primarily affects the Department of Health, state budget administration, and any contractors or vendors involved in the listed projects.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition, with unanimous third-reading votes in both chambers (35-0 in the Senate and 95-0 in the House). The absence of committee transcripts limits insight into debate, but the vote totals suggest the bill was viewed as a routine and broadly acceptable capital funding measure. The emergency clause and effective-date language indicate legislative agreement that the projects should proceed without delay.

Contention

No notable contention is reflected in the provided record. The bill’s appropriations are large, especially for replacement of the Department of Health main facility, but the unanimous votes suggest no significant disagreement over the need for the projects or the funding mechanism. Any potential concerns would likely have centered on the size of the expenditures, the use of cash and federal funds, and standard oversight of capital construction, but those issues are not documented in the available transcripts or vote history.