Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HB1242 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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3	3	State of Arkansas 1
4	4	95th General Assembly A Bill 2
5	5	Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1242 3
6	6	4
7	7	By: Representative J. Mayberry 5
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10	10	For An Act To Be Entitled 8
11	11	AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL NURSES; TO AMEND THE 9
12	12	MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED; AND 10
13	13	FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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16	16	Subtitle 14
17	17	TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL 15
18	18	NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. 16
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20	20	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 18
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22	22	SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6-17-2202(1)(B), concerning the definition 20
23	23	of "classified employee", is amended to read as follows: 21
24	24	(B) "Classified employee" does not include a nonlicensed: 22
25	25	(i) Nonlicensed teacher; or 23
26	26	(ii) School nurse; and 24
27	27	25
28	28	SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 17, Subchapter 1, is amended 26
29	29	to add an additional section to read as follows: 27
30	30	6-17-125. School nurses — Compensation. 28
31	31	(a) As used in this section, "school nurse" means a licensed nurse 29
32	32	engaging in school nursing activities. 30
33	33	(b) Each school district board of directors shall: 31
34	34	(1) Except as otherwise provided by this section, pay school 32
35	35	nurses a minimum base salary that is at least equal to the minimum base 33
36	36	salary required for classroom teachers by § 6 -17-2403; and 34
37	37	(2) Adopt a school nurse salary schedule that incorporates the 35
38	38	same or similar factors and steps as those used to establish and incorporated 36 HB1242
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41	41	in the public school district's employee salary schedule required by § 6 -17-1
42	42	2403. 2
43	43	(c)(1)(A) For the 2027 -2028 school year and each school year 3
44	44	thereafter, each public school district shall have in place for a school 4
45	45	nurse employed by the public school district a minimum base salary and school 5
46	46	nurse salary schedule that meet the requirements of this section. 6
47	47	(B) The salary schedule for school nurses required under 7
48	48	this section shall be prorated based on a basic contract for teachers of one 8
49	49	hundred ninety (190) days as defined under § 6 -17-2402. 9
50	50	(2)(A) A school nurse who holds a bachelor's degree and who has 10
51	51	zero (0) years of experience shall receive the same base salary for the 11
52	52	respective school year as that received by a classroom teacher who is 12
53	53	employed by the same public school district in which the school nurse is 13
54	54	employed and who has zero (0) years of experience and a bachelor's degree. 14
55	55	(B) A school nurse shall have his or her base salary 15
56	56	adjusted according to the factors considered in the salary schedule adopted 16
57	57	by the public school district in which the school nurse is employed. 17
58	58	(3) A school nurse shall receive at least ninety percent (90%) 18
59	59	of the base salary established for a classroom teacher with the same or 19
60	60	similar levels of education, experience, and other factors considered by a 20
61	61	public school district in its school nurse salary schedule and employee 21
62	62	salary schedule if the school nurse: 22
63	63	(A) Does not hold a bachelor's degree; and 23
64	64	(B) Is a registered nurse. 24
65	65	(4) A school nurse shall receive at least eighty percent (80%) 25
66	66	of the base salary established for a classroom teacher with the same or 26
67	67	similar levels of education, experience, and other factors considered by a 27
68	68	public school district in its school nurse salary schedule and employee 28
69	69	salary schedule if the school nurse: 29
70	70	(A) Does not hold a bachelor's degree; and 30
71	71	(B) Is a licensed practical nurse. 31
72	72	(d) A public school district shall not lower the current salary of a 32
73	73	school nurse who is currently: 33
74	74	(1) Employed by the public school district; and 34
75	75	(2) Earning a rate of pay that is higher than the salary 35
76	76	schedule required by this section. 36 HB1242
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80	80	SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6 -20-2305(b), concerning additional 2
81	81	education funding categories under the Public School Funding Act of 2003, is 3
82	82	amended to add an additional subdivision to read as follows: 4
83	83	(7) The House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on 5
84	84	Education shall jointly consider costs associated with funding public school 6
85	85	district nurses under § 6 -17-125 as part of the biennial adequacy review 7
86	86	process required under § 10 -3-2102. 8
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