Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC)

Good morning everybody colleague. Being legislative council to order we're going to start in prayer for your stand with me and I believe speaker shepherds are going to latest this morning. They're lord we thank you for this day the chip given us lord we thank you for this opportunity to do the work on behalf of the citizens of arkansas and I pray your blessings upon our state in our nation prelored that she would be with the men and women of our armed forces around the world to say defend and protect freedom lord I disaster she would be with each of us and and our families and constituents just got our thoughts and actions lord. Help us to go about your will please forgive us of our many stands and cheeses name operate a men. Thank you. Members if you had time to look over the minutes and i'd be glad to take a motion I have emotioned and the second to for the minutes are in favor say I opposed minutes or adopted. Without objection with or move case three the enemy resolution to the top in the glass that will be presented at this time. Uh center doubt in your recognized present you're interim resolution thank you mister chairman members this is a resolution it's a fairly lengthy resolution so i'm not going to read. All of the whereas is an in all that but i'll just read the title requesting that the arkansas legislative council will recognize the state of israel's right to use decisive force in defending its citizens and eliminating terrorist threats and reaffirm arkansas strong support for the state of israel. More than happy to answer any questions. Not seeing any questions all in favor of the internal resolution make it number saying I opposed it is unanimously adopted by thank you. The. Next apparent we have presentations by sectaria leaver. If the will come up. This. Please give you a formal introduction and we will recognize you'd give you report good morning thank you chair thank you members of the delegation my name is take a believe a secretary of education for the great state of arkansas. Just want to kind of give a little bit of an overview in a highlight of some of the wonderful things that are happened all across the state without our school systems is hard to believe that we're already at the time of the year where the first nine weeks is being concluded in students are starting to get their report cards I think we are off to a great start and really excited about some of the outcomes that were seeing some of the highlights that we want to share we we recently released school grades to that measures are stood the school's performance on on how they're performing and overall when we look at student performance for me every year about seventy two point four percent of the schools maintain the the same motor grade in about fourteen and a half percent of schools actually increase their letter grade and we were even able to highlight a few schools they made some significant games we call them schools on the move we had we had one school in the state last year they went from an f to AC so we're really proud of some of the work that we're seeing with our teachers and our leaders as we work for on improving learning. Some of the other priorities that were working on is roll informing implementation of promotation I throw out the last last legislative session our agency was tasked with developing and promigating seventy five rules which is pretty significant so we're going through the process you know i'm just kind of give an update on where we are with a lot of that work a lot of the rules of most of you are aware it came out of some of the requirements in the learns act that was signed into law in we established week we made a commitment to this legislative delegation that when when the lowest signed in into becoming effective that we were going to go through the rule making process and a clear and transparent manner and we have honored that commitment in fact we were extablished six working groups that meet often and regularly and they're made up of experts that we we we we literally put out a call to the state this is anybody that wants to offer their expertise and time to help us navigate through some recommendations to take the state board and ultimately to this delegation we welcome that we received over a thousand responses and then we we kind of narrowed those work groups down and those work groups are meeting and ongoing and there's a lot of progress being made already and as we're moving forward with that but some of the key kind of components that were really impact with learns that were able to update and provide a lot of progress on is kind of the real lining of early learning if you remember early learning was spread over a couple of different agencies and oversaw by many different divisions as of august first we're able to align all of early learning under our agencies umbrella and where I am we're continuing to make sure that every community has access to high quality child care and high quality early learning environments in some of the work that's happening in k twelve to support literacy we've done ongoing trainings updated standards working on establishing the unified coordinated private smarting system the debate has has gone out so we're going through the bids selection process to make sure that some place for the twenty four twenty five school year. But importantly we've actually deployed and they were ready to be in schools as of day one august tenth seventy eight literacy coaches that are working with school districts and in administrators and some of our highest need schools so we're able to offer that support in and keep that metric moving if you remember in our spring assessment one of those met benchmarks that were really honing in on is that third grade readiness rate and when we like that are spring assessment results for a third grade rating this rate in that came out for the since I take that assessment in march that came out every summer they show that thirty two point two percent of our third graders met that readiness rate so we know we got a lot to do to make sure that we can increase that number and build out that proficiency interestingly enough when we think about cohorts of students the third graders that take that assessment in spring were in kindergarten the year we came back from school after the pandemic when a lot of people may have been participating this since learning or hybrid schedules so we are working diligently to identify students they may have gaps and some of those foundation all literacy years were in the process of releasing a high impact tutoring grant that's going to be available tiscal district so that they can continue making sure that any gaps that have been identified well will be mitigated and that we can get students are tracking on on gray level. Additionally where we're working on a new assessment to replace the ects fire and it's called the atlas assessment of the architect teaching and learning assessment system that is on track to be in place for the spring of twenty four so that'll be a new assessment that's going to go back to and of course exams for all the biology and geometry and it's going to be a criteria in reference assessment size we've adopted new standards where making sure that it's really clear and easy for teachers and in parents and students to know what we expect them to know and learn they were also going to be realized releasing assessment blueprints and items that tell the the teachers how we're going to measure whether or not students are learning what we expect and learn and that'll be the the new assessment of system assessment that replaces the ect this fire so is as we continue to go through this school year with implementation on a lot of this legislative priorities we're still continuing to work on the crew rate in this component one of the big tasks that we were we were given and II think it's really exciting and innovative is to develop a current technical education high school the palmer so the work groups are are working on that so that we can identify whatever programs would our stack will credentials with our credentials a value how do we define a program completer to me expectations continue to support the expansion of early learning we we actually recently put out a call where were were established in a statewide network of experts and leads in that space and we we had about thirty people respond that they want to work and that so we're going to start with some pilot programs to designate people that are in community that can help smaller providers with training and curriculum and support for high quality always working on improving teacher quality and as as we know we were able to raise the minimum teacher salary to at least fifty thousand dollars for the school years the school districts are able to recruit retain recognize i'm some of the best educators that we can find in the states on parallel empowerment. What you have before I report that's been asked to be accepted on where we are with the update of education freedom accounts in the progress that we're making in in year one and I think it's kind of interesting where we're already see the impact of what the state has done and and made a commitment to parent employment there there's some national agencies that rank states want through fifty and give them grades on how they do a merry out of different topics well the alec organization recently pran about less through three or four weeks ago released their nations rankings and report cards for how states are dealing with parent empowerment historically in in those subjects arkansas usually gets about a sea grade and is breaks in the middle of the pack some i'm excited a report is at a commitment of this legislation in the administration in the hard work of all the individuals that in this most recent ranking arkansas received an a grade and was ranked number two in the nation and power in parameters on the lights to sell a rate there. Continuing to work on school safety is something that we're always going to be engaged in although that keeping students safe is our number one priority improving learning as always the expectation but making sure we're doing everything we can to keep on campus to see if it's something that the work groups are always looking for recommendations and best practices and to move forward. And then the teaching and learning work group is considerably looking at how do we make sure we're giving teachers the right resources they need the right trains they need to meet the needs of our students so not really happy to be able to be here today entertain any questions and provide unlocked the wonderful things that are happening throughout the state. That concludes my remarks and i've got a few questions. Seat seventeen. You're reckoned. Thank you mister chair of just want to say first of all thank you secretary leave it i've seen a lot where you guys have gone out in recognized teachers in the classrooms that have showed consistent growth so I think that celebration is great so that's that's great to see that hope that continues the question I have is where you guys on promulgating the process of that teacher kind of the ten thousand dollars bonus for those what were yet on there so I think that's a great question that's one of the top except to teaching and learning where group is is currently working on and there there are getting to a land spot because one of the challenges that that we want to make sure is that when we're doing that marriage payer incentive of the dollars that have been allocated where teachers can earn up to ten thousand dollars is that we don't unintentionally conclude somebody from being able to be eligible we want everybody that's making an impact on improving student outcomes to have that opportunity so for a test this subject areas where you may have a consistent statement exam it's easy to kind of measure whether or not they're having that impact but when you get into some of the new ones is say like a band director or or somebody that's having a wonderful impact in in teaching music and I class may not have a test that subject area what is some of that criteria that we can say they're having an impact maybe they're in a low performing school maybe there in a a hard to staff area how do we can I tear and get those points II would like to say in the next month or so we're going to have some recommendations that we would look at for developing that rubric so that everybody that can demonstrate that that hype level of performance the consistency is eligible to apply because we want to recognize these educators as soon as we can get those dollars to them that they will deserve. Thank you thank you mister chair. They groups and car center leading your reckon a. Thank you mister chair good morning it's a secretary just real quick some of its visited with administrative staff back in favor public school struggle this week and there were some confusion among the ministration about the state match for the paid family leave policy that was put in place under learns the districts interpretation of the memo that received was that the state would only agree to meet half of the cost of a substitute to replace the the member on leave but after talking with some of your staff yesterday my understanding is that that's only in the instance where the district charges back the cost of the substitute to the member on leave of a district agrees not the chargeback that expense the state will meet them halfway on the cost of the member on leave and the substitute is that correct that's my understanding and we believe that's destination and we we were able to establish some guidance because we we have we have teachers that are already eligible to participate and we don't want to take hinder the school district from it and with a participant such a wonderful initiative so we're going to go through the rules and then then we can codify that because the intent is that it's a to rematch the there's a true match for the teacher too much for the serving extra match to do that so we we if we got to get some clarity on that would be happy to do that thank you thank you mister chair. Reps and back you recognized thank you mister thanks second big task and looks like you gaza also a good start on that so we appreciate your efforts the question I had was just thinking back when we were talking about when we changed over the different assessment tests that we were going and I heard you say that we're going to another one there's there was some time there were you know we were trying to compare apple solutions as far as how the students were doing because we were actually using two different test so my question is. Have you guys developed a little what is your plan the kind of sale can this this is how you're going to compare this transition to this new test and all that's a woman will know how the students are doing II think that's a great question and I want I want to say that went to me when they most exciting parts that were doing as far as building on a system that guide clear and concise language that's making sure that we have high quality standards for teachers to know what's expected of students to learn but then an assessment that matches that standard one of the challenges I think the status founder their schools are found with the act aspiracism it's not that it was a bad assessment but it was measure and college increasing not necessarily the content that teachers were teaching so we're going back to saying if you're in geometry at the end of geometry you're going to take a geometry exam to measure whether or not they student learn job on the current assessment sometimes there is confusion and and I and I use an example where say you're teaching ninth grade biology right so that's a life science your task with each and biology there's not an end of course example biology and the teacher is assigned to teach that course but their students are being assessed on a great level assessment that could be half biology and have fiscal science so there's a teacher I have to stop teaching biology to teach to a test or it is a teacher just only teach biology and I wonder why we're not getting a results on it tests so step one is we're going back to making sure this tests are alone with the criteria that we expect the students to be able to demonstrate mastering out. At the end of this assessment and this is where people are going to have to exercise patience when we're used to getting test results in having clear definitions of what those assessments mean and what is that look like for school grades we have to take all that rough data and go through it's called the standard setting process which is a very complicated process where you take the raw data and do a full thorough examination because we have to have new definitions of what is it mean to be level one what does it mean to be level to what does it mean to be level three what doesn't mean to be level for on a new assessment in the find those cuts course once as cuts gorgeour defined you can do an equipment tower linking from a new assessment to the old assessment to get some kind of overall they answer to see how students are comparing but it is going to be a new assessment with new data so it's not going to be a perfect linking image but we will have better understanding on our students learning or making gains from previous year and how are they doing based on the new criteria and assessment exams that we're putting forth. The. Reps in the laden you go question thank you missed chairman over here thank you for me here sector leave I know you've been busy as in the media and on social media you've been around the state a lot so thank you for yard work but I want to congratulate you on going from AC to an a parental involvement nationally at some people may not realize how hard that is but I know it's very difficult to jump that much in the national report so congratulations i'm doing that my question he is is there a national organization who puts out a report on work preparedness similar to the ad in if there is one does that report come out are you aware of any. That's a good question I i'm not sure if there's a national report on work preparing as there are some national studies that measure states attainment and when they define a team and they use kind of sensors date and other data that looks at the number of individuals that are twenty five years or older than have at least a high school the parma have taken some college have earned an initial certificate and maybe has a vouchers and beyond I want to say if the summer is going to be close that the last year participant had archive had about eighty two point seven percent of individuals that meant a team meant. Which sounds pretty promising but it ranked arkansas forty out of fifty so we know we have worked to do to make sure that even that simple bench mark of are all of our students graduated with a high school of palm because that's the first step to gateway of being successful in in just life in general I want to see in that last report that I looked at it was around five percent of the the people that are in that so there won't be sooner than adults twenty five and all five percent of the people in that population didn't even make it to nice grade so we wait we know this is why we're doing the work we're doing to make sure that the systems the line and setting people to be up for a success to get across the finish line in that's probably that national ranking that I would look at is that a team and report and we'd be happy to get that too on one more follow up real quick the work group is working in that area are they is there anyone from industry or the actual working work force on committee or are they working with folks where what we're doing in school matches up with what industry in other areas need and what exactly has to and so the work the work group committee members and we have they're all this poral who who's on this commission where they're from have to work with industry to make sure that what we're preparing students for is a line and I think one of the things that's great about governor sanders making this priorities she's actually established a work for his cabinet where we meet as agency heads where the director mike rogers to talk about this the limit in part of what their group is gonna go through is is identify with our high school high what is a definition for this day for high school highways and what is that look like in different regions because if you go across a different reaches at the state industry that may be aligned or preparing students for may look very different in the north west first the southeast so as we go through how do we support school that districts how to we align technical centers how to we line are are stay college in university system to make sure that we're putting us. People there are going to be able to transmission into the work for successfully thank you miss sector. Ribson and even recognize. Thank you miss chairman the mister leave secretly just real quick question i'm seen on social media now i've had some constituents call me about the freedom accounts and somehow with what the department's put out they have an idea that ninety five percent of recipients are families or children who are already enrolled in private school and i'm having trouble understanding how that's even possible based on the criteria that it takes in the first year to qualify for those accounts and i've seen the same data is that accurate and if not can you give me a breakdown on what what's happening there and why people seem to think that's the case sure this so sometimes headlines are misleading I know that might be a surprise to many people in this room. If if you look at the majority of students that are participating in the scholarship for first time when they're trying to say they were already attending a private school or intended to entire private score you have to remember that most there's there's a set of their student population that was participating in the sixties scholarship so they were already attending private schools based on a scholarship program that was set up in place by the state for students especially needs. Well that program had a cab where we're finding as the majority of their students that are participating full time also our families with students the special needs that would have qualified for the criteria and it succeeds gates scholarship but there wasn't enough seats for them now they're able to participate in a program that they've long intended to participate in so II think when you look at providing choice and parent opportunities I it goes back to a one size fits all approach doesn't meet the needs of every stood in a family and in students are and families are having access to finding an environment that were expressed for them thank you thank you for the report sector labour precedent you've been here today members next step we have a department transformation insured services misleslie biscuit news. I want to give that report. Well got me for identify yourself and you recognize reserve. The. I'm good morning i'm leslie for skin and the back first week as secretary of transformation and shared services. The. I'm kay barnhill the state personnel director. I'm alex chance then chief of sorry per my voice. I'm good morning thank you for having us here I don't want it to take up too much of your time or give you information that they are already aware of as you know transformation insurance services is the newest department that was established in twenty nineteen and we have seven divisions. Three hundred and thirty employees. Umm each of our divisions are doing great work we got our leadership team here division of building authority and the employee benefits division geographic information systems division of information services office of personal management and then our arkansas states are applies. I think we provided you with a printed out power point that gives you a summary of latest achievements of tsres one thing I thought we would just start with because it's went in my five weeks here it's what i've heard about most associated with the office of personal management I think there's the most interested i'm in that in evaluating our states pay plan. This is something t s us has been working on in my previous position as cabinet affairs director for governor seniors this is a project that I was tasked worth to work with ts and the governor's team and also working with you as the legislature on looking at evaluating our pay plan and our merit system. So we also are working closely with our partners at dfa on financing and any type of fiscal impact and re evaluating we are looking to address issues that we've heard from all of you as well as your constituents we right now we have a meeting planned with leadership for next month to discuss items to move forward on how we could make some improvements on this plan we also are working. At no cost to the state what the consultant that's looking at the overall organizational structure of state government also specifically looking at or pay plan and looking at changes that we could make those recommendations from a consultant our forthcoming they as you can imagine that that will take time it will be several months before we could get a full analysis of that but we would like to move quickly and put measures and plays to make sure that we are properly compensating all of the employees giving everyone information. As wim as we may be hard with those programs. And the so i'm gonna go back to the top on division of building authority are the division of building authority under amlay los supermarket has made great progress in reducing all the energy consumption over the past several years and decreased that which is also decreased or energy conception and of course any funds that were spending and they are so dba has also been able to find renovations of three hundred and eighty six thousand square feet what the state buildings. I'm moving the acts to geographic information systems I know a lot of you have worked with shobby johnson and his team their supporting the implementation of a statewide next generation a non one one sister and they also are supporting cities and counties on the street mind sales and use tax collection and at point of delivery which is based on using the address file. Our division of information systems which is basically all things it and high tech in the state i'm cyber security as your legislator body passed two pieces of legislation during this last session associated with sober security and sabra response act five or four and act eight forty circs working to have a centralized network infrastructure and working to insurer all parts of arkansas data and our system or save our employee benefits division has improved customer service they've increased communications increased training and they also have created several self service and capabilities for members and just for your awareness I didn't know this number e d has over a hundred thousand active members and about fifty five thousand retirees across all benefits plans and they're serving a huge huge part of our stay in grant walls and his team are doing great work with as for arkansas state surplus philip call is here today they're of course the marketing redistribution of all of. Furnitures and big stores that come back from the state from the departments are sold here there's last year for four million four million and sales and they also have implemented a new software system which as we know changing software can be very hard and challenging just like when we update our iphone and things like different but this is how to very good impact on our states are applies I think it's made it much more efficient and organized for the departments that are sending items to surprise and it's also made it much more organized and efficient on the receiving and too. A office of state procurement I know all of you have worked with at armstrong on many um many projects over the years he threw a new act has implemented and state what contracts for common purchases this would be for example office suppliers so for all departments right now in the state of arkansas if different departments were purchasing pencils and pans that were all different types of vendors different prices and so now they made it more centralized for the state right now has you can we've contracted with amazon were energy into a contract with walmart and were also negotiating on other contracts for those common good purchases. And and the office of personal maintenance matter i've got this barnhill on her team or here as well and working on everything from the hiring freeze to the are improving the are recruiting system working with linked and they also are improving a state on internship program that is includes i'm college students as well as we're working on partnering with the law schools as well and some of the schools that you mast to really try to build and and bring those young recruits into the state through these internship programs. That that's our presentation for today we're happy to answer any questions. Thank you center hammer you reckon take your shared thank you leslie for the report this morning on that last point used made about the hiring freeze can you just maybe give me a better explanation warranter a hiring freeze but yet in personnel we keep hiring and redirecting positions could you just counter give a lot of ever rationale for that please. Yes barnhall what we're doing with a hiring freeze as trying to evaluate every position that comes forward as to the necessity for it but the department's operations so would that process we do review all of those were review are request for over one hundred thousand dollars for employees but what we're trying to do there is make sure the departments have explored all options as to how they could stream on their services so what we end up bringing to you are those that have their request of them are reviewed and approved and will bring into for special compensation nations on them to personal comment one of the question but which might pull the michael or closer if I may miss you. When it comes to areas like the human development center arkansas health service center the surveyors that are going out public health all those areas where there you know boots on the ground. Hame positions have been approved for those denour can you get that for me I can get that for you but I can tell you that most of our direct cares are nurses are people at the human development centers are exhibited from the hiring price a lot of those positions down in come there at all okay but thank you for damage here. The. Search gain you recognize thank you mister miss barnel I mean I know your personnel and upshirt personal before so we had the slice issue of a. Sixteen million dollars going out to erase for five thousand something employees on these merit bonuses whatever you want to call it in each started from the two seven two thousand seventeen bill that did away with the other program I mean. I think this next physical session I mean I hope to have some discussion about this that we go back to the old system of colors in all that because this is was not good and I didn't go for the two thousand and seventeen bill because it was just a bad path to go down that lettuce to this point I think we need to reverse that and go back and I mean certainly I don't know if attached to an appropriation bill or whatever we need to do but that's my opinion so I hope to have some more discussions with you about that. Thank. Gender hammer did you have another question. The. Yeah. Just a minute. Yeah. Direct me to him thank you michier kay i'm not sure the super place be asking or maybe it's coming down the agenda in the personnel i'm not sure about asking out representation as for information about the total cost of what we approved in personnel if because we're talking about personnel now do you have those numbers okay and miss chairman should be probably an hour of your way to the person that reports given but I just want to know you've got the information today we can wait to person okay thank you. Not too many more questions thank you for being here today. Thank you said urban recognize you for correct personal privilege thank you mister chair. I believe there's somebody here from pbs that may want to come up. On october eighteenth and email was sent out to the arkansas congressional delegation state legislators and community leaders and within that email the minutes that this was sent out by courtney pledger who's the executive director and ceo of arkansas pbs and endless email it states that you can watch on previous streamed meetings quote a press conference on medicaid cuts and then again in arkansas week it mentions again medicaid cuts. And so I immediately send an email and respond to say where was medicaid cut when was it cut and it was not done by this legislature and this is false information that has been put out and it needs to be corrected and so i've asked them to do that. I have asked them I believe. There is a presentation by dhs in july and of september of this year at the public health committee meetings I do not believe anybody from pbs attended either one of those meetings i'm not sure if they've ever joined the live stream to to cast that live stream of those meetings onto their network but it's inaccurate information to refer to medicaid cuts. That's inaccurate and it needed to be corrected and i've invited them to come here before us and to correct this and to apologize to the people of dhs and specifically to the secretary of dhs and to the employees of dhs who are following the federal law and the state law. Alturn it over to their representative that they sent here today because miss pledger declined to be here please identify yourself. Good morning karen watkins cfo arkansas pbs or economic response. Yeah. Senator urban we we do regret the inaccurate information that was broadcast on arkansas regarding the medicaid program uhm. Unwinding of then a benefits to uhm beneficiaries who remained on the medicaid roles during after the public. Health emergency actual ever prepared statement i'm just gonna read and then i'll answer any questions that you all have we did take down the. A video. That was on our can this morning for the democratic party press conference concerning medicaid that was taken off of the website this morning so our prepared statement is that we do certainly regret the editorial error that was brought into question by you senator urban surrounding the states in winding of medicaid benefits to some current recipients following the federally mandated return of normal eligibility rules set by congress in the centers for medicaid medicaid services the agency should have done better research prior to the airing of this program and invited someone from DHS to participate on the panel that was. You know an oversight to not have happened. Um it should have been clearly stated during the program that there was a medicaid continuous enrollment requirement in place during the public health emergency that suspended the normal eligibility determination process we would like to state that there was no malicious intent on the part of arkansas pbs with the use of the word cuts when referring to the unwinding it was. An editorial oversight that were addressing with our team and you know the word cut was used as a short short hand term the unintentionally mischaracterized the work that DHS is performing to comply with federal law related to the medicare program and we we do apologize for the use of that term and the miss characterization of what happening right now with the medicaid program in arkansas our public affairs program arkansas we came to be fair neutral and impartial when facilitating discussion on current topics of interest in arkansas and we're implementing measures to improve our review processes for communications production and programming because accuracy is our goal and will continue to be goal as we work on addressing some of these. Challenges. Thank you. For the members of the legislature the final numbers of the winding process have been published by dhs I will be emailing every member of the legislature that powerpoint presentation about dhs I was sent to us and I believe they share with the legislative black cars this week so you will look for that in your email address and we will have a copy of it a public health committee meeting next tuesday and and we would invite pbs to always to nan enter to cover the facts as presented to the committees thank you go german word lower thank you miss chair. Last week we had an audit meeting and it was quite a few questions in the subcommittee and then on friday morning you guys did not show up at all for the report from that subcommittee meeting can you explain to me why you thought you didn't have to be there friday for audit. You turned it off i'm sorry. And there was there was some confusion I apologize representative or la for not I agree there's a lot of confusion about those invoices but I think it's important that you got show up to the committees and be able to answer those questions and bring it a date of this prudent to the two thousand questions so that they can be answered in a committee. We agree and I agree. There was. The. There was mentioned in the added committee meeting of the report being filed on thursday and you had requested information prior to friday that you did not receive in a timely fashion so I apologize for that we were under the impression that the report had been filed and no further action other than what you had requested in the meeting was required so and allowing you been in your position. Since february thank you. Replacement shortly in fact regular thank you mister chair we talked a little bit a go about things that make headlines and things that don't make headlines will your correction be in any way presented in a way that would make headlines will you be having a panel talking about the correction and the mistake that you made and making sure that that information gets out everywhere. The. I don't have the authority to authorize where it goes on to programs but I will raise this request with the executive director and. We were will make every effort to comply and. You know perhaps recommend a follow up medicaid. Panel and invite dhs to participate on the panel. The. The. Thank you. Err mr bigger shepherd your recorder thank you mister chairman. I'm over over here so my understanding is you're the cfo of pbs is that correct of arkansas pbs you don't have any control over the editorial comment can ten of emails or program and correct that is correct can you sing urban edps in a request I think to the director or pointed this out and I take it that you were who pbs and over to deliver that message is that correct. That is correct the chief operating officer of the agency retired earlier this month. And so even though you have no control of editorial content the cfo is who are consulted pbs since over to to fill these questions and to deliver this this message I just I mean quite honestly I feel like that they put you in a bad position to be here and when you had nothing to do with that can't in I appreciate the fact that you don't have delivered the message to the committee but from from a standpoint of. Organizational leadership responsibility and other things I think it's unfortunate that that the that arguments are pbs put you in this position now the question is a representative of word laws ask about finances obviously that's within you your area of responsibility control but I think it's very unfortunate that you were put in this position I appreciate the fact that you've delivered that message and hopefully in the future when issues arise individuals that who actually have the responsibility related to will be the ones to show up thank you. Representative lady when you recognize thank you mr speaker i'm right here. Why is the director or the person as the speaker just mentioned. The person is responsible for that not here the senator specifically asked for that person why are they not here why did they not show up to work when it's their job to be here. Can you answer there the executive director had already made plans to be out of town today. It was. In an advance of the request by sender urban the plants were made for her to be out of town today we'll we sometime have plans to be out of town and they have to be changed this is important they should be here rdhers employees showed up for work for over a year planning this window sent urban and II was terrible public health back during this time when that planning was being done we met regularly with our dhs employees they were they continued to check everybody that was medicaid they knew when the wine down started who was not eligible because they continue to do that work for a year even all the federal government said that everybody had to stay on that and i'm not questioning there but we knew because of the hard work of our DHS employees and we were one of the best states we were on the first states to start the window and want the best states that implementing the window but when you read the media. Comments and articles. You know that they're not being honest with the people of arkansas. A lot of these people requested to be dropped off medicaid because they knew they were not eligible. So when someone is as a job and they're asked to show up before this body I believe they should be here would you agree I do agree. See no aggression thank you for being here please express the concerned you've heard back to the director. I will thank you thank you members were going now to the revenue report doctor saver you are app thank you doc being patient with us and you're recognized. Thank mr chairman carl silver bureau of the legislative research i'm your staff and should I am here to talk about september twenty twenty three revenue report that's a first quarter of this fiscal year we had a two point zero five seven billion dollars collected after taking initial adjustments that is down twenty two point four million dollars from last year it's a one point one percent decline s we take some after tops there we gonna have a net available one point seven seventy six billion dollars against a decline of seventy three point three million dollars or four percent those who expect they would some to change they have happened as we move forward to page number two you you're gonna see that even though have those declines is still above the forecast so we have a tort of a hundred in a million dollars above forecast that in the forecast did include some surplus. As we moved move from page to each paid five we have general revenue collections and form page six forward we have special revenue use we are keeping track on commodities as they have to be volatile in that last year so and you gonna see some larger changes there and they wouldn't reflect what will is going on for example aviation taxes you're gonna see that is a decline there but you reality have increased some people flying and so on but jet few taxes have gone down significantly since last year so that's why we have some of the changes I want to talk about craps crop year as right now that they don't have sds pretty good have increased accounts have increased yields out be expected something increase in the end of this fiscal year down those collections but as right now we have a lot of those numbers there are based on last year and and been dragging on but with that i'll take any further questions thank you thank you very getting and recognize required think mysterious I just mister I have more questions for dfa that come up have a few questions. The baby dear for their community. The. Yeah. Good morning in far well I didn't affair you say. A robert breck dfa. Is that on witness glass and department finance and administration. Thank you michael so you know i've been very vocal about the spending patterns of exponentially increasing spending at these times I mean it just came out here recently are consoled for economy is not projected to do what I was going to do worse than previous years are. You know our economy is number one is according so that's not looking good now we've just had this is real thing on top of the ukraine thing you have the things in washington dc. Is there any. Concerned or anything that we need to change our spending patterns in keep increasing spending. Are we just gonna keep going I mean any concerns that you have of spending and this is maybe in the projections. But anything at all that says we need a caution this spend a ballooser plan that we're on well i'd like to give some your congratulations to the legislature arkansas on the few states is actually held spending down her we've stayed below three percent you know since the revenue started flowing in we've still stayed below three percent I looked at some reports nationally some states raise their spending fifteen twenty percent they just the raise their spending as the more money came in as that revenue drops off there they're going to have some and I difficult is california when from a very large surplus and to a deficit I think by keeping the arrow say three percent arkansas really put itself in a good position. Where if the revenues do drop off because what we have rejected in the in the revenues and the actual collections and the money we've set aside even if things do go take a huge downturn I think arkansas and a very good place much better than I mean what we disagree on that happened through that it went there that two thousand and recent spending in and when so there's didn't seem to be any change in there so you know i'm not going to get into the learns of mechanics how that's being done but that's going to be increasing spending then keeps coming is there anything that you're looking at as far as the cash for all problem in this thing into the danger part and I mean you've just answered it you're not we're count known future growth coming in I mean i'm going to be the former the pessimist and somebody has been down here whenever we kept spending and should know of and then had budget short bills and then had depend on bailouts to get us out of it but is there anything that you're doing to cash for look at the casual situation the large program in the increase in cost and where that money is going to come from rather than depend on this future growth that we are running. Try and help and gamble it comes in or keep in mind if you look at the growth of arkansas revenues going back twenty twenty five years it's it's more than a made up for the three percent growth three percent growth is about average for the rosa when you look back traditionally so am I concerned yes we did when it with the learns act because it was a an expensive proposition we actually we have those projections made out we went out four years just to ensure that we could do that and we put a hundred million dollars into the department of education of this year or we will next year but we've we've had all that projected I think we're in good shape to be honest now we differ on that you know we can look back at three percent growth when it didn't happen this has been the problem of state legislators in the federal government dependent on bailouts were then going through shortfalls we went through two big day allowance I think we're just in a mode the next question is some looking at the cash for low problem and in what's going to happen if those future growth problems I mean like I said i'm coming from a broadcast perspective of way to the haze in the bar and I don't at this point time you know the in this economy with it propped up all this federal money debt written money congressway is all this stuff i'm very sceptical accountant on future growth to be able to take your so will move on the second question is when we looked at the last thing that's going to be increased in spending and growth that I think it was failed this last session is this the prisons and how we're going to deal with that issue I mean if you look at what was said during the session the prison was three thousand bads and four hundred and seventy million was what the cost was that was thrown out is that around correct i've heard i've heard the four hundred and seventy million dollar figure but i'm not sure that it comes from. All the money that i'm aware of that that is men and set aside there's three hundred and thirty million dollars in the restricted reserve set aside for prisons and also there were seventy five million dollars of a set of side for the calicoroc expansion if they want to I think they're going to forgot the calicorate expansion in in put out money in a three thousand bed prison as far as i'm aware there's four hundred and five million dollars available yeah in if we want to look at like alabama for example it's just I don't know what states are but they're near and completion to their prison that is one point one billion dollars that's been published already that that's going to cost and that's for a four thousand bedroom so somehow this figures being thrown out that we're going to build a prison for four hundred and seventy million dollars and it's gonna have three thousand beds so i'd just like some information I mean obviously the learns thing we're not showing how we can cash below that or what's going to happen if we don't have the future grow you say your counter on the future growth i'm just asking what's the plan if we don't have the future growth there on large how to pay for it to second party is if you can give me the figures in shop walk me through this again of how you're going to pray for this because alabama just build a prison for one point one billion. That is four thousand beds were somehow going to build and you have to understand that alabama prison if you look and studies situation I used to be in the construction business you know when you start losing money on a project I mean I remember you know you can on the p and l sheet on some construction projects you can forget about the p you're just trying to minimize the ill whenever your instead account and pounds and nails you're out there count in individual nails it's going to be used on it yeah i'm not mister chairman might we've had a lot of discussion on other stuff this is about four this is about a serious discussion about prisons so i'm just saying what is our cash for a problem and give any example that's been purplished this alabama prison was built years ago so you look at this period of time that it started and what it costs to get it to one point one b into four thousand beds if they would have started that new prison what would it be it probably be much more than one point one billion i'm just saying we're out just want to see a cash well plan on how to pay for this in five years that's it yeah and I don't have the specifics about alabama or any other prison or what the prison here might cost but I can tell you that before they can start construction they're going to have to have a method of finance of how that's going to be prepaid for in right now there's four hundred and five million dollars that spend the set aside for that purpose yeah you know I just want to see a cash for plan of like what is going to happen over the next five years of how to pay for this in a reevaluation of costco's address alabama's situation I don't see this happen will keep in mind that arkansas has a very unique system in a very efficient system because as if there is a casual problem and even if we do grow the rsa at three percent and it comes in let's say that revenues drop three percent stuff ago at three percent the way the rsa is built in the way that their system operates all budgets or adjusted accordingly and we will not we cannot. Deficit spend so that's a huge advantage over some states i'm happy it's that way if we do over budget and then we have that mechanism to cut all budgets and if not I can tell you right now we do not have a cash on problem right now we don't have a case for a problem but i'm just saying i'll fully understand rsa but once that didn't happen with the three percent growth then everything changes where we're going to have to be looking at things used to in the old days we sit there and say if you want a tax cut you had to show how the revenue dropping out you're going to pick forward if you had you know increase in government spending you have to show how you pay forward i'm just saying there is a serious red flag with this prison issue and look into address it because the episode is this they came out here lately no one wants to talk about is that arkansas or capital was rated the worst crime in the nation okay that's what's happening out there today and it happens because a fall way back to two thousand eleven when it started not addressing this issue so i'd just would sit down with you I would be more happy to is somebody two thousand seventeen it took on this issue and showed how to cash flow and how to pay for it I would just appreciate that we look at it but I think that we need to have a serious relook at how we're going to cash flow and pay for these incrementally spending programs that are either without future account non future growth because of the economy everything going on today the second party is this other prison situation that's popped up that alabama could be comparison to to arkansas because concrete is going to cost concrete where there's an alabama arkansas so anyway I just appreciate was looking at cash for a problem let's look at something not counting out a future growth how we go to paperwork adjust rather than get to that point and in say hey what happened that's almost one but will keep in mind if the cash flow problem does if it does surface then the rsa will be cut we have we cannot deficit spend and we cannot pass a budget that that's not going to to balance so that in order to. I just want to know what we're going to do if that doesn't happen okay that's what you have to do in the real world and we're going to tackle these projects we need it start in this economy and everything going on we need to start count on how you going to pay your do something without counting future that's it they search getting certain days to recognize. Thank you mr chair I just wanted to say that you know we took a lot of time in the way that we structured learns in the spinning of learns and I just wanted to clarify i'd hate to see a headline that says learns is going to have a cash flow problem in a few years I like that's a very irresponsible thing to be saying here in committee but one of the reasons it took so long for us to file learns as we were working through the financials to ensure that whatever we did it would be sustainable in perpetuity so the money that we used in learns that we the arpa money that we used and learns we made sure that over the next two years while learns becomes fully implemented that there would be cost savings at the department so the department of ad is working very intelligently in husband for a month now and will continue you to in the years ahead look for ways to reallocate maybe wasteful spending or contracts that aren't needed or just things that aren't quite efficient in the department of ad so it's not even just about cash flow it's about them looking at the efficiencies and the money that they're spending in the agency and reallocating it to cover the money we're spending right now with arpa funds in learns to be able to cover that long term and it be sustainable regardless of cash flower you know whatever else senator king is saying that's just completely and accurate I just wanted to clear at the record on that and say there are no cash flow problems with learns there won't be in the future one because of the way mr wreck is saying that we work operate with our state budget but also because the department of ed is working diligently to find cost savings to cover that so there's no issues there so I just want to make sure we don't end up seeing a headline scene learns long term house cash from problems it does not we took time to make sure that it would be physically solvent it will be and the agency is working diligently to ensure that that happens thank you thank you appreciate you i've been here today thank you doctor silver for your report going to my co chair word law for. A executive serve committee report fingers chaired executive so committee met on thursday october nineteenth and heard from representatives from the interest farmer nor saw school more association and other consultants met as adams and lead concerning the study on education facilities property insurance and some committee will meet again on november sixteenth to hear prestations from the consultants concerning whether modeling and it's impact on property and transfer those facilities and I encourage all members of alc and alternates to a ten and participate in these meetings which chair if I can have a little lead way I want to make a statement participation in two studies that are going on in a lc right now are very important there are currently two of these going on the first as a school property insurance study being undertaken by the executive subcommittee the study is very similar to the ebd study that is just being completed this study came about because it was significant proper school property insurance increases experienced this year the governor requested eleven million dollars out of restrict reserve which was a probable c to assist the schools in paying this increase the second study is the arks office sealed carry law study being undertaken by the game of fish and state police subcommittee this study what take a look at all our own laws in the state determinance a revisions in state law to clarify any conflicts and misinterpretations by state agencies both of these studies were resulted in proposed legislation they will have a direct impact on your school districts your institutions of hired and your constituents I can insure you now from the from looking back then at some point you will hear from a superintendent I could say to an questions or complaints about either of these two issues therefore I am encouraging you once again to attend these meetings in each of these subcommittees have already scheduled meetings throughout the next year your participation input is very important to move forward with these two issues. The. Also I would like to remind you guys that there will be a rule change to council in the november alc due to act eleven of the special session that were just added one new vote threshold for the arks all reserve fund account that's just for information so that that's not a surprise in november so if that I move report per adoption of the report mr thank you or law not seeing a question to have a motion of the second. So I can't owned by where I posed now it is adopted are going to rules representative evans you are recognized. Thank you mister chair administrator rules subcommittee met on thursday october the nineteenth. Pursue it to act five ninety five twenty one the subcommittee received agency updates on outstanding room making filed monthly written updates and approved agency request for exclusion for mac five ninety five reporting requirements. One rule was held by the sub committee for consideration at its november meeting pending receipt of information requested by the sub committee all of the rules reviewed and approved a move for the adoption of the report. The promotion of second. They can on favor I posed reporters adopted next we're going to the ebd oversight center he recognized. Thank you mister chair the ebd oversight subcommittee met on wednesday october eighteenth twenty twenty three the single group provide an update on the medicare advantage prescription drug problem savings and presenter report on diabetes medicate medication utilization and management the subcommittee reviewed and approved the colonial life and accident insurance company contract amendment for additional services through november twenty second twenty twenty four a move for adoption of the report mr chair. Thank you for the report I have second. Take it on favor I both thank you for the report center hooky next up game and fish state beliefs so committee senator hill you are recognized excuse me representative miller you recognize thank you mister chair. The game in fair state believe subcommittee met thursday to discuss arguments on firearms and can still carry law study in timeline I made the following comments regarding the upcoming meetings above a comment beginning with our meetings in november there will be an opportunity for the public to provide comments of subcommittee on each of the tomics topics will you take up in the study there will be a link on the general assembly website for public comment sign up and there will be a sign up sheet at the committee meeting only those members of the public who have signed up in one of those two ways will be allowed to come forward and present their comments to the subject mary. Uh regarding member participation I want to invite and encourage all members of the general assembly to attend these meetings and participate as we work towards recommendations to preset to the legacy of council next year although only members of the subcommittee will be permitted to make motions and vote on the recommendations during this phase we welcome input from all members of the jail assembly uh next our next meeting will be monday november the thirteenth at one PM in this room and we will begin hearing information presentations regarding federal laws related to firearms i'm overdoction of a report. They represented miller and have a second. Circuit own favor that lobby reports they proposed product is adopted next to power education center solvent you have a report. Thank you mister chair the hired subcommittee met jointly with joint performance review committee on monday october sixteenth twenty twenty three the subcommittee heard testimony from multiple institutions of higher ed regarding their diversity equity and inclusion survey responses mister chair move for adoption of this report that you have a second take an own favor adopted boards I both report is adopted acceptable lottery oversat to represent him. Mark in. The lattery oversight committee met tuesday and her testimony on the office of arkansas lottery activities and operations report and reviewed rules and contracts the rules were reviewed and approved the subcommittee voted to file report on the business that was carried over I move adoption of the report. Thank you have a motion of second second old favorite I bowed report is adopted. Number ten medical marijuana overset a representative melanie recognize thank you mister chair the medical marijuana overseas subcommittee met monday and heard testimony regarding the following adams medical marijuana oversight in burst voting control and owner tax liability burst profit profitability the subcommittee also had testimony regarding rebate rebate the number of in and out in state and out of state management contracts and contract overset I moved the adoption of this report of emotion of second target I would buy where I post report is adopted occupational licensing is that centre english you are recognized thank you the actional licensing review subcommittee met on monday to receive reports on occupational authorizations from the following entities arkansas board of examiners and speech language pathology and audiology are considered apartment of labor and license saying labor standards division in the arkansas state board of podiatric medicine on thursday the sub committee approved the motion to take up the supplemental agenda and receive a report on the occupational authorization. For me a source state racing commission I move adoption of the report they said drainers have her motion and and second them to urban all in favor I opposed to report is adopted next up the pair report centre dismaying it recognized thank you mister chairman of before we do the pier report I do have a disclosure of need to make this is disclosed publicly and verbally that I would use from the only following items considered in the peer a subcommittee of the legislative council in october seventeenth two thousand twenty three as far as request for approval of transfer from the restricted reserve plan game fish grant set aside an amount of three point five million to the gaming fish commission and request for approval temporary appropriation request for the arksau game and fish commission amount of three point five million utilizing the requested reserve and transfer i'm submitting this disclosure legislative counts for inclusion their records. They sent you this money alright thank you the peer subcommittee met on tuesday october seventeenth the subcommittee received reports reviewed request and improved the following various temporary appropriation american rescue plan act appropriation infrastructure investment jobs act appropriation in restrict to reserve fund transfers the subcommittee also moved to recommend council request legislative audit work with the face consultants in relevant hospitals to ensure compliance with the cyber security divince checklist I moved to adopt a report excluding the action regarding the request of legislative are concerning hospital savings security a separate motion regarding that audit of hospital hospital cyber security compliance will be made after the adoption of the report. So going to move for adoption the report okay motion is second or in favor of say I have those. At this doctor. Go to your reward lawyer recognize members i'll make some very clear we read a motion in peer that was given to us bad dfa and now they want to correct it and they've already corrected it again this morning so I just want to make sure that everybody's clear this is not our fault we're having to redo this it's therefore and I told him I was going burn on so the gas has been poor I moved that we request legislative audit coordinate with dfa and DFA na's consultant AMD IS and relevant hospitals to ensure hospital complaints with the cyber security defense checklist included in each hospital stability plan upon completion of the audit by legislative audit we asked later about it notified definitely in the applicable hospital in addition a move that request leds they have all it make this a priority to members before we vote on this or make it clear how this works we will adopt this motion in here today we will have to go as chairs of counsel to legislative on it executive committee and then ask them to adopt this with the priority so this doesn't mean the audit would take place this gives senator rice and are the authority to go to legs they have audit and ask for this to be a request and I see no reason they wouldn't adopt it I just want to be clear to how the process please out thank you mischief. Center heaker you have a question yes sir and I heard this other day and after after the motion I got to thinking about it have we already asked legislative out if they can't make this a priority as that and we already done that yesterday thank you sir. Yeah I do have a set of motion and a second one in favor I thought thank you next we have policy making in that is from a previous meeting. Representative ladyman you reckon thank you miss chairman well that's a hard act of follow the policy making server committee men on tuesday august twenty ninth and heard from representative jeff or law requesting approval of the construction contract between kind constructors llc and aburo of legislative research for the construction of a secure walk away between the capital and the big mac building the subcommittee requested one technical change clarifying when the payment on monthly invoices is due and voted to approve the contract with that change the sub committees approval of the contract was final as authorized by legislative council and it's august meeting mr chairman I move adoption of the report that you have motion of second. Play getting all in favor I posed in making his adopted review representative eaves. You are recognized the reute are subcommittee met on tuesday and reviewed at agenda items including MOF an alternative delivery construction project grants and contracts to contract or held the first for the department of health was held for additional information which has been received and the second contract was for DHS on page thirty six was held for clarification osp has confirmed that the minimum number two for september which would have added six hundred thousand dollars was not presented for legislative review at the alc meeting therefore a minimum number two was revised in asus to only extend the date and amendment number three was submitted for the october review meeting for the annual six hundred thousand dollars amount the report has been adjusted to correct this reporting error all holds have been removed and I move adoption of the report including contract number seventeen on page twenty one and eighteen number eighteen on page thirty six. That you have motion to have second. They get out they were I thought the report is adopted though we have a personnel committee by centre davis. You are recognized into thank you mr chair the person else have given he met on wednesday october eighteenth in room a of the big mac building and reviewed the request and reports listed as items one three twenty two with items nine and thirteen requiring in receiving approval by the sub committee I moved it up the report at the proper time. The tradition you have a question yesterday strange just a couple of questions on and we can bring a book at both of if it helps but it be department commerce in the end dfa. I mean I could ask some questions other but I think these will be just good examples term to kind of bring forward. Questions would be simple. The old can come up. I would prefer the agency. These dental value so element dfa. Paul gering dfa they convenient introduced so this would be item for and I just just real quick on that on those that are being given up when was the last time that there was a person employed in those positions. Dismaying on the three positions that were being given up two of them were last held in i'm sorry that there was a fiscal support analyst position that was last vacated june thirtieth of twenty three a legal support specialist also vacated six thirty of twenty three and then a legal support special that was last vacated december tenth of twenty two I thank you is there anyone from commerce here. The. Thank you for being available please recognize yourself. Good morning also happier cheaper staff department of commerce I take you same question so section three here are giving up two positions winds the last time that those were field positions I understand their budget once the last time where they occupied by a person. Yeah. I'm sorry i'm not sure how we are. These under securities. Yet so these are securities department. You're giving up it looks like a physical of this will support specials in illegal support specialist and then. The change is for an acom securities exams supervisor. Yes I would have to confirm with my agency i'm sorry my understanding is that it's been some time okay I think one of them so the first one that the support specialist the ao nine eight c physical sports special someone believed that being filled and I think the other legal support specialist was last field in march of twenty twenty three answer but aren't thank you. That's all my questions. The. So you know what questions we got motioned I have second. I have a second older was available they are opposed as have it. We move on to the policy making representative ladyman. You're giving a report on oh i'm sorry folks had I just stepped in here we're on AR two I need a motion to file r two please. My motion of second all those if I was they are post as have it move on to item three I need a motion to batch items a and b have emotion have second others in favor of they are while posed as have it with that members removing owned down the line to number six and the department of education sector level can you in your team come table and give us a report on a freedom of freedom accounts. The. Good morning and jegally the secretary of education. The. For the grey state of argos are members before you have something I think is kind of exciting for us to be able to deliver is our first of hopefully many annual reports on the progress in the inflamentation and the data that we're collecting a aggregating and the education freedom account and we're able to create this annual report based on some real time data and if you remember throughout the learn's priorities in empire and parents to make sure that they have education opportunities that work best for them we will establish education freedom accounts and be able to roll that out over the summer for a full implementation through this score if you remember there's kind of a phase in approach so in year one it's a little bit more restrictive on who is eligible to participate and the different accounts so in order to meet the qualifications this is open for students that were first time in kindergartener kindergarten sooner there are coming from a school or a level five school district student separatisticating the succeed scholarship in the prior year students with a disability as qualified identified under the individuals the disabilities education act since their experiencing homelessness carner former faster care students and students that are currently participating at active military. We answered the portal and june of nineteen and we're able to start getting schools through the process to be able to sign up to participate in the program as well as work with families to make sure that they're aware of the program that was brought before them one of things II wanted to point out and we kind of got a question on this little bit earlier with some of the data that in this metrics and and some of it may be a little bit confusing but one of the lines in the report at stated that ninety five percent of the students reported being either first time kindergartener or enrolled in a private school and it's kind of created as narrative that ninety five percent of the students that are in this program are already participating in a private score that's now with their data point was indicating what the data point was asking was at the time of enrollment for the scholarship to see if you qualify have you already enrolled in a private school to make sure to qualify the majority of students that are participating in this program in the first year or in kindergarten or as soon as with special needs per dispensed callership or had identified for a scholarship program so III want to make sure that that's clear that it's nice saying that the people that are participating in a school this program were already going to private school and meant that when they knew the scholarship was available they applied to be in private school and then they also applied for the scholarship to see if they they would qualify so one of the things that we're learning as we're building a new report this first time we started gathering the state and asking questions is as we go for a future snapshots in future reports we're going to ask a little bit more clarifying questions and one of those clarifying questions that we're gonna be able to ask and provide clarity is where soon is already participating and private school and continuing to participate in protocol because I think that that wasn't very clear in the in this new ones another part I think is important to fill out is is reporting on stood in our comes is one of the tasks that we are required by the legislature is that to participate in the scholarship program the private school has to do an annual assessment of an approved less though. If you look in the appendix that we have identified all the assessments that the scores plan to administer we don't have test three's olds because we're in the first year of that so in future reports we're going to be able to monitor sale students are performing under the standardized assessments so with that i'd be happy to entertain any questions and respectfully as the legislature to consider adopting this report. Sent a result when you recognize the question. Sent yourselves and was your latter family to chair mr leave it I heard on local tv show they who has mentioned that a lot of the students are accessing the grants are in popping up religious schools small little religious score they had no data it has said that was happening is there any indication that's true i'm yeah i'm not i'd have to price see more with their referring to we we know that there's ninety four participating schools and they're a little bit representative of all different shapes and sizes are throughout the state so if there is specific questions they are asking about it we could we'd be happy to look more if we don't we don't have any data that says little small private religious schools are opening up and sucking up many the young students this is not I know back and I don't know how if that was the case I don't know how they would be eligible to meet the accreditation requirement in order to be able to start up this I relieve if there is new scores opening I wouldn't think that they would have been able to do over the summer meet all the credit a credit edge and kind of requirements in order to be eligible to participate in the scholarship program maybe they intend to apply for future years but that that camp wouldn't necessarily be it want I wondered how they got the data where the dish doesn't show that and they offered no evidence of their I think it's just and began more misinformation thank you. Ribson of ladyman you reckon it thank you mister german sector lawyer you you've talked about that ninety five percent of the people taking advantage were already in the private schools that discussion i'm saying that's true but. And II see that all over the social media even in the news. I don't see why that's a bad thing I mean. You know I sent one of my children to private school because it was the best place for him to be but it put a strain on our family these people that send their kids to private school many of the home forego a lot of things that they need just to send their kids to private school and they qualify under the requirements so why is that a bad thing if a student is already in a private school that they get the money to pay for part of their private school or they can meet family needs I do not see that that is a man thing I don't understand why the median social media put that forward as a bad thing if they qualify they should be on it. I don't see that as a negative I won't ask you if you agree because I don't put on the front page but this one make that comment thank miss chairman. Replace your recognizing mischairman and so thank you for the clarification on that does the department plan on issuing any sort of clarification on that particular sentence that we did you just discussed that talks about the ninety five percent. Yeah we'd be happy to make sure that we can provide their clarification and in in an additionally we we could move forward with serving the parents that are participating in the program to get a more accurate reflection number because if if you're in the first time it kindergarten you you were never tended previous private school maybe you attended a private institution for volunteer pre kindergarten maybe the way we asked that question gets a little bit new one so I think moving forward we can ask better questions but we can move forward and survey the parentarians if we get them the respondent in try to make sure we we want these reports to be as accurate as it can be and in the so I said this is the first time we've aggregated this report so we're we're going to get better throughout this process but we'd be happy to see clear the department is the gate lease clearly now data driving so whether you know folks are for against learns I think we need to make sure that we're presenting accurate data going forward so we can make sure that it's working as its intended. They give center tucker you're regular thank you mister share secretary leave obviously we have the succeeds callership program before this year and eligible students had meet certain criteria in order to receive the funding for the succeed scholarship and we also know that one of the criteria that makes you eligible for an effect account scholarship this year as if you have a disability at learning disability of some sort and i'm just curious about the comparison of those two is it is what you have to do in order to qualify for an effe. For efa finding similar to what you had to go through in order to qualify for succeeds callership in in order to qualify for this school year for an effect scholarship or funding what do you have to demonstrate if if the criteria that makes you eligible as you're learning disability and how is that compared to what you had to do on her succeeds so great question and my understanding of this pretty similar as far as the qualifications in order to qualify for for the individuals the disabilities according through the identification process of qualifying for an individualized education plan is similar now that it was with succeed and then one of things that we found is that succeed at a limit of seeds so we had a lot of families that met that qualification that wanted to participate as college of program it didn't have a path moving forward this year they were able to do that which is why we I think we see a little bit larger number as the into disabilities participating throughout all the different grade levels okay so it was really more the cap rather than what you need to do in order to qualify that's my understanding of graph thank you. They wish sector appreciate report requires no action center has to question is for yeah I just received here from the insurance department I just had a question and we moved over a pretty quick a while ago in church bark come out please. The. Yeah. Yeah. These identify yourself. Booth range of council architecture jimmy russ galber's chief deputy commissioner thank you so you guys are luckily you're going to be maybe a guinea pic of mom because i've been thinking about this for quite some time but I look through here you give us a report that was from an act of nineteen ninety three. Can you give me any history of the report are there any current legislators giving you feedback on the report we skipped over the report today that you spent time preparing like can you tell me anything about this report that we felt like for the last thirty years you've needed to produce. Yes sir we've got a great store to tell when it comes to workers comp since nineteen ninety three we have a very healthy and robust workers comp market some of the best loss ratios in the nation and in its year after a year for year for about thirty years and some of the lowest rates in the nation as well in the last thirty years we thought there was always been four increases and that was about two point nine percent and that was in two thousand and I believe in the rest of the time it's the same story every year we're taken rate decreases in the market and i'll let since jimmy put it together element jimmy a little bit more than. So so prior to the passage of seven ninety six in nineteen ninety three workers compensation was. Increase the increasing increase double digit increases every year there were some concern about availability in affordability workers comp in arkansas he will pull your mac a little closure. After the passage of this at which set up a plant administrator for a residual market higher risk workers compensation insurance you're talking and construction trades farmers you know blades and machinery high risk for injury since the passage of this act and the residual market was created we have seen reduced last cost per hundred dollars of payroll almost every year as the deputy commission governments start. In arkansas and in twenty twenty two arkansas have the lowest loss costs in the region for one hundred dollars a payroll at forty three cents you compare that to the countrywide average of seventy five cents per hundred and you'll see arkansas and very good shape while it is my pleasure to produce this report to the legislature. Uhm. The capacity and affordability in the workers compensation insurance market is no longer a concern it is something we monitor every year with nci who is our plan administrator. The usefulness of this report on its thirtieth anniversary. Could probably be export by the legislature. Okay how is this something new. Just point click on your computer it produces it or there's a lot of effort that goes into producing this report while the thirtieth of the first thirty pages or so. R my production the rest of it is the remaining seventy ready pages as pressed by ncira plant administrator which is specific to. Are considered trades and results yes me and my staff are myself spend. Quite a few hours on so when this was when the legislature requested this or passed law saying we're gonna do this act in ninety three there there was real problems and were twenty years personal's problems as your opinion yes the legislature uh let insurers use credit scoring in insurance writing there is a ripple on that impact for several years once it was illustrated there you go there the impact is a minimum the legislature I resented that requirement there is also a requirement on. What's the other one medical mail practice rates lead me there is a madma issue twenty eight years ago or so can I go on gone out of control. We produced a report for the legislature until there's right alive and then now that report has also been recently reason ok well thank you for your time thank you thank god. Next time we have the. Dhs presentation on monthly presentation only. Leaving choice assisted living waiver uh mitch cow stupid staff is going to give that today. It looked like jill is going to assist. Thank you gentlemen for being here. These days value stay after you recognize. Jill director of aging it up behavior helped with dhs mitrous tuesday after hs i'll kick a sale for now at j fill in all the smart parts so first secretary of putting him since her regrets for not being able to be here to give this report I mean to say I think she's in my district i'm okay good good good good and I know she reached out earlier this week and explained that and and sent me along as a poor substitute so. Last last month that alc a secretary putnam reported that dhess would disperse the balance of the two hundred and twenty thousand dollars to the forty eight facilities that chose to participate based on the funding formula that was used to calculate the initial two million dollars payments we anticipate that the rest of that money will go out here in the next few weeks no yeah go head you but win when we made the the initial dispersement we did find an error and I will say it was it was it was partly our our ability to find the air of the spurs and the honesty of a provider we did have a provider on the original list that was listed twice I will look back period to disperse the money went back five years we considered the number of days that you had a medicaid participant in eight in an assisted living bed over those those previous fire fiscal years or during that time one of our providers had a change in name change of ownership which resulted in a different medicaid id number of the provider it was a small check with the provider let us know and we also discovered that the provider received two texts won for each of those provider entities they voluntarily returned to check to us it has been redeposited into the so i'm total that will be dispersed to the facilities of a been working with our medicaid department they have started working as they started they really finished the algorithm to make the allocations they will make the load this coming week we have to have those submitted into the system by friday to do what's what we call an off cycle payment it does a grad as a scheduled payment to remember my immi s it will go out of cycle which is will follow the subsidiary of the following week so they they've let me know that they intend to have that loaded by friday of next week for the funds to be dispersed. And it didn't change the toll amount it is in the vice and it's around two hundred and twenty thousand dollars that will be about it at the moment the participating facilities. The. Did they yeah sure we've got a few extra updates believe we will received the reports from now fifty of the fifty one facilities right oh well forty nine so forty nine we got one report last night and then uh one is supposed to be submitted to day we got an update this morning so we should have fifty of the fifty one by the end of the day as you know we gave them thirty days to comply that thirty days was about thirty days ago under the statute they have ninety days to respond before we can start implementing some measures to correct that and I think that ninety days hit some time in the second week in november eleven eleventh eleven eleven. So if we don't receive those last two responses back eleven eleven we'll look at the statute in our authority to exercise them. Citations on that another no on october first we published we posted public car mount for our intent to petition cms for approval to implement the appendix k rates for the alpha reimbursements as the permanent rates for the duration of the current living choices waiver that just gives us more time over the course of the next year or so to keep reviewing those rates and and have a more thorough update and the last thing i'll note is that uh we have a vendor doing that cost report review now so they're going to take the the forty nine maybe fifty by the end of the end of the week and start doing that report so we can start getting those numbers on that review and and I would add that that review has begun senator. Seeing no questions thank you general for your court thank you thank you members we have. Now isp uh uh gonna do these separate because I could get it statement online if you look on kyon is IP for representative laney fight. The. They'll have a motion to adapt motion of second. They were circuit adopt isp twenty twenty three dash on and do all in favor I opposed as adopted second isp twenty twenty three over ninety five representative shortly in fact you are recognized it was to share aedc has engaged you are in their economic development institute to sterly and assess the economic impact of film industry in arkansas this report will either come out this morning I haven't had a chance to look and see if it has or it will come out monday and we want to dovetail with that and review a the outcomes of the projects that have been filmed in arkansas and how are film incentives have an impact of that and evaluate our return on investment and see what we can do to be sure that this would be a thriving industry in arkansas and also keep more of our talent here in the state and make us more competitive with specifically oklahoma and texas is also looking at in their legislature right now to improve their incentives so we want to be competitive with the states around us thank you have a good questions some traditionally right thank you in in first you know very support of the isp I think it's overdo and in something that we need to be looking into think we're losing round on creating some new dollars here in the state but I do have some questions for adc specifically christmas which I understand he's not available but I think we need to have some clarification about. A couple of different items that we have in code right now. So I could bring anyone from adc to be happy to take questions on the film industry. Yeah. These identifies though. Good morning else and happy old cheaper staff commerce. Renate eddie arkansas economic development commission and this is really tired to an ongoing conversation incurring for last few months and it's about the rebate program is the credit program there's been a narrative and i've been really confused and where was coming from that we've done away with the rebate program here in the state and so my first question is enough and I wish our commissioner were here today it's very difficult to have meetings with him because he's typically gone but do we have a rebate program in the state. Yes I redo i'll i'll defer to renew on the but we do okay thank you now it isn't funded is that correct but there is a vehicle in which it could be funded as that correct. They're very what we used in the house was quick action closing right but there is a vehicle that's typically been utilized to fund the rebate program as it's existed for a very long time it would be a discretion okay so and II hate to hear this and i'll just bring up a specific email that I received this morning from a concerned you know entity in the in that field and in essentially it says that we have lost four films because we do not offer a rebate and only have a credit. It has anyone applied for a rebate. We have offered them the tax credit. But the rebate program still exist. It would be funded through the mechanism we have currently been we had previously funded it under which is that the discretion of the governor. This. So we do have a weaver rebate program but we've directed people to use the credits is that correct. Okay but we do have a rebate program is it is there any reason your film commissioner would say that we didn't have a rebate program to folks after looking at a business in arkansas now. I i'm a little bit surprised by that too because again I think that's kind of the narrative this being spun out is that we don't have a rebate program that we only have a credit program which is determining people from wanting to do business in this industry in the state of arkansas I mean my understanding would be you know to be able to utilize the credit card first have to have a willing commissioner that wanted to advocate for a rebate for a company to be able to do these types of promotions or productions would that be fair may would probably start with him. Well we would we could certainly get that information to you and i'm sorry chris first on here to be here today he's his on location we can talk about further funding there are different roadies stream other than quite he's typically on side or somewhere else every time we try to have meetings about you know what we need to do to advance this industry in the state oddly enough but in one thing I just want to be very specific about is at five seventeen that's the one that extended both of the credits in the rebates and how those were applied and and how they remain available to people doing business arkansas that indian I just want to be specific because it's coming from somewhere did that act do away with the rebate program. Again I would ask why anyone would have repeatedly say that that acted away with the rebate program and I look forward to hearing a an answer from the commissioner and it the in in the future thank you thank you and i'll reach out to you to specifically set up so we can have that conversation in the next week or so. This. Yeah. Begin requisite rep turning lady maneuver regular. Thank you mister chairman I just want to speak in support of this isp I thought for a long time that arkansas missing out on the film industry I believe we have resources and a variety of environments that no other state has I worked in california light and it were a lot of films are made and they cannot compete with us on substitute environments for areas around the world and I believe we're really missing the boat by not branding this the film industry to arkansas so I want to support this eyes. Thank you mark johnson you recognize thank you miss chairman i'm over maybe we need to have a flashy glad or so i've been following this thing for a long time and in and out the loss like you're i've never gotten any. Substantive statistics or or economic analysts to sunday so can a scrutiny in you know well you know we could yes you can get the direct payroll credits to some of the stuff related that but you know we like to think this is more than just you know like our other this is a advertising for arkansas so to speak so we all watch a movie that is in the trailer you are in the credits you know it'll say filmed in in and round eureka springs arkansas or whatever it is and we see this and a lot of the states are neighboring louisiana for example just counter really said the bar pretty high but i'm wondering is have we mainly are consult or national organizations council state governments are some done any economic analysis that we can actually have some measurable data that we can say we get this benefit and I know there's intangibles that hey isn't arkansas beautiful that's where they film that movie that's almost like a you know ever tasing our our natural bearing which is good but it's kind of hard to quantify i'm i'm really want to do we have any data that actually quantified system thank you yes we do we are working with uars arkansas economic development institute to perform it and analysis and economic analysis on the program right now we are expecting the final draft any day does will it or does it compare with other states efforts and in analyse there methodology and and our methodology I think senator dismanks hitting on it maybe a credit or a a rebate they budget wise I can look the same but in a practical matter they can be very different and i'm hoping that what you tell us is so we'll got us on the way to go forward so it does that do that will it do that will have to wait till we see the final draft of it but it is going to thoroughly analyze. Our currency i'll be patient there thank you thank you mister to follow up on that I just went to our presentation that christopher crane our film director did that had a lot of a synopsis of that information that i'm happy to share with you in the members that would provide you with some doubt introduced mangarin and in I just wanted to quickly put back in to make sure they're understands i'm very supported what we're doing in in again i'll i'll reiterate I think it's way beyond time that we have this type of work done other states are very much in front of us with what they're doing and they're seeing or they wouldn't be doing it they've already done these studies and they understand there's a tremendous return my goal is for this industry just like most things that we do in the status and i'll have said it before if we're going to do it let's do it well or not do it at all and I feel at this point we're not doing it well and so i'll look forward to the findings that come from this and look forward to actually implementing policies in and in the effort needed to grow this industry here in the state so thank you. Saying no more questions are the motion to adopt. Isp twenty twenty three ninety five and I have circumstant favorite I thought. Thank you members thank you for attending me and attended today we are adjourned.