House Convenes
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (66)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1865
Act 1023
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1865 AN ACT TO DEFINE THE MONIES TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE RAINY DA…”
|
AN ACT TO DEFINE THE MONIES TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE RAINY DAY FUND; AND … | Jean | Notification that HB1865 is now Act 1023 |
|
HB1876
Act 1024
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1876 TO AMEND THE REVENUES STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN…”
|
TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. | Jean | Notification that HB1876 is now Act 1024 |
|
HR1050
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HR1050 Rushing TO PROCLAIM APRIL 8, 2019, AS GRANDPARENT'S RIGHTS…”
|
TO PROCLAIM APRIL 8, 2019, AS GRANDPARENT'S RIGHTS AWARENESS DAY. | Rushing | READ AND ADOPTED. |
|
SB485
Act 885
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “SB485 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE APPROPRIATION. | G. Leding | Notification that SB485 is now Act 885 |
|
HB1052
Act 745
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…concurrent resolution 1016 house concurrent resolution 1017 house bill 1052 is act 745 hospital 1082 is act 746 House Bill 1139 is Act…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE PROFESSIONAL BAIL BONDSMAN LICENSING BOARD APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1052 is now Act 745 |
|
HB1106
Act 1005
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1106 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - R…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - REVENUE SERVICES DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1106 is now Act 1005 |
|
HB1109
Act 1006
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1109 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - D…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - DISBURSING OFFICER APPROPRIATION FOR THE … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1109 is now Act 1006 |
|
HB1130
Act 1007
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1130 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS STATE POLICE APPROPRI…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS STATE POLICE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1130 is now Act 1007 |
|
HB1200
Act 1009
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1200 AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES-…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES-REYNOLDS CENTER ON AGING, BOOZMAN COLLEGE … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1200 is now Act 1009 |
|
HB1306
Act 949
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1306 Rye1 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF VOTING SITES…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF VOTING SITES IN A CITY OF THE … | Rye | Notification that HB1306 is now Act 949 |
|
HB1435
Act 952
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1435 Pilkington1 TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO R…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE FOR RIDESHARING APPLICATIONS. | Pilkington | Notification that HB1435 is now Act 952 |
|
HB1491
Act 1033
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “differently house bill, 1441 House bill 1491 House Bill 1651 begsリte report the we've had the same under…”
|
TO ELIMINATE THE WAITING LIST FOR THE ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES WAIVER PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS … | Miller | Notification that HB1491 is now Act 1033 |
|
HB1619
Act 1015
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1619 G. Hodges TO CREATE THE ELECTRIC MOTORIZED SCOOTER ACT.”
|
TO CREATE THE ELECTRIC MOTORIZED SCOOTER ACT. | G. Hodges | Notification that HB1619 is now Act 1015 |
|
HB1651
Act 1035
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “differently house bill, 1441 House bill 1491 House Bill 1651 begsリte report the we've had the same under consideration a…”
|
TO AMEND AND UPDATE THE LAWS REGARDING TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES; … | Ladyman | Notification that HB1651 is now Act 1035 |
|
HB1656
Act 964
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1656 D. Ferguson1 TO AMEND THE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION TRANSPARENCY…”
|
TO AMEND THE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION TRANSPARENCY ACT; TO PROHIBIT PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FOR MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT; AND … | D. Ferguson | Notification that HB1656 is now Act 964 |
|
HB1767
Act 972
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1767 Payton1 TO REGULATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF REAL PROPERTY OF…”
|
TO REGULATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF REAL PROPERTY OF THE STATE. | Payton | Notification that HB1767 is now Act 972 |
|
HB1773
Act 973
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1773 Clowney1 CRUMP'S LAW.”
|
CRUMP'S LAW. | Clowney | Notification that HB1773 is now Act 973 |
|
HB1822
Act 1052
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…d wheel come into public transportation to who was deferred house bill 1822 may be goods edition report to we've had the same under con…”
|
CONCERNING THE OPERATION OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. | Christiansen | Notification that HB1822 is now Act 1052 |
|
HB1827
Act 976
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1827 D. Ferguson1 TO REPEAL THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS NEWSP…”
|
TO REPEAL THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS NEWSPAPER RECYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. | D. Ferguson | Notification that HB1827 is now Act 976 |
|
HB1878
Act 1058
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…. This is the The numbers in for the revenue stabilization, House Bill 1878, as I had indicated earlier in our meeting, a lot of you we…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CERTAIN CAMPAIGN SIGNS AND LITERATURE; AND TO REQUIRE TRANSPARENCY BY … | Della Rosa | Notification that HB1878 is now Act 1058 |
|
HB1886
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1886 Lundstrum TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND C…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS. | Lundstrum | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die Adjournment |
|
HB1975
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1975 Boyd TO ESTABLISH THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE REVIEW AC…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE REVIEW ACT OF 2019; TO PROVIDE FOR ANNUAL MEDICAID … | Boyd | Sine Die adjournment |
|
HB1978
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1978 Perry TO AMEND THE STATUTES CONCERNING PROCURERS; AND TO RE…”
|
TO AMEND THE STATUTES CONCERNING PROCURERS; AND TO REGULATE THE USE OF A PROCURER BY … | Perry | Died on House at Sine Die Adjournment |
|
HB1980
Act 1071
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1980 A. Davis TO AMEND THE UNFAIR CIGARETTE SALES ACT; TO AMEND…”
|
TO AMEND THE UNFAIR CIGARETTE SALES ACT; TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS TOBACCO PRODUCTS TAX ACT … | A. Davis | Notification that HB1980 is now Act 1071 |
|
HB1984
Act 1072
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1984 Perry TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION AND THE ARKANSAS C…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION AND THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING CERTAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. | Perry | Notification that HB1984 is now Act 1072 |
|
HB1985
Act 1073
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1985 A. Davis TO PROMOTE WATER RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOP…”
|
TO PROMOTE WATER RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT; AND TO AMEND THE WATER RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND … | A. Davis | Notification that HB1985 is now Act 1073 |
|
HCR1015
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…sures from the regular session of the 92nd general assembly house concurrent resolution 1015 house concurrent resolution 1016 house concurrent resolutio…”
|
TO SUPPORT THE STUDY OF THE COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGY TO RECLAIM AND REPURPOSE … | Ladyman | Approved by the Governor |
|
HCR1016
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…the 92nd general assembly house concurrent resolution 1015 house concurrent resolution 1016 house concurrent resolution 1017 house bill 1052 is act 745…”
|
TO CONGRATULATE THE MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. | Fielding | Approved by the Governor |
|
HCR1017
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…concurrent resolution 1015 house concurrent resolution 1016 house concurrent resolution 1017 house bill 1052 is act 745 hospital 1082 is act 746 House B…”
|
TO CONGRATULATE THE MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS BOYS SWIM TEAM FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. | Jean | Approved by the Governor |
|
HR1023
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…peaker we are committee on house rules to whom was deferred house resolution 1023 beg leaves report we've had the same under consideration he…”
|
TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY. | A. Davis | READ AND ADOPTED. |
|
HR1036
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…aker, we are committee on house rules to whom was deferred. House resolution 1036 beg leaves report we've had the same under consideration he…”
|
TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY. | Dotson | READ AND ADOPTED. |
|
HR1074
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1074 TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE N…”
|
TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY. | Della Rosa | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die Adjournment |
|
SB102
Act 875
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB102 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF A…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF AGING, ADULT, AND BEHAVIORAL … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB102 is now Act 875 |
|
SB104
Act 911
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB104 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF C…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB104 is now Act 911 |
|
SB136
Act 877
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB136 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND -…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND - GRANTS AND AID TO LOCAL … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB136 is now Act 877 |
|
SB36
Act 871
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB36 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION APPROPRI…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB36 is now Act 871 |
|
SB483
Act 929
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB483 J. English(Cozart) TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING. | J. English | Notification that SB483 is now Act 929 |
|
SB487
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB487 Elliott(Gazaway) TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT AND AUDIT OF THE…”
|
TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT AND AUDIT OF THE CULTURE AND CLIMATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF … | Elliott | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB503
Act 930
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB503 Bledsoe(Bentley) CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF PHYSICIAN-ASSIST…”
|
CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE. | Bledsoe | Notification that SB503 is now Act 930 |
|
SB506
Act 931
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB506 Irvin(Bentley) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE YOUTH JUSTIC…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE YOUTH JUSTICE REFORM BOARD. | Irvin | Notification that SB506 is now Act 931 |
|
SB535
Act 1080
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB535 B. Johnson(Murdock) TO REVISE THE METHOD BY WHICH THE ACADE…”
|
TO REVISE THE METHOD BY WHICH THE ACADEMIC FACILITIES WEALTH INDEX IS CALCULATED. | B. Johnson | Notification that SB535 is now Act 1080 |
|
SB548
Act 932
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB548 B. Ballinger(Breaux) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE PROCED…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE PROCEDURE FOR THE INCORPORATION OF MUNICIPALITIES. | B. Ballinger | Notification that SB548 is now Act 932 |
|
SB549
Act 933
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB549 J. English(Cozart) TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ACADEMIC FACILITIES. | J. English | Notification that SB549 is now Act 933 |
|
SB555
Act 934
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB555 B. Ballinger(Gonzales) TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW REGARDING STAT…”
|
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW REGARDING STATE EMISSION PLANS FOR FOSSIL FUEL-FIRED ELECTRIC GENERATING UNITS. | B. Ballinger | Notification that SB555 is now Act 934 |
|
SB568
Act 935
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB568 Caldwell(Hollowell) CONCERNING THE TWENTY-FIFTH JUDICIAL DI…”
|
CONCERNING THE TWENTY-FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT; CONCERNING DISTRICT COURT JUDGES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. | Caldwell | Notification that SB568 is now Act 935 |
|
SB589
Act 936
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB589 J. English(Meeks) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DUTIES OF…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DUTIES OF THE DATA AND TRANSPARENCY PANEL. | J. English | Notification that SB589 is now Act 936 |
|
SB593
Act 937
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB593 G. Leding(Godfrey) CONCERNING TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL MATE…”
|
CONCERNING TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON CHILD TRAFFICKING. | G. Leding | Notification that SB593 is now Act 937 |
|
SB602
Act 999
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB602 J. Dismang(A. Davis) TO ESTABLISH THE SMALL WIRELESS FACILI…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE SMALL WIRELESS FACILITY DEPLOYMENT ACT. | J. Dismang | Notification that SB602 is now Act 999 |
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SB617
Act 938
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB617 Irvin(C. Fite) REPEALING THE LAW CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS CO…”
|
REPEALING THE LAW CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS COALITION FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE. | Irvin | Notification that SB617 is now Act 938 |
|
SB623
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB623 A. Clark(Gazaway) TO REMOVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION O…”
|
TO REMOVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION AS AN AVAILABLE PENALTY FOR AN OFFENSE … | A. Clark | Recommended for study in the Interim Committee on … |
|
SB625
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB625 B. Ballinger(Maddox) TO ALLOW A PARENT TO APPOINT A TEMPORA…”
|
TO ALLOW A PARENT TO APPOINT A TEMPORARY GUARDIAN FOR HIS OR HER MINOR CHILD … | B. Ballinger | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB632
Act 1085
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB632 J. English(Meeks) TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELO…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO SUPPORT A CYBER ALLIANCE IN ORDER TO … | J. English | Notification that SB632 is now Act 1085 |
|
SB638
Act 939
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB638 J. English(Burch) CONCERNING THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUC…”
|
CONCERNING THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN OF MILITARY FAMILIES; AND TO AMEND … | J. English | Notification that SB638 is now Act 939 |
|
SB642
Act 940
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB642 B. Davis(Cloud) TO MODIFY THE TIME FOR RECOUPMENT OF AUDITS…”
|
TO MODIFY THE TIME FOR RECOUPMENT OF AUDITS OF MEDICAL PROVIDERS. | B. Davis | Notification that SB642 is now Act 940 |
|
SB646
Act 1001
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB646 G. Leding(Capp) CONCERNING CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED RECO…”
|
CONCERNING CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED RECORDS OF THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY. | G. Leding | Notification that SB646 is now Act 1001 |
|
SB647
Act 941
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB647 Irvin(C. Fite) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING STATE REIMBURSEM…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING STATE REIMBURSEMENTS ADMINISTERED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS. | Irvin | Notification that SB647 is now Act 941 |
|
SB651
Act 942
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB651 Caldwell(Tosh) TO AMEND THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PASSENGER MOT…”
|
TO AMEND THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES FOR CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; … | Caldwell | Notification that SB651 is now Act 942 |
|
SB654
Act 1002
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate bill 654 beg need to report to, we've had the same under considerati…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS; AND TO AUTHORIZE A CIVIL PENALTY FOR MISREPRESENTING … | J. Dismang | Notification that SB654 is now Act 1002 |
|
SB656
Act 943
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB656 J. EnglishMeeks) TO CREATE THE DATA-SHARING AND DATA-DRIVEN…”
|
TO CREATE THE DATA-SHARING AND DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING TASK FORCE. | J. English | Notification that SB656 is now Act 943 |
|
SB658
Act 1003
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB658 Hester(Dalby) CONCERNING CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES, PROSECUTING…”
|
CONCERNING CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES, PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS, AND THE JUDICIARY; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. | Hester | Notification that SB658 is now Act 1003 |
|
SB659
Act 944
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB659 J. English(Cozart) TO ALLOW A STATE-SUPPORTED TWO-YEAR INST…”
|
TO ALLOW A STATE-SUPPORTED TWO-YEAR INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO MARKET AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO … | J. English | Notification that SB659 is now Act 944 |
|
SB662
Act 945
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB662 A. Clark(Capp) TO CREATE THE CHILD WELFARE OMBUDSMAN DIVISI…”
|
TO CREATE THE CHILD WELFARE OMBUDSMAN DIVISION WITHIN THE ARKANSAS CHILD ABUSE/RAPE/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMISSION. | A. Clark | Notification that SB662 is now Act 945 |
|
SB663
Act 946
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB663 Maloch(Hillman) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DONORS OF FOOD;…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DONORS OF FOOD; AND TO EXCLUDE LIABILITY FOR DONORS OF … | Maloch | Notification that SB663 is now Act 946 |
|
SB667
Act 947
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB667 K. Ingram(Warren) TO AMEND AN EXEMPTION TO THE ARKANSAS CLE…”
|
TO AMEND AN EXEMPTION TO THE ARKANSAS CLEAN INDOOR AIR ACT OF 2006. | K. Ingram | Notification that SB667 is now Act 947 |
|
SB68
Act 872
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB68 AN ACT FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS APPROPRI…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB68 is now Act 872 |
|
SB93
Act 873
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB93 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB93 is now Act 873 |
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Unknown speaker
0:00
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Let's go.
I invite the members, staff, press, and guests in the gallery to stand and be led in prayer by
Dr. Rex Horn, House Chaplain, retired pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church, and I would mention that his grandson, Gideon Carlisle, is here with him today, and then to remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative
Speaker 9
7:28
Lane Jean. Let's pray, please. Father, we're grateful for the beauty of spring
as we look at the nature that you've created. We thank you, Lord, for the beauty of friendship and for public service. And we thank you for these men and women who are pressing on toward the end of the session now. We pray that you'll continue to give them strength, that you will give them satisfaction, that they have done their best, that you'll make them, Lord, aware of the good things that they do for the citizens of Arkansas. all and may we as citizens be grateful. May we be prayerful for those who serve and may we be
encouragers to all around. Thank you for this day and for the opportunities of this
Speaker 12
8:13
session. In Jesus' name, amen. Members, please indicate your presence
by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 100 members present, the chair sees a quorum. Representative Frederick Love moves we dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal. Without objection, so ordered. Are there reports from select committees? Read the reports, Mr. Clerk. Mr. Speaker, we are committee on joint budget to whom was referred. House
Chair
Unverified
9:11
Bill 1865, House Bill 1876. Beg leave to report that we've had the same under consideration. And here we're turning the same with the recommendation to do pass as amended number one. Respectfully submitted, Lane Jean, Chair. Mr. Speaker, we are committee on house rules to whom was deferred. House resolution 1036 beg leaves report we've had the same under consideration here with
turn the same with the recommendation that do pass as a minute number one respectfully submitted sir cap chair. Mr. Speaker we are committee on house rules to whom was deferred house resolution 1023 beg leaves report we've had the same under consideration here with turn the same with the recommendation
do pass as a minute number three respectfully submitted sir cap chair.
Speaker 21
9:42
Are there reports from standing committees read the reports Mr. Clerk? Mr.
Chair
Unverified
9:45
Speaker we are we are committee on public health welfare and labor to whom was deferred
Senate bill 654 beg need to report to, we've had the same under consideration and here would turn the same with the recommendation do pass respectfully submitted jack lady register Mister Speaker, we are Commission on public health welfare, and labor Whquem
differently house bill, 1441 House bill 1491 House Bill 1651 begsリte report the we've had the same under consideration and here would turn the same with the recommendation do pass and concurrence with Senate amendment no. one respectfully submitted jack ladyруж 80 ocherne s speed wheel come into public transportation to who was deferred house bill 1822 may be goods edition report to we've had the same under consideration here attending the recommendation do pass and concurrent will send amendment
Speaker 24
10:22
number one michael Church 30 unfinished business are there any executive communications read the letter from the governor mr. clerk April 5th
Chair
Unverified
10:31
2019 to the speaker of the house dear
mr. speaker this is to inform you that on April 5th 2019 I approved the following measures from the regular session of the 92nd general assembly house concurrent resolution 1015 house concurrent resolution 1016 house concurrent resolution 1017 house bill 1052 is act 745 hospital 1082 is act 746 House Bill 1139 is Act 747, House Bill 1144 is Act 748, House Bill 1153 is Act 749, House Bill 1154 is Act 750, House Bill 1155 is Act 751, House Bill 1168 is Act 752, House Bill 1219 is Act 753, House Bill 1468 is Act 754, House Bill 1509 is Act 755, House Bill 1537 is Act 756, House Bill 1573 is Act 757, House Bill 1632 is Act 758, House Bill 1637 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 756, House Bill 1573 is Act 757, House Bill 1632 is Act 758, House Bill 1637 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759, House Bill 1537 is Act 759
1722 is Act 760. House Bill 1730 is Act 761. House Bill 1739 is Act 762. House Bill 1741 is Act 763. House Bill 1808 is Act 764. House Bill 1818 is Act 765. House Bill 1848 is
Act 766. House Bill 1879 is Act 767. Sincerely, Asa Hutchinson.
Mr. Clerk, please read House Resolution
Speaker 31
11:57
1050. House Resolution 1050 by Representative Rushing to proclaim April 8th, 2019 as Grandparents'
Chair
Unverified
12:04
Rights Awareness Day. Representative Rushing, you're recognized to
Representative Laurie Rushing
Unverified
12:09
explain the resolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. House Resolution 1050 is just to proclaim April 8th as Grandparents' Rights Awareness I appreciate all of your votes on the Grandparents' Rights Bill.
Today, April 8th, is my grandson's birthday, Thomas Noble Watts, and a copy of this will be sent to him. So if you'll read the resolution in its entirety, I appreciate it. Mr. Clark, please read the resolution. Whereas the relationship
Speaker 31
12:38
between a grandparent and a grandchild can be one of the great joy and importance for both grandparent and grandchild, and whereas sometimes in events such as a parent's death, a divorce or an estrangement can tear a family apart and alter or sever relationships between
a grandparent and a grandchild and afterward the grandchild's parents or guardian may block any further contact with the grandparent who may in turn take legal steps to maintain contact with their grandchild and whereas today all 50 states have some type of grandparent visitation law and that allows grandparents to petition a court to grant them legal right to maintain their relationships with their grandchildren and whereas grandparents can derive tremendous pleasure from relationships with grandchildren and suffer terrible pain and loss when those relationships are disrupted or prevented now therefore be it resolved by the
House of Representatives of the 92nd General Assembly of the state of Arkansas at the House of Representatives recognize the importance of grandparent and grandchild relationships and proclaim April 8th 2019 as Grandparents Rights Awareness Day
representative rushing has explained the resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution would anyone like speak for the
resolution representative rushing is closed for the resolution the question for the house is the adoption of house resolution 1050 all in favor say aye any opposed the resolution is adopted
Members, we're going to go to the yellow budget calendar.
Representative Gene, you're recognized. Warning hour has ended. Representative Gene moves we place House Bill 1865 on
second reading for the purpose of
Chair
Unverified
14:38
amendment. Without objection, read Amendment No. 1, Mr.
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
14:42
Clerk. Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 1865. Representative Gene, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Colleagues, as the joint budget met this morning and suspended the rules, this is the amendment on the rainy day calendar, the funding. I'll answer any questions. We'll talk more in detail
about this tomorrow when we run the bill. Any questions on it?
Representative Payton, for what purpose? You're
Speaker 47
15:07
recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can you just elaborate a little bit more on exactly what we're doing with this amendment
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
15:16
to this bill? Well, this is like the general revenue.
This fills in the funding numbers. There'll be out of $84 million that is projected as surplus, $10,500,000 is for the Department of Correction lease of various bed space that we have leased across the state.
$30 million goes to the Arkansas Economic Development Corporation for Quick Action Closing Fund. Almost $1.9 of one-time funding goes to the Division of Agriculture to get them up to their $3 million funding, and remember, we put $1.1 million in the RSA. $1.8 million is to succeed scholarships, $500,000 is for the military department, and could be
up to $10 million, depending on what their need is for UAMS, but a total of $54 million. And then the $30 million of the balance of that $84 million will be for rainy day funds that will be at the discretion of the governor and confirmed and okayed by legislative council. If I could have a
Speaker 47
16:28
follow-up. So Representative Jean, is it fair to say that, you know, many times we're told this is just an appropriation, but I mean, in this case, this money flows through this fund without going across the RSA.
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
16:42
Is that correct? Well, yes, yes. And the $54 million has set out what we're going to spend it on in the red. Now, the $30 million still has to have council approval. So if I
Speaker 47
16:56
could follow up. So, when we're told repeatedly through the session that it's all going to be in the budget, it's all going to be in RSA, this is $80 million, it's not. Is that correct? Well, yes, but
Representative Lane Jean
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17:09
we've had one-time funding since me and you have been here.
Speaker 47
17:15
I have one more question. More follow-up. Okay. So, if this is a projection that there's going to be $80 million, then why do we call it
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
17:28
surplus? Because it's it's up and above what what the revenue for the revenue
Speaker 46
17:32
stabilization was. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
Mr. Speaker. Representative Varaya, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized. Representative Gene, this morning you and I spoke a little bit about the mills on
wheels and that being 2.5 million. Are we going to be able to actually have the same amount of money in the fund for this next uh year as my understanding it is same amount without that bill this morning right
any other questions all right appreciate a
Speaker 42
18:06
good vote on the amendment representative gene has explained the amendment would
anyone like speak against the amendment would anyone like speak for the amendment representative gene is closed for the
amendment the question for the house is the adoption of amendment number one to house bill 1865. All in favor say
aye. Aye. Any opposed? No. The ayes have it. Representative Jean moves we place
House Bill 1876 on second reading for the purpose
Chair
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of amendment. Without objection read amendment number
Speaker 42
18:36
one Mr. Clerk. Amendment number one to House Bill
Representative Lane Jean
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18:42
1876. Representative Jean you're recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr. Speaker. This is the amendment. This is the The numbers in for the revenue stabilization, House Bill 1878, as I had indicated earlier in our meeting, a lot of you weren't there, the revenue stabilization total dollars is 5.7 billion dollars from what we had in November on the governor's balance budget.
it's a million dollars less. This is pretty much mirrors what the governor gave us on November 14th, 2018. Not much change at all. I will go through the line item either today on questions or we'll wait till tomorrow. This is a 2.2 increase in the budget from this prior year. This is the lowest that's been since 10 years ago 2009 it's now we've got we've got some other tasks that we've
got to do at a years ahead but this is the lowest increase that I've had since
I've been here and but any questions on the
amendment appreciate a good vote on the
Speaker 74
20:03
amendment for what purpose question you
Representative Charles Blake
Unverified
20:05
recognize thank you mr. speaker what what are the actual changes but from
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
20:11
this one and the one earlier we'll go over top line there's thirty point eight million dollars to the general education fund that's your public schools that's a 1.4 percent increase on general
education DHS grants this is your traditional our kids first and Arkansas works, Medicaid, $61 million increase. Last year alone I think we did $130 million increase and 90 of that was one-time money. So this is this year $61 million to take care of our Medicaid. Behavioral health has a $2.5 million increase. The Department of Corrections has
about a $2.5 million correction and extra correctional officers. Department of Community Corrections has about a $2.5 million increase. That's mainly probation officers increase for them. Miscellaneous agencies has a $954,000 increase. Of course when you get to the Department of Health it's had some money that was transferred from miscellaneous agencies to take care of the Office of Health Information
and Technology Fund. The performance-based, if you'll see that, that's the raises, that's in Category C. That's the only thing that's in Category C. But don't let that alarm you because they have a $25 million balance in the performance fund. So what will have to happen, A and B will be funded, and when C is funded, that $14 million will go over to replenish the performance baseline item in the future.
State police have a $2.3 million increase, that's to fund a 50-member trooper school and 12 positions, 12 new police positions, state trooper positions. Most of the, if you'll look at the higher institution on the Category B, all that is driven by performance funding those increases so these schools have met performances on graduation moving members of students up from
classification grade point average test scores and stuff like that as a total in category B we're spending a hundred and fifteen more million dollars than we did last year category c 14 million uh once again uh this is a 2.2 percent increase in the revenue stabilization represent payton for what purpose you recognize thank you mr speaker representative gene
Speaker 47
23:00
i truly want to try to understand this and i guess i'm having a hard time understanding i
appreciate the fact that that these numbers are a couple million higher than last time But as we just saw with the other bill, and I don't know how many I may have already missed, how much money is flowing in funding outside of this RSA? You're talking about general revenue? Well, I mean, I know this is funding that we say is going to these expenditures. And so what funding is flowing other than what we see here?
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
23:41
Just the $80 million, $84 million, that's the only general revenue, and you know where that's going, to those projects, plus $30 million for the governor's rainy day fund. All right, now, but if you're talking about, let me just explain. If you're talking about how much money is being thrown through state central services, anytime you do any of the constitutional officers, the House or Senate budget, Supreme Court, when you pass that budget, it's going to be funded. There are no RSA on it, but that's outside of general revenue.
Any kind of special revenue, car tax fees and stuff like that, when you pass that budget, it'll be funded. Revenue stabilization with the general revenue is the lock on the general revenue. but this five five point seven five billion dollar budget plus another 84 million and that's all the general revenue we have thank you so the combination
Speaker 47
24:41
of the two we're looking at today absolutely is it okay thank you
Speaker 42
24:45
thank you mr. speaker any other questions thing I appreciate a good vote on the amendment represent gene has
explained the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment? Would anyone like to speak for the amendment? Representative Jean is closed for the amendment.
The question before the House is the adoption of amendment number one to House Bill 1876. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Representative Jean you're recognized. Well I see how y'all feel about one-time
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
25:21
funding. All right. We're going to start off with Senate Bill 485 by Senator Letting. This is an increase in appropriation of $5 million for the Department of Environmental Quality for infrastructure. This will be taken out of the Development and Enhancement Fund. Any questions on this? Remember, your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause.
Ms. Speaker, let the clerk read the bill for
the third time. Read the bill, Mr. Clerk. Senate Bill 485. Representative Jean has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill, against the bill? Representative Jean is closed
for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 485. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. You're voting on the bill and its emergency clause.
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 75 yeas, 15 nays, and two present, the bill and its emergency clause has
Representative Lane Jean
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26:45
passed. You're recognized. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Colleagues, we're going to try
to batch the four House bills. House Bill 1106, its funding is out of State Central Services, no GR and no change. House Bill 1109, DF&A, its general revenue is flat.
House Bill 1130, this is the Arkansas State Troopers Appropriation. It does have about $2.5 million additional money in there for 12 troopers and trooper school. And the House Bill 1200, UAMS, the medical sciences, or universal arts on medical science, that's paid strictly out of tobacco settlement funds. Any question on any of these four, and do we need to pull any of these out of the batch? Seeing none, remember your one vote is for each one of the bills of mercy clause.
Mr. Speaker, have the clerk read the bill for
Speaker 90
27:41
the third time. Mr. Clerk, read the bills for the third time. House Bill 1106, House Bill 1109,
House Bill 1130, House Bill 1200. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 93 yeas, 1 nay, and 0 present, the bills have passed.
and the emergency clauses. Recognize Representative Jean. Thank you,
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
28:14
Madam Speaker. Colleagues, we're going to
take the Senate bills up. Senate Bill 36, 68, 93, 102, 104, and 136. Senate Bill 36, Public Defender, has state central services, no general revenue. The Administrative Office of the Courts on Senate Bill 68 has state central services, no general revenue. The Department of Higher Education Appropriation, it has general revenue, but there is no increase.
Senate Bill 102, the Department of Human Services, Aging, and Children, and Behavior, it does have the $2.5 million increase on the crisis stabilization centers. That's in the governor's balanced budget. Senate Bill 104, Division of Children, Family Services, GR, no increase. and then the last one which is senate bill 136 this is the public school fund that has our almost 31 million dollars uh for adequacy any questions on any of these and do i need to pull any of these
out of the batch seeing none your one vote is for the bill in the emergency clause madam speaker has the clerk read the bill for the third time mr clark please
Speaker 90
29:31
read the bills for the third time Senate Bill 36, Senate Bill 68, Senate Bill 93, Senate Bill 102, Senate Bill 104, Senate Bill 136. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? You're voting on the bills and their emergency clauses. Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 95 yeas, 1 nay, and 0 present, the bills and their emergency clauses have passed. Now we'll move to the red calendar. Representative Deborah Ferguson recommends that we concur in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1827.
Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Amendment 1.
Chair
Unverified
30:23
Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1827. 1827. Representative
Speaker 83
30:30
Ferguson, you are recognized to explain your amendment. Thank you, Madam Chair. This just adds Senator Wallace as
the Senate sponsor. Representative Ferguson has explained the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment? Against the amendment? Representative Ferguson is closed for the amendment. The question before the House is
concurrence with Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1827. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 95 yeas, 0 nays, and 0 present, you have concurred in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1827. Representative Pilkington recommends that we concur in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1435. Mr.
Chair
Unverified
31:25
Clerk, please read Senate Amendment 1. Senate Amendment 1
to House Bill 1435. Representative Pilkington, you are recognized to explain
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
31:33
Amendment 1. Thank you Madam Speaker. This just merely adds Senator Dismang as the Senate sponsor and when it goes to the governor's desk will be the first state in the country to allow ride-sharing for Medicaid beneficiaries,
so yay us. Representative Pilkington has explained the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the
amendment. Against the amendment, Representative Pilkington is closed for the
amendment. The question before the House is concurrence with Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1435. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. clerk. With 91 yeas, 0 nays, and 1 present, you have concurred in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1435. Representative Clowney recommends that we concur in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1773. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate
Chair
Unverified
32:30
Amendment 1. Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1773. Representative Clowney,
Speaker 83
32:35
you are recognized to explain Amendment 1. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Members, this is a bill that we passed out of here a couple weeks ago that
Representative Nicole Clowney
Unverified
32:41
dealt with firefighters. It allows them to take sick leave if they're diagnosed with certain types of cancers. The Municipal League asked for an amendment over on the Senate side that would just create a start date for a network that would allow smaller municipalities to cover any shifts that would be impacted by this bill. After we added this amendment, the Municipal League didn't speak out in committee opposed to this bill and we got a unanimous vote in the Senate. I'm
happy to answer any questions, otherwise I'd appreciate a
good vote. Representative Clowney has explained the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the
amendment? Against the amendment? Representative Clowney is closed for the amendment. The question before the House is concurrence with Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1773. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 96 yays, 0 nay, and 0 present,
You have concurred in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1773. Representative Rye recommends that we concur in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1306. Mr. Clerk,
Chair
Unverified
33:50
please read Senate Amendment 1. Senate
Amendment 1 to House Bill 1306. Representative Rye,
you are recognized to explain Amendment 1. This bill has one little correction. Instead of a majority of the people on the Election Commission, it will include all three.
which would be Democrat and Republican. Representative Rye has explained the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment? Against the amendment? Representative Rye is closed for his amendment. The question before the House is concurrence with Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1306. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 88 yeas, 5 nays, and 0 present, you have concurred in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1306. Representative Payton recommends that we concur in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1767. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Amendment 1. Senate
Chair
Unverified
35:00
Amendment 1 to House Bill 1767. Representative Payton,
you are recognized to explain Amendment 1. Thank you,
Speaker 80
35:07
Madam Speaker. It's not a tax increase. It's a good amendment. Thanks.
Representative Payton has explained the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment? Against
the amendment. Representative Payton is closed for the amendment. The question before the House is concurrence with Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1767. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk.
With 93 yeas, 0 nays, and 0 present, you have concurred in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1767. Representative Deborah Ferguson recommends that we concur in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1656. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Amendment 1. Senate Amendment 1
Chair
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36:00
to House Bill 1656. Representative Ferguson, you are recognized
to explain Amendment 1. Thank you, Madam Chair. This is
Representative Kenneth B. Ferguson
Unverified
36:10
just a couple of things we added on the Senate end to amend it to make it comply
with what Medicaid thought they needed to work with their formulary. So Medicaid is fine with it.
Representative Ferguson has explained the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment, against the amendment? Ferguson is closed for the amendment. The question before the House is concurrence with Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1656. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. With 97 yeas, zero nays, and zero present, you have concurred in Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 1656. Representative Lundstrom moves that we re-refer House Bill 1886 to committee. That's a proper motion. Representative Lundstrom, you're recognized to explain your motion. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
37:18
want to give you a report that I think is very important to give to you today.
Over this last year during campaigns, one of the things that we probably all heard about was the need for access to child care all through the state. So when we met this fall with different child care providers about that need for access, one of the things that came out was the length of time a child care provider had to do a background check. Sometimes it would take four to six weeks to do a background check on a new employee. Well, as you can imagine right now, that's a very long time to have somebody
working in a child care facility and not have a background check completed. When it came back, What if there's a problem? Well, that could be a pretty serious problem with a four to six week wait. So when we discussed this with these providers, they said, we need some help. We should be able to turn this around much quicker. Well, in my business, I can do a background check in 48 hours. And that's just for a rental property. But that's pretty important when you're sharing a duplex with someone. You want to make sure that a perpetrator isn't sharing the roof with somebody else. So, we ran this bill to say, let's do background checks in real time. Unfortunately,
it backed into a lot of different things with child maltreatment and a lot of different issues. So, in the process of working with this bill, Cindy Gillespie and all the good folks at DHS came in, and we started working together and talking about these issues. And I want to read to you a letter, and this is the reason we've been passing over this bill so much, because this is something that's going to be in your boxes tomorrow, and it's something you need to take back home to your people. Whether you're Republican, Democrat, in-law, or out-law, this is something that you need to know because you're going to be asked about it. Four to six weeks is
unacceptable. Well, they're trying very hard right now to take it down to five to seven days, but you need to understand this letter because they're going to be coming back to you with reports, and it's a letter from DHS. And it's addressing three specific points. They are going to implement a new IT and fingerprinting operations that will follow some specific guidelines. State police is now going to help them as well. They are also going to comply with federal regulatory changes to allow them more flexibility.
Upon completion of streamlining the child care background check, DHS and the state completes We'll begin incorporating this same system of operation into the remaining DHS background check operations. Kelly Link, Chief Legislative and Governmental Affairs, will provide us with monthly updates. And I'll also receive weekly updates from the Deputy Director, Chief Business Operations, and other members.
So this is a very big deal, and I want to thank Ms. Gillespie. I also want to thank the state police and other members of DHS for how quickly they responded to this need. I'd like to re-refer this back to public health and have us all get those updates. And I'd also like for this letter to be in your boxes, so should you get any questions, you can respond back to your constituents. Good things are happening, and they are listening. With that, I would ask for a good vote. Appreciate your support.
Representative Lundstrom. I also want to thank the state police and again I want to thank Cindy Gillespie for responding and grasping how important this is and thank
her and the people at DHS. Representative Lundstrom has explained the motion. Would anyone like to speak for the motion? Against the motion? Representative Lundstrom is closed for her motion. The question before the House is the re-referral of House Bill 1886 to committee.
All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The bill has been re-referred to committee. The
doctor of the day is Dr. Theresa Wyrick Glover of Little Rock and the nurse of the day is Brenda Hewitt.
The Arkansas State Troopers with us this week are Tyler Gentry of Troop F. Drew County and Jackson Dorman Troop G Nevada County. We also have with us paging today Isaac McBride, a senior at the Baptist Preparatory School in Little Rock who was the 2018-19 Gatorade Arkansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year and he has signed a letter of intent to play basketball and scholarship at the University
of Kansas. He's paging on behalf of Representative Fred Allen. Mr.
Clerk, please read House Bill 1975. House
Speaker 90
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Bill 1975 by Representative Boyd to establish the Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Review Act of 2019 to provide for annual Medicaid reimbursement rate reviews of Medicaid
reimbursement rates and mythologies and to declare an emergency. Representative
Representative Justin Boyd
Unverified
43:16
Boyd, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So since prior to this session, I started working on rate reviews for immunizations that are paid for in Medicaid through vaccine for children and for adults and so on and so forth. So I've been working with DHS for months on that. What I learned in that process is that for vaccine for children, that rate has not been reviewed since 2004.
So we're looking at basically 15 years since that rate has been reviewed. Since then, we've met and we've heard about developmental disability providers. We've heard about home care providers. We've heard about assisted living facilities. What we found is one provider within the Medicaid program was receiving automatic annual increases. What we saw is that another one was not. So there are absolute disparities in the way that rates are being reviewed at Medicaid.
So what this bill does is it takes the governor's executive order that he issued last week or the week before. It was a proclamation. and the last couple weeks, the 26th day of March, and it attempts to codify it. It's not because I'm running this legislation, not because I don't trust this governor or that he's not going to continue, but I don't know about this, you know, the next governor or the one after that. So that's what this bill does. It mandates a rate review over a four-year cycle for all Medicaid providers.
It doesn't single one out, but it forces them to have a process, and it's not just DHS seemingly picking this one or that one or maybe somehow something's brought. So this mandates a periodic review over a four-year cycle. That's what it does. I'd be happy to take any questions. Seeing none, I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Boyd has
Chair
Unverified
45:05
explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Boyd is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1975. Prepare
the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? You're voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 94 yeas, 0 nay, and 0 present, you have passed the bill and the emergency clause. Mr. Clerk, please read
Speaker 90
45:42
House Bill 1978. House Bill 1978 by Representative Perry.
Chair
Unverified
45:45
to amend the statutes concerning procurers and to regulate the use of procurer by the licensed
chiropractic physician. Representative Parrott, you're
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
45:56
recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, House Bill 1978 is a bill that we've worked on for years. I worked on it for the last three terms when we were here before. In 2013, we passed a law requiring that healthcare direct marketers, known as procurers, register so that if they engage in deceptive
sales activity, they can be prosecuted. The law has been mostly successful, but there continue to be a few bad actors out there, and this strengthens the ability of the attorney general to prosecute procurers and the chiropractors they work with or physicians they work with who engage in misleading, unethical, or deceptive activities in order to direct prospective clients to a particular physician. This bill makes all the activity we outlawed in 2013 also prosecutable under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
The AG's office specifically asked for this authority. We worked with this with the chiropractor board, the AG's office, of course, BLR, and understand there's a couple of concerns. Section 1 really talking about some of the false statements, but it lists in the wording of it where there's doctors, chiropractic physicians, and then it talks about the word physicians. But this is actually under the chiropractic board, which will be done.
The AG's office is neutral on it, even though they've helped in drafting the legislation with us. They are neutral on it. And I would be glad
to answer any questions. Representative Collins, for what
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
47:52
purpose? You're recognized. Thank you. And Representative Perry, we've talked about this. Yes, sir. But I just want to be clear that the physician issue is that physician is specifically defined in this chapter as applying to not just chiropractors, but other types of physicians, surgeons, and osteopaths.
And so throughout where we've struck chiropractic, changing chiropractic physician to physician, what we've done, I'm sure with no intent, is apply all of these sanctions, consequences, restrictions to all physicians. And I think that is a significant problem, even if it's not intended, wouldn't you
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
48:32
agree? Actually, I would agree it's in there, but physicians don't actually hire procurers. There's a direct group of particular physicians, chiropractic physicians that hire procurers,
or runners as they call them, and that's where it's more designed to. Representative House, for what
Representative Douglas House
Unverified
48:57
purpose are you recognized? Representative Perry, as I looked at the bill, I had one question. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to ask you earlier. In the workers' compensation business, the physicians are usually chosen by the employer, and the employer says you've got to go to this doctor.
Do you think we're outlawing a practice that's been long established in the workers' compensation community. I don't believe that the business wouldn't be
Representative Mark Perry
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49:24
procured by a runner in that particular case. This is more directly directed towards the runners or the procurers. I appreciate a good vote. Collins, for what purpose? Representative Perry has left the well. Representative
Speaker 130
49:36
Perry has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Perry is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House House Bill 1978. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 65 yeas, 6 nays, and 10 present, the bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 1980. House Bill 1980 by
Chair
Unverified
50:15
Representative Andy Davis to amend the Unfair Cigarette Sales Act,
Speaker 90
50:19
act to amend the arkansas tobacco products tax act of 1977 and to
Chair
Unverified
50:25
declare an emergency representative davis you're
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
50:31
recognized to explain the bill thank you mr speaker members this is
just an agency cleanup bill i know that you've heard a few things about it so let me go ahead and go into some details this cleanup bill removes old Old language, outdated repetitive language, simplifies, adds some simplification in a few places, removes a 30-day transition period to protect new retailers.
So let me go into this because I know some of you have
been talking to about it. Bottom line is if you're selling your store and your permit, you have to pay off all of your fines and fees before you can sell it. 27 times in the last 10 years we've had cases where somebody would try to buy a tobacco store tobacco permit and not be able to use it because the seller had outstanding fees
and fines so this just makes it so that they have to pay those off before they can sell it has some permit changes some people have asked
is have any new fees new taxes so much before the first off there's no new taxes in this there are a couple of changes to some existing permits currently if you sell cigarettes and over-the-counter tobacco you have to buy two permits five hundred dollars each this bill eliminates those two
permits and creates one single thousand dollar permit so it's the same amount of money but one permit instead of two doesn't affect
any in-state retailers or wholesalers
It will affect seven wholesalers that are out of state. One other permit change is that currently, if you only sell vape, you pay $50 for your permit. No, no, no, you pay $100 for your permit if you only sell vape. If you are a grocery store and you sell vape, you only pay $50 for your permit. This swaps them. So if you're a, say, a grocer, a convenience store, retailer, and you sell vape, you'll pay the $100.
If you're vape only, you'll pay the $50. I'm going to stop there and just take
questions. Representative Walker, for what purpose?
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
52:54
Question. You're recognized. Can you tell me why you would require people who own cigarette businesses to have all their debts paid when corporations which are losing or other businesses which are losing can make
a sale upon condition of the buyer paying off the debts. Representative Walker, are
Representative Marsh Davis
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53:15
you talking about specific tobacco or any other industry? Well, I'm opposed to tobacco,
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
53:20
but I'm just asking why are you going to treat tobacco differently unless there is some expressed intent? Why are you going to treat them differently than you do failing businesses that have debts to the state
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
53:34
or anybody else? I don't feel like I can really speak to how we treat all
other businesses. bill is just tobacco it's just a tobacco
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
53:44
control agency cleanup bill follow-up are we not also in
effect implicitly legislating approval of vaping no sir representative kavanaugh for what purpose question you're recognized
Speaker 165
53:55
representative davis when i look over this here's my
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
53:59
greatest fear is that we have a backdoor deal where dfna can go in later and decide to go ahead and put taxes on vaping and these cigarettes without really a vote from us i don't think there's any mechanism in here that
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
54:16
allows that to happen representative kavanaugh okay one of the go ahead i mean it
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
54:23
talks about invoices follow-up mr speaker it talks about invoices and products and everything the the same, you're handling the same way as you tobacco. What's going to prohibit from DF&A coming back with a rule and says because of this bill, you are now going to be considered a tobacco and you are going to pay taxes on that? What's
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
54:45
going to prohibit that? My answer to you would be that they don't have the authority to impose taxes. They could try to
do some sort of fee by rule, which we would have to approve and most likely would
be turned down for lack of legislative intent or authority so I don't think that that's likely
to happen and I don't think that's the intent or the intention of anything that's in this bill thank you Bentley for
Speaker 52
55:11
a purpose question you're recognized represent am Davis does this change
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
55:16
regulations at all for for small vape shops that are out there is it adding regulation decrease I'm just I'm really concerned about the increase in vaping for high school students so we're changing anyway we're increasing
regulation or we can explain that to us what we're doing to vape shops
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
55:33
with this to my knowledge we're not changing anything as far as regulation on vape one of the reasons is it took so long to get this bill together was that we were waiting to see what sort of vaping regulation particularly taxes may or may not pass so as you are probably well aware there were several proposals I actually had the Bureau come through the bill several times to remove anything in relation to vape and e-cig taxes and whatnot because we don't have those they're not they're
not there today so that's not in
Speaker 48
56:04
this cleanup bill representative rye for what purpose
you're recognized yes sir thank you mr speaker representative andy presently if a new business was coming in to buy an old business would the new owner inherit that bill no they
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
56:19
don't inherit the bill but it's my understanding that they can't get issued their own permit until the seller pays all their bills so you could go through the process of
getting set up and get your sales tax ID all that and then not be able to
Speaker 48
56:38
get the tobacco permit representative fight for what purpose question you're
Representative Lanny Fite
Unverified
56:41
recognized represented as this bill has a change in the responsibilities of the board and seems to give more power to the director of ATC why is that being done.
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
56:50
So the director's response to that insinuation is that when the agency was corrected there
was no distinction between the board and the agency they're simply trying to parse out what the agency does day to day and what the board does
at a hearing just to clarify that again
clarify a cleanup bill and create that check and balance make that more
Speaker 179
57:11
clear. McCollum for what purpose? Question. You're recognized. You're in a bill earlier
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
57:16
this session that took away rights from law-abiding citizens with tobacco. Is there anything in this 50-page cleanup bill that's doing anything with that again? No, Representative Kellum. Okay, thanks.
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
57:27
Representative Davis has explained the bill.
Speaker 130
57:33
Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Davis is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1980. Prepare
the machine, Mr. Clerk. is everyone voted cast up the ballot mr. clerk i voted 46 yays 26 nays
and 7 present the bill has failed mr. clerk please read house bill 1619
Speaker 90
58:09
house bill 1619 by representative grant hodges to create the electric motorized scooter act Representative
Representative Monte Hodges
Unverified
58:29
Hodges, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So colleagues, last Friday I ran a bill, 1982, that's almost identical to this bill. The only difference is 1982 there was nothing in that bill dealing with local control and
The Municipal League and the scooter operators were going to try to work on some agreed-upon language, and if they were able to do that, amend it in the Senate, and we would then hopefully concur. This bill is the original scooter bill that I filed. Again, it's almost the same as that one, except we added an amendment on our end that Representative Whitaker sponsored with some agreed-upon language from the scooter operators and the Municipal League, and all it says is that, except as otherwise provided by law, a local authority may establish reasonable standards, rules, regulations, providing for
the safe operation of electric motorized scooters and presence of electric motorized scooters on public property, and then also in the data section says that that data can be released to law enforcement if required by state or federal law. Otherwise, the bills are exactly the same, same as the bill that we passed out here on Friday, so I appreciate a good vote on this one as well. Thank you. Rep. Hodges has explained the bill.
Speaker 130
59:40
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Rep. Hodges is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1619. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. As
everyone voted, cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 81 yeas, 10 nays, and 0 present, the bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read House
Chair
Unverified
1:00:14
Bill 1984. House Bill 1984 by Representative Perry to amend the Arkansas Constitution and the Arkansas
Code concerning certain economic development projects. Representative
Parrott, you are recognized to explain
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
1:00:26
the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. this is actually a fun
bill. This is an economic development bill. We have an opportunity to do something in central Arkansas which will really be great. House bill 1984 adds sports complexes which are designed to host national competitions as eligible economic development projects receiving local
funding under the local job creation job expansion in the Economic Development Development Act of 2017. We've got an opportunity to bring probably the country's largest public softball baseball complex to Central Arkansas along with a manufacturing facility that will employ about 85 people and you'll hear about it real soon. I appreciate a good vote. Representative Perry has explained the bill. Would anyone like
Speaker 130
1:01:18
to speak against the bill? Would anyone like
speak for the bill representative perry is closed for the bill the question before the house is the passage of house bill 1984 prepare
the machine mr clerk has everyone voted cast up the ballot mr clerk by a vote of 76 yeas 12 nays and six present the bill is passed mr clerk please read house bill
Chair
Unverified
1:01:53
1985. House bill 1985 by representative Andy Davis to promote water resource conservation and
development and to amend the water resource conservation and development initiatives act. Representative Davis you're
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
1:02:08
recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Members this is a good bill to
help your farmers out. There's an existing incentive program out there to encourage farmers to make certain improvements on their land to make greater use of surface water instead of well water this would just allow them some flexibility in that it's a tax credit that's already on the books all this bill does is
allow them to trade those credits around so that if they don't have tax liability there's still some incentive for them to make the improvements there's no opposition to this i appreciate a good vote this has explained the bill would
Speaker 130
1:02:41
anyone like to speak against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill representative davis is
closed for the bill the question before the house is the passage of house bill 1985 prepare the machine mr clerk has everyone voted
cast about mr clerk by vote
of 96 yay zero nay and zero present the bill is passed representative
Speaker 26
1:03:17
de la rosa for what purpose let's hear
Speaker 190
1:03:22
your motion pursuant to house rule 71 of the 92nd general assembly i move that we pull house resolution 1074 out of committee to the house
floor it's a proper motion it's debatable you're recognized to explain the
Speaker 190
1:03:53
motion this is unusual isn't it i'm nervous i'm not usually nervous down here but i'm nervous never done this before i don't think that this body may have done this at least not in the amount of time that i've been around which is pretty short
and may end up being really short after this. Typically, we do not pull bills out of committees. We allow the
Speaker 189
1:04:18
committee process to vet the bill and decide its fate. And 99.99999% of the time, I think that's the appropriate thing to do. However,
Speaker 190
1:04:28
this is an unusual bill or resolution. And I don't think that the committee that it was assigned to can really vote on it.
It's a very, very unique situation. And I can't really speak on the contents of the bill. I'm speaking on the motion to move. But in doing so, I have to at least tell you what the bill is. And it changes the way that we select the House Rules Committee. And the House Rules Committee is the one that has to vote on whether or not to change the makeup of the House Rules Committee. So do you see why they're in a position where they can't really vote on it because it's their own makeup? And that's what happened this afternoon. They took
no motion or they took no action on it, which was the appropriate thing to do, in my opinion, because they're in an awkward position of how do you vote on the makeup of your own committee. So it's a very unusual situation where you have a committee where a bill must be assigned to, yet the members really cannot make the determination of the bill or of the idea. So I think this is one of those very, very rare situations where it needs to be deliberated
by the entire body and decided by the body because it affects the entire body. The House Rules Committee is the one that decides on the Speaker's decisions, whether to overturn or uphold a Speaker's decision on any motions that we make, such as what the vote threshold is for certain bills and things like that. So it affects all of us. So what I'm asking for this motion is for you to pull this particular unusual resolution
out of a committee that I don't think can vote on it, so that all of you can vote on it. is if this passes now, that it'll be on the calendar for tomorrow. So I don't want you to think you've got to turn around and read it right this second because we're going to vote on it so you'll have time to think about it and decide what you want to do with it. But I think this is the appropriate place for that decision to be made. And that's what I'm asking for is to pull this out of committee. And with that, I will take any questions if there are any.
Seeing none, I would appreciate a good vote. She's doing what? Representative De La Rosa
has left the well. Would anyone like to speak against the
Representative Sarah Capp
Unverified
1:07:17
bill? They can come back. Representative Cap, you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. I'm down here to speak against this bill because I want you guys to know that
Representative De La Rosa received a fair hearing. The committee process works. This bill was filed on April the 2nd. To my knowledge she did not talk to anyone on the committee. She showed up and ran the bill and we all know what happens when you do that, you run the risk. We filed, or I'm sorry, we passed through two different rule changes today during the middle of the General Assembly. We're here still in the
process, and we approved those today for you to vote on. So
I would appreciate a no vote on this.
Thank you. Representative Kapp has spoken against the motion. Would anyone like speak for the motion.
Rep. Cap has spoken against the motion. Would anyone like to speak for the motion? Would anyone like to speak
against the motion? Rep. Delarosa, you're recognized to close for the motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I
Speaker 190
1:09:07
didn't say I didn't get a fair hearing. That's not what I said. I've been in Judiciary Committee, and I've gotten no motion on my bill, and it died,
and you don't see me down here trying to haul that one out. I've had plenty of bills die through all kinds of methods. Believe me, this particular session, I've had a lot of bills die. That's not what's going on here. I think this is a very unique and narrow situation whereby the committee cannot really make the decision on this particular topic, nor is there another committee that it could be assigned to that could do so because it would be an incorrect topic for them. So it's a very unique situation where we have a bill that really can't truly be decided by a committee
because of the nature of the particular proposal. So again, I'm asking you to please just pull this out for us to decide ourselves, which I believe would be tomorrow. And if you kill it tomorrow, you know, that's fair, that's fine. But
Speaker 189
1:10:00
I think that this body should be the one making the decision on that, and I would very much appreciate a
good vote Senator De La Rosa has closed for the motion the question before the House is The withdrawal of House resolution 1074 from committee all in favor say aye
Those opposed The noes have it. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate bill 623 Senate
Chair
Unverified
1:10:29
Bill 623 by Representative Gassaway to remove a driver's license suspension or revocation as an available penalty for an offense not related to driving a motor vehicle. Representative
Gassaway, you're recognized to explain the bill.
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
Unverified
1:10:56
Mr. Speaker, I would ask that this bill be passed.
Pass over Senate Bill 623. Representative Love moves that we re-refer Senate Bill 481 to committee. That's a proper motion. Representative Love, you're recognized to explain your motion.
Representative Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:11:26
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I come asking to re-refer Senate Bill 481 back to committee. We have one minor change to make to this bill for Senator Clark.
Appreciate a good vote. Representative Love has explained the
Speaker 208
1:12:02
motion. Would anyone like to speak against the motion? Would anyone like to speak against the motion?
Would anyone like to speak for the motion? Representative Love is closed for the motion. the question before the house is the re-referral of senate bill 481 to committee all in favor say aye aye any opposed the motion passes mr clerk please read senate
Chair
Unverified
1:12:44
bill 555 senate bill 555 by representative gonzalez to amend arkansas law regarding state
Emission plans for fossil fuel-fired electric generating units Some Gonzales you're recognized
Speaker 217
1:12:55
to explain the bill. Hey, Mr. Speaker. This is a ADEQ bill. It allows them to comply with new federal regulations in the Clean Air, Clean Indoor Air Act, or no, I'm sorry, Clean Indoor Air Act is what I was trying to work on earlier. I Just lost my words. Anyway, it allows them to comply with new federal regulations with the Trump administration. Thank you
Speaker 218
1:13:18
representative gonzalez has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill would anyone like to speak for
the bill representative gonzalez is closed for the bill the question before the house is the passage of senate bill 555 prepare the machine mr clerk As
everyone voted, cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk, by a vote of 84 yeas, two nays, and
five present, the bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate
Chair
Unverified
1:13:55
Bill 506. Senate Bill 506 by Representative Charlene Fite to amend the law concerning the
Representative Lanny Fite
Unverified
1:14:03
Youth Justice Reform Board. Representative Fite, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a companion bill to the recently passed juvenile justice reform legislation that went through this body and through the Senate, passed overwhelmingly. It was Act 189 called Restoring Arkansas Families. What this bill does is extend operations of the Youth Justice Reform Board through June 30th of 2021.
It is currently set to sunset July 30th of 2019. It helps ensure stakeholder input and oversight of the system reforms, which will become effective in July of 2020, per Act 189 of 2019. It adds legislators and juvenile court staff or program representatives, such as probation intake officers, as categories of board membership. It does not change the total number of board members. It provides for the governor to appoint the chair of the board.
Currently, the DYS director or designee serves as chair. It makes needed changes to avoid possible conflict of interest between state agency director and stakeholder reform recommendations. And then finally, it provides for the speaker and president pro tem to appoint legislative members. Seeing no questions, I'd appreciate a good vote. representative fight has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the
Speaker 130
1:15:23
bill would anyone like to speak for the
bill representative fight is closed for the
bill the question before the house is the passage of senate bill 506 prepare the
machine mr clerk has everyone voted cast about mr. clerk by vote of 92 yeas zero nay and zero present the bill is passed mr. clerk please read senate
Chair
Unverified
1:15:57
bill 483 senate bill 483 by representative cozart to amend provisions of the arkansas code concerning public school fiscal accountability and reporting cozart
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
1:16:04
you're recognized to explain the bill thank you mr speaker ladies and gentlemen this is a bill that will amend the provision of Arkansas code concerning public school fiscal accountability and
reporting and what is basically does this is going to improve the Arkansas school districts financial practice for the use of use of resource by establishing a system by which the Department of Education shall review the financial management practices of a public school district
without limitations in identifying the best financial management practices we have a lot of our schools that do not take care of their maintenance and if you've set on education as long as i have we've seen a lot of those issues and a lot of schools that just do not do maintenance on their schools and their schools fall apart and what this is is going to be a system that we'll put in place that will catch those issues as they're coming around there'll be a check system to go by so if they're having some issues with things this check system will catch that they're
allowed a certain amount of money through their budget every year to do maintenance and so but a lot of them do not do those check systems to make sure they're doing their maintenance for air conditioners or roofs and windows and everything that they have to do for maintenance as you do in your own home so this is just a system that'll be put in place that'll help them with it it'll help them stay out of distress once they get in distress that's that gets into a different issues so we want to keep them out of distress so this is just a help for that appreciate a good vote
representative cozard has explained the bill would anyone like to speak
against the bill for the bill representative cozard
is closed for the bill the question for the house is passage of senate bill 483 prepare the machine mr clerk has everyone voted
cast up the ballot with 79 yeas 5 nays
5 present the bill passes mr. clerk please read senate bill
Chair
Unverified
1:18:11
503 senate bill 503 by representative bentley concerning
the offense of physician-assisted suicide and bentley you're recognized
to present the bill Thank you, Speaker. Colleagues,
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:18:25
this is a simple bill that does a little bit of cleanup and also enhances a penalty for physician-assisted suicide. I know that in our state, I don't know about you, but I get multiple emails from our constituents wanting to be sure that we send a loud message that we don't want to allow physician-assisted suicide in this state. We passed a good bill by Representative Gassaway earlier that when someone encourages suicide, we're giving them a felony.
We think we need to make sure that we hold doctors to a higher standard so this enhances the penalty on the felony from a C to a B. With that, I'll take any questions. I'd appreciate a good vote.
Thank you. Representative Bentley has presented the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill? Representative Bentley is closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 503. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
has everyone voted cast up the ballot with 75 yeas 13 nays and one present the bill passes mr clerk please read senate
Chair
Unverified
1:19:33
bill 535 senate bill 535 by representative murdoch to revise the method by which academic facilities wealth index
is calculated representative murdoch you recognize to
Speaker 235
1:19:42
present the bill thank you mr speaker colleagues this bill comes to you from the comes to
Speaker 238
1:19:47
us from the Advisory Committee on Public School Academic Facilities, and Senator
Blake Johnson is the Senate sponsor. And simply what this bill does is a redoing of the formula for the percentages that our districts receive and partnerships share for our facilities funding. It has improved or negligibly, you got it, or not affected 88% of the districts. Many of your districts have been greatly improved by this, and it's a good bill, again, that
was brought forward by the Advisory Committee on Public School Facilities and Senator Johnson.
Speaker 241
1:20:30
I'll take any questions. Senator Lowry, for what purpose? Question.
Representative Mark Lowery
Unverified
1:20:35
You're recognized. Thank you. Mr. Representative Murdoch, one of the issues I raised in education committee and even before the facilities subcommittee where the issue of whether distribution of partnership funding would be affected by looking at fund balances that school districts have and also issues of their
unused debt reduction millage. Have you had anyone share with you that that is something that they're going to look at when they promulgate rules? Absolutely. I think you mentioned it in the committee,
Speaker 238
1:21:14
and I think that Mr. Montgomery, who's the director of this program, division, excuse me, he conceded to doing that, and I think That does make sense, and that's going to be looked at as they get to the rulemaking part of this.
Representative Mark Lowery
Unverified
1:21:32
Okay, follow-up, please. You're recognized. And you would commit to work with me and any others that want to make sure that that is taken into consideration before partnership funds are distributed? Well, I mean, absolutely. I want to, you know, this attempt
Speaker 238
1:21:44
here by Senator Johnson and myself is to make it more fair and equitable, or certainly not to do anything that I think prevents what I think you're trying to do is make sure that we enhance those that need enhancement and that we don't hurt those that don't need it. So I think we'll be willing to work with you on anything necessary to make this better.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Any other questions?
If not, I appreciate a good vote. Representative Murdoch has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill or the bill? Representative Murdoch is closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 535. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted?
Cast up the ballot. With 75 yeas, 11 nays, and one present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk please
Chair
Unverified
1:22:52
read House Bill 568 House Bill 568 by Representative Hollowell concerning the 25th judicial district concerning district court judges and to declare an emergency Representative
Hollowell you're recognized to present the bill uh
Representative Steve Hollowell
Unverified
1:23:05
thank you Mr. Speaker and colleagues this is a real simple bill uh it just creates a new
court judge in district in the 25th Judicial District because of the caseload they need another judge and there's no known opposition to this bill I think the decrab committee has approved this so I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Holloway has explained the bill would anyone like to speak
against the bill or the bill? Representative Holloway is closed for the bill the question before the House is passage of Senate bill 568 prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. You're voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Cast up
the ballot. With 91 yeas, 0 nays, 0 present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 638. Senate Bill 638
Speaker 90
1:24:05
by Representative Burch concerning the Interstate Compact on Educational opportunity for children of military families and to
Chair
Unverified
1:24:10
amend aspects of the Arkansas Code with respect to children of military families who are enrolled in a public school. Representative Birch,
you're recognized to present the bill. Thank
Representative LeAnne Burch
Unverified
1:24:19
you, Mr. Speaker. So interstate compact means different states get together and try to look at something that we know the problem is
shared across state lines and we want to make it better. So interstate compact on educational opportunity for children when we entered into it as a state in 2013 primarily dealt with military families from active duty. So active duty is very important, and the kids are very important in the state of Arkansas, but what we've seen since 2010 is that the real growth in military families is involved in the reserve components. This bill addresses that. It broadens the state compact and the state council to include different counties that perhaps were not originally looked at to
involve their people in looking at how you can make opportunities more available for military children particularly the reserve children that are being involved with family deployments where they might not have been 10 or so years ago this just allows us as a schools school districts and as a state to do a little bit better with taking care of our military kids i'm happy to
answer any questions with that i'd appreciate a good vote representative birch has presented
the bill would Would anyone like to speak against the bill or the bill?
Representative Birch is closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 638. Prepare the
machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. With 97 yeas, 0 nays, 0 present, the bill passes.
Speaker 90
1:26:00
Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 593. Senate Bill 593 by Representative Godfrey concerning training and educational materials on child trafficking.
Representative Megan Godfrey
Unverified
1:26:07
Representative Godfrey, you're recognized to present the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, we're all aware of the unfortunate reality of human trafficking and that traffickers often target and victimize youth. youth, Senate Bill 593 is another effort by this body to respond to this issue in a proactive and empowering way. This bill requires the Department of Education, the Department of Human Services to collaborate, to develop, and produce training and informational materials regarding human and child trafficking. Both agencies are fine with the bill and will bring
their individual and collective expertise to this project. As an educator myself, I have benefited from similar efforts to create materials and training for other issues like child maltreatment or suicide awareness. This bill aims to equip and empower educators to better understand and recognize the issue of child trafficking in their classrooms and schools. There's no fiscal impact. It passed the Senate Education Committee with no objection and passed the Senate unanimously. There were a few questions and concerns in the House Committee last week, but I think that I've
been able to address those and appreciate my colleagues' willingness to talk about them. be happy to answer any more now if you have any. Seeing none, I would appreciate
a good vote. Representative Godfrey has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill or the bill? Representative Godfrey has closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 593. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted?
cast up the ballot. With 92 yeas, 1 nays, 0 present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk,
Chair
Unverified
1:27:55
please read Senate Bill 617. Senate Bill 617 by Representative Charlene Fite repealing the law concerning the
Representative Lanny Fite
Unverified
1:28:04
Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice. Representative Fite, you're recognized to present the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Federal Office of Juvenile Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, directs each governor to designate a single-state organization responsible for receiving and administering Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funds.
This is a cleanup bill. We're asking for a change in the way that these funds are administered in the state of Arkansas. It also requires a state plan for establishing program priorities and requirements for receiving these funds and requires a state advisory group to participate in development and implementation of the state fund. In the past, these funds have flowed through the Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice as a supervisory board over the administration of the funds. Governor Hutchinson has designated the Division of Youth Services, known as DYS,
as the single-state organization for administering the funds and developing the state plan. In addition, the governor has designated the Coalition for Juvenile Justice as the state advisory group, and he will issue a new executive order to this effect. DYS, as federal funds administrator, is well-equipped to ensure that all federal and state programmatic and acquiring guidelines are met. Federal funds will be closely coordinated with other DYS funds to support recent juvenile justice system reforms.
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice, appointed by the governor, meets quarterly to provide stakeholder input in the development of the state plan and awarding of formula grants to local delinquency programs. So I feel that this is the appropriate agency to administer the funds and to oversee them. I'll take any questions. appreciate a good vote representative fight has explained
the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill for the bill representative fight is closed for the bill the question for
the house is passage of senate bill 617 prepare the machine mr clerk has
everyone voted cast up the ballot. With 97 yeas, 0 nays, 0 present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk, please read
Chair
Unverified
1:30:28
Senate Bill 647. Senate Bill 647 by Representative Charlene Fite. To amend the law concerning stated reimbursements
administered by the Administrative Office of
Representative Lanny Fite
Unverified
1:30:38
the Courts. Representative Fite, you're recognized to present the bill. Thank you. I promise this is the last one. This is a companion bill to our early juvenile justice reform that we've talked about earlier today, Act 189. It provides financial support for counties to provide juvenile justice reform-related services. The bill requires no new funding and simply reallocates unexpended juvenile justice system funding. Current law provides matching funds for counties which employ juvenile probation or intake officers.
The administrative office of the courts is used as a pass-through for reimbursing counties on an annual basis. The administrative office of the courts administers the funds but does not retain unexpended funds. Currently, unexpended funds are returned to DF&A. So what this bill does is allow the Administrative Office of the Court to award the remaining unexpended funds to counties for continued juvenile justice reforms.
And it provides a mechanism to begin to address the disparity in juvenile staffing in economically challenged counties. It also provides an incentive and financial support for counties that implement the SAVRI, that is the assessment tool, that we talked about in our earlier Juvenile Reform Act. It's a validated risk assessment for all adjudicated youth. It recognizes the goal of reduction and commitment requires increased local community services.
That's one of the things we were doing when we reformed the entire juvenile justice system is asking for more community services. So this provides a means for communities to receive those funds. And finally, it cleans up the old language that referred to juvenile officers rather than either probation or intake officers. In the past, we used the term juvenile officer, excuse me, in the past we used probation or intake officer. The more correct term is juvenile officer that encompasses all the work without appearing
punitive in nature. So this bill will make those needed changes, and is a good companion bill to what we passed earlier, and I would ask for a good vote. Representative
Feit has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill, for the bill? Representative Feit is closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 647. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? I cast up the ballot. With
96 yeas, 0 nays, 0 present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 651. Senate Bill 651
Chair
Unverified
1:33:29
by Representative Tosh to amend the maximum number of passenger motor vehicles for certain institutions of higher education and to declare an emergency. Representative Tosh, you
Representative Dwight Tosh
Unverified
1:33:40
recognize to present the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Colleagues, during each session, we ask the Department of Higher Education to do an assessment
of their institutions and to determine whether department vehicles are assigned and if any additional vehicles are needed. And each session, it's a requirement by this body to present a bill to give legislative oversight. There's no new monies involved in this, and all approvals must be made by the DF&A. This is the bill for this session that allows for that legislative oversight and allows for DF&A approval for these vehicles as they're assigned to these institutions.
For that, I'll take any questions. Thank you. Representative Tosh has
explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill or the bill? Representative Tosh is closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 651. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. You're voting for the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.
93 yeas, 1 nay, 0 present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 659. Senate
Speaker 90
1:34:59
Bill 659 by Representative Khosar to allow a state-supported two-year institution of higher education to
Chair
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1:35:04
market and provide services to any individual in Arkansas regardless of the service area in which the individual resides. Representative Cozart, you're
recognized to present the bill. Thank you,
Representative Bruce Cozart
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1:35:15
Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, the title of this bill is exactly what it says. That's it. This is the shortest bill I'll probably run this year, but it's to allow a state-supported
two-year institution of higher education to market and provide services to any individual in arkansas regardless of the state of the service area in which the individual resides so basically that would just let them be able to look across the state if they have something that somebody wants to come to then they can they can advertise their needs what they have their curriculum and what they offer across the state and they can pull students from anywhere like the big universities
do but this is for two-year colleges so appreciate a good vote representative
Cozart has presented the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Walker, you're recognized
Chair
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1:36:14
to speak against the bill. Mr. Speaker, let me
Representative John W. Walker
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1:36:19
first state that I support Chairman Cozart generally and probably with respect to his effort to open choices to people in the state of Arkansas to be able to get education but
let me ask you to remember some reasons why you created two-year colleges in the first place. Two-year colleges were created to allow higher education opportunities and trade school opportunities at the local level and to make those persons who lived in proximity to those institutions, at least to make education available to those people who lived in proximity to education and who did not have the resources
to go across the state. It made no sense for a child living in Helena, where there was Phillips County Community College to be recruited to go to Ozark Community College if there is such a place, 300 miles across the state, in order to take welding. So this bill says that we'll let the colleges use part of the money, the limited resources they have, in order to go anywhere they want to if you advertise for it, spend money in
order to do that. Now, of course, I guess you can spend your money where you want to, but the idea to begin with was a good one, and those two-year institutions were in lieu of four-year colleges. Not everybody could have a four-year college, but many places could have two-year colleges, and that expanded educational opportunity. And now we're simply saying that it's not necessary where you put a two-year institution. We may as well put them all in one place and let everybody come there, eliminating advertising altogether.
But remember, we are in a state where the average person spends only two years full-time in a four-year college. That is so because of our 50% college graduation rate. And while we can encourage people to go all over the state right after high school, that's a choice that should not necessarily be made. Not all choices should be offered to people. And in this situation, I don't expect this to fail,
but I want you all to think about the wisdom of the use of your money. And many people came here on a
money-saving platform in order to indicate fiscal responsibility. Fiscal
responsibility is not served by allowing each of the multiple two-year colleges to advertise for students from all over the state when they have a duty to provide those resources for the intended population, i.e. the population of the areas where they are located.
In a sense, I'm speaking against this, but I favor education, and we should have it, and it should be offered in substantive ways so that our people can be educationally enhanced. That is more important than giving credence to simply the concept of choice. there's nothing that says a choice enhances capacity or outcome but it is something that says that when you have local opportunity you expand opportunity
by leaving the resources locally or nearby thank you representative Walker has
spoken against the bill would anyone
like speak for the bill. Representative Lowry you're recognized to speak for the
Representative Mark Lowery
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1:40:23
bill. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Several years back when I chaired the task force that looked at higher ed realignment and we looked at the issue of whether we have too many
two-year colleges and whether some of them should be forced to align within in systems so that we didn't have duplication of programs, just campus after campus. You had basically the same programs that really were not efficiently using resources. One of the issues that was discussed was that a lot of the two-year colleges were committing to have specialized programs, that they weren't wanting to just be cookie-cutter campuses
where they're offering welding and the 125 miles down the road is offering welding and the all the other campuses are so they're looking at specialty programs well they have they have a need to be able to market outside of a 20 or 25 mile radius especially if they have a specialized program now I know there's concern about the use of advertising dollars or getting the word out but the The bottom line is we want our campuses to be more efficient.
We want them to be teaching programs that, one, the students have the potential to be hired in that field. And sometimes we have been pursuing programs that really there aren't available jobs. So this gives more latitude to the two-year colleges to be able to be competitive in terms of offering based on what the market is bearing, what jobs are out there, and that they can adjust to that. And so they need this flexibility to be able to market all the changes that
they're wanting to make to be more relevant and to be more efficient in the course offerings that they're putting forward. I appreciate your vote for the bill. Representative Lowry has spoken for
the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill? If it goes out, would
Representative Bruce Cozart
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1:42:35
you like to close for the bill? Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you, Representative Walker, for your kind words, and Representative Lowry for also your great statements on this.
Two-year colleges are a different animal, and we have one in my area that Representative Gates has that sits in his district, and it doesn't offer everything that you need. We have, I guess, the closest next two years college is in Malvern, College of the Ozarks. Washtenaw, is it Washtenaw, College of the Washtenaw, I'll get it right. But anyway, so they all have a little bit of difference. So it's just according to what you want to do in life as to where you need to go, and sometimes you need to go somewhere else so they can recruit, they can show you what they've got,
and offer you those things that probably wouldn't be what your degree is. So I'd
appreciate a good vote. Representative Cozart has closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 659. Prepare the machine,
Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.
With 90 yays, 3 nays, and 3 present, the bill passes.
Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 549.
Chair
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1:43:52
Senate Bill 549 by Representative Cozart to amend provisions of the Arkansas Code with respect to public
school academic facilities. Representative Cozart,
Representative Bruce Cozart
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1:44:10
you're recognized to present the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a code provision cleanup for academic facilities, and this is concerning the use of computerized maintenance I got the right one yep right one kind of like the
one I did before it's real similar making sure I've still got the right bill here because
we do have some that are new but this is school district shall participate in this state level computerized maintenance management system that was designed to track these work orders the other one was a little bit like this but this is more of a shall that you will have to do this and And it gives you a cost associated with the additional maintenance modules, and the school district will be able to, at the expense of the school district,
but they will be able to stay within their 9% minimum maintenance expenditure. So that's what it is. It's more of a tracking system that actually goes along with the last bill that I did before this one. So I'd
Chair
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1:45:11
be glad to answer any questions. Seeing none, appreciate
a good vote. Representative Cozart has presented the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill or the bill? Representative Cozart is
closed for the bill. The question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 549. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? Passed up the ballot.
With 96 yeas, 2 nays, 0 present, the bill passes. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill
Speaker 16
1:45:49
602. Senate Bill 602 by Representative Andy Davis to establish the Small Wireless Facility Deployment Act. We're going to
pass over that bill. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 658.
Speaker 16
1:46:07
House Bill 658 by Representative Dalby concerning circuit court judges, prosecuting attorneys, attorneys and the judiciary and
to declare an emergency. Representative
Representative Carol Dalby
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1:46:22
Dalby, you're recognized to present the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This bill is being brought to us pursuant to Act 864 of 1989, wherein the Arkansas Judicial Council was tasked with looking at new judgeships or judicial redistricting, and in response to that 1989 act, the Judicial Council formed the Judicial Resources
Assessment Committee. You've heard other people refer to D-CRAB. Well, this is, I guess, J-CRAB. But anyway, what happens is they evaluate all of the different aspects within judicial districts as to the number of filings, caseloads, distance traveled, workload, courthouses, the number of support staff, population growth trends, et cetera, and they take into consideration previous court opinions. There were open hearings held in regard to this, conducted. Input was received
from judges, attorneys, court officials, private citizens of each of the requesting districts. So after they go through this long process, then the Judicial Council makes recommendations. Makes the recommendations to the governor, and they make the recommendations to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. So we are now at this point. The The Judicial Council has recommended five additional circuit judgeships based upon all those different factors that I have talked about. One is for the second judicial district, which is Clay, Green, Mississippi, Poinsett, Craighead,
and Crittenden County. Another one is in the fourth judicial district, which encompasses Washington and Madison counties. There would be one in the 12th judicial district, which is Sebastian County. in the 21st Judicial District, which is Van Buren County, and one in the 19th Judicial District, which is Benton County. There is also a section in this bill that the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee are going to do a joint study looking
forward as to what the state needs. But basically, these judicial, these judgeships are being proposed because of expanding populations in those counties that I just mentioned, and it is based upon all the different factors that come into play. There are no judgeships that are being eliminated and all this does is add. That'll be happy to answer any questions. I see no questions. I'd appreciate a good vote on this and the emergency clause. Representative Dalby has explained the
bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill, for
the bill? Representative Dalby is closed for the bill a question before the house is passage of
senate bill 658 prepare the machine mr clerk you're voting for the bill and the emergency clause as everyone
voted cast up the ballot with 93 yeas 1 nays they were present the bill passes and the Emergency Clause.
Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 646.
Chair
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1:49:32
Senate Bill 646 by Representative Kapp concerning confidential and privileged records of the State Crime Laboratory.
Representative Sarah Capp
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1:49:45
Representative Kapp, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 646 concerns confidential and privileged records of the State Crime Lab. This legislation clarifies that a defendant, an attorney of record, the prosecuting attorney, or the deputy prosecuting attorney shall have full access to records pertaining to a case.
It's always been clarified in case law that counsel is entitled to these records, but there was a situation recently where the crime lab refused to provide information to a pro bono attorney because they were not a public defender, and this statute was used as a shield to prevent their disclosure from the information before the case was settled. I'm willing to answer any questions that you may have. Seeing none, appreciate a good vote. Representative Kapp has explained the
Chair
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1:50:31
bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Kapp has closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 646. Prepare the
machine, Mr. Clerk. As everyone voted, cast up the ballot,
Mr. Clerk. Five vote of 93 yeas, zero nay, and one present. The bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 632. Senate
Speaker 90
1:51:03
Bill 632 by Representative Meeks to authorize the Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Chair
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1:51:07
to support a cyber alliance in order to reduce cyber risks and encourage economic development. Representative Meeks, you're recognized
Representative Stephen Meeks
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1:51:15
to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, these will be the last three bills I bring you to this session.
They're all technology-related, and on behalf of Senator English, the first one is the one I'm the most excited about. What this bill does is this lays the groundwork for a cyber alliance here in the state of Arkansas. What this bill will allow is the state of Arkansas to work with the Federal Department of Defense and the private sector to develop cyber, basically a cyber alliance within the
state to protect our cyber assets across Arkansas. With the governor's coding initiative, with the cyber range we have at UCA, this lays the groundwork for Arkansas to become a leader in this industry, and this bill authorizes the Arkansas Cyber Alliance to work with the national cyber alliance. So that's what this bill does. I'd be happy to take any questions. Otherwise, I would appreciate a good vote. Representative Meeks has explained the bill.
Speaker 130
1:52:07
Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Meeks is closed for the bill. The question for the House is
the passage of Senate Bill 632. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Casted the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 99 yeas, 0 nay, and 0 present, the bill is
Chair
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1:52:41
passed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 656. Senate Bill 656 by Representative Meeks to create the data-sharing and data-driven decision-making task force.
Representative Stephen Meeks
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1:52:47
And Meeks, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, colleagues, what this bill does is this creates a legislative task force to look at how we are sharing data within the state. As you know, Arkansas, our agencies have a history of siloing data within the state. Several years ago, we created the Data and Transparency Panel, which the next bill is going to address, to get the agencies to start looking at how do they share data. But that panel has really not had any legislative oversight to see what progress they're making. So what Senator English is proposing is that we create a legislative task force.
It will start after session, and it will only last for the duration of this year. And it will be comprised of six representatives and six senators. It will look at what the task force has done and look what we need to do to better promote data sharing within the state for the benefit of its citizens. Now to Representative Wardlaw's question, why do we need this task force? It is true that on the House side, see, I was anticipating that. It's true on the House side, we do have a technology committee.
The technology committee does look at a broad swath of technology-related issues. The focus of this task force is to focus specifically on this one item, and that's how we do it down here in the House. But what you may not know is down on the Senate, they do not have a technology committee. What happens down on the Senate is they have their transportation committee kind of doubles as a technology committee, and so they don't really have a technology per se. And one of the challenges that I've had over the years is finding senators who are familiar with the technology issues
to help us on some of the problems that we're facing as a state. So what this will allow is this will get at least six senators familiar with this process to help us moving forward as we try to promote data sharing and the efficiencies and the benefits that it brings to our state.
So with that, I'll be happy to try to answer any questions. Representative Sullivan, for
Speaker 284
1:54:47
purpose. Question, please. You're recognized. We have the All-Payer Claims Database that started in, I think, 2014, and I asked them at the beginning at this session,
have they ever had any data that they collected that caused us to change policy and save money and they said no. And so my question is, does this task force really going to have an effect and really cause us to do what it says? Will there be any teeth that come out of it other than recommendations that we may choose not to follow? Well, as
Representative Stephen Meeks
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1:55:20
far as the teeth, the law says
that this task force shall provide a report. And then based upon that report, it's entirely up to us whether
we decide to adopt those recommendations or not adopt those recommendations. So any teeth will ultimately come back to the decision of this body, but what I'm hoping it will do is it will look for regulatory issues that are preventing agencies from talking to each other. Just a short-term benefit that we've already seen come from the Data and Transparency Task Force is in the area of recidivism. As it stands right now, when a parolee comes up for a parole hearing, and the parole board is trying to decide what is the best path
for that parolee to take, they're looking at data that's six, seven, eight months old. Well, under the work of the task force that has the data and transparency panel, through cooperative agreements, now they're looking at real-time data so they can make much better decisions. And the hope is that we'll see this duplicated again and again across state government, and Not only will we see efficiencies, but we'll also see savings. Seeing no other questions, I appreciate a good vote.
Speaker 130
1:56:36
Representative Meeks has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to
speak for the bill? Representative Meeks is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill
656. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Voting on the bill and the emergency clause cast about Mr. Clerk by
vote of 84 yeas 10 nays and one present the bill and emergency clause are passed Mr. Clerk
Speaker 90
1:57:09
please read Senate bill 589 Senate bill 589 by Representative Meeks to amend the law concerning the duties of the data
and transparency panel to Meeks you recognize to
Representative Stephen Meeks
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1:57:20
explain the bill thank you Mr. Speaker this is probably the shortest and easiest of the three bills all this does is
add the Department of Workforce Services and the Office of Skills Development to the Data and Transparency Panel to try to get them to work better with the Department of Ed and Department of Career Education and that's what it does. Have we taken any questions? Seeing none. Appreciate a good vote.
Speaker 130
1:57:39
Representative Meeks has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Meeks is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 589. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. has everyone voted
cast of the ballot mr. clerk by vote of 97 yeas 0 nay and 0 present the bill is passed mr. clerk please read Senate bill 487 Senate bill
Speaker 90
1:58:10
487 by representative Gassaway to conduct an assessment and audit of the culture and climate
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
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1:58:23
of the Department of Correction then Gassaway you're recognized to explain the bill thank you mr. speaker colleagues this bill comes to us from the Senate, sponsored by Senator Elliott. This is her bill, but I would like to point out that this is a very bipartisan bill. Not only was it sponsored by Senator Elliott, but it also has Senator Dismang, Senator Bond, Senator Letting, Senator Ballinger,
Senator Garner, and Senator Hickey. So it is very bipartisan in nature. What this bill will do is it will set up a legislative study of the culture of what's going on in the Department of Corrections. This is a bill, again, that Senator Elliott has been working on. She says that not once during the time in the last two years that she's been working on these issues did anyone from the ADC or other sector hold a press conference or undertake any efforts
to give the public any answers with respect to what we have seen in the media that has happened in our state prisons. And specifically, I'll just give you some idea. April 2nd, 2019, two inmates died the same day in Arkansas prisons. March 17th, two inmate deaths under investigation. January 22nd, inmate found dead at Arkansas Maximum Security Prison. October 29th, authorities
investigate Arkansas prison inmate death. This was a particular individual at the Tucker unit. October 25th, Arkansas prison inmate, this is another separate incident, just days before the 29th, on the 25th, another inmate, 53, found unresponsive in his cell at Tucker. October 22nd, three days earlier, another inmate, 49, unresponsive in his cell just before 3 p.m. October 15, 2018, investigating the death of an inmate in the barracks. This is a 46-year-old
inmate in the barracks at the Tucker unit. September 13, Arkansas State Police investigating the death of another inmate, 35-year-old, in the Cummins unit. September 13, 2018, authorities investigating the death of an inmate from an apparent suicide. This was at the North Arkansas Correctional Facility. August 30, 2018, many of you may remember this, five deaths in four days reported at Arkansas Prison.
Two prisoners at the Varner unit found unresponsive and two other prisoners, actually three other prisoners, five deaths in four days, and that was just in August of last year. August 29th, two more inmate deaths at the Arkansas Varner unit. As you can see, and I can keep going back, June 20th, 2018, death of Arkansas prison inmate under investigation, 50-year-old inmate in the Cummins unit. These are all have happened
within the last year and it's in the headlines constantly. And so to give you an idea about where this bill comes from. We are the people's body. We represent the people of this state, and the people of this state deserve to have some answers about what's going on in our prisons. And so this will set up a study to be conducted in the legislative subcommittee of the Legislative Council for Correctional, Charitable, and Penal Institution Subcommittee to study what's going on
in our prisons. And I think that we owe it to the people of our state to say that we are looking into this and we are trying to find answers as to what's going on. Some of what I've heard as far as the opposition are that the Department of Corrections and others say that they have instituted study, that they are, they have studied themselves or they're evaluating themselves. And they point to at least four evaluations that have happened in the last three years. And I'll tell you, these are notes that Senator Elliott has given me.
She says that ADC will say that they don't need this bill because they've had these four evaluations in the last year. She says that she is familiar with these evaluations, and she's read the studies, and here's what they do. One, there was a study to evaluate the effects of the Arkansas Correctional Education System. clearly it's not the full system which is what this bill would would require us to study and that's ongoing secondly arkansas public safety reform act of 2010-11 which is act 570 of 2011
this was to study recidivism and prison growth this was not a report that evaluated the arkansas department of corrections system see the council on state governments shepherded the 2015-16 Legislative Task Force on Criminal Justice. Senator Elliott served on that task force. That task force focused primarily on prison growth and overcrowding, and on evidence-based reforms in the justice system to help curtail growth. That's not what we need to study,
and that's not an overall study of the system. And then, fourthly, the Price Waterhouse study of 2018 of the ADC, that was in regard to the reorganization transformation. That is not an evaluation of the Arkansas Department of Corrections system. I understand that there is opposition of this bill from the administration and from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, but again, what my point to you today is, is that we represent the people, and we have a duty and an obligation
to the people to look into what is going on in our prison system and to try to provide some answers. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions. Representative Meeks, for
Chair
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2:04:21
what purpose? Question, please. You're recognized. Thank you. Representative, I
Representative Stephen Meeks
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2:04:25
don't know that I'm against the intent of the bill, but I guess my question goes maybe to more procedure, because what you're doing here is you're passing a law telling us to perform a certain action and that I think we already have the authority under legislative council to perform this action And if we don't perform this, and if legislative council doesn't perform this study, say you get the law passed, legislative council doesn't perform the study, obviously there's no consequences involved in there.
So in effect, why pass a bill that's telling us to do something that legislative council can already do on its own? I
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
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2:05:02
think that's a good question. and I think what you see the bill does is it requires a report to be generated on or before December the 1st, 2020. The Legislative Council shall file with the Governor, the President Pro Tem of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, a final report of its activities, findings,
and recommendations, including recommended legislation related to the study. Now, could they do that on their own? Yes, but sometimes to set up parameters to say we're going to study this. We're going to issue a report. It's going to be due by a certain date. And then to show the public that we take it seriously enough to say, we passed a bill, that we're sending this to the legislative council, that we're going to study it, and that we're going to issue a report. I think it's important for the public for them to know that we're taking it that seriously,
that we're going to pass a law that puts restrictions on us that by a certain date we'll have a report prepared with our findings as the legislative body and voice of the people. about the conditions of our prisons and what we plan to do about it. For a purpose. Question. You
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recognize. I agree with you. We have some serious issues
Representative Mary Bentley
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2:06:14
that we need to look at. I was thinking, could we not do this in JPR? It's a study that we could look at in JPR as well.
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
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2:06:22
I think that that is a good idea. And if for some reason this doesn't pass, then I happen to be the chairman of that committee. and we'll see what happens follow-up I'm just I agree with you
Representative Mary Bentley
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2:06:35
and I hope that you will as I'm a member of that committee I hope that we will look at that but I'm just concerned that we have the ability to hire consultants so why would we need to to hire a consultant I think it's something we need to look into as a legislature and
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
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2:06:50
if I can respond one of the things the bill does it gives
the if this is referred to the legislative subcommittee of counsel to study this it does give my understanding counsel in the subcommittee the authority to contract with a consultant to help study this it says they may it doesn't say that they have to but it gives them the authority to in the event that they deem it necessary with that I'd appreciate a good vote or some gas ways explain
Speaker 130
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the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill Representative Holcomb, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Mike Holcomb
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2:07:34
Thank you Mr. Speaker. You know I don't come down on the floor very often. It's my fourth term
and it's my second time to speak against the bill. First of all we're asking for something that we can already do. I think it's going to be First of all, what happens when you take thousands of murderers, you take thousands of rapists, you take thousands of child molesters, you take violent offenders, you put them all together? He gave you the statistics a while ago. It's redundant. It's costly.
ADC is already audited by the American Correctional Association, the Bureau of Justice, the Pricewaterhouse, which is a consulting group that the governor hired for an efficiency review and legislative audit. it. So I think this thing is a
bad bill, something we can already do. Thank you. Representative Holcomb has spoken against the bill. Would
anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Del Rosso, you recognize, speak for the bill.
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2:08:39
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think something that needs to be pointed out on this particular bill, first of all, it's a
Speaker 190
2:08:46
very bipartisan bill. I think you should look and see who the co-sponsors in the Senate were. This should not be a Democrat or Republican issue. So please take a look at that before you make your decision on this. And second, the folks that are dying in our prisons are not because of being murderers or rapists or anything like that. They've been dying in the maximum security section of our prison, which has no interaction with any other prisoner at all whatsoever. They are under 24-hour lockup. I've been to that section of our prison. Now,
Here's the concern. If they're not interacting with other prisoners, then how are they dying? There's only one answer to that, and the fact that the entity that has charge of these prisoners does not want us looking into that particular entity tells us we should look into that particular entity. And I see us all the time, and I've done it myself. You know, I end up yielding to whatever a department says or whatever, you know, some agency says is the best thing to do, but they're not always right, Right, and sometimes we need to overrule them and we need to look into things because it's our authority.
It's our responsibility. So in this case, I do think we need to pass this so that we ensure that we, on behalf of the public, look into those that we have the jurisdiction over and the control over because this is not prisoners killing other prisoners that's going on in our prisons right now. Something else is going on, and I think that we have an obligation as a legislature to find out what
Speaker 189
2:10:10
it is. Thanks. Representative De La Rosa has spoken for the bill.
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Slave, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Keith Slape
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2:10:27
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With all due respect, Representative De La Rosa, some of these that's in maximum security are in there for 23 hours and they get to exercise one hour per day. That's not hardly enough exercise. and what they've done to their bodies to get themselves with illicit drugs and other things is going to lower their life expectancy with what they've done. We do have the ability here to do this ourselves instead of creating a bill for it. And this doesn't even
include the community corrections aspect that they have in the bill. And I ask for a bad vote on this. Representative Slave has spoken
Speaker 291
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against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Walker, you recognize to speak
Representative John W. Walker
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2:11:26
for the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, first of all,
these people didn't kill themselves as has been suggested. The question is how were they killed? What were the conditions under which they lived that caused them to meet this bad fate? I now want to, in support of the bill, and I hope I don't say anything adverse to it, but I want to now appeal to those of you who call yourself the right of this chamber.
the first prison reform in Arkansas came under your leadership and at that time the then governor of Arkansas discovered at Cummins
scores of bodies in unmarked graves and people being killed in the prison system and he commissioned a study to find out what caused this.
And the pride of your party in 1968-69 was the attention to the prison system. So modern penal reform, if we can call it that, was initiated by your party. And it
wasn't condoned by the membership you had at that time, though it was few in number. magnified at the present multiple times. But I ask you to remember that at that
time you all took the position that you would investigate the cause of death and you would do so with state resources in order to try to find a way to prevent the continuation of this practice. You just basically gave a hundred percent approval to a resolution which addressed prison deaths in the juvenile prison and as Alexander
how can we not address this matter when we see before us and even honor the persons who brought the resolution and their parents the same kind of practices now which occurred then. We owe it to the dead, those in the past those now to see whether the state has any obligation to pay attention to this matter and to honor
human life. I also plead to this same population. You all are the party of life. Honor life. approve this bill. Walker has spoken for the bill.
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Wooten, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
2:14:51
I promised myself I wouldn't get up and speak against this bill. Representative Walker, I can't believe that you mentioned human value as it relates to the penitentiary. And you got up here the other day and said that we killed and have killed for our whole lifetime. That's a contradiction. That's not true. I've been through the penitentiary. I've been down there. I've been down there on two riots.
And I'm telling you, it's a rough, hard, tough place. And you can't pay the salaries that we're paying the guards. I don't care how many studies you have. You cannot pay the salaries we're paying and be able to control the problem. I'll tell you the problem. The problem is drugs. That's the problem. I venture to say that every single one, or at least 90% of those that Mr. Gassaway mentioned, is a direct result of drugs.
And it's not that much different than our society. But a culture, we know what the culture is. It's like Representative Richmond pointed out. They're down there because they violated the rules of society. Should they be treated decently? Yes, they should. But we don't need a study with a group of legislators who have no penology experience,
No references to go by. You're going to do a study. We need to do one that is going to be worthwhile. And the Pricewaterhouse did one. And they're doing one or two in the penitentiary now. Let's give them an opportunity to deal with their problem. You want to talk about cost? You want to talk about doing our part as the people's choice?
We've got a whole correction board made up of citizens from all over this state that are down there attempting to deal with the situation. What are we doing? We're sending a half a billion dollars to that system. Look at the Revenue Stabilization Act. $441 million. Let's give those people that are down there an opportunity
to try to correct the situation. It's bad. But drugs are bad out here in society. But I promise you, we're not going to accomplish anything if we approach it from this standpoint. What we're going to wind up with is three studies, Two down there, one up here, and people are still dying down there because we've got the control of the drugs. And I probably shouldn't say this, but you give me 35 state troopers, and I can go down there and I can change that culture pretty dadgum quick because it's been done before and it's been dealt with.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Representative Wooten has spoken against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative
Representative Lanny Fite
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2:18:44
Fite, you're recognized to speak for the bill. We know that drugs are getting into our prisons. How are they getting there? I think that we owe it to our society to find out how they're getting in there. Every death in those prisons was someone's son, someone's daughter, someone's mother, someone's father, someone's grandchild.
How are those drugs getting in there? If we have an opportunity to find out, let's
do it. Representative Fyde has spoken for the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Tosh,
Representative Dwight Tosh
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2:19:28
you're recognized to speak against the bill. Colleagues, I just want to share some facts with you, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's approximately 15,000 inmates that are housed in the Department of Corrections.
And you put that in respect, if you think about just a small town of 15,000 people, and in 2018, there were 70 deaths that occurred out of that 15,000 people. There were no homicides. They were either from natural causes or suicides. And all deaths that occur at the Arkansas Department of Corrections, any time there's a death, that death is referred to the Arkansas Crime Lab and to the Arkansas State Police.
They look into every death that occurs there at the Department of Corrections. So when you look at 15,000 people and you put it in real life where there's maybe a town of the size of 15,000 people and just look at it in that perspective, How many people in that town of 15,000 people will probably die of natural causes or even a homicide or something during the course of a year? And when you relate that to the Department of Corrections, and there were 70 deaths with no homicides,
then I think that speaks well of the job that the Arkansas Department of Corrections is doing. And I'd be voting no on
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this bill. Representative Allen, for what purpose? Representative Tosh has left the well. Representative Taj has spoken against the
bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Flowers, you're recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Vivian Flowers
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2:21:17
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've heard a lot of debate. I normally do not take these issues very personally. And I certainly don't come to my job and cry. I talk about other people who do.
Just as you have heard, I'm going to make two points. We have over 16,000 inmates in our custody, in part to protect the rest of us because they are people who have violated the law, but in part they're supposed to be rehabilitation. Again, you have heard this is not a Republican or Democrat.
It's not a Northwest Arkansas, Little Rock, rest of the state issue. It's not a black or white, as a matter of fact, there are more white people in prison today in the state of Arkansas than there are black people. But one thing about it, most of them are poor. Many of them have been abused, and many of them have gone into the prison with an addiction. We know that there is a problem with drugs that are getting into our prison system.
And as you heard Representative Wooten say, and I was going to get up and say it before he did, but I'm glad he made the point, there are only two other line items that I could see in the revenue stabilization law allocation that we passed today that were more in amount than what we are sending to the Department of Corrections. We spend half a billion dollars to house and take care of 16,000 people.
Many of them will come out one day and be among us. But remember again, they are in our custody. We know for many of them, they are our constituents. They will go home to our constituents who work and who are worried about their children, many of whom who have the drug problems that they're dying from. Senator Elliott, I know, has been working on this issue valiantly.
She is the chair of that subcommittee that is charged with overseeing this issue in Legislative Council. She has the support of her colleagues across the aisle. This is something we need to do. And for those of you who have people in your district who have had a relative to die in that institution, how do we justify not studying the issue? Not finding out where the problem is?
I've gone to a meeting. It was Representative Hendren's last meeting where we went to the prison to talk about this and talk about where the problem is coming from, the money that we've spent already to try to address it with new machines. The drugs are still getting in there, and we will be abdicating our responsibility if we do not do everything we can to find out where the failure is
and where the responsibility lies to fix it. With that, I implore you to please vote for
this bill. Thank you. Representative Flowers has spoken for the bill. Would anyone like to
speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Blake,
you're recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Charles Blake
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2:25:38
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just come down to make one point very clear. The Senate passed this Bill 35-0. We have stories on our front page every day about the deaths in our prison system. If this bill fails, it's not going to be a party line vote. it's not going to be people who didn't want it's going to be the people in this house in this chamber having to answer those questions when they get home does life
inside prison not count as much as life outside of prison once again this bill passed in the senate 35 though please vote
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for this bill thank you representative blake has spoken for the bill representing lundstrom for what purpose
move for immediate consideration the proper motion is not debatable all in favor say aye aye any opposed no the ayes have it
the question before the house is the passage of senate bill 487 prepare the machine As everyone voted, cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of
43 yays, 43 nays, and 5 present, the bill has failed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate
Chair
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2:27:17
Bill 548. Senate Bill 548 by Representative Brough to amend the law concerning the procedure
for the incorporation of municipalities. Representative
Representative Karilyn Brown
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2:27:29
Burrow, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Folks, this was to amend the law concerning the procedure for the incorporation of a municipality. And actually, it makes it really easy. It's pretty simple. If you want to be incorporated or you don't, you vote for it or against it.
That's what it boils down to. We've actually lowered the threshold in this situation. We were at 4,000, now we're at like 1,500 on the bill. Do you have any questions? Okay, thank you. Representative Burrow has explained the bill. Would anyone like
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to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Burrow is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 548.
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 72 yeas, 11 nays, and 8 present, the bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 625. Senate
Chair
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2:28:46
Bill 625 by Representative Maddox to allow a parent to appoint a temporary guardian for his or her minor child in the event of death of the parent.
Representative John Maddox
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2:28:54
Representative Maddox, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues. So, Senator Ballinger asked me to run this bill for him. It's a pretty simple bill. This bill just allows a parent or parents to appoint a temporary guardian for their minor children if they become deceased. This document must be attested to by two witnesses and notarized, and it must also be signed by the person who is to be appointed as the temporary guardian. This appointment can always be revoked by the parent if they choose to, and this appointment can only last for a maximum of 45 days.
It's my understanding that the AOC has taken no position on it, so they do not object. I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Maddox has
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explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Kapp, you're recognized to speak against
Representative Sarah Capp
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2:29:54
the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I do like the concept behind this bill,
but it's the reality of how this is going to play out and the fact that our current law does provide a mechanism to handle these situations that I have a problem with. I do not like speaking against Representative Maddox's bill. I did talk to him and tell him I was going to come down here. I also want to clarify that the Judicial Council is not in support of this bill. They are just neutral. To begin with, first of all, you know, none of us are promised tomorrow, and unless we take our own life, we don't know with certainty when our last day on earth will be. This legislation
allows a parent to will their children to someone in the event of death, which is an uncertain day and in the midst of uncertain circumstances. Arkansas Code Annotated 2865-218 is the temporary guardian statute. Our laws already provide an avenue for a temporary guardian to be appointed. If a court finds that there is imminent danger to the life or the health of a minor, the court may or without notice appoint a temporary guardian for a period not to exceed 90 days.
What I foresee happening is that attorneys will market this as part of their estate planning packages. In committee, they said that they would charge between $200 and $400 for this document. A couple might agree, you know, for instance, in the latter part of this year, that Aunt Sally or Uncle Tom should be awarded custody in the event that they are to die. but in 10, 15 years down the road, what happens if the proposed guardians aren't in a good place?
What happens if the parents don't agree on the individuals to serve as guardian anymore? What happens if the parents get divorced? You cannot predict the future or where someone will be and if their head and their heart will be in the right place when that day comes. Do you know how many people in the legal sense don't follow through with documents, updating their wills or even making a will. People procrastinate. I mean, that's human nature. This legislation makes the assumption that people will tend to their legal needs prudently.
I mean, I think eight out of ten times people don't follow through. And again, it's just human nature to do that. I'm sure that there's many people in this room that hasn't made a will or gone through with a state planning process. In family law, the paramount consideration is the best interest of the child. So what does that mean? Making the best decisions about the child's happiness, their security, their mental health, and their emotional development. I wholeheartedly believe
that a parent's opinion of where their children should reside in the event of death should carry weight, but our law already tells us that that's the case. I do not believe that a court of law shouldn't hear the facts and the circumstances as they exist when that time comes for a child to be transferred to someone else's care. I want to go through the specifics of the bill because there's a lot of issues I believe that this legislation has. It doesn't take into consideration
the situations where a parent doesn't have custody of a child. That's a very important issue. Example, maternal grandmother has been raising the children for years. Mom and dad's rights haven't been terminated, and that happens all the time. Other people are granted custody of a child. Well, mom and dad die, but they've executed one of these little documents that are notarized by two people, where does that leave us? This bill says that that person that the parent has designated
shall have preference. If that child hasn't been living with that parent, but again is in the custody of someone else, this bill doesn't take that into consideration. This bill does not distinguish between guardian of the person and guardian of the estate. If you are the guardian of the person, you have care and control of that child's body. If you are guardian of their estate, you have control of that child's money. In committee, they said, well, a child really won't
have access to a lot of funds, but if mom and dad die, don't you think that there's going to be life insurance funds that they will inherit, the residue of the parent's estate. What about a death benefit? If you've practiced law long enough, you know sometimes it's a race to the Social Security office to see who's going to be able to get that check. I love probate law because it's specific. It provides a roadmap and parameters. If you screw up a probate pleading, it's because you haven't read the code. Arkansas code annotated 965203 covers the
qualifications of a guardian. They must be a resident of the state, they have to be 18 or more years old, they have to be of sound mind, they can't be a convicted or unpardoned felon. We passed legislation earlier this year sponsored from Representative Crawford in regards to a situation where the guardian of the person if the conviction is disclosed the court can make an exception if there is a copy of the certified sentencing order and the court makes findings of
fact in regards to why they are going to allow this person to serve as guardian of the person. This legislation does not take into consideration any of the qualifications of a guardian. Here there are no mechanisms for the court to weigh any of these factors or make exceptions. This bill says the court shall comply with the provisions of the appointing parent and not only name the person as temporary guardian, but appoint them permanent, permanent guardian, unless someone else can prove them unfit. What does that mean?
In committee, they said we can already transfer property by a sworn affidavit before death and equated it with this situation. These are tiny humans, our children. This isn't a property transaction. Children are not chattel. There was much discussion in committee about this hypothetical on a Friday night car accident that leaves mom and dad dead and children in the hospital and there being no ability to obtain a court order until Monday morning. Here's what you need to know. In life-threatening emergencies, there is a presumption of consent to treat that applies even
to minors. Kids will be treated under this presumption. And before anyone tries to say DHS will take the kids into custody, DHS only takes a hold if there is no appropriate friend or relative to care for the child. The law doesn't say they have to have a legal custody or guardianship to keep a child if a guardian dies. As far as time frame, it takes about two hours to draw up a petition for emergency guardianship, a summons, a cover sheet, and a proposed order. You then go
and you obtain or get a hold of the judge and they approve the order via fax, email, hand delivery. It's not hard in this day and time to obtain an emergency order for guardianship. I had a situation that came up this past May. It was my son's 10th birthday and about 4 45 p.m. before I left to go out of the office, I received a phone call from a grandparent that's daughter had been killed by her husband, and then he turned around and he killed himself, and they needed emergency guardianship
of their grandchildren. Well, I took my boy to his ballgame, and then I came back to the office, and I drew up those pleadings, and we obtained emergency guardianship the next morning. I called, and I talked to the judge and I said, I've got this situation. I have this tragedy that's happened in this family member's life. Where can I find you at eight o'clock in the morning? There wasn't an issue as far as those people being appointed guardian. I tell you that not to distinguish myself, but to let you know that there are attorneys working across the state that are able
to handle these situations when tragedies occur. This law also says that the judge, when he signs the emergency order, you have to, or the law says you have to have a hearing within three days. You have a full hearing on the merits to flush out the situation to make sure that the judge signed the order for good cause. There's no provision for that here. Arkansas code annotated 2865204 is the preference statute for guardians. It tells us the preferences are as follow in
regards to who can be a possible guardian. Parents of the minor, here they're deceased, but they get the number one preference. Second, any request contained in a will or other written instrument executed by the parent or by the legal custodian of a minor child. The code specifically makes provision for legal custodians, unlike this bill. The request of any child over 14, the law says the child should have a say over who their guardian should be. There's no provision for that here.
Then it's those related by blood or marriage. That's your order of preference under the law. Parents can already leave a written instrument specifying who they prefer care for their children upon death. The difference is the law takes into consideration the best interest of the child, and there is judicial oversight regarding the current situation and circumstance of the named party. You know, we talked a lot about grandparents' rights, and here in this situation,
there's no provision or a preference for grandparents, so please understand that. And last, I'll wrap this up. With all legal proceedings, people are entitled to notice. Those with a vested interest in this child's life will be getting notice of a guardianship. Arkansas Code Annotated 2865-207 lays out who notice should be given to, what type of notice is required, and specifies personal services required on any child 14 years of age or older.
This bill does away with all of that. So in closing, while I'm for parents making wise, prudent decisions regarding their children and thoughtful decisions, I'm more in favor of doing the right thing for the child. I'm on their side. You advocate for the child by weighing all the facts and all the circumstances, and you can't reduce that to a decision made on a piece of paper during a moment of time when it seemed like it may be the right thing. I think this legislation has good intentions but it's
a bad bill and so I'd appreciate a no vote and I'd be willing to answer any questions that you may have. Representative Murdoch for what purpose? Thank you. Appreciate
a no vote on this. Representative Kapp has spoken against
Chair
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2:41:37
the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Would anyone
like to to speak against the bill. Representative Birch, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative LeAnne Burch
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2:41:56
I'm sorry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Representative Kapp did such a great job from a practitioner's standpoint, and I'm a lawyer, and I like the idea of making $200 or $300 additional whenever I advise on some things. But the truth is, she said it in so many great ways. Great intentions, great idea. And as a parent of small children, you want the best, the easiest way to do something that you think is your control and your money going to the place where you can take care of it.
But you know, this doesn't have to have an attorney doing it. It just has to have a notary. And if you've ever reached out to give someone a power of attorney, all you had to do is get somebody a notarized statement, a piece of paper. This is basically a power of attorney for your children, and there's no directions with regard to revocation. Representative Maddox mentioned revocation. Where do you put notice for revocation? Let's say you and your husband were doing great two years ago whenever the kids were little, and then you divorce, but you've got that thing
hanging out there because Aunt Betty was such a great idea, and then something happens tragically to both of y'all. You've already executed wills. They may be with different people. It doesn't matter. You've got this power of attorney basically hanging out there. So who has to accept that? And does the hospital have to accept that power of attorney again with just the notarized signatures? Because if you get a guardianship through a court where the court vets it, gives notice to all parties that might have an interest in it, you get letters of guardianship. They're very specific stamp documents that people have to accept and understand. Does
that hospital have to accept that notarized statement? Again, no. Just like they don't have to accept a power of attorney. If you are a bank, you don't have to accept somebody's power of attorney. If you've got a power of attorney that says, my daughter can clean out my bank account, and I'm going to allow her to do it because I want her to be able to, the bank can say, I don't trust that. I need to have something more. I'll give you my power of attorney form. You're basically doing a power of attorney that can't be checked, that can't be, the revocation can't be checked by anybody to find out if you maybe did revoke it at one time because there's no place to
register it. There's no place for people to feel comfortable that it's getting reviewed. Don't you want somebody doing something with your children that's currently somebody that you believe is going to take care of their needs? Don't you want that hospital or that business or whoever's going to be cashing those checks to have the legal documentation to be able to do it and not put them at risk, that business at risk for having to use a notarized statement that may have been executed 10 years earlier great intentions really scary way to do
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something and with that I'd appreciate a no vote has spoken against the bill anyone like speak for the bill anyone like speak
Representative John Maddox
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2:45:05
against the bill the badics you recognize to close for the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. Well, that was interesting. That was like court, but yet there were two attorneys against me, so that's not
really fair, and two excellent attorneys and good friends of mine. I would like to say I do not think this bill does what they think it does. I think it's a good bill because I do practice some in the probate area, and so what happens when someone passes, yes, you can go get a temporary guardianship and yes it can be fairly quick but you you have to go hire an attorney you have to get a court date excuse me you have to hire an attorney you file the petition you get the order signed and then you have to have a full hearing within three days which means a trial that's a
lot that's a lot to do all this bill the intent of this bill is to allow the parents to choose if I pass if we pass I choose my brother I choose my sister I choose my cousin and they have something for a limited amount of time for 45 days that they have custody of that child. That's all it does. Now, in extenuating circumstances, a person can always go to court and say, this is an emergency. They haven't had custody. They've been arrested and have a full hearing on those merits. I perceive this as part of your estate plan. You will go in and say, this is
who I want to leave everything to, and this is who I want to take care of my children if we pass before they turn 18. So, I think it's a good bill, and I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Maddox is closed for the
bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 625. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk.
Five votes of 45 yeas, 37 nays, and eight present. The bill has failed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill
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642. Senate Bill 642 by Representative Cloud to modify the time for recoupment of audits of medical providers. Representative Cloud,
Representative Joe Cloud
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2:47:12
you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Except in the case of fraud, a health care insurer may exercise recoupment from a health care provider.
only during 18-month period after that 18-month date after that health care provider has provided the claim. Senate Bill 642 adds one sentence, so it should be simpler than what we just got finished with. This sentence is for the protection of the health care provider. It states that the health care provider may submit a corrected claim for up to six months after recoupment of services that were actually provided but billed in some form of an error without the intent to defraud.
This simply makes sure that the health care provider has the time to refile or rebuild the corrected claim and also work in an appropriate time frame with any secondary insurer if they should be involved. I'd be glad to take questions. Representative
Representative John W. Walker
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2:48:17
Walker, for what purpose? The present time for recoupment of a debt in a medical situation is 18 months. Correct. Your bill extends it to 24 months. No, sir. Upon representation that the health provider made an error.
Correct. Even though there was no error necessarily made. Thank you.
Representative Joe Cloud
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2:48:42
Yes, sir. Any other questions? This bill has no opposition, passed the Senate 35-0, came out of the committee with a unanimous vote. So I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Cloud has explained the
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bill. Would anyone like to speak against the
bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Cloud is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 642. Prepare
the machine, Mr. Clerk. Is everyone voted cast of the ballot, Mr. Clerk? By a vote of 75 yeas, 7 nays, and 6 present, the bill is passed. Mr.
Chair
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2:49:28
Clerk, please read Senate Bill 662. Senate Bill 662 by Representative Kapp to create the Child Welfare Omnibus Division within the Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape, Domestic Violence Commission.
Representative Kapp, you're recognized to
Representative Sarah Capp
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2:49:44
explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 662 creates a Child Welfare Ombudsman Division within the Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape, Domestic Violence Commission to provide for independent oversight of the child welfare system in Arkansas. The department agreed that this position will be supported with their existing budget. Stakeholders within the juvenile court system worked on this
legislation and are in support of it as the need has been discussed since the 2015 session. The Arkansas Advocates for Children is also in support. This bill creates a child welfare ombudsman division within the existing Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence Commission. It establishes the child welfare ombudsman position, which will provide independent oversight over the Arkansas child welfare system to include division of children and family services,
practice, reports, and records, juvenile court hearings, programs within the administrative office of the courts, such as the attorney ad litem program, parent counsel program, state CASA program, and the Arkansas Public Defender Commission. This bill sets forth duties of the Child Welfare Ombudsman to include review of issues or concerns related to a court case or maltreatment investigation if a juvenile, parent, foster parent, or relative of the juvenile may need assistance from the Ombudsman to include communication with these individuals,
provision of training and technical assistance preparation of annual report provided to applicable entities including the legislature concerning the operation of the child welfare system and recommendations it establishes an emergency clause for the act to become effective on July 1st 2019 much of the child welfare ombudsman position outlined in this bill is modeled after the existing DHS Division of Youth Services Ombudsman position. DCFS, Juvenile
Judges, the Administrative Office of the Courts Programs, and the Public Defender Commission were involved with the development of this bill. There are 23 states that I could find that have an Ombudsman position to assist with system issues such as this. I'm willing to answer any
Chair
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2:52:22
questions that you may have. Representative House,
Representative Douglas House
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2:52:26
for what purpose? You're recognized. Thank you, Representative, for your research and study into this. Do we create any conflict between the office of the ombudsman and that child's attorney ad litem?
Did that issue come up during your research of this? I
Representative Sarah Capp
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2:52:43
did not see anything that would be of a concern in regards to that. And again, the purpose of this ombudsman position is more system issues in regards to what's not taking place. And so as to any privileged information, I don't think that that would apply to this, if that answers your question. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Seeing
no further questions, I'd appreciate a good vote.
Chair
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2:53:12
If Cap has explained the bill, would anyone like to speak
against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill? representative cap is closed for the bill the question before the house is the passage of senate bill
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662 prepare the machine mr clerk has everyone voted voting on the bill and the emergency
clause cast up the ballot mr clerk by vote of 93 yeas zero nay and zero president you've
passed the bill and the emergency clause mr clerk please read senate
Chair
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2:53:49
bill 663 Senate Bill 663 by Representative Hillman, to amend the law concerning donors of food and to exclude liability for donors of live
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food. Representative Hillman, pass over. All right, we'll
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pass over Senate Bill 663. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 667.
Chair
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2:54:19
Senate Bill 667 by Representative Warren to amend the exemption of the Arkansas Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006. Representative Ferguson, you're recognized. Explain the bill. Thank
you, Mr. Speaker. This is exactly the
Representative Kenneth B. Ferguson
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2:54:48
same bill we already passed in the House just because of the late date.
We started on both ends. It just recognizes that now racing franchises are casinos. Representative Ferguson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like
to speak for the bill? Representative Ferguson is closed for the
bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 667. of the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the
ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 84
yeas, 2 nays, and 0 present, the bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read Senate Bill 663.
Chair
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2:55:35
Senate Bill 663 by Representative Hillman. To amend the law concerning donors of food and to exclude liability for
donors of live food. Representative Hillman, you're recognized to
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2:55:46
explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I apologize for my inattention, but a good friend of mine has been in heart surgery all day, and I just got word from his wife he's okay and out of surgery, so thank you for that. What this bill does, it allows immunity for people and organizations
that give animals to food shelters and things like that. It might be a deer that was hit on the highway or it might be, it could even be live animal like calves or cows or pigs or something like that. But this removes the liability that they would have on that. And with that, I'd appreciate a good vote, sir. Representative Hillman has explained the bill.
Speaker 130
2:56:22
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Hillman is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 663. Prepare
the machine Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast
up the ballot Mr. Clerk. 5 vote of 91 yeas, 0 nay and 7 present. The bill is passed. Representative Meeks you're recognized. Thank
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
2:56:56
you Mr. Speaker. After the announcements, reading of the bills, transferring of the bills, placing the calendars on the desk, members amending their own bills with their own amendments, members withdrawing their own bills, finalizing resolutions, reading communications, and any remaining committee reports.
I move we adjourn until 1.30 tomorrow
afternoon. It's a proper motion. It's not debatable. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The motion carries.
Members, before we go into the additional announcements, a couple things to keep in mind as we look to hopefully wrap this up on Wednesday is that you'll start, you'll see that virtually every committee will probably have on the agenda the potential for a meeting on the call of the chair.
That's primarily so that we can deal with possible concurrences or maybe Senate bills. It just depends. So pay attention to the schedule, pay attention to your email notices because those meetings could be scheduled pretty quickly, particularly for tomorrow. Additionally, I want to call attention to the fact that under the Arkansas Constitution, there's a prohibition against the introduction of any bills within the final three days of a session. And so we've instructed, out of an abundance of caution, we've instructed the clerk's office not to accept the filing of any other bills,
which, of course, at this point, the chances of passing a bill all the way through is virtually none. But I wanted to call your attention to that. Representative Cozart, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. Education will meet tomorrow morning at
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
2:58:28
10 o'clock to hear some concurrences and senate bills and it will be our last meeting. Representative Douglas, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. House Ag will meet
Representative Dan M. Douglas
Unverified
2:58:40
in the morning at 10 o'clock for three minutes. Representative Garner, for what purpose?
Chair
Unverified
2:58:48
You're recognized. The freshman caucus will not meet
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
2:58:52
in the morning, but we will meet at 1 o'clock to hand deliver our letter to the governor. So please meet us in the governor's conference room at 1 o'clock tomorrow. Representative Gray, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. I just want
to let everyone know that there's going to be a meeting at 8 a.m. in Big Mac A with DHS, Dennis Smith, Melissa Stone, and Paula Stone. So if any of you are having issues with the passes that were formed, they'll be there to answer questions and help you with constituent issues.
Speaker 283
2:59:21
Representative Lanny Phype for what purpose? Announcement.
Speaker 320
2:59:24
You're recognized. City County Local will meet in 20 minutes upon adjournment. Big Mac B. Representative Fortner for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized.
Representative Jack Fortner
Unverified
2:59:32
Rev and Tax will meet at the call of the chair. Representative Lowry
Representative Mark Lowery
Unverified
2:59:39
for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. House Insurance and Commerce will meet 15 minutes upon adjournment today in room
Chair
Unverified
2:59:45
149. Representative Wing for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. If any
Representative Carlton Wing
Unverified
2:59:48
of you felt a little extra happy yesterday, it was because it was the birthday of Ms. Nelda Speaks.
And if you are still feeling happy, it's because it's David Whitaker's birthday today. Representative Holcomb, for what purpose?
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
3:00:14
Announcement. You're recognized. Public transportation will meet in the morning at 10 a.m. Big Mac B. Representative Tosh, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized.
Representative Dwight Tosh
Unverified
3:00:22
State agencies will meet at 9 a.m. in the morning. Representative Ladyman, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized.
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
3:00:32
Public health will meet at 10.30 in the morning, room 130 to hear a concurrent
Speaker 337
3:00:38
amendment. Representative Douglas, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. Correction
Representative Dan M. Douglas
Unverified
3:00:42
on time. Agless meet at 9 o'clock. any other announcements the desk will remain open
as needed for the reading of the bills and upon completion of the items named in the adjourn resolution the house will be adjourned until 1 30 p.m. tomorrow
Agenda
RESOLUTIONS
Cal To Order
Prayer
Roll Call
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HR1050 Rushing TO PROCLAIM APRIL 8, 2019, AS GRANDPARENT'S RIGHTS AWARENESS DAY.
End of Morning Hour
CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1827 D. Ferguson1 TO REPEAL THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS NEWSPAPER RECYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
HB1435 Pilkington1 TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE FOR RIDESHARING APPLICATIONS.
HB1773 Clowney1 CRUMP'S LAW.
HB1306 Rye1 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF VOTING SITES IN A CITY OF THE FIRST CLASS.
HB1767 Payton1 TO REGULATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF REAL PROPERTY OF THE STATE.
HB1656 D. Ferguson1 TO AMEND THE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION TRANSPARENCY ACT; TO PROHIBIT PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FOR MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
REGULAR BILLS
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1886 Lundstrum TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.
HB1975 Boyd TO ESTABLISH THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE REVIEW ACT OF 2019; TO PROVIDE FOR ANNUAL MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE REVIEWS OF MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES AND METHODOLOGIES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1978 Perry TO AMEND THE STATUTES CONCERNING PROCURERS; AND TO REGULATE THE USE OF A PROCURER BY A LICENSED CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN.
HB1980 A. Davis TO AMEND THE UNFAIR CIGARETTE SALES ACT; TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS TOBACCO PRODUCTS TAX ACT OF 1977; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1619 G. Hodges TO CREATE THE ELECTRIC MOTORIZED SCOOTER ACT.
HB1984 Perry TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION AND THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING CERTAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
HB1985 A. Davis TO PROMOTE WATER RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT; AND TO AMEND THE WATER RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES ACT.
HR1074 TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SB623 A. Clark(Gazaway) TO REMOVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION AS AN AVAILABLE PENALTY FOR AN OFFENSE NOT RELATED TO DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE.
SB555 B. Ballinger(Gonzales) TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW REGARDING STATE EMISSION PLANS FOR FOSSIL FUEL-FIRED ELECTRIC GENERATING UNITS.
SB506 Irvin(Bentley) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE YOUTH JUSTICE REFORM BOARD.
SB483 J. English(Cozart) TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING.
SB503 Bledsoe(Bentley) CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE.
SB535 B. Johnson(Murdock) TO REVISE THE METHOD BY WHICH THE ACADEMIC FACILITIES WEALTH INDEX IS CALCULATED.
SB568 Caldwell(Hollowell) CONCERNING THE TWENTY-FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT; CONCERNING DISTRICT COURT JUDGES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB638 J. English(Burch) CONCERNING THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN OF MILITARY FAMILIES; AND TO AMEND ASPECTS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE WITH RESPECT TO CHILDREN OF MILITARY FAMILIES WHO ARE ENROLLED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SB593 G. Leding(Godfrey) CONCERNING TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON CHILD TRAFFICKING.
SB617 Irvin(C. Fite) REPEALING THE LAW CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS COALITION FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE.
SB647 Irvin(C. Fite) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING STATE REIMBURSEMENTS ADMINISTERED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS.
SB651 Caldwell(Tosh) TO AMEND THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES FOR CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB659 J. English(Cozart) TO ALLOW A STATE-SUPPORTED TWO-YEAR INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO MARKET AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO ANY INDIVIDUAL IN ARKANSAS REGARDLESS OF THE SERVICE AREA IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL RESIDES.
SB549 J. English(Cozart) TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ACADEMIC FACILITIES.
SB602 J. Dismang(A. Davis) TO ESTABLISH THE SMALL WIRELESS FACILITY DEPLOYMENT ACT.
SB658 Hester(Dalby) CONCERNING CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES, PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS, AND THE JUDICIARY; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB646 G. Leding(Capp) CONCERNING CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED RECORDS OF THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY.
SB632 J. English(Meeks) TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO SUPPORT A CYBER ALLIANCE IN ORDER TO REDUCE CYBER RISKS AND ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SB656 J. EnglishMeeks) TO CREATE THE DATA-SHARING AND DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING TASKFORCE.
SB589 J. English(Meeks) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DUTIES OF THE DATA AND TRANSPARENCY PANEL.
SB487 Elliott(Gazaway) TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT AND AUDIT OF THE CULTURE AND CLIMATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION.
SB548 B. Ballinger(Breaux) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE PROCEDURE FOR THE INCORPORATION OF MUNICIPALITIES.
SB625 B. Ballinger(Maddox) TO ALLOW A PARENT TO APPOINT A TEMPORARY GUARDIAN FOR HIS OR HER MINOR CHILD IN THE EVENT OF THE DEATH OF THE PARENT.
SB642 B. Davis(Cloud) TO MODIFY THE TIME FOR RECOUPMENT OF AUDITS OF MEDICAL PROVIDERS.
SB662 A. Clark(Capp) TO CREATE THE CHILD WELFARE OMBUDSMAN DIVISION WITHIN THE ARKANSAS CHILD ABUSE/RAPE/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMISSION.
SB663 Maloch(Hillman) TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DONORS OF FOOD; AND TO EXCLUDE LIABILITY FOR DONORS OF LIVE FOOD.
SB667 K. Ingram(Warren) TO AMEND AN EXEMPTION TO THE ARKANSAS CLEAN INDOOR AIR ACT OF 2006.
SB485 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN FRASTRUCTURE APPROPRIATION.
HB1106 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - REVENUE SERVICES DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1109 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION - DISBURSING OFFICER APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1130 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS STATE POLICE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1200 AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES-REYNOLDS CENTER ON AGING, BOOZ MAN COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, ARK. BIOSCIENCES INSTITUTE, & THE AREA HEALTH ED CENTER IN HELEN A APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
SB36 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC DEFENDER COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
SB68 AN ACT FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
SB93 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
SB102 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF AGING, ADULT, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
SB104 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
SB136 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND - GRANTS AND AID TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1865 AN ACT TO DEFINE THE MONIES TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE RAINY DAY FUND; AND TO ALLOW THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDS MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR STATE AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS APPROPRIATIONS;
HB1876 TO AMEND THE REVENUES STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd Chair
Unverified
Speaker 9
Speaker 12
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 21
Speaker 24
Speaker 31
Representative Laurie Rushing
Unverified
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
Speaker 47
Speaker 46
Representative Johnny Rye Chair
Unverified
Speaker 42
Speaker 74
Representative Charles Blake
Unverified
Representative Michelle Gray Chair
Unverified
Speaker 90
Speaker 83
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
Representative Nicole Clowney
Unverified
Speaker 80
Representative Kenneth B. Ferguson
Unverified
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
Representative Justin Boyd
Unverified
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
Representative Douglas House
Unverified
Speaker 130
Representative Marsh Davis
Unverified
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
Speaker 165
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
Speaker 52
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Speaker 48
Representative Lanny Fite
Unverified
Speaker 179
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
Representative Monte Hodges
Unverified
Speaker 26
Speaker 190
Speaker 189
Representative Sarah Capp
Unverified
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
Unverified
Representative Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
Speaker 208
Speaker 217
Speaker 218
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
Representative Ken Bragg Chair
Unverified
Speaker 235
Speaker 238
Speaker 241
Representative Mark Lowery
Unverified
Representative Steve Hollowell
Unverified
Representative LeAnne Burch
Unverified
Representative Megan Godfrey
Unverified
Representative Dwight Tosh
Unverified
Speaker 16
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Speaker 284
Speaker 291
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
Speaker 299
Representative Keith Slape
Unverified
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
Representative Vivian Flowers
Unverified
Representative Karilyn Brown
Unverified
Representative John Maddox
Unverified
Representative Joe Cloud
Unverified
Speaker 146
Speaker 14
Speaker 278
Speaker 333
Representative Dan M. Douglas
Unverified
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
Speaker 283
Speaker 320
Representative Jack Fortner
Unverified
Representative Carlton Wing
Unverified
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
Speaker 337