House Aging Children and Youth Legislative & Military Affairs
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Bills discussed (8)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HB1684
· 3 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1684”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1706
· 2 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1706”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1023
· 2 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HR1023”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1034
· 2 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “You first, House Resolution 1034, recognizing March 11th as World Plumbing Day. You're recog…”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1027
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1027”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1028
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1028”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1029
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1029”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1030
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1030”
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Pre-2017 bill |
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Chair
Unverified
0:00
You first, House Resolution 1034, recognizing March 11th as World Plumbing Day. You're recognized.
Speaker 2
0:06
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, members of the committee. This is a very simple resolution, and it has a little bit of biography to it. Matt Fair with the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, a local here in Arkansas, approached me a few days ago and asked me to present this for your consideration because Mr. Fair and my dad used to work together. My dad was a plumber and pipe fitter and industrial welder.
He worked on powerhouses, refineries, all sorts of industrial applications for plumbing, and so I told Mr. Fair that I would be happy to present this for your consideration. World Plumbing Day simply being an observation of the contribution that plumbers make to make civilized society possible. The resolution itself is non-controversial other than to mention that we like clean drink and water and we like for the contents of the toilet to go away when we flush, and those guys make that happen.
With that, I'd entertain any questions, but I'd appreciate a good vote. I
Chair
Unverified
1:10
think everybody can agree on those two things. That's a bipartisan deal, I can tell you that much. Any questions or comments from the committee? Seeing none, what's the pleasure of the committee? Or actually, first of all, anybody here to speak for or against the resolution? Seeing none, I was the pleasure of the committee. Representative Julian. Motion to pass. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed. Congratulations, Representative Kizia.
You've passed your resolution. Thank you, committee. I appreciate your time. Okay. Next up on the agenda, we're going to go back to the top.
Representative Charlene Fite
Unverified
1:49
House Resolution 1023 by Representative Lee. You are recognized to present your resolution. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, committee. This is a resolution we do every two years. In case any of you don't know, I am Irish. And it's just a simple resolution. There's a very active Irish cultural society here in Arkansas, and we just simply do a resolution for them. They'll be in the gallery that day,
and there'll also be a little reception in the land commissioner's office that day. And I'd ask for a
Chair
Unverified
2:16
good vote. Okay, you've heard about the resolution. Is there anybody have any questions or comments on the resolution? Seeing none, Representative Fite, you're recognized. Motion do pass. Motion's been made. Any discussion on the motion? Anybody want to speak for or against the bill first? Seeing none on that. All those in favor of passing the resolution say aye.
Representative Charlene Fite
Unverified
2:38
All those opposed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee. Please, two years from now, someone else is going to need to pick up this mantle, so be
Chair
Unverified
2:55
thinking about it if you're Irish. thank you okay let's see I'm gonna try to go down now representative letting don't see him present of Armstrong no okay so we're gonna go down now house bill 1684 my representative Lampkin you're recognized to present your bill
Representative Sheilla E. Lampkin
Unverified
3:11
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I brought to you today House Bill 1684, and I heard some of your comments earlier about what fictive kin is, and it's an intriguing new definition, but what the bill does is it adds fictive kin as a placement option for juveniles. In other words, they have to be taken out of the home or something happens with a home situation someone to place them with that would be responsible with them
especially if it's a family keep the family together and to keep the youth with familiar people it says this legislation expands the current definition of provisional care to include fictive kin currently provisional care is limited to placement with a relative within the fifth degree of kinship by virtue of blood or adoption the expansion would allow children to be placed with fictive kin which is defined as a person not related to the child by blood or marriage but who does have a strong positive emotional tie to a child and has a positive role in the child's life already such as a
godparent a neighbor a family friend a teacher a coach a pastor etc as with provisional placements no board is paid to these individual until they just become fully licensed by the child welfare agency for a child to be placed in a provisional home requires the following the best interest of the child to be placed there, a walkthrough inspection of the home, background checks of the fictive kin, including a criminal check, vehicle safety, and child malnutrition reports, and anything else that might be available.
It says the child can be placed in the home of a relative on a provisional basis, no more than six months pending the home of the relative being open as a foster home. In other words, this fictive kin for the first six months is just a placement to see if the situation works out to see if the situation home can be worked out to see if this is a compatible situation for everybody relative placements or placements with relatives will continue to be the first option the agency explorers however in the event there's not an appropriate relative available
the ability to look at other individuals who have had a significant relationship with a child or children is in the best children interest of the children the The expansion to include 50 of kin would open up placement options for the children who have had to be removed from the home due to neglect or abuse. It would allow these children to be placed with people they know who have a relationship with them, someone they trust, who live nearby, which would allow the children to continue to stay in the same school and keep a family unit together.
It would allow the children to be with the current friends, and this might aid in the reunification with the family. This piece of legislation was brought forth as a best interest for the children piece of legislation. I'd
Speaker 14
6:08
appreciate a good vote. Okay, Committee, you've
Representative Warwick Sabin
Unverified
6:16
there any questions? Mr. Vice Chair, you're recognized. Representative Blampkin, the concept seems pretty solid. I was just wondering if there are any objective criteria attached to fictive can just in this.
It sounds like, I mean, there's a broad definition, clearly, of what fictive kin is and could be, and I just didn't know if there was any objective criteria whatsoever in making a determination of who would qualify. I
Representative Sheilla E. Lampkin
Unverified
6:43
think it's really just based on an individual case basis. I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but that's the way I interpret it. someone that has a relationship with the child already, like, well, like a neighbor or a pastor,
just someone to place them with temporarily to see if it works, to see if the home situation can be worked out, and to keep the children together. There's several of them, and to keep them in familiar surroundings with their same friends in school in an environment where they would feel safer than being put in a home in another part of the state or in some other
Speaker 16
7:27
circumstances and thank you okay representative Scott
Representative Sue Scott
Unverified
7:30
you're recognized thank you mr. chair and thank you representative Lampkin I think this
absolutely sounds wonderful I do have a question don't you think that these children probably in many cases will have already been spending more time with some of these people who did who do get appointed as fictive kin then they have been in many cases with their own parents so this will be someone I'm assuming that they
know very very well is that correct that's the intent of the bill yes ma'am
Speaker 26
8:00
thank you okay representative Holcomb you recognized
well thank you mr. chair I think representative Scott touched on but I've been involved in some of these cases and it's it's more traumatic for the children being being not only taken away from the home but putting it as put in a strange home so if there was someone that they're familiar with or friendly
Representative John Payton
Unverified
8:21
with it's a whole lot better situation for them so I I really think it's it's it's a good deal thank
Speaker 16
8:30
you okay representative Payton you're recognized thank you mr. chair miss Lampkin it's great to see you feeling
Representative John Payton
Unverified
8:36
better and I really like your bill I have one question though about does this increase the burden or expense to the Department of Human Services on trying to vet these people I wouldn't think it would any significant degree maybe not
Representative Sheilla E. Lampkin
Unverified
8:48
in some cases at all it kind of depends I think this is something that that they are going to have to look at each case and make the determination to what needs to be done but Miss Blucher from the department's here if you'd like me to have her come forth and she might answer that would be fine but I saw lots
Representative John Payton
Unverified
9:06
of heads shake no so I think we got our answer from
Chair
Unverified
9:09
behind you yeah for the record though if Ms. Blucher, if you would like to come forward and state your
Speaker 37
9:24
name, title, and for the record, give the answer. Good morning. Cecile Blucher, the Division Director for Children and Family Services. You're correct. It would not add an additional burden. Actually, it will probably help the agency in the fact that it will aid in the reunification.
It will be a much better place for the children, and so it's really a benefit for
Representative Patti Julian
Unverified
9:50
everyone concerned. Okay, Representative Julian, you recognized? You know, I guess I wasn't aware that there was not already some provision for this. I chose my child's godparents with great care with the view that if something should happen, you know, with my husband or I that that's who would take care of my child and so I'm
I'm delighted to see this and I think it's a great
Chair
Unverified
10:15
bill Sheila thank you representative fight you're recognized okay representative Scott you're recognized okay I do not see anybody else actually So at this time, I will ask if there's anybody else here to speak for or against the bill. Seeing none, Representative Scott, I'll entertain your motion.
Motion do pass, please. Okay, motion's been made. Do pass. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed? Congratulations, Representative Lampkin. You've passed your bill. Thank you very much. Next item on the agenda is House Bill 1706 by Representative Rice. Representative Rice, you are recognized to present your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Representative Terry Rice
Unverified
11:13
Good morning, Committee. Mr. Chairman, I'd like
to invite Cecile Blucher to assist me and I don't know if she has somebody else or not. Okay. And I
Chair
Unverified
11:34
think we already know who Ms. Blucher is, and she just announced herself, but if her other assistant, if she would introduce herself for the record.
Speaker 54
11:46
Tanya Russell, Director of the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood
Representative Terry Rice
Unverified
11:51
Education. Okay, thank you, and I'm sorry I didn't see Ms. Russell back there. We'd visited, but I didn't know who I was going to be here. Mr. Chairman, committee, I'll try to be as brief as I can, but I think we need to go through this. And being an old-timer that likes the pads, but they're different and they're a little bit slow, I'm going to go through some sections here, and I think you'll hear what you need to hear. But if you need to stop and follow up, I'll allow you to get the chairman to slow me down.
Of course, the title of this is Act to amend the definition of a child under the Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act and clarify the meaning of foster home to make clarifications and other provisions of the Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act and for other purposes. The Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act is a legal authority under which the Child Welfare Licensing Review Board sets out minimum licensing standards for child placement agencies. It is under the direction of the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education previously.
It was under the direction of the Division of Children and Family Services, but moved to ensure the agency opening the foster home was not the same agency responsible for licensing compliance reviews of the homes to keep, in essence, the Fox Garden and Hen House, as we have heard the old saying go. So starting in the bill, in Section 101, on the first page, it expands the definition of child to those clients who are 18 years or older and have been determined by the court to be adjudicated, dependent, neglected, or a member of a family in need of the services before becoming 18 years of age.
It clarifies the definition of a foster home to not include a home that has been suspended or closed by the Child Placement Agency as this is a safety issue for the children served. And the definition of provisional home is expanded to include effective kin. This section 116 would need to be amended as such. Moving on to Section 6 on your page 10, I believe, gives authority to share confidential information to a child fatality review panel as determined by DHS.
And Section 7 on the same page 10 ensures that confidential information is not re-released to individuals and must be under seal. Section 8 on page 11 is currently the law requires a list of persons in a child welfare agency to have a child maltreatment check in his or her state of residence at any state of residence in which the person has lived for the past six years.
This is changing from six years to five years, and this is consistent with checks required by foster and adoptive parents. We are also requesting moving the age from 10 to age 14 for when a child maltreatment check is required on a member of the household. The DCFS is requesting the age increase to 14 as this will be consistent with the age in which a juvenile can be placed on the child maltreatment registry.
It includes checking with Arkansas State Police to determine if a person has pleaded guilty to a normal contender to or has been found guilty. It also expands the age to 18 and a half years. Currently, DCSF is required to run a criminal records check on an individual when they turn 18. The law prohibits the Arkansas State Police from releasing criminal records checks on members of the household under the age of 18.
And for DCFS to be in compliance with state and federal law, a criminal records check must be run. It's not option. It must be run on a member of the household when they turn 18. And being that the report can't be run prior to them turning 18, there's a time factor here and to know the results. And so the agency is out of compliance beginning on the day the member of the household turns 18. And this will give them time to have the results for the home to be in compliance and require the agency to use the state.
I may have jumped off here. being a report cannot be run prior to 18 and the results of the agency is out of compliance on the day a member turns 18 of the household turns 18 results in the home not being in compliance. In other words, there's not enough time there and this will give them the six months there to be in compliance and have the information they need. The agency is also asking for the 18 years again to be extended 18 and a half to allow the agency to get the
results in and not utilize state general revenue it adds theft to public benefits to a list of offenses that would prohibit an individual from having direct or unsupervised contact with a child in the care of child welfare agency and going on the board authority it adds the words our designee to all sections that refers to board authority to clarify the board's ability to delegate authority to the division staff if they
so choose also to add a special consideration category to supplement the current alternative compliance category of requests to be considered by the board to allow a board to grant permissive to work with children, to individuals that do not meet the requirements of an alternative compliance. The time frame reconsideration, the change provides time frames for initiating a request for consideration to 20 days, changing the department's time frame for responding to
a request for reconsideration from 15 days to 20 days. This change will allow the PRLU to keep the response time frames between the provider and the agency consistent, and then the ownership to allow transfer of a license from one owner to another, but would require the new owner of a transfer license to provide to the department all documentation required of a new license. This change will allow the seller to assure the buyer that business assets, such as the
allotment of residential beds would stay with the business through the transfer of ownership. And finally, criminal background checks replaces the current listing of prohibiting offenses by the PRLU. This change was recommended by the Arkansas State Police to create more consistency with the DHS divisions. Also, to allow an applicant who has had a misdemeanor conviction that is older than five years to work in the Child Welfare Agency,
provided that there have been no further criminal convictions. And this change will eliminate the high number of applicants now required to appear before the board or minor offenses. And if I can, before I ask for, let the chairman take any questions, Let me just state the two ladies sitting here, when I came in my first term, and as we all do, we've got things on our mind.
It really wasn't something that I intended to do, but I had some issues that came to me and worked with, and as we all do, we agree and disagree times. I have been very pleased and satisfied, Although we don't always come out with the outcome that I might think DHS does, I have gained a greater respect on the difficulty of their job. And to be blunt, sometimes I tell my constituents, you know, you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.
And I don't mean that disrespectfully. These people do a difficult job, and we get things as representatives of the people brought to us. And I have appreciated both these people who have worked with me through some of those things. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I would be glad to take any questions, and I've got some help here that probably can
Chair
Unverified
20:51
answer them. Thank you, Representative Rice. I do have a question on page 9. It talks about child welfare agency. It says, License shall be transferable along with all capacity and rights of licensure from
one location to another and from one odor to another if permitted under subdivision of this section. I guess the question is you know you could potentially have somebody who has the license in Fayetteville and then all of a sudden transfers it to Little Rock or even West Memphis and I was just wondering you know I guess wouldn't that you know because you're moving definitely from county to county, judicial and everything of that nature,
do you foresee any problems, you know, if it does get moved across the state from one location to another? You know, do they have to go through,
like, a re-inspection with the building and everything of that nature? I mean, is that... Yes, they do.
Speaker 59
21:49
They have to go back. We would have to inspect the space that would be utilized. Okay, I
Chair
Unverified
21:55
just wanted to make sure. And would that provide, I
guess, have an additional cost to be either to the child welfare agency or potentially that the department would have to eat another cost of having to send somebody out to do the re-inspection and everything?
Speaker 54
22:10
I mean, how is that? No, we don't see that as an additional cost. This is a pretty infrequent situation anyway, but we would accept that as a responsibility of our
Chair
Unverified
22:22
unit. Okay. Thank you. Representative Harris, you're recognized for a question. Thank you,
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
22:28
Mr. Chair. I've got – this is quite an extensive bill. Thank you, Representative Rice, for bringing it to
us. On – I'll go to almost the last point that you made.
I've got a couple questions. The child welfare system, you made the, in the bill it talks about the requirements for a misdemeanor for child welfare worker if it's been more than five years old. Are we making less requirements for a child welfare worker than we are for
foster parents and adoptive parents on misdemeanors?
Speaker 54
23:13
I don't believe that is the case. We do have a staff attorney. She would know more about the adoptive or some of those things, but I don't believe that would be the case. Okay. Could you answer
Speaker 67
23:26
that, Ms. McGee? Thanks. Lisa McGee, I'm
Speaker 68
23:36
an attorney with the Department of Human Services, and know this will apply to all foster homes, adoptive homes, people who work in child placement agencies it's all the same set of
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
23:46
standards okay so the the employees and will they have to go through the same type of writing letters getting references that's different that's the process to be opened as a
Speaker 68
23:57
foster home okay so everyone has to have the criminal background checks and then to work in like to work in an agency have direct unsupervised contact okay at a place like a shelter so if you open as a foster home we have a different set of standards for that that include the reference letters going through the training okay
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
24:14
I just want to make sure we don't make it easier to work like our people working with these children
going out to investigate them and we're wanting people to have they had ten year-old records or five-year-old records of small misdemeanors and making it hard for them to open up homes well the other thing
Speaker 68
24:29
that's good about the board is is that if you do have a conviction if it's not on the prohibited list then you're able to come in front of the board and prove rehabilitation and the board can determine whether or not
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
24:41
you could could work in that environment okay all right thank you the other thing is so on the licensing requirements is are we moving that then from the division of children
and family for foster homes to early childhood is
that what we're doing in this bill that
Speaker 68
24:57
happened last session so last legislative session and representative rice is very graceful and he ran a bill for us that took it out from under the supervision of the division of children and family services and moved it downstairs to the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. So that's what happened. So now that unit supervises all child placement agencies. Children and Family Services is a child placement agency.
So they have to go in front of this board to get their license. So they get their license, and then they recruit and train people under their license. Okay. So we were still, I mean,
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
25:33
just an example, when they came out to my home, And we were still seeing the workers from DCFS, but they were being trained under Tanya. No, they're trained under the Division of Children
Speaker 68
25:41
and Family Services. They go and get a license that they can hang up on their wall that says, we are a licensed child placement agency. Okay. And I'm trying to think of another one. Think, therapeutic treatment homes. They have a license that says the same thing.
Okay. And both of those agencies would go in front of the board down here under their supervision. Okay. So the Fox Garden, the hen house was a long time ago, So the Division of Children and Family Services supervises the unit that gave the licenses. Okay. And the department felt like that was a conflict, and so that's why
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
26:11
it was pulled down to another division. So a lot of intermingling. That's what I was just wondering between the departments. Okay. All
Chair
Unverified
26:19
right. Thank you. Okay. I do have another quick question that just came to mind. And thank you, Representative
Harris, for kind of bringing it to my attention a little bit.
under the on page toward the end where it list has all the list of the person who's required to have a criminal records check under subdivisions shall be permanently prohibited from having direct and unsupervised contact with childcare I don't want to hold the build up in any way shape or form so I definitely want to vote on it today but would the sponsor of the bill be would he take under recommendation to add human trafficking as a you know as another one we can add to
Speaker 51
27:01
the list Mr. Chairman I think that's fine we'll we can yeah we
Chair
Unverified
27:09
can you know we can let it pass out of committee and everything and amend it
later if the sponsor would but I would just ask that as a recommendation appreciate that okay Representative Harris has another question so we'll recognize you go
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
27:24
ahead I'm sorry about that Thank You mr. chair I had one more question that I totally forgot the most important one on the child's fertility review panel for Miss Blucher do you guys still meet
on that I know it's in the our packet that we get your quarterly report right we'd
Speaker 37
27:41
still do an internal child death review and we're in the process of looking at how we would restructure our external child death review. We want to add more membership and just really look at how that can be a better committee than what we've had so that we can really hit at any public health issues and expand it to just outside of, you know, not just keep it within DCFS, but
really expand the findings and try to prevent child fatalities. I think that's
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
28:13
really important. The other thing, who are the people that are
Speaker 37
28:21
invited, the external stakeholders? We have a membership from the Administrative Office of the Courts, members from Children's Hospital, members from the Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence. We are wanting to extend that membership so that we used to have a corner and their membership
dropped off, and so we've just really got to relook at that and really restructure that to see that the structure of that helps us move forward as an agency on child fatalities. Okay. Since
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
28:56
it's in this, I just strongly encourage that we get back to that, so all right.
Speaker 4
29:02
Thank you. Okay. I do not have anybody else from the committee that's wanting to ask a question. this time does anybody in the audience want to speak either for or against this bill seeing none what is the pleasure of the committee representative Dickinson
has made a motion do pass any discussion on the
Chair
Unverified
29:26
motion seeing none all those in favor say aye all those opposed the ayes have it congratulations Representative Rice, you have passed your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, committee for your work. Okay. At this point, Representative Overby, well, actually, let's see, Representative Bragg, were you going to run your resolution today? Okay, I'm going to let Representative Bragg go ahead.
Okay, we'll let Representative Overby, since she's been waiting, you are recognized to present your resolution. thank
Representative Betty Overbey
Unverified
30:10
you mine is a house resolution and actually the we have a college a university it's moved up from a college to university so I show my age when I
I say college Dr. Rick Neese and Cherie Neese his wife we when we got one we got a pair of hard workers it's done a lot of work for for the University of the Ozarks at Clarksville and this is a house resolution commending Dr. Rick Neese and Cherie Neese for their service to the University of the Ozarks and congratulating
them for their accomplishments while serving as president and first lady of the University of the Ozarks it's one of the most beautiful campuses and I would love for any of y'all all of you to come and visit they've it's a beautiful place and I just would appreciate a good vote on this all right representative
Chair
Unverified
31:19
Overby has presented her resolution anyone on the committee with any questions seeing none is there
anybody in the audience that we should speak for against the resolution okay seeing none what is the pleasure of the committee representative Harris you recognized motions been made do pass any discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed congratulations Representative Overby, you've passed your resolution. Thank you. Okay. I see Representative Edwards is here, so we're going to go ahead and recognize Representative Edwards to present House Resolution 1027.
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
32:04
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman,
Representative John Charles Edwards
Unverified
32:09
member of the committee. Most of you, I'm sure, have seen the movie, the Band of Brothers, or the TV series that Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg put together about a group of World War II veterans, bless you, that bonded together as friends and their stories and their lives. Well, we actually have an individual who works for the House of Representatives right now
that is the last remaining World War II veteran that serves in our institution as an employee. Mr. Leon Majors, who I'm sure most of you, if you haven't gotten a chance to know him, I hope you do get to know him, he enlisted in the Army in 1943, and he served as a medic. and he was part of General George Patton's third army and as I've gone
through my life I've met so many enlisted soldiers who've spoken with pride about getting to serve in that army. Now at that time our armed forces were segregated and there's quite a bit of history about black medics who served in hospital units, transportation units, attending to the wounded of our nation. We didn't integrate the armed forces until President Truman signed an order in 1948.
But Mr. Majors is a, you know, he is a constant presence here in this Capitol. Again, he, we have living history in our midst every single day. we've talked about that that generation is the greatest generation and he's just a prime example of it and the other thing besides the grace and the way he carries himself and the wonderful countenance he has at all times
I just think it's also fitting and I take a lot of inspiration in this that I've never seen someone of his age and he keeps his exact age a secret, but you can do the math and get pretty close on it. He moves faster than about anyone I know, and I take a lot of pride in seeing that. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I'd appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
34:38
Thank you for bringing this resolution before us.
Again, it's wonderful to know that, you know, we have Mr. Majors here at the Capitol and is doing a wonderful job for us. Does anybody have any questions or comments on the resolution? Seeing none, anyone wish to speak for or against, I'm sorry, Representative Alexander, you recognized? Motion at the proper time. Motion at the proper time. Okay. Anybody wanted to speak for or against the resolution? Seeing none, Representative Alexander, what's your
Speaker 4
35:06
motion? Mr. Chair, I move do pass. A motion's been made, do pass. Any discussion?
Chair
Unverified
35:11
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed? Congratulations, Representative Edwards, you passed your resolution. All right. All right. Representative Bragg, you're recognized to present
Representative Ken Bragg
Unverified
35:34
House Resolution 1028. Thank you, Mr. Chair. This resolution concerns the log-a-load program. I don't know if many of you are that familiar with it.
Just a brief background. It started back in 1988 in South Carolina as an effort for the logging community to raise money for children's hospitals that were in the Children's Miracle Network. And basically they would have an event and bring a load of logs into this event donated and somebody would buy those logs and turn around and pay that value of the load of logs to the hospital. It grew throughout the South and it's a nationwide program now. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Arkansas Children's Hospital, and it's the
20th year of this program in Arkansas. In the last 20 years, the forestry and logging community has raised over $5 million towards the Children's Hospital, and the money has been dedicated to specific chairs for the doctors. We've helped finance the Angel One helicopter, and the money we're raising currently now goes to fund the trauma unit at Arkansas Children's Hospital. So it's been a very unique and successful program,
one that I've been personally involved in for quite a few years now. And so this resolution really recognizes the efforts of people that have been involved in that effort, and it's an ongoing effort. There's events held around the state. Last October alone in Sheridan, we raised over $120,000 in one night from the logging and forestry community, and we're raising approximately over $500,000 a year to help fund these programs at children's hospitals.
Speaker 94
37:20
So I'd be glad to answer any questions and
Chair
Unverified
37:24
appreciate a good vote. Appreciate it. I think we all know the fine job that Arkansas Children's Hospital does in serving the children of our state, and this resolution is very timely as I guess over the last couple of days Arkansas Children's Hospitals has their radiothon on raising money for the hospital, like I said, it's definitely a worthwhile investment in our state and everything of what they do. So with that said, does anybody else have any comments or questions on the resolution?
Anybody in the audience wish to speak for or against the resolution? Seeing none, what's the pleasure of the committee? Representative Julian, you're recognized for a motion. Motion's been made. Do pass. Any discussion on the motion? none all those in favor say aye all those opposed congratulations representative Bragg you've passed your resolution okay we house resolution
Speaker 4
38:19
1030 we'll let you go and present that one to as well
Representative Ken Bragg
Unverified
38:23
thank you this one and I want to
thank you mr. chairman and I want to commend you for bringing attention this year to the human trafficking issue and I think it's something that we might have heard about and considered a problem that other countries have, but we've recognized recently that it's also a problem in Arkansas. It was brought to my attention, this young lady, high school student in Sheridan, found out about the sex slave trafficking in Ghana, West Africa, and she formed a ministry of
her own called beauty for ashes and it works through another ministry in africa called every child ministries every child ministries and for every two hundred dollars that she has raised she could purchase one of these uh women and and their families their children out of this sex slave uh trafficking so over the last several years she and her sister have been raising money They've raised over $6,000 and have purchased over 60 individuals out of this human trafficking
environment, and then they go into a rehabilitation program where it assimilates them back into society and basically restores and recovers their life. She has been recognized nationally by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. It's one of two young people in Arkansas that have been recognized for this prestigious award, and she'll also be going to Washington, D.C. later to be recognized there also. But this resolution recognizes her efforts and, you know,
Speaker 94
40:07
the commitment to bringing women and their families out of the sex slave trade
Speaker 14
40:15
in Africa. Thank you for bringing this and for recognizing
Chair
Unverified
40:19
this outstanding individual on there. amazing high school student it's wonderful anybody else have any questions
Speaker 16
40:24
or comments on the our representative Scott you're recognized
Representative Sue Scott
Unverified
40:33
Mike please thank you mr. speaker I appreciate that representative Bragg could you this is my only question could you provide us
with her address such that possibly I for sure could make a donation to this young woman and maybe anyone else who would like
to to get a mailing address for her
Representative Ken Bragg
Unverified
40:52
be glad to her name's Tiffany Easter from Sheridan I've been glad to provide you with that information and she will be
Speaker 16
41:01
here you know when we recognize thank you great representative Alexander you recognized great
Representative Randy Alexander
Unverified
41:07
main minds think alike but I was going a little bit different direction I'd like to propose that we among ourselves raise
money among the House members and others and present her with a check on the day that she's here. MR. That would
Chair
Unverified
41:24
be a great idea. MR. Good idea. We'll let Representative Alexander lead that since it's his idea. Representative Scott,
Representative Sue Scott
Unverified
41:31
you're recognized. MS. And I will work with Mr. Alexander on that, and I'm really surprised that our great minds were thinking alike today, and I'm pleased with that, so thank you. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
41:42
MR. Okay. Any other questions or comments, Representative Payton, you're recognized?
Representative John Payton
Unverified
41:48
Well, I think it's a great opportunity to recognize a great young lady, and I would hate for her to suffer from a typographical error on page 2, line 6. You might want to change that from not to now. Okay. Thank you for that, Chris. Thank you. Okay.
Chair
Unverified
42:05
Anybody else? Seeing none, anybody in the audience would you speak for or against the resolution? What's the pleasure of the committee? I'll represent a fight. You're recognized. I Moved you pass motions been made do pass any discussion on the motion
Seeing none all those in favor say aye all those opposed Congratulations representative Bragg you have passed your resolution and I might add
Speaker 94
42:29
her dad's a veteran and is the ROTC instructor at Sheridan High School Wonderful wonderful with
Chair
Unverified
42:34
that said we have Session at 10 a.m. So we're going to go ahead and adjourn at this time so everybody can make their way up to the chamber Thank you.
Agenda
HR1034
HR1023
HB1684
HB1706
HR1029
HR1027
HR1028
HR1030
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 2
Representative Charlene Fite
Unverified
Representative Sheilla E. Lampkin
Unverified
Speaker 14
Speaker 16
Representative Warwick Sabin
Unverified
Representative Sue Scott
Unverified
Speaker 26
Representative Mike Holcomb Chair
Unverified
Representative John Payton
Unverified
Speaker 37
Representative Patti Julian
Unverified
Representative Terry Rice
Unverified
Speaker 54
Speaker 59
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
Speaker 67
Speaker 68
Speaker 51
Speaker 4
Representative Betty Overbey
Unverified
Representative John Charles Edwards
Unverified
Representative Ken Bragg
Unverified
Speaker 94
Representative Randy Alexander
Unverified