SB221

Senate Bill 221 is a budgetary measure that reappropriates unspent capital improvement funds for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023. The bill allocates funds for various projects, including the maintenance and repair of real property and facilities, as well as operational expenses related to agricultural disasters. Specific appropriations include $69,563 for the Livestock and Poultry Diagnostic Lab's necropsy room and significant bond proceeds for the construction of new office space, laboratories, and support facilities. Additionally, the bill provides $2,000,000 for the stewardship of state-owned lands and historic sites via the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Grant and Trust Fund. The legislation includes standard fiscal control measures and disbursement requirements mandated by Arkansas state law. Finally, the bill declares an emergency to ensure these funds remain available starting July 1, 2023, to maintain the operational continuity of the Department.