AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

2026 Fiscal Session

SB 24 funds the DDDS for 2026-2027 but the amendment reduces several line items, yielding a slightly smaller overall appropriation.

DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

Purpose

SB 24 proposes an appropriation for the Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS), for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The bill, as amended, outlines the funding levels and makes adjustments to the DDDS budget to support services and operations related to developmental disabilities.

Key Provisions and Changes (as amended)

The amendments to SB 24 adjust certain line items to reflect revised appropriation totals. Specific changes include:

Revisions to the number on page 1, line 35: changing a quantity from 2 to 1.
Revisions to page 4, line 3: changing a figure from 2,490 to 2,489.
Revisions to page 4, line 23: reducing a total from $104,129,983 to $103,987,884.
Revisions to page 4, line 25: reducing a total from $45,142,858 to $45,101,928.
Revisions to page 5, line 2: reducing a total from $201,782,940 to $201,599,911.

In aggregate, these amendments reduce the appropriation figures by specific dollar amounts, yielding a net decrease in certain funding lines within the DDDS budget for FY 2026-2027. The precise distribution across programs or subcategories is defined in the amended bill text (page references correspond to the enacted version of the bill).

Affected Entity

Primary: Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), specifically the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services.

Beneficiaries: Individuals served by DDDS programs, including people with developmental disabilities who access services funded or administered through DDDS (e.g., habilitation, supports coordination, residential services, day programs, and related community-based supports).

Timing and Procedural Details

The bill has undergone amendments through the Joint Budget Committee (JBC). Amendment No. 1 reflects the committee’s proposed adjustments and reductions to the initial appropriation.

Administrative action: The amendment was processed for consideration in April 2026, with formal readings and budget committee review as part of the usual legislative process for appropriations bills.

If enacted, the amended appropriation would apply to the 2026-2027 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, subject to any subsequent adjustments or supplemental appropriations enacted later.

Practical Impact

Budgetary: The amendment tightens or slightly reduces several line items within the DDDS portion of the DHS budget for FY 2026-2027. The net effect is a modest downward adjustment to previously proposed funding levels.

Service implications: Depending on how the reduced amounts are allocated across DDDS programs, there could be implications for service capacity, staffing, or program availability. Specific programmatic impacts would depend on the final line-item distribution and any accompanying policy provisions enacted alongside the appropriation.

Summary in Plain Language

SB 24 seeks to fund the Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities Services for the next fiscal year. The amendment reduces several specific funding amounts within the DDDS budget, resulting in a slightly smaller overall appropriation. The bill, once enacted, governs starting July 1, 2026, and affects how DDDS can plan and deliver services to residents with developmental disabilities for the 2026-2027 period.

Bill