HB1516

This bill allows public school districts in Arkansas to partner with local businesses to bring subject-matter experts into high school classrooms for supplemental training and instruction. The partnership must be formalized through a memorandum of understanding that verifies the expert's credentials and establishes a system for tracking hours spent in the classroom. Any such instruction provided by an expert must remain under the supervision of a public school district employee. Additionally, the bill mandates safety requirements, requiring experts to undergo Child Maltreatment Central Registry checks, and criminal background checks if they will be left unsupervised with students. To incentivize these partnerships, the bill creates an income tax credit for participating businesses. The credit is calculated based on the expert's time at a rate of up to $50 per hour, capped at $10,000 per expert and $20,000 per business annually. The total aggregate amount of tax credits available across the state is capped at $250,000 per calendar year, administered on a first-come, first-served basis.