March 19, 2013
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (128)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SB535
· 5 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “535. Senate Bill 535, Senator Malik, to authorize investment of public funds and…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1819
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1819”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1962
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1962”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB509
· 4 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “Senate Bill 509. Senate Bill 509 by Senators Elliott and all to establish t…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB199
· 3 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “the bill. I'll read Senate Bill 199. Senate Bill 199 by Senator Ingram to amend the law concern…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB146
· 2 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “SB146”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB41
· 2 mentions in chapter
Matched: “SB41”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1011
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ttee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor questions whether House Bill 1011, which is before the committee, qualifies for consideration…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1409
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Speaker, we are Committee on Judiciary, to whom is referred House Bill 1409, House Bill 1555. The lead report had the same under consid…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1467
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ures from the regular session of the 89th General Assembly. House Bill 1467 is Act 443. House Bill 1517 is Act 444. Sincerely, Mike B.B…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1555
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ommittee on Judiciary, to whom is referred House Bill 1409, House Bill 1555. The lead report had the same under consideration here, wit…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1687
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…e're your Committee on Public Health to whom is referred to House Bill 1687. I beg to leave the report. We've had the same under consid…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1692
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…d 2 present. You pass the bill. Mr. Clerk, please pass over House Bill 1692. Take it off the calendar. Representative Gillum moves to b…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1715
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Public Transportation, to whom is referred House Bill 2048, House Bill 1715-2105-2157-2179-2216 Senate Bill 225-757-776”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1772
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…your Committee on Public Health, to whom it was referred to House Bill 1772-1929-2280-1043, Senate Bill 410-736-1132.”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB2043
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…re your Committee on Public Transportation Whomers referred House Bill 2043 Begged to lead report we had the same under consideration H…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB2048
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…our Committee on Public Transportation, to whom is referred House Bill 2048, House Bill 1715-2105-2157-2179-2216 Senate Bill 225-757-77…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB113
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB113”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB115
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…uple of years ago in 2011, many of you in this House passed Senate Bill 115 that removed from local government the ability to regulate…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB225
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ferred House Bill 2048, House Bill 1715-2105-2157-2179-2216 Senate Bill 225-757-776”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB232
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB232”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB265
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB265”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB332
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB332”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB358
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB358”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB359
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB359”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB375
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB375”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB410
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…to whom it was referred to House Bill 1772-1929-2280-1043, Senate Bill 410-736-1132.”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB417
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB417”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB422
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB422”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB433
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB433”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB435
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB435”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB436
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB436”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB439
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB439”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB443
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB443”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB444
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB444”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB456
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB456”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB457
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB457”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB464
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB464”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB475
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB475”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB476
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB476”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB477
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB477”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB478
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB478”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB485
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB485”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB486
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB486”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB490
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB490”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB505
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB505”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB514
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB514”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB528
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB528”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB533
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB533”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB534
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB534”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB538
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB538”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB543
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB543”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB544
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB544”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB545
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB545”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB555
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB555”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB556
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB556”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB557
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB557”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB558
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB558”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB560
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB560”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB565
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB565”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB566
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB566”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB567
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB567”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB568
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB568”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB576
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB576”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB578
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB578”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB583
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB583”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB586
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB586”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB588
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB588”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB593
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB593”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB596
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB596”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB603
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB603”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB608
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB608”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB619
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB619”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB631
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB631”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB637
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB637”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB638
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB638”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB639
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB639”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB651
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB651”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB652
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB652”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB665
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB665”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB667
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB667”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB668
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB668”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB669
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB669”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB671
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB671”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB672
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB672”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB673
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB673”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB674
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB674”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB675
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB675”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB676
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB676”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB677
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB677”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB678
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB678”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB679
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB679”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB680
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB680”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB681
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB681”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB682
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB682”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB683
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB683”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB689
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB689”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB696
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB696”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB701
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB701”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB703
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB703”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB704
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB704”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB706
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB706”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB707
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB707”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB708
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB708”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB710
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB710”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB713
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB713”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB717
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB717”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB723
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB723”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB724
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB724”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB725
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB725”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB726
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB726”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB727
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB727”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB733
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB733”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB734
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB734”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB735
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB735”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB737
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB737”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB738
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB738”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB756
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB756”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB758
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB758”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB759
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB759”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB760
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB760”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB764
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB764”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB765
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB765”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB768
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB768”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB775
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB775”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB789
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB789”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB803
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB803”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB815
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB815”
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Pre-2017 bill |
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Chair
Unverified
0:00
Mr. Speaker, we are Committee on Judiciary, to whom is referred House Bill 1409, House Bill 1555. The lead report had the same under consideration here, with the return of the same recommendation that they do pass as amended. Respectfully submitted, Representative Marshall Wright, Chair. Mr. Speaker, we are your Committee on Public Transportation, to whom is referred House Bill 2048, House Bill 1715-2105-2157-2179-2216 Senate Bill 225-757-776
Begged to lead report we had the same under consideration And herewith return the same recommendation that they do pass Respectfully submitted Representative Jonathan Barnett, Chair Mr. Speaker, we are your Committee on Public Transportation Whomers referred House Bill 2043 Begged to lead report we had the same under consideration Herewith, return the same with the recommendation that it do pass as amended. Respectfully submitted, Representative Jonathan Barnett, Chair. Mr. Speaker, we are your Committee on Public Health, to whom it was referred to House Bill 1772-1929-2280-1043, Senate Bill 410-736-1132.
Beg to lead the report. We had the same under consideration. Herewith, return the same with the recommendation that they do pass. Respectfully submitted, Representative Reginald Murdoch, Vice Chair. Mr. Speaker, we're your Committee on Public Health to whom is referred to House Bill 1687. I beg to leave the report. We've had the same under consideration here. We have to return the same with the recommendation that do pass as amended. Respectfully submitted, Representative Reginald Murdoch,
Vice Chair. Is there any unfinished business?
Are there any executive communications? Read the letter from the Governor, Mr.
Clerk. March 19, 2013, to the Speaker of the House, dear Mr. Speaker, this is to inform you that on March 19, 2013, I approve the following measures from the regular session of the 89th General Assembly. House Bill 1467 is Act 443. House Bill 1517 is Act 444. Sincerely, Mike B.B. Governor. Members at
this time, I'd like to recognize our doctor of the day, Dr. Bud Henderson of Rogers.
Speaker 11
2:39
Mr. Murdoch, for what purpose? Mr. Speaker, point
Speaker 12
2:53
of privilege. Let's hear your point. Mr. Speaker, the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor questions whether House Bill 1011, which is before the committee, qualifies for consideration of the House Rule 72, which requires a feasibility study for legislation on the licensure or scope of practice of health care providers.
The committee requests that the speaker advise our House committee on this
Chair
Unverified
3:17
matter. That's a proper request. I will take it under advisement and direct the question. And be referred to the Rules Committee for its review and consideration. members at this time i'd like to welcome some special guests in the gallery in the west gallery we have the hispanic women's organization of arkansas and students from springdale schools guests representative micah neal and randy alexander
Also in the West Gallery, we have representatives of the Arkansas State Employees Association celebrating their legislative
day. The guests are representatives of Mary Lou Slinkard, Debbie Hobbs, Sue Scott, Dan Douglas, and Jim Dodson.
Morning hours ended. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill
1819. House Bill 1819 by Representatives Douglas et al. to remove from the Governor's disaster emergency responsibilities the power to suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation of firearms. Representative Douglas, you're
recognized to explain the bill. Thank
Representative Dan M. Douglas
Unverified
4:48
you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.
Speaker 27
4:55
House Bill 1819 was a very easy bill to write. All I had to do was strike one word, firearms, from the code that established our emergency procedures. The 1973 Arkansas Legislature passed Act 511 to establish a State Office of Emergency Services and included the language that we see here regarding the governor's authority
to suspend or limit the sale or transport of firearms during a declared emergency. That was back in 1973. Then, a couple of years ago in 2011, many of you in this House passed Senate Bill 115 that removed from local government the ability to regulate the transfer, transport, or carrying of firearms following the proclamation by the governor of a state of emergency.
This passed with widespread bipartisan support at that time. At this time in history, there are 29 other states that have laws that protect their citizens' rights to buy or transport firearms during emergencies. This bill is in no way intended to be disrespectful to the office of the governor. And to ensure that, I took the time to take this bill to Morrill Harriman and discussed it with him several weeks ago.
This is part of the NRA package and is about the individual right to bear arms, and I believe that right supersedes the state's ability to limit that right during emergency situations. This law, this bill that I'm proposing today, has been substantiated and confirmed in several court cases over the last ten years.
I can cite a couple of those for you. U.S. v. Barbier after Katrina, the Heller decision of 2008, the McDonnell decision of 2010, and then another court case that I have a copy of here took place in North Carolina, and it was identical to what we have here today. Okay. Emergency situations often bring about fragmented state and local governments, and it is in these times that we want to be able to bridge that gap in services to protect our families and neighbors and our communities.
Those who are the most vulnerable during crisis are the ones that we need to reach out to be able to protect. Or if we are displaced during an emergency, we want to be able to transport our families to safely and take our firearms with us. So what I am asking for you to vote on today is the preservation of the basic right for all Arkansans, you and I, to be able to defend our families and to bear arms during emergencies.
One last thought. There is no emergency exception to the People's Bill of Rights. Thank you,
Chair
Unverified
8:56
good vote. Representative Walker, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized for a
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
9:03
question. Is it your position that during a Katrina, Hurricane Sandy-type situation, the so-called right to bear arms or to have a weapon while one is floating down the river
or while people are otherwise in distress and the very nature of their living is at stake, the governor does not have power to send out the National Guard or to otherwise cause the police to repress and suppress the possibility of people using their
Speaker 40
9:45
weapons against each other? I don't believe that
Speaker 27
9:51
I am addressing the possibility or the probability of misuse of firearms.
I'm addressing the people's right to bear arms, to protect their homes, and to protect their families. All court cases have always dealt with the possibility that that right does not extend to people if they are misusing.
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
10:19
Second question, Mr. Carter. Mr. Speaker, how is one to determine whether someone is misusing a firearm during a time of emergency?
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
10:35
the big bucks for. Well, isn't that the governor's prerogative, to try to protect the people of the state through the use of the National Guard and the state militia and to try to
deal with the general common good rather than a particular individual right that
Speaker 27
10:52
is clearly subject to dispute? And I believe you're exactly right. During an emergency, we want the militia to be mobilized. We want the National Guard to be mobilized.
We want all those emergency measures that are put forth in the 1973 Arkansas Emergency Disaster Plan to be mobilized. But our right to bear arms as citizens has got to be one of those rights, I believe, also. Thank
Speaker 32
11:20
you, Mr. Walker. Representative Bell, for what purpose? You're recognized. Representative Douglas, does
Speaker 49
11:26
anything in your bill address the authority
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
11:31
of the governor to call out the National Guard or otherwise address the police, or is this simply dealing with the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms?
Speaker 27
11:43
That's correct. It just deals with the rights of citizens to bear arms. Thank you very much. Representative Armstrong, for what
Chair
Unverified
11:56
purpose? Representative Douglas has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill? Representative Walker, you recognize to speak against the bill.
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
12:14
Mr. Speaker, fellow members of the House, I fear that this legislation does nothing other than afford people the opportunity. If they don't like the government at the time, be it Governor Beebe or some other governor, Governor Hutchinson possibly, and there is an emergency and the National Guard is called out, a person may be able to keep his gun in
the face of a declaration that he can't in order to bear arms against the government.
And that makes no sense. I mean, the idea cannot go forth from this chamber that the right to bear arms is a right to bear arms against this government. Representative Walker
Chair
Unverified
13:05
has spoken against the bill. Does anyone wish to speak for the bill? Representative House recognizes to speak for the bill.
Representative Douglas House
Unverified
13:18
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 1971, I turned 17 and graduated from high school. Well, I joined the National Guard that day, went off to basic training.
In 1972, I participated in riot training right out here in front of the Capitol, where we would march and echelon and pretend to move back crowds and all of that. This bill that Representative Douglas has introduced was crafted in 1972. I was there. I heard the discussions. I know some of the people that were involved in it. It was designed to keep black folks from acquiring weapons during that particular period of time.
As you remember from your history, the race riots in 1968, the political riots in Chicago in that same year. There's a similar provision in Arkansas law. It's under the Militia Clause 12-61-112. It also gives the power of a commanding officer of the state militia, if they're called out, to ban the sale of explosives, firearms, alcohol, weapons, ammunition, and that sort of thing. During a martial law type situation, Representative Walker's argument that someone could misuse the weapon is not a valid concern to take away the power of the governor to ban weapons during periods of emergency.
I cite to you 1992, the case of Rodney King. As you will remember, Rodney King was severely beaten by four Los Angeles police officers. Those four police officers were tried in 1992. As memory serves me, three of them were acquitted, maybe all four, I don't recall. But because at least three of those officers were acquitted of those charges, massive riots broke out. I was in a conference, I think in Washington, D.C., with a lot of other National Guard JAG officers at the time.
The California delegation had to leave that conference immediately and return to California because a state of emergency then existed in California requiring their immediate attention. Their militia had been called forth to suppress the riots. But when I read Representative Douglas's bill, I remembered something. Neighbors, black, white, red, yellow, banded together to protect their neighborhoods. They brought out their weapons. They put up barricades.
They protected their homes. They protected their families during this state of emergency. The police were unable to protect them. The militia was unable to protect them. So they came forward and protected themselves. I saw it on TV. I've read the after-action reports. So for the civil authority, the civil authority, not the military authority, to tell people that they cannot protect themselves during times of emergency is clearly and blatantly unconstitutional as cited by the cases by Representative Douglas.
Therefore, I would ask you to do the right thing and vote yes for this
Chair
Unverified
16:29
bill. Thank you. Representative Bain, for what purpose? Representative House is left to work well. Representative House has... You've got a cordless, man. That's pretty good. Representative
House has spoken for the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill? For the
bill? If not, Representative Ballinger? If not, the question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1819.
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has
everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, 78 yeas, 9 yeas, and 2 present. You pass the bill. Mr. Clerk, please pass over House Bill 1692. Take it off the calendar. Representative Gillum moves to be placed House Bill 1962 back on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. The ayes have it. Read. Mr. Clerk,
Speaker 62
17:40
read amendment number one. Amendment number one, House
Chair
Unverified
17:46
Bill 1962. Representative Gillum be recognized
Representative Jeremy Gillam
Unverified
17:53
to explain the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, what I have to present to you today is an amendment to House Bill 1962 that will clarify one key piece of information that was neglectfully omitted in the actual bill that was before you on the calendar
that actually would state the purpose of a percentage cap that would have been in the bill for lifetime alimony as opposed to just normal awarded short-term alimony. And it also provides a schedule in there with a threshold for length of marriage that I believe this new language improves upon the bill, actually makes much better policy than what I had previously, and I would appreciate you to add this to the bill and help me make it a better bill. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
18:42
Representative Gillum has explained the amendment. Does anyone wish to speak
against the amendment, for the amendment? If not, the question before the House is the adoption of Amendment No.
1, the House Bill 1962. All in favor say aye. All opposed nay. The ayes have it. Mr. Clerk, send the bill to engrossing. Read
Senate Bill 509. Senate Bill 509 by Senators Elliott and all to establish the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program.
Representative Les "Skip" Carnine
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19:16
Representative Carnot, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senator, Senate Bill 509 is simply a shell for the purpose of receiving grants for the AIMS program in science and mathematics. The current funding of this program, which has been extremely successful, has been eliminated, and this is an effort to allow this particular program to move forward based on additional grants, both federal and state.
Any questions? I appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative
Chair
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20:00
Carnot has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill?
If not, the question before the House is a passage of Senate Bill 509. Prepare the machine, Mr.
Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for the 89 yeas, 0 nay, and 0 present. You have passed
the bill. I'll read Senate Bill 199. Senate Bill 199 by Senator Ingram to amend the law concerning Alternative County bookkeeping methods.
Representative Ferguson, you're recognized, to explain the
Representative Deborah Ferguson
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bill. This is just a very simple bill that our county courthouse asked us to bring. And when you write a check now, it's based on when we used to have an old big checkbook and numbered checks, and you signed them. Audit kept dinging our county because our checks are numbered by the computer.
They're not pre-numbered checks. And the same thing with receipts. They are numbered, but they're not pre-numbered. And this just changes that language to allow you to use checks that the computer numbers. and I thought it is good with the bill. Representative Ferguson
Chair
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has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the
bill? If not, the question before the House is a passage of Senate Bill 199. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
So everyone voted. Cast with the ballots to 94, yea, 0, nay, and 0 present. You have passed the bill. Well, members in the North Gallery today, we have Marine Second
Lieutenant Andrew Eubanks and his wife, Dana, son and daughter-in-law of Representative John Eubanks and Mrs.
Janet Eubanks, wife of Representative John Eubanks. Welcome.
Also in the West Gallery, we have students and faculty from Casatant Community College and Chancellor Steve Cole, who is
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a former member of this House, guests of Representatives Nate Steele and Fonda
Chair
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Hawthorne. Mr. Clerk, read Senate Bill
535. Senate Bill 535, Senator Malik, to authorize investment of public funds and additional investments insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and to declare an emergency.
Representative Dale, you're recognized to
Representative Robert E. Dale
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explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm presenting Senate Bill 535 today. today. In the past, there's been a registry created called the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry. It's called CEDARS, and it allows government entities like municipalities or counties or even schools that get grants or bonds, and they can deposit those into your
local bank. Now, we would say, well, some of those would not be insured, but what this does, it allows them to participate that out and only keep them out that would be insured by FDIC, and then other banks send them deposits where they've got the same thing happening there. What this bill does, it wants to add money markets and deposits to that group of types of accounts that we can have. The money market and deposits will make it much handier for the government entities to pull funds out to pay off contractors or whatever.
Chair
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24:08
I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Dale has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill
for the bill? If not, the question before the House is a passage of Senate Bill 535. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Or cast the ballots. 90 a, 0 nay, 1 present. You've passed the bill
on the emergency clause. Mr. Clerk, read
Senate Bill 146. Senate Bill 146, but Senator Key concerned the participation of school resource officers
indirectly paid by a system employer in the Arkansas teacher retirement system. Representative Gossett, you're recognized to explain the
Representative Bill Gossage
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bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. I think we would all agree that in schools at this time it's a great idea to have the most experienced and best trained professionals possible serving in our school districts in a law enforcement capacity. One thing that might surprise you to know is that school resource officers currently do not
do not or cannot be members of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System by law. This bill does not allow any school resource officer to join teacher retirement, but it does allow those who have already retired from another retirement system, when they join the public school, they can become part of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. It's a good bill. It's going to allow some highly trained professional folks to be working as school resource officers for us, And I think it's a great idea.
Representative John W. Walker
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26:27
Representative Walker, for a purpose. Question you recognize. Are these resource officers employees of the school district or are they employees of the local police force who ascend to the school district? That's a great question, Mr. Walker, and
Representative Bill Gossage
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that's the reason for this bill. Currently in Arkansas, if you work in a public school as a school resource officer, you have to either be hired by the local municipal police force or county police force.
That's why the retirement system from Arkansas Teacher Retirement System is not available to them. But what typically happens, it's kind of a shell game. Although they are employed by the city or the county, typically the school district pays it. They just allow the city or the county to pay the bill, and then they
Representative John W. Walker
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invoice the school district for the money. Further question, Mr. Speaker, do you recognize? They are eligible, are they not, to participate in either the municipal police retirement system or the county retirement system?
And then if they happen not to remain as resource officers, what happens to them then when they go back to being just normal
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policemen? Well, this does only deal with
Representative Bill Gossage
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27:48
those who have already retired from the system. This is not your regular resource officer
who's just beginning. Let's say they work for the city. They would be required to remain in that retirement system. It could be Lopfy, it could be APERS, whatever the case may be.
For those who are not, have already retired, they already have a retirement option. These are for people who have retired from the highway police, state police, whatever the case may be, who are coming back. That option is not available to them now. The only option left available would be teacher retirement. So this ensures them a retirement? Yes. And it
Representative John W. Walker
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28:27
does not give them double dipping? Oh, no, not at all. Thank you. Representative Gossage has explained the bill.
Chair
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28:40
Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House is to pass it to
Senate Bill 146. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for 90 yeas, 91 yeas, 0 nay and 0 present. You have
passed the bill. We'll read Senate Bill 113. Senate Bill 113 by Senator Thompson to compel payment of delinquent employer contributions from the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System employer for amounts due and to declare an emergency.
Representative Curry recognized to explain the
Representative Allen Kerr
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bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, this is another one of the Teacher Retirement Package of bills we're trying to run this session. This kind of cleans up a reoccurring problem they've had in the past. When an employer, meaning a school, runs tight on money, sometimes they don't send in the contributions to teacher retirement like they should. What this bill does, currently they are fined $150 if a late penalty, if they're late.
That's on the first day, but there's nothing to keep them from just continuing that on after that. What this bill does, it adds another $500 late fee to that situation only after they are a month late turning those funds in to teach your retirement, those contributions. It also adds, raises the percentage that's being charged that employer from 6% to 8% on that money, seeing how 8% is what teacher retirement is basing their return on, and so that the retiree would not lose that benefit.
With that, I appreciate a good vote, unless you have any
Chair
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questions. Thank you. Representative Kerr has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak
against the bill for the bill? If not, the question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 113. Prepare the machine,
Mr. Clerk. Voting on the bill and the emergency clause,
has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast with the ballots, 89 yeas, 2 nays, and 0 present.
You pass the bill and the emergency clause. Read
Senate Bill 665. Senate Bill 665 by Senator Rayford to amend various state securities laws and to regulate securities transactions and to clarify the rights and duties of parties to securities transactions. Representative Dale, you're recognized to explain
the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Robert E. Dale
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31:39
Senate Bill 665 is an amendment to the Arkansas Security Act. It contains provisions to allow citizens that have accounts with investment advisors to pursue private action remedies when violations occur. The provisions mirror existing law in the Securities Act, providing remedies when broker-dealers and agents commit violations. It also adds insurance administrator orders to an existing list of bad past activity to
be used as a reason to take action against a registration. The other provisions in the law could, I guess, be characterized as clean up. Representative Dale has explained the bill. Does
Chair
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anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the
House is a passage of Senate Bill 665. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted?
Has everyone voted? Cast the balance for 91 yeas, 0 nays, and 0 present. You have passed the bill. I'll read Senate Bill 41. Senate
Bill 41, by Senator Sample, to make technical changes to the law concerning the Arches of Fire and Police Pension Review Board. Representative Curry, you're recognized
to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker 5
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Members, this is another retirement bill, as you might
Representative Allen Kerr
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33:18
have guessed. SB 41 is simply a technical change bill. What it does is clearly points back to the guarantee fund for the purpose of the additional allocation. The guarantee fund was removed from code at the request of the PRB in what is now known as Act 41 of 2013. The additional allocation is a funding source used only by local fire and police pension funds that receive sufficient employer contributions as required in the premium tax formula.
SB 41 does not carry a cost and does not eliminate funding for any of the local plans. It's merely a technical change bill that is needed to ensure the additional allocation can continue to be sent to the eligible local plans. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Kerr has explained
Chair
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34:07
the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 41. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Voting
on the bill and the emergency clause, as everyone voted.
As everyone voted, cast with the ballots for 90 yeas, 0 nays, and 0 present. He passed the bill and the emergency
Speaker 75
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clause. Read Senate Bill 789. Senate Bill 789, Ms. Senator Rypert, concerning regulation
Chair
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34:42
of captive insurance companies. Representative Collins, you're recognized to explain the
Representative Charlie Collins
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34:46
bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a bill that's designed to make it more attractive for captive insurance companies to set up shop in Arkansas.
A captive insurance company is formed by a parent company to insure some of its own activities or perhaps activities of some of its customers. About a dozen years ago, Arkansas passed a law to allow captive insurance companies, And one of the good things about these companies for the state is the state can make tax revenue off of the premiums. So the question is, how do we set those tax rates in such a way that companies will form in Arkansas?
So far, we've had one captive insurance company in our state. That company actually does no business, so there's zero tax revenue today. Another jurisdiction that set up a captive insurance law about the same time we did is Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., on the other hand, has over 100 captive insurance companies. What's their secret? They have a cap on the maximum amount of taxes any one captive insurance company can be charged. And so that's what this bill does.
It puts in a cap of $100,000 for any one captive insurance company. And our hope is that we'll grow these businesses in Arkansas. Don't know that we'll be as successful as Vermont that has 900 of the companies, but hopefully we'll go up
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from one. I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Walker, for what
Representative John W. Walker
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36:16
purpose? You recognize? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now, let me understand this. A captive insurance company in Arkansas, so defiant, may be a hugely successful business
and make $100 million or more, but then it pays no more taxes than what you have
Representative Charlie Collins
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36:37
set forth? Well, the company that forms a captive insurance company could be a humongous company, let's say billions and billions of dollar company. For example, a company as big as a Walmart or a J.B. Hunt or whoever. The insurance company that they form underneath them and the amount of premiums that insurance company receives obviously will be based on the amount of insurance they do,
and the size of that particular company could vary dramatically. Currently, we only have one that's
doing virtually no business, So there's really no good comparisons in our
Representative John W. Walker
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37:08
state. Well, question, Mr. Speaker. Well, I'm trying to understand how the state benefits if you, in effect, saying to somebody, you come here and you do business in our state, and you can make as much money as you want to, but you don't have to pay but X dollars. Isn't that against capitalistic principles?
Representative Charlie Collins
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37:28
I think the way these companies have currently established themselves around the country, There are about, I'd say, 1,000 of them. They're concentrated in a handful of states, and almost all of them are in states which have a limit in terms of how much insurance anyone is going to amount to. The one thing that does limit how big these companies can get representative is the fact that by being captive, the limit of their market is pretty restrictive because they're normally going to insure activities of their parent and their customer,
and so they won't grow the same way a traditional insurance company would. I'd appreciate a good
Chair
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vote. Representative Collins has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House is a passage of Senate Bill 789. Prepare the
machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Voting on the bill and the emergency clause, has everyone voted? I cast out the ballots
for the 84 yeas, 4 nays, and 1 present.
You have passed the bill and the emergency clause. Read Senate Bill
464. Senate Bill 464 by Senator Rappert to amend the Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association Act and for other purposes. Representative Wren, you're
Representative Tommy Wren
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38:57
recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. colleagues. Senator Rapert and I are running this for the Arkansas Life and Health Guarantee
Association. Basically what this bill does is that the primary reason is to increase coverage of health and accident insurance coverage from $300,000 to $500,000. This has been adopted in 31 states. Arkansas would be the 32nd state, and the rest of the states will follow suit. So, I'd appreciate a good vote.
Chair
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39:25
Representative Wren has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House is passed it to Senate Bill 464.
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for 90 yeas, 0 nay, and 0 present. You have passed the bill.
Read Senate Bill 232. Senate Bill 232 with Senators Key and all to require automatic enrollment of a new state employee in a deferred compensation plan and to provide opt-out provisions for a new state
employee. Representative Carnot, you're recognized to explain the
Representative Les "Skip" Carnine
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40:16
bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 232 simply allows the state employees to have a deferred savings plan, of which, again, it's voluntary. They're automatically enrolled, however, they may opt out at any time. Any questions? Appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Carnine has explained the bill. Does anyone
Chair
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40:41
wish to speak against the bill? For the bill. If not, the question before the House is passed to Senate Bill 232. Prepare the machine, Mr.
Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots to 93, yea, zero, nay, and zero. President, you pass the bill. I'll read Senate Bill
Speaker 75
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533. Senate Bill 533 with Senator Teague to exempt organized camps and religious and non-profit educational conference centers
Chair
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41:12
from the definition of employee under the minimum wage law and to declare an emergency. Representative Bell, you're recognized to explain the bill.
Representative Nate Bell
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41:26
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This bill is pretty simple. Back in 2006, we passed a law to align with the federal law and inadvertently excluded our nonprofit camps that are included in the federal law. Our current state law is in line with the federal law except for these nonprofit camps.
So without belaboring the point, I'd appreciate a good vote. If anybody has any questions, I'll be
Representative John W. Walker
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41:53
glad to take them. Representative Walker, for what purpose? A question you recognize. What does this do? Does this mean that people can work in organized camps and religious nonprofit educational conference centers without those centers having to adhere to the minimum wage laws? That's correct. There
Representative Nate Bell
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42:10
are six of these camps in the state of Arkansas.
They are currently exempted under federal law, but we don't have any provision in state law that
Representative John W. Walker
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42:19
also backs that up. Let me ask then. Is there anything that regulates what the camps may pay to workers? Or may they pay them anything they want to? Assuming that we
Representative Nate Bell
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42:31
are in line with the federal law currently, there is no restriction. So you're saying that these people could
Representative John W. Walker
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42:38
be either not paid, paid 50 cents an hour, a dollar an hour, or two dollars an hour?
Representative Nate Bell
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42:45
If they could get somebody to show up, that's correct. These are typically college students that work for the summer. They're provided their room and board. And they work, the issue is that they work many hours in the day because their days are very long, but their duties are infrequent. And these camps regularly deal with that issue. And they've historically been exempt. They've never been assessed. This bill passed the Senate 35 to 0. Well, it doesn't
Representative John W. Walker
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43:10
matter. But my question is, if they're employees, shouldn't they be paid rather than volunteers?
It's the difference between a volunteer. And if they're volunteering, that's one thing. Absolutely. If it's employment, then it would seem as if wage and hour laws ought to have some applicability. Representative Walker,
Representative Nate Bell
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43:27
I agree with you. And, again, this was exempted under federal law. Arkansas updated our code to match the federal law in 2006 with the other statutory exemptions that are included, and this was inadvertently left out of the law at that time. This is just simply bringing us back in line with
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the federal law. Representative Wilkins, for what purpose? Question. You recognize?
Representative Butch Wilkins
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43:47
Representative Bell, isn't it true that most of these students working in these camps are doing it because they intend to be in some type of job in the future dealing with children, and that's the reason they're exempted in a lot of cases. It operates as a functional internship in many
Representative Nate Bell
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44:02
cases, that's correct. Many of these young people are going into social work careers, et cetera. Thank you. I'd appreciate a good
Speaker 116
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vote. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the
Chair
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44:14
bill? If not, the question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 533.
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Voting on the bill and the emergency
clause, has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for the 84 yeas, 2 nays, and 0 present. You pass the bill and
Speaker 75
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the emergency clause. Read Senate Bill 422. Senate
Chair
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44:46
Bill 422 by Senator Pierce concerned the definition of exempt commodities and services in the Arkansas procurement law.
Representative Bell, you're recognized, to explain the bill. Thank
Representative Nate Bell
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44:56
you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I'm carrying this bill for Senator Pierce in the Senate and Department of Corrections. This bill would allow the Department of Corrections to take advantage of some sales and other things that are offered in some of the ag commodities that they purchase. It would also allow them, if they get a large order, to be able to respond to that promptly in the purchase of some of the commodities that they use in the process of producing some of the products that they produce.
This bill also passed the Senate 35 to 0. I'll be glad to take any questions. If nobody has any, I'd appreciate
Chair
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45:35
a good vote. Sorry. Representative Bell has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before
the House has passed the Senate Bill 422. Prepare the
machine, Mr. Clerk. As everyone voted, cast out the ballots for 92, 94, yay, 0, nay, and 0, present, you pass the bill.
Speaker 75
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I'll reach Senate Bill 803. Senate Bill 803 by Senator Pierce, authorizing the Board
Chair
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46:07
of Correction to implement a copay charge for inmate-initiated health care request. Representative Bell, you're recognized to explain the bill. I guess I should walk
Representative Nate Bell
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46:16
back to my seat. That way I'd vote for my own bill
next time. This is also a Department of Corrections bill carrying for Senator Pierce once again.
This bill passed the Senate 32 to 1. This is kind of an outgrowth for those of you that attended some of the rules and regs committee meetings over the last year and heard Senator Malone frequently state how important he believed it was to get in statute some of the fees that were being assessed and also to comply with the 2009 statute that was passed. These agencies are bringing forward their fees that they're currently assessing to make certain that they have statutory authority to do so. The Department of Corrections currently assesses a $3 fee on an inmate who makes a sick call.
That has a limiting factor on the number of times that they avoid going to work. That's the primary reason they assess it. No one is denied access to care if they can't pay the fee. It simply becomes a lien against their future commissary balance. This bill does allow them statutorily to go up to $5. They have told me that they have no intention of doing so, but that they wanted that authority where they didn't have to come back and revisit it in the future if they needed to do that.
So with that, I'll take any questions. If not,
Chair
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47:39
I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Bell has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill? If not, the question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 803. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballots. 90 yeas, 0 nay, and 0 present. You have passed the bill. Read
Senate Bill 583. Senate Bill 583 by Senator Elliott to clarify the requirements of the Master School Principal Program.
Representative Linderman, you're recognized to explain
Representative Homer Lenderman
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48:18
the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 583 is by Senator Joyce Elliott, and it was brought to us by the Education Department, and it clarifies the Master School Principal Program. Currently, we have a master school principal program where principals can come into a school district that is suffering from some form of distress. And if they turn that school around, they are rewarded.
But there is a cap on that. And the State Department felt like that it was in the best interest of the students and the schools in Arkansas to slightly increase this. There is a very minimal impact on the school budget. Again, the State Department brought this to us, and it passed out a committee with no dissension. I would appreciate a
Chair
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49:06
good vote. Representative Westerman, for a purpose. Representative Lenderman has
left the well. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill?
If not, the question before the House is passage of Senate Bill 583. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone
voted? Cast the ballots for the 68, 69 yeas, 13 nays, and 0 present. You have passed the bill.
Chair
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49:54
Senate Bill 456 by Senator Elliott to amend Arkansas laws governing educator licensure. Representative Landerman, you're recognized to explain the bill. Senate
Representative Homer Lenderman
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50:06
Bill 456, again, is another bill that was brought to us by the State Department of Education. It requires applicants of less than three years teaching experience to pass the Praxis I basic skills test.
It also clarifies the Teach for America candidate requirements. It also allows special provisions for the provisional professional teaching license. This bill passed out of committee with no dissenting votes, and I would appreciate a good vote. Representative Lenderman has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak
Chair
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50:39
against the bill for the bill? If not, the question before the House, the passage of Senate Bill 456. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for the 88, yea, if zero, nay, and zero present, you have passed the bill.
I'll read Senate Bill 457. Senate Bill 457 by Senator Elliott to amend Arkansas laws governing background checks for educators, fiscal officers, non-licensed school
district staff, and student teachers. Representative Linderman, you recognize, to explain the bill. Thank
Representative Homer Lenderman
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51:20
you, Mr. Chair. Senate Bill 457 was, again, another bill that was brought to us by the Department of Education.
This past year, there was a problem in an adjacent county with a student teacher that was involved in some illicit and illegal activities with students. This Senate Bill 457 simply expands the ability of the school districts to do background checks and to help hopefully protect our children. We would appreciate a good vote. Does anyone wish to
Chair
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51:50
speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House is passed through Senate Bill 457.
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? As everyone voted, cast the ballots for the 88 yeas, 0, nay, and 1 present. You have passed the
Speaker 75
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bill. Read Senate Bill 332. Senate Bill 332, but Senators Key et al., to amend the employer contribution rate
Chair
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52:26
for the public school employees' health insurance program. Representative Linderman, you recognize to explain the bill.
Representative Homer Lenderman
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52:32
Well, I've been told many times to get out of the well in a hurry, but this time I'm going to stay. This is a bill that passed the Senate with 27 positive votes. For many of you who have been in the legislature and those of you that are new coming in, you know that there has been a huge problem with teacher insurance and the cost thereof. We had many meetings last year. We listened to many, many hours of testimony. We got hundreds of e-mails that addressed this issue.
In 2003, the legislature set a fee based on a per-student basis of $131, which is the amount that a school district is required to match on the teacher's insurance. We've heard a lot about the funding matrix. Representative Douglas mentioned that this morning. It is a very complex method where school districts are funded based on their location, local wealth, based on student populations, the free and reduced lunches.
It's very complex, but the legislature said a minimum amount that a school district would be required to put in on employee insurance at $131 in 2003. Since 2003, we have increased the per-pupil funding at about a rate of 2% per year. We have not changed the amount of funding for insurance. If you do 2% per year from 2003, my math came up with about $159.
Senator Key ran this bill and put in place, beginning in January of 2014, a fee of $150, which is what the school district is required to match. At this time, there are about a third of the school districts that are paying more than the $131, including the school district that I taught at for 30 years. after that date if this bill passes they will be required to increase the funding
based on the amount of increase in minimum foundation traditionally it's been around two percent so beginning in the next school year they would be required to increase their funding about two percent the cost of health care and insurance has risen last year the increase was about 20 percent there has been about an eight percent increase per year since this law was current was enacted we feel like that it is very important uh that we do address this all of you
that have been in the legislature got letters from teachers you got emails you got personal contacts and you probably heard stories where there were people that actually worked and the thing is not everyone in a school district is a teacher. About half the people in a school district are teachers. The others are custodians, bus drivers, cooks, and maintenance folks that are not on that teacher salary schedule. The thing that I have heard that was probably
the most heart-rending is that there were some people in these lower-end, lower-paying jobs that actually at the end of the month had to give the school district a check. to cover the cost of their insurance. Since when I started teaching, you could either take the insurance or not, and they have now a graduated plan of bronze, silver, and gold, which has addressed it. But the cost for a family on the gold plan is in excess of $1,000 at this time.
And we as a legislature, I think, need to give great consideration to this. I have in my hand, you probably have heard from some superintendents that said this is an unfunded mandate. I got an email from Johnny Keith when that was said that said he kind of laughed because we do increase that funding at about 2% per year. But I have listed here all the schools in Arkansas, but I've got the ones for my district, and I'm going to share some of those with you.
A school district in my district that has about less than 600 kids has $1.1 million in unfunded carryover funds. And I'm sorry, it's unrestricted funds. Another district, the district I taught at, $1.45 million in unrestricted funds. The largest school district in my district has $6.6 million.
I have a good friend that teaches at another school district up in the hills. He has about 1,100 students, and he said it would cost their school district about $15,000 to implement this. Again, I'm sure I will not be able to answer all your questions, but I would appreciate a good vote, and
Speaker 9
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I will try to answer your questions. Representative Klemmer, for
Representative Ann V. Clemmer
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57:59
what purpose? Question. You recognize. Representative Linderman, isn't it true that right now the state is funding the schools for every matrix position,
and the schools do not have to spend that money? I mean, if those are unfilled positions or if those people don't take insurance, that money just can go to other purposes at the school.
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
58:20
Is that correct? That is correct, and that's something I probably should have addressed, that when it shows the amount of money that is spent, there were schools that did spend more, that chose to spend more on this funding for the teachers. There were several schools that actually had money left, and that money could be spent for whatever they wanted to spend it to.
Speaker 49
58:41
Representative Hutchinson, for what purpose do you recognize? I
Representative John K. Hutchison
Unverified
58:45
couldn't agree with you more, Representative Lenderman. But do you think it would be a safe question to say that maybe those numbers in 2003 could be looked at more in one way? You know what I mean? Okay. I'm all about you here. I'm all about you. Thanks, Shane. All
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
59:06
right. Yes. The funding formula is a, I guess maybe it's a moving target
because there are so many different things that go into that funding matrix, such as the number that are on free and reduced lunch and, in certain cases, economic situations within the district that do. Thank you very much. I'm
Speaker 48
59:25
with you. I'm voting with you. Representative Meeks, for what purpose? Question, please.
Speaker 120
59:29
You recognize. Representative Lunderman, just to make sure I'm fully understanding here, can you explain
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
59:34
the impact on the teacher's side? So if I'm a teacher, I understand what the school district is having to do,
but from a teacher's perspective, can you go into that
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
59:44
a little bit for me, please? Okay. I'm sorry. I thought that I had said that. It will be an increase in the school contribution of $19 a month beginning in January. This is not a huge amount of money, but it is, in our opinion, a step in the right direction. The legislature set the fee at $131, and we have not increased that even though we have increased the first student funding. Right,
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:00:07
I understand that. So by the school paying $19 more, will each individual teacher be saving $19?
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
1:00:13
Each teacher will be saving $19 per month on their insurance. Yes. Each employee, not just teacher, each employee that takes school insurance. Okay. I
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:00:21
just wanted to make sure I was characterizing that
Speaker 82
1:00:25
correctly. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Representative Alexander,
Representative Randy Alexander
Unverified
1:00:29
for what purpose? Question. You recognize? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You list on here that the amount would be increased from $131 to $150. That's correct. That is what percentage of the total? What is the total monthly charge?
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
1:00:43
Okay, the total monthly charge for the gold plan for a family is, I believe, $1,032. That's a moving target. If you have a teacher only on the plan, there is obviously a lower rate. If they have their family, if they have their spouse, those are different rates. But also they have the bronze, silver, and gold. But the highest one is, I believe it's $1,000, and I'm sorry, $1,032, I believe is correct.
What would it be approximately for just a teacher on that? Just for a teacher, the insurance is about $300, I believe is correct. And I'm sorry, I should have brought that
Representative Randy Alexander
Unverified
1:01:26
with me. And if I could ask a follow-up, Mr. Speaker, I don't think I have a problem with that part of it. It's the second part where it increases annually by the same percentage the legislature increases the salary and benefit component of the per-student foundation funding.
For those of us that aren't teachers and aren't familiar with that,
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
1:01:50
what does that mean exactly? Normally, again, our minimum foundation has been about 2%. I was on the Adequacy Committee, and last year we passed a 1.75 to
a 2.5 range. But traditionally, it's been about a 2% increase.
Chair
Unverified
1:02:08
Representative Kerr, for what purpose? Questions recognized. Representative
Representative Allen Kerr
Unverified
1:02:14
Linderman, if I remember right, the teacher, the single
Chair
Unverified
1:02:20
teacher rate is, it seemed like it was like $450.
I was thinking it was $300-plus, but that may be the new rate. Yeah, and that's been rising? Yeah, absolutely. Okay. So wouldn't you agree that the employer rate is pretty minor compared to what the
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
1:02:44
teacher has to pay? Absolutely. If one thing to help answer
this is that a teacher with a goal plan with their family and their spouse on the program
is paying another, an additional $178 per month beginning this
Speaker 120
1:03:00
year. Okay. So it's an increase for them. Dramatic increases, yes. Right. Did you tell us how long it's been since we've
Representative Allen Kerr
Unverified
1:03:09
made an increase to the employer side? In 2003, there is also
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
1:03:14
a companion bill that's being worked on that would put some money into the Employee Benefits Division, which would hopefully help curtail the increases in the future. So this bill that
Chair
Unverified
1:03:28
is going to help slow down the increases that the employee or the teachers have to pay?
Speaker 82
1:03:34
That is correct. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Representative
Representative Mary Broadaway
Unverified
1:03:42
Broadway, for what purpose? Question. You recognize? Representative Linderman, I commend you. I think this is wonderful legislation, and I fully support it. But I do have a question, and that is, what about our school districts that are in financial
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
1:03:56
distress? How are they going to meet this expense? Okay. As a testimony this morning, there are, I believe,
seven schools that are characterized as being in physical distress.
I do not have a list of those schools. But beginning in 2014, that would be an issue for them. There's no question. By the way, happy birthday. And there is no doubt that that would be a question and one of the factors that they do have to deal with. But, again, it is a small amount of money. If you do $19 a month, I believe we come out to just a little in excess of $200 a year per employee that takes the insurance as to the cost per district. Thank you very much.
Speaker 120
1:04:36
Thank you. Thank you. I would appreciate a
Chair
Unverified
1:04:41
good vote. Representative Lenderman has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill? For the bill? If not, the question before the House, the passage of Senate Bill
332. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted?
to cast the ballots for the 82 yays, two nays, and one present. You
pass the bill. I'll read Senate Bill 433. Senate Bill 433 by
Senator Thompson, concerning permanency planning hearings.
Representative John T. Vines
Unverified
1:05:28
Representative Vines, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Friends, today I bring you Senate Bill 433, This is a bill from the Senate, Representative Thompson, Senator Thompson, Representative Feit, and I bring this to clarify a couple of provisions in the Judicial Council's juvenile bill, and it clarifies a couple of provisions of the Judicial Code dealing with review hearings and permanency planning hearings.
And essentially what this bill does is it adds and allows, codifies what the courts are already doing in situations of abuse and neglect, shifting the focus and looking at the non-custodial parent. Since in recent years they've been looking at that as opposed to going directly to foster care. And a lot of times, even though the other parent is a non-custodial, they still are fit to step in in these situations. So we're simply addressing that law. I'd be happy to address any questions other than that.
Chair
Unverified
1:06:29
I sure would appreciate a favorable vote. Thank you. Representative Bynes has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House, the
passage of Senate Bill 433. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for 91, yea, 0, nay, and 0
present. You have passed the bill to read Senate Bill 359. Senate Bill 359, the Senator Sample, to make technical corrections to the Arkansas Code concerning the suspension of driving privileges for minor impossession of alcohol.
Representative Barnett, you recognize, to explain the
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
1:07:14
bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, this is just a DFA housekeeping bill. The currently Arkansas law provides an option for the state to issue an enhanced security driver's license and identification card. The United States House of Representatives is currently considering legislation that may reduce the need for issuance of enhanced security driver's license and identification cards. This bill will extend the period of time to decide whether insurance of enhanced security driver's license and identification cards is necessary from June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2015.
This will allow additional time to await the actions of the United States Congress and the proposed anticipated legislation. Representative
Chair
Unverified
1:08:00
Barnett has explained the bill. Does any representative link for what purpose? Questions, sir. Representative Barnett, will you take a question? I'll try. You're recognized
Representative Kelley Linck
Unverified
1:08:09
for a question. That was a great explanation, Representative Barnett. Would you explain 359,
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
1:08:17
please? I can't necessarily explain. Oh, 359, I'm not to that yet.
Okay. We got them backwards? Someone does, yes, sir. Okay, well, I've got mine in the order, so I'm sorry. You want me to try again? That would be
Chair
Unverified
1:08:47
up to the speaker, sir. I guess it happens, doesn't it? I'd explain 359. We're on 359.
Speaker 158
1:08:54
358. You know 358, 359? Sorry. Okay. This is a DFA housekeeping
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
1:09:00
bill. This simply makes technical corrections to Arkansas law concerning suspension drivers driving privileges for minors in possession of alcohol. The current law refers to incorrect code section. This bill will replace the incorrect code referenced with the correct one. Representative Barnett has explained the bill.
Chair
Unverified
1:09:23
Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill?
If not, the question before the House of passage of Senate Bill 359. Prepare the
machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cap ballots
for 93 a 0 and 0 present. You have passed
the bill. Read Senate Bill 358. Senate Bill 358, Senator Sample, to extend the expiration date for the Arkansas Voluntary Enhanced
Security Driver's License, and Identification Card Act, and to declare an emergency. Representative Barnett, you
recognize to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr.
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
1:10:07
Speaker. I think I have adequately explained the bill and appreciate any consideration thereof.
Chair
Unverified
1:10:14
Representative Barnett has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill
for the bill? If not, the question before the House, the passage of Senate Bill 358. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for the
87 yeas, two nays, and one present. You pass the bill and the emergency clause. Read
Speaker 75
1:10:46
Senate Bill 807. Senate Bill 807 by Senator Hickey to clarify Arkansas law related to notaries public. Representative Hickerson,
Chair
Unverified
1:10:55
you recognize to explain the bill.
Representative Mary P. "Prissy" Hickerson
Unverified
1:11:00
thank you mr speaker senate bill 807 by senator hickey is a bill for the secretary of state's office that makes several changes to the law related to notaries public this legislation will permit another republic who has changed residency to present a certified copy of the original bond from the original county of residence it specifies the ink color for the seal and signatures it allows revocation of a commission if a notary has been found to charge fees higher than allowed by law, it denies a commission to an applicant that has been convicted of
a felony, and it gives the Secretary of State the authority to require an applicant to demonstrate that he or she has reviewed the law concerning to the duties of a notary public. And I'll be glad to take questions, and I appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
1:11:51
Representative Hickerson has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill for the
bill? If not, the question before the House, the passage of Senate Bill 807. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for 92, yea, 0, nay, and 0 present. You pass the bill. Read Senate Bill 417.
Senate Bill 417 by Senator Hendren to modify the definition of an unborn child in the criminal code and in wrongful death actions. Representative Steele, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members,
Representative Nate Steel
Unverified
1:12:32
this is a very minor change to the law.
Currently, any time a mother loses her life or loses the life of a child that she's carrying, it's incumbent on the state to prove that that child was at least 12 weeks in gestation. That's true in both wrongful death actions and in prosecutions. That's sometimes difficult to do. There have been times where medical examiners and others disagree about the gestation. You spend half the trial trying to prove that fact instead of others. All this bill does is say that any loss of an unborn child, whether it's from conception to birth, counts the same.
We don't have to remove that 12-week requirement. I'll be happy to take
Chair
Unverified
1:13:16
any questions. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Steele has explained the bill. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If
not, the question before the House has passed the Senate Bill 417. Prepare the machine,
Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots to 76 yeas.
Ten nays and one present. You have
passed the bill. Without objection, I'm going to re-refer Senate Bill 45 back to joint budget.
None heard, so ordered. Representative Baird, you recognize?
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:14:11
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, the first item on the agenda is Senate Bill 815. This
is another consolidation. is a transfer of the State Board of Registration for professional geologists over into the Arkansas Geological Survey. This is a type 1 transfer, so the professional geologists will still maintain their board and their authority. They will simply be consolidated for administrative purposes. So I'd be happy to answer any questions about that. I'd appreciate a good vote.
Speaker 75
1:14:44
Mr. Clerk, it reads Senate Bill 815. Senate Bill 815, Adjoint
Chair
Unverified
1:14:50
Budget Committee an act to transfer to the State Board of Registration for Professional
Geologists to the Arkansas Geological Survey. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the
question before the House, the passage of Senate Bill 815. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Voting
on the bill and the emergency clause, has everyone voted?
Has everyone voted? Cast the ballots for the 86A0 and 0 present. You
Speaker 170
1:15:34
pass the bill and the emergency clause. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:15:48
Members, if you'll look,
we have about two and a half, three pages of individual Senate appropriations.
These are the general improvement bills that the Senate normally sends over. We're going to go ahead and match all of these and vote on these. In the House, we had 21 general improvement bills that we have all co-sponsored as a House. Those have been sent to the Senate. They voted on 19 of those yesterday, which was all that we sent them. We actually have two that will be coming at a later date. So this is just part of the process. We've sent our House general improvement bills down to them, and they are slowly sending their Senate bills over to us.
So we're going to batch all of these today. And I'm going to go ahead and read through these individually just so you know what you're voting on. So, members, the issue is the passage of the appropriation bills and emergency clauses on the list before you. I'm going to read down the list of bills one by one by bill number. If there's one objection to the consideration of a bill, it will
be removed from the list and placed on the regular joint budget calendar for later consideration. So we've got Senate Bill 265, 375, 435, 436, 439, 443, 444.
Representative Bell, for what purpose? Please remove
443 for a separate vote. Okay. Senate Bill 443, we'll go ahead and remove that. So we'll start back on Senate Bill 444, 475, 476, 477, 478, 485, 486, 490, 505, 514, 528. Second page, Senate Bill 529, 534, 538, 543, 544.
Speaker 174
1:17:45
Rep. Douglas, for purpose. Hold on, 529, please. 529, okay. Rep. Douglas, do you want a
Chair
Unverified
1:18:09
separate vote on that, or do you want us to hold it and keep it on the calendar? Separate vote.
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:18:15
Okay, so we'll do a separate vote on Senate Bill 529, and then we'll start with Senate Bill
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:18:31
556, 557. Representative Baird, I mean
Bail, for what purpose? Separate vote on 555, please. Okay,
and just as a reminder, these are individual Senate members' general improvement bills. These aren't agency appropriations. So continuing on, Senate Bill 556, 557, 558, 560, 565, 566, 567, 568, 576, 578, 586, 588, 593, 596, 603, 608, 619, 631, 637, 638, 639, 651, 651,
32, 662, 667, third page, Senate Bill 668, 669, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682. Representative Bell, for a purpose. Separate vote on 683, please.
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:19:43
Pull out Senate Bill 683 and we'll continue with Senate Bill 689, Senate Bill 696, 701, 703, 704, 706, 707, 708, 710, 713, 717, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727. Continuing to the last page, Senate Bill 733, 734, 735, 737, 738, 756, 758, 759, 760.
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
1:20:21
Representative Harris, what purpose? Hold on Senate Bill 737. Do you want to hold
Speaker 180
1:20:27
it or do you want to have a separate vote?
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:20:36
Hold. Representative Baird, what do you want to do on that? So this is an individual senator's general improvement bill, so I'd prefer to go ahead and have a vote
on this bill. I'll have a separate vote. So we'll do a separate vote on Senate Bill 756.
And then we'll continue with Senate Bill 758, 759, 760, 764, 765, 768, and 775. And so. Representative Harris, it was
Speaker 118
1:21:04
Senate Bill 737 is the one that you want to pull down.
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:21:11
OK. Representative Alexander, for a purpose. Point of information.
Speaker 184
1:21:23
rules concerning a member pulling a bill out?
Representative Davy Carter
Unverified
1:21:31
We're talking about removing these from the batch and voting on these separately. No, I'm talking
Speaker 184
1:21:38
about pulling it out for today. That's up to
Speaker 180
1:21:43
Mr. Baird. Mr. Baird said he wanted to have a vote. I would also request it be pulled. We're going to have a vote,
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:21:56
a separate vote. So, members, your one vote will be recorded on each bill and each emergency clause after they've been read for the third time.
So, Mr. and Speaker, I invite
Speaker 170
1:22:22
the third time. Mr. Clerk, read the bills for the
Speaker 92
1:22:47
third time. Senate Bill 265, 375, 435,
436, 439, 444, 475, 476, 477, 478, 485, 486, 490, 505, 514, 528, 534, 538, 543, 544, 545, 556, 557, 558, 560, 558, 560, 565, 566, 567, 568,
576, 578, 586, 588, 593, 596, 603, 608, 619, 631, 637, 638, 639, 651, 652, 667, 668, 669, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 689,
696, 701, 703, 704, 706, 707, 708, 710, 713, 717, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 733, 734, 735, 738, 756, 758, 759, 760, 764, 765, 768, and 775.
Chair
Unverified
1:25:22
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Voting on the bills and the emergency clauses. Have everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted?
Cast the ballots. 89 yays, 0 nays, 0 present. You pass the bills and the emergency clauses.
In order to allow time for the machine to reset, without objection, we'll take a 10-minute reset. So we'll convene in 10 minutes.
Unknown speaker
1:26:53
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We'll be right back.
Chair
Unverified
1:38:53
The House will come to order. Representative Baird, you're recognized. Thank you,
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:39:08
Mr. Speaker. All right, members, we're back on the budget calendar. We're looking at Senate Bill 443 is the first bill that we're looking at. I'll give everybody a moment to get back in here.
So, members, Senate Bill 443 is a bill by Senator Jane English. It's for the Department of Career
Education for grants for the adult education program. The funds would be from the General Improvement Fund. This bill is appropriation only. The General Improvement Bills are funded in one bill that we will vote on later in the session. There's normally a legislative portion. Traditionally, the House and the Senate divide the legislative portion.
So all of these bills do not have funding at this point in time, and the Senate traditionally sets their priorities for funding. We traditionally set ours. And so today all we're asking is to go ahead and appropriate this money for Senator English. And with that, I'd
Chair
Unverified
1:40:12
appreciate a good vote. Mr. Clerk,
read Senate Bill 443. Senate Bill 443, an act for the Department of Career Education, Adult Education Program, grants general improvement appropriation.
Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House of Passages, Senate Bill 443, prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? You're
voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted?
Cast the ballots. It's 75 yeas. One nay and three present. You pass the bill and the emergency clause. Representative
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:41:11
Baird, you recognize? Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. Members, the next bill is Senate Bill 529. This is an act for the Department of Correction, General Improvement Appropriation. Once again, this is a Senate bill sponsored by Senators Hester and Senators William. It's appropriation only. There's no funding in the bill. The funding will be determined in the General Improvement Funding Bill, and I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Chair
Unverified
1:41:36
Mr. Clerk, read Senate Bill 529. Senate
Bill 529, an act for the Department of Correction, General Improvement, and Appropriation. Does anyone wish
to speak against the bill, for the bill? If not, the question before the House, the
passage of Senate Bill 529, prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Is
everyone voting on the bill and the emergency clause? Has everyone voted? As everyone voted, cast of the ballots is 79 yeas, two nays, and one present.
You pass the bill and the emergency
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:42:19
clause. Representative, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, the next bill is Senate Bill 555. It's an appropriation to the Department of Career Education, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. It's a general improvement appropriation. Once again, it's appropriation only. The funding would be determined at a later date, if funded at all. And I'd appreciate a good vote on this. Mr. Clerk, read Senate Bill 555.
Chair
Unverified
1:42:41
Senate Bill 555, an act for the Department of Career Education, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, Arkansas Career Training, Institute, General Improvement Appropriation. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for
the bill? If not, the question before the House, the passage of Senate Bill 555, prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Voting on
the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted?
Cast the ballots for the 83 a, 0, 0, and
2 present. You pass the bill and the emergency clause. Representative
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:43:20
Beard, you recognize. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, the next bill is Senate Bill 683. That is
on page, looks like page 3 of your yellow calendar. This is a bill by Senator Chesterfield. It's an appropriation to the Department of Career Education for grants for tutoring programs and services. Once again, this is appropriation only. There's no funding. The funding will come in the General Improvement Funding Bill.
Chair
Unverified
1:43:44
Appreciate a good vote. Mr. Clerk, read Senate Bill 683. Senate Bill 683, an act for the Department of Career Education, General Improvement Appropriation. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill, for
the bill? If not, the question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 683. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Voting on the
bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Has everyone
voted? Cast up the ballots at 82 yeas, one nay, and two present.
You pass the bill and the emergency clause. Representative
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:44:20
Baird, you recognize. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, the last bill is on the last page of your budget calendar. Senate Bill 737 by Senator Bledsoe. It's an act to make an appropriation to the Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health for Behavioral Health Services. And once again, it's appropriation only, no funding. Funding will come in the General Improvement Bill later in the session. Appreciate a good
Chair
Unverified
1:44:42
vote. Mr. Clerk, read Senate Bill 737.
Senate Bill 737, an act for the Department of Human Services,
Division of Behavioral Health, Behavioral Health Services, General Improvement Appropriation. Does anyone wish to speak against the bill?
Representative Harris, you recognize I speak against
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
1:45:10
the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you fellow members and friends, as Representative Vines often says when he comes down here.
But today I'm not going to just stand here like a deer caught in headlights. But I made a commitment to a little seven-year-old girl that I would do everything I could to get her out of a mental institution. And I understand that this is just an appropriation, but I know what an appropriation is. It can be once it's given the money, then it goes out. But I have requested meeting after meeting with the state and with the mental health, behavioral health, and I've yet to receive a meeting after requesting meeting after meeting.
And I have requested that their budgets be stopped until I get a meeting, and it hasn't happened. And that's why today, just out of respect, I asked for this appropriation to be held. Senator Bledsoe, I have much respect for. I believe she can help me in this matter, and I will have a discussion with her, but it is in due respect to her, and I will discuss it with her. But I would appreciate either not voting or a no vote so I can help this 7-year-old get the help that she needs
so we can move forward. But let me tell you, there's more than just this 7-year-old that needs help. There's many children in the state of Arkansas that need the help, and that's why I'm doing this today. So I'd appreciate either a no vote or just not voting at all. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:46:47
Representative Harris has spoken against the bill. Does anyone wish to speak for the bill, against the bill?
Speaker 180
1:46:54
If not, the question, Representative Baird, do you want to close for the bill?
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:47:05
Members, this is Senator Bledsoe's bill. The Department of Human Services Division of Behavioral Health, they
have an appropriation that is in the Budget Committee, and I think that we can work on that bill and take care of Representative Harris' issues. I would just encourage us to go ahead and pass this bill today for Senator Bledsoe. Thank you. The question before
Chair
Unverified
1:47:25
the House is a passage of Senate Bill 737. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Is everyone voting?
Has everyone voted? Cast with the ballots for the 39 yeas, 11 nays, and 6 present. The bill fails.
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:47:55
Representative Beard, you recognize? After the announcements, reading of the bills, placing the calendars on the desk, amending members on bills with their own amendments,
members withdrawing their own bills, finalizing resolutions, reading communications, and any remaining committee reports, I move we adjourn until 1.30 tomorrow.
Chair
Unverified
1:48:09
This is a proper motion. I'm not debatable. All in favor say aye. Aye. And all opposed nay. The ayes have it. Motion carries. Are there any
Representative Jeremy Gillam
Unverified
1:48:18
announcements? Representative Gilliam, you recognize for an announcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, two quick important announcements about the game tonight. For non-playing members, there's going to be a legislative reception in the Legends Room at the Stevens Center beginning at 5.30. We do encourage you to wear your T-shirts, your jerseys. If you're a non-playing member, just to help cheer us on for tonight's ballgame.
And by way of that, please, if you have not picked up your jersey or T-shirt and you're a non-playing member, go see Ms. Kay and Kyla. They have yours ready for you. And please come on and cheer us on for victory tonight over the Senate. They're already putting out a lot of tweets and e-mails, and I think we need to put them in their proper place. Representative Meeks,
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:48:59
you're recognized. Announcement. Special language will meet at 8 a.m. in the morning. in Big Mac B. That has a time change from 7.30 to 8 o'clock, so just make note of that. Representative Fielding, you're recognized.
Chair
Unverified
1:49:11
Sit and count on local with me at 10 a.m. in Big Mac B. Representative Davis, you're recognized. Rules Committee will meet tomorrow at noon, Big Mac B. Representative Lee, you're recognized. State agencies is open for business
Representative Andy Davis
Unverified
1:49:22
starting at 9 a.m. in the morning. Come and run your bills, and then you can go to your own committee. Thank you. Representative Baird, you're recognized. Joint
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:49:32
budget will not meet tomorrow. We will meet on Thursday morning, 9 a.m. Representative Branson,
Speaker 198
1:49:38
you recognize. Joint energy tomorrow at 1 o'clock. I need all energy members there.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:49:42
We do have a bill to run. Representative Meeks, you recognize.
Aging youth will meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow, room 130. Representative Shepard, you recognize. House Act tomorrow, 10 a.m., room 138. Are there any other announcements? Representative Shepard, you recognize. Sure. Members, there will be a joint meeting of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees this coming Monday at 2.30, and it will be in Big Mac. It will be concerning the steel project.
Unknown speaker
1:50:16
Are there any other announcements? Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:52:29
read the bills Mr. Clark Senate bill 23 without objection read the bill the second time Senate bill 23 calendar Senate bill 80 without objection read the bill a second time Senate bill 80 calendar read the bills Mr. Clark yeah hold on Senate bill 252 without objection read the bill a second time Senate Bill 252. Calendar. Senate Bill 269. Without objection, read the bill the second time.
Senate Bill 269. Calendar. Senate Bill 272. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 272. Calendar. Senate Bill 273. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 273. Calendar. Ladies
Representative Douglas House
Unverified
1:53:29
and gentlemen, members, the clerk cannot hear the microphone.
Please hold your conversations down. Thank you. Read the bills, Mr. Clerk. Calendar was the last instruction
Chair
Unverified
1:53:49
on Bill 274 and 73. Senate Bill 275. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 275. Calendar. Senate Bill 341. Without objection, read the bill the second time.
Senate Bill 341. Calendar. Senate Bill 349. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 349. Calendar. Senate Bill 350. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 350. Calendar. Senate Bill 351. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 351. Calendar. Senate bill 352. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate bill 352. Calendar. Senate bill 353. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate bill 353. Calendar. Senate bill 354. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate bill 354. Calendar. Senate bill 470. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate bill 470. Calendar. Senate bill 471. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate bill 471. Calendar. Senate bill 472.
without objection read the bill the second time Senate bill 472 calendar Senate bill 473 without objection read the bill the second time Senate bill 473 calendar Senate bill 489 without objection read the bill the second time Senate bill 489 calendar Senate bill 492 without objection read the bill the second time Senate bill 492 calendar Senate bill 493 without objection read the bill the second time, bill 493, calendar, Senate Bill 519, without objection, read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 519, calendar, Senate Bill 526, without objection, read the
bill the second time, Senate Bill 526, calendar, Senate Bill 527, without objection, read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 527, calendar, Senate Bill 537, without objection, read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 537, calendar, Senate Bill 539, without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate bill 539. Calendar. Senate bill 546. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate bill 546. Calendar. Senate bill 547. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate bill 547. Calendar. Senate bill 548. Without objection, read the bill the
second time. Senate bill 548. Calendar. Senate bill 549. Without objection, read the bill the Second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, third, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, third, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second, second
Senate Bill 570, calendar, Senate Bill 571, without objection read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 571, calendar, Senate Bill 572, without objection read the bill the second time, calendar, Senate Bill 573, without objection read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 573, calendar, Senate Bill 584, without objection read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 584, calendar, Senate Bill 591, without objection read the bill the second time, Senate Bill 591,
Calendar. Senate Bill 592. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 592. Calendar. Senate Bill 594. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 594. Calendar. Senate Bill 595. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 595. Calendar. Senate Bill 597. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 597. Calendar. Senate Bill 599. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 599. Calendar. Senate Bill 600. Without objection read the bill the second time.
Senate Bill 600. Calendar. Senate Bill 601. Without objection read the bill the second time. Bill 601. Calendar. Senate Bill 612. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 612. Senate Bill 620. Without objection read the bill the second time. Bill 620. Calendar. Senate Bill 621. Without objection read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 621. Senate Bill 622 Without objection, read the bill the second time Bill 622
Calendar Senate Bill 657 Without objection, read the bill the second time Bill 657 Calendar Senate Bill 661 Without objection, read the bill the second time Senate Bill 661 Calendar Senate Bill 662 Without objection, read the bill the second time Senate Bill 662 Calendar Senate Bill 663 Without objection, read the bill the second time Bill 663 Calendar Senate Bill 664. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Bill 664. Calendar. Senate Bill 666. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Bill 666. Calendar. Senate Bill 690. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 690. Calendar. Senate Bill 709. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 709. Calendar. Senate Bill 711. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 711. Calendar.
Senate Bill 714. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 714. Senate Bill 715. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 715. Senate Bill 716. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 716. Senate Bill 743. Senate Bill 743. Senate Bill 744. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 744. Senate Bill 745. Without objection, read the bill the second time.
Senate Bill 745. Calendar. Senate Bill 746. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 746. Calendar. Senate Bill 747. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 747. Calendar. Senate Bill 748. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 748. Calendar. Senate Bill 749. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 749. Calendar. Senate Bill 774. 774. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 774. Calendar. Senate Bill 812. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 812. Education. Senate Bill 816. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 816. Education. Senate Bill 852. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 852.
public health. Senate Bill 887. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 887. Public health. Senate Bill 920. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 920. State agencies. Senate Bill 965. Without objection, read the bill the second time. Senate Bill 965. Public Health Senate Bill 976
Without objection, read the bill the second time Senate Bill 976 Public Health Senate Bill 1087 Without objection, read the bill the second time Senate Bill
Representative Douglas House
Unverified
2:01:19
1087 Rules Upon completion of the items named in the adjourn motion, the House will be adjourned until 1.30 p.m. Tomorrow, Wednesday, 20 March.
Agenda
Committee Reports
HB1819
HB1962
SB509
SB199
SB535
SB535
SB146
SB113
SB665
SB41
SB41
SB789
SB464
SB232
SB533
SB422
SB803
SB583
SB456
SB457
SB332
SB433
SB359
SB358
SB417
SB815
SB265
SB375
SB435
SB436
SB439
SB444
SB475
SB476
SB477
SB478
SB485
SB486
SB490
SB505
SB514
SB528
SB534
SB538
SB543
SB544
SB545
SB556
SB557
SB558
SB560
SB565
SB566
SB567
SB568
SB576
SB578
SB586
SB588
SB593
SB596
SB603
SB608
SB619
SB631
SB637
SB638
SB639
SB651
SB652
SB667
SB668
SB669
SB671
SB672
SB673
SB674
SB675
SB676
SB677
SB678
SB679
SB680
SB681
SB682
SB689
SB696
SB701
SB703
SB704
SB706
SB707
SB708
SB710
SB713
SB717
SB723
SB724
SB725
SB726
SB727
SB733
SB734
SB735
SB738
SB756
SB758
SB759
SB760
SB764
SB765
SB768
SB775
SB443
SB555
SB683
SB737
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 11
Speaker 12
Representative Dan M. Douglas
Unverified
Speaker 27
Speaker 34
Representative John W. Walker
Unverified
Speaker 40
Speaker 32
Speaker 49
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
Representative Douglas House
Unverified
Speaker 62
Representative Jeremy Gillam
Unverified
Representative Les "Skip" Carnine
Unverified
Representative Deborah Ferguson
Unverified
Speaker 69
Representative Robert E. Dale
Unverified
Representative Bill Gossage
Unverified
Speaker 44
Representative Allen Kerr
Unverified
Speaker 5
Speaker 75
Representative Charlie Collins
Unverified
Speaker 100
Representative Tommy Wren
Unverified
Speaker 9
Representative Butch Wilkins
Unverified
Speaker 116
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
Speaker 117
Representative Ann V. Clemmer
Unverified
Representative John K. Hutchison
Unverified
Speaker 48
Speaker 120
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Speaker 82
Representative Randy Alexander
Unverified
Representative Mary Broadaway
Unverified
Representative John T. Vines
Unverified
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
Representative Kelley Linck
Unverified
Speaker 158
Representative Mary P. "Prissy" Hickerson
Unverified
Representative Nate Steel
Unverified
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
Speaker 170
Speaker 174
Speaker 14
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
Speaker 180
Speaker 118
Speaker 184
Representative Davy Carter
Unverified
Speaker 79
Speaker 186
Speaker 92
Representative Andy Davis
Unverified
Speaker 198
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd Chair
Unverified