SB 123 Summary

• Appropriates $137.2 million from the University of Arkansas Medical Center Fund and $2.46 billion from cash funds to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for fiscal year 2023-2024, covering personal services, operating expenses, and capital improvements.

• Establishes maximum employee positions and salary rates across administrative, academic, patient care, and support classifications, with a total maximum of 11,861 regular employees plus 625 temporary/part-time "Extra Help" positions.

• Authorizes specialized funding programs including $5 million for colorectal cancer screening and research, $7.5 million for rural health transformation, $1.7 million for breast milk bank operations, and $41.35 million for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

• Establishes the Rural Broadband I.D. Expenses Trust Fund Grant Program to provide up to $75,000 in grants to local entities for broadband due-diligence business studies, with up to 30 one-time grants available and legislative oversight requirements.

• Provides special allowances for patient care employees including overtime, shift differentials (up to 24%), incentive pay (up to 1.2 times base rate), and specialty differentials (up to 10%), with flexibility to exceed line-item maximum salaries under specified conditions.