SB264 - Department of Higher Education Appropriation (2017-2018)

• Establishes 42 regular employees for the Department of Higher Education with a regular salaries appropriation of $2,094,840 for fiscal year 2017-2018.

• Appropriates $3,814,466 for general operations including salaries, personal services matching, operating expenses, conferences, travel, professional fees, and capital outlays.

• Appropriates $65,050,000 for student assistance grants and scholarships including Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarships ($25,000,000), Arkansas Governor's Scholars ($15,200,000), and Higher Education Opportunities Grants ($6,000,000).

• Appropriates funds for specialized programs including technical education ($386,951), improving teacher quality ($506,000), research development grants ($1,000,000), and health education grants and loans ($5,461,670).

• Includes special language provisions authorizing emergency grants, resource reallocation procedures, contingency appropriations, and restrictions on institutional use of funds for health insurance marketplace promotion through June 30, 2018.