Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
                                           Act 352 of the Regular Session
 1   State of Arkansas
 2   93rd General Assembly                        A Bill
 3   Regular Session, 2021                                                             HOUSE BILL 1496
 4
 5   By: Representative Gonzales
 6   By: Senator Beckham
 7
 8                                     For An Act To Be Entitled
 9                  AN ACT CONCERNING A CONTRACT FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR A
10                  PRESIDENT AND CHANCELLOR OF A STATE-SUPPORTED
11                  INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; TO SPECIFY TERMS
12                  REGARDING TERMINATION AND BUYOUT AGREEMENTS THAT A
13                  CONTRACT FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR A PRESIDENT AND
14                  CHANCELLOR OF A STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
15                  EDUCATION SHALL INCLUDE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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18                                                 Subtitle
19                           TO SPECIFY TERMS REGARDING TERMINATION
20                           AND BUYOUT AGREEMENTS THAT A CONTRACT FOR
21                           EMPLOYMENT FOR A PRESIDENT AND CHANCELLOR
22                           OF A STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTION OF
23                           HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL INCLUDE.
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26   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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28          SECTION 1.        Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 60, Subchapter 1, is amended
29   to add an additional section to read as follows:
30          6-60-113.        President and chancellor contracts.
31          (a)    As used in this section:
32                  (1)      "Chancellor" means a chief executive officer of a state-
33   supported institution of higher education; and
34                  (2)      "President" means an individual who is appointed or elected
35   as the president of a state-supported institution of higher education.
36          (b)    A contract for employment or an amendment to a contract for
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                                                                               HB1496
 1   employment entered into on or after the effective date of this act by a
 2   president or a chancellor of a state-supported institution of higher
 3   education shall:
 4                 (1)   Include without limitation standards for which a president
 5   or chancellor may be terminated for cause; and
 6                 (2)   Specify that a contract buyout agreement shall not use more
 7   than twelve (12) months' worth of state funds to compensate an outgoing
 8   president or chancellor of a state-supported institution of higher education.
 9        (c)(1)     This section does not prohibit a state-supported institution of
10   higher education from authorizing an outgoing president or chancellor to
11   obtain employment as either a tenured faculty member or other agreed-upon
12   employment position other than the position of president or chancellor within
13   the state-supported institution of higher education.
14                 (2)   A state-supported institution of higher education is not in
15   violation of this section if it compensates an outgoing president or
16   chancellor with state funds while the outgoing president or chancellor serves
17   in either a tenured faculty position or other agreed-upon employment position
18   within the state-supported institution of higher education.
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21                                    APPROVED: 3/15/21
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