AR SB40

Appropriates $17,299,781 from the State Central Services Fund for the Bureau of Legislative Research and Legislative Council operations for fiscal year 2015-2016, including regular salaries, extra help, personal services matching, maintenance and operations, construction/capital improvements, contingency, and committee rooms.

Establishes a maximum of 130 regular full-time employees for the Bureau of Legislative Research with specified salary rates, ranging from $159,582 for the Director to Grade C110 for support specialists, plus authorization for up to 31 temporary or part-time employees.

Appropriates $271,060 for Ad Interim Committee study expenses, $1,696,396 for per diem and travel expenses of General Assembly members and committee staff, and $65,806 for Arkansas Energy Council member expenses.

Reappropriates up to $2,000,000 from remaining balances of Act 61 of 2014 for the same purposes in fiscal year 2015-2016.

Declares an emergency effective July 1, 2015 and authorizes the Bureau Director to transfer funds between line items and appropriations as necessary, with cost-of-living increases for employees with labor grades.