House Convenes
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (17)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HB1007
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1007 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMEN…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1022
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1022 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY APPRO…”
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AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1023
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1023 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - SECRETARY'S O…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - SECRETARY'S OFFICE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1034
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1034 AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER OF STATE APPROPRIATI…”
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AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER OF STATE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1035
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1035 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - TOBACCO PREVENTION AN…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CESSATION PROGRAMS APPROPRIATION FOR … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1036
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1036 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1053
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1053 AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROP…”
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AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1064
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1064 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - D…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - DISBURSING OFFICER APPROPRIATION FOR THE … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1066
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1066 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVIS…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY APPROPRIATION … | Joint Budget Committee | Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's … |
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HB1100
Act 143
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1100 TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; TO CREATE FUNDS; TO…”
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TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; TO CREATE FUNDS; TO MAKE TRANSFERS TO AND FROM … | Jean | Notification that HB1100 is now Act 143 |
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HR1052
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1052 House Management TO RESCIND THE ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE CH…”
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TO RESCIND THE ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE CHAMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES … | House Management | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
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SB24
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB24 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF D…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES APPROPRIATION … | Joint Budget Committee | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. |
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SB29
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB29 AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR APPROPRIAT…”
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AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. |
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SB41
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB41 AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - FAYETTEVILLE APPROP…”
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AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - FAYETTEVILLE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. |
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SB51
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB51 AN ACT FOR THE AUDITOR OF STATE - OPERATIONS AND UNCLAIMED…”
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AN ACT FOR THE AUDITOR OF STATE - OPERATIONS AND UNCLAIMED PROPERTY PROGRAM APPROPRIATION FOR … | Joint Budget Committee | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. |
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SB59
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB59 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVI…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 … | Joint Budget Committee | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. |
|
SB77
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB77 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVI…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 … | C. Tucker | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
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Chair
Unverified
13:00
I invite the members, staff, press, and guests in the galleries to stand and be led in prayer by Pastor Richard Hamlin, Senior Pastor of Faith Baptist Church of Cabot, and to remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean.
Speaker 6
13:33
Let's pray. Heavenly Father God, we are mindful today of the time when your son Jesus was on an urgent task. He was headed to heal a child who was dying. And in the middle of it, he stopped and asked the question, who touched me? So many were questioning why he would do such a thing in the midst of such urgency but we know now that the child he was going to heal was already dead
the woman who touched him was already healed and the most important thing at that moment was that a word of testimony a word of faith be given far more urgent than anything else God I feel the urgency in this body and if I can feel it I can only imagine how these legislators feel it and they're here on your business and Lord they must get down to business but remind them that in the midst of it all it might be that word of testimony
that word of faith that word of encouragement that makes all the difference even an eternal difference use them today in
Speaker 8
14:51
Jesus name, Amen and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and liberty.
Speaker 11
15:10
Members, please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. As everyone indicated their presence.
Speaker 16
15:52
Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. 99 members present, the chair sees a quorum. Representative Mike Hochul moves that we dispense of the reading of
Chair
Unverified
16:09
the previous day's journal. No objection, so ordered. Madam Clerk, any reports from select committees? Do you have any reports from standing committees? Any unfinished business? Any communications from the governor? Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members,
Speaker 16
16:20
we have a lot of guests here today.
Make sure we take some time to recognize them, to greet them, and thank them for being here with us
Chair
Unverified
16:30
in the House of Representatives. If you'd rise at this time, I'd like to recognize first in the back of the chamber, we have with us today Corporal Trey Keller from the Highway Patrol Administration, and Sergeant Zach Owens, also of the Highway Patrol Administration. Gentlemen, thank you for your service. Thank you for being here with us. Our doctor of the day in the back of the room, Dr. Eddie Ochoa.
He is a pediatrician in Little Rock, guest today of Representative Andrew Collins.
Speaker 21
17:16
Working alongside Dr. Choi today, our nurse, Ms. Leigh Fazio, please make her welcome. Members,
Speaker 16
17:30
I'll start today over in the East Gallery.
Chair
Unverified
17:33
We have first with us, we have representatives of the Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation, if they would please stand. They are led today by President Anna Powell. Along with her is Ed Darling, Steve Lance, Brandi Tuttle, Gary Chambliss, Mark Ross, Daniel Clements. They are here from the Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation, guest of Representative Dolly Henley. Welcome to the House of Representatives. Also
Speaker 16
18:08
in the East Gallery today, we have medical students from UAMS here.
Chair
Unverified
18:13
They are representing the Dermatology Training Advocacy Group, leading that group. Nephew of Representative Lee Johnson is Mark Johnson. Along with Mark is Elizabeth Stevens and Kennedy Johnson. Thank you for being here
Speaker 16
18:35
today. Guests today of Representative Glenn Barnes, Representative Ken Ferguson, and Representative Mike Holcomb are members of the
Chair
Unverified
18:41
UAPB Political Science Club, if they would stand.
Speaker 16
18:57
We have a very talented group here with us today. If you happen to have been downstairs during
Chair
Unverified
19:04
the lunch hour, you may have been serenaded by them. Very beautiful work, very talented, grateful to have them here. Guests today of Representative Carolyn Brown and Representative Brandon Aker, we have with us the Central Arkansas Christian Choir.
Speaker 16
19:29
Also up in the East Gallery, we have two additional guests. Now, to some of us, myself, and to some of the house staff, she is known as
Chair
Unverified
19:39
Mama Ruth. To others, she is known as Miss Ruth Lockwood, accompanying her today is her son, Jeffrey. This is the brother and mother of our Chief of Staff, Gina Lockwood.
Speaker 16
19:59
Members, you may have noticed a couple of familiar faces floating around here. I see both of them over here on this side. We have with us on the floor today two former House members. First, from Jonesboro, we have former State Representative Harold Copenhaver and also formerly of Benton, but I'm not sure exactly where he lives now. He lives
Chair
Unverified
20:20
in Jonesboro now, former House member Chris Ritchie. Please make them welcome.
Speaker 11
20:29
Thank you, members. You may be seated. Representative Tippie McCullough, for what purpose? You're
Representative Tippi McCullough
Unverified
20:38
recognized. Announcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's also a group today in the West Gallery. If we could get them to stand and recognize them. They're here for HIV Awareness and Education Day at the Capitol.
Representative Randy Torres
Unverified
21:29
Representative Torres, for what purpose? Point of personal privilege. You're recognized. I'd like to welcome Dr. Trent McCord and his daughter, Collins McCord. Originally from Siloam Springs, he's one of the best dentists in the state.
Speaker 16
21:56
We're glad to have him. Madam Clerk, please read House Memorial Resolution 1001.
Chair
Unverified
22:00
House Memorial Resolution 1001 by Representative Pickleton, in respectful memory of Senator Gary Don Stubblefield and in recognition of his many contributions to the state of Arkansas and his
local community. Representative Pilkington, you're recognized
to explain the resolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
22:21
like to invite Representative Bentley down here to join me as well.
You know, earlier on in the session, the Senate recognized Senator Stubblefield and his legacy to the state. What a lot of people don't know is, like many of these senators, they start in the House first. And Gary started down here in the House, and I thought it would be appropriate for us to honor him, but
also to let people know how much he meant to so many of his House members who he worked with together. And so today I want to take the time to honor him. Senator Stubblefield was a great colleague of mine.
He helped me so much. You know, when I first started down here, I was only 26 years old. he always treated me not like some young kid but as an equal and as
a colleague and when I would call him and ask him for help for my district his answer was always yes he was always willing to help the good people of Johnson County
and he always had such good advice and and I tell you it's funny when we would do events together I'd love to watch him debate his own constituents because it's really easy for us to sometimes just nod our heads
or just move along, but he really, truly believed in engaging with his constituents and explaining why he believed and why he believed and maybe why they were wrong. But I always really enjoyed Gary that way, and he just was a good Christian man, and the state's really going to miss him. And
the River Valley lost one of their greatest champions and their greatest advocates when he joined the lord so i just wanted to to pass this to pass this resolution so that we could honor him because i know while he meant a lot to the senate he also meant a lot to us here in the house and so i want
to turn over to my colleague mary uh to say a
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
24:18
few words as well thanks aaron um senator gary subfield was a legend in this state when he was a young boy he would get off the school bus and run all the way home so he'd help his mom milk the cows by hand because he didn't want his mom have do that work all by herself. He was just a man that loved people, loved the Lord, and truly loved the people that he represented. And I can honestly say many of the good bills that I passed here, whether it was for the dairy farmers or for students, were a host of things. From the very
first bill that I filed, would never have made it into law, having been for Senator Gary Subblefield. He was my champion on the Senate end. He was the one that never told me, no, this bill is too tough. He just said, all right, Bentley, what are we going to do next? He was just a champion. He loved people. When we were out in the district, he was the most loved senator. Everybody loved to debate him, to visit with him, but there was never a cause in Yale County that he didn't want to help me with, and he will truly be missed, and it's an honor to have served him, and I will never forget my brother on the other end, Senator Gary Stubblefield. Thanks, Aaron.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
25:20
Would you read the resolution in its
Chair
Unverified
25:28
entirety, please? whereas the Arkansas State Senator Gary Don Stubblefield formerly of branch passed away on Tuesday September 2nd 2025 at the age of 74 and whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield was born on February 28th 1951 in Charleston Arkansas to H.T. Toddy Stubblefield and Blue May Stubblefield and whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield was raised on a small family farm on Mill Creek Mountain
before his family moved to a farm and branch where his family cleared the land by hand and raised Halston milk cows and whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield would milk cows before and after school each day and would ride his bicycle for two miles each way to catch a school bus to and from the county line school where he played basketball in junior and senior high And whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where he successfully walked onto the Arkansas Razorbacks football team despite having never played football as county line schools did not have a football program at that time.
And whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield had a successful football career with the Arkansas Razorbacks football team as a cornerback on special teams and with whom he played in the Liberty Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. And whereas, while attending the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Senator Gary Stubblefield met his wife, Kathy, whom he married in 1974 and with whom he raised his daughter, Amber, and son, Joshua, while running his family dairy farm. And whereas, Senator Gary Stubblefield subsequently began a life of public service serving as the Justice of the Peace on the Franklin County Quorum Court as a member of the school board of the County Line School District.
as a member of the Arkansas Milk Stabilization Board, to which he was appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee, as a board member of the SFA Farmers Co-op, as a member of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, and as a member of the Convention of States, and whereas Senator Gary Subblefield was elected to the House of Representatives as representative for House District 67 in 2011, where he served a single term before running for election in the Senate, And whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield was elected to the Senate in 2013 where he served as Senator for Senate District 23 until his passing in 2025.
And whereas during his time in the Senate, Senator Gary Stubblefield served as chair of the City, County, and Local Affairs Committee, as chair of the Senate Committee and Judiciary, and as vice chair of the Game and Fish State Police Subcommittee of the Legislative Council. And whereas during his time in the Senate, Senator Gary Stubblefield served as a member of the Legislative Council, the Claims Review Subcommittee of the Legislative Council, the Charitable, Penal, and Correctional Institution Subcommittee of the Legislative Council, the Highway Commission Review and Advisory Subcommittee of the Legislative Council, the Joint Budget Committee, the State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee, the Senate Committee on Judiciary, the Senate Efficiency Committee, the Joint Committee on Energy, the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee,
and the Committee on Counties and Municipals of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. And whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield was known for his strong faith and diligence and was lifelong member of the First Baptist Church and Branch, where he became a member of 1976, and where he served as a deacon, as Sunday School Superintendent, and as a Sunday School Youth Boys Teacher for 34 years. And whereas Senator Gary Stubblefield is survived by his wife of 51 years, Kathy Stubblefield by his two children Amber Sullivan and Joshua Stubblefield
and by his ten grandchildren now therefore be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the 95th General Assembly of the state of Arkansas that the House of Representatives remember Senator Gary Don Stubblefield and recognize his enormous contributions to the state of Arkansas and to his local community appreciate a good vote
Representative Pilkington has explained the resolution. Would anyone like to speak against the resolution, for the resolution? Representative Pilkington, you're recognized to close for
the resolution. Representative Pilkington is closed for the resolution. Question before
Speaker 16
29:38
the House is the adoption of House Memorial Resolution 1001. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The ayes have it. Let
Chair
Unverified
29:48
the record reflect that House Memorial Resolution in 1001 was adopted by a unanimous vote of the House. .
Madam Clerk, please read House Memorial Resolution 1002. Memorial Resolution
1002 by Representative Pilkington to remember Representative Stanley Jack Stanberry for his service to his community and to the state
of Arkansas. Representative Pilkington you are recognized
to explain the resolution. Thank You Mr. Speaker I'd
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
30:39
like to invite Representative Duffield down here with me as well. It's been
a somber time in the River Valley.
I think for a lot of us, when we heard of Stan's passing, it was a great shock. So many conversations I have with colleagues that I can't believe that I just was speaking to him last week about this issue or that issue,
getting ready for the fiscal session. He really, truly was, I think, one of the kindest people I've ever met down here.
He truly loved Dover. He truly loved his community.
He was the same guy down here as he was back home. I cannot tell you how sad it is every time I look over and I see those black pieces of fabric draped over his chair. because there were so many times when things were stressful down here, when things were chaotic, when things were crazy. And Stan was just a kind-hearted, lovable guy who would tell you it's going to be okay to not be flustered.
He'd seen a lot. He knew it was going to be okay. He reminded me he had seen a lot more than I had. But I just, I'm really going to miss him because some so many times you know you were there's a hundred of us but even in our own little areas the river valley we get close to each other we talk about the same issues we deal with the same problems and uh some ways i didn't realize how much he really meant to me until after he was gone and i wish i could tell him that that he really meant a lot to me he was a good friend
and he was a good colleague and um i i know his family's here today i think they're down the center and I think they may have just slowly come over here, but I want them to know that they were always first in his mind, first thing he thought about, first thing he talked about. And they had a good husband and a good father, and Dover lost a pillar of their community way too soon. And so I just wanted to make sure that we honored him. And I'll turn it over to my colleague, Matt,
Representative Matt Duffield
Unverified
33:04
or Representative Duffield, to say a few words. representative stan barry was the kind of leader that we don't come across every day he wasn't loud he wasn't flashy he was steady grounded and always looked out for others if I had to say some stand up in one word it would be selfless in a place like this
that word means something I'd like to share a quick story from my freshman term here with representative Barry when I came in as a freshman I had my sights set on getting on the judiciary committee anyone here knows that is not something that you just come down here and walk into I did not have the seniority and I not think I had much of a shot but I went to stand after we selected our committees ask if he would consider trading with me he told me no but he did not stop there he looked at me and said you could
always ask speaker shepherd that might not sound like much but in a moment it meant everything to me. It was something that I would have never thought of doing, so I took his advice. It just so happened that day we had a barbecue lunch, and I walked over, and there stood Representative at that time, Speaker Shepard, and at 4.55 p.m. that afternoon, just minutes before the deadline, Speaker Shepard made that trade happen, and I got on the Judiciary Committee.
That happened because Stan Barry took a moment to point me in the right direction. That is who he was. He did not always give you the answer you wanted, but he gave you the answer that you needed. He lifted people up. He helped you see a path forward. Stan was a true team player, not just for his district, but for every one of us who had the honor of serving alongside with him. He understood this work is not about titles or recognition. it is about people it is about service it is about doing the right thing when nobody is watching
stan walked softly and carried a big stick and now we may find comfort in knowing that he's carrying that stick in heaven stan was not only a friend he was a mentor to so many he was a family man and his family will always carry the wonderful legs that stan left all of us with. His passion for education and making sure students and educators were taken care of was a mainstay of who he was. His work will continue to be felt for years to come.
If we want to truly honor the legacy of Stan Berry, we do not just remember him, we follow his example. We serve a little more selflessly. We help someone without expecting anything in return. We take the time to guide someone who's just getting started. That is the legacy that Representative Stanberry left with us, and it is a legacy worth carrying forward. Thank you. madam clerk please
Chair
Unverified
36:36
read the resolution in its entirety whereas representative
stanley jack stanbury of dover arkansas passed away at the age of 71 on monday march 23rd 2026 and whereas representative stanbury was born to jack berry and elaine churchill berry on may 20th 1954 in dover arkansas and whereas representative stanbury was dedicated to public service throughout the course of his entire life serving in the National Guard as well as on the Dover School Board, the Dover City Council and Tri-County Water Commission and the Pope County 9-1-1 Board. And whereas Representative Stanberry served his community as a charter member of the Dover
Lions Club for more than 37 years where he was a Melvin Jones Fellow. And whereas for his efforts to support and grow his local community, the Dover Chamber of Commerce, lauded Representative Stanberry as Citizen of the Year and awarded him the Good Samaritan Award. And whereas Representative Stanberry was a faithful member of Dover-Cumberland Presbyterian Church and served there as an elder, and whereas Representative Stanberry was a passionate and steadfast advocate for education driven by his belief that strong schools are the foundation
of a strong community, and whereas throughout his career as a representative for District 44, Representative Stanberry was a champion for local schools such as his local Dover School District and for educators such as his wife and daughters, and whereas during his seventh term in the House of Representatives, Stanberry served on a variety of committees including most recently on the Joint Committee of Military and Veteran Affairs, the House Committee of Public Transportation, the House Committee of State Agencies and Governmental Affairs, and the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee during the 95th General Assembly,
and whereas Representative Stanberry served in a variety of leadership roles in the House representatives including as chair of the committee on educational institutions of the legislative joint auditing committee chair of the house juvenile justice and child support subcommittee and vice chair of the house committee on judiciary and whereas representative stanbury is survived by his wife of over 30 years mona berry his children blake berry casey taylor justin singleton and kelsey scott and by his nine grandchildren and whereas representative stanbury was known for his
warmth for the deep and abiding love that he showed to those closest to him for his lifelong commitment to service to others and for the passion he showed in improving the lives of people in his local community and whereas representative sanberry will be sorely missed by the staff and members of the house of representatives for his kindness and strong desires to help those around him now therefore be it resolved by the house of representatives of the 95th general assembly of the state of arkansas that the house of representatives remember representative stan Lee Jack Stan Berry and honor his legacy of service to his local community and to
the state of Arkansas. Thank You Madam Clerk. Representative Pilkington has explained the resolution. Would anyone like to speak against the resolution? Would anyone like speak for
Speaker 16
39:36
the resolution? Members before we vote I believe we have members of Stan's family in the North Gallery. I would ask them at this time to stand. Members, all those in favor of the passage and the adoption of House Memorial Resolution 1002, all by the sign of saying aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The
Speaker 68
39:57
ayes have it. Let the record reflect that House Memorial Resolution 1002 passed unanimously. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
40:42
Members, we are going to pass over House Resolution 1052 today. The morning hour has ended. Members, we're
Speaker 5
41:07
going to go to the yellow budget calendar. Representative Johnson is here and ready to go.
Chair
Unverified
41:15
Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1100. House Bill 1100. Representative
Speaker 16
41:21
Johnson, you are recognized to explain House Bill 1100. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
41:24
Members, this is the RSA bill. This is what we amended yesterday. This is the bill that will amend the RSA Act and pass our budget
so that we can operate our government. Happy to answer any questions on this bill. Seeing none, I appreciate a good vote. Thank
Chair
Unverified
41:41
you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
Representative Collins, you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
41:59
you, Mr. Speaker. I knew I wanted to speak on this, but I was always planning on today, and I'm actually glad that yesterday was so much more about economic development, because that's really important too, but this is different from what I want to talk about. So I want to talk about this budget more broadly as a statement of
priorities as all budgets are. The priorities here are vouchers and tax cuts over the basic needs of Arkansans and that's why I'm a no. Across our state people are stretched thin. They worry about getting sick and not being able to to afford it. They worry about the drain of rising costs. We're here to work for those families. Healthcare is one of the things we do down here that most affects people's lives. And the healthcare situation right now is dire.
If you're on the individual insurance market, premiums rose by 22% on average this year, and out-of-pocket costs doubled. If you're on Medicaid, too many providers simply won't take your insurance, forcing you into a long drive, or skipping care. Speaking of long drives, many of our expecting moms can expect to drive a long, nerve-wracking road to give birth, one in which we must hope nothing out of the ordinary happens, because eight Arkansas hospitals have shuttered their labor and delivery units
since 2020, leaving 43 out of our 75 counties with zero labor and delivery units. We say the system is broken, and it is. But it's not broken by accident. It reflects the choices we make in moments like this. Medicaid reimburses providers for their services at such a low rate that it's hard for them to stay afloat. It's a big part of the reason hospitals are cutting services in places like Fort Smith, Jacksonville, Camden,
and rural hospitals are at risk of closing. We have the power to address Medicaid in this budget. Reimbursement rates need to be revised upward and fast. That would improve access to care for hundreds of thousands of Arkansans, put pressure on private insurers to raise their reimbursement rates, and go a long way to keep hospitals from closing. DHS doesn't need a new law to raise rates. They just need the funding in this budget to deliver the rates that their own analysis
tells them is needed. but instead this budget cuts from DHS. For the Arkansans struggling to find care, that sends a clear message. Fixing this is not the legislature's priority. The same message is being heard by families with loved ones with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities who reside at our human development centers. Funding for HDCs has been flat for a decade, despite inflation increasing almost 40% in that time
and a growing population in our state, leaving inadequate resources to keep the aging HDC facilities staffed and functional. That's why we all heard the desperate appeals from families during this fiscal session to increase HDC funding to an adequate level. To these appeals, which are financial but also moral in how we treat the least of our people, this budget says no. Also rejected in this budget, help for farmers facing an unprecedented crisis,
funds necessary to administer the SNAP program, and access to child care for families who are on a 3,000 deep waiting list and are being forced out of the workforce despite wanting to work because we the state can't get our act together. And here's the key point, we aren't leaving these things undone because we don't have the money. We do. But this budget makes a different choice to prioritize private school vouchers and tax cuts for top earners and corporations. Vouchers
are where most of the new money in this budget is going. The vouchers go to mostly well-off families whose children were already in private school. As for the homeschool and micro school side, the oversight is not there to prevent abuse the state is giving people a seven thousand dollar inducement to take their kids out of school with no testing to keep track of whether those kids are learning what are we doing all of this by the way comes at the expense of the 94 percent of kids
in public school tax cuts for top earners and corporations are of course the other priority taken up the oxygen when it comes to this budget. The governor told us that if we held the line, in other words, if we rejected things that helped Arkansans deal with rising costs, then we'd get the promised tax cuts. We duly complied. She also emphasized that the B category of this budget is really on the chopping block this year. That means things like career education,
behavioral health, ag, economic development, and services for the blind are facing real cuts to make room for this tax bill. Some of you will say you might not like the vouchers, or at least the way it's done, but you do like tax cuts. And I do too, sometimes, but it depends on the tax cut. This one has a very modest benefit for the average working Arkansan, maybe around 50 bucks. That's actually less than the $75 in the property tax bill that we just passed.
And we have to consider the broader consequences. As we reduce our income tax rate, we become more reliant on our already high sales tax, which shifts the tax burden further onto the poor. And when government breaks because of inadequate funding, hospitals closing, the social safety net fraying, farms going under, parks, and police on the chopping block, not only does that hurt people who interact with government, which is everybody, but it makes the state as a whole less attractive.
Job creators don't want to move to a state with a broken government. I support targeted tax cuts that help working people, but I'm against one that hurts the people we're supposed to represent. I'll close with this. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I'm giving my reasons. Many of y'all will support the RSA. Many of y'all are opposed for totally different reasons. And there's a lot to consider in this. It's the whole budget. All we can do is evaluate each bill on its merits and vote what we think is right.
To me, this budget is not right. Arkansans are underwater and need help. This budget doesn't meet those needs and spends too much on the wrong things. And that's why I'm a no.
Chair
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Representative Collins has spoke against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Johnson, Representative Burks,
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speaking against the bill, you are recognized.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rarely come down to speak against anything and I rarely agree with Andrew Collins, Representative Collins on anything, but I feel like that I need to at least explain why my vote would be a no on this RSA. When we had the RSA put on our desk on Friday, we were at a $6.2 billion budget. We had an amendment yesterday which increased it by $518 million, which puts us up to a $7.2 billion approval of allocation. And that's the reason I'll be voting against it, because we were at a 3.25% increase on
Friday, and now we're at over an 11% increase in allocation. I just wanted to make that clear, and again, I'm not trying to convince anybody to vote one way or the other. I just wanted to put that on the record. Thank you. Representative Burks
Chair
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has spoke against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Against the bill? Representative Johnson, you're
recognized to close for the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a few comments.
Representative Lee Johnson
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50:10
I do think, you know, as you all know as a physician health care is a big issue for me and health care is an important issue in
our state there are a lot of things and pressures being put on health care that have nothing to do with our state budget there's a lot of things happening in a lot of places that don't rely on Medicaid reimbursement I want to point out that in the Medicaid budget while it's being held flat we have an additional we will have an additional 200 million dollars and set aside for the Medicaid budget that's there and available for them to draw on additionally we have another almost 300 million dollars and set aside that's been sitting there for almost four years uh in the medicaid trust fund and so that you know while factually the budget's held flat uh there is absolutely
money available to fund the dhs and to fund medicaid and to take care of our health care needs of our state so i just wanted to clarify that be happy to answer any questions seeing none i do appreciate a good
Chair
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51:07
vote thank you representative johnson is closed for the bill The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1100. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk.
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Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.
Chair
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51:37
By a vote of 64 yeas, 30 nays, and 3 present. The bill is passed. Members, we will now vote separately on the emergency clause. Take 67 votes to pass the emergency clause. Madam Clerk, prepare the machine.
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Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? cast up the ballot by
Chair
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vote of 73 yeas 22 nays zero present you have passed the emergency clause madam clerk please read senate bill 77 senate bill 77 by representative johnson you're recognized thank you
Representative Lee Johnson
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52:29
mr speaker members as you know i think this was presented yesterday this is a bill that comes from the senate i want to remind everybody of a
couple of things that I think work maybe communicated yesterday but I think need some clarification the first of which is this is only an appropriation so this is not tied to any general revenue so this simply states that if there are $550,000 in private donations we have an appropriation if there is a match that comes where you could get that money and it could be spent that money if it did come in a match it would have to come outside of general revenue so this doesn't any draw on general revenue. Additionally, whatever funding comes in is not tied to PBS.
So this money, if we were to get a donation, if there were money to be found to match, the money could be spent in any fashion that the director or the TV commission saw fit. It would not have to be spent on PBS. So I wanted to make those clarifying points. Again, just appropriation at this point, no general revenue tied to it. Happy
Chair
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to answer any questions. Representative Long, for what purpose? You're
Representative Wayne Long
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recognized for a question. It's my understanding that the board has not requested this additional funding. Is that correct?
Representative Lee Johnson
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53:40
To my knowledge, this has not come from a request outside of the board. I don't think it's come from
a board request. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Seeing no further
Chair
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questions, appreciate your vote. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Anyone like to speak for the bill? representative rye you're recognized to come to the well
speak for the bill i had a big talk with carlton wayne last night and i'd say out of all the folks that are here
in this room carlton is probably as decent a man as there is and he said there was nothing whatsoever out there within this budget that was not on the up and up and would be bad for family or children. And I think we really need to take this serious. Thank you. Representative Rye has spoke for the bill. Would anyone like to
Chair
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speak against the bill? Representative Hawk, you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, most of the time you see
Representative RJ Hawk
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54:58
me come here advocate for public television. And while when we have the appropriation here in a minute, I will advocate for that. But for this, I want it to be known that we have asked for an appropriation. And for this body, it is extremely hard to get that passed in this body each and every session. And not once, as was stated just a moment ago, has Arkansas TV asked for this to be done. In fact, the new plan that our former colleague Carlton Wing has come up with is saying
that if we get rid of Arkansas PBS and go to Arkansas TV, he's got a plan to where programming is only going to cost $500,000 instead of the $2.5 million of what it's going to cost to stay with PBS. And so while this would be great additional funding for PBS or Arkansas TV or whatever you want to call it now, it's not anything that they've requested. This is just something that we threw up and said, you know what? Hey, it'd be great to throw more money over here when it's already hard to get an appropriation
passed in here. I come to almost everybody in this legislature and say, hey, look, let's get Arkansas. TV Pass. It's a good thing. We're providing education for our state. This new format that Carleton's coming up with is going to provide all Arkansas all the time, 24 hours a day for $500,000 a year. This is not needed. We talk about spending. We talk about how much we've spent this session. This is not needed. It's not needed at all. I know that there's been members that have said, we need two new towers. I get all that. But these are all matching funds. It's just another thing
that we're throwing out there that is not needed and I just couldn't feel, I didn't feel right just sitting there not saying anything at all when this is not something we
Chair
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need to get past. Representative Hawke has spoke against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Johnson, you're recognized to close for the
bill. Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. Question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 77. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk.
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57:07
everyone voted everyone voted cast up the ballot by vote of 71 yeas 21
Chair
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nays to present bill has failed madam clerk please read house bill 1007 house bill 1007 represent johnson you're
Representative Lee Johnson
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recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, this is the appropriation for the
elementary and secondary education under the public school fund. The Department of Education would be happy to answer any questions. Seeing no questions, appreciate a good vote. Remember your one vote is for the bill and the
Chair
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emergency clause. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Mayberry, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
hello members there's a lot in this bill a lot of different numbers
but I'm coming up here today not really to convince any of you to agree with me that's not it but I need to explain because there's a lot of really good things in here that people go why would you vote against that on page two line six it's the better chance program it says 114 million dollars it's essentially been that number for nearly 20 years we have not seen an increase and i want to ask you do you think that a business
or any other entity can stay doing what they've been doing from 2008 in today's dollars with the same amount of funding? They just can't. So
I worked for a long time with a lot of different people, got input from a lot of people on a
plan that I thought made sense for a first step to improve early childhood education in this state. I brought the dollar amount down a lot from what
was originally being requested. Let me explain what the amendment was that I proposed. The amendment first of all was for about 22 million dollars that would have come from our educational adequacy fund which we have plenty of money in there right now there's over 800 million dollars sitting in our educational adequacy fund we have the money this is not general revenue this is from sales taxes and some other fees
it would have taken 1500 children off of a waiting list we have
over 3,000 children on a waiting list for early childhood education. It would have opened about 1,500 slots. And the other thing that it
would have done in early childhood education, it's very confusing because we have all these different rates. So we have one program
that's federally funded that pays a whole lot more, but actually has less requirements on it. And then we have another program, the Arkansas Better Chance program, that is state funded
through our educational adequacy, it's already in there. And those providers get $28 a day for child care.
If you're on the other early education program, the SRA program, you either get $33 or $36 a day based on the age of the child, so 36 for infant and toddler care. So the program that has higher requirements is paid less than the other program that doesn't meet the same requirements. It just doesn't make sense. I can't make sense of that. So this was an opportunity to kind of
simplify and level that. I thought that made sense to me, but it didn't pass committee. So that's why I'm voting against this today, because I see the need here. We have zero dollars extra in this budget, in this appropriation for early childhood care. Why is that important? Well, first of all, we're spending $379 million for EFAs that have few, or basically, that's open for anybody,
no financial thresholds or income requirements, few parameters, few checks and balances. Meantime, our ABC providers, our families and children have so many hoops to get through for this program. The ABC has the highest standards in child care. Teacher ratios are higher. Teacher certifications are higher. There's specific curriculum. There's food services that need to be offered in this program.
yet we pay the least for that care let me give you an example that someone emailed to me from
an abc provider one teacher for every four infants our state compensates that provider with a total for the year $20,000 for that classroom. $20,000 for that classroom. You have to pay a
teacher. You have to pay for supplies, curriculum, furnishings, food, overhead. I have no idea how doing that with $20,000. Let's talk about the families that are served in this program. It is not open to just anybody. It's very strict. You have to have income requirements, 200% of the poverty level. Or your
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child has to have some other type of risk factor like preterm birth.
these are working families families that are trying to make ends meet and i hear over and over up here
how we want families working yet we are doing things making it more difficult for them to work. I want to read you some of the results. If you don't think that early childhood care is
of any benefit, this comes from our own documentation from our Office of Early Child care. This is the ABC assessment data for pre-K. Statewide ABC pre-K for children demonstrated gains in each assessed domain by the end of the 23-24 school year with at least 70% scoring proficient. So let's take language and literacy. We want children reading by third grade. I think
all of us can agree, the children coming into that program start out with an 18% proficiency. The starting level is 18% proficiency. By the end of that year, they're at 74% proficiency. I'd love to see those numbers in K-12.
mathematical thinking they're coming in at 12 percent proficiency by the end of the year they're at 70 percent proficiency no that's not perfect but that's better than what we're seeing in k-12 education this is where we need to invest our u.s chamber of commerce says that for every dollar we invest in early childhood education, the return on investment, which we hear a lot of up here,
the return on investment is $7 to $12. Because not only are you helping that business stay open, that particular daycare, childhood care facility, but you're helping those families work at another job and bring in an income and support a business that helps support Arkansas, that actually can help us lower our income tax rates, because you have more people working.
It was inferred in the committee that I am anti-choice, and
I am not. I'm going to take us back to 2021. In April of that year, I was serving, I got the COVID vaccine, and I developed pleurisy. My lungs swelled, and I was struggling most of the month of April to breathe.
Yet I came every day, and I served. I left for a doctor's appointment that I needed to make, and I cut that doctor's appointment short so that I could race back and be in a revenue and tax committee so that I could be the 11th vote on that committee to get a bill out of that committee. It ended up being Act 904 of 2021 and it was sponsored by Senator Dismang and Representative Ken Bragg.
I was the 11th vote on that committee because I left my doctor's appointment to come and be in my seat so I could vote for that bill, and that was a bill that was for
Speaker 112
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school choice that was struggling to get
through this chamber. I have been teaching dance classes to children with special needs for 20 years. I understand children learn differently, and giving options is a good thing.
But I'm also a fiscal conservative, and I believe in accountability, and I believe in transparency, which we are not seeing up here anymore. I believe in the return on investment of the ABC program. You know what? Our state auditors actually also look into this program because it goes through our co-ops, many of them, and our public schools.
Seventy-five percent of the ABC centers are actually in our public schools, so we have eyes on this. Our Educational Adequacy Fund supports early childhood education already. I was asking in that committee for a very overdue increase, nearly 20 years, to keep up with the inflation and to value it with the same compensation as the other early childhood education programs in our state.
For that reason, I'm a no. Thank you. Representative
Speaker 21
1:08:54
Mayberry has spoke against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Anybody like
Chair
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1:09:00
to speak against the bill? Representative Johnson, you're recognized to close for the bill. Thank
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:09:05
you, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, I enjoy 99% of
what I do down here. Chairing special language is not something that I enjoy. That is a hard, heavy
lift in this chamber during a fiscal session.
And I appreciate the passion and the willingness to stand up here and speak from the heart about an issue that's important to you. and it's you know it's challenging to get things done in a fiscal session it just is with that said I think that this bill on a whole the good outweighs the outweighs the perceived bad and so I would appreciate your vote and you know we'll come around to the session we'll work on these things again from my perspective so thank you and members your one vote is for the
Chair
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1:09:50
bill on the emergency clause thank you very much Representative Johnson is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1007. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. By a vote of 91 yea, 7 nay,
and zero present. You have passed the bill and the emergency clause. Representative Johnson, you're recognized. Oh, Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1022. House Bill 1022. Representative Johnson. Members,
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:10:31
you'll note we're not trying to batch any of these today. So, yeah, House Bill 1022, this is an
act for the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. This is their appropriation for the next fiscal year. Happy to answer any questions.
Appreciate a good vote. Your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Thank you. Representative Johnson has
Chair
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1:10:49
explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill? Representative Johnson
is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1022. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone
Speaker 11
1:11:16
voted? Cast up the ballot. By vote of 94 yay, 2 nay,
Chair
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1:11:21
2 present, you've passed the bill and the emergency clause. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1023. House Bill 1023. Representative Johnson, you're recognized.
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:11:33
Members, this is the appropriation for the Department of DHS. This is for the Secretary office appropriation if there's no
questions your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause we have a question oh there we go
Representative Wayne Long
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1:11:47
long for what purpose question you're recognized is it correct this does not include any top of raise for the secretary is this correct that there's no
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:11:56
raise for the secretary correct my understanding is there's no raise the appropriation
is higher you know we uh she is an ex4 there's a range in which she can be paid within that category that
range tops out at $255,000. I believe our current salary is much less than that. There's room in the appropriation. If they wanted to go above that, the governor would have to come before us with a letter to ALC. So any raise outside that range would have to come with a request from the governor's office. So we have a check and balance on that. So
yes, my understanding is there's no raise in that. Thank you. Thank you. There are no other questions. I appreciate a good vote. One vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Thank
Chair
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1:12:36
you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone
like to speak against the bill? For the bill? Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. Question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1023. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause. Everyone voted? everyone voted cast up the ballot by a vote of 92 yay for nay to present you've
passed the bill and the emergency clause madam clerk please read house bill 1034 house bill 1034 representative
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:13:19
Johnson you're recognized members this is the appropriation for the treasurer's office I know
it's been heavily discussed I'm happy to answer any questions on this current appropriation seeing no questions. Appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
1:13:31
Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill, for the bill? Representative Johnson is closed
for the bill. Question before the House is the
passage of House Bill 1034. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. so everyone voted cast up the ballot by vote of 98 yay zero nay zero present you've passed the bill and the emergency clause madam clerk please read house bill 1035 house bill 1035 representative johnson you
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:14:15
are recognized members uh this is the tobacco cessation program from the
tobacco settlement money uh there was a lot of discussion about this today in joint budget I would say that I share a lot of members' concerns in how this money is being spent. I'm also committed in the interim to looking closer at both how it can be spent, because I do think there's some limitations on what we can do with tobacco settlement money, but also, you know, what we're spending it on. Are we getting a bang for our buck here? I think we have a plan to create some accountability through ALC with the programs that were mentioned today through Palm Bluff. I'm sure, as with any program, there's both good and bad in this.
I'll be supporting this appropriation day. I hope you'll join me in supporting it, but I'm also wanting to let everybody know I plan to look into this more and hope we all do. I think there's an appetite for that throughout the legislative body. So if there's any questions on this appropriation,
Representative Ryan A. Rose
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1:15:10
I'm happy to answer them. Representative Rose, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized. Representative Johnson, isn't it also true that there's other research and health care that's involved in this, breast cancer, heart health, smoke and cessation for pregnant women,
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:15:21
some other things like that. Is that correct? Yes. And, again, with a lot of these things, you know, it's easy to focus in on small things that maybe aren't successful and lose sight of the big things that really are important and successful. These are big dollar amounts that we're doing with the tobacco settlement. The programs we were looking at today in JBC were pretty small amounts comparatively. So, again, the baby and the bathwater, it's all in there together, and hopefully we can keep it all together this session
and then sort them out a little better in the interim. With no more questions, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause.
Chair
Unverified
1:15:53
Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Before the bill,
Representative Johnson is opposed for the bill. The question before the House system just
Speaker 3
1:16:20
went down. Members, the House will stand in recess for five minutes.
Unknown speaker
1:16:46
Thank you.
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Chair
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1:22:16
House will come to order. Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill
1035. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. members your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause everyone voted
Speaker 16
1:22:55
cast up the ballot the vote of 83 a's 13 a and two present the bill and
Chair
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1:23:03
the emergency clause has passed madam clerk please read house bill 1036 house bill 1036 representative johnson you're
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:23:12
recognized thank you mr. speaker members this is the appropriation for the Department of Health there's no questions I'll
remind you your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause have the clerk read the bill for the third time
Chair
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1:23:25
thank you representative Johnson has explained the bill would
anyone like to speak against the bill for
the bill represent Johnson is closed for the bill question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1036 prepare the machine madam clerk members your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause everyone
Speaker 11
1:23:51
voted everyone voted cast up the ballot a vote of 95 yay one
Chair
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1:23:57
nay and one present you pass the bill and the emergency clause madam clerk
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:24:01
please read House Bill 1053 House Bill 1053 representative Johnson you are recognized members this is the appropriation for the University of Arkansas Little Rock appreciate a good vote on this bill one
Chair
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1:24:16
vote is for the bill in the emergency clause thank you representative Johnson has explained the
bill but anyone like to speak against the bill representative Mike speak for the bill representative Rose you are recognized to
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speak for the bill Thank you, Mr. Speaker, sorry if that was loud, apologies.
Representative Ryan A. Rose
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1:24:37
Good afternoon, colleagues. After numerous conversations with leadership from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, they issued a statement today that they were committing to initiating the process of eliminating academic minor programs that are not viable due to low enrollment, including studies amongst others. The final authority to eliminate academic programs rests with their board of trustees. In passing this appropriation I believe they're receiving a million and a half
dollars less than they did the year before due to return of investments and some things that are done in Arkansas access so I believe this is a positive step in the right direction and we'll be looking forward to their board meeting no later than September to make a
decision on this They've committed this in writing in their letterhead, and I appreciate that. And so with all those things in mind, I'll be voting for this today. I would encourage you to do the same thing. Thank you. Representative
Chair
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1:25:40
Rose has spoke for the bill.
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill? Johnson is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1053. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. members your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause
Speaker 11
1:26:08
everyone voted everyone voted cast up the ballot by vote of
Chair
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1:26:13
93 a four nay and one present you've
passed the bill and the emergency clause madam clerk please read house bill 1064 house bill
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:26:25
1064 representative johnson you're recognized members this is dispersing officer appropriation within the Department of Finance and Administration if there
are no questions your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause
Chair
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1:26:37
thank you representative Johnson has explained the bill would anyone like speak against the bill for the bill
representative Johnson is closed for the bill question before
the house is the passage of House Bill 1064 prepare the machine madam clerk Members your one vote is
Speaker 11
1:26:58
for the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. By
Chair
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1:27:08
vote of 96 yay, one nay and one present you have passed the bill and the emergency clause. Madam Clerk please read House Bill 1066. House Bill 1066. Representative Johnson you're
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:27:22
recognized. Members this is a bill for the Department of Energy and Environment. This is
the Division of Environmental Quality. This is their appropriation bill. If there's no questions on the bill, I appreciate a good vote. Thank you. One vote is for the bill and the emergency clause.
Chair
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1:27:39
Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Unger, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Steve Unger
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1:27:55
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do believe that protecting the citizens against the harmful effects of air and water pollution is certainly a government function. However, in the last four years, I have been deeply involved with the Echo Vista Landfill in Tiny Town, Arkansas, owned by Waste Management. And I can tell you that ADQ has not performed any of these functions. they're the guard dog that doesn't bark they are the watchdog that doesn't see and so as a matter
of conscience I will always be a hard no on this thank you representative
Chair
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1:28:37
Unger has spoke against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill you
would like to speak against the bill representative Johnson is
closed for the bill question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1066. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk.
Speaker 11
1:29:04
So everyone voted. Members, your one bill is for, one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. A
Chair
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1:29:13
vote of 80 yeas, 14 nay, and 4 present. You've pass the bill and the emergency clause. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 24. Senate Bill 24.
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:29:27
Representative Johnson, you're recognized. Members, this is the appropriation within the Department of DHS's
budget. This is the Division of Developmental Disability Services, their appropriation. Happy to answer any questions.
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Representative Gramlich, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized for a question. I've had a number of constituents reach out to me about wondering if this does anything to do fund pay increases and stuff in our human development centers. Some people say it does. Some people
Representative Lee Johnson
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1:29:57
say it doesn't. Can you just make some clarifications for the people back home? So there's
no change in the appropriation, but there's money within the budget, within the set-asides to address human development centers. specifically also I know there's been questions about rate increases for
people with on the waiver and I did have meetings with DHS in the governor's office and you know we passed
a bill last session to implement a rate study to raise rates for providers with developmental disabilities and within the waiver program and they have committed to raising those rates starting to implementing
that study and raising those rates starting January 1 so there is money available within the budget it's going to be choices and decisions and I think there's adequate money within the budget to make those changes that have been discussed
Chair
Unverified
1:30:42
no more questions appreciate your vote representative Johnson has explained the bill would anyone like to
Speaker 90
1:30:53
speak against the bill for the bill representative Ladyman
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
1:31:02
you're recognize to speak for the bill. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I'm going to vote for the bill. I am not happy with the bill. I had two bills in special language for human development centers.
One for special Olympics, $110,000 to send 65 people to the nationals for special Olympics that didn't get passed. I hope we can find that much money to send these folks to the nationals. The reason I'm not happy with it, we have got to make this a priority. The human development centers, the raises for people who take care of the most needy among us,
that has to become a priority. And as some have said here today, it's not a priority in this budget but I will continue to fight for this money and I think a lot more people have joined me in that endeavor so coming next year we will be hearing a lot about this so I will vote for the budget but this has to be a priority human development centers
the people that are taking care of these folks that cannot take care of themselves we have to make that a priority so appreciate it good luck
Chair
Unverified
1:32:25
representative ladyman has spoke for the bill would anyone like speak against the bill for the bill representative
Johnson is closed for the bill question before the house is the passage of Senate bill 24 prepare the machine madam clerk members your one
Speaker 11
1:32:47
vote is for the bill and the emergency clause is everyone voted
Chair
Unverified
1:32:52
so everyone voted cast up the ballot a vote of 94 yay one nay and two present you've passed the bill and the emergency clause madam clerk
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:33:10
please read Senate bill 29 Senate bill 29 Representative Johnson you're recognized members this is the appropriation for the lieutenant governor's office happy to answer any questions on this appropriation seeing no questions appreciate your good vote one one vote for the bill and the emergency clause thank you
Chair
Unverified
1:33:23
representative Johnson has explained the bill would anyone like speak against the bill for the bill
representative Johnson is closed for the bill question before the house is the passage of Senate bill 29 prepare the machine madam clerk Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted?
Cast up the ballot. By vote of 84 yea, 13 nay, and 0 present, you've passed the bill and the emergency clause. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 41. Senate Bill
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:34:13
41. Representative Johnson, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, this is the University of Arkansas appropriation. Seeing no questions, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause.
Chair
Unverified
1:34:24
Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would
anyone like to speak against the bill? McKenzie you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank
Representative Brit McKenzie
Unverified
1:34:38
you Mr. Speaker ladies and gentlemen I came down here yesterday and asked for a no vote. Coming out of session I made a call and an overture directly to leadership at the University of Arkansas system to basically retrofit and go back to the special language that I ran. It was a very convincing performance yesterday.
78 people voted to not advance their appropriation. The request was simple. Let's stay this for one year. $3.4 million may be insignificant when we look at the billions of dollars that they spend, but again, it's a shift to the paradigm of what we're asking of students to bear the burden of for the purposes of athletics. I was just going to come down here and tell you I asked for that, and I was told respectfully, not at this time. And I was going to say, guys, I think we're very close to an opportunity to negotiate even further with one day left in session, and simply say, please, can we say no one more time?
Coming into the chamber, I was made aware of a piece of paper that went out. And then I heard about secondhand from other members that members were saying they've given me everything that I've asked for, and why am I still saying no? They have not given me everything I've asked for. I'm not asking for this as myself, as Britt, standing down here in the well. I'm asking for this on behalf of the 30,000 people that I represent and the subject matter that I care about in education and making sure that this state does everything it can to drive down the cost of higher ed. So just because it's been made apparent to me that I have been given everything I've asked for,
I'm going to go line by line and refute what a taxpayer-funded lobbyist handed to you all. The first assertion is that everything that's been done would keep the University of Arkansas Athletic Department self-sustaining. I developed an analogy just for this purpose. If any of the members here have a young adult child who's left college, and they're having to go out into the world and get an apartment. Let's say, for the purpose of this conversation, it's Representative Duke. Representative Duke has a son or daughter that goes and gets a $2,000 apartment.
They sign the lease, they hand over the security deposit, and they start to pay. All of a sudden, Representative Duke gets an invoice in the mail from that student saying, or from her child saying, this is your loving daughter invoice. That is exactly $2,000. Representative Duke's daughter is not self-sustaining. Representative Duke's daughter has a subsidy for the lifestyle that she has. That's not to be rude or disparaging, but it's just a fact. We work in a government. Our definitions should mean something. Our institutions should hold themselves to account.
When you say you're self-sustaining, you mean you're self-sustaining, especially for an organization that generates over $200 million of revenue. So I'm sorry that, you know, that's a little bit over the top, but I can't look at this paper and say with confidence that you are being told the truth. This information has been communicated with me. I've worked with the stakeholders. It was the thing that I said, the first thing I said when I came in this well. It's not for lack of trying that the individuals in Fayetteville and the individuals at the University of Arkansas System Office and the Board of Trustees want what they
want. They want to be able to share the burden onto students. Two things can be true at the same time. They want that responsibility, and it's not a good thing for those students. So ladies and gentlemen, I also want to make sure, because Randy Massanelli, a friend of this chamber whose father worked in in the House for a long time wanted me to clarify that I did misspeak yesterday when I said that University of Arkansas at Fayetteville wants to be able to put this cost. This is the UA system. This is the Board of Trustees. University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is run by a chancellor
that has a fiduciary responsibility to do what he's told by those Board of Trustee members. There's 98 of us in here today. I haven't worked one of you on this. No one's called and said, give me the brass tacks, tell me how you want me to vote. I'm passionate about this because I care, but the taxpayer-funded lobbyists have been working on y'all unceasingly about this very issue. So I understand that we may sit down here and call the balls and strikes, but I have been honest since day one, and I
haven't been trying to sell you a bill of false goods. So again, I'd ask for a no vote.
Speaker 85
1:38:43
Representative McKenzie has spoke against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Eves, you're recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
1:38:57
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I get started, I want you all to know that I respect you tremendously, and I respect your opinions. Sometimes I think we just disagree on things, but I want to cut through the noise and be honest
about what we're doing here if we fail to pass this appropriation for the University of Arkansas. We're not making a statement. We're not sending a message. We are pulling the plug on the cornerstone institution of this state. Their appropriation will expire July 1. It's not optional. Without an appropriation, the university does not have the illegal authority to spend state funds, period. That means paychecks don't go out, programs don't operate, services do not function. That's July 1.
This is not some slow-moving consequence that we can circle back to later. This is immediate disruption to thousands of employees and tens of thousands of students at the University of Arkansas so let's be clear about what this looks like faculty and staff going to wonder if they're going to get paid students are going to show up not knowing if their classes are going to be there families questioning whether Arkansas can even manage its own institutions and for what if we think this is leverage if we think this strengthens our hand we're fooling ourselves what it does signals instability
It tells employers, investors, and the next generation of workers that Arkansas cannot be counted on to meet its most basic responsibilities. And here's the reality we all know, but may not want to say aloud. If this body fails to pass this appropriation, we will be right back here in a special session to clean it up. The only difference is the damage we will have done in the meantime and the added cost of that special session. members this is not where we make a stand this is where we do our jobs we can debate policy
respectfully and we can argue priorities that's what we are sent here to do and this is a policy decision that I think is better suited for the regular session in January but failing to fund the University of Arkansas is not a policy position it is a failure of governance so I urge you to move this appropriation forward, let's not create a crisis that we know we're going to have to fix in the future. Representative Eaves has spoke for the bill.
Chair
Unverified
1:41:16
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for
the bill? Representative Jean, you're recognized. Speak for the bill. Thank
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
1:41:34
you Mr. Speaker, colleagues, Representative McKenzie, Representative Rose, what y'all have done on some policies, you've changed it, you've moved it. And I want to acknowledge that and I appreciate the work you did.
you don't have to always win all the battles to win the war and I think you have gotten policy in higher education going the way it needs to go and I want to applaud you for it. But what Representative Ease has said is that we are, we know we're going to fund the biggest institution in the state of Arkansas, higher education. It's going to happen. Is it really worth coming back to a special session no it's not no it's not and you've affected policy whether you realize or
not and and I appreciate that but we need to put this to bed and continue the work that you're doing but we don't need to jeopardize and be in the paper of the university and then I don't think the governor really wants to put it on the special session take away from the tax cuts it'll be one later it's just more expense but i do appreciate what you've done and let's all get together and and pass this appropriation and uh let's go home and work work some more thank you representative
Speaker 85
1:43:01
gene has spoke for the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill for the bill representative Warren you're recognized
to speak for the bill thank you mr. speaker colleagues I am
proud to be an alum from the University of Arkansas it's a great
institution and it's a one of the foundation institutions for our state before Walmart, Tyson, J.B. Hunt it was the University of Arkansas that drew people to Northwest Arkansas. I've got some friends that are serving on the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees and so when these issues started coming up I reached out to them. I wanted to get facts. There's no transfers from the U of A education
funds to athletics. They're not going to be charging student athletic fees. There will be no student tuition increases directed to athletics. If you want to talk about tuition for University of Arkansas. We're 14th when it comes to schools in the SEC. We're 11th when it comes to SEC schools for out-of-state tuition and they're not looking at
increasing tuition to help athletics. There's this talk about a 3.5 million dollar transfer. I had a couple of people that I know on the board that are outstanding businessmen what they did was they looked at the budget for the athletic department it's no different than what I did at my own church when I was chairing the finance committee we went through and looked at all the
expenses we're like why is this over here in this education budget why is this over here in our fitness ministry what they did was they went through and they found expenses and they're like why is the athletic department paying for this I'll give you one great example the athletic department was paying for the band why would the athletic department pay for the band in schools that I've
been in, those are two separate divisions. Those expenses are simply being placed where they belong. I visited with U of A Board of Trustees Chair Randy Lawson. I've also visited with board member Ted Dickey who is chair of the Athletic committee and they gave me the assurances I needed that the U of A athletics is self-sufficient so I just want those I didn't this isn't just
hearsay I got it from the people who are working the actual budgets thank you representative Warren has spoken for
Chair
Unverified
1:46:36
the bill but anyone I speak against the bill Representative Puryear you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you Mr. Speaker. You
Representative Chad Puryear
Unverified
1:46:50
know this kind of reminds me of the game and fish situation we got in except it's a lot more than $40,000. I'll just start with that. You know this I just hope that it does get out of here that all the folks in this room help us
address this issue next time so we're not down here at the 11th hour trying to clean this stuff up. Thank
Chair
Unverified
1:47:11
you. Representative Puryear spoken against the bill. Would you like to speak for the bill? Representative Shepard, you're recognized to speak for
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:47:28
the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I do appreciate what the issues Representative McKenzie has raised. If you'll recall, I believe a year ago when
we were considering legislation, I mentioned the challenges of college athletics and that many schools were having to move to a student activity fee. And that's been one of the reasons why I have worked on NIL and some of the other things and I know Representative Wooten is a big fan of NIL. But I would also point out that just to be clear, the situation we're in is driven largely by judicial decisions far from Arkansas. When you look at the House settlement, I mean essentially anything we've done here is just
to try to keep us on somewhat of a level playing field, but ultimately this is a product of the failure of the NCAA, which has become a weakened institution, and the failure of Congress to act. And I mentioned these things a year ago because everybody could see where this was heading. I have expressed privately to the U of A and to others that I was opposed to any kind of raise of the student activity fee.
And I'm thankful that they have reached or are proposing dealing with athletics in a way that does not cause an increase in tuition or fees. But the things that stand out to me are the fact that historically athletics has been sending money to the institution. And Representative Warren has touched on the fact that now with this $3.5 million, it's kind of a reset of some of those things and hopefully allocating them into
more appropriate places. The other thing is that many of you are probably aware that other institutions in the state actually do charge student activity fees, do move money over to athletics and I'm not here to raise that to try to penalize them or to say they're doing it wrong but I just point that out because I feel like to to now to hold the U of A to a different standard is just unfair. One of my first ventures into special language over a decade ago I came across
that was actually legislation that treated the UAPB differently than other institutions and fortunately we were able to go into special language and make sure that they were treated the same as others and now I feel like we're in a situation where we're going to actually be treating the U of A Fayetteville differently than the way we treat other institutions and then finally there's a lot of other things I could say about this but I don't want to belabor the point I think that if you read any of the press accounts or you've talked with anybody in athletics or the
administration at U of A Fayetteville nobody likes being in this situation and of course much of this is driven by the resolution that was passed by the board and I know that many of you expressed your frustration with that I believe U of A Fayetteville is hiring a consultant to look into some of these issues but I will say this in the over the last several years particularly since Chancellor Robinson has been the chancellor at Fayetteville they have perhaps been the most responsive institution that I have dealt with from a legislative standpoint and so I guess in
some ways I'm taking them in some ways I'm voting in favor of this because of the goodwill and the faith I have in them and the fact that in actuality no money is being transferred it's just a reallocation of what those expenses otherwise have been that in the past athletics has been paying for, and I think that I'm hopeful that we can go ahead and pass this, but I certainly respect and understand the hesitation, and so I just would ask you to vote as you see fit. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:51:23
Representative Shepard has spoke for the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
For the bill? Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. Question
before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 41. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. has everyone voted has everyone voted
cast up the ballot a vote of 75 yeas 18 nays 5 present we've passed the bill and the emergency clause Madam Clerk please read Senate Bill 51 Senate Bill 51
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:52:12
representative johnson you're recognized members this is an act for the auditor of the state this is operations and unclaimed property program appropriation i see
that there's no questions i appreciate a good vote one vote is for the bill and the
Chair
Unverified
1:52:26
emergency clause thank you representative johnson has explained the
bill would anyone like to speak against the bill for the bill representative johnson is closed for the bill Question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 51. Prepare the
machine, Madam Clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause. Has everyone voted?
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. A vote of 85 yea, 12 nay, and one present. You have passed the bill in the emergency clause. Madam Clerk please read Senate Bill 59. Senate Bill
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:53:15
59. Representative Johnson you're recognized. Members this is the educational television appropriation with the Department of Education budget. If there
are no questions, appreciate a good vote. Your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause.
Chair
Unverified
1:53:28
Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak
against the bill for the bill? Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. Representative Long, you're recognized to
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
1:53:52
speak for the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, members. As you may remember, I've been unsuccessfully trying to defund PBS since I arrived here in the House. My primary
reason for that is philosophical. I don't think it's a good idea for government to involved in broadcasting business because depending on who's in charge you can get very biased broadcasting which has been the case when they were associated with national public PBS the new director our former colleague Carlton Wing has taken AETN in a totally new direction not only does he rebranded the name to Arkansas television but he and the board are cutting ties with national PBS as of July 1st of this year by cutting ties
the national PBS not only will remove what I believe has been the biased programming they will also be getting the new programming for about 75% less cost to the taxpayers than previously their new focus is a return to the roots of being an educational television network since I failed to get rid of the government television the next best thing is to totally perform it I I appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
1:55:04
Representative Long has spoke for the bill.
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill? Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. Question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 59. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause.
Speaker 11
1:55:34
has everyone voted has everyone voted cast up the ballot by a vote of 89 yay 7 nay and
two present you've passed the bill and
Chair
Unverified
1:55:42
the emergency clause representative milligan for what purpose motion i'll hear your motion pursuant
Speaker 170
1:55:48
to house rule 33 i move that we adjourn till 10 o'clock in the
Chair
Unverified
1:55:53
morning that's a proper motion it's non-debatable all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The ayes
have it. Any committee announcements? Any committee announcements? Representative Lynch, for what purpose? Is this a committee announcement?
Speaker 172
1:56:14
Well, it's kind of. Maybe I ought to wait until you
Chair
Unverified
1:56:19
get the others. Any committee announcements? Seeing none, the desk will remain open as needed
for the reading of the bills and upon completion of the items named in the adjourned motion. House will be adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Agenda
Call to Order
Prayer
Pledge
Roll Call
HMR1001 Pilkington IN RESPECTFUL MEMORY OF SENATOR GARY DON STUBBLEFIELD AND IN RECOGNITION OF HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF ARKANSAS AND HIS LOCAL COMMUNITY
HMR1002 Pilkington TO REMEMBER REPRESENTATIVE STANLEY JACK "STAN" BERRY FOR HIS SERVICE TO HIS COMMUNITY AND TO THE STATE OF ARKANSAS.
HR1052 House Management TO RESCIND THE ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE CHAMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY ARKANSAS GIRLS STATE FOR ITS ANNUAL MEETING.
End of Morning Hour
Bills and their Emergency Clauses to be considered which have been introduced by Representatives
HB1100 TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; TO CREATE FUNDS; TO MAKE TRANSFERS TO AND FROM FUNDS AND FUND ACCOUNTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Bills and their Emergency Clauses to be considered which have been introduced by Senators
SB77 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
Bills and their Emergency Clauses to be considered which have been introduced by Joint Budget Committee
HB1007 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION - PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1022 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1023 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - SECRETARY'S OFFICE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1034 AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER OF STATE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1035 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CESSATION PROGRAMS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
Recess
Convenes
HB1036 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1053 AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1064 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - DISBURSING OFFICER APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1066 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
SB24 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
SB29 AN ACT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
SB41 AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - FAYETTEVILLE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
SB51 AN ACT FOR THE AUDITOR OF STATE - OPERATIONS AND UNCLAIMED PROPERTY PROGRAM APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
SB59 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.
Motion to Adjourn
Announcements
Adjournment
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 6
Speaker 8
Speaker 11
Speaker 16
Speaker 21
Representative Tippi McCullough
Unverified
Representative Randy Torres
Unverified
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Representative Matt Duffield
Unverified
Speaker 68
Speaker 5
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
Speaker 85
Speaker 86
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
Representative Johnny Rye Chair
Unverified
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
Representative Julie Mayberry Chair
Unverified
Speaker 110
Speaker 112
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
Speaker 3
Speaker 135
Representative Steve Unger
Unverified
Speaker 142
Speaker 90
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
Representative Brit McKenzie
Unverified
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
Representative Les Warren Chair
Unverified
Representative Chad Puryear
Unverified
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
Speaker 170
Speaker 172