SB 75 Summary

• Appropriates $4,253,848 for the Division of Higher Education General Operations, including $2,157,909 for regular salaries and $295,000 for statewide scholarship and grant promotion

• Appropriates $64,950,000 for student assistance grants and scholarships, including $25,000,000 for Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarships and $22,000,000 for Arkansas Governor's Scholar program

• Establishes 54 maximum regular employees for DHE general operations and authorizes 15 temporary/part-time "Extra Help" positions; establishes 81 maximum employees for Northwest Technical Institute with 135 authorized extra help positions

• Appropriates $7,117,770 for health education grants and loans for dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, and podiatry programs

• Creates new code sections establishing disaster relief funding mechanisms for higher education institutions, a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, and requirements for Division of Higher Education reporting on financial aid programs