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SB 54

AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR COORDINATOR APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

2026 Fiscal Session

Funds and staffs the Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator for 2026-27, including PAWS for Justice, with specific salary totals and separate funding streams to support operations an

Notification that SB54 is now Act 25
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Bill Summary · SB 54

Summary of SB 54 (2026 Session, Arkansas)

Basic purpose

SB 54 is an appropriation bill establishing and funding the Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The act specifies staffing levels, salary ranges, and funding from multiple state funds to cover personal services, operating expenses, law enforcement and prosecutorial training programs, and PAWS for Justice initiatives.

What the bill would do

1) Regular salaries and operations (Section 1)

  • Establishes the maximum number of regular employees for the Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator for FY 2026-2027: up to 12 positions.
  • Approved positions include:
    • 1 Prosecutor Coordinator (Executive grade)
    • 1 Attorney III
    • 3 Attorneys II
    • 1 Executive Assistant
    • 1 Trainer
    • 1 Administrative Analyst
    • 1 Administrative Coordinator
    • 1 IT Infrastructure Supervisor/Expert
    • 2 User Support Specialists
  • Salary framework listed by position and corresponding pay grades (e.g., Executive level for the Coordinator; SPC08 for Attorney III; various SGS and IST grades for support staff).
  • Maximum total regular staff count: 12.

2) Operating appropriation (Section 2)

  • Funds the Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator from the State Central Services Fund for FY 2026-2027:
    • Regular Salaries: $949,957
    • Personal Services Matching: $313,245
    • Maintenance & General Operations: $250,152
    • Operational expenses: $250,152
    • Conferences & Travel: $4,692
    • Other categories (Fees, Capital Outlay, Data Processing) shown as zero
  • Total section 2 appropriation: $1,518,046

3) Law Enforcement and Prosecutorial Programs appropriation (Section 3)

  • Allocates $70,660 for Law Enforcement/Prosecutorial Programs under the Law Enforcement and Prosecutor Drug Enforcement Training Fund for FY 2026-2027.

4) JRJ Loan Repayment - Federal (Section 4)

  • Provides $88,881 for refunds and reimbursements to eligible state and federal public defenders and deputy prosecuting attorneys for qualified student loan repayment.
  • Funded from federal funds designated by the Chief Fiscal Officer.

5) PAWS for Justice – State (Section 5)

  • Creates a separate set of positions dedicated to PAWS for Justice:
    • 1 Certified Dog Handler Coordinator
    • 5 Certified Dog Handlers
  • Total PAWS for Justice state staff: 6

6) PAWS for Justice – State appropriation (Section 6)

  • Funds PAWS for Justice program activities from the State Central Services Fund:
    • Regular Salaries: $320,497
    • Personal Services Matching: $116,481
    • Maintenance & General Operations: $105,919
    • Conference & Travel: $63,564
    • Other categories (Fees, Capital Outlay, Data Processing) shown as zero
  • Total PAWS for Justice section 6 appropriation: $606,461

7-9) Compliance, Legislative Intent, and Emergency Clause

  • Sections emphasize adherence to general fiscal laws and procurement rules.
  • Legislative intent to ensure appropriations align with budget manuals and prior recommendations.
  • An emergency clause makes the act effective July 1, 2026, with the intent to prevent disruption in operations and to allow immediate funding.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator (Arkansas)
  • Staff impacted by funding:
    • Regular professional and support staff ( attorneys, IT, admin, trainer, etc.)
    • PAWS for Justice program personnel (dog handlers and coordinator)
  • Programs impacted:
    • Law enforcement and prosecutorial training programs
    • Public defender and deputy prosecuting attorney student loan repayment
    • PAWS for Justice operational and training activities

Key dates and timeline

  • Effective date: July 1, 2026 (emergency clause)
  • Fiscal year covered: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
  • Reporting and compliance follow standard state procurement and budget laws

Potential impact

  • Provides explicit funding and staffing levels for the Prosecutor Coordinator’s office, enabling expanded or maintained operations, including specialized PAWS for Justice initiatives.
  • Separates funding streams:
    • State Central Services Fund (regular ops and PAWS staffing)
    • Law Enforcement and Prosecutorial Training Fund (training program support)
    • Federal funds for student loan repayment reimbursements
  • The bill’s emergency declaration aims to ensure uninterrupted operations at the start of the fiscal year.

Note: This summary focuses on the bill’s substantive provisions, funding allocations, affected entities, and timeline. It does not reflect legislative debates or potential implementation challenges.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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