AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY THREE RIVERS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
SB46 is an annual appropriation bill for Arkansas State University Three Rivers for fiscal year 2026-2027. It establishes the maximum number of authorized positions for the campus, including administrative, academic, auxiliary, public safety, maintenance, and support roles, and sets salary caps for each classification. The bill also authorizes up to 60 extra-help temporary or part-time employees and includes an emergency clause so the act takes effect on July 1, 2026.
The measure appropriates $5,004,114 from the Arkansas State University Three Rivers Fund for state operations, including regular salaries, matching funds, operating expenses, and contingency. It also appropriates $25,886,000 in cash funds for salaries, extra help, operating expenses, travel, professional fees, capital outlay, capital improvements, debt service, and promotional items. Like other appropriation acts, it ties spending to applicable state fiscal control laws and higher education expenditure restrictions.
SB46 does not change substantive education policy; instead, it authorizes spending and staffing for Arkansas State University Three Rivers for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It sets the legal framework for how much the university may spend from state and cash funds, how many employees it may hire in each category, and the maximum salary rates for those positions. The act also reinforces compliance with Arkansas procurement, accounting, revenue stabilization, salary, and higher education expenditure laws, and it becomes effective July 1, 2026.
The available context suggests the bill was routine and noncontroversial. There are no recorded committee transcripts, no vote details, and no indication of opposition in the provided materials. The bill’s progression to Act 20 indicates it moved through the legislative process successfully as a standard budget measure.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided record. Because SB46 is a budget and appropriation bill, any potential debate would likely have centered on funding levels, staffing authority, or capital spending for Arkansas State University Three Rivers, but no such objections or amendments are shown here. The absence of recorded votes or committee discussion suggests little visible controversy.