AN ACT FOR THE AUDITOR OF STATE - OPERATIONS AND UNCLAIMED PROPERTY PROGRAM APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
Summary
SB51 is the fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation act for the Arkansas Auditor of State, covering both the agency’s general operations and its Unclaimed Property Program. It sets the maximum number of authorized employees, establishes salary caps for each position, authorizes extra-help staffing, and appropriates funds for personal services, operating expenses, travel, professional fees, capital outlay, and data matching. The bill also includes a separate cash appropriation for paying unclaimed property claims and abandoned mineral proceeds claims.
In addition to the core appropriations, the bill contains special language allowing the Auditor of State to transfer funds among line items within the Operations and Unclaimed Property Program budgets with required fiscal review. It also imposes a qualification requirement on the Internal Auditor, who must hold either a Certified Internal Auditor certification or an active Arkansas CPA license. The act includes standard compliance language tying spending to state fiscal and procurement laws and an emergency clause making it effective July 1, 2026.
Impact
SB51 updates Arkansas law only for the 2026-2027 fiscal year by authorizing spending and staffing for the Auditor of State and its Unclaimed Property Program. It appropriates $3,438,833 for operations, $3,824,800 for the unclaimed property program, $50,002,500 for payment of unclaimed property claims, and $2,500,500 for abandoned mineral proceeds claims, while also setting employee limits and salary structures. The bill affects the Auditor of State, claimants seeking unclaimed property or mineral proceeds, and the state funds used to administer and pay those claims.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and routine, consistent with a budget measure. It passed the Senate unanimously on third reading and passed the House with a strong majority, indicating broad support for funding the Auditor of State’s operations and claims-processing functions. The lack of committee transcript discussion suggests little visible debate or opposition in the available record.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the available materials. The only potentially notable policy choices are the size of the cash appropriation for unclaimed property claims, the authority to transfer funds between line items, and the professional credential requirement for the Internal Auditor. However, the recorded votes and absence of committee debate indicate these provisions did not generate significant opposition in the legislative process.