AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, HERITAGE, AND TOURISM - DIVISION OF HERITAGE REAPPROPRIATION.
HB1097 is a fiscal-session reappropriation bill for the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Division of Heritage. It carries forward unspent balances from prior appropriations so they remain available beginning July 1, 2026 for two heritage-related purposes: up to $750,000 for special maintenance funded through the Arkansas Division of Heritage Special Fund Account, and up to $10 million from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Grant and Trust Fund for the acquisition, management, stewardship, or preservation of state-owned lands, historic sites, buildings, structures, or objects.
The bill is primarily administrative and budgetary rather than policy-changing. It does not create a new program or expand eligibility; instead, it extends the life of existing capital improvement appropriations and reinforces standard state fiscal controls, including compliance with purchasing, accounting, budgetary, and revenue stabilization laws. It also includes an emergency clause so the act takes effect on July 1, 2026, reflecting the need to keep the agency funded without interruption.
HB1097 affects state appropriations law by reauthorizing previously approved but unspent capital improvement balances for the Division of Heritage. It preserves funding authority for maintenance and for heritage and natural resources preservation projects, allowing the agency to continue using designated funds without returning to the legislature for new appropriations. The bill primarily impacts the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, the Division of Heritage, and the state funds tied to conservation and cultural resources.
The available context suggests the bill was routine and noncontroversial. It was introduced by the Joint Budget Committee, had no recorded committee transcript debate or roll-call votes in the provided materials, and was ultimately enacted as Act 117. The lack of recorded opposition or amendment activity indicates general support for maintaining funding continuity for heritage and preservation projects.
There is no specific contention reflected in the provided record. Because the bill is a reappropriation measure, any potential concerns would likely center on the size and use of the carried-forward balances, especially the $10 million allocation for land, site, and structure preservation, but no member objections, competing viewpoints, or disputed provisions are shown in the supplied materials. The bill’s emergency clause and fiscal controls appear to be standard features rather than points of dispute.