Arkansas Advocate: State lawmakers give $6.7B budget final OK, adjourn session

BUDGET OK — Republican Rep. Carol Dalby of Texarkana speaks in favor of an appropriations bill to provide state matching funds for some donations to Arkansas TV during floor debate in the Arkansas House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. | Photo by Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate

By AINSLEY PLATT | Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Legislature adjourned its fiscal session Wednesday, wrapping up three weeks of work that included debate over a multimillion economic incentive package and ended with lawmakers rejecting an effort to provide state matching funds for donations to the state’s public television network.  

Legislators in both chambers easily approved identical versions of the $6.7 billion state budget, known as the Revenue Stabilization Act, for the fiscal year starting July 1. The House voted 70-27. The Senate voted 32-2. The Legislature on April 8 began the fiscal session, which is focused primarily on crafting the state’s budget and not broader issues.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders planned to sign the budget legislation Wednesday afternoon.

The legislation includes a proposal to set aside up to $300 million for incentives aimed at luring a manufacturer to West Memphis.

Before adjourning, the House twice rejected Senate Bill 77, which would have given the state the option to match up to $550,000 in private donations to the state’s public television station, after several members reported their votes weren’t counted during the first vote.

The legislation did not provide the money for the matching funds, and supporters said the source of the state funds would have to be determined later.

The measure, authored by Democratic Sen. Clarke Tucker of Little Rock, attracted more debate than most bills on the House floor during the fiscal session.  

Opponents noted that the network’s leadership hadn’t asked for the funding, while supporters pointed to how the funds could be used for any reason and weren’t required to be used for PBS membership dues.

It comes as Arkansas TV, formerly known as Arkansas PBS, has paused its first-in-the-nation attempt to disaffiliate from PBS after public outcry. The House rejected the bill Wednesday after former first ladies Gay White and Barbara Pryor, who lead a group rallying to keep PBS in the state, watched on from the gallery.

The move to disaffiliate from PBS came after federal funding cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting last year, which Arkansas TV CEO Carlton Wing said made continued membership with PBS economically unfeasible.

Lawmakers are expected to return to the Capitol next week for a special session focused on Sanders’ proposal to cut state income taxes.