Arkansas budget, debt, and interest

Gross rent includes contract rent and tenant-paid utilities. Rental protections, assistance, and housing supply concern components of rental-market conditions; they do not set Arkansas’s median rent. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Median gross rent. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCEFor activities and assistance for the provision of tenant-based rental assistance authorized under the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) (in this heading the Act), not otherwise provided for, $34,083,000,000, to remain available until expended, which shall be available on October 1, 2026 (in addition to the $4,000,000,000 previously appropriated under this heading that shall be available on October 1, 2026), and $4,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, which shall be available on October 1, 2027: Provided, That of the sums appropriated under this heading—(1)$35,453,000,000 shall be available for renewals of expiring section 8 tenant-based annual contributions contracts (including renewals of enhanced vouchers under any provision of law authorizing such assistance under section 8(t) of the Act) and including renewal of other special purpose incremental vouchers: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, from amounts provided under this paragraph and any carryover, the Secretary for the calendar year 2027 funding cycle shall provide renewal funding for each public housing agency based on validated voucher management system (VMS) or successor system leasing and cost data for the prior calendar year and by applying an inflation factor as established by the Secretary, by notice published in the Federal Register, and by making any necessary adjustments for the costs associated with the first-time renewal of vouchers under this paragraph including tenant protection and choice neighborhoods vouchers: Provided further, That none of the funds provided under this paragraph may be used to fund a total number of unit months under lease which exceeds a public housing agency's authorized level of units under contract, except for public housing agencies participating in the moving to work (MTW) demonstration, which are instead governed in accordance with the requirements of the MTW demonstration program or their MTW agreements, if any, or as necessary on a temporary basis and within available resources to facilitate the transition of residents assisted by emergency housing vouchers (Public Law 117–2; 135 Stat. 58) to tenant-based rental assistance under the housing assistance payment contract under section 8(o) of the Act: Provided further, That any leasing or associated costs authorized for emergency housing vouchers in the preceding proviso above the public housing agency’s authorized level of units under contract shall not be included in the calculation of the agency’s renewal funding allocation for any subsequent fiscal year: Provided further, That the Secretary shall, to the extent necessary to stay within the amount specified under this paragraph (except as otherwise modified under this paragraph), prorate each public housing agency's allocation otherwise established pursuant to this paragraph: Provided further, That except as provided in the following provisos, the entire amount specified under this paragraph (except as otherwise modified under this paragraph) shall be obligated to the public housing agencies based on the allocation and pro rata method described above, and the Secretary shall notify public housing agencies of their annual budget by the latter of 60 days after enactment of this Act or March 1, 2027: Provided further, That the Secretary may extend the notification period only after the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations are notified at least 10 business days in advance of the deadline: Provided further, That public housing agencies participating in the MTW demonstration shall be funded in accordance with the requirements of the MTW demonstration program or their MTW agreements, if any, and shall be subject to the same pro rata adjustments under the preceding provisos: Provided further, That the Secretary may perform a statutory offset of public housing agencies' calendar year 2027 allocations based on the excess amounts of public housing agencies' net restricted assets accounts, including HUD-held programmatic reserves (in accordance with VMS or successor system data in calendar year 2026 that is verifiable and complete), as determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That public housing agencies participating in the MTW demonstration shall also be subject to the statutory offset: Provided further, That for amounts subject to the single fund budget authority provisions of their MTW agreements, excess amounts shall be offset only to the extent permitted by section 239 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114–113): Provided further, That for public housing agencies in the MTW demonstration subject to single fund budget authority provisions, the Secretary shall provide not less than 60 days to appeal such offsets and shall not offset amounts that have been committed to capital improvement, development, and other repositioning activities that are scheduled to close within 12 months of enactment of this Act, as evidenced in funding applications, project schedules, or other commitments to third parties implementing such activities, to the extent that reserve amounts excluded from offset under such section 239 are insufficient to cover such commitments: Provided further, That the Secretary shall not offset any portion of a public housing agency’s excess amounts if offsetting such portion would result in a public housing agency being put in a shortfall position in calendar year 2027, as estimated by HUD prior to the offset’s implementation, as determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That the Secretary shall use any such offset amounts referred to in the preceding five provisos throughout the calendar year to prevent the termination of rental assistance for families as the result of insufficient funding, as determined by the Secretary, and to avoid or reduce the proration of renewal funding allocations: Provided further, That the Secretary may waive or specify alternative requirements for section 5A and section 8(o) of the Act or any regulation applicable to such statutes related to the administration of waiting lists, local preferences, portability, and public housing agency plan and public hearing requirements to facilitate or expedite the transition of residents assisted by emergency housing vouchers (Public Law 117–2; 135 Stat. 58) to tenant-based rental assistance under the housing assistance payment contract under section 8(o) of the Act: Provided further, That up to $200,000,000 shall be available only:(A)for vouchers that were not in use during the previous 12-month period in order to be available to meet a commitment pursuant to section 8(o)(13) of the Act, or an adjustment for a funding obligation not yet expended in the previous calendar year for a MTW-eligible activity to develop affordable housing for an agency added to the MTW demonstration under the expansion authority provided in section 239 of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (division L of Public Law 114–113); (B)for adjustments for costs associated with HUD–Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD–VASH) vouchers; (C)for public housing agencies that, despite taking reasonable cost savings measures as determined by the Secretary, would otherwise be required to terminate rental assistance for families as a result of insufficient funding; Provided further, That the Secretary shall allocate amounts under the preceding proviso based on need, as determined by the Secretary;

Natural-gas share is the portion of electricity generated at Arkansas facilities supplied by natural gas. Natural-gas output is the numerator and total in-state generation is the denominator. Policies concerning natural-gas or competing generation technologies can concern this mix; in-state generation differs from electricity consumed in the state. Procurement targets and authorizations are distinct from operating plants or measured output. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Arkansas evidence context: Natural-gas share of in-state electricity generation. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

2. Commission review and comment for covered agency actions Section 215 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o) is amended— (1) in subsection (g)— (A) by striking The ERO and inserting the following: (1) In general The ERO ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Annual long-term assessment The assessments under paragraph (1) shall include an annual long-term assessment, which shall include— (A) an analysis of the ability of the bulk-power system to supply sufficient electric energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability, taking into account— (i) generation resource mix; (ii) transmission development; and (iii) electric energy demand trends; (B) an analysis of— (i) the risk of future electric energy supply shortfalls under normal and extreme weather conditions; and (ii) the risk of any such shortfalls within each region of the bulk-power system; and (C) a determination of whether additional generation resources are necessary to supply sufficient electric energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability during the assessment period. (3) Notice of generation inadequacy In conducting a long-term assessment under paragraph (2), if the ERO determines that the bulk-power system is at risk of not having adequate generation resources to supply sufficient electric energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability, the ERO shall publicly notify the Commission that the bulk-power system is in a state of generation inadequacy. (4) Data collection To conduct a long-term assessment under paragraph (2), the ERO may collect information and data from users, owners, and operators of the bulk-power system. ; (2) by redesignating subsections (h) through (k) as subsections (i) through (l), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (g) the following: (h) Commission review and comment for covered agency actions (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Covered agency action The term covered agency action means a regulation that— (i) relates to, or otherwise directly affects, any generation resource in the bulk-power system; and (ii) on the date on which the applicable Federal agency receives notice from the Commission under paragraph (2)— (I) is under development to be proposed; or (II) is otherwise under consideration in a rulemaking proceeding. (B) Federal agency The term Federal agency means an Executive department (as defined in section 101 of title 5, United States Code) or any other Executive agency the head of which holds a Cabinet-level position. (2) Notice to Federal agencies If the ERO notifies the Commission under subsection (g)(3) that the bulk-power system is in a state of generation inadequacy, the Commission shall promptly notify the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other Federal agency the Commission determines appropriate of that state of generation inadequacy. (3) Submission of covered agency actions to the Commission (A) In general Not later than the applicable date described in subparagraph (B), the head of each Federal agency that receives a notification under paragraph (2) shall submit to the Commission for review and comment any covered agency action of the Federal agency. (B) Date described The date referred to in subparagraph (A) is— (i) the first date on which the applicable covered agency action is provided to the Office of Management and Budget or any other Federal agency for review and comment; (ii) if the applicable covered agency action is not provided to the Office of Management and Budget or any other Federal agency for review and comment, the date that is 90 days before the date on which the covered agency action is published in the Federal Register or otherwise made available for public inspection or comment; or (iii) if, as of the date on which the Federal agency receives the applicable notification under paragraph (2), the covered agency action has already been provided to the Office of Management and Budget or any other Federal agency for review and comment, or has already been published in the Federal Register or otherwise made available for public inspection or comment, the date that is 60 days after the date on which the Federal agency received the notification. (4) Commission comments The Commission, in consultation with the ERO and transmission organizations, shall, by order, provide to the Federal agency head that submitted to the Commission a covered agency action under paragraph (3)— (A) comments on the covered agency action, which may include an assessment of the effect of the covered agency action on rates, terms, and conditions for services pursuant to the authority of the Commission under sections 201 and 206; and (B) if applicable, recommendations for modifications to the covered agency action to prevent a significant negative impact on the ability of the bulk-power system to supply sufficient electric energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability. (5) Agency response The head of a Federal agency may not finalize a covered agency action that is submitted to the Commission under paragraph (3) until— (A) the agency head responds in writing to the Commission with an explanation of how the agency head modified, or why the agency head determined not to modify, the covered agency action in response to any comments and recommendations provided by the Commission under paragraph (4); and (B) the Commission determines that the covered agency action is not likely to have a significant negative impact on the ability of the bulk-power system to supply sufficient electric energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability. (6) Public availability of comments and responses A Federal agency head shall include any comments, recommendations, and responses relating to the covered agency action under paragraphs (4) and (5) in— (A) any submission of the covered agency action to the Federal Register for publication; and (B) any other place in which the covered agency action is otherwise made available for public inspection or comment. .