Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SB53

Introduced

1/14/25

Refer

1/14/25

Report Pass

1/21/25

Engrossed

1/22/25

Refer

1/22/25

Enrolled

1/27/25

Chaptered

1/30/25

Passed

1/30/25

Caption

An Act For The Auditor Of State - Continuing Education Of Local Officials Appropriation For The 2025-2026 Fiscal Year.

Summary

SB53 is an annual appropriation bill for the Arkansas Auditor of State to fund continuing education and certification programs for several categories of county officials during fiscal year 2025-2026. It allocates money for county clerks, circuit clerks, county treasurers, county collectors, and county coroners, with each program receiving a specified amount to support training, administration, and certification-related expenses. The bill is limited to fiscal-year spending authority and includes an emergency clause so it takes effect on July 1, 2025. The bill does not change substantive policy governing county offices; instead, it provides the funding mechanism needed to operate existing training and certification programs. The appropriations are drawn from dedicated continuing education funds for each office, and the bill directs that spending comply with state fiscal controls, procurement rules, and budget laws. It also ties disbursements to the stated purposes reflected in agency requests and legislative budget materials.

Impact

SB53 authorizes a total of $400,000 in appropriations for local-official continuing education programs in fiscal year 2025-2026, including $75,000 each for county clerks, circuit clerks, county treasurers, and county collectors, and $125,000 for county coroners. Its practical effect is to maintain state support for required or established training and certification programs administered through the Auditor of State and related boards or commissions. Because it is an appropriation act, its legal impact is temporary and budgetary rather than a permanent amendment to Arkansas statutes.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support and little controversy. The bill passed third reading unanimously in both recorded votes, 35-0 in the Senate and 97-0 in the House, indicating consensus that the continuing education programs for local officials should be funded for the upcoming fiscal year. No committee testimony or recorded debate was provided, and there is no indication of opposition in the materials supplied.

Contention

No notable points of contention appear in the provided record. The bill is a routine appropriations measure, and the only potentially relevant policy issue is the allocation of different funding levels among the various official training programs, with coroners receiving a larger appropriation than the other offices. However, there is no evidence in the transcripts or votes that this difference was disputed.

Latest AR SB53 Activity

View All Events: AR 2025 Regular Session SB53

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

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