Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 472 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 391 3
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By: Senator J. Dismang 5
By: Representative Eaves 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION GRANT 9
PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ROBOTICS TEAMS IN PUBLIC OR 10
PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING STUDY 11
IN THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, 12
AND MATHEMATICS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO CREATE THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION GRANT 17
PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ROBOTICS TEAMS IN 18
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THE 19
PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING STUDY IN THE 20
FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, 21
ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS. 22
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 16, is amended to add an 26
additional subchapter to read as follows: 27
Subchapter 20 — Robotics Competition Grant Program 28
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6-16-2001. Creation — Purpose. 30
(a) There is established a Robotics Competition Grant Program. 31
(b) The purpose of the program is to provide grants to expand 32
opportunities that increase interest and improve skills in science, 33
technology, engineering, and mathematics through participation in robotics 34
competitions that: 35
(1) Provide hands-on learning experiences; 36 SB391
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(2) Establish community partnerships to increase awareness of 1
local workforce and postsecondary opportunities; 2
(3) Highlight career opportunities through adult mentors; 3
(4) Prioritize a connection to manufacturing, machining, and 4
fabrication skills for students in grades six through twelve (6 -12); 5
(5) Prepare students for future career opportunities through 6
industrial proficiency; and 7
(6) Develop students' skills through problem solving, design, 8
programming, teamwork, critical -thinking abilities, communication, 9
collaboration, time management, perseverance, and leadership. 10
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6-16-2002. Definitions. 12
As used in this subchapter: 13
(1) "Allowable expense" means: 14
(A) Robotics competition fees, kits, and supplies required 15
to: 16
(i) Establish or maintain a robotics team; and 17
(ii) Participate in a robotics competition; 18
(B) Event registration fees, materials, transportation and 19
travel costs, and other expenses associated with attendance at and 20
participation in a robotics competition; and 21
(C) The payment of a stipend for a robotics team mentor, 22
coach, or sponsor; 23
(2) "Eligible school" means: 24
(A) A public school within a public school district; 25
(B) An open-enrollment public charter school; or 26
(C) A nonpublic school that is accredited by the Arkansas 27
Nonpublic School Accrediting Association, Inc., or another organization 28
identified by the State Board of Education; 29
(3) "Eligible team" means a robotics competition team that 30
consists of: 31
(A) Students in grades six through twelve (6 -12) who are 32
enrolled in an eligible school; and 33
(B) At least one (1) adult who is a team mentor, coach, or 34
sponsor; and 35
(4) "Robotics competition" means a competition that: 36 SB391
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(A) Requires participating teams to design, construct, 1
program, and operate a robot; 2
(B) Is sponsored by a nonprofit corporation under Section 3
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as it existed on January 1, 4
2025, that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Internal 5
Revenue Code of 1986, as it existed on January 1, 2025, and that has a 6
purpose or goal of encouraging young people to develop an interest in 7
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and 8
(C) Is hosted by a program provider that includes without 9
limitation: 10
(i) For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and 11
Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition; 12
(ii) For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and 13
Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge; or 14
(iii) VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes, 15
hosted by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation. 16
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6-16-2003. Administration. 18
(a) The Robotics Competition Grant Program shall be administered by 19
the Department of Education. 20
(b) A grant awarded under this subchapter shall be subject to an 21
eligible team obtaining a matching contribution from other sources, which 22
shall be equivalent to at least twenty -five percent (25%) of the total grant 23
amount awarded to the eligible team under this subchapter. 24
(c) The department shall award a grant under this subchapter in a 25
manner that maximizes the number of eligible teams that receive a grant and 26
expands the geographical distribution of eligible teams. 27
(d) A grant awarded under this subchapter shall be distributed by the 28
department to an eligible school on behalf of an eligible team. 29
(e) The availability of grants under this subchapter is subject to 30
appropriation by the General Assembly for the administration of the program. 31
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6-16-2004. Eligibility. 33
(a) An eligible team may apply for a grant from the Robotics 34
Competition Grant Program under this subchapter through the process 35
established by the Department of Education. 36 SB391
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(b) In order to receive a grant under this subchapter, an eligible 1
team shall show proof of the following in its application: 2
(1) A partnership for the purpose of a robotics competition with 3
at least one (1) sponsor, business entity, institution of higher education, 4
or technical school; 5
(2) An adult robotics team mentor, coach, or sponsor; 6
(3) A proposed budget, which shall include without limitation 7
estimated allowable expenses of the eligible team for the school year in 8
which the eligible team is applying for a grant under this subchapter; 9
(4) A commitment to compete in at least one (1) robotics 10
competition within one (1) year from the date the award under this subchapter 11
is granted; 12
(5) A commitment to create an original, iteratively designed 13
robot; and 14
(6) The ability to meet all program requirements. 15
(c) An eligible team may apply for more than one (1) grant per school 16
year if the eligible team participates in more than one (1) robotics 17
competition, including without limitation the advancement to a regional, 18
state, or national competition. 19
(d) Allowable expenses under this subchapter may include a stipend for 20
a robotics team mentor, coach, or sponsor, which shall not exceed one 21
thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per school year. 22
23
6-16-2005. Rules. 24
The Department of Education shall promulgate rules for the 25
administration of the Robotics Competition Grant Program established by this 26
subchapter, which shall include without limitation the process for applying 27
for a grant under this subchapter. 28
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APPROVED: 4/8/25 31
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