Representative Tracy Steele

Meeting — March 31, 2025 (1:09:27)

Please stand. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, members. I just wanted to make sure that Representative Hawke

House Management — March 31, 2025 (4:16)

Thank you, Madam Chair and the committee. Tracy Steele, District 72. This is a resolution to honor Herb Scott. You may remember myself and Representative Richardson had our fraternity here, I think a week ago, two weeks ago now, before spring break, and we honored him with a citation. This is just a resolution. So all I'm going to get up and do is just ask for a good vote and sit down. Are there any questions?

Meeting — April 1, 2025 (2:41:26)

amends just a few pieces in here and there is no

Meeting — April 1, 2025 (2:40:52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So what this bill does, it amends the Arkansas Small Business Innovation Matching Grant Program, and this bill lifts the lifetime cap of three awards under the state program. The federal program has no caps, by the way, and we feel that this penalizes innovative companies and discourage other companies from applying to the Arkansas Development Commission so basically this is a great bill that we need to pass and

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:09:08)

I think that was that's based on if every

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:08:34)

This just expands it, not only just to be social workers, but to also include mental health counselors. Thank you,

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:08:00)

And we do know that some of those individuals, even though the grant no longer existed after the date that she aforementioned, some of the school districts took on the responsibility, and they kept those individuals in place for many years after that. I don't know how many still have them, but that's up to the local school district to do that. But at that point, it was only social workers. Those kids, as you all know, some of them bring problems to school, And sometimes those problems not only affect them, but disrupt other young people in the classroom.

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:06:53)

It was carrier funds from TANF, and schools that had at that time, it was 90% free and reduced luncheon, was eligible for the grants through the program. These were one-year contracts. They were done through the Department of Human Services. Once that money ran out, then the program, although it was still in place from a legislative standpoint, it was not funded.

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:06:46)

was 12 years ago, and it was primarily funding. Funding ran out. When we initially started this program, funding came from TANF.

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:05:49)

HB-1709 simply expands the definition from human service workers to mental health counselors in schools. It's an existing program. All this bill does is expand the definition. I would like to clarify, although it's

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:05:38)

code. No, there are already human service workers in schools. That's been happening about 12 years. All this bill does, and all these programs are wonderful, but that's not HB-1709.

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:05:33)

service worker? Is that defined somewhere? It is defined in the existing

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:05:19)

school district. Now, if the school district wants to do it on their

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:05:14)

That's up to the department to decide. And the

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:05:08)

This bill does not require that at all.

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (2:00:18)

if you restate your question for them since they were not at

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (1:59:04)

DHS program, the DHS required, they could only hire them as social workers, not as mental health counselors, and that's the difference in the bill. Representative Garner,

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (1:59:00)

could actually hire people in these positions already. But through the

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (1:58:55)

that. If they have the budget, a school throughout the state of Arkansas

Education Committee (House) — April 1, 2025 (1:58:30)

that would provide funding for mental health counselors as well as social workers in the schools. And