Highway department budget $1.522 billion for fiscal years 2009 and 2010
by January 22, 2009 6:34 pm 141 views
Bills filed Wednesday (Jan. 21) in the 87th General Assembly include the following:
HB 1156
This bill, pushed by the House Joint Budget Committee, establishes the appropriation for the Arkansas Highway & Transportation Department for the 2009 and 2010 fiscal years.
Some interesting numbers from the requested appropriation are:
• The director’s salary is $156,511, with district engineers earning $109,922.
• The lowest paid position, file clerk earns $27,305.
• There are 4,849 AHTD employee positions allowed in the bill.
• The two-year budget appropriation includes $171 million for regular salaries; $7 million for overtime pay; $245.5 million in operating expenses; $869.86 million for capital outlay; $95 million for debt service and $34 million for state aid roads.
• Total appropriation: $1.522 billion
A companion bill, HB 1157, appropriates $200 million for the state highway employees’ retirement system for fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
SB 124
Bill proposed by Sen. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette, to require loads of sand, gravel or rock to be hauled in an enclosed vehicle “or secured with a cover.”
HB 1162
The bill, filed by Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, would abolish the Arkansas State Board of Massage Therapy and to transfer those duties to the Arkansas Department of Health.
These proposed bills were among 35 posted on the Arkansas Legislature Web site as of 515 p.m.
Link here for more information from Roby Brock’s "The Political Buzz" about recent activity at the General Assembly.