Legislative committee endorses $50M transfer for school safety

Arkansas Senator Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, answers questions about Senate Bill 2, regarding school safety grants appropriation, during a meeting of the Joint Budget Committee on the first day of the special session at the Arkansas State Capitol on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/810ledge/


(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)
Arkansas Senator Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, answers questions about Senate Bill 2, regarding school safety grants appropriation, during a meeting of the Joint Budget Committee on the first day of the special session at the Arkansas State Capitol on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/810ledge/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)

The Legislature's Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill that would transfer $50 million from the state's general revenue allotment reserve fund to a school safety set-aside account in the state's restricted reserve fund.

With several audible dissenters, the panel recommended the Senate and House approve Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain Home.

The state's general revenue allotment reserve fund balance totals $1.378 billion after that much of the state's $1.628 billion general revenue surplus in fiscal 2022 that ended June 30 was transferred to the fund, and the other $250 million of the general revenue surplus was distributed to other funds as already authorized by the governor and the Legislature, according to the state Department of Finance and Administration.

SB2 would grant the state Department of Education $50 million in spending authority for school safety grants in fiscal 2023 that started July 1 and ends June 30, 2023.

Under the legislation, the state Department of Education is barred from beginning the process of promulgating rules for the distribution of the funds in the school safety set-aside until authorized by the Legislative Council. The department also is prohibited from disbursing any funds in the school safety set-aside until the rules have been approved by the Legislative Council under the bill.

Under SB2, the state's chief fiscal officer may transfer funds from the restricted reserve school safety set-aside fund after receiving prior approval of the greater of three-fifths of the quorum or a majority of the Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee, for the Department of Education to distribute funds for the school safety grant program.

Irvin, who is chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, said the School Safety Commission's recommendations that are due by Oct. 1 will be put together with an assessment about school safety through the House and Senate Education Committee's educational adequacy review in developing the school safety grant program.

Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, who is a co-chairman of the Joint Budget Committee, said the executive branch will develop the rules for the school safety grant program and the Legislative Council will approve or disapprove the proposed rules for the grant program.

Rep. Lane Jean, R-Magnolia, who is a co-chairman of the Joint Budget Committee, said he doesn't think that $50 million is the "final price tag" for the school safety grant program and it's possible the Legislature could provide more funding for the program, if it's needed, in the regular session, which begins Jan. 9.


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