TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS ACT; AND TO DIRECT THE ARKANSAS MINORITY HEALTH COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.

HB 1402 amends Arkansas' Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act to allocate $500,000 annually from tobacco settlement funds toward a new grant program for school-based health centers. The Arkansas Minority Health Commission must establish and administer this program exclusively for school districts where racial or ethnic minorities are the majority population. The bill requires the Commission to mirror existing state grant program rules and distribute funds through the same framework used by the Department of Education and Department of Health. This policy change directly affects minority-majority school districts seeking to expand health services for students. Note: The bill was withdrawn by its author on February 18, 2025.