The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Arkansas appropriates $35.6 million for the Public Defender Commission for fiscal year 2027
Last action · April 27, 2026: Notification that SB52 is now Act 81
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What This Bill Does
Arkansas enacts SB 52 as Act 81, appropriating a total of $35,632,416 for the Trial Public Defender Office, $3,975,580 for State Operations, and $4,780,926 for the Commission for Parent Counsel for the ending June 30, 2027.
Provides operational funding and staff position caps for state public defense and parent representation services throughout the starting July 1, 2026.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Arkansas Public Defender Commission
Receives operational funding and employee position caps for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Indigent parents in dependency-neglect cases
Eligible for representation through independent professional service contracts funded by parent counsel reimbursements.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much total funding is allocated for the Trial Public Defender Office?
When does this funding take effect?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
22 actions- Apr 27, 2026SenateEnrolledNotification that SB52 is now Act 81
- Apr 24, 2026SenateEnrolledDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
- Apr 24, 2026SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
- Apr 23, 2026SenateORDERED ENROLLED
- Apr 23, 2026SenateReturned from the House as passed.
- Apr 23, 2026HouseReturned To Senate as Passed.
Show 16 earlier actions
- Apr 23, 2026HouseEMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
- Apr 23, 2026HouseFloorRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
- Apr 23, 2026HouseConsidered in the Committee of the Whole, and recommended do pass.
- Apr 23, 2026HouseRULES SUSPENDED
- Apr 22, 2026HouseIntroducedRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR.
- Apr 22, 2026HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
- Apr 22, 2026SenateOrdered Immediately transmitted to the House.
- Apr 22, 2026SenateEMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
- Apr 22, 2026SenateFloorRead the third time and passed.
- Apr 21, 2026SenateCommitteeReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
- Apr 15, 2026SenateCommitteeRe-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
- Apr 15, 2026SenateREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
- Apr 15, 2026SenateFloorAmendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.
- Apr 15, 2026SenateWithdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1
- Apr 8, 2026SenateIntroducedRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
- Apr 1, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Connected Entities
Sources
arkleg.state.ar.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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