Senate Convenes

Yeah I mean. Yeah. The senate will come to order are there any requests for labor this time sender letting hear a recognized leave thank you madame secretary please call the role called well chesterfield clark crowl davis days this mind dartson english flipped out flowers leave gilmore hammer hester hickey hill arvin blight johnson mark johnson king leave letting live mckey murdoch pay penzo petty rice stone step of bill sullivan tucker wallace thank you madam secretary if everyone in the chamber in the galleries would please rise for a prayer lead by cynical pm hammer and followed by the pledge of allege at the sender hammer your recognized the camp chair which join me and prayer for the god we come before you thrown today and follow we just thank you whenever there's never hearing thing else we can think of we can always say thank you we thank you large for our staff that has just fathered done a stellar job this session we thank you for our law enforcement that uh follow we walk in these chambers it's never on anybody's mind that we're not safe because of their willingness to serve we thank you lord for the members of this chamber we thank you for the members of the other chamber for the administration and their respective employees and we just thank you lord we get to live in arkansas we get to live in america and we get to call you our lord and save your jesus christ follow approach bless the uh follow the business of the day and we thank you for the way in which business has been conducted this session and that father were also leaving here friends and want to serve and we like you or for that we give you praise going on for you are worth the and it's your sunshine we pray nasty saying a men. Which is individual with justice for all. But thank you sender hammer for those words ladies and gentlemen in the galleries welcome to your our consultant state senate it is our expectation that have you exercised proper the coral and gathering yourselves according leadering today's proceedings have had objection the rules will be suspended and the senate will dispense with the reading of the journal the morning hour has now begun are there any announcements or introductions at this time sender tucker you're recognized thank you madame president colleagues i'd like to welcome the seventh grade class from holy school holy soul school up in the west gallery today I don't I don't have a ton of god we have senator urban who's a wab at herself here for further wab itself in the gallery II don't have a ton of cousins in the world but I have three in the seventh grade class that holy soul school uh mister cruz farner than a paratwins jack and with cylinder so thank you for welcoming them here today final chest for failed your recognized thank you madame chair I would ask for leave for some very special people um my husband in rechester field the head deaker of my church mister paul williams one of our own and one of the USA today's outstanding women are owned senate former senator jose alley it is here thank you so much thank you send a transfer bill and welcome to all of our guests and homer senator ellie any other announcements or introductions any items at the des. Madam sector he has senate resolution thirty nine months of this mind to recognize the harding academy football team as the class for a state champions so the morning hour has now ended up we are moving on to the business agenda a moot production all those in favorably signal pillar saying I in the opposed as have it sent it resolution thirty nine to recommend holding account and it football team as the class four expect champion is here by a doctor we will now take it the budget agenda. But again with house bill ten ninety seven house book ten ninety seven by representative genius center this mine to men the revenue stabilization laugh to create funds to repeal funds and to make transfers to and from funds and fund accounts and declare an emergency senator this may recognize st bills yesterday there are no questions this anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote madame secretary please roll the boat boy brant caldwell chest fill clark crowl davis these dismine dots and english flip out flowers leave gio more hammer hester hickey hill arvin blight johnson mark johnson king leave glading love mckey murdach patent pinso petty rice down stabberfield sullivan tucker wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote see no one please cast that the balance by vote thirty three yay zero may house bill ten ninety seven passes and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted please return to the house we will now take up the batch of house bills are members and when you read through these real quick and if you doctor pull one out for a separate vote let me know how spilled in o eight ten twelve ten thirty three ten forty one ten sixty five or ten seventy four signature. Hence what ten and act for the department of education educational television division appropriations for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five fiscal year has for ten twelve and act for the department of safety preparation for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five this year has for ten thirty three and act for the office of the treasure of state appropriation for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five this year house for ten forty one and act for the department of education division of elementary and secondary education public school fund appropriation for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five fifth year has for ten sixty five an act for the department of finance administration the sparsing officer appropriation for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five fifteen year house for ten seventy four ninth for the department of human services secretary's office appropriation for the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five this year thank you madam sector anyone wish to speak against or for senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat and a secretary please roll the vote poet brand caldwell chesterfield clark crow davis days dismay dance and english flip out flowers leave gilmore hammer hester hickey hill arve in bike johnson mark johnson king leave letting love mckey murdered patent in so petty rice stone stepperfield salvantecker wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote send painting present any other senators see no other please cast at the balance bad vote of thirty two yay zero may and one present better house bills at passes and corresponding emergency whilst adopted police return. To the house other announcements or introductions sender letting you recognized thank you madame president colleagues I shan't believe this but this body would be remiss if we the arkansas senate did not take time to contemplate that which comes before us today consideration of senator linda chesterfield's imminent retirement for more than twenty years senator chesterfield has served the great state of arkansas as a member of its legislature bringing to this body the grace compassion vocabulary and seemingly infinite patience with which she lead classrooms for more than thirty years when that you started out a teacher and never stopped teaching teaching us in this chamber time it again what it truly means to educate to dedicate and to deliberate to illuminate the value and importance of all we do that we should treat each other with respect dignity and equality and should always expect indeed insist on being treated and kind of you also taught us the importance of a good catents while working in the well you taught us the need for puntification while working through our deliberation highlighting our insufficient education and in the end we know sophistication will lead to our successification and I can't speak for anyone else in this body but I am not now have I ever been very good at good buyers I cannot capture in this moment what your leadership mentorship and friendship have met to be personally and I imagine most everybody in this room today is at the end we still have more than a few education meetings in the months ahead I know you'll be there. And we know that when she does leave even though she won't be in this building to remind us with her unmatched of our obligations and commitments of what it means to eat a life of faithful service she'll still be out there teaching others and so senator linda chesterfield on the matter of honoring your commitment your accomplishments you profound dedication we move immediate consideration linda I mean I think you know you've been a lot to me over the years and I think probably most members in this chamber I mean I think generally you've helped keep us grounded in him some very straight forward ways in some very set aways and in one of the things that I appreciate the most that you would do for me as you see me run around stress maybe whatever my more can honor doing and you'd always stop and say how are the boys helping remind me what was actually important in the moment so you know one of things you not talked about a little while back was I think really the importance of you becoming a member of the black hall of fame and so I have a letter here that i'd like to present you recommending your nomination to the arkansas black holiday senators all those in favor of recognizing our love appreciation and gratitude for the life and service of our friend senator linda chesterfield please signify the same eye any opposed now as have it if you have a letter also. Yeah. I don't hold her by also but I have to say a couple things of central chest or not just put the cap has been one of my favorites for the last eleven years. I have only warping during a session six times for her sorority because she personally asked. And the i'm going to wrap it up early quick because I can see the trying coming down the tracks and i'm about to get hit by the caboos and the best advance I ever got well being in the well was if you don't show up i'm not going to vote for your bill Sure we have had our disagreements but we have done those disagreements with honor and indignity and that was my year you're prompting not by my leading thank you speaker service. The. I don't know for all supposed to say something I don't think jimmy wants us to as a pleasure it was a pleasure to serve with you. Senator chest film you just reminded me of exactly what I was about to say that I will miss about you every time you walk in you say hey dot and it only wanted ever does that and appreciate your service your time here the disagreements that we've had have always been respectful and you will be missed. Senator I too want to nominate for the for the whole thing and thank you for a young member get to see what elegance and grace and honor looks like I appreciate you just for filled up I too like nominates you for the backhaul failing when I could sell my only regret is that I could have spent twenty years with you here serving with a great state of arkansas thank you for your service thank you for your commitment and thank you for your compassion. See you chest to fill out two one and nominate you for the black hole thing but I also have a little edition for those of you that may not know it i'm sure she has uh battering with you in the past she's always called me mister accountancy and i've told her that I could tell by the look on her face that she really was deeply inside an accountancy tap so I took it about myself to get the arkansas state board of public accountancy to recognize that fact and I won't read it all but it does say acknowledge a center like senator linda chesterfield as the gym paid the honorary cpa and encourages you to pursue the profession of accounting senator chest fear he know that how alba support you to be in a black halifa you along with the lady on the wall senator ellie had been my two stallers who are have been my mentor as you are have always graham a coat till when I need to grab in sometimes when I did need to grab the steel grabbed in any way he were there when the mom passed you were always checking out on my daughter you know and you incident chess feels a type person she says i'm not checking on your data too much email now but you're caring your compassionate I think are many people just do not understand she sensitive t u r she's very sensitive but they don't understand the depth of your compassion in your care and I want to say that actually appreciate the mentorship that she would provide for me to love the cheap provider for my family you will sorely be missed in this chamber thank you. Senator chest field I when you told me you weren't run and I said something to you and he laughed I said I love you but I don't have to like your decisions and I appreciate you for being here and treat in us newer people so kind of thank you. Senator chesterfield thank you for your service thank you for your friendship thank you for your leadership assault have a letter of nomination for the black olives so we will definitely mess you thank you. Center chesterfield I also have a letter nominating you to the black holiday men I just want to say thank you for your service in your friendship your sense of humor and your uhm expressive facial expressions it's always in my opinion keeps committee meetings and enjoyable even on the hard days and keeps things light and I think helps us going through through the really long days of session and am I appreciate you just loving everly so well the inso sweet to her so thank you. Like so many other senators just feel I just want to thank you for your mentorship of me over all these years one where I would have a hard day down here with the same thing about it to anybody that night I will get a phone call from you technology. And then has met more to me than I could ever say like any good mentor you also occasionally would give me a kick in the caboos when I needed it and that also means more to me than I can say I know this body will not be the same without you and I know for a one hundred percent certainty that this member is going to miss you a great deal there's nobody in this body who has more wisdom a better sense of humor and more heart for what we do here thank you so much for everything. Thank you since the chest feel. For so much of what you've done in which you mean to me personally into this body and it is legislature in general on the state of arkansas I do have a letter of nominating you for the amazon state of august obligation but I would be remissive I didn't mention but others as mentioned in terms of your leadership when you meant to is very personal sometime with certain people that you meet in life and soon which has to feel and I see it everywhere I go to those in know you and don't have great you've been to me until your people pound for panel she's the greatest advocate i've ever been around in which he put the microham as you will know she's dangerous with the making out here seeking on dress people in such a way and be so profiled in professional at the same time really really tear new down what she disagree with you I let me let you know how not by she really is during my second term and i've been here thirteen years now there was a bill there that a file did a still have this takes the longest tickets i've ever get you should see these takes it see what very much has to feel but in the estimate of token mention she she she great my code is she's she she shared with me her heart appreciated so much in. We won't know how much would make such an individual until tomorrow thank you so much for which you've done got bless you so. Sender english before you begin i'd like to invact mister chest for field to come down and join the senator because it's a you're loving support of her that's a loud heart research great leader in the state none of them go ride ahead and I love to see loving couples and we don't see enough of that in today's world so give her another case when I am really going to miss you so much you have opened my eyes in a long time I we don't think about some of the knowledge that you bring to us particularly in the education field because you have a huge history in so many times some of the things that were thinking you bring a different perspective to which I really do appreciate you need to hear more than one side everything so I appreciate your dedication and I know you going this is the next chapter in your life is coming up so i'm congratulate to and we're going to miss you thank you. Hope synergy judge field obviously I to honor to submit a letter nominating you to the arkansas black hall of fame though she can't be here today I do also have a signed letter of support from our colleague senator stephanie flowers who is I believe watching this morning for the calls of our service center chest field I want to congratulate you we look forward to you being inducted to the arguments hold by call fame and two things I would say one whenever we were sitting in the committee meetings and somebody would read an acronym or something we could always count on you to ask about alphabets soup what that means and we will issue for that but also will miss the fact that you are great leader and we appreciate you we appreciate the way that you've always shown as respect in your sled by example in giving others respect and i'll say that from the bottom of the heart and to your husband want to say thank you because they are the spouses that stay in behind us to let us do what we do in you and have the chance to do like the rest of us if we didn't have people like your husband staying behind each of us who want to congratulate you to certain thank you. Yeah. Do you have a letter for you but I was thinking on the way down here what what do you say to someone who's put so many years of service in here and I was thinking through that and I was thinking you know I could talk about the words of wisdom you've always given and I remember one such occasion after uh little dispute we had and i'm glad you're deacon's back here to hear this you came to mean you said gill gives you always call me gill you said gill. I want to I want to talk to the good lower but he's told me I can't talk to the talk to him to I can talk to you and I don't really want to talk to you but I do want to talk to him so we don't get the straight so don't you talk you said don't you talk you've listened because i'm getting the straight thank you for keeping us grounded thank you for your words of wisdom and thank you for your heart for a mecca well since we're all going to say something about you know i'm not going to pass up my opportunity so so it would you know I think everybody said it's much more eloquently than I can say so i'll just speak from my heart tell you you know along with an incredible mentor friend i'm a better person a better senator is a matter of objective you know uhm which have been such a tremendous help to me and there's the things that i'm going to miss the most about you is that you got a vocabulary that can make a sailor blush by I come from an area of arkansas where most of the people look like me and so on my first experiences with linda was twenty fifteen twenty sixteen where the quiet room and i'm talking to about gun smoke and explained the premise of the show to her making this assumption that a liberal african american female would not have been a fair of gun smoke I stay corrected that you taught me not to judge a book by its corporate since that I have it and a better person because of your friendship and lots of partner to do this letter to the black hall fame and if there was a bad asked woman who they might like your letter for that too. Media say lender is friend and a teacher taught me a few things served to chester field is a professional account two different sessions to chair the latest lady council policy subcommittee because of her professionalism because she note our committee and she knows that the land when it's necessary so she is enhancement and will continue to be remembered as someone who hits top the senate something in for their bank you regardless of senate needs to be what the senate is supposed to be and cheesewall and it prematures there when we vote the same with we don't vote the same we still be friends thank you for your service you know there's only two people that ever call me study my good for india on both men and when the chest feel and a you know there's a lot I could say because II guess we serve twelve years ago twelve years in although we disagreed probably ninety nine percent of the time most bills she always display this. Reverts in love even though she disagreed with you in our respect to that a lot because I needed I was always want to pick the fact somebody and you can think of that whether she dissoluted to my so line of your buried special person that appreciated. Thanks. Most in our been in around this chamber most of my life are really all of my life but when I came in and became part of the zoo rather than somewhere on the outside looking at ahead a few prejudices one was she's a smart lady and we won't agree very much what I didn't know was how good friends we would become and how on those few issues might be more than one percent center's double we agree we passionately agree like our children improving their reading and it's been an honor to get to know you even more and to appreciate you as not just a teacher in the schools a teacher to all of us on how to conduct yourself with dignity and love the state of arkansas and I appreciate you so much and wish you the best picture also have a letter and sinner just feel I like your style uhm you can be missed uh mister chest filled you must be one of the top of scares on the planet here but you will be missed in represent representative scotts get some some big shoes to fill but ah I think she can handle it uh always always enjoyed running education bills in here because I could just look over there it should score me in your seat I always enjoy the the sporing we didn't and III will miss it a lot so thank you very service to the state and I wish you to be the best in your retirement. Many of you may not know but linda not work sab by side for maybe eight or ten years and behavioral health advocating for children and that was quite an honor and I really appreciate that I remember it well again every district deserves a representative of our senator like you from them one that has heart in passion and puts their all into and I respect that tremendously and hope I can leave up and your predecessor can live up to representing their people as vigorously issued to congratulations. Sender chesterfield it's truly an honor to have an opportunity to join in this endorsement I have no new for many years even though just recently come to the senate and you have my total complete respect. And I wish you god speed regard bless you and yours. So you choose fill out presidential slated recommendation to you have come to know you as someone who's dedicated and passionate below she believed but more than anything else i've seen you protect the integrity of the arkansas states in all the uh time that we could agree or disagree or irrelevant when it came to the integrity of our senate in you all people were there to keep us in line I respect you very much for the and I wish you the best in the in the year to come. Senator chest field I want thank you personally for the advance which is extended to me when I was first warning and it is helped gaudly through love you have set an error listened to our colleagues this morning the battery and also my personal experience and I just want to thank you for an example of a laugh well leaved. Well and I too have a letter recommendation for you and truly if anybody is worth the dishonor it is you as so many these letters will say you were there first in so many things you're always a five sometimes a phone and always a friend thank you for that. Oh I had never told uh any view all this espacing our republican colleagues because bigger you would say that I was conspiring with the other side or maybe more conspiring with the other side but if you all remember that famous speech barroso vote about man in the arena if you are noticed some time linda has about a four foot poster of that frame poster of that in her office but what it says at the top is unique it says what woman in the arena and I give that to end uh a wall while back because she truthfully does in my opinion exemplify that and I don't think anybody in this body can dispute can dispute that and you may have heard senator clark caller chester net and there's a lot of significance of that because whenever whenever he did that whenever he did that just a little while ago she left which would you all we got to know is that our whenever we first come down here twelve thirteen years ago I was set between bus mour between senator chester failed in senator clark and I want to go to france as they are now in senator clark went to the wall which at that time was right over there and referred to hurries senator chester know and she looked at me and said some additional words and said what did he just say and I said if you all mean being chester that i'll be here not just no window that he create levels you like its sister. When the it is truly my honor to nominate you for the black color fame you are an incredible incredible woman for the state of arkansas you you've speak for arkansas but you have just been an incredible minter to me you have embraced me like a sister like a moment when i've needed a mom one of my favorite memories that have to tell you i'm a goodness we were at insurance and commerce committee and we just have had enough of it and to hend choice was in the committee with me and lender and they looked across the table and they're like let's get out of here thank you for my favorite memory of the senate when you put me in your car and took me off and we all went and had lunch and then you sh- we went shopping and you picked up my whole wardrobe because they're like you need some color and the like okay and it was the best thing in the world but and then there was a time where you spent literally three hours on the phone with me one time during it really tough time and I will always be grateful to you for your love you're kindness you respect your passion and how you loved every single one of us in this whole entire body and institution of the senate the senate is an institution because of women like you and we we just II just help them pray that I could ever live up to all that you have done for that senate and for the state of arkansas thank you some and free service I left you. Since field I have realized one thing for sure today you have treated me unfairly over the years you have not been near as nash to me is everyone else here we're going to work that out for you leave that the day can suppose but you're too much leave him in there but it with the great honor in privilege for me to nominate you for the black whole thing there's not a mortiserving person in a shouldn't just be a black hole you should have the halloween for you in a minute and bar mom a heart in i've been very fortunate to share jackson will with with you over the years and whenever the superintendent would would call me and say what do you think but this in you can ask you my responsibility of linda thank as it she's a lot more in on the education southern ireland and I am with whatever she wanted in so with their it's been an honor in the previous and one thing i'm going to miss you for sure they can cover yourself in her walking bombing and going here are ricky she got me ricky our own a pinch of darn head off your neck sometime but if I did I wouldn't be able to help you so you go. No you know i'm giving we're going to turn it over to congratulations you are love to think that's well expressed today center chase for failed your recounts thank you madame chair ladies and gentlemen of the senate you have been a part of my heart for a very long time some of you longer than others the memories of the memories uhm I remember when my mam passed there were two people from this chamber along with some wonderful staffers who came to her funeral hicking that was one of them enjoy selling it I saw some brainer in a salary in that's what being a part of a family is all about being there when people need you see the easy part sometimes it's the voting because you just about no how you gonna vote sometimes you may pertain that I help you change your man I hope sometimes idea but what is important is to remember the importance of the system of checks in balances that make this body work the system of checks and balances can make this system work but whenever any branches more important than the others remember we were created with first week in the journal assembly were created first because it is we who are closest to the people it is we who are closest to the people I respect this thing call the constitution both of at the federal level and at the state level and I hope I have carried myself in such a way that you know my appreciation for it. I would not be here if there wasn't a town like a gap who just bought into madgering and walked in well could I have a damn when I said I was going to run for office I just had a during this young man edge we are just married he worked college stations we harm right all these areas in helping me to pursue my dream he is indeed the wind beneath my wings and i'd like for you to give him a round of a flood I believe most of you know how important my faith is to me even though I have sometimes taken his name and I have not done it in a vain away faith is so important it is it is just critically important to me because without that faith couldn't have come here couldn't have come here and done what i've done I believe in this god I serve I believe in this guard assert. And I hope you believe as well because without him we are nothing so monothank powell for being here they hate deacon joys and I have been in the changes so long we now go even talk about it and I just continue to be amazed at the work that she does and I want you to give her a round of applause because I think she deserves it I think representative in it who is my state representative for being here my successor in this chamber is someone with home you are familiar the honorable jamie scott I look at this day I look at this day quarter bliss put a blessing I get the opportunity to act as efficiency cheer thanks to the faith that jonathan dish main place in me he said I want you to make sure that we don't lose any other staff because their salaries are not come into it with anybody else I don't think he even remembers but that was your charge to me because we just lost merit to the house in our folks are too good for us to underpaid them and to under appreciate them I think each and every one of them are all your names down and I was going to call all of your names but I don't think I have to call every day I just have to say thank you to you these people who are seasonal workers you make such a difference I appreciate you I do help and when william left we got lead to come in he is he is not nearly as in your face as william but when he works more hard than what to the press the the writers of the constitution put the press in the first am. Amendment it is the ball work of a free society i'm not always getting good for us i'm not sure it was always fair but I want saying I know that this country is better for having a free price gentleman thank you for everything that you do every day i'm not going to get any friends and leave it years later to get anything but I believe so much as I say it in this constitution it is critically important that we maintain the transparency that is necessary so that the people who elected us continue to believe in us they must continue to believe in asked and now I know what the health is excuse me that keeps going off is probably telling me in my term is up and I do like to be succing to stand up to be saying speak up to be heard and sit down to be appreciated but as I was contemplating this the words of the apostlepole came to memory he said i've found a good fight I have finished my choice I have kept the faith I appreciate each and every one of you love you and it's not a thing you can do about it god bless you thank you send your chest fulfilled but senate that's going to stay in in recess for just a couple moments to give extra hundred state photographs and compose ourselves before we move on to business other day. The. The. Senate what come back to order are there any other announcements send to blake johnson you're recognized for purpose of emotion you're reconnecting a blake item madam president I move the senate make nominations from the floor for president par- protein designate for the ninety fifth journal simply but that objection nominations will be exceed from the floor madam president of nominate the honorable senator bart history as president protium for the nineteen ninety fifth general assembly he is so send a data for your recognized matter president and I need that we close nominations for a president protem designate for the ninety fifth general simply thank you there is a non debatable motion all those in favor send your data motion to close nominations please take five percent I any opposed as hard as your is there something. Are those in favor of senator history as president protem-designate for the ninety fifth general assembly police signified the same eye in the opposed eyes have it congratulations send a heads through your record well I want to start by telling sooner flipo or appreciate his unwavering support throughout the last several weeks thank you for the boy we've all been through elections and we all know that that it's it's a it's a brutal time on everybody and a appreciate where the where the bodies add and I feel like there's been a clear message from members and we just heard senator chesterfield speak that you know I feel like I have a a charge from this body and that charge is pretty clear in its two things it is that we are where I stand alone branch of government we are separate we're equal we have responsibilities stand on our own two feet and speak for ourselves and tend to represent us that way out furthermore II plan to work with this body really well I plan to work with the speaker and the house really well and I plan to work with the governor the governor's office really well I think that suits the entire state of arkansas well and I think it uh it says that we just saw with senator chesterfield like we are not washington DC and I don't plan is to become that way thank you for having to. The. Yeah. Any further business or announced months to come for the body if not we will stand in a german bill noon on may the ninth at which point we will address subject to clearing of the desk.