SB39

This bill provides the annual legislative appropriation for the Arkansas Department of Commerce - Division of Workforce Services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. It establishes the maximum number of regular employees for various divisions within the agency, totaling 462 authorized positions. The bill authorizes funding across multiple categories, including operations, trust funds, federal grants, and unemployment benefits. Specifically, it appropriates over $700 million for unemployment benefits and expenses, including payments to taxable and reimbursable employers. It also provides budget authority for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants, interest payments on federal unemployment loans, and operational costs for the agency's reemployment and new hire registry functions. The bill sets expenditure limits for personal services, operating expenses, and capital outlays to ensure the continued administration of state workforce laws and programs.