HB 1219 Summary

• Appropriates funds for personal services and operating expenses of the Department of Labor and Licensing boards and commissions for fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, totaling approximately $11.3 million across all boards.

• Establishes maximum employee counts and salary grades for 16 regulatory boards including State Board of Public Accountancy (9 employees), Contractors Licensing Board (18 employees), Arkansas Real Estate Commission (15 employees), and others.

• Authorizes "Extra Help" temporary or part-time employees for 7 boards (State Board of Public Accountancy, Auctioneers, Barber Examiners, Collection Agencies, Professional Engineers/Surveyors, Real Estate Commission, and Professional Geologists) at rates not to exceed those in the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act.

• Amends Arkansas Code § 17-24-305(b) to add Arkansas Northeastern College as a recipient of State Board of Collection Agencies fees ($25,000 maximum annually) for nursing programs and modifies distribution provisions for other allocations.

• Includes special language provisions addressing professional fees for investigations, promotional item transfers, geographic proximity restrictions for barber colleges, bail bondsman fund transfers, and establishes an emergency effective date of July 1, 2021.