Senate Convenes

The. The. Yeah. Senate will be called to order or there any request for leave at this time since letting your recognized through the boy see where thank you madame secretary please call the role of amp apologize for senator english any other senators thank you madame secretary would you please follow all. Moidly branch called well chesterfield clark crowl davis these this mine dots and english leave flip off flowers leave gilmore hammer historically he'll irvine bike johnson mark johnson king laving live mckey murder patent pinzo petty rice stone stuff of salvan techer leave was thank you madame secretary and for everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would please rise for a prayer lead my own senator des followed by the pledge of allegian senate asia recognized thank you madam chair let's pray thank you lord for today I think for a day that we're not guaranteed that she gave us another chance to honor you and to serve others well as that be ever before us as for continue to do uhm the work that you've called us to do let us not we're a weary of doing good in let us put off any selfish ambition or anything that's not pleasing to you and serving others well just the same pray amen I pledge alleged through the flag other than that like through the same as individual with liberty addresses thank you center days late in german and the galleries welcome to your construct state senate it is our expectation that each of you watch the size proper decorum and gathering yourself ordinary during today's receiptings without objection the rules will be suspended and sent the dispense with the reading of the journal morning hour has now begun are there any announcements at the start no matter there are any adams at the best yes there was sent resolution for them just bills to be pay us. Practice at large morning now it has expired we will now begin the business agenda beginning with senate resolution or send it repaid center resolution for central painting to honor the alliance and contributions of doctor joe's of state brian and his wife who's a sharon gale a callout brand send a paid in before he began I would ask senators senators out asking if you have any conversations that need to take place if you would do so quietly to the side or out in the hole as we take up the senate resolution to it honor the wives and contributions of these individuals send a payment your recognized thank you madame president colleagues i'd appreciate your attention for a moment it's gonna be candid tough to do but uh center boy not being here is a key part of this and I don't know he would love to have been here to to help present this steve and sharon brian from baitsville where community business leaders and they died in a plane crash private plane and recently and which is have to did recognize their contribution to the community I don't know how much I can say that one of the great things. About running a campaign and getting out on the campaign drill as you get to meet a lot of people and I haven't known steve for a lot of years II made him on a campaign trail went to his pharmacy set down visited with him on two or three occasions it's amazing to me that somebody that have known for such a short amount of time could have made such an influence on me and the when I heard about the accident in the fact that he has passed in his wife it touched me as much as any family member that i've lost and that's just to speak to who he was in and how he was he in center boyd shared business interest they were partners come and find out steve who has partners with a lot of pharmacist on several pharmacies in the state of arkansas across the state and he was always from from what i've garnered from visiting with these pharmacists he was reaching out and offering a helping hand all the time the entrepreneurs trying to get started in the pharmacy business my life says too often. When when something gets by attention I think of a a country song or the lyrics to a song or something that matches it and as I was driving down the road they can about what I could say about steve ryan is why don't critch boys saying a song called every day and somebody taken a smile into the street shared with everybody meeting a helping hand and i'm telling you that song if you listen to it this afternoon it'll describe sea brand to you i'm all that center iron urban say a few things and and now we'll read the resolution but I note senator void probably watching and know how much he would love to have been here to help with this but as I read the resolution you'll see the impact this man has had an on the state arkansas on policy on the community of independence county at large so so my my family my my dad is from being sell my thomas family routes are from there but steve was just ingrained in the community was served on the board the hospital white river medical center there and baits fell also hospital and stone county steve you know as one of those people that you always had in your pocket that were text you just words of encouragement and I know that you each have those people that you come across in our our business that are policy minded smart people that are fair minded and are always looking out for rural health care um steve was one of those people and I just appreciated him so much like his level of support friendship and encouragement but also somebody who you could batter with like on policy and such a those types of services that he gave to the state of arkansas are just known to me to send it a boy to send our patent and others that he had that kind of a relationship with but steve was a tremendous asset for our stay and has done a lot of work. Just on a lot of different france because he was just smart and it cared deeply about baits fill he cared deeply about the community and our state so um to the brian family and this is a huge loss and not just for your family but for the entire state of arkansas and we are deeply grateful for his service to the stay and I personally am and deeply greatly grateful to to the things that he and I worked on together and i'll in on big capacity the PBM bill was one particularly that he was very involved with on the policy making side of things with representative michelle gray ah former representative and I know that she also would love to have been here at uh to honor him as well thank you. Danner the lives and contributions of doctor state joseph steve brant is wife misses shern gay call it right whereas the base feel community is morning the unexpected passing of prominent business man doctor joseph steve brand who went by steve and his wife share engage call it right on may twelve two thousand twenty four and whereas doctor steve brian on multiple pharmacies throughout the state including his hometown pharmacy branch pharmacy and health care center which owned for nearly forty years and whereas in addition to his pharmacies and home health care business doctor steve brian strive to improve patient care through his work with community hospitals and by serving as a member of the border directors for white river health systems incorporated and whereas the doctor steve brian enjoyed a successful careers of pharmacist served on the arkansas state board of pharmacy received the apa pharmacist of the year award in two thousand and seven received the UAMS college of fallace pharmacy deans award and most recently was postumous hostimously awarded the bowl of idea by his colleagues at the arkansas pharmacist association recognize him as a pharmacies who possessed an outstanding record of civic leave leadership in his community and whereas the brands are in the respect of the degrees from arguments all state university doctor steve brown with a degree in business with a manner in prepharmacy and sharing gay collect brand with a degree in mathematics and a manner in english and whereas fire to graduating pharmacy school in nineteen seventy five doctor steve brian lettered as a defense of end that arkansas state university and was part of the nineteen seventy squad that were an undefeated with eleven and a record including a twenty eight one victory over central missouri in the peaco on its way to the small college division national championship whereas the branch were dahard ride walls fans. And the voted supporters and ambassadors for arkansas state university and whereas the branch endowed the state and sharon premium scholarship starting in two thousand seventeen further summary their support and admiration for some state university and whereas the brands were long time season ticket holders and jennifer's donors to organize our state university athletics and whereas the head football coaches sweet was named and honor of the brand family and the couple's names are attached to one of the current art consolidate university football lockers and whereas the branch were married in nineteen seventy three and had two daughters malary burton and monica brian and where sharing a collect variance children and grandchildren at the world to her and she would regularly travel to spend time with them and where as the branch were highly respected members of the baseball community and terrorist members of the arkansas state university family and whereas the brands for generous with their time and expertise and are leaving a legacy of devotion to their community now therefore be a resolved by the senate of the ninety fourth general assembly of the state of arkansas that the senate express since here condolences to the family of doctor steve brian and sharon gay collect right and comment their contributions to the state of arkansas we have further resolved that upon adoption of this resolution a copy of this resolution she'll be provided to the family a doctor steve sharing gay collect by the sector of the senate thanks in the payment and a and senator urban as many of you all know a am from baits bill and stephen charing at interval parts that can you leave it steve also was my bad my parents pharmacist and branch family pharmacy which as and repeat noted into you were instrumental and helping those rule pharmacies are personal pediant legislation steve success. And just and success and being able to take your patience across the state or something that you want their announced even I had many many conversations about there was a great supporter and and bring to me and old smartkom payees policy wise but he was a great formacist to his patience I would pull up and and when my day I can have to do it sounds feelers carrying off to didn't take out to my car loaded his pharmacy personally delivers the medications to my parents assisted living facility and beyond that he was just a great person at christmas card every year I sent out a christmas card and it's got all pounds a little family pictures on it and steve when he saw that card he put it in a frame and he brought it to my parents and said I just thought this card was so special of your daughter that it needed me in frame and about that to you and just a great thoughtful person and human being and he insurer are missed terribly by my home community and across the state so thank you centers so this time are those in favor of senate resolution for to honor the lives and contributions of doctor joseph steve brant and his wife from a sharon gay collect brian please signify by saying I any opposed as heaven senate resolution for it's adopted. We will now take up senate bill one. Senate bill one bass in a dismant to reduce the income tax level down individuals trust states corporations to transfer surprise funds to the arkansas reserve and set aside and declare an emergency center of this main or right thank you members I think is your where this is a continuation of the individual income tax incorporate income tax reductions that we've been doing for almost a decade now we know we previously have focused on lower income in middle income earners here in the state in this is driving down the troperate which makes it more competitive with our surrounding states and and brings us more in line and hopefully being able to recruit companies and individuals to the great state market song uh so just specifically it reduces the individual income top uh income tax rate top rate to three point nine percent and then on the corporate rate it reduces it to four point three percent it also said society and additional two hundred ninety million dollars in case there is a shortfall in the state for items that we've designated in rs in with that are we have to take any questions any questions for center list mate. No questions. Senator has closed. The. Anyone wish to speak against for four center letting your recognized you speak against. Thank you matter president colleagues i'll be really quick there are more meaningful things we can do to make the lives of every day our kansas just a little bit easier than cut taxes for our states top earners because to be clear our kansas at the lower end aren't going to benefit much if it all from this particular tax cut uh just a couple of ideas what we could do for the first time it was created in two thousand nine we could put real money into the arkansas housing trust fund to help address housing issues in our state we could also to help with housing create a tax credit for renters like twenty three other states have more than a third of our candidates rent their homes so that would be something meaningful to help everyday our candidates we could also uh over in tennessee just about ten years ago that created the tennessee promise it's a last dollar scholarship program to make sure that tennessee high school students who want to can go to two years of community college or technical college free of tuition and fees and in the last ten years with just two hundred and seven million dollars in investment they thought more than a hundred and fifty thousand high school students pursue a secondary education this is a couple of ideas of the top of my head here this morning we're about to commit what about three hundred and nine million a year in this tax cut so they're just more meaningful things we could do in our tax cutting taxes it's easy it's great in an election year I see one of my colleagues smiling back here I get it it's popular but there are things we can do to more meaningfully help make life a little bit easier for everyday our kansas than cutting taxes thank you anyone wish to speak for it. Send this money thank you in and I had a question in where do we start when we started this journey and i'm cutting individual income tax we were seven percent again now or three point nine percent as a reminder of this impact every taxpayer that makes about twenty five thousand dollars the state of arkansas in also on the tennessee promise they also do not have an individual income tax they're just like to to note that but thank you center anyone else wished to speak against or for seeing no other senator has closed I have two pair at the desk on senate bill one center bowed yes central letting no senator up tucker no sent for gilmore yes. Bank madam secretary match sectory police follow the role bowing per ds brand called well chesterfield clark crawl day is these despine datson english then leave for a power flowers leave gilmore is paired and he is a yes hammer hester hick here over mark dancing by johnson by johnson would get more dots and mark johnson king leading is a hmm from my letting this he's no love mckey murdoch murdoch patent penzo per the fries stone stability sullivan checkers know wallace any senators wish to vote who have not voted or we should change a row sender murder now any other senators see no others please cast at the balance by a boat of twenty eight five may senate bill one passes. The corresponding emergency clause is adopted lease transmit to the house senate bill three send a crawl single three percent for crawl and act on in the law to increase the hamstead property tax credit and to require a report concerning the home said property tax credit and the balance of the property tax relief trust one sender you're recognized the governor colleagues this is pretty straight forward it's to raise the homestead property credit from four twenty five to five hundred comes out of the trust fund and be willing to take any questions and try and answer them any questions for send a problem any questions. Seeing no questions does anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you are free to close precious vote thank you senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat man sectory please roll the vote by brant cardwell chesterfield clark crowe davis these despite that some english flipper flowers gilmore hammer hester hickey hill irvin blake johnson mark johnson king letting love mckey more about patent pins of perry rice stone several field sullivan capper wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote senator got some present nine moding sorry any other senators wish to change your vote. See no other please cast of the balance by boat ab thirty yay zero name and one night voting senate bill three passes please transmit to the house we'll now take up the budget agenda senate bill to city belt based similar to this mind and act for the arkansas site game and fish commission appropriation for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five fifth with you this may and you'll recognize thank you members at their times have lead charm this is going to increase the director salary cap or the upper limit to hundred seventy thousand four hundred thirty seven dollars it also to be able to kind of breach the the gap between the the issues over in the house uh it's going to allow for that higher pay rate but also provide some additional oversight so if it's brought if his salary or the director salaries to increase by more than five percent of what it stands that right now which is roughly a hundred and fifty two thousand then we have to come before let it sleep of council for approval so they can increase it up to five percent if they want to go above that and get closer to the hundred and seventy thousand dollars number they were to come to legislative legislative council for approval we have to take any questions questions for sender this may send your chest for build your right now thank you marine current condition I was going to get out of the year yes ma'am I am assured at this point I think again we've done our part the severe third time to do our part we've tried to be accommodating I think again this was a compromise that we proposed in convention that the two sides still weren't together on the amounts again you had one side that wanted to have a higher salary rate for the the director this matches the lowest paid set secretary so it's a number to tap back to and then the other side that when it has some greater accountability no also was concerned about the significant pay jump in relation to what other state employees are getting as far as bay race. And that's where the five percent compromise came in a plate so hopefully both sides now and agreement they seem to be uh simple house hopefully with a good vote here in and be done wrangling the game and fish commission's budget thank you for build any other questions for center this may seem no other does anyone wish to speak against or or send it or has closed any objection to rolling the boat and secretary to please roll the boat bowed brand card well chester bill part from davis days this mind that's an english flipper flowers here more hammer history hell urban bike johnson mark johnson king leading live mckey murder caten in south petty rice stand stubborn sullivan tapper wallace any senators wish to change his or her vote see no one please cast up the ballot by about a thirty one yay zero may senate bill to passes and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted please transmit to the house any announcements and repenzo your recognized rules committee will meet tomorrow morning eight thirty in room three oh nine any other announcements send a picky you are recognized if members revenue and tax what we're doing is we're all weight on the tax bill that's coming from a. The house they're not going into tin so we have to have it down here before we can assign it to the committee as soon as it's a sign to revenue and tax committee uh i'll send you all the text we did put that on the calendar so that the public would know that that was our intentions to do so just want you to know that the sender has to you are recognized because I think things are going relatively as planned will just uh will meet here at nine am tomorrow morning and hopefully wrap up our business sender chesterfield you're receiving the question later today but the problem for example a certainly just informed us that we gather will long something so I will stay ahead until after the house meets or we free to go about a business and we will deal with whatever they take up to just forward we're we're free to go about our business what if once they pass off their floor there their tax cut bill they will get read across our desk as long as we keep our desk open that's what we do subject clearing the desk will read it across the sanity committee but but let's share on revenue and tax I think you're europe your day's complete any other announcements if not the senate will stand in a german subject to the clearing of the dous and to nine am june