HB1144 Summary

• Appropriates $7,224,624 for Arkansas School for the Blind (ASB) State Operations and $1,045,603 for federal operations, plus $474,508 for cash operations and $223,024 for braille and large print textbooks for fiscal year 2021-2022.

• Appropriates $11,118,718 for Arkansas School for the Deaf (ASD) State Operations and $975,000 for federal operations, plus $315,000 for cash operations for fiscal year 2021-2022.

• Establishes a maximum of 101 regular employees for ASB and 156 regular employees for ASD, along with authorization for 17 extra help employees for ASB and 55 for ASD.

• Authorizes special salary provisions for both schools including summer school compensation, shift differentials, special allowances up to $3,500 per school term, and salary adjustments to maintain equity with Central Arkansas public school teachers.

• Permits carry-forward of unexpended General Revenue funds from both schools for special maintenance, renovations, and future construction projects with required reporting to the Legislative Council.