Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee- House & Senate

Get your season the starting in a couple minutes. Call this meeting of the public health committee to order. appreciate you all being here today we've got a lot of rules to go over Not a lot of other issues so maybe we can get you all out here on a timely basis today I want to recognize my co chair senator Irvin for comment. Thank you thank you Mr chair agreeing got a lot of just rules on here and so try to move through this quickly I'm at this time though I'd like Mr Chris how let if he is here if you could come to the table he's going to give us a report about the EBT board decision and and we're not going to entertain any questions we're just gonna let him give us a report about the board's decision and what happened. If you'll just state your name for the record you're recognized. Thank you I'm cochairs and committee my name is Chris how it on the director for the employee benefits division under TSS Pursuant to the conversations that occurred in the a joint committee on Monday or secretary venture myself as well as Milliman presented the By a basically a concession through a discussion with some of the retirees that we were able to come to some terms that would help facilitate all the sides where we take it continued review this yesterday at one o'clock the board convene and what the board voted in past effective one one for twenty one twenty one is an increase in the rates by five percent across the board and that is active Medicare and non Medicare retirees as well. an increase in the state contributions from four twenty two four hundred and fifty dollars a month. The a reduction in the wellness credit from seventy five dollars a month to fifty dollars a month. And a voluntary option for the Medicare retirees that elect to move. That's voluntary move to the part D. plan there would be a twenty five dollar reduction in the premiums on that bi monthly. All right. Thank you and so in numbers of insurance and commerce committee had asked them to provide that listing in writing just so that we all have a consistent message sending back to our constituents and those who have emailed us I will await that from you but I just wanted are this committee was since we brought it up at the last meeting and we were the first ones to really do that it's more appropriate obviously an insurance and commerce we look forward to working closely through insurance and commerce committees and those chairs as as the year unfolds and looking at this plan a lot closer and add just appreciate that and I just I just want to say thank you I'm on behalf of the people that I represent that contacted me and I appreciate that very much I I think a lot of us in the legislature as well thank you for that and we look forward to working with you throughout the year to drill down and make sure that this is a good plan moving forward and those options are all available for folks so that's wanted to come today thank you and with that you can go I appreciate the opportunity I believe will be everyone be well informed and pleased with the results as we record in that and I thank you madam chair we'll put that back to the board yes Sir thank you very much for being here and please give our regards and thanks to sexually fencers well thank you. Yes ma'am. All right committee will move on to item see to adopt the minutes from September ninth meeting that a motion. I have a motion second. Is there a second I have a second. on favor signify by saying aye. Motion carries. Okay moving on to item the Community development block grant allocation. which shall come for Jean noble James Hudson. On the economic development commission. Because of the. Gave you all would introduce yourself for the record Jim at some of ADC. Jean noble ADC grants division in the program manager of the state city BG program. Okay you are recognized thank you chairman Ladyman thank you chairman Irving as well for an vinous over let us speak today what we have in front of you is roughly twenty six million dollars in CD BG funds that have been allocated state of Arkansas for Kobe response we get an allocation of CD B. G. funds every year roughly eighteen million dollars this is purpose for coded and while it is federal program money with federal requirements that go with it we do have some discretion as to how we spread that money amongst some specific categories that hud has given to us and so we worked up a proposal we've discussed that internally we want to come before this body and just walk you through what our thinking is get your feedback before we move into an implementation phase and so with your permission I'll start over to Jean who is our expert on CD BG shall walk you through that and the office will be available to respond any questions of the committee has as well. You're recognized thank you. So we have now received. Three rounds of CDB G. CV funds these or supplemental funds that we will be substantially amending into our two thousand and nineteen action plan for CD BG the total of France one through three is now at twenty six million three hundred and eighty seven thousand nine hundred fifty four dollars. We have received the Federal Register notice that gave us some more guiding them guidance from Hon including any applicable waivers. And we're now ready to make this proposal submit the planned ahead and move forward with implementing these activities. You will follow our broad CD G. requirements which are do come with the three national objectives of benefit to low to moderate income persons projects that meet an urgent need for projects that eliminate some implied so we do plan to still meet the over arching requirements that seventy percent of these funds will be used to benefit low to moderate income persons we can use the urgent need requirement to a benefit any projects that might not meet that hello my requirement. Also all projects must meet the other requirements comes with CTV G. funds to directly prevent prepare for or respond to cope with nineteen. So with ram twenty three taking first round one It is requiring than an amount equal to AT least round one funds are set aside in a set aside to non entitlement local governments as with the regular program We benefit non entitlement local governments to thirteen largest cities in Arkansas which are Entitlement cities did receive direct allocations of round one funding and some of them also received some round three funding so. Can I ask you a question those thirteen cities are those the ones designated as large large cities. Well yes there that thirteen of larger cities that are Entitlement cities that receive funds directly from high end. But there designated large cities to the municipal league other know what they're entitlement cities that have an agreement with head and entitlement grant agreement with head so they're not. Necessarily that thirteen not just city based on population than. Well at one time they were cities that were fifty thousand or more but some have been grandfathered into the entitlement program they do have to agree to be an entitlement sitting at one point they were given entitlement status by hud okay thank you. So we have put this proposed myth method of distribution together that looks at both the targets that came to us to the head methodologies and also what we feel like needs based one would would meet the the needs in these various areas so we are proposing to set aside forty six percent in that non entitlement set aside for general public facilities and public services to non entitlement cities and counties. Eighteen percent of food assistance Senate side twenty two percent in a rental assistance set aside ninety percent in the micro enterprise economic development set aside and then the balance would be for our state admin. This will be a six year total Life of grant we are required to expend at least eighty percent of the funds within three years. So that one For the the public services in public facilities set aside does reflect the amount from around one plus we have added a one point four million dollars set aside for. Homeless homeless shelters which comes from a target that hide Put in the ground three allocation as one of their their targets That Determine the round three amounts so we've rolled that amount for a homeless facility up into round one to Add to the non entitlement set aside for public facilities at dedicated set aside for homeless shelters. Our purpose here is to again offer the non entitlement local governments a chance to apply to us in a competitive round their unmet needs what they feel are some of their endment needs that haven't been met from other sources. This can include again public facilities public services that directly respond. Pair for or I present code nineteen so we will have to have that that requirement. This can be for a broad range of public facilities similar to what we would offer through our regular general assistance set aside to a regular CD B. T. program senior centers child care centers homeless shelters public county health units other public health facilities or other public services that would meet. Meet with the requirements of the. The allocation. We're looking at potentially rolling this into our regular March deadline for general assistance set aside for a regular program this would give the local governments a little bit of breathing room as they are right now prioritizing their C. R. F. funding uses it will give them time to really look at what they're to amend needs are. And if I may Jean just jump in on that we we do have a little bit of concern that the result of a traffic jam in terms of funding out there so many streams of funding better coming at our cities and counties that we want to time this so that particular with the C. R. of funds that have December thirtieth expiration date they focus their efforts there and get that money spent first so that you know the first of next year when the dust has settled so to speak they can see what the remaining needs are and that's when this money will be coming online they can begin to meet those unmet needs with with with these funds start which. So we are looking for this to be a competitive set aside will look at things like their readiness to proceed with the with the time constraints that we have we do have three years to expand these funds are eighty percent of these funds so that is a much longer time than the current virus fully funds. So we can look at funds which are more of a long term recovery type of project. Or also meet some of the Quaker meeting public services needs public services have not been something that we have been able to find with our. Or that we have traditionally funded with our regular CD peachy funds so this will give us a chance to meet some of those public service needs. Moving on to the food assistance send a signed we have. Proposed to set aside four point six eight million dollars of the CD G. CV funds and the food assistance program we have a tentative proposal and we're looking at a current proposal from The hunger alliance of Arkansas one of the only state wide anti hunger organizations in the state they provided us with a proposal to deliver those funds throughout multiple programs touching all of the Food banks food pantry other agency feeding needs throughout the state as well as some educational programs. We intend to carry out this set aside directly as a state in a minute partnership with hunger alliance. This meets with around to target to impoverished children and elderly low income elderly services with a focus on food and security health and social distancing. Then on rental assistance we have we do propose to set aside five point seven six million dollars. For rental assistance this comes from round two and round three targets from head. Towards renters that have difficulty paying rent based on unemployment claims and where businesses are struggling or not re opening. It also looks at the numbers of very low income in low income renters pre pandemic which the numbers were already high priest pandemic. And as being those most at risk of evictions homelessness or job loss. So being able to liver CD BG also will complement current proposal to the steering committee for some C. R. F. funds for rental assistance. We help to match that current. The current proposal wisdom CDB G. CV funds that would allow. Community action agencies being the Overseen by the Arkansas community action agency association they would manage the distribution of these rental assistance funds to the community action agency network who are currently been tapped as a resource for rental assistance programs using CD BG funds will allow us to go up to eighty percent area median income which will allow those agencies to benefit persons but just a little higher income rather than those with the lowest income in those that are pending eviction but still at the end and eighty percent area median income which is the head allowable rate. In state wide that limit would be forty eight thousand eight hundred dollars for a family of four that would be the statewide limit we would use this section eight income limits that would differ geographically based on county or metropolitan area. And just real quickly add on that to represent Irving I'm sure you're on the steering committee and I'm not sure who else in the room may be we've been in contact the center bonded with represent Collins as well we're looking to coordinate this proposal with their proposal so that the total amount of still ten million dollars to the program what is pick up five point seven the balance will go to the the Kerr sack fund. Man. Yeah yeah. thank you and I was going to ask you that question to wrap my mind the other one back on food assistance under that the care steering committee just did the same thing are you gonna do the same thing there yes ma'am I think they'll be pulling down I believe that proposed rule the proposal down I believe so. Okay wasn't our proposals I hate to speak for them definitively my understanding is that with this jeans when in contact with it'll cover I mean because it was only one point eight or nine not ninety two million dollar when the two million dollars so the more the meeting the need I believe without yeah bills but I would be great which freezer cares act funds to buy it allows for the purposes that's correct and the same with the written that I think the rental assistance program is a very good one that was present we we are largely taking that proposal we get us moved into it some CD B. G. particular okay firemen's but the parameters can be roughly the same genes other one exception in terms of income but actually the less bring more people into a program okay and then quick question back on the public services and public facilities how are you getting the word out to those individuals are you going to the hospital association. No will go directly to mayors county judges planning districts I would I would ask that you also go through the hospital association the medical society and the nursing association as well just so that they can be Because the health clinic facilities the can be anybody right. Is there a program on the non profit. Health facilities. Would need to be. the target here this is more in line with our traditional CD BG program in which the funds must go through a city or county to benefit either the city or county or any non profit. Okay thank you. One of these funds are going to smaller cities is that correct smaller cities any any of the non entitlement cities so any city other than the thirteen entitlement cities and in any county. To benefit of smaller community so those cities don't normally get this kind of funding through this process so I mean have you say you're going to communicate directly to how are you gonna do that what what was the reason they do receive CDB G. funds annually so they're well familiar with the process we would reach out to them at this time anyway to get them ready for the March regular cycle of art the receipt of a beat G. funding directly no they receive it from us through the state program so the state program that we. That we managing annually A provides these funds to non entitlement cities so we are going through this they program are you that same program okay and follow that generally that same process so we are more used to at this time of year reaching out to them to tell them about the regular March deadline where they applied for public facilities and public service activities annually. This would be an additional pot of money that had intends for a set aside to non entitlement governments for those generally those same types of activities only with the covert nineteen type back thank you if the person lame if I met at think there's most years in a lot of that money is being requested for things such as you know curving guttering me a big facility infrastructure sort repairs well water treatment plants things like this for this picture allotment of funds it's gonna be co with related and so it gives them an opportunity to not have to choose between you have yearly sorter needs they've got and just focus on cove it so will be communicating the same population we normally communicate with but really drawn their attention to think about needs that you can't ordinarily focus on you can use this money for that jeans gonna do a workshop for you have any constituency that maybe interest in this probably in the November time frame walking them through how to apply for the stuff and I think Senator read your point about just you know hospital association letting them know just to be able to be aware of it I would be a good idea will make sure that happens Senator Irvin reckons. The other the reason we wanted to put this on the agenda for today members is because the cities and the counties are currently trying to also wrangle with the many that we sent them the hundred fifty million dollars so they needed they need to know this information sooner rather than later just so that they can like maximize rights that many verses this money so that they're not using the cares money for something that they kept making process so that's really important you get this word out as soon as possible to the cities in the county system will make sure yes all right We've got a few questions and since the chairs have ask questions I want creature members the same so Representative Bentley you're recognized for a question. Thank you chairman just a couple quick questions first more looking at the hunger alliance with the funding of the set up any specifics to you no matter how they're going to live for this yes this spending they have submitted a proposal a break down of the percentages purpose for program for example they propose to set aside thirty five percent in this state food purchasing program which would benefit six feeding America. The food bank programs. Eighteen percent in Agency and other food bank grants. Such a school district's food banks in smaller communities food pantries another hunger relief groups thirty two percent to the Arkansas beef project which is. They say one of the only kind of this state in the state where the alliance buys ground beef by the truckload or by the Arkansas cal's from local ranchers and then fourteen percent two out of the out of school program for unmet summer after school needs right now what they're needing is funds for not plastic where And delivery costs. Casey one other quick question chairman of this okay what time of the public services and facility grant funding could a senior center you some of that funding to I have used their kitchen like crazy during this time in there some of their stoves are like this war as that is that funding then I could use of their providing meals yes did not increase meals right now so that's an ideal type of eligible project for this would be for a senior center in a non entitlement local government to medicine from equipment costs needed to carry out those public services represent Bentley other also I think with the the food assistance will be a piece of that that they'll be making some grants for assistance in procuring equipment for hot food prep to so they're two different categories of potentially benefit the senior center or I might get back to you guys a lot that's okay because most Pacific's for them my other question is something they haven't gone over yet so I'll wait chairman in cubic in okay okay. Murdock you're recognized for a question. Thank you chairman over here up. The FQHCs are they eligible for the assistant for the facility improvements. Yes I believe so if they're nonprofit not exceed your fellow work fairly qualified health centers is about thirteen of them in the state I think yes Sir okay group through a city or county to to sponsor so the the the apple so the you would need to be contacted directly to try to facilitate that. eight that's possible Okay thank would also need to get the approval of the city council a quorum court of the city BG application will require the traditional CD B. to formal application of a city or county to apply. Including the public hearing and up. Approval of the council or the carport are the requirements. Line somewhere now that for the for this program is this if the we can read about no we have not but the guidelines developed fully developed the guidelines for these programs and right so if if you will what what I'm trying to get to is what you know there's a cares application out there that I'm dealing with and a big part of the reason why I'm dealing with it is because things like this one when there are opportunities such as this this out there and they never reached the level of a lot of the people that I represent for whatever reason and a lot of times because of the capacity of the communities that I represent in terms of them able to access the information before it's gone before the grand seven is doled out of X. center so you know our cares application is which is get a lot of scrutiny is because I'm asked for us to have people there will identify these type of opportunities in the IT help bridge the gap between the opportunity in the intended user and so now I'm playing that role but I've always played as well because I don't always know so the the point is that you S. is Senator Irvin just mentioned to you about reaching out to some other entities to try to get the information to people so my concern he is that we have eighty eight connector some kind of way that will connect to these communities they really need these services but most in our state I appreciate the opportunity but in the what will you help me and helping them in getting this these but the this these great possibilities of you know to the right people. And we'll see that what you need to be intentional meaning. You can't just a not so that's not enough is what I'm saying because I get people that missed the part time mayor there is very small town they they don't get all this information. Yes Sir represent will will commit to working with you to anybody you suggest for us to send the information to you will get it to on I do wanna make sure that the committee understands this is a first step in a process the one thing that we didn't want to do was use our thinking to come up with a plan post something to the website and the forms in this body never had the opportunity give us feedback on the decision so the fact that we don't have a form to point you to today doesn't mean that we're not going to have a form it's just a few steps down the process the thing that we do everything on your CD G. we have extensive forms it's a federal governments will go on forms but we do communicate that pretty well but we can always do better and so anybody in this committee such as yourself once in Irvine suggest earlier somebody you think is not historically heard from us get is the name gives the contact they'll hear from us thank you thank you to. US number you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair over here on the rental assistance question about it. Good. This is this is going to be made available to. Everyone in the state is that correct. Yes I am there are fifteen community action agencies in the state that. serve every county in the state each community action agency will be a party to this agreement and receive a portion of the funds based on. A regular allocation formula that kind of falls in line with some of their What I think our community service block grants. In the qualifications for who can receive this are you all doing a cross reference scene where this unemployment to see a four person maybe has been offered a job but has turned it down so that you could put that into the consideration of whether somebody would be able to receive this grant money because I'm getting you know work from employers that they have a difficult time getting people coming to work because they're getting all this unemployment money out here and it would seem like we would want to just continue to add to the problem by people being able to get access to rental assistance if either they've been offered a job that turned it down or they are getting that on employment which some of her making more than if they were working a job and I'm just worried about the criteria for how you're going to be selective in who gets this. Yeah just thinking that through that is as you as you mention that Senator hammer you know I I don't know that we would be able to get access to their unemployment information just because federal law keeps that pretty pretty much under lock and key in restricted data yes in terms of what their access to they will have to demonstrate financial need they will have to do that that through the application process in terms of getting into what the calls the financial medias that's something you talk more about I think. Okay we do that off line I mean because that that just I want to go to the people really need it but sometimes people think they need it when really they don't they just don't want to have to go out do what it takes to you know provided and I would just I'd like to talk through and the other question might be is it is it is just up to two months actual rant. And then. It it cuts offers there any. It definitely th of time or is it implied that there's any indefinite length of time that a person can receive this no Sir there's it's a definite amount of money so be a definite mount time you know right now that's one of those years were trying to smooth over with the proposal from senator bond and I represent Collins it's gonna be either two or three months the thinking behind it for as I understand the proposal is you know there is a moratorium on addiction presently and this could be resources that would when it comes online likely the end of the year would help someone get from being behind on the rent so that when the moratorium ends on January first our facing immediate eviction so it's it's not something that people could just use and indefinitely to avoid paying their bills to their lan ports we also see it as an economic development tool for landlords many of whom are small business owners who who may not be receiving the rental income right now. Thank you thing Mr. You're recognized yeah yes. Thank you Mr chairman June and and James about two hours ago I had a call on this kind of situation of. Had a lady that owns some property. And there were four five folks that actually were returning from her but it was under like a hood situation. And they had had a few problems in the past before this actually started probably in my but I just wonder if you all can cover that type stuff because these folks didn't have any money to pay I guess if they got into rough situations with this covert. If you want to separate meeting it will give us the contact information would be happy to reach out to your constituents and just find out if there's anything that they may be applicable there in the the thing about this particular program is it's not meant to you know pay government rental agencies what we're thinking about primarily as the working poor. Who are largely kind of left out a lot of different assistance programs and so we would see this you know benefiting folks are renting houses from individual landlord or maybe a small apartment complex or something like that to the again help out the tenant but also help by the landlords as well follows. Yes James the the call that I got was dealing with hood and and the government it paid their portion but the folks at actually with their I think it was a hundred something dollars a month they they failed to come up with their part yes Sir that that's again again there's a presidential you declared a moratorium on addiction presently and I think that's the situation a lot of landlords are facing with maybe getting section eight housing vouchers for a portion of it but the tenant portions not getting paid and and that's just the state of the law presently at least through the end of the year and that's that's not a state law that sets a federal federal requirement this point. Thanks Sir. Okay Senator hammer you're recognized. Question down there to bowl. The the bullet from the Bob second from the bottom consents will be secured from landlord to waive late fees and not pursuing evictions so let me give you senator or somebody's five months behind they get access to this it's good for two months is that landlord going to have to swallow those three months because by signing that consent or what's the protection for the landlord that they're not going up. Trade off five five much for too much yeah that's that's a great question center we're not we're not trying to get in between the landlord and the tenant and do some sort of work out agreement that's not what this is tended to do if we give them two months three months whatever it ends up being of rental assistance we would ask for a just corresponding amount of recognition from the landlord not more than. So they would still be in the three months corrupt you just wanna see the documentation to substantiate that three months but right because what we're what we're gonna do is pay the landlords directly obviously for for obvious reasons and what we would not want to do is pay money to a landlord and then the landlord turn right around immediately affects somebody would want to know that their lease going to give that person the benefit of a couple of months so if they're not willing to do that then will probably help the tenant a different way help them secure you know deposit for a new place to live in maybe first month's rent something like that which leaves a landlord hold in the. Back for the five much they didn't collect rent I understand that it back in the day we are what we got a tenant that we got to get housing for lease for some period of time alright so in the five months scenario they get they get too much maybe more depends what you work out but that would go against months one and two and much three four five would still be owed that speed still being arrears yes Sir okay and then if the landlord would be able to a victim if they they're out bunch three four and five the landlord would be able to do that provided the you know it's beyond the moratorium period which ends at the end of the year okay thank you Mr. All right. I don't think we have any more questions on that section so you may proceed to the next section okay I think we just had one more slide and that is I was looking at adding an economic development component to this set aside. we did so by looking at the targets in the head In the head methodologies came up with an amount that we felt would be in line with that set aside for economic development that let us to the nine percent or two point four million dollars set aside for economic development which we have targeted towards micro enterprise assistance we see this as an area where there hasn't been as much assistance to those businesses with fiber few employees. It's are thought to wrap maybe wrap that also into the non entitlement set aside to give cities and counties an ability to design a micro enterprise assistance activity of their own maybe to mere what some of the entitlement cities have been able to do with their direct allocations CDP G. funds. They would have to show us their capacity to carry out a micro enterprise business program locally. So how level on this one here we're all familiar with the program to run today through the cares ACT tens of millions I understand the dollar's this point What we want to be able to do is have some amount of money available to cities and counties and design their program since they're closer to you obviously the people are in need it some money I was is not a terrible lot large amount but it's something and so they have an idea of A weighted benefit small businesses in there look their locales would give them the ability to do that if as Jean indicated they have the ability actually carry out that and and to be able to be good stewards of the money. So this is an honest line but just wanted to wrap up by saying that the next what our next steps would be our next steps would be finalizing our. Puzzle for method of distribution advertising it for public comment we are scheduling a public a public hearing where will take public input on our plan and take that into consideration it will be incorporated into the amendment. Making any final adjustments submitting that to Hyannis and substantial amendment to our two thousand and nineteen annual action plan to head. We would then receive our award from head for these funds sign the agreement and then enter into any protect partnership agreements kick off the competitive round and get started carrying out these activities. And just real quickly back on rental assistance since the similar cares acts during committee approves the roughly four million dollars it be needed to bring this to ten million dollars that will require appropriation that will also require rules and so we will be developing rules for the rental assistance always spoke of arsenal miss Garrity about that and so the goal will be to get that from the October sixteenth a LC so you will see what the final product looks like on the rental assistance. Yeah you're recognized senator soap members just to give you an update the cares steering task force could meet committee will meet next Wednesday at four PM and these are the things that will be addressing in taking up and then that will should give us a time to get that developed before a LC on the sixteenth not a lot but not a lot done we don't get it done. So if you have questions or concerns tune into that steering task force committee meeting next Wednesday at four. It in madam chairman info with a just as a final confirmation he went out looking necessarily for a voter approval some like that back to the main thing I think we want to day as you saw the relative personages and if if you think we're off there in some respect is to let us know that and we would be happy to talk to you about that okay I appreciate that I'll play talk to about one of the things thank you. Okay. Senate presentation yes all right seeing no more questions that thank you for your information. Okay we want to move on committee to item eighty. Addition of the waiver slots for the community and employment supports waiver program. So Melissa stone mark one eight. Then for yourself for the record. Thank you Mr chairman mark white with DHS and up director stone center apologies she was planning to be here to make this presentation B. she has a personal issue that came up yesterday the procedures cannot be here today so we're publishing houses are apologist for that but I will work through the presentation on her behalf and see if we can answer your questions as well at the end. And you may just a moment I'll pull up the power point. Okay I believe is that. Showing there it is okay. so members what we want would like to do today is give you a preview of a couple of things they'll be coming to you later this fall related to are the services we provide for our development developmentally disabled population as well as service we provide around behavioral health. I'm sure many of you may have seen that the governor made an announcement last month of our intention to add additional slots to the community employment supports waiver this is our Medicaid waiver for home and community based services that we used to serve those individuals have an intellectual or developmental disability thank me served in their home in the community and we the governor announced that we are planning to add additional slots to that. Excuse me. Right now in that waiver we serve about forty seven hundred clients all together in the state but we also have a very link the waiting list they're currently three thousand five hundred twenty one individuals who are waiting on a fully funded slot in the waiver of those thirty five hundred about two thousand of them they are Medicaid eligible so they do receive some Medicaid services so they're able to go to the doctor get some other basic services available for Medicaid but they're not able to access the more extensive services that are available in the way for and we have another fifteen hundred individuals who are not Medicaid eligible yet and they won't be until they receive a slot in the waiver and so they're currently receiving no services. Thank you may remember that when we introduced the past program and you passed legislation approving the past program part of that legislation imposed a premium tax on the premiums that we pay the passes to provide care for these beneficiaries in both the developmentally disabled population and also the behavior health population and resolution requires that we use at least fifty percent of that premium tax revenue towards the DD waiver and towards helping produces wait list so what the governor asked what we're proposing to do is that effective December first we want to use those premium tax revenues to fund an additional seven hundred slots for the waiver none of those to be six hundred slots available to anyone on the waiver then there be one hundred slots that our priority slots for children who are in the custody of the division of children and family services so that we can get them services when they come into our custody. Now this will assuming this for is approved by the legislature this with the second time in this administration that we have expanded the number of slots you may remember the back in twenty sixteen of the governor and the legislature approved us using some tobacco settlement funds to add an additional five hundred slots to the wafer. Well what one thing we've learned since twenty sixteen as we work to fill those additional five hundred slots that were added under the tobacco settlement money is we have a shortage of providers in this space it and we need more providers to provide services for these individuals and FOR this waiver and that's would be a challenge for us as we work to fill these additional slots once these are proved that we need providers to build or buy the services ice not enough to have the money and the waiver slot we've got to have someone physically there to actually provide this the services for that beneficiary. And we also that we have we need additional provider capacity in a behavioral population as well and that's in the we've worked to expand or the past couple of years we know that there's more that needs to be done to get more so providers active there. In addition to that one of the reasons that we think we have shortages for providers is we have in historic we've had pretty strict distinctions between providers to serve behavioral health population and providers to serve the developing disabled population it is two different certifications two different sets of rules to follow and so what you find is you find their providers that serve one population or serve the other population but you don't typically find providers is served both populations. And so that creates course difficulties for placing clients and getting is getting services for clients it also creates problems for clients who have higher needs because the products are silo road we don't have the continuum of services that we really need such as therapeutic communities they're available to both sides and one facial seats on the slider you'll see this elsewhere is duly doc and host this refers to individuals who they have an intellectual or developmental disability but they also have a behavioral health diagnosis and these individuals that typically and bring the highest most complex types of needs and. Difficulties in working to meet their needs and rather than the services that will assist them. The providers that they've told us that the reason that they typically serve one population or the other is several things one is I mentioned earlier the certification issue that there are two different certifications they have to get those two certifications right now have different requirements different records for their facilities for their staffing different eligibility issues in addition to that there's a concerning the fear of serving clients that they are trained to serve so they may have training this year towards behavioral health clients or training this cure Taurus to billing disabled clients in the concerned about crossing those over with the existing set up and then also the concerned about the lack of a crisis continual support so that if you have one those individuals who has those really high complex needs there needs to be some options there if there's a crisis if there's a number of emergency situation that needs to be dealt with providers want to know what their options there to deal with that and make sure that client is taken care of. So what we're proposing in addition to adding the slots to the waiver we're proposing to create a new provider top and certification we're calling this the community support system provider or CSS petty and this would be a provider top this able to serve both populations both individuals who have been able health needs as well as individuals who have an intellectual or developmental disability I would think this change number one it will eliminate the need for the different certifications so the providers will have to choose in the war one or the other they can choose this certification and know they have the option of serving both populations now mission we're not we're not getting rid of the existing certifications of a provider wants to continue serving just one or the other bill bill to stay right where they are today with no changes but this would be an option for them to choose if they're open serving both populations within doing this will also enable faster transitions for our clients from the transition between programs as well as getting clients into the waiver program so as we fill these new waiver slots within this will facilitate getting those new clients services from a provider. And does create new opportunities for providers because now they can take some of the same training and experience they have been doing one with one population and use that in the other popular published as well we think that's a good opportunity for providers who want to use that to expand their business. And we have a on this slide that shows the differences. And in the services that we have in those two different certifications they're a lot of similarities a lot of overlap between those services and so what we're doing with this new certification is based we're just combining those together recognizing that there's already overlap there that these are very similar services they really require very similar training very similar skill sets and worst bring those together into a single certification so that one provider if they choose they can provide all the services to both of these populations and not be limited to use choosing one or the other. So they'll be too but levels of the certification at the base level will be the provision of the more basic services the nonclinical services you might say things like supported living supported employment as well as the other things that you see on this list and again this is Rogers not mandated to to go to the higher level it use this level if they want and be able to serve both populations if they so choose increase those additional opportunities for those providers. And then above that there be at a higher clinical level of certification that will allow provider provide the more intensive top services and that's things like therapeutic communities or community reintegration which is essentially the same service but is that's with pride for children as opposed to adults as well so don't day rehab mobile crisis and I will mention as I said we are given providers the option of choosing this new certification for the providers that operate therapeutic communities we think they will want to choose this new certification because it will greatly simplify the requirements right operating those therapeutic communities we've had a lot of ongoing conversations with these providers and we think they're good with the changes we proposed in I think we've got a good product that everyone is is is comfortable with this point. That means that will be bringing to set the changes to there will be a new Medicaid provider manual for this community support system provider will be bring that to you later this fall I as I said we're not changing any of the existing panels if a provider wants to stay under the same rules they have today the same certification they'll be able to do that it's only if they want to expand their services and as far more people will have the option of choosing the new manual and they'll also be bringing to you an amendment to the Medicaid waiver to add those additional waiver slots so we can serve those additional seven hundred clients in the program. And we have just timeline at this point we expect for the waiver slots we expect to bring that to you in your November ninth meeting we've already submitted to CMS answer waiting to get approval back from CMS our hope is to get that approval back and also to see this in front of Legislative Council in November and then for the new provider top that one we expect to bring to your meeting on November thirtieth with that hopefully going for review in council in December. And with that Mister chairman I think that includes my overview and be happy to answer any questions okay we have a couple questions. Your call will you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman required of on the seven hundred the people that will be added to the list you said that a hundred would be in a certain group and that the other six hundred anyone on the list qualified are we don't do this in numerical chronological order from the time they got on the list of the the first on first off yes Sir it is mostly first on first off there are some priority categories so if you have someone who is in an institution like human development center or not see if they can get priority consideration for moving on to the waiver we also have a priority for individuals who come into custody of adult protective services and the those services meeting we can get those in them as well those in all of the hundred route or the six hundred those are being the six hundred okay thank you. Thank you Mr. Senator hammer you're recognized thank you Mr chair and I know you've been having a lot of meetings on this my question is does this incorporate all the ideas of some of the provider groups have been submitting to you and is this this is with their agreement or you're in agreement with them. Yes Sir we we've had as his extensive discussions with them with incorporated I think just about all the changes they brought to us and the last word we have had from everyone was they were good to go and so this begin and desist begin the public comment period then effective went today or was it last week it started and this for thirty days right it was later published in the newspaper on Monday and so that was starting thirty a public comment period we content will Clinton to continue this conversation with providers and if they see anything else because the concerned will work with them and work to change that at the in the public comment period okay I know you've worked diligently on this and just want to publicly commend the department for work with providers on that thank you thank you Mr center. No further questions and I appreciate the work you did on this thank you thank you Mr chair thank members we're going to move on to the item itself. Preview the pilot launch the Arkansas integration eligibility system. A Mister chairman I'll be up here as well but merry Franklin is going to conduct presentation I'll I'll put that on the screen as well. You would yourself for the record. Good afternoon hi merry Franklin director of the division of county operations for the department of Human Services you may proceed. Thank you for allowing us to be here today to talk with you about the Arkansas integrated eligibility system. This. All right of Arkansas Dr the Arkansas integrated eligibility system is a new system that DHS has been building and will be launching in December we call Aries just for short an Aries is Is being designed to streamline and modernize the way that we do eligibility. It is going to integrate several of our assistance programs that we administer the health care Medicaid program supplemental nutrition assistance or snap program in the transitional employment assistance program. there has been a team of working on this system four wall since early twenty nineteen and touches on all parts of the department nearly all parts of the department have been involved in this effort. This is going to streamline and make less complicated applying for assistance for our clients and it's also going to streamline the work for DHS staff it'll be more family friendly user friendly clients won't happen they'll be able to put in an application for multiple types of services and FOR more than one household member on the same form and just you know as a frame of reference right now we have up to eight different forms that people will fill out and we're going to one form the new system is going to be adaptable to and to smart devices whether it's a cell phone or a laptop or a desktop whatever a person has if they use our system to apply online bill it'll adapt to their technology and it's going to offer us a worker portal that makes things easier for our employees to assist clients and it's going to bring about a lot of improvements on the next slide. On the next one. You these are our goals when we are set out to develop this new system we we wanted areas to be very person and family centric we wanted our clients to have robust self service capability when they use our citizen portal we wanted to increase the access to data that we have both for clients and staff we wanted to lower our technology risk and cost to implement. To operate this system we wanted to be more efficient. And effective and we wanted to have an integrated platform that brought all the programs into one place and reduce our total cost of ownership to support the system over its lifetime. So what is changing with areas will one of the things is changing as we're going from two different eligibility systems to one right now we have one it eligibility system it's called answer and it houses the snap program the team program and it also houses part of the Medicaid program the the traditional side of Medicaid which includes the home and community based waivers and long term care foster care Medicaid categories are in our cancer system as well and then we have another system called Kerr that we implemented in like twenty thirteen and it handles all of our affordable Care Act programs that that are now called Najar programs modified adjusted gross income and that includes Arkansas works our kids pregnant women newborns those categories so we're working. Three different programs across two different systems. Intel to touch on what the cost of Aries I can tell you that we've spent a hundred eleven million in state fiscal year twenty to support the areas project we're projecting to spend ninety four point six million in state fiscal year twenty one and that we I don't and we are still on budget and within our total projected cost of our prime contract to bill that was approved by the legislature to build the system. And what's going to be better in Aries will one of the things already mention to you and that is that we're going to be able to move from two different eligibility systems into one it's going to be mobile friendly as I mentioned it is also going to allow clients to select English Spanish or Marshallese as their language to see on screen and if they choose Spanish or Marshallese is their preferred language they will also receive notices letters from us from the system in that language. This system will be available twenty four hours a day seven days a week that is an improvement over what we have now right now one of our eligibility systems can perform work from seven AM until eight PM and the other one can perform work from seven AM until nine PM so we are now moving to a system that all that can be worked clients can access all day every day. We're all in addition I mentioned our citizen portal which which are Kansans no is access Arkansas that's the name of our website taxes Arkansas they're going to in addition to being able to apply online which they can do now they're also going to be able to manage their personal information check on the status of their cases set up email and text alerts if they choose to they'll be able to opt into electronic notices instead of having paper once mailed if they choose to and they'll be able to view their previous notices in their account online there okay they can report changes they can renew their benefits and they can upload documents directly to their account and that one is At that one is particularly important because many times it could save someone a trip to the county office or save someone having to put something in the mail and will get it immediately if they upload online. Next slide uses is a summary of what I talked with you about and it also goes into a little more detail because I was focusing earlier on the the citizens side of this our worker portal is being designed to be more friendly for our workers in there also be what an enterprise master person index and what that is is it will create a golden record to establish that a client in Medicaid for example if merry Franklin is in Medicaid and I happen to have TV or snap it will identify me across the programs in so there won't be any Confusion of it just helps us with our data helps us to be able to analyze and know what programs each client is receiving and will help us to keep all of our information on that client together in current and of course will be able to do all of our normal eligibility processing work in this system will be able to schedule appointments and handle notices in correspondences with with clients as well as referrals and interfaces. So I want to talk to you about wind we will implement aeris aeris is going to be implemented carefully in a phased approach beginning with the pilot and before we expand statewide and the goal of the politics of course is to make sure the system is functioning as we expect before we go statewide and we are also implementing health care only in the first release that we are ex going to be piloting it early December of twenty twenty. And we will pilot in five counties with which represent about six percent of our case load for healthcare coverage in those five counties or Carol hot spring independence look Fayette and pope and so the pilot will individuals who are receive Medicaid or apply for Medicaid living in those counties will be the ones who are impacted by pilot but I also want you to know that in addition to training those five pilot county staff we are also training to individuals in all of our county offices so that one of the advantages of the system as we can do the work from anywhere and without negatively impacting the client so we're gonna have. Plenty of workforce trained to help us handle any issues and these five counting's and this is also going to help us to practice through this pilot how we can DO work universally that we can take an application from someone in one county and have someone across the state work it and that's going to help us to keep our case load current and have everyone have a consistent experience with DHS and through the application process because we will not be we will be more agile because if we happen to have some vacancies in one county we're gonna have workload spread across the state so that we can adjust to those types of things that are little more problematic when you work things just strictly on a county bycounty basis. in the pilot will start in December as I mentioned and then half from the remaining counties will be implemented in March of twenty one and the other half of the remaining counties will be implemented in April of twenty one and you have a informational handout and I'll just point out on that handout it also talks about pilot in the counties but it has March and April of twenty twenty just so you know there's a type of there but the the actual date is March and April of twenty twenty one. In our next slide you can visually see what pilot is going to look at look like and what wave one and wave to will look like our five poly counties are in purple. And then the blue counties are wave one that would go live in March of twenty twenty one and the green counties are wave two for April. And when we complete release one we will Be working next to implement snap entity into the new areas system the new Arkansas integrated eligibility system and we will do it in the same approach that we are doing health care we're doing going to start with a pilot in the same five counties that are gonna be polity up the health care portion and then we will and we're scheduling that polit for summer of twenty twenty one with our full statewide implementation plan to be complete in winter of twenty twenty one. And are also want to give you some information about what we're doing to make sure that this implementation goes well. Well I mentioned earlier that this is been a We have not developed this system in silos the county operations is of course involved as well as our I. T. department all the divisions that touch Medicaid and have staff will be interacting with the system have been involved in providing their expertise our communications team has been heavily involved to help us make sure the language were using is client friendly and easy to understand and our our legal team is being involved to help make sure that we are meeting all of our requirements as we operate these programs is that and as we provide information we have been testing the healthcare portion of this system since January of twenty twenty and we have a broad and robust internal training a communication plan that has been built around this rollout in fact we start train the trainer up early October and then we'll begin training our staff and waves after that Of course we're doing pilot instead of a full statewide implementation all at the same time in another thing that we have done is to get client feedback along the way we spent many many hours of dating the language in our notices in making things more friendly and as I mentioned going from eight applications to one application and we have done a focus group to preview some of that information with some clients and I'll I'll tell you I was nervous about that integrated application because it's kinda log but when we presented that to clients a draft of it they said that's okay because when we're filling out more than one were filling out a lot of the same information twice and of this way we're gonna know they were filling out the right application so it was helpful to me to get that feedback directly from clients to know that we were doing something that they did find helpful and it was headed in the right direction we've also done focus groups with clients on our site as a portal on demonstrating some of the capabilities that will have in this new axis Arkansas that we don't have now and gotten good good feedback from from those amend the ability to upload their own documents manage their account Decide if they want email reminders and text alerts and whether they want electronic notices rather than paper notices they can pre screen if they don't want to apply they can they can go through a screener that says. You know gets information and give them an idea of what services they might apply for if they choose to so we are excited about it and I'm excited to give you just a preview about what's to come. Thank you we'd like to take any questions. Question Senator hammer you're recognized. I remember seem to remember back in two thousand thirteen curam was a big topic of discussion because they weren't. Delivering on I think I'm trying to work off the memory but tell me if I'm right they didn't exactly deliver what we expected them to labor the product which of what we thought we were buying is that correct. That said I think that I think I'd be fair we with their there were a number of issues and problems that system and so in I believe in twenty sixteen we decide to take a new approach yes we've been working on what the new approach to be I think including those things I mentioned on the slide about total cost of ownership ease of use client friendly more efficient and all of that has been in the planning process since twenty sixteen and we started the actual build the design development implementation of twenty nineteen so totally agree that the last implementation was a troubled implementation and we have learned a lot of lessons from that and we we have taken a completely different approach in this new endeavor it and I would add to that that this unlike the current solution this is a solution that is in use in other states has a proven track record they give us a lot more confidence and so we're we've been very happy with the with what we've seen so far were we able to retrieve any money from the bureau contract for failure to deliver or is that of gone issue. I don't think so and it was a completely different type of contract it was a I think with the call time and materials and this one is a fixed right okay contract and were up to two hundred million now on this one is that the did I add the numbers upright that were up to two hundred million on this program and yes how much of the it how much of that federal funded. Different pieces of it have different match rates and designed of and this is an integrated system so some of it is that ninety percent some of it is said that seventy five percent and twenty five percent and some of it is that fifty percent and fifty percent because the different federal agencies that fund the different programs don't all offer the same match rates across the projects so since this is an integrated project it's a blended rate and we have a cost allocation Tool that was in per approved in this combined advance planning document that our federal partners approved so it depends on what it is Okay rate is what you can be the cost to maintain it moving forward and what you can be the shelf life for this product as far as how long we're going to be able to utilize this and just talk about the the ability to adjust as we go and how much it's going to cost us because now we we've got program but now we get paid to keep it so just give me a heads up what we're expecting please. Sure for ongoing cost were asked may I believe around thirty five billion thirty five million for maintenance and operation of the system is is what's in our current contract and we were spending more than that to maintain answer in Kurram separately right we we're expecting that the the difference will be that will be spending roughly twenty percent less on going forward for the one system that we're spending now for two systems and last one is there a measurable. Or are we are we seen any. Dollar savings through this new system that will offset this thirty five million as far as what's come out of state general revenue. It's. I was just gonna say we we are expecting to benefit from efficiencies that this system will create you know as an example I had mentioned That we can work the case anywhere this this system is going to give us that type of flexibility this system is also going been designed so that notices that need to go to clients the system will generate the notices in many of our notices right now are are manually created by individual workers one by one and these this system will allow the notice to be actually cued up and sent to our commercial mail provider and county as what we have and to do that as I said one by one in the county so we're there are there are different things like that they're they're going to help us to be more efficient in the way that we operate our business are thank you Mr. We have no further questions but You know I I like the measured approach that you're doing the pilot taking time doing that over a period time in in the preparation that you get over to more than two years. Bring everybody on board so that's encouraging at least for me to see you all do that. And bringing us up to date on a regular basis so I appreciate you all doing that thank you very much thank you Mr chairman may I add one additional thing choice know that for those of you who represent the fob palette counties will be reaching out to you as well as other members we're going to make sure that we have some opportunities for you as members to keep even a daily update on how the Polish progressing when it starts in December so you can look for some communications from us here in the near future with more information about how you can keep up with this. Thank you thank you I did I just wanna thank thank you because this is I've been asking for this for years I mean I know you hate you know that I have been asking for this because it does make sense right if this can just make it a one stop shop in the client centered in client oriented and then let technology follow that instead of you know all these spots around you know you get the client information at an initial Ansett and then send it out to where it needs to go so this is this is huge and I have we continue down this path with all of the programs we offer to our clients thank you thank senator thank you. We'll move on to item G. and mark we're going to get you. You're you're down there for one of department Human Services and we're we're gonna look at a rule here rule regarding state plan amendments. So Janet man. It's coming for. Mister I don't want to wear out my welcome so. Give you to identify yourself for the record. Yes Sir my name is Elizabeth Pitman I'm deputy director for DMS I'm I'm here for Jean it today. You may proceed. Any person. Yes we're here to present today the state plan amendments and rule for the ambulance assessment and access payments I'm it's for private ambulance services across the state and we will be doing what we call an assessment of their revenue so that we can generate some state dollars that will then be turned around and paid into a pool for their and access payments and then access payment will be based on what we call the average commercial rate which is their Medicare Medicaid and and commercial pair rates and combined and will pay up to eighty percent U. P. L. or upper payment limit out to that average commercial right so and that is the plan we have been meeting with the ambulance association for the past two years to get this works three we've also been having conversations with CMS for about one year now and we received approval from CMS on August twenty eighth of this year so we do have CMS approval for this I'm very excited about that yes. Those are not easy to get or that it was not easy at all and so I'm happy to take any questions about about that payment or the tax. The you got a number of public comments here. Were you able to address all those public comments. Yes Sir and to make just to make sure everyone knows we have really been working with the ambulance association on this one so we we did not do a public hearing per se we talk to them ahead of time they presented it to their ambulance association decided to forego that formal process and so we did not actually receive comments from them we had quite an extensive review from the bureau and we answered all of their comments I bill or questions I believe adequately and particularly around with CMS is concerns were with the rule in and where what direction we had decided to go into it yes this. Seeing no further you have a question. Centerton you're recognized I just want to say there's a big thumbs up back there from the ambulance association and so thank you to the ambulance association DHS this is a lot of hard work members they I mean just phenomenal phenomenal work I'm so excited we finally got this through so thank you this is a great day yes we understand there was a lot of discussion a lot of communication. And we appreciate that this process that we need. So seeing no further questions without objection this rule stand as review thank you thank you. Okay a. Adam H. for a department of health. Your issue please come for. Going to. We do we get your name plate because you're gonna be there for awhile okay thank you a please enter this yourself for the record thank you Mr chair large you general counsel for the department of health I hope it's okay I brought with me managing attorney Jack Thompson he currently serves on the a lack committee and will be of great assistance for time occupational licensure questions. You may proceed thank you today we are here to percent for rules that are all and enacted and implemented to enforce at twenty nineteen acts the first one our our rules governing the licensure of interpreters between hearing individuals and individuals who are deaf deaf blind hard of hearing for world at. At the first revisions include adding automatic licensure for returning military veterans and their spouses under ACT eight twenty we also added the temporary provisional license amendments and compliance with ACT four twenty six and reciprocity in compliance with the act ten eleven we also reduce the fee for initial application and the licensure from one hundred twenty five dollars to ninety dollars we also reduce the annual fee from ninety dollars to seventy five dollars we had a public hearing and we received no public comments and we're happy to take any questions. See no questions without objection this rule stand as review. We'll move on to item H.. Thank you item H. I'm sorry. Hi and my. Item hi we are moving on to the roof rules for freestanding birthing centers in Arkansas we amended the rules to comply with act three fifteen of twenty nineteen to strike the word regulation we also added the reporting requirement for patients transferred to a hospital or other licensed healthcare facility in accordance with ACT nine seventy seven of twenty nineteen which was in response to Representative Ferguson act dealing with a known transfers at a patient from the care of a lay midwife. And we also answer the questions from the bureau of legislative research staff to clarify that the facility would be responsible for ensuring that the CDC guidelines for Matt. And we're happy to take any questions. Question. Bentley you're recognized. Thank you chairman do we have any freestanding birthing centers in the state of Arkansas at this time that you know we do not at this time I believe the nearest one Sir there's one in Louisiana and there's several in Texas but these rules are here just in case thank you. Seeing no further questions without objection this rule will stand as reviewed. So now we move on to item J.. Item J. R. rules for or thought it prosthetic and had or think providers in Arkansas we revise these rules to comply with the occupational licensure acts including ACT four twenty six dealing with the temporary licenses ACT eight twenty dealing with military members we also provided for ACT nine ninety background check requirements and ACT eleven dealing with reciprocity we received a couple of comments at the public comment skews me the public hearing on September third and we also answered the question for laci Johnson the attorney with the bureau of legislative research to provide for a reasonable time to do the criminal background check. And there's no financial impact on these rules and we're happy to answer any questions. Seeing no further questions without objection this rule will stand as reviews. And we'll move on to item Katy. I dedicate our our rules pertaining to milk thanks standards this is a new rule that we created and accordance with act two sixteen of twenty nineteen this establishes by rule standard for transporting processing and distributing commercial human breast milk on a for profit or nonprofit basis the department develop the standards based on the nationally recognized human but milk bank association of North America standards we also had our director of our laboratory review the standards to ensure health and safety the standards address issues a public health concerns regarding human milk such as donor screening serological test equipment temperature and lab standards and we're happy to take any questions. So. It skews me as I understand this this is pro active because we don't have any of these facilities in the state that correct. Chuck complimenting attorney eighty H. that's correct Mr chair they're no they're not currently in the state they're not all states about half the states and and the union have them because of lack of volume they a lot of folks sentence out of state no banks a lot of folks and to Texas Texas has two or three I believe so this is just a proactive measure if someone wants to go head start of milk bank in Arkansas so we have some some public health and safety standards in place. Nine. Seeing no further questions this rule without objection will stand as review. All right I think that's everything for you all thank you very much. Move on the committee want to move on to item ill health services subcommittee report Representative Deborah Ferguson and we got a report forms. Thank you Mr chair the Human Services joint subcommittee met this morning it TN and if you look under item AM we heard presentations from interim studies for item eight nine and ten on your agenda. Thank you. so committee on these ten I. S. P. is that we have at the subcommittee has heard All of these except one. So I would just like a motion to accept these interim studies. One that you want to pull out any further discussion on give me the number I'll mark that one and we'll discuss it otherwise we'll just I'll ask you to accept all ten of these. Okay have a motion to accept all ten I have a second. I have a second all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries. All right unless there's other business. We are adjourned.