Arkansas authorizes up to $1.81 million for minority health work

The Department of Health can spend up to $1,808,897 for the Arkansas Minority Health Commission’s Minority Health Initiative. The spending authority covers staff costs and program operations for the Arkansas Minority Health Initiative. Money comes from the Targeted State Needs Program Account. Spending cannot exceed available money and must follow state purchasing, pay, and financial control rules. The budget allows $326,124 for salaries and $122,431 for related employee costs. It allows $531,788 for operating expenses, $20,000 for conferences and travel, and $250,000 for professional fees. It also allows $558,554 for screening, monitoring, treatment, and outreach. Equipment purchases, data processing, and promotional items each start with no money assigned to them. The law took effect July 1, 2026. Its budget covers the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.

The Arkansas Minority Health Commission may have up to six regular employees under this budget. The six positions include two health program coordinators and one each in nursing, accounting, human resources, and financial support. The state does not promise continued funding for jobs if the tobacco settlement money supporting them becomes insufficient. State money can replace expired tobacco settlement funding only if the General Assembly sets aside the money and the Governor authorizes it. The commission must make these funding limits available to current workers and new hires paid from tobacco settlement money. When applicable, these limits must also appear in employee handbooks or professional services contracts paid from tobacco settlement money. The staffing ceiling and tobacco settlement funding conditions apply from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

The Arkansas Minority Health Commission can request permission to move money between operating budget categories or into a budget for promotional items. Operating transfers address categories the agency head finds inadequate. The budget for promotional items starts at zero. Transfers need prior approval from the Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee. Promotional transfers go through the state’s chief fiscal officer; operating transfers also need that officer’s approval as being in the state’s best interest. Promotional items must use money moved from operating expenses or the budget for screening, monitoring, treatment, outreach, and advertising. Operating transfers cannot raise the budget above the authorized amount or available money. All transfers must follow this law’s rules. Money cannot move out of equipment purchases or data processing without specific legal authority. An exception allows equipment money to move to data processing when the Office of State Technology finds its services cheaper than the agency buying equipment itself. These transfer rules apply from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.