The bill aims to amend various laws related to higher education in Arkansas, primarily focusing on the repeal of affirmative action program requirements at institutions of higher education. Specifically, it repeals the requirement for affirmative action program summaries in the Comprehensive Arkansas Higher Education Annual Report and eliminates the need for institutions to prepare annual summaries and five-year plans related to affirmative action. Additionally, it removes provisions concerning the duplication of services between institutions and repeals the Arkansas Energy Summary and Report requirements, which coordinated energy research efforts among state-supported institutions.

Furthermore, the bill makes several amendments to existing laws, including changes to reporting requirements for graduates needing postsecondary remediation, and updates to construction project exemptions for certain state-supported institutions. It also modifies definitions and provisions related to employee classifications and compensation for unused sick leave, ensuring that the language is consistent across various sections of the law. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline reporting and compliance requirements for higher education institutions while eliminating specific affirmative action mandates.

Statutes affected:
SB 417: 6-60-703(b), 6-61-141, 6-61-221(d), 6-62-314, 19-4-1415(b), 6-62-606(b), 6-63-103, 6-63-321, 6-64-218, 19-4-1415(c), 21-4-203(12), 21-4-503, 21-4-501, 21-4-504, 6-58-105, 6-59-105, 21-4-505, 24-4-101, 21-4-207, 22-2-114(c)
Act 402: 6-60-703(b), 6-61-141, 6-61-221(d), 6-62-314, 19-4-1415(b), 6-62-606(b), 6-63-103, 6-63-321, 6-64-218, 19-4-1415(c), 21-4-203(12), 21-4-503, 21-4-501, 21-4-504, 6-58-105, 6-59-105, 21-4-505, 24-4-101, 21-4-207, 22-2-114(c)