Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC)

Members we are ready to start our meeting I just have a couple of housekeeping notes here. Of if you have. All right if you have not signed up for pick up per diem would you please do so very soon. And the other one is that the remember last the finally we talked about a list of alternates and they were at your your desk but for those of you who didn't have time to take a picture or write them down we're going up Mrs Garrity is going to send that to you and if you are not going to be here please call your alternate are you might notify Mrs Garrity and she will get in touch with your alternate. All right we're going to start our meeting. I need to the a motion to adopt the minutes from the last meeting the fifty where the twenty first and the eight eight the okay I have a motion have a second all those in favor say aye. All those opposed motion carries. All right of going down to a D. Mister Richard Wilson is here and he is going to give us our April twenty twenty monthly general revenue report Mister Wilson with the. Thank you madam chair good to see you. You're recognized. Thank you at we have the. Today the able revenue report it's been eight months since you've seen presentation so rather than the eight revenue reports I think what we should do is. Turn the graph page and we can do will catch up that way. You can see for the first eight months. The. July through February collections peer. Somewhat routine each major revenue category made some positive contribution. Along the way and I should back up and and. have everybody recall that this this graph reflects deviation from the official forecast so. The bowl out in the middle zero if there's no deviations in the collection and it would be right on that line. So the. We see that it's all positive through February. In each major category those being. Sales and use individual income tax and corporate income tax each made a positive contributions throughout throughout the way. so I was supposed to be here March twenty to present this February revenue report where we show ninety eight million up over the official forecast at that time. the previous official forecast dated February first. A reflection expected net available that is a hundred eighty four million dollars less than the previous year which was FY nineteen. during FY nineteen if you remember collections at Jean thirty. Resulted in a two hundred ninety five million dollars surplus. A. Both doctor shown it myself and witnessed. A suspected one time money in twenty nineteen and therefore the official forecast from February reflects. A lower amount in FY twenty then we collected in FY nineteen. However at the end of February. The first eight months of collections the net available at that time was a hundred seventy one million dollars. Positive over last year not negative. So a. If I had presented in March I would have suggested that. You'd realize a surplus on June thirtieth twenty twenty. But to. As were where in mid March. We saw a few changes the official forecast. As you can see on the graph would drop to zero on March twenty third that is the revision so all those numbers before March become actual. And we start the game over. And there's no deviation as of March twenty third as of March thirty it's twenty nine million dollars above the revised forecast. And as of April you can see it's about two hundred and seven million dollars above the revised forecast. But at the back on. March fourth. A you symbol here for the AOC JBC budget hearings. And at the opening address the executive branch. Express confidence in the existing forecast and. had no knowledge mint about the positive cash flows versus the negative. So if you add those two numbers together hundred seventy one to the positive and what the forecast that time a hundred eighty four million to the negative. You have had to see cash flows decreased three hundred fifty five million dollars over the last four months for that forecast to be accurate. So during the revision. Here at three twenty three March twenty third there was an additional three hundred fifty three million dollar adjustment. And a break out of that adjustment based on to fix the virus affect. And the. A tax extension affect. But no under big knowledge mint of positive cash flows to fit your. So even if that three hundred fifty three million dollar judgment is accurate and it may will be you still got a hundred eighty four million dollars slack. In the system okay. So that's where we are today. in less that slack is exhausted. By the end of the FY twenty you should still be above this line. And at that point. The. The the additional money flows to allotment reserve as usual and sister into a joint budget says what to do with it. The I should point out that if RSA is not fully funded. And it doesn't appear that that's gonna happen then technically there is no surplus so you would call this surplus money just unallocated money's going to flow allotment reserve and sit there. In addition of Arkansas law provides that the CFO must consider the revision. Of the forecast or third wins in may. This year that is next Wednesday may twentieth. And if necessary presented to the economic tax policy committee for questioning. So next week of perhaps you may receive some more information at that time. The choice would be to revise the forecast. If if required back upward if if the agencies need more money. Or at the choice would be leave it alone and let it flow to allotment reserve I understand that the code nineteen rainy day fund and. subsequent federal funds are helping the agencies this point and you may not need to make any adjustments. So with that I'll just go through the April report very quickly. After ten months of this current fiscal year FY twenty. Gross collections are hundred ninety four million dollars below the previous year the gross writers negative three point two and on that basis ninety three million dollars below previous year the growth rate there is negative one point nine. You see by the graph that after the revision at the end of April two hundred seven million dollars above forecast with two months to go. in looking at page one spreadsheet. Interestingly this is what. The. The recession looks like everything's negative except alcohol. That's the way it looks. So with that. Madam chair I will. The. Do my best to answer any questions all right thank you Mr Wilson first question senator DISMANG you're recognized thank you madam chair and just real quick to get back to the extension of the you know to match up with federal income tax I mean it so the minute kind of the hearing what you're saying is it possible that we over estimated what that impact would be. You may be I've got that break out in a I'm sure you've seen that up with the virus fictive is and what the extension effect is. It's it's possible it's overestimated because you always. We'll be conservative we notified as that. Of however you gotta remember in after a failed to to say earlier that in the April report report there's a lot of market activity. Specially in gross receipts for the year we're still on a positive growth rate for gross receipts that's going to change so I suspect senator that the The the may in the June report or not going to look. What is rose uses but it's for an April fifteenth is coming gone which was the you know really where we thought there was going to be the biggest impact in relation to the income tax payment changes in that sort of thing so well we may see some negative impact in other areas I would I would think you'd be pretty muted as far as income tax collections because we're we're past that point agreed appears that way I was it backing up to revise the forecast it's extremely difficult. In the first place in with the date of this out there right now it's next to impossible so. I'm not surprised to see it a big variation in the first month right good things on the positive side but In addition Mr got that hundred eighty four million dollars over the slack in there too so. Right now things look pretty good may and June are not gonna be so good right now I written very much appreciate the review yes Sir. All right of senator Malick you're recognized. Thank you madam chairman Richard you really do you touched on my question and that was a little more vibration on gross receipts sales tax and the lag effect and what you do expect for the next two months and you you've you have touched on it but any further elaboration on that the only further elaboration is I don't have a revenue department behind me and I can't figure out the the extension effect. dealing with the minimal data that is out there right now I was able to. Pretty much confirm the DFA estimate equations on the gross receipts so I think those are pretty pretty solid estimates for second tale if you look at the first pages spreadsheet the month of April did go negative. But the ten most numbers still positive number. But the next two months you would think will get hit harder than or this report shows hard as you know hospitality is zero. March thank you to issue yester. A. Si eight eighty seven. Who would that be. Senator Clark are you in eighty seven and okay we'll go ahead and ask your question. Thank you of. Richard on that note. Hospital to be in zero what are the projections for up. Tourism and hospitality. Well it. For the US and and and for Arkansas they they look quite a bit different. You can see that the. The the airlines and the hotels and. motor coach or doing very little. the restaurants are. trying to survive it third capacity I don't know how long as good last. Like the viruses it attacks the weakest and they're going to go first hospitality looks guys can be hit very hard. the only numbers I have to help you or are aggregate numbers. A for the overall economy A got update yesterday one of our subscription services reflects that GDP in the second quarter. They made a revision to negative thirty seven percent I've never seen. Of. Numbers like that tracking for forty years and economic data. if you average that estimate with for the federal reserve banks. It's still negative thirty percent second quarter. And then on the job report we got yesterday as you know over two months there's been thirty six million initial claims on unemployment. So we're aware. That many of these tourism jobs. and tourism businesses that no during the winter December January February do nothing so if they don't do so they don't do business now of they truly will be in trouble a. The yes Sir and But those are the projections based on what we're doing now because I just you know I've noticed that you know Gulf shores. Alabama is open restaurants are open beaches are open of actually seen it personally of they were willing to take my money and it looks like that that things could research if we if we really wanted them to do do you think that if we open things up that we would see something different. Will the at. Going further the the estimate for the third quarter. It is a positive six point four no that's the least turning around it's not a rebound resilience getting back into positive numbers if that occurs you get what you hope for is V. shaped. The recession much quicker than the last we saw of easily but The resurgence of of of the. The caseloads is is have you seen on the news bothering a lot of people. By the time we get our last phase law over businesses may be delay thank you. Thank you any other questions. All right uh we have a question. Of from senator bond you're recognized we have a. And then we had a problem getting. Follows the answer is not with other states report that. Seems like a very healthy. House to like fund Mister Wilson can you repeat the question please for he was wanting to know online sales tax revenue versus brick and mortar okay yeah that would be helpful. Okay all right any other questions. Seeing none thank you so very much we appreciate you being here and with the dump this report. Alright ladies and gentleman up we're going to Adam II of the executive subcommittee report and chairman Wardlaw has that. Thank you madam chair. On March eighteenth and March twenty fifth the executive subcommittee exercise its authority under Arkansas code ten three three on on a nail C. rules to review and approve emergency roles in writing the subcommittee approved five emergency rules in that manner and those were reported Dale C. members and alternates in accordance with a or C. rules. The subcommittee met on April fifteenth and reviewed and approved March the rule for the department of commerce division of workforce services in that action was reported Dale C. members and alternates subcommittee also met this morning at eight thirty I reviewed and approved to rules both of these rules will be effective upon adjournment of today's ale see meeting one rules from the Arkansas state board of nursing the other was department of commerce of ADC military affairs grant program with that I'll be happy to answer any questions and all moved for adoption of the report. Thank you. Yes question who is all right. Is that senator Teague yes ma'am all right. It's complicated thank you so we would just for a question for the chair's I don't see that this was our did enough that we could have done this today why do we do it emergency session. Which. Which when you returned April fifteenth one. All right Representative Wardlaw. The more referred to staff my memory for thirty days ago so. Little bit. I mean if it was sergeant but but it didn't look card it to me. A are you referring to the one that was the two that were done this morning Senator Teague I'm sorry he's is referring to the April fifteenth meeting that we do to this morning I didn't hear them yes there were two this morning When and why the heck do we do to this morning when we could have done I mean here these are emergency rules that are referred to executive subcommittee executive subcommittee meets and then reported to the full council so these aren't the the action that you might be thinking of these are emergency rules that would normally go before executive subcommittee. One one of the rules the Arkansas nursing board is actually pursuing permanent rule and that question was asked in committee this morning and they answered it that way the second rule from department of commerce and military affairs is only going to be there throughout the summer which means the ninety days that it's their former to rule they will not be pursuing a standard rule process. Senator T. the April fifteenth emergency rule I was submitted by workforce services and it was an emergency rule requiring employers to give notices to employees of the availability availability of unemployment benefits and that was part of their grant funding that they received in order to be able to use those monies I believe madam chair a that's fine I just you know a. Often painted agencies take advantage of the Use of emergency rules to bypass coming before all of this and I'm getting more cynical as I age thank you. Chairman willow. Senator to you and I share that of sentiment very well and I will tell you that we met with staff this morning to send a message that we will not be taking these rules up an emergency action unless they are truly a real emergency going forward. Alright ladies and gentlemen we're gonna move on. I'm sorry all right Representative Lundstrum you're recognized for a question. Just a clarification actually what were the two issues that were brought forth in the emergency meeting this morning and what what was the request and then on for the veterans issue and then on the nursing why the change so just two questions if you could clarify for us. All right to Mrs Garrity. Do my best here the workforce services has to do with military affairs they've got some again many like many entities they're not bringing in the funds that they need and so there rules don't allow them to receive these grants to use for personnel costs benefits and so they were changing the rules allow them to do this for a period of thirty days after the declared emergency and so it's just a short period time and they don't anticipate promulgating a permanent role just because the the time period a small with the regardless of the department or the board of nursing that I believe was a request to allow Those nurses a training requirement that they have to do a certain number of hours that allow them to do that over a period of two years instead of one year okay so that has nothing to do or not related to cover nineteen at all. Actually the nursing requirement is of what she explained this morning and is if you're nursing you'd been set and dormant you to get your license back you had to have this many hours in the last year so they moved that out to two years to encourage those people to come back to work during this time of need. Yep and and and a lot of these nurses are Arkansas nurse license but they live out of state today okay so it doesn't really have anything to do with cover nineteen because we've laid off so many nurses that we need those folks to come back to I just wanna make sure there was two different things going on this has to do with licensing yes okay thank you thank you for the clarification all right senator Elliott you're recognized for a question I'm my question was along the same lines regarding the nurses I just want to be sure I understand that the request is made Not in regard to Colbert nineteen but is this is going to be made permanent at the lab that sequence yes. What did anybody ask why you're making it permanent when it doesn't have. How how I don't understand how this Rick I'm I'm not says about policy anything us to understand how it relates if you're going to make up a rule like that seems like you just do it in just regular fashion. All right the this week we have for the we have quite a few rules that come through this manner on a normal month outside the pandemic and she will be and I and I ask the question in committee this morning. She said she would follow the normal rule breaking process to make it a permanent rules so what they'll do is basically what we saw all this week which was yesterday and rules the solid waste district in northwest Arkansas came through and got an emergency rule back in January they came back to rules yesterday with the exact same rule and they applied that rule to permit process so you'll see the nurses program come to rule subcommittee with the exact same rule hopefully the same mix explanation and they will see it again in the rules subcommittee reported a LC. But what they're actually doing right now this this in a perfect bill is temporary right now that Esther and then they will go and just do it through the break in the process as we normally would yes ma'am but we have a a reason for to be considered an emergency right now for some reason that I'm not getting by the but I'm satisfied if they're going to go and do it through the regular process thank you all right thank you a Representative shepherd you're recognized thank you madam chair and just for for way of clarification and others on the executive subcommittee can correct me if I'm wrong but with regard to how that emergency rules presented at this relates to the reinstatement of nurses licenses and there is a requirement one of the requirements is that in order to be reinstated you have to take a continuing education of some sort or you have to have have was it a thousand hours within the last year. There's no there's no As a continuing education it's some type of hands on training my understanding and what they present was that is not available right now because the pandemic. So what they're seeing is that this reinstatement primarily arises with nurses who have moved out of state. And surrender their Arkansas license because we're part of a nursing compact that if you move out of state you surrender your Arkansas license and you get a license from the state that you're the and working in and so what what that necessitated this requested based on what they told us today was that there are nurses who have been licensed out of state that are coming back in Arkansas or maybe they'd previously moved back that they would like to be able to get their license to be able to to assist whether it's in response the pandemic or otherwise there is not the availability of these of the clinical or continuing ed type things and therefore there haven't all go through the they're all having to show a thousand hours of service. That may be For first at least the I guess in the view of the nursing board expanding that to two years is reasonable and that was the basis of that request so it's in part of I mean from what it was presented us it is related to the pandemic because that's prohibiting people from otherwise being licensed and Furthermore the availability of nurses I think it's in the material that was presented that is something that I think we'd all agree is critical to the state and so that's what brought that rule but to represent what laws point they are going to come back with a permanent rule change that they can be considered in the future. Thank you Representative Davis Andy Davis you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair just up you almost got their represent were larger Wardlaw men on the mercy rule process those are only good for thirty days is that correct. One hundred twenty days twenty okay you said they have to bring him back I was trying to remember how long so the hundred hundred twenty days okay thank you and the military said that they would use that whole period plus thirty I think. Emergency. Thirty thirty days no more than thirty days after the emergency and but in the middle of a rule approved the merger process is only good for a hundred twenty days that's ale see rule as right Mr. That's a law law even better thank you. All right the Representative Dotson you're recognized for a question of thank you madam chair in this this may be a question staff might be able to clarify just for everybody's clarity on this there seems to be some confusion between emergency rule action taken by the executive subcommittee and the emergency actions taken through If that are reported to us and our agenda K. one a I believe is the is the emergency actions that A been taken over the last couple months emergency rules is the normal process that would go through the executive subcommittee the there's a published agenda there's it's open to the public it's debatable in that and so they per fifteenth they bill fifteenth meeting happened during the fiscal session and we had public availability for comment on those emergency actions were taken the same thing this morning on those rules of if you could have staff kind of explain the difference between what the emergency actions that are taken under K. one that we're getting a report on today later on the decision to and what the emergency rules that are only temporary last four hundred twenty days are. Thank you representantes and you said it pretty well actually but yes emergency rules by law and under a Legislative Council or those rules that cannot last more than a hundred twenty days the process is to four eggs for those to go to executive subcommittee and they can either meet in person one day's notice is provided to all members of the Legislative Council we send an email with the propose emergency rule the date and time of the meeting and then after the meeting we will send another notice advising of the action that was taken by executive in cases like this where executive meets the morning of Legislative Council this report is that notice in lieu of an email to members emergency action on the other hand or actions taken by all the other subcommittees that would normally go to peer review personnel that take action based on a request from the chief fiscal officer or the secretary of transformation shared services or the secretary of higher education of education I'm sorry those are items that cannot wait for the week of counsel there's no provisions in the law for those to be authorized outside the week of counsel so those by counsel rule out can be approved by the two chairs of the appropriate subcommittee as well as the two chairs of cut council that must be a unanimous approval by all four members of those actions are reported to the subcommittee as well as to the full council as represent Dotson indicated under K. there is a large list of items that were done by emergency action most of those items came about as a result of the cancellation of all of the March subcommittees so all of the actions that were of all the items that were on the agenda. For the March meetings that were canceled were approved by emergency action and those are listed in that committee in that report and and just for clarification does actions are permanent is if council had actions had taken action verses an emergency rule which is a temporary hundred twenty day only authorization that's correct thank you. All right thank you any other questions seeing none we're going to move to item if. Okay all right need a motion to adopt the report. All right in a second all those in favor say aye. All those opposed motion report is adopted I like going to item if this reports of the standing committees of number one of Representative Dan Sullivan you're recognized for your report. My button okay John okay thank you madam chair the subcommittee met on Thursday may fourteenth the subcommittee adopted reports of the executive subcommittee concerning its approval of emergency rules all rules on the agenda were reviewed and approved additionally all rules submitted for initial review under ACT eight twenty of twenty nineteen were reviewed the subcommittee also reviewed and filed letters concerning agency updates on delinquent rule making under ACT five seventeen of twenty nineteen and I moved for adoption this report up alright ladies continue heard the motion we have the second all those in favor say aye all those opposed all right the a report is adopted all right going down to number eight of Representative DEANN fall. Thank you madam chair the peer subcommittee met on Wednesday may the thirteenth the subcommittee approved a various temporary approach appropriation requests for the department of Veterans Affairs the subcommittee reviewed several other items and receive quarterly and monthly reports the subcommittee moved to have the office of Attorney General cash settlement report saying by the full ALC the report is attached to the pier reports starting on page ten. And someone from the attorney general's office is here today to answer any questions on the report the subcommittee also approved a cares appropriation request for the department of finance administration DF a request pull is by asking to request a pool the atom B. two from the report they have a revised request that is a supplemental agenda the revised quest is exhibit eight are eight zero three at the proper time I will move pulling item be too from the report and adopting the rest of the report. All right ladies and gentleman we can call the AG's office up if there Representative here are a scene Mr **** if you'll come identify yourself for the record anyone that's with you and the we have a question or two. Alright you're recognized good morning members of Corey **** chief of staff for the attorney general's office and I've got Deborah hope or CFO with me. Good morning morning all right up Senator hammer I believe you had a question. And and A Mr **** if you would listen intently to the question I'd like for you to repeat it we're having trouble with the I. T. and and you know all of that so we need to be clear if you're recognized. Or S. or if you would explain the amount of advertising expenses. And regarding the question. So of the senator asked whether or not the advertising cost in here me wanted me to address those and he wants to know if any of those any of the spending on advertising was court directed by you're recognized so. I would have to break that down into different areas of advertising certainly there are times that we or ordered by courts to advertise when there's a settlement when there is something that requires that we send notice out a we run notices in paper and the paper or other places say and if you've been affected you need to contact our office just like any law firm does when there's a big settlement of the. But of course not every instance of advertising is the courtordered add some of it is the discretion of of our office like if we're having a round table or for having of the some sort of mobile office that's clearly not mandated by the courts that something that we we're doing to to generate interest in that the that event. Does that answer your question Sir. Yes follow up is fun. Here we see. Correct seems like we're at a high water work is part of the amount of money that the AG's spending on. Termin that the money. It directly from the tax. You. The senator was asking how do we determine it that the money that we're spending he said that there we're at a high water mark mark and some of the spending how do we determine that it's effective in senator we do track the call numbers that that we we get of following the outbreak of co fitted we saw an increase in March of a hundred and six percent in our phone calls that is written roughly we started getting about eight to nine thousand calls a a month I've got all the numbers here if you will allow me I will I have a tendency getting appearing in giving wrong statutes Marty and you have to call me and so I I've actually got some of this written down here. The. In twenty nineteen in March we had four thousand three hundred and ninety two calls. Of March of this year we had nine thousand thirty nine calls April of last year four thousand seven hundred and seventy two calls. Of April of this year nine thousand seven hundred and twenty six calls in a month. With we clearly saw an increase of that that unlike anything that we ever saw before in fact we had to take staff of if you would step back to the January February with me you'll remember that the world is a little bit different we weren't sitting here wearing mask and having our temperature taken of our normal processes include us going out with mobile offices two different communities going round tables which many of you have joined this at those round tables. And All of that disappeared. That all went away our normal processes for going out and reach into the public where we could bring bring folks to us to get complaints disappeared on top of that we had an extraordinary on president public health crisis. It's hard to it's hard. To predict what's going to happen the one thing we were sure of every time there's an emergency the bad yes step up in a try to take advantage of the consumer's. in fact the. Arkansas code has a section four eighty eight three or four. They put places the responsibility on the attorney general's office for going out in stopping Proskauer G.. Both prosecutors conformist meaner charges of but it's hard to get a criminal conviction on a prosecuting. It allows for a civil penalty of ten thousand dollars per instance that somebody charges more than ten percent of for For goods that during a declared emergency and that fall so we on us. So we have this very big role we have a huge role and we have a. Instance we are the normal processes have been completely disrupted. So there was an increase in and getting the word out and we think that it paid off we have got open cases going on prosecuting. I'm a self contacted sellers on eBay and Facebook. And let them know that what they were doing was illegal our staff was doing it day in and day out we did everything we could to get in front of what we saw coming which was a tsunami of bad actors that we're gonna take advantage of hurting our Kansans people who are going into an economic crisis. Don't have the year two years to wait for a legal remedy so we tried to get in front of it and so that's what you're seeing Senator all right to a. One all right one more we have five people on the key. Like to see a copy of the. The number of calls we like to that justify the expense. All right thank you is doing the to repeat that not yet if you would I think some this state so okay say he's asking for a break down of the number of calls that we received and how it's related to the a. The advertising it and I'll I will point out senator some of them out that I'll share with you after after this we also get phone calls we had yesterday a city Clerk from one of heels the cities call in in thank us we we get folks that just call and say thank you so I'll be glad to share those for sure. Thank you you send that to Marty and we'll get that out it's my thank you all right to we have on on the queue next the senator RAPERT and then senator Chesterfield. You're recognized thank you madam chair at the couple questions to the chair of the and then I'll have a question for Mr **** the we're on this is this articulated here maybe I'm missing it and and a half on a we pull that out but would you please point me to that on the on the information sheet. As I don't know if I'm seeing everything that center hammer's. We can about senator it was part of the peer report it was part of the peer agenda of cases really not articulated individually in here at all what you're saying. On page ten okay well that's. And be helpful to me. We didn't get back on the cue well now I want to I'd like to come back on to it what I would ask you may be madam chair may this is Marty you know I've been here decade now and it seems to me frankly that there's I can remember a lot more publicity if you want to say that from some of the other former office holders we've had these places and so my question is we've really been talking a lot about separation of powers of the executive branch the legislative branch what if already do we have to even tell the Attorney General what they do with their funding once that that it's in their hands Marty. Senator I inquiry can correct me if I'm wrong I believe it's just a report that submitted to peer and it's a report submitted to Legislative Council there is no action taken by this body okay well that's that's good that's great point what I would ask is just for my own purposes I don't know if it's possible but I'd love to see what some of the budget spending was from the prior Attorney General in maybe look back it was just kind of take a look at this because frankly it's almost like you're damned if you do damned if you don't and so you know I've I've appreciated the fact that you know when I get calls on issues and you gotta understand it's not just covert nineteen Mr **** I believe you pointed out I get constant calls about people that are getting calls from the robo calls and they have a and aunt or an uncle or grandmother my own grandmother was nearly tricked into wiring money to someone who called and said that one of my cousins was in jail in Florida she was about to wire the money to help this grand sign and fortunately is mother walked in the door and they were able to five figure that out it these are the kind of things that people need to know that you can help with is that not correct yes Sir what we've we have made an effort to to help in in fact there's the. quite a few folks here that no we've we've worked with you on issues that or is is wide and versus robo calls to to You need to have it you also release funds directly that which is benefited people in the during the covert nineteen it issue in the past eight weeks yes Sir we we gave four million dollars to the U. a mess and the if and I thank you that's all right and we will see the ticket that's pass reports. A. Continuing known senator Chesterfield thank you madam chair mine is just a very quick question is what is the cost of the wreckage report to date to date with the over the last six years it's no this year this year if we're there I'll let Deborah answer that. From the last report this to be January through March we had spent one point one six million dollars the report thank you very much all right A senator Irvin you're next and then we're going to Senator Stubblefield. Thank you and Corey thank you for giving me a call I'm sorry I didn't connect with you yes today side I do appreciate the different things that you all are doing my question really is about appropriation authority and so. In the statute language here and it says that. The council not carry a balance greater than one million dollars yes ma'am so. So what I'm confused father is it seems like it's I mean clearly you're spending more than a million dollars is so. Am I to understand that. You're interpreting that appropriation authority of a million dollars as it can never carrying a. Can you explain that let's do this let me just say can explain it because it looks like you replenish it yes ma'am we do and do you come back before the legislature to ask for that replenishing number forty you know with it in in a I will have to differ a little bit to senator English because this is the okay her legislation that the I don't know the background on all of it like she does but there is in statute a limit that we can have no more than a million dollars in the C. E. N. E. fund that's continuing consumer education enforcement fund at any one time. So that's a million dollars and we can't put more than a million dollars in the account is that for an entire fiscal year no more so it's not for so some confused so you've got like we've approved an appropriation for a million dollars but then you run that down and then you take money from over here and dump it back in yes really it's unlimited appropriation it's nonappropriation if if if I can if I can make of a slot technical point it's nonappropriation it's just a lot a statutory limit that can that controls how much can be in that fund at any given moment so in other words y'all don't come back to us every year an appropriate for the C. E. N. E. fund now this last budget session you all did give us an appropriation on cash funds for I think it was twenty two million or something like that that that is separate and apart from the restriction on this fund and the. I can if you if you will allow me I'll try to sort of explain what. Or what happened so we we have settlements one of those settlements or. Much larger than a million dollars What often in a year we have settlements over a million dollars. Obviously we're not going to go to the judge and say your honor we are limited on what we can take for continuing education in enforcement In turn that money back especially when some of that money goes to consumers or okay agencies let me stop you there that is because in peer we have agencies that come before us all the time asking for an increase in the appropriation based on exactly what you're talking about so much my question might my confusion is why why do agencies do that I'm AT think even you know Dennis Miller again our treasurer had to come before us to ask for an increase an appropriation when they were being sued for to cover the attorney fees and some asking why eight. I'm not seeing a consistency sure and so I'm trying to figure that out so we so short answers because shall have never appropriated before this year okay you've never you've never bet but along the answer is that this is these are settlement dollars they don't go through moved through the. D. F. and A or any of this central services or any of that. A if you remember there was a lawsuit with the game and fish where the legislature tried to require appropriations on on Money that was generated by that that constitutionally independent agency in the Arkansas Supreme Court came back and said well sorry legislature you can't do that you cannot appropriate anything except the money that goes into the Into the. The coffers of the state and and Kevin my be able to give the exact language is escaping me it believe it or not it's sort of hard to sit up here and give answers on the spot so sometimes the languages escapes me. But so the short answer is that y'all never tried to appropriate that you have in we agreed we said we will we will play along this last session A. N. because of you all now have an appropriation force in that and I think you will you will see every budget session will talk about that appropriation the difference again is that this is a statutory limit going on one particular fund and it doesn't address or say anything about how the fund is replenished or if it can be replenished so what we do honestly ma'am as we hold them the money and we look and we see who we've got to pay we look and we see what is the court directing us to do sometimes it's we have to give money to a state agency sometimes it's we have to give money to to consumers and we what's that money is cleared we can start moving it over so we have a clearing account and we use this fund for a lot of different things as is senator RAPERT pointed out we we use the money to give to you a mess we've given the money we've given money we gave you offering million just one year we've given money to the veterans hospital lots of things right but and I understand I'm just trying to figure out the at a preparation of the authority and the language and and then my last question and I appreciate all that is there's the cost question is on this page right here where it has. custom transaction detail report cash accounts and mount and balance yes ma'am and with that it didn't add to that balance so it's just curious of other things for coming out of that or that's not listed on here. Can I have to decorate the tree thank you. I'm not saying it can't see exactly what you are referring to it's in our report sorry. And it just whenever I look at the amounts this subchapter and then the balance that's remaining it's It's not that I did when I did the math didn't add up so I just was curious if there were other things that needed to come out that were coming out of there that weren't listed on here well what we have to look at and I don't I'm not certain of that is that's what you're saying that this is just a a set period of January first through March thirty first this is a quarter late and so there will be balances before and then ninety added after and this this is straight out of we we keep up with the scent cash accounts and a quick books in this is a straight download from quickbooks I was trying to be as transparent as I could with this committee and if there's any questions in particular I do not mind at all going back and it explaining exactly what is happened that this is just a very sad time and it could be that we've and pay something after this on April first that you're not necessarily going to get the heat just I'll just I'm sorry so when you have ballots two million five hundred fifty nine thousand to have two hundred thirteen and seven cents and I subtract what you have listed here eight seventy three five thirty nine it actually doesn't come to one six seven nine five seven four as seven that comes to one six eight five six seven four oh seven. So that that's what I'm asking for click that doesn't add up to me make sense yes ma'am okay I don't okay so it to you and I don't I don't I can look at it it could be that there is something that we can just get that to me that be great I sure. Thank you of we will go to Senator Stubblefield and then we're it's a. Senator Clark and then we will get the. Senator Hickey and then senator bond. Senator Stubblefield you're recognized thank you madam chair Mr **** would you agree that we're not we are in a unprecedented time that rich that does require a lot more spending. And and also that the majority of the money that is spent is not spent on advertising but exactly spent on of expert witnesses for court cases. In a lot of those court cases involved members of this body effect you just finish one that cost a hundred thousand dollars against D. F. and A for market manipulation and anti trust violations. Is that a true statement yes center we we we do spend a lot of money on on expert witnesses of the and it is not unusual from for me and I've asked even tells members in here before you need come watch me write checks for it expert witnesses we we spent a lot out of this fund on on expert witnesses whether it be for a trust violation like the like you mentioned senator or whether it's the public service commission I easily run there are some weeks that I usually write a million dollars in expert witnesses in an investigation face at this fund the fund has allowed us to do our job without coming TTB you all to ask for additional for additional money in that's primarily what it's used for we we use even some other advertisement is like we we started off talking about whether we're we're letting people know about a A round table or a of mobile office but we also print the lemon law books for free and given to to to dealers now that's relatively new with car dealers we used to charge car dealers that we decided that we wouldn't do that but the liminal books the that we we print for Well for the the pharmacy entering that's all free of the lord's cards that's all free wheat free it all of that from these different from these funds and it's got a really broad use we even pay travel out of it you can see that but I don't know if my names listed in this report but you can see individuals names there where we've paid travel that way we're not coming back and asking you all for more money and So the. Yes state three questions about for of I would say probably ninety. Six percent or so is is it has nothing to do with with any kind of printing it's just running the office and current. One last question ma'am turn on to a. Currently aren't you involved in an investigation concerning the the four large meat Packers in the country yes Sir we and their price gouging or manipulation of the market which I'm sure that Congress is also involved in this in a number of other states have combined in a lawsuit in our state also has an investigation going into what's happening with the large Packers in the United States yes Sir we are looking to see what's going on we've had meetings with with different producers with the the cattlemen's association with with the the poultry foundation with different folks trying to get to the bottom of of what's going on with the process the prices in You know whether or not there's marketing manipulation or not by some actors is important and we've we've heard from the public and we've heard from the you know you can even go on Facebook and see where people put up pictures of things for sale that the that are three four times what they normally cost some some instances a hundred times and we use that money for the for those kind of investigations yes Sir well if you need an expert witness from account. Can testify that there is prosecuting going on I'll be glad to testify free of charge yes Sir thank you yes Sir alright ladies and gentleman up Senator hammer as this and and when we get the information we will send it out to all the members he would like to see a list of settlements that include a judge's order that includes money being directed for advertisement and so if you would get that information Senate to Marty then we'll get it out all right now next on the list is Senator Clark they were going to senator bond. Thanks to call recognized thank you madam chair of. On the subject you talk quite a bit about prostate agents of real quickly for. Hundreds is a businesses around the state when disasters built a lot of this by commodities and there is no control in the wholesale market and so I'm buying plywood for ten dollars a sheet selling for ten fifty and over not it might cost goes to twenty dollars do I sell out and stay out or do I take a chance of being the cues to possibility with senator if you can show to us that your prices had increased that's not Prescott thank you. All right senator bond you're recognized for a question and to Mr **** if you would repeat the question that is. If you in this state. Here feel look I think it's it's attached to this report. This state Senate saying. That funds distributed as described in the statute. Shall be distributed manner prescribed within a hundred twenty days of receipt of the funds. So we have seven point one million in the clearing account how much of that's got to go out the next hundred twenty days or does what goes in see in the C. E. and the the the money that goes into that one million dollar fund hello I'm sorry Senator I forgot her I started answering. The senator was asking. There is a time limit that we have to spend money within a hundred twenty days within the money going again being I'd have to look that being rich received. And The His question is what what money or we essentially what money are we talking about right senators the in my paraphrasing you correctly. Well how are we interpreting that is what you're. Any settlement. I have some positive house has to be paid out one hundred twenty days so I'm trying to get of understanding of how that works. Sure. Thirty nine. What's the plan for the next hundred twenty days or how does that work office sure. As we said in the service so. Their diverse handed me what. The. To if two. Don't you love code sections if. To be. Okay service so. Without going through it all I have to be this through the Of. Stands for so and so the. The staff senator to actually it's sort sort of complex I mean when you we had a big settlement with the a company called western sky. western sky was was a entity that was the sensually doing Payday tap loans except they were they were they claimed to be part of a First Nations soften tribe the in they were going in making loans that were Well we're not above board and quite a few our Kansans were duped by about that so we received a big chunk of money and we literally put an ad in the paper that said if you have any kind of if you've been affected let us know we also sent and mailed out notices to everybody saying we thank you been affected. So in an instance like that. Of. The money would be would be held into a we know that there's a legitimate taker. that somebody steps forward and says and we put into the court in that instance put a time frame on it they said that by. I thank you was like July one or something they had to come forward and and this stab wish they had a legitimate claim so one instance like that we're we're we're dealing with a large number of affected consumers of it that we would say that that does not take effect until we get the money click the Intel the money is all We've got all the claims in a tell everybody has come forward and we've met the terms and conditions that the court is imposed on us sometimes you know we we haggle over attorney's fees or we we have different the cost associated that as you will know as an attorney sometimes settlements in the consent of maybe there are parts the consent decree that aren't completely It's clear is what the court would like so we have to go to the court and ask for in some instances judges tell us straight up this is where the money's going to go there's the that judge here in little rock that that often tells us forget all of your accounts and all your funds this is going to go this is going to go to the legislature. And in those instances we just we just say that the statute doesn't apply until You know that the hundred and twenty day time limit doesn't run until we have figured out who's getting paid in other instances we're we view that as being the money that's going directly into the sea and the account and that is freed up and clear and we spend it within a hundred twenty days we don't move money over there with the intention of holding it for a long time in this money is all mixed up in different funds and with the so. that's a long extrapolated explanation I don't know that I can explain it without sitting down and sort of showing you but I'd be glad to yeah and that's is it's astron to live with with the courts tell us to do and and what's expected to otherwise. And just one follow understanding is that the seven point one million there's about three million that's not taxed. And I mean I appreciate what the Attorney General the before with regard to small business I'm just encouraging. There's something else sure we're in the time yes yes all right. Thank you you're not that's a compliment correct he finished Senator have you finished senator bond all right of senator Hickey you're recognized for a question yes let me get before you get started if you could come content sure yes but appreciate it is we are sorry then I'll help you I'll help you with that Mr **** yes of course as far as the miss Rutledge I think she does a great job is a. Eiji and this is not very comfortable with this weight is usually down here we're sitting here talking about all this and basically were us all heating around. Hitting around the issue this is been a issue in the past is an issue now it'll be an issue in the future and will be until this body acts it's really not about you all promoting the issues are promoting the office of the Attorney General. The issue is always be and that it's about promoting the individual within that office so and United discussion yesterday about this so I want to disclose that you know I think the way to fix this. Will be in the future that we make it generic in nature so in otherwise in other words if the judge tells you that you've got to do this for consumer education that's fine the only thing is we can use an independent voice. And we can say the Arkansas attorney general's office and use a one eight hundred number and we'll get the same message out to the people and again I think until this body probably does legislation that'll never stopped but if this body can get that legislation in than what I see is it'll be hard in the future be it. Twenty thirty years from now for anyone to take it out so my question to you is do you think that that's an appropriate path for us to take. To accomplish this so this won't happen happen again well senator without talking to my boss. I'm not going to touch that with a ten foot pole Sir but uh it which I will I will be glad it we will be glad to sit down and visit with you with every with all the members as we have in the past it and and work with you on any legislation that you that you want to to propose it but I'm sorry I had not heard that don't want I did start off this morning thank you ninety to get fired sit on the chair the chair authorized me to ask a question and that's what I do. Thank you thank you all right Representative bunch Burch your your what you're recognized thank you manager I think Senator Hickey contest on what we're all thinking my question was related to senator hammer's earlier let's start of this question and in a sense we were hurt is the end justifies the means you're you're putting more information out there you're getting more calls my question is who's making the determination about where that advertising goes as far as in this state the regional advertising and is there a relation to concerns with regard to whatever the three primary things have been advertised so big opioid a child abuse and something else a fraud anyway eight is there eighteen a means by which you're saying we're more concerned about that in this district that's why we're saturating that market with this and do you have an ability to attract that. Yes ma'am certainly the you know obviously the the how population areas serve where we're gonna I live in Perry County there's there's ten thousand people Perry County and you're just not going to have quite the affected in Perry County jail in Pulaski County but it it to. We when we're looking at this and and some of this I have to I have to admit I'm a little ignorant on because I'm not that media expert but we have we have A lady that axes or are up chief information officer that she she is looking at the different markets they talk with with us the different farms involved that that help us decide whether or not this is a good purchase for the for what we're trying to accomplish and they have all of that my understanding is that that I would like to say that I've not share it with you but I imagine that its proprietary in nature in that with that they don't like all of those that information on how they make determinations get out if it's not I'll be glad to share it if it is a I'm afraid I'm like everybody else we're we're required to to do certain I don't know I don't know I'd at have to look at and I'm just guessing as an attorney that that they would ask and of this but reprieve follow up on two years and I appreciate that if you can get that information that would be really wonderful we see breakdowns another committee sings about like what counties resulting in in this and this and as we get to look at that is there any means of information that that your office has to be able to provide that that does save. And even regionally in this state and course on southeast Arkansas some very interesting done what because you're receiving what if issues are are being sick where do I get that service so we have a a program that will actually a case tracking program and every call that comes in we we log who the caller is in fact you know what I've had conversations with some of you all have with you'll say Hey we've got this instance stand here somebody being affected and I tell you will help them fill out a complaint for me in that complaint form is the beginning of the whole case filed its created and it it it will we can pull we can pull information out down to you know specific county specific tales just by looking for the the parameters you categorize that. Yeah where's that report it's in our offices we would if we if we have a we have a case tracking system that allows us today that. And that system is a report that I can get a hold of after this meeting I can try yes ma'am I'll have may have to redact individual case names Because you know people but people are innocent until proven guilty and so there there may be some folks that would get upset if I come in and give you a full report say and they've been accused of something I'm more interested in whether the types of culture to getting my ears are commensurate with the types of advertising that we're getting in you you'll see that she gets that report because all right thank you all right last question Representative McCollum you're recognized. A thank you it's kind of a continuation of the conversation how do you actually measure the are why the return on the investment of these PS eight dollars how they're doing ESR is just the number of calls the number of calls that because it takes a long time for cases to play out you know if you E. file of a consumer at well I mean how long if we. It takes a long time the courts are slow so so I can't. Give you may be. An immediate answer on how many of these are gonna end up and and in court wins but I can tell you how many we've resolved I can tell you that you know and we've we've we've had so many complaints and we've contacted the person and they quit selling whatever we've contacted them and they took down the advertisement we contacted them or whatever I can I can give you that information it will be a full pitcher because it's gonna take a long time for some of this to play out so I guess like for thinking when you're. Considering spending more on PSAs do you have historical data that you used to. Where the dollars spent two number of calls is that kind of how you decide how many dollars so we yes Sir we I mean we we we are starting I mean this is this was on the stand for us you this is this was what is a unique circumstance and we're never spent money like this and and we we certainly are tracking the number of hits the the number of use how many people are you know call any and all of that is now being collected I can't point beforehand because it was it was such is someone who an awful that we never we never had to do that I can show you what the return was on the hits that we got from previous spending but it's not quite the same this is this. Simply because it's. It's unique. Can you do PSAs for free. We did get some for free yes Sir the I don't know what the I can get you that number but a lot of what you see on TV we didn't pay for they they just decide they lack the PSA they decide that that they got good responses from it and they run it for free. Thank you alright ladies and gentlemen we're going back to Representative Vaught. Thank you madam chair am I move the adoption of the report but pulling off adamant speak to all right that's the proper motion all those in favor say aye. All those opposed and we're going to put B. two into the supplemental eight a area to be discuss later. All right going on down the agenda of we have a number ten senators Scott Flippo you're recognized to give your report. Thank you madam chair review subcommittee met on Wednesday and review the M. O. S. grants and services contracts no items were held and I move adoption the report all right may have a question on that report senator rice you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair I don't have a question ideas request to be recorded as a no vote for the twenty three litigation monitoring contracts. due to the discussion of a company that to the both of a T. R. S. teacher retirement neighbors public employee retirement have that has history and I just resent reject reason the supporting the review all right thank you all right of. A Representative Wardlaw you're recognized just want to know to the committee I had a refusal at or on a contract four home health's in there's will. Right. A we had that senator rice and to we have a motion on the floor. Of we have a second out. Hammer you have a question. All right we have with note that in the record and then we have Representative Lowery alright ladies and gentleman there's a motion on the floor is a second all those in favor say aye. All those opposed motion passes all right going down to item thirteen a senator DISMANG you're recognized for your report. Thank you madam chair the highway commission review an advisory subcommittee met on Thursday may fifteenth the subcommittee received a report on the progress of projects of ten million or more from our don and also received a current state assessment on art out of from the legislative counsel's consulting guide house members if you'd like to to take a look at that there are a few different versions of this S. man there's the actual presentation that was made yesterday that's a little more more concise but there's a lot of good information in there as we move forward we want everybody B. is engaged as possible as we look to improve and I work with are dot on our process is here in the state again that would be online with yesterday's A calendar but with that be happy to take any questions and moved for adoption of the report alright thank you senator Hester you're recognized for a question is that for senator DISMANG or is it for a the highway department for senator DISMANG all right senator DISMANG. A sentencing we we had some discussion yesterday in the got house report. Talked about a survey of personnel survey that the highway department done with all their employees and it had a lot of interesting are we got to see the highlights from it but is it possible for us to get a copy of that actual survey in the results of it from are not yes I'll touch base with the staff and what we can do that that was a survey that was not conducted by got house but they used when they did the assessment because there wasn't there the ability to have one conducted by got house A bill we can get was staff and have them email that out of. To the members or the full council whatever the chair would like is today thank. I am a full council thank you. All right you we have a motion on the floor. Need a second all right I have a second all those in favor say aye all those opposed motion passes alright ladies and gentlemen if you would now go to a item H.. And the. We're going to be discussing a number one. And the we already have a request for At least the question so. The someone from the Arkansas teachers retirement system. Please come to the table. Is anyone here. You. Okay with that and move it to next month so that are one of the senators can get some of those questions answered all right of going down to item number three department of commerce in number a letter a. Okay we have a motion to approve. Do you have any questions. A white. Okay we'll finish this and then we'll come back to that all right so be ready all right we have a motion on the floor to approve do I have any questions before we do that all right seeing none I have a second. All those in favor say aye all those opposed motion passes all right now going back to the Arkansas teacher retirement system. One eight a. All right would you attended by yourself where you're from yes ma'am thank you I'm rod graves Arkansas teacher retirement system all right Senator hammer do you want to state your question and if you wouldn't mind repeating the question. Comments made regarding the terms for company. That. Red. Companies like. To be considered. Was there any discussion. At the company level on or any other such. Would be precluded from being able to participate. Okay I will try to restate that question best I can is concerning I believe yesterday's discussions in the contracts with the the security monitoring firms including Leviton. And the rules associated with those Type of procurements I think Senator mark on the right track here okay and if there been any discussion on that. Arkansas we speak for I I know that senior staff at teacher retirement has a is taking that the entire matter very seriously and has brought them to a matter of and addressed it with the board although we do not have any I don't have any resolution or actual answer to that question but it is being considered. Yes. So now reported for. Here this past week. As and. The the guidelines for which companies were allowed to be qualified to be added. Thank you all right should I restate please so I believe center the as I try to restate this it's it if that is being considered by the board and if they're going to I think consider the the rules that go with those those type of care mints and window I expect that board decision to come I can only speak to the board has been informed of everything up through the meeting yesterday I however I I can't speak for what would the boards going to do now they they were alerted yesterday to some issues that came about from the pier committee but I I can't speak to if they've actually come up with a determination of next step should. Thank you Mr all right thank you any other questions seeing none you are dismissed thank you thank you ladies and gentleman no action is needed when. I need to motions finalist review. Second. All those in favor say aye all those opposed. Senate passes all right ladies and gentleman looking at items of a number four through twelve no action is needed on these these numbers but to do do any of you have a question on anything from four to twelve. All right. Senator DISMANG you're recognized. Thank you madam chair and really it's just I'm up I think that's you were headed and I had a couple of questions for ADC up but they might might come into the. You know calendar some pointing B. up for you know be able to answer those questions at the end when other business would you mind if we. Try to bring them up this is some questions on the ready for business grant program. Okay They will be up later in the afternoon do you want to wait that's what I would make all right thank you. All right. Without objection we will adopt these reports. Going on down the agenda. You. Business. I need a motion to re refer. To I. S. P.'s one the first one to the house Education Committee. And the other one to the house agriculture forestry and economic development committee. I have a motion when it we have a we have a question all right senator rice you're recognized thank you madam chair enters quickly I know this is routine we we just a cursory send ISPs most always two committees I would ask that members read Hi to A and see what that is realizes go to committee but a lot of times we we give things a leg up and you're going to consider. Legislation that will put harsh the penalties judgmental calls. Fourth forties to make that. They're very concerning thank you madam chair. Right of. By Representative Vaught has a substitute motion. That madam chair I just I would like to be able to vote on those separately if possible can. Of senator Irvin you're recognized just a quick question on the. Animal cruelty. I'm as the big going through public health because of facility issue well at if it's being re referred from public health to the house agriculture forestry and economic development committee so I think it was originally sent out to the public health committee but now re referred to okay to a better maybe one that was more suited for that thank you thank you for the clarification. All right we're going to take Adam. One. All right of chairmen Wardlaw. It is the sponsor president to answer any questions on either one of these ice please. Home. He or because members. Yes. That the rise fees yes a that was exactly what we can decide to tear we're just going to hold these and have the Representative come and explain his I. S. P.'s next month alright ladies and gentleman we are going to the. to other business. All right of. We're going to the report of the emergency action an emergency rules. All right there is no action on this this is just a report does the anyone have any questions. No action needed. It's off. Okay no questions all right going to we will adopt the report. Of going to K. two of Mister Mike Preston we're going to be up this is a continuation from what we did last last Friday and We're going to be discussing the Arkansas ready for business grant program in a Mr Preston is here and I believe Mister Hudson if I'm correct so but to identify yourself for the record. Thank you madam chair Mike Preston secretary of commerce executive director of the Arkansas economic development commission. Good morning Jim Hudson general counsel for ABC alright you're recognized to make any statements and then we'll open it up for questions all right thank you madam chair and all the brief on my statement so just a personal appreciate everyone indulging me last week and let me leave after an hour to to get my wife to surgery everything went to smoothly I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers and a lot of text messages afterwards and that means a lot to do appreciate and she's doing well so thanks for having us back appreciate Jim for sticking around last week in answering a lot of questions will hopefully answer a few more what I do want to share with you guys after we've had the opportunity to begin through pouring through all twelve thousand these applications and breaking it down in terms of the funding we wanted to share with you guys based on the agreed to language of the legislature that was recommended a seventy five percent of the funding going to businesses of fifty or fewer we will be able to to meet that requirement all those businesses with fifty employees or for fewer I will be fully funded where we had to take the hair cut in order to make it work in terms of the distribution I was employs fifty to a hundred or receive approximately seventy percent of the requested funds employees one hundred and above will be capped at fifty thousand this will allow us for distribution of seventy five to twenty five for the funds which will drop the overall total use of funds down to one hundred twenty four point five million of the one hundred forty seven point seven that was requested additionally we wanted to give you guys some feedback or take the feedback that you guys gave us about installing the the payments and working with the I. G.'s office and how we would audit so what we were going to do going forward is split into two payments the first will be done up front as soon as we verify the the applicant in the information I will make those direct posits for the half of the funds it was requested we'll then require them to submit. Seats to us along with a spending plan going forward and upon us receiving those receipts reviewing and reviewing the spending plan I will be able to approve that second funds allotment of the payment that'll help us on the audit side in all also get funds out immediately as was our desire I'm really appreciate the senators and representatives and senator Johnson for that suggested on splitting it up into it to to payments and wanted to make sure that we we hit that so with that I I would have well I do want to touch on the The breakdown of the fifteen percent for minority and women owned businesses I know that was a question that I received quite frequently over the course of the week in and going back to the numbers I did share with you guys last week about forty six percent of all applicants were from women and minority owned businesses other questions we need to break that down further into the categories within the definition women owned businesses accounted for forty one hundred applicants about thirty four percent minority owned thirty two hundred fifty eight that's twenty seven percent in disabled veteranowned two hundred thirty one for two percent and in terms of the eligible grant amount it'll be twenty eight point four million for women known which is nineteen percent of the eligible funds minority owned was twenty two million which is fifteen percent and then disabled veteran owned one point three million which is one percent so all told you're looking at nineteen twenty thirty five percent of eligible grant amounts to minority and women owned businesses. With that madam chair will happen to answer any questions all right and Mister Henson do you have a comment no ma'am all right up when we ended our meeting last Friday there were three people on the Q. and a tow to that you could go first of this time now I don't and I said I won't remember those are but I do think I have one is already on the queue anyone else. All right of. A Representative Lundstrum I'm a let you go first and then senator DISMANG. You're recognized. Thank you and I don't mind waiting if there are others that's all right all right thank you for waiting last time that's that's fine and last time you gave us a nice overview at the beginning of how the process started and the history and and I went back and watch that to make sure I understood everything and how everything unfolded on may the fifth you talked about that you had went to the governor's press conference and then you gave it a time with the industry leaders and prep them on what to expect when the website went live at five o'clock and how people can apply at that time and I thought that was very useful science I appreciate you doing that and I actually went and Looked at all the information that people had to apply and I thought that was really well put together but what I have a concern with was by the time somebody filled out all sixteen pages of this and confirm their banking account their business address where they were located and You know if if weather where they if they were a business that was female under veteranowned and all that good stuff. When this thing went live at five o'clock after they filled out all sixteen pages it couldn't possibly at five oh four. Manage to do all this and FOR minutes. I'm I'm just I am still confused as to how this went live at five o'clock and you can fill out sixteen pages in four minutes. Could you help me with that. If I may fifth may represent if keep in mind that sixteen pages printed out we just gave you screen shots and so it's it's not a sixteen page screen so to speak yes Sir but by the time you type in your business name your business's established your phone number your industry you're in federal ID number your physical address the business description the number of employees your number of part times your bank account your bank code number verify your bank can number whether or not you're a women women owned business your veteranowned businesses a little bit about your business then attach your driver's license attached are good standing attacher W. nines I'm I'm a little bit confused after you double check your banking your route number. Then you read everything and there's a lot of good things that you need to read and verify that they thought that was put together well also the clarifications on whether or not your assembly member you were a member of the at the governor's office a state employee blob of law this is a lot of information which I thought was very good and then they you will be reminded people whether or not they had paid there's taxes you couldn't get this if you hadn't paid your taxes And then you also had on here that they would be for you that their information would be public their name and that information with the public. Then I had to sign out there's no way and FOR minutes that somebody can do that. Unless they were magical. So I I just have a hard time believing that that site was not live before five o'clock I don't care what anybody has to say but there's no way and FOR minute you could do that. And. I'm I'm at a complete loss here. Representative you know how. All we can do here is provide you the information you requested no you haven't even done that yet Sir even in your own. Information here it it says. And it's very clear. Under item D. it says freedom of information act applicant acknowledges that eight ETC information concerning the applicant may be disclosed and includes the identification the applicant we best for this now three times and three times we've been told three different stories and I'm asking for that information today I would like a complete list of the name in the amount not an ID number but the actual name of those people that have applied not whether there. Going to be accepted or anything their names please. Represent as as I shared previously and I believe we've been consistent in our responses and I think it's been three different responses things from the same response we will disclose to this body into the public in general what is public information and when someone is approved that will be public information that name will be however in a in a real desire to be responsive you know we disclosed as much as we felt that we could disclosed last week so you could see what we were seeing in terms of the numbers of applicants and the and the times that they submitted their applications. I I I cannot It cannot overcome your skepticism clearly all I can tell you is as somebody who takes his honor very seriously Texas trust for this very seriously. I sit here today and I tell you. What we provide you is absolutely true I came in a public service of a good name I shall leave one with the good. It is absolute truth that no one applied before five o'clock PM the first application was at five oh four PM I would give any of the applicant's credit for having you know. Pull this information together in numerous other settings as well many of them had to apply for PPP may not apply for other assistance I think they know how to pull this information together there I am completely. I thank you are telling me the complete truth on what you're saying what I am questioning now is first we were given this response on that was very clear on what you were allowed to disclose and you were very clear about that records maintained by the Arkansas economic development agency commission your your you discuss with us the privacy we all agreed on that however shall not be applicable to records that include expenditures are grants that was the first response okay. Then the second response was the list that we were sent with the names not the names but they identifying numbers that was the second response then we find third response was that this is from the people themselves when I signed up. They know that their names are going to be. Submitted. So. You can't get any closer to the truth and then other than their names are gonna be for submitted but we keep being told that they were not going to get that information. I'm I'm at a loss here we should been have that information but I know that that website went live at five o'clock and people hit the button at five oh four but I suspect that the website was up long before five o'clock it's just you allow the applications to be submitted and five o'clock but people could apply before then. And. While the vast majority of the state didn't realize. I suspect some did and were able to get in line ahead of others and I'm questioning that I'm not questioning your honesty I'm question of this website may have been turned on a little bit early and with a wink and a nod some people got one had a time and I'd like to know what's going on I'm concerned. Represented when you say a wink and a nod that that does it has some very NIT in our our integrity and and that is not the case and it will not give. Now with that list to come out and and prove me wrong and I'm hoping I am wrong in in as soon as we're able to make that list available will make that list available we cannot make it available on the just the applicants coming in as we said we want to fund everybody in there that's our hopeful in our ultimate goal and that's why that appropriation is so high we have to make sure to call through that list with the F. and A to make sure that they are in good tax standing we release that list to you and then did our follow up with the public would then know who is in bad tax standing and that's proprietary business information that we cannot share. They know when they apply they know when they applied that if they receive the grant that their name will become public not that it they came and we found a a tax liability issue on them that all the sudden that we're going to hang them out to dry. Well again you did a good job put this together because it says in here you that you're not gonna get this if if you have a back taxes and to not apply you made that very clear in this application would still like to hold an integrity to the businesses I agree is whether you believe we have integrity or not we hope the business not a hope we do I I just I want some clarity and I'm giving you that opportunity. Thank you. Alright ladies and gentleman we are going to a Representative will you're recognized. Two three. This is. The first question. We're. Center as we urge you Representative as we address that last week we were basing that on the need that was shown originally with our loan program and as I said at that time that the folks when they saw that there was this is a grand as opposed to loans a lot more lined up for a lot more realize that the need was available so the number was a lot higher than we initially paid fifteen million we thought to be much higher we don't think it would go to be as high as it would but we needed to get out there and see what it was to begin with and fifteen million was a what we thought was a good number to start obviously we underestimated that. Well the. What. So that's what address the last we can again this this morning is the total request was one forty seven point seven what we ended up settling on is is agreed to with the house and the Senate on the distribution was a seventy five percent to businesses of fifteen pimp ploys or fewer in order to make those numbers work to hit that we had to cut the total down to one twenty five or she the one twenty four point five million. No we are that's we are hitting the small business request we're having to cut the ones that are fifty and above and a hundred and above. Would. Be made available the. Require. Movie one what Representative we we agree we want to get this out as quick as they could that's why we announced at that day at the press conference and said we like to go live that day with that obviously we ran into issues there and spent the last week working with the legislature to make sure that you guys are bought in and have your full support I felt as of this week we were finally there and we're moving forward evaluating all twelve thousand those applications as I mentioned to send a Representative Lundstrum we're certainly we are currently comparing that list with the F. A.'s database to make sure their own good tax standing soon as we have that information verified we're ready to go when we want to release those funds as soon as possible hopefully sometime next week we would let like to have it out sooner than that but we're going with the process that we've been asked to follow. They met if you. That's the total amount of requests coming in including the those from businesses fifty and above. A. All right thank you senator DISMANG you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair and so there's just a couple things I have questions on where do we. Why do we decide to do to to payments some and I would say is. I mean having to audit something twice is more difficult an audit auditing something once a lot of these payments for four thousand dollars so essentially we're going to send someone five hundred dollars once have them submit receipt you're gonna come to receipts and they're gonna submitted again. I mean I guess my biggest concern and I've tried you know I try to make this known is we don't we didn't we never processed any formal rules whatsoever in regards to this man and that was for whatever reason I don't know. But also say and in Senate Johnson's on his heels beheads now but he's going to start checking his head the other way. That was brought up in this committee. We moved forward. Without making that motion or that recommendation we actually had a discussion on. And so I don't know how you derive to the decision that somehow that's with the legislative body wanted to do when this this committee. Decided not to take that up. And so my concern is moving forward you don't have formal rules he never made up definitions you never did a lot of things that normally happens in this type of process. What I don't want to do is see further rules like this or guidelines put in place because in that was never the intent if that was going to be the intent. And we would have stated it if that was what the legislative will wanted to be or directive or whatever we would have stated it we chose not to state that. So I mean I've got a lot of apprehension about the fact that things are so open in the application in the fact that we you know don't have you know care click definitions and at the same time I would tell you that it's too late to start making clear cut definitions it should have been done on the front end I mean you've got a lot of things in that application people of art and made it the internet or start to make decisions of what they would do if it were to be funded I would just say let's let's hit the pause on on trying to create new guidelines or stipulations or whatever it's going to be because we missed that train we try to have those conversations I tried to have conversations with ADC about making changes and somehow was told no on every time I did that I'm every suggestion that I made. But one member can make a suggestion that is not in agreement with this but this entire body wanted to do and that was okay will make that change at one thing just real quick to get to a question is what is the time line because I don't think you answered that for Representative Wooten and what is left to be done as far as clearing these applications so that they can be process and. What where are we I mean I know we said the end of the month is that a true number is that like a. It is that an unemployment you know the number that moved every week we are we I mean is it truly going to be the end of this month that we're gonna have things ready to go. Represent all like to have it done before the end of the month that would be barred our goal and our objective as a sure represent of and we are waiting for a sign off from DNA to make sure that the the old twelve thousand these are in good tax standing our team is about twenty people going through about twelve thousand of these so we've split that up and with the with any luck in speed will be able to get payments out next week to your point on the we had a lot of uh opinions last week in and suggestions and we thought that we wanted to take some of the suggestions back as we are trying to get these funds out as quickly as we can but also helping us in the audit process and we've been working with the I. G.'s office to Best figure out how to audit these funds and we thought if we could get the receipts coming in after we've done that initial payment that'll help us to determine if they are being spent in the correct way if they have done so then it's on the business to Jen submit those receipts will make that second payment again we want to make these payments as quick as we possibly can will have the the bank account information that Representative Lundstrum mention that we ask for so we'll be able to make direct deposit is in these this should be a very quick process how would not have to go through everything we had to go through in the last ten days I would hope that the payments would have been out by now but but I would I would make the comment there's been very little that is turned into a quick process. And and so we don't have the program in place for someone to even submit those receipts to amend most business of the spending quite a bit of this money already in if I read the application correctly you know your your expenses that you had prior to you know as of certain they would qualify I mean I would just what I don't want to see is you know those those monies have technically already been spent they've already purchased if there's no way for anyone to upload anything receipt wise right now you know to get to verification that then there's a hold up in the second half again I would also say that was not the will of this committee. And that that was if you you were here for that part and that comment was made and it didn't go anywhere after the comment was made that again I'm not Senator Johnson is happy about that but I can't imagine. The work that is going to take up to break a payment of a thousand dollars to two pieces and somehow that being efficient or effective or. Really any above an in with that I'll let I'll let it go but I I hope that you stick to your schedule I sure hope that we have whatever these. Programs are in place they're gonna have to be built for people to submit their information to I don't have confidence that it's there yet and and. I want nothing more than these funds to go out to help the businesses that need the help that's why we made the motion that's why we passed it here let's just let things move lease quick as possible hopefully let's revisit this idea of needing to break these payments into especially on the low dollar amounts minute I understand if some is getting at fifty thousand dollars the maximum but a low dollar amount of thousand dollars going to break that down we're gonna audit it twice and color sells cost effective that doesn't make any sense to me. All right of Senator Breanne Davis you're recognized. The manager of two questions first whenever a look to the numbers of the spreadsheet you sent out to me there appear to be seven businesses that were listed out of state for roughly a hundred sixty eight thousand dollars can you explain how they're classified as out of state if this is Arkansas based initiative is coming to have business here they applied for a move to confuse about that myself. Yes. Points to the specific examples twelve thousand I'm not aware of any that that are out of state with employees out of state the mailing address for a corporate headquarters could be out of state or regional office but all the employees in the benefits have to a nearer to the state of Arkansas cannot go out of state okay when you did it categories only and you press out of state is seven companies one toll so which got a hundred thousand and and multiple other companies if that's a headquarters that that's the understanding but I think a group. Just give my second question it appears we need a lot more information about what this actually is going to win house happened when I looked on there seem like the others category that the majority of the work for how this is classified and while I think we can agree that beverages our our service industries are health care industry is a very important that others a very broad category I'm nervous about where it's all going because the one person shop and never leaves the house is going the same priority as somebody who's exposes every single day when the time when we can actually get this information so we can see if a is being used effectively be be able to communicate that with our constituents to make them understand where this money's going in this three to see if there's any kind of discrepancies inconsistencies that we need to address when we can expect to get the actual information of the applicant's word when how it went and what company got it when point expect that as soon as those payments are made like we said we make that information available so within the next couple of weeks and now the email as soon as is out to us to the body as a whole correct yes Sir thank. All right to a Representative shepherd you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair. Secretary I. I've got a right question going back to senator DISMANG question and you alluded to the fact that you were breaking these payments into two payments and I mean to my understanding it less up missed something this is essentially the first opportunity that that's been conveyed to the legislature and somebody can correct me if I'm wrong but I have a real problem with that and with all due respect to senator Johnson but it wouldn't matter who had made that request the fact of the matter is this was a I highly volatile issue that both the house and the Senate spent. Countless hours. Working on resolution of and this all came about by rolling out a program without legislative approval which the input is in a position of having constituents who had applied who were expecting that they were going to receive help and we're in the position of of do we stick to our to our guns as far as the legislative prerogative order we try and help our constituents and what we came to was the process was botched at the outset but we would be willing to move forward as long as there is a commitment and additional funding that was made available so that it could get we could get money to the people that need and everybody knows the process was not perfect and and but we didn't go back and reinvent the wheel we to some degree gave you the benefit of the doubt and now we find out. That. Despite the fact that senator DISMANG made a motion and I as I recall center Johnson ask him to make a to amend it and senator DISMANG was not willing to which is that's understandable and we approve that motion as it was and now we find out that. In spite of the fact that no one made a motion to actually split it into two payments the department is taken upon itself to change that and to and to go with two payments and so my question is what other changes have taken place. Since we went through this and and you know and and everybody knows we spend a lot of time on this issue. And finally were able to come to some consensus is there anything else that's been changed that we were not aware of. So Representative and Speaker seven appreciate the the question and I will say that you know there were a lot of opinions that day we tried to take the feedback from the legislatures why we move forward with that we also worked with the I. G.'s offices I said in an auditing process and we thought if we could receive some receipts it would also help to some of the concerns we heard that day that you know how do we give all this money out and then you know have no audit trail if we can at least verify half the funding up front then it would allow us to ease the or more easy to release those second funds and as far as notifying the legislature I did notify the the chairs of ale see of the breakdown of the funding and that this was a a proposal that we were going to to implement going forward for we made payments go out of old on. I received one of those phone calls and you did not notify that you're splitting it into payments that was not discussed on our calls on Sunday you did discuss the breakdown of the payments and how the deposit percent percentages came out but I did not understand it you're splitting it into an up front payment and a and a back in payment. Today's first time I recall hearing that of I wasn't clear on that I apologize I called all for I. Shepherd similar there is so I I guess my. Follow up to that is that I think most here know that generally I'm open to having discussions and trying to find consensus on is on as many points as possible and normally it may not be as big of an issue to try and take other opinions although I do think regardless of the situation it would be dangerous for any department any agency any board any commission to do something that the legislature has considered and specifically did not take action on. I think it's dangerous to go down that road but I think it's particularly in this circumstance is extremely frustrating because of the fact that we this is concerning a program that was rolled out without legislative approval and so now we have we've moved for the program without legislative approval and now we find out that the terms of that program have been modified in spite of the clear intent of the legislature and so. I would hope that the department and everybody else is listening and everybody else in state government would take serious what the legislature does and that's my frustration with this is just it was it was botched at the outset it was rolled out without legislative approval and now in spite of the fact that we have discussion inspired the fact that we spent several days working on a solution that now you decide to change the roll out. And I think that that is it's disappointing you know what again I feel like that I've tried to give the benefit of the doubt to the department we understand that we're in extraordinary circumstances we understand that the department has tremendous demands on it at this time and we understand that they're doing the work to the best their ability but is extremely frustrating the combination of these two things to have to hear today that now those payments have been split out a particular when the department knew that this had been worked on by countless representatives and senators that was the subject of of numerous conversation over the better part of a week and a half almost and then to to decide to change that after that meeting in spite of the fact that the the what you did actually went no where in this committee and so I would hope hope that that message is clear that the legislatures not gonna stand for that and if the. That need to happen again. And I think that if there's a means by which to make it one payment and to senator DISMANG point there may be there may be of some value in splitting the payments at the operation for the larger amounts but I think that most of us if not all of us were motivated by the fact we're trying to help constituents now we're actually trying to help him yesterday but now all we can do is help them now and to delay payments based on the department's decision that is contrary to what the legislature even talked about is disappointing. Senator rice you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair after for going my questions last Friday appreciate that now I understand these are busy and strain times but let me approaches from little bit broader overview. Did you take time to watch the remaining the video the remaining committee A the last Friday after you had to leave. I did okay so you're you're for mayor with concerns that many people who had brought up. These oversight for the DC. The oversight who is over separate EDC the mint legislative committee oversight you to my Khan if not you need to pull a little closer. But who is over sat for a E. D. city on the the executive director thank you director long as a sector of commerce yes Sir who is the oversight. Me you're the oversight for EDC you you don't have anybody over you the governor. Okay the commission has no no authority of the we do have a commission yes Sir they have they're not they're not involved in this at all not on this particular program no Sir their their their purview is related to our bond guarantee program so so. You're in control governor and you're you're taking your because your own steering committee you're taking that that let me. Share with you the the frustration of I've had for some time and it's manifesting itself today in in recent days. The legislature is duly elected by the citizens of Arkansas. Your casual attitude. That. And I hurt I believe I heard while going go back what you're saying you guys. Is part of a pattern that I've seen. Of. Such is the. Statement you made in the governor's conference room with the governor standing there. The Representative from. Companies from communist China. And you said I believe I can quoted. These are now your legislators and I can guarantee you that the Ohio. Sir we are duly elected by the people of Arkansas we're not anybody else's legislators. From another country. In that attitude is carried right into this. That's very concerning. And I hope you could see that we have had a few individuals very few that tainted the legislative branch and they've been brought to justice are being brought to justice we're trying to rebuild through transparency. Improve being. Fourth right. With the citizens to try to rebuild trust. In this role out of this program. I'm not will put it on anybody but I can tell you we all it's plain to see people knew ahead of time and I went back in March the one question I ask you last week and what I so you say is it be out this afternoon. There's no way that I that any of us I don't think concede that there wasn't people tipped off ahead of time house a tipped all I'm not saying it see a legal I'm saying there's information people had they got line first this is what we're trying to. Get to the people of Arkansas that we want a fair process it's not ever will be perfect I never expect that we need to be better than what it is. Do you see how you're calmer comments and actions. A can be detrimental to what we're trying to build up the public trust I'm not saying you're malicious in this but do you see that the the casual attitude. That you have is not helping us. I'm asking the question. The represented with all due respect I I certainly appreciate the legislature I appreciate everyone in this body and and know that they're duly elected by the the citizens of Arkansas as I stated last week we and if you went back and saw my comments I mentioned at the press conference that this was we'll be going live that was it that was the first time that we talked about that publicly in to to anyone and what I'd mention last Friday is that yes we got ahead of it we thought there was a misunderstanding we thought there was some communication with a L. C. that this had been it's been approved we obviously as I said learned the hard way that that was not the case and we worked very hard over the last the course of last week to to rectify that and work with the legislature and pull the men in going back to the comments we heard last week we were trying to take the feedback we thought was fairly collected from the group and move forward is is what we agreed to when you know didn't take in account that the motion was never brought up but thought based on the feedback we heard related to audits and and putting or so much cash out up front it'll be it easier process to go through that way so that's what we brought that back for those going the speaker's comment there in the state early the that added to the legislature has a a role is is considered is pretty casual and that I don't think it is and I think you're hearing that here today so I would appreciate more tension of the thank you. Right thank you Representative Vaught then senator Irvin. Send to vote thank you madam chair and. Course on the reason. That you're probably be in question is hard you're being questioned after kicking a Hornet's nest over fifteen million whenever I felt like a lot of small businesses in my area were being left out of you can made a comment a minute ago about you would of already had some money out if we would have been through the last ten days if we would have just given the fifteen million it was still such at the Bakul at the beginning that it still wouldn't help as many people as it truly needed to help in the long run another thing I just want to quickly. We don't give options when we make motions it's what and we passed up it's actually what we mean to happen just so you kind of know because you said she took back opinions from this committee this committee when we make motions and we passed things it's what we mean and and I'm going to try to hit a maybe Representative Lundstrum as question because it's a question that I had at the very beginning at AM where certain people. I make sure you don't I mean you're on camera and I know the answer to this because of our had people reach out to me with certain people associations or entities given a heads up. That what all they needed to apply so they would be ready to apply immediately. Representative if you go back again to the the the press conference and my comments last week process was we went through the the press conference I mentioned there that we will be getting together our local economic development partners it's a group that we normally do to tell them about the program because they would be getting questions from their members and their businesses and rather than having to field you know hundreds of phone calls from our team they'd be able to handle feel handle phone calls themselves we share that information with that group which I shared publicly beforehand with everyone and then it went live and then I guess been between there we had the the cares acts during committee so that's of the public of form as well so whoever's watching that okay so FOR certain associations. Calling their members. Giving information of what was going to be needed to so they could go ahead and as Representative Lundstrum put it this that was there all they had to do is be ready to have it all included or have it included and all they had to do was hit enter. Again the only information I shared with was those folks on that economic development partners call about what the program was what the application process look like didn't call or talk to you know associations if associations are folks for watching press briefing or the care steering committee then maybe they heard it for me but I didn't as far as pick up the phone and call and talk to anyone okay where their lobbyists that were informed I head of time. No ma'am if I may amplify a little bit on that I think I understand your question little bit differently from represent Lundstrum and the answer is the same by doing a very specific answer to it if the question is that did individuals have the ability to access the website and to pre load their information so that at five PM they could then click submit did that capability exist the answer emphatically is no. That website was not accessible to anyone until after five PM okay well I have some very computer savvy people who tell may it took them thirty minutes to input that staff it didn't take four minutes as has been said that it took them thirty minutes to input and they are definitely computer savvy people. So you do save or it could be very hard to believe that that people weren't able to access that and I don't mean to question your integrity. You know this is the these are good questions to be asking and so the questions always deserve an answer you very specific answer you know ask that our moved on in the loading creased then the time it took for people probably to refresh pages and to move on to the next part it probably slow down a little bit but I can tell this this group of of elected officials you know if if we were under oath I'd gladly give it to you under oath no one could access that system in any way shape or fashion before five PM. That's all I got for right now come back. Thank you we don't go to senator Irvin and then senator Hendren. And then a senator eads. And Senator Blake Johnson and then senator DISMANG and then we've got about six more on the queue so if you would to. Help me out by making your of questions very sink and you. Let the table you could help making your answers theorises St thank you senator Irvin you're recognized. Thank you thank you so that at I don't wanna Regurgitator anything but so am I to understand so you're you're wanting to break the the two payments of sixty two point two five million is half of the one twenty four point five so you're saying that's what you want to go out next week if possible sat correct correct so it's it's across the board it's not broken down into different buckets right okay okay so that's one thing I just wanted to get clarification on and then the second thing was no just just for the purpose of our cares steering committee so and FOR for the benefit of the members you know I did I did not know it was going live at five o'clock AM until I got a call from a constituent that was angry that said we're out of money they're out of money and I said bill that can't be the case because we haven't approved the authority to give the money so I'm not sure what you're looking at so that's when I understood what happens I guess or so to speak and so just the timeline of things you know I think we did approve this program on the care steering committee which was not live streams that committee was not live streams of the public wasn't able to view that committee meeting the last our first live stream meeting was actually last Wednesday so this one was not be and I think there was a member of the press on the call but I'm not sure beyond the steering committee folks who was on the call but one of my big concerns about that was the fact that it open at five o'clock after the secretary of state's office had closed because people needed to get a certificate of good standing and that was the concern and the question I got from the constituent to call me at six o'clock and they said we don't know how to get a certificate of good standing and this is a doctor's clinic in my town you you know need. It's the money and and so they didn't understand how to get that and they wouldn't weren't able to contact the sector state's office because it was after hours so I think that's one of the reasons why we ask for to be open during business hours so that people could contact the sector state's office and get their staff because of good standing but my my my main concern is you know I think it's follow up with senator DISMANG questions is current policy and how we're developing that current policy and with the approval process because. Wednesday is when you told us about the half payments to the steering committee and so I just didn't know how that had transpired but I mean even answer that question but for the members of the committee you know we didn't have a whole lot of time to question this program on the front end because we help we heard it at four forty. And then you went live at five o'clock so we didn't have a lot of time at all to really understand the part as would you great that was kind of a rush process yes in and thank you senator and I agree we we we rushed it and we were trying to move just as fast as we could because we knew businesses around start opening the following week and we want to have things in place but I think is it's been said multiple times that that was the case and and just follow up questions though I think one of the things to is that next week you're going to have these payments go out and you have the website able to do that the unemployment insurance for self employed though one still not getting those payments out so I just want you to be aware of what's going on out there you got people that may be happy that they're getting many next week to get a lot of people that are happy because they're not getting money so. It all falls under your roof so that's what we're hearing from our constituents is a lot of just frustration of why are we doing this program and not the one for self employed in so I'm just sharing with you you know a little bit more of the frustration and how it's coming to us from our constituents are asking these questions and was and why we're bringing these things to you thank you all right sector if if I may request her damp filed this and some of the concerns about the installment approach not negate the concerns are being expressed your day but to give more information to maybe help alleviate that some In terms of building the data collection portal for someone to provide to us to return that documents the wrist the the expenses and gives us the receipts it is the same technology that goes into putting the application together which is been remarked today that's a fairly extensive application which we were able to put together in a matter of a few days because is not developing a website from scratch it is it is using technology there are we already have to create a way to collect the information and they are already working on that and I would expect that before we released the first payment that will be substantially done so the technology piece and then the second in terms of time there is not a date out in the future that were saying there but is gonna wait until that date they'll be some folks to or able to fully claim they've they've expended all the funds right now and if they the second day after they got the money if they were to say that they could go the website grab that return electronically input the information and submit it to us and we were probably releasing the second payment to them okay thank you I was trying to ask those questions that you kind of interpreted my questions because I think that's really important for us has clear information and moving forward and the timing and what these people can anticipate thank you all right senator Hendren. I think for the benefit of the members I want to tell just a little bit of the backstory here there's a lot of concern and I voiced it last time as did other members. About how some people seem to be pre loaded on this and a whole bunch of others did not. And I think the secretary will confirm I sent him a text as we got ready to roll out the second one that if we didn't get this information out to the members before the chamber started emailing people I think I said I was going to lose my mind because I knew that was about what was going to happen because one of the local chambers was aware of the discussions of a conference call that we had on the Senate in disk describing the deal that the Speaker and I and so many others had worked to put together and was very frustrating to me that that was getting ready to go out before members knew about it. I think it's also important for members to know that I know that did not come from the administration that came from somebody on that conference call so there's a lot of leaks in a lot of stuff getting out here and and I think that's the frustration that all of us have the other point that I want to make is this. And I wanna asked the did to secretary question here is I think last time when we authorized the full hundred forty seven million I even made the statement that is there going to be some money wasted probably but I think all of us were willing to accept that fact because we had a desire to get the money the entire amount in the hands of the people as soon as possible and then we would go back and try to clean it up is necessary if there was some money wasted I think that was kind of the consensus that we tried to relay and I know you may not have been here for that so the I got a question and then I may have a motion but my question is this. And a senator DISMANG said the idea that we can't send a thousand dollar check out to some of the small mom and pops immediately seems very frustrating to many of us so would it be possible rather than just do breaking everything into two payments that all the all the businesses below fifty employees which we know we're gonna be the smaller amounts send it in one payment and then proceed with your to payment thing on the on the larger contributions because again there there may be more time necessity to take some time on those so I guess what I would say is logistically because I think that I think that's the will of this body is we want to small businesses to get the entire amount. Today so is that possible. Senator thank you for the question and and I'd say yes it is I mean obviously because a little bit more work but would certainly be willing to do that and that's the the will of the body would certainly be interested in in doing that and my apologies if I misinterpreted what you guys were or inferring last week in and maybe part of was that I had to leave early and didn't hear the rest of the conversation to until later when I went back in not being in the room we don't always get the the full field at but yes we could we can make that we're hearing that it's possible then and I think again that's the that was kind of the intent and the will of this body I would move that we ask that secretary of commerce to ensure that the payments for those businesses with less than fifty employees go out in full rather than and to and to payments. Fite ladies and gentleman you have heard the motion. A you want to be a senator Hendren would you repeat that motion I think there's some that didn't hear that. Okay so. There's also a desire to remove the caps I think on those above the the fifty to seven about the fifty employee so again we and we approve that the Four hundred forty seven million which would fully fund everybody correct correct and the and we also kind of ask you to do this pro rate seventy five twenty five and those two things kind of conflict with each other correct so I think again the the will of this body was to remove the caps to to from the mall in full so I guess the other part of my motion in would be to basically remove the caps on the on those above the employees that we can find the entire grant request. Alright ladies and gentleman quick question. Any questions all right to. A. What. Senator Clark you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair of a mark. First question is for a the director on the motion on the motion okay of what was the reason for the capping. The those over fifty. In order to hit the the percentage threshold that the legislature set for that seventy five percent to fifty M. below and twenty five percent to fifty and above okay all right that makes sense Okay and back to of to center Hendren. We are convinced that we need to be in a hurry. To send out more than fifty thousand dollars to the bigger businesses. That that need is there. Okay I want that on record. Your own okay. So again I I the motion that I may did two things the required that they send in full to those less than fifty employees and remove the cap on those above fifty so they want to go ahead and do their to payments and do an audit or or require some receipts on somebody getting fifty thousand or sixty thousand a hundred thousand they have the flexibility under this motion to do that. So again the the thing that I am making that I do think that there is overwhelming support for is those that are waiting on twenty five hundred dollars it's gonna make the difference from them being able to make payroll to get their people open or by the stuff they need to open next week that need to be split into two payments that's the first part of your motion that's right question and the second part of your motion the bill over the over fifty thousand not limited to the lower fifty employees not limited to fifty thousand that's right for a thing that is what we approved with the approval of a hundred forty seven million dollars at our last meeting but we're. But that's not what they did so we're approving it again and so I'm question and now I get it and as I said what what we found here is we gave him two things there in conflict with each other you can't have a seventy five twenty five ratio and make the dollars work out and fund everybody. So this body it did what the purpose of the second motion is I think the desire since there is going to be still significantly more dollars put in the fifty in smaller employees which was our intent with that seventy five twenty five thing the out employees in companies with sixty seventy eighty people are also in pretty bad straights and can use the full funding and that's what we prefer to use the full funding for what I mean this funding is not just to be used for anything it's for. It's for what the grant application says the P. for clean except for a. I will be very interested in when we come back in audit this up to see how that worked out. All right thank you all right to a Representative shepherd a question to the motion or discussion on the motion. So I guess this could be question or discussion the. Correct yes I guess the sector can correct me if I'm wrong but when we talk about a cap of fifty thousand dollars or I'm sorry fifty employees it was it was fifty thousand dollars right so during the course of the discussion on trying to find some consensus originally because of concerns that that in light of the fact that fifteen million went very quickly and there were concerns that we would get such a high number volume of requests from large entities that there would be no availability are limited availability for small businesses we had at one point that we had ask some in the legislature had asked that the cap would be fifty thousand dollars because current the current cap was a hundred thousand we ask for fifty thousand it's my recollection you can and correct me if I'm wrong that's that's the question that the department came back and instead of spins that in the department proposed that instead of capping it fifty thousand and thus excluding some of the larger businesses who might have very significant needs with regard to re configuring facilities and other more substantial needs that the proposal was let's I have a ratio of seventy five percent for fifty M. below and twenty five percent for over fifty. Am I correct about that yes and so. Given the fact now I think to senator hindrance motion. That was that was generated out of concern that there would not be enough money available what we know now is we have received all the applications we know that the applications came in at a hundred and forty something million dollars and that it appears that there is something less than that amount that would be available to fund even at a hundred percent. And your capable should the legislature should a LC approved you would be capable of fully funding those record those applications if that ratio were removed. Correct and I believe that's what center the second part of center hundreds motion is to allow you to fully fund those that qualify because our under because the concern we had at the outset about running out of funds is not there because we now know who applied we know how many we have and we know what the what the highest value of all that would be correct correct. Thank you A Senator hammer a question to the motion or discussion on the motion. All right. To add. It sounded as. What the secretary. All right if you so the question was related to auditing in in as it relates to senator hundreds motion and as I understand it the motion is that for all and businesses with fifty employees the funds would be disbursed immediately and a one time son in and we would have the flexibility to require companies fifty and above employees to do it into payments. All right and do I have any of the questions on the motion. All right to a Representative Payton. Thank you madam chair so. If we remove the seventy five twenty five requirements and the twelve thousand applications you have sitting there already made what percentage would be looking at the goes to businesses of fifty employees or less. I can tell you in terms of the number of applicants it's about ninety four percent of the applications on the dollar and and I was just giving applications first because that is on my sheet first you're looking at. Forty sixty one just shy sixty two percent. So the spirit of the negotiations of brought us to the seventy five twenty five when it goes out the window we're gonna be said that sixty two percent. The small business yes thank you thank you madam chair all right any other questions on the motion or discussion of the motion all right seeing none ladies and gentleman you have heard the motion do I have a second. Second all those in favor say aye. All those opposed the motion passes alright we're going to continue with a member's asking questions of all right to the. A senator DISMANG then representatives Dotson then Senator Clark. All right thank you madam chair in into my question really is on the you know that we have some very loose requirements for how this spot funds are going to be spent there is some portion to get a marketing some can go to you know what you have to do to recreate your business to be able to operate in this type of environment and that sort of thing I know some entities have made phone calls trying to figure out to get some clarity on those. I mean I I being associated with one of them and have not returned you know that there's no phone call back me that was a couple of days ago is there a one eight hundred number or some point in place that we can point constituents that have questions in regards to how they can spend those funds. Yes the center if you would just send them to to the Arkansas EDC dot com website all of our phone numbers or or on their I'll make sure that we have a a one pager that is is loaded to that site and all of our our folks or answering the phones will be able to to answer that is there right now but there is nothing dedicated for someone to be able to call and ask a question in relation to the ready for business grant program who in your office is dealing with those questions what's what I alluded to before we've got a team of about twenty people who are now focused on its we've got about twenty people who are fully engage how many of those are dedicated to helping answer the phone call and answer questions about the phones the phones are rotating to to all of those people so they're they're answered by someone at a desk in its rotated so it's reasonable to say that we should wait days to have a response it shouldn't be I mean I I was under the impression that we were answering calls as they were coming in if there was a particular one that was missed please let me know and we'll get someone to call back I I can do that okay alright thank you all right thank you all right Representative Johnson. Thank you madam chair all the weather right So if you would Go back I I I've kinda written out a little bit of a time line here because this this program was rolled out because it is an emergency to get funds. In the hands of small businesses in particular so they could re open ideally by may fourth that that was what I was understanding that's what I was told The governor's press conferences on on April twenty ninth if I recall at one thirty. You announce this and I started getting texts and calls immediately from small businesses how can we apply what can we do and try to send out saying Hey this is coming I don't know where the fifteen million was coming from it hadn't been authorized obviously in so that was an emergency situation though that we all got involved with over the next several days wanting additional funds and if I recall on this is such an emergency on Sunday may the second an additional fifty four are an additional forty million was added to it for a total of fifty five million in emergency fund so it could be rolled out that week we didn't have time for the legislature to meet we didn't have time for full LCD meet it had to be done immediately how much of that fifty five million dollars that was approved for emergency has been released so far And I guess backing up a little bit before that if you could answer this question when you do. When the discussions on this program actually start how far before the twenty ninth of April when it was announced and made public to the world Were you planning this were you discussing this because obviously we knew long before that that may fourth was the opening date that we would have have the need of having this emergency and then of course it's now been a full week since we approved a hundred forty seven million to get out there it seems like the only thing it was an emergency was approval from us everything else is been kind of slow and rolling it out in. College answer. So in the the first question and then I think I got a mall was how much of the fifty five and and nothing has been spent as expense zero yet yes that is correct on the terms the date the twenty ninth I mean this was and that to go back to original conversations but days before I mean just that the you know earlier that week probably that we first started out on Wednesday so so yep probably early that Monday or Tuesday or whatever yeah or even over the weekend what we said we saw the need and saw that the funds to the cares actor a possibility to twenty fourth the Jim tell me here is the twenty fourth so whatever that was the Friday before we start having those conversations that we we need to come up with something to help businesses across the state of Arkansas and we you know I'm still optimistic this gonna help a lot of businesses hopefully you've got the message that the not only is there been frustration but the the the bill that was sold to us is this is an emergency we need to get this done we agreed we came together last week even approved more money and that these checks need to be cut if you can today get amount today I mean that's kind of what I kind of feel like. We're saying to you are completely and then the the last thing is I was made aware last Friday that the last meeting is I think after you're gone that churches were part of the grant application process but it really wasn't broadcast to them that I'm aware of or than anybody knows of are you if there is any remaining funds from this hundred forty seven million that we've authorized are you going to open this grant program back up specifically to allow churches to again try to apply for an advertised tomb of within the advertised to to any business or organization but will certainly take a look and see what funds are available after we go through and discuss that with the legislature okay thank you all right Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized for a question thank you for your patience. Well I was mentioned way back by members. What you said I was mentioned way back by members I appreciate the opportunity to get the sorry and I appreciate the the deference given to my opinion. In the. And I mean my opinion was based on I'm agriculture and farm. And and how that works through the please of federal government is they base or help. On how much we lost last year not last month. Not last meal month and a half it was last year in a divide those payments up into two or three. And is a business practice I can see that through all audit situation that that they were going to be in. The trying to ask you for that money back whenever these businesses are going to be in trouble. And that was the basis for my suggestion and I don't I had ran for the positions to be. The allowed to be in the conversations and I. And I was just trying to interject some common sense into the. And then there's some there's there's a lot of a motion here and and. Whenever I get a motion it's it's usually you'll see you'll see me leave the room. Because in fiction say something that I don't want to say and and I don't want to be there today because I I my whole thing was to try to help the businesses in Arkansas and I think that's the position of of this group and I think this position of ever legislature lately legislator here. And And I was. Mine was a suggestion and it it was based on the appropriation. It was to deliver half of that spending authority to this group. And then another half whenever they ask us again. It what and and and I didn't make a substitute motion. Because I I felt the will of the body and but whenever you make a appropriation FOR a hundred forty seven million. That's what our that's what our police that's what our that's what we do their job is to be able to administer those funds. Is not a it and licensing rules or something that's not our authority to to how he administers those funds and and and that group. So. You know my idea was that given half in and half of if the business is needed. Their businesses are appreciative of this program is not something that they in my in my talking to. They appreciate us doing this it but is not something that that they expect. And I've heard a lot more aggravation about the unemployment then I have about this because this is. Unanticipated funds and whether we we funded at fifteen million or a hundred forty seven million you're gonna have appreciation and That was my statement since I had to wait but to. That was as my background is not agriculture don't work. A month or two behind we're we're year behind and and that's whenever people realize we're in trouble so. Reshare thank you thank you. Right thank you a Representative Wooten you're recognized. Mr secretary I have a question in. In your Hampton wisdom how did you arrive at the conclusion not to inform this body or make this by the aware of the fifteen million dollars. What was your thought process is. all request went to the the the care steering fun and it was just to as I dressed last week a miscommunication that I thought that that that had been communicated and it had been. Okay. So you're saying that the steering committee was the one that made the mistake that was offering committee no I said when I presented this to the steering committee I thought at that point it it already been communicated to this body and I realized it had okay. How do you balance that against defective phone calls were made to partners throughout the state of Arkansas and you know as well as I know that those individual chamber of commerce is a have a Close contact with businesses so there was really in in advance notice that was put that out. Before the final climb beginning is that correct and that advance notice was was made public that this call was gonna take place with economic development practitioners say it was made public us it was is Vance notice to some people. After the fact that it was discussed and brought up publicly in a press conference it wasn't that they were giving any this was to try to help get bored out about this after I have been made public the easiest way to do that was the mechanism we already had in place our economic development practitioners phone call or distribution list of those individuals so that they could start fielding those questions that we knew we were alternately gonna get to help to alleviate some of those pressures so they had they had advance information about the requested and they don't have advanced information their information was received after the public had received it in the form of the press conference thank you Mr chairman thank you. Representative Payton and I do want to remind the committee that we have the supplemental agenda. And to. We may be here while Senate a Representative Payton you're recognized. Thank you madam chair and so there's been a lot of concern about how. Some entities were able to get their application in so quickly and you know I'm not a computer expert but I know there are ways to if you know the format you know the information required you can be ready for a export and import real quick you know. So my question is have you done any investigation within your own department. Employees in key personnel. As to whether or not I mean I understand the two of you sitting here can can swear on under oath that that you didn't help anybody but there's a lot of personnel underneath of you. They could of. Or is there any type of internal investigation going on. Or do you just take it at face value and so well you know that's a. We're just going forward. Representative it was actually fairly small group working on this so we know by working with that group and and the process that we went through to to build this that they didn't leak information that that that's not the case when you talk about those applications the information that was needed a lot of this is the same exact information that the SBA has required when they went through their PPP or the SBA loans so a lot of these businesses probably had this information close of their finger tips and even though it looks like a long document when it's in your multiple choice or yes or no it doesn't take that long to get through it. Okay so I guess the answer is no. No thank you you referenced economic development partners several times that a formal group do you have a list of economic development partners that you share with us we do it's a it's a our primary point of contact in each county for economic development. Would you please email with that list for said thank you madam chair all right thank you all right we're going down to a Senator Clark Senator hammer and then I want to remind you we still have two other items on this agent so if you could make your questions very sasine would appreciate it all right Senator Clark but I'm sure apologize. I've been waiting for a long time this is not going to be that succinct but I'll be assistant as a can of I do have a couple questions. Up. How was amused of. But some of us being upset. The a lot of Senator Johnson's ideal last week. thought it was a good idea. Of we work I think we were embarrassed because you did whatever you decided to do. But it wasn't you that embarrassed us. We embarrassed ourselves because after you are done whatever you wanted to do with no regard to the legislature. We went ahead and gave you more than you asked for and then we were shocked to that you did it again. Of I don't know why we were shocked. But we were in course we always have to do it it always comes down been here eight years if we don't do it right now the whole world's going in. because we're we're anxious to show businesses in Arkansas that we're here to try to help all of course we're here to try to help. Of it's. But sometimes you to make sure that you get things right and expressly if other folks aren't getting things right. If we want to go if we really want to help the businesses in Arkansas. A little bit of money is not going to be the key. What we need to do as legislators is lead on the fact that we don't get these restaurants open and we don't get these tourism businesses open. The one of the phases is going to be de LA. The that's what we need to do is if we if we want to show how much we care of the average person under fifty is two three more times likely to die in a car wreck then they are both covert nineteen if we didn't we didn't wear a mask if we didn't do social distancing if we didn't do anything and we're just going to order let these businesses fail and be gone forever and the jobs along with them which you all should be really concerned about somebody should be speaking up besides me. I had a call from an employer. Who had seven employees and he said that it asked how many employees. He had and then when he said seven it would only allow him to a plot for seven thousand dollars. No one complaining about the Max it was I the only one to property five hundred. Is he correct that seven thousand was a was all he could apply for you can apply for less. You can apply for less. I will he couldn't find a way to apply for less so that was okay. Of so you could only application apply for less mmhm. Okay because he had a problem with that in that greatly concerned me I couldn't be here not that I would've been able to get in and that our to ask you a question but that greatly concerned me of who's going to be doing the auditing on this. Senate be a combination of our staff first but also the inspector general staff will be auditing as well we've already had conversations with them and so they will be in the thick of it with us in the course of the sub legislative audit as well how about the feds will is there any chance that they're going to come back in audit. All the cares money that's coming to us from the federal government subject to audit. Okay and so do you anticipate that they're gonna be in problems with this. It is our job to make sure that were getting those receipts and getting out documentation so that it doesn't turn into a problem. Do you anticipate that there will be problems with this I anticipate with this number of applications the center Hendren said earlier the number expenses coming through they'll be some funds that are spent for improper purposes and we will have to pursue collection on those which would be a good reason to split it but thank you very much. Senator hammer you're recognized and then I'm going recognized the senator Hickey. First. You can. You see. All. Date time with patients were risk. Take taking the latter first it is the question Senator hammer ask the yes many give me my my opinion as to why it is that these applications are covered under the awful why exemption that's applicable to ADC In terms the date stamp time stamp those are not covered without a server that position we in fact have turned that over. In terms the first part of your question terms of the identity what is a legal basis for that eighty C. is somewhat unique amongst agencies in that we have particular exemptions apply to us under FO I information that is provided to you eighty C. in terms of pulmonary conversations such as the identity of the company that's applying what their needs are those are or considered privilege under FO lie however it any point time we commit taxpayer funds to give to that company and we enter into a grant agreement the right below the section of the for you exemption is a mandate that we shall make public any grant agreements that are given to that company that approved by. That. To the applications. Process of integrity. It is about the process in which the the grants are are are are coming in an engine can probably speak to it is a little bit as well but we're just reviewing them right now in the order that they're coming we've split them up just and numerically by a group of twenty that I I said and they're looking for the the qualifying factors to make sure that they hit those requirements if there is any you know issues are red flags that is being kicked out to a secondary review which will come before the executive team at ATC and just to have found that senator Yeah this is not discretionary grant this is if you're eligible for the grant you get the money and so we will not be exercising any independent discretion to say this company needs the money in this company doesn't need I guess not needs based so it will be very narrow set of circumstances where we would say that someone is not entitled to any would primarily be because we cannot authenticate that that is a bonafide business which is a concern that with all the carrots money is coming the system we have received numerous communications from our federal partners to be on guard about for all and so we're we're keeping that top of the mind right now so we have a concern about will not a business is legitimate that would knock them out for further review or they have a tax obligation to the state of Arkansas you for sales tax offering. Are you in. It is the other questions about the minimal amount that they've asked for if they've only ask for that that's what will give them if they requested more based on the the application based on the the current motion we're gonna give them what they requested in their application or thank. All right senator Hickey you're recognized. Yes thank you madam chair members in light of this going so for what I'm gonna do is make a motion that we were further is to Arkansas legislative audit and let them look into it and get all your questions so you all can kind of the work with them to make sure you get those answered and then we can get this behind us so that's my motion all right. Do I have a second. Are you discussion I'm sorry discussion questions to the motion. All right seeing none do I have. I did have a second all right all those in favor say aye. All those opposed motion carries all right so Senator Stubblefield I think you have the last question. Thank you madam chair. Sector Preston. Have you are of. Your group done any kind of study or analysis on the economic impact to the state if if we stay in phase one for the next two months or longer. A. No Sir we have not within ADC I know we've looked at at studies outside of our organization that have study this what were those results be I have to get back to you on on what that is I would be very interested in knowing how this is going to impact us if we stay in phase one till September of October November. Thank you thank you all right I'm sorry I have one more of a case a no more questions we thank you for being here and the. we appreciate your answers and thank you for coming. Alright ladies and gentleman we are going to number three the K.. On the agenda which is at the business and we have the doctor two leaders directed division of workforce services. To answer a few questions. Is she here today. Can someone see if she okay good. Yes please introduce yourself. Good morning good afternoon. Sure Reese shoulders director the division of work for services. Brian Hicks this is director finest vision workforce services all right thank you do you have any comments a director. Are you ready to answer any questions we can get right to the questions. Thank you all right to. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you madam chair and doctor shoulders. I need to know if we've been able to speed at that time when the people began getting those Those unemployment payments. Yes ma'am I'm happy to report that we sent an email. Cloud you thank you all take all I can kiss. Of it we were able to send out information to all of the individuals that are currently in the the P. U. a system earlier this week to notify them that we will be sending out payments the week of may the eighteenth okay so we are looking at that week obviously there that's fluid because we're testing and and can tenuously working on the system to make sure that it's ready for disbursements so I'm happy to report that thank you for asking thank you of the second question I understand that some people to input it data. Heading back out in the revenue go back in is that correct yes ma'am that is correct the cyst what happened is that the uploading of documents there was there were some issues with the uploading of documents so those individuals their documents were not up loaded so we sent an email out to all of those individuals that were affected and then they were asked to re load their documents into the system unfortunately that is has been done is in is being done now by those individuals and its it's successful and they will be a part of the group that will get the money going out on the eighteenth I will they get it's on. It will be the week of the eighteenth so not the eighteenth specifically and yes if they have all of their documentation in and we determined that they are eligible then I will receive payments I their payments the week of may eighteenth thank you Dr Childress thank you madam chair all right of Chesterfield. Senator hammer you're recognized for a question and I'm going. Say this to you A dot to Childress we are going to get to your the supplemental content that with your information the and FOR thank you all right here Senator hammer you're recognized. Could you. yes Sir Senator hammer I'm happy to report that we have we have the the approval were working through the process and we will notify employees later today so the those will be employees that have have not received over time because they were not in the class that was made that allow them to receive over time and so we will be notifying those that were approved later today. I hope that it will come may be coming from are you I a federal funds in a hundred percent and we are estimating that to be a hundred seventy five thousand. All right any other questions. All right. Seeing no other questions I think you are finished and we appreciate a doctor children she waiting so long so thank you very much and I know you want to stay around we have one more item on the agenda for today and then our supplemental agenda that you're part out so it is a maybe wait in we'll get to you in just a minute all right next we're going to have a number for under Kennedy is so. Of the care is acts during committee and report on that and that's presented by Elizabeth Smith inspector general if she's here okay just come on down and State your name in office for the record but that the please. Good afternoon I'm Elizabeth Smith the inspector general for Arkansas and also the chairman of the. Steering committee for the care all right in. The Mr please the one a. Jake plea DFA office of budget alright thank you A would you like to do is continue with your work to start to report and then we'll ask questions later. Certainly I appreciate the opportunity to come and talk with you about that cares acts during committee I know you've just had a lot of discussion with secretary pressed and related to the request that have been made for the open for business program the I want to make sure that one of the things I'll understand related to Kerr's act is can you hear me I'm sorry so one of the things that I want to make sure to explain is that cares ACT steering committee was created by the governor to assist him and making the request and recommendations for for us to do some investigation and make some recommendations for funding related to and one point two five billion dollar allocation that was made by the federal government to the state of Arkansas and those funds are within it's called the corona virus relief fund which is a specific portion of the total cares act funding and so I believe Mr believe it's going to speak today and you'll received a report with the large spread sheet covering and number of items that were being funded through that those are separate dollars then the dollars that the cares acts steering committee is reviewing skis me just a minute ladies and gentleman this is in your packet this is what she's referring to. Right please continue thank you so. That. Spread she isn't the dot art does not have to do with the steering committee of which I am the chairman the steering committee reviews. requests and recommendations. Related to the one point five one point two five billion dollars and those funds do have Specific requirements as to what they're for it's pretty broad and so that is one of the reasons why governor Hutchinson wanted to have a group of people to assist him. In reviewing the needs for the state of Arkansas. The requirements for the our three they must be necessary expenditures that are incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to cope in nineteen. They have to they expenses have to not have been accounted for in the budget most recently approved as the date of enactment which was March twenty seventh. And the expenses have to be incurred between March first of two thousand twenty and December thirtieth of two thousand twenty. And we also understand we. We're still trying to get more information from the you the United States treasury related to this but it's our understanding that we need to expand those funds before the end of December as well. So it's very so that's one of the things that we're looking very closely at is the timing of the funds that need to be administered and how those funds are going to be administered there is not a lot of other direction. Of related to or other restrictions placed on this type of funds whereas the other funds that they are specifically related to particular needs. So do you do you have some questions of me or do you want me to give more information about the steering committee of one we take some questions thank you. Ladies and gentleman all right to. Senator Ballenger you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair. This is just a general question are and if a probably a little the listen last maybe I would know this but there are other states that have done things like implement programs grant programs are loan programs specifically designed to benefit the in the businesses and individuals that we shut down put out of business so restaurants hairstylist you know lodging that kind of stuff it is there been discussion of doing something like that I mean I'd love to see some of the money actually be designed to specifically benefit the people we hurt the most by implementing our policies. I understand what I think I understand what you're saying we have we have not done that at this point and maybe I could go through and tell you exactly I know you you are all familiar with the allocations that have been made that have been appropriated through this body and so if you like for me to list those off so you know where we are that might that might wanna answer I just thought maybe that that could be a plan that was in the works or something the people working on we appreciate that and we do have a list of allocation areas that we have just voted on in our committee we do we did adopt rules of procedure and that list and I believe it was eight areas of allocation and I'd be happy to list those off for you if you'd like to if anything could be helpful to have a great. All right any other questions. Seeing none of the questions of unless you have another comment or two well I didn't know if you would want to hear the areas of allocation that we have adopted for the committee they're broad so it would include what what you're suggesting potentially the first as public health including but not limited to testing public health entities and hospital eight. Education and schools including early childhood education K. through twelve and higher ed. The third is economic recovery and small and minority owned businesses. Fourth is agency needs due to the response to cope in nineteen public health emergency including additional personnel and costs the fifth would be cities towns and counties of Arkansas. The six is broadband identification and or deployment. And the seventh is Human Services needs and then the eighth would be to reserve a portion for the the potential fall the future. Thank you any questions all right to. Two thousand sixty two. Representative Dotson you're recognized thank you madam chair and just wondered if you had a breakdown of what is the remaining funds available for one point two five billion that have not been allocated yet I think as of last week corn to the. Was that I had there is about nine hundred fifty two million dollars left available not including what additional supplemental we we had. Requested today. That is correct it is nine hundred million One hundred and thirty thousand four hundred and seventy so another fifty million have been set has been spent this week roughly. No. I think that we have made. There were no additional funding decisions made so we have the eighty million for the continuity of care. Payments for hospitals and facility workers that DHS had requested the too hot the twenty three. Million four hundred and twenty five for the emergency response continuity of care that DHS had requested. And then a forty five thousand for nursing facilities. And then I know what this dollar is. Right you have the correct figure. I made it I said made us a traction yes it's. Nine hundred thousand nine nine hundred million five hundred thousand consenting to erect thank you if you like for me to continue on all the I'll go ahead and read off the rest the the next is for the open for business and you know about that funding and then the education campaign the six hundred and fifty thousand dollars and then one point two million for foster families say for nine hundred million left all right we have two questions left to Representative shepherd then then senator Irvin and then we're going to get to our A supplemental agenda all right Senate us Representative shepherd thank you madam chair up I don't think that this recommendation has been made yet but I understand that this is been part of some of the discussion that the forty five million dollars that was expended from the cope with nineteen rainy day fund which were the surplus funds that we moved over the first expenditure first request an expenditure from that was early on for personal protective equipment and some other expenditures my understanding is at some point that there would likely be a recommendation to reimburse that Kobe nineteen rainy day fund I just want to know has that occurred and also to make sure if not it's still is on everybody's radar and is likely to take place certainly represent shepherd I do appreciate the question and yes we have replaced senator Irvin made a motion in our very first meeting to do that and so it was seven. Seventy five million that that was replaced because I think there was an initial forty five and then another and if I could just jump in on that the reports were provided to the General Assembly under act one of the FOR special session requires we provide what what I'm interpreting is really a transaction log of everything that's coming in and out of that and on that report you'll see the forty five million dollars was expended for PP and FOR other purposes but late last month after the direction the steering committee we reimburse that fund for the forty five million so it's back in the code nineteen rainy day funding for other uses good I just wanna make sure because I think as of the last request the director six seconds secretary Walter Reed had reference the fact that he anticipated that but I don't think that would ever receive that final confirmation thank you thank you and if I can just jump in a to make clear also there is an additional request for funding from cove in nineteen rainy day which we will be presenting to the the leadership here later on today just to make you aware that that will be coming deal in your in box. Thank you. A B. finis. Senate in light of that of I you know I think it be valuable to go ahead and and share what that request would be just so for the benefit I know that that there's notice it sent out to the membership as a whole but also since we're here it I don't think it would hurt to go ahead and and elaborate on what that request would be the we have the cover nineteen rainy day fund as AS eight many of you probably recall was set up to really do two things one is to pay for the costs associated with responding to the corona virus but also to back fill budget reductions they came from our reduce forecast so we've surveyed all of the agencies with and we have asked and recite we've gotten the approval to release money out of their for to agencies U. M. S. and also of the department of corrections those releases were somewhat significant and they supported agency operations that those two institutions for the remainder of the fiscal year FY twenty when we did that the feedback we got from the the membership was I thought very good and one of the comments that was made was in effect if we do this if we continue to do this on a first come first serve basis and I'm not saying that's the direction we were were going in but that's what it looks like then we would run out of money very quickly and we could potentially end up in a situation where at the end of the year folks who needed the money did not get it. We are looking at a three hundred fifty three million dollar budget hole in our current fiscal year there's a hundred and seventy three or there was a hundred seventy three million dollars in the code of nineteen rainy day money so we really felt like we had to do a better job managing the assets that had been made available to us. We've gone back to the agencies and told them to plan out every pay period they they have until the end of the fiscal year to tell us what needs date anticipate. Based on the responses we will be batching their request together and submitting them on every other Friday until the end of the fiscal year so that there will be some process some rhyme or reason to it now I'm not saying there won't be any emergencies that there won't be anything that comes out to right field the agencies of all then asked to review their expenses and identify where the problems are and to let us know as early as possible so that we can help them out with that and so today's request will be the first day they'll be a request from the state crime lab we've also received a request from a Henderson state university. Thank you of Representative shepherd our youth have you finished. All right of senator Irvin you're recognized so thank you just two two questions first of all thank you for the for for work with me through all of the rules of procedure I felt like those were really important for us to have for just the members of the General Assembly as well one of the things that kind of came to me last night is we may want to also look at how much is going to quote the public sector first is the private sector because I think in what's already been expended a majority of it has gone actually two people outside of government of the carriers ACT money so that might just be another break down in percentage we might wanna look out to be able to share with the members of the General Assembly and then secondly Mr believed on and so that was really just my suggestion on how we're going to continue to look at it but it may be an interesting to see you know because we've agency needs but we also have responded a lot to the public but secondly you're you're talking about the the two requests for the common and Henderson and. But we know that higher at has received a ton of direct federal money correct and so we need to make sure that now this is one thing that we've discussed in the and the cares steering top floors is making sure that were fully aware of the moneys that are coming to rec league to our agencies for instance K. through twelve I know also got a huge chunk of money and that guidance I think it's coming out Monday for K. through twelve school districts so you'll be so great to be able to have some cohesiveness but are you looking at yes it and in that that's the report that was included in your packet we Senate over yesterday of it was precisely to answer that question the two weeks ago my office surveyed all the agencies and all the institutions and basically said. Let us know of any notice of award you've received from your federal counterparts for any money that you of will receive as a result of the code of nineteen pandemic primarily that's going to come through the cares act the cares act is a big piece of legislation as the sector Smith mention the one point two five billion that is under the discretion steering committees just a small piece of it there's a lot of other programs that are receiving funding directly to the state either through a state agency or to specific institutions. In order to get a handle on that and to get the kind of perspective you're talking about we set up a process where we're serving the agencies they're letting us know when they get that notice of award were updating this report and pursue to the motion appear committee this week will be submitting this report weekly to you all so you all can see what we're seeing. Just to move over the report real quick it's somewhat difficult to get your arms around everything that's going on here because individual lines could represent a payment to a specific school colleges career technical institute it might also represent an entire program within which will have different processes rules for cyber civilians so for example the department of education they anticipate they have been given reason to believe that they'll receive one hundred twenty eight million dollars in formula grants for school districts I'm managing that within that there will be a whole of series of rules and processes and procedures. That's why we put this report together it's what is we put it there for you I would encourage all to take a look at it because there is five hundred twenty two million dollars in funding that we've been able to identify at an estimated funding that we've been able to identify coming through this and I and like I said we'll be updating that as we learn more. Okay madam chair what number is that in our report to you know what number that is this guarantee. We. The email that was sent out this could be mailed out I think it's a black and white document it's like this. Item okay for a four K. for okay thank you I don't have to pay for all right I didn't get it okay have you finished yet the last one skews me they E. mailed it to everyone it's not in the packet today I'm sorry that's my fault I sent yesterday thank you okay last one is I know listening to the news this morning as I was driving down president trump was talking about that the fact that he may actually want the vaccine is is available that the military may actually organize and give out the or distributes those vaccines so you know this is so fluid and it so changing as to how we're spending money because it could be taken care of and that's another way so and if there's a fifth stimulus bill or whatever sure will to completely change things again. Thank you thank you bye all right. Senate English senator English you're recognized for a question thank you Sir will up part of this you know where have all these monies going federal dollars going for you I for unemployment insurance the other side of that though sometimes is the state. Part of it and I wanna make sure that there's enough administrative money state money to pay for these people in the overtime and all those kinds of things coming out of that code that. Of those cope with funds because what we have right now isn't enough from the state side to pay for those things so I wanna make sure that there are enough there's enough and ministration dollars. To to really funded that department workforce services like administratively like they need to be not just assume that in those states that's going to take care of everything because obviously we have something we've never seen before and hopefully never see the sea again that requires a lot of different people to be able to do those things so we need to make sure those costs are covered with those dollars your. All right. Representative Vaught you're recognized for a question and then Representative Lundstrum thank you ma'am at Jack I understand that you get lots of emergency request and I know that the fifteen million that we just discussed for almost two hours was an emergency quest request to begin with is there a process in which we can take and it not be just the two peer chairs and the two A. L. C. chairs and everybody understand what's going on they all have the information in front of the by understand wants an emergency or what's need to be passed so that we don't get in that same to Bakul that we were in earlier with the same types of monies for cares at you have something in mind would in we've we've talked about this a little bit informally but you know this report details of a lot of federal dollars that we anticipate flying to our state agencies and obviously all those dollars are going to need appropriation it's foreseeable that when when that agency gets that a notice of award if it's for something like department of health you know testing epidemiologic or something they may not want to wait until the next meeting of the ALC I a and aware that we're pushing a lot of requests through an emergency basis that were not always following the process of getting it before a LC ten days in advance of peer at we have a lot of concern we have a lot of there were trying to herd the request as best we can but we also where that we need to move quickly on the request when they come in so one of the things that I'd like to if we could get sit down with the leadership in the chairs and work out a process where perhaps we could batch in request as they come in and I got another one just this morning when I sitting here and then perhaps we could work out a process word that a request would be emailed all the members of the LC a certain number of days would be given for the members to share with their chair. As their concerns and then we can revisit the issue later on so wouldn't necessarily be a question of needing and a decision immediately it would give the the body some time to think about and express our concerns or questions but we could still get the approval we need to move for with some of these grants I like that idea madam chair but I'd also like the privilege of us being able to call a meeting if it's something that we have a lot of people having concerns over at the same time that's just my suggestion. And if I may speak to that as well and this year that cares acts during committee will be reviewing proposals and we will be making recommendations related I move we mentioned it as the discrepancy under the discretion of the purview but it's it's really not I mean we we don't control obviously we know the committee doesn't control of funds we are looking at the request like like what you all have mentioned today and then what we see and then we're comparing those to what's already available and. The beginning all of the beginning and this was very emergent and everything happened so quickly that it it all happened very quickly and we. We passed that quick fast emergent time period and so now we really are able to spend more time and to get the information out in fact at the last meeting the governor let us all know what we should expect for this coming week we will be having that information to you sooner to. So that the legislative body can here there are six legislators on our steering committee three senators and three representatives and so we're hopeful that they will be able to assist us in providing that information to you our meetings are still live stream so we all are welcome to see and watch all of that we shouldn't have a situation that from from the steering committee requests I don't anticipate that we should have that much of an issue now there may be something that is emergent that really is and and we'll have to deal with that at that time thank you thank you and to your statement Mr bleed I think that's a good hour at good suggestion to us to get together at least in to maybe have some of these things and to see where we are so we'll we'll be in touch with that all right the Representative Lundstrum and then Senator sample. Thank you I'm just a couple of suggestions I would love to see not only the email but all of the suggestions that come in because of wisdom of many counselors is always a good thing I'm I'm I have a soft spot for unemployment because I'd like to see that fund nice and healthy so when a crisis does hit we've got a robust fund I did contact senator basement and asking for all the updated directives or whatever the information as is coming out of Washington DC and he sent it to me and it turns out we can use some of this money for to replenish our unemployment fund and keep it nice and robust and we don't have to go back and tax our our businesses which have already been hit so hard in Arkansas so it's good to know that we can use that money and and replenish the trust fund I'd also like to see issue some of that money to possibly update our unemployment system because it isn't using a mainframe I mean that's as old as I am and that's old and then my of cities and counties I'm hoping that's in that list of when I watched last week I understand that's already on the list of to do list one of the hospitals in my area Washington regional Medical Center actually when Katrina hit they used funding under after that situation to wargame handed pandemics or tornadoes whatever. And turns out they planned ahead and had ventilators PP to cover all of their staff and patients for I don't know how many weeks they were covered and sat was quite impressive I would love to see our hospitals do that same thing this time with some of that same funding and be prepared so they're not scrambling and calling the governor's office they're prepared and ready to go. so if I could add that to the to do list. I don't know how quite possibly to do that but anyway to take care of unemployment to take care of that mainframe so it's up to date and we put things on the cloud were a little more flexible cities and counties and then hospitals where they could be self sufficient and not revoke relying on government every time we have a crisis they're looking to little rock they are self sufficient same with our clinics. Just my opinion. Alright thank you senator sample you're recognized. Jake can you tell me have the cities and counties gotten is that cursed money. To my knowledge I I you know looking to the report of the direct cares that funding I did not see any city or county entities listed on here now I know that as represented Lundstrum brought up and as sector Smith I know that that's an issue that is definitely been presented to the steering committee and it's something that I believe they'll probably be acting on San. I hope so because amend they've been hurting as much as in by the house and there are a number of different ways to help cities not just the steering committee you know one of the challenges we face with this cares ACT stuff is there are a lot of different opportunities out there just an example DFA received an award for funding for local law enforcement. Costs related to the Kobe nineteen crisis as actually more than just law enforcement's also first responders that's going to be handled through the existing jag grant process so the funding for the cities and counties I anticipate will be there in may not entirely come from the steering committee it might be other sources so it might just take some additional coordination on our part okay thank you amendment alright thank you are to. Ladies and gentleman I think there no other questions for. The. This this issue on this issue so we are going to. Adopt the report and we will move on thank you very much now I'm going to need a motion to suspend the rules so that we can take a passed supplemental okay I've got it a second all those in favor say aye all right all those opposed alright we are going to if you would look on your supplemental agenda of eighty is the. A one is about the department of corrections and if Mister Mister graves is here we will have him come full. I have a two if you would identify yourself for the record. Good morning madam chair and members of the council my name a song grows on chief of staff for the department of corrections and I'm joined this morning by Christine crier who is our chief legal counsel all right thank you thank you for being here do you have any statement should like to make before we start with questions no ma'am I realize it's been a long morning and into the afternoon saw I've got some note here that I'm sure we'll touch on during the course of questioning all right in again committee this is a on updates to come nineteen with the facilities all right I'm going to recognize set with a Representative Wardlaw first and then we'll go to Senator Stubblefield. Solomon you and I thank you madam chair. Some you know I've taught numerous times the last week yes I've had parents in my district called me about their loved ones being involved in the positives in a coming June. And someone's complained about feeding on time the particular food that serve done laws feedings and of whether or not those inmates receive correct medical treatment yes can you kind of go through that stuff for the committee and tell us where we're at and kind of go through what's been fed to the inmates what time that's happened and how what's happened yes Sir feeding has been one of the challenges that we have faced as we deal with the whole bit outbreak at the Commons unit director pain as a mention during his attendance at the governor's daily press conferences that we were feeding like and I'm not going to look out that all ms sleet any member we were feeding late in some cases we were completing the beating of the evening meals after midnight of reason being home we were having to feed a nineteen hundred inmates at their beer ex and in some cases the was taking staff two to three trips to feed A. C. individual Berwick's so when you multiply that by three meals a day in some cases we were feeding four twenty hours during during that day so yes there were the ladies and providing meals but all meals were provided to win Mays inmates are allocated three hot meals a day and those were still and those the meals were still being provided. In terms of some of the meals stop you right there. Is three hot meals per day in one of the definitions we got from hand written letter sent to you was that it was baloney sandwiches and and my recollection of the definition of a hot meal is not a Bologna sandwich so you can you elaborate on hot meals yes Sir and that's one of the next point generally speaking the meals within both the division of Korea can and the division of community correct chain are set by registered dietitian that is contracted by the department we don't set our own menus our kitchens are staffed by inmate workers there supervised by free will staff but the actual food preparation is done by an made workers one of the challenges we faced early on it Commons is for several days we had in me we had in may workers who were refusing to go to work in the kitchen For various reasons the chief amongst those were as we were getting in the test results we were moving inmates around and inmates did not like the fact that they were being moved out of their normal barracks assignments into their into a new pair assignments either a positive or negative so in may for refusing to go to work in the kitchen we still had feet and we had to fee based on the staffing that we had at the time so yes there were instances the specific a day that we did fee Bologna sandwiches for a dinner meal they were allocated each tray was allocated to Bologna sandwiches a double helping of fruit cocktail and a serving of beans and again that was an emergency situation section and we still had to feed the inmate's based on the staffing that we had available on that day. All right Senator Missy Senator Ballinger you're recognized. Thank you madam chair someone we've been visiting about the situation we have with the the probably happened in my county yes Sir it and one thing that I would like to to the either find out at this the if this policy is changed or if it's it's implemented were or take it as a suggestion that it needs to be changed but you know the situation with with this probably is is he was paroled out and excellent my first question you may not that the centuries expose plea paroled out to Tennessee how was it that he ended up in Carroll County. The. And For the for the benefit of the of the council on going to refer to this offender generally not as a tip to snowball but we are restricted in terms of the M. formation that we can provide specific to offenders I realized this individual has been discussed publicly but I'm not going to refer to the other by name in this situation the individual was had a parole plan and they were intentionally at least it appears to be intentionally non compliant with their plan they did not go to the residents they were instructed to go to so so typically if you have an interstate compact or somebody's going to another state are they are they actually transported to that state where they mean like how did he actually get to Carroll County then if he was supposed to end up and in generally they will be taken to either a bus station from the unit if they do not have transportation or they will be picked up from the unit by a loved one and they have a time period in which they are to report to their residents out of state okay and we've visited that this gentleman have been have been tested with everybody else and and his unit you know sometime mid April he was released on the twentieth it and and at that point was was screened in and tested negative screen negative few days later tested positive my question is because we have so many people in Commons or any even any of the institutions the expense of the ones that were were having some form of outbreak at least number of cases in. To me it seems like we should be a little more careful about how we're letting people out to verify that they are not effect positive amend this case he was tested early enough that you probably have been exposed and and turned up negative but then wasn't tested before left and in doing so you know at least one person Carroll County and now apparently may may have that and who knows however many more my question is you know is that policy now changed so you guys or maybe a little more careful about testing giving and getting a negative test before they actually are released yes just enough I might have the leeway of the chair to give some background to my conversations with senator Ballinger at currently our process is when a inmate is released from any facility operated by the the other the division of correction or the division of community correction they are screen for symptoms commonly associated with cold eight and or any other viral infection they also receive a temperature check that was done in this case to senator Ballenger's point yes part of the reason some of you may have noticed me in the back I've been in an out several times we are actually. At this very moment engaged in conversations sent with the department of health to review our release protocols to determine whether or not more broad base testing is warranted there for every release or on a random sample but we those conversations are on going with the department of health thank you very much present alright thank you of Senator Stubblefield. All right. All right Senator hammer you're recognized for a question. Yes Sir and would you please a repeat the question for when we don't he doesn't have a microphone Senator hammer doesn't have a microphone and so if you repeat the question we can get it yes ma'am on on the record. Short we talked. Talk about your staff what they're going through during this. He and how to just talk about what you're able. The. US senator hammer's quests doing was specific to what a common days tions are being provided to our staff or the receiving of the break times for and rest allocations that are available to them normally the the answer is yes with an axe with the axe this by are uniform staff based on how they're classified under the FLSA they don't get the normal lunch break that is available to a regular staff now what happens is if I'm one opposed at some point during in my last year I'll be relieved from apples to he or to go use the facilities but I have to be relieved from my post that is that is still the case specific to what we are doing the rest to our staff understanding that is this is an incredibly trying time for them we are actually working on to request that a we've made the administration sent aware of one is an extension of the Direct care payments for hospital workers to also apply to the medical staff working in our of correctional facilities and we also working on a incentive program for our staff and facilities are correctional staff and facilities impacted by a coded in recognition of the extra mile that they are going through right now. Since Appropriation. Are you working. That. He and directly related to the code of nineteen situation. Senator hammer's follow up question was how are we handling the over the increased over time from staff dealing with cold eight the over Tom within the division of correct into part of division bodies actually down we were meeting on that point last week specific to comments we have seen an uptick in overtime there which is to be expected but that is being paid for out of existing appropriation an existing funding. All right thank you senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. Thank you. One of the things that I've already discussed with Mister Mister grace but I think it's important to say because it was a great deal of concern about. Positive testing staffers being returned to work yes ma'am and we discussed it earlier but I think it is worth noting why you felt that that was okay yes ma'am. by way of background to senator Chesterfield question both the centers for disease control nationally and within the state of the Arkansas department of health have issued guidance specific to what they term as critical infrastructure workers these are individuals that if that if they were required to be absent from work due to their cold meats that is there industry to use a general term would not be able to proceed how this applies to us is we obviously have staff who have tested positive for cove it many of those have remained a symptomatic means they do not have any symptoms of cold it the only way they know and we know they have they have the viruses that they have been tested and tested positive. Both the CDC guidance and the guidance from the department of health provide that cove the positive direct Carol workers provided they remain a symptomatic can work but they must only work with Colby positive populations in our case there would be a a symptomatic correctional officer can steal man a polls. If the polls there manning falls into one of two categories one doesn't bring them in the contact with anyone else which were in our case would be working a tower. Or to they're working a bear ex or a housing area that is only for coal the positive inmates. do we have we have edit one a limited basis have we had to do that yes but again out of necessity to maintain the essential staffing we need to maintain within our correctional facilities. Eighteen the senator all right thank you all right Representative McCollum you're recognized for a question thank you sorry if I missed this earlier is out of the room how many total present prisoners have been released due to our early release to to come in nineteen we have not touched on that yet just to recap the The governor authorize the department to consider a or develop a special release program to address the popular to reduce the population within the division of correction following the governor's authorization the board of corrections approved one thousand two hundred and forty three inmates for consideration of release by the Arkansas pro board following the action of the board of corrections the parole board has approved approximately eight hundred of that pool to be released out of the eight hundred approved for release as of yesterday afternoon about three hundred and fifty nine of those have been released from the division of correction. He finished. All right thank you all right to seeing no other questions we thank you for being here and you are dismissed thank you so much. Alright ladies and gentleman the next on the supplemental agenda is department of commerce and this is the division of workforce services and we will have Dr Childress the director back to. Talk with us about to the. A classified classification request pay grade and salary range. Ninety five yourself for the record again please ma'am. Sure is children first director division of workforce services. Brian Hicks assistant director finance division workforce services you're recognized. A yes ma'am the agenda item for you today in the supplemental agenda is a request for nine pole positions of the division of workforce services has special language that allows us to pull from our growth pool and so those are positions that we requested and and needs the additional a pool positions in order to be able to fill those positions to to work in unemployment insurance within our agency. Hi do you have anything you would like to add. The only. Okay on add to that this is a hundred percent fairly funded that were using these to process our claims all right thank you senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question I move the adoption of the recommendation from the department of commerce division of workforce services. All right we have a motion and a second excuse me. The quest all right to let's hold off on the motion and the senator bond you're recognized for a question. Question is do the more. And there were behind the eight ball we want to get. One eight two that the senator bond these are these are not the only positions that we've requested to feel we have the other full time and extra help positions that we have advertised and are feeling as we speak these are just positions that we did not have within our current positions so we had to reach into our growth pull to use those alright thank you seeing no other questions we do have a motion on the floor in a second all those in favor say aye all those opposed thank you motion passes appreciate you being here all right number three cares appropriation request if we would have. Yes we could imitate you want to make a motion to adopt three and four. When we need it separate when. Okay the first one is to approve. All right. In the second one is quite. All right we have a request Mister believe that you would come and speak to us on Adam. A three. And the ladies and gentleman this was the one that was cool from Representative Baltz peer report some of her. Yes so on Wednesday during the peer meeting we had a request for one million dollars in Kerr's act appropriation to reimburse agencies for pre approved expenditures related to the covered nineteen crisis. Normally we should talk about a state agency that you want to reimburse for something if that state agencies and treasury you're not pulling money out of the covert nineteen rainy day fund to reimburse them for those expenses since that money's not leaving treasury you don't need appropriation however there are some small boards and commissions in agencies whose bank accounts are commercial banks they're not in traders so therefore we do need an appropriation to reimburse us for those expenses at the time we put together that request our intent was really built around the small boards and commissions and we felt like one million dollars was sufficient we hadn't anticipated that the same need would exist for institutions of higher education who also operate outside of the state treasury and so reimbursing them will also require appropriation almost as soon as we had the one million dollars approved from that peer subcommittee you and that's presented a three million dollar requests for reimbursement FOR PP and other items I think I printed out most of you should have a photocopy of the top sheet of the request that they provided for us the details about three million dollars in costs incurred by you and this in March and April our expectation is there will five additional of requests in may and June as they come forward so this request is to allow us to reimburse you and that's another institutions of higher education it through that same process as they in Kerr costs related to purchasing PP another pre approved items on the from the steering committee all right we have a question Representative Lowery. Thank you madam chair and and I appreciate you giving us a that clarification I do see the UAMS three that three million dollars. Is there any sick. And I apologize about being picky here but is there any significance to the fact that this total five million dollar request is coming to us under the racing commission letter head that was an oversight on the part of the staff who are working late to get a request in. And I'm not entirely sure how that letter got rid. Okay alright I will that's my phone okay so we're not paying for PP for the racehorses or the jockey racing commission did not make an emergency request okay the. All right all right thank you very much thank you seeing no other questions in there is a motion to approve on the floor A to have the second all right all those in favor say aye. All those of. Disagree. Right of anyone I it passes let's go to the last one. All right this is division of medical sciences so syndicalists Gillespie. Anyone here. Mark what should be here okay mark you again if you would come to the table please. You're recognized. Thank madam chair more quality it's just a given the hour I'll give a very brief explanation but certainly be happy to answer any questions as I'm sure many of you remember we are using Medicaid dollars to make payments to direct care workers on a weekly basis who are in nursing homes or other long term care settings for private providers were making those payments through our standard Medicaid appropriation and there's there's no issue there but for our employees that record workers to work in the human development centers and the Arkansas health center we have to pay that through a salary appropriation answers mistakes are staff we are running out of that a preparation so we're asking for is an additional one point eight million to cover those payments those workers for the rest of the year and I apologize for bringing this to emergency basis but as the old have been in into any details if you'd like to pass the purpose behind request. All right any questions all right to a Representative Johnson. Thank you madam chair at you when you say you're running out of appropriation. I mean if I recall this this medical services line item has. A few billion dollars worth of preparation and it what does that mean exactly you're running out it's on the specific line item and you're right in the overall bill there is billions of dollars preparation but for salaries there's only about six million for print for salaries and other two million or so for matching and that it has come out salary line and there's not enough and that salary coverage in in you have the authority to transfer. Funds a few times a year from one to another you're not doing that you're asking for additional preparation as opposed to transferring from a different. Operation line what why are you going that route yes Sir we we do have the bill just met up to four reallocation request per year we have that final relocation request for this fiscal year is in the pipeline has been submitted it's set to be on the peer Gynt in June but we we did not want to bring that tire package to on a mercy basis because that package is not the emergency is just this one small piece that's the emergency. Thank you all right thank you all right we have been a senator rice you were going to make a motion. Motion to proof I have a second was really review motion to review and we have a motion and a second all those in favor say aye all those opposed to all right ladies and gentleman we are finished we are adjourned.