The bill proposes an appropriation of $4,253,848 for the Department of Education - Division of Higher Education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. It establishes a maximum of 54 regular employees and authorizes 15 part-time or temporary employees under "Extra Help." The bill also allocates significant funding for various scholarship programs, including $5 million for Arkansas Future Grants, $22 million for Arkansas Governor's Scholars, and $12 million for the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program, among other initiatives aimed at enhancing higher education in Arkansas.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions for disaster assistance, allowing higher education institutions to request emergency grants from the Disaster Relief Fund and establishes a pool of 500 extra help positions for emergencies. It also includes the Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program to promote academic research at state-supported colleges and universities. The bill emphasizes compliance with existing laws regarding fund disbursement and includes an emergency clause for timely implementation, effective July 1, 2023, with certain sections effective upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Old version SB75 Original - 1-19-2023 09:49 AM:
Old version SB75 V2 - 1-30-2023 02:11 PM: 01-30-2023
Old version SB75 V3 - 2-13-2023 02:16 PM: 02-13-2023
Old version SB75 V4 - 4-3-2023 01:28 PM: 04-03-2023
SB 75: 04-03-2023
Act 870: 04-03-2023