Arkansas Girls State 2012 (pt1)
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (10)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HB1001
· 5 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1001”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1002
· 2 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “consideration in House Bill 1002. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Nay. The n…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1003
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1003 An Act to Assist Schools in Fighting Obesity”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1004
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1004 An Act to Require State Education Curriculum to Focus on Sk…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1005
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1005 An Act to Address the Inequities Between Academic and Athle…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1006
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1006 An Act to Fund Girls State Apparel”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1007
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1007 An Act to Establish a County-Wide Curfew”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1008
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1008 An Act to Increase Scholarship Funding for Non-traditional…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1009
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1009 An Act to Repeal the Limitation of Passengers”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1010
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB 1010 School Bus Safety Act”
|
Pre-2017 bill |
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- October 5, 2026
Representative Robert S. Moore, Jr.
Unverified
0:00
100th year anniversary of the House of Representatives meeting in this chamber and it just so happened that my grandfather, who is from Dumas down in Deshaies County, was sworn in, that's right, was sworn in as a freshman legislator in that first class that was sitting in this chamber. So almost 100 years after my grandfather was sworn in, I had the privilege of sitting in that big chair that you're sitting in up there, Madam Speaker. I'm sorry, that's right. Congratulations to you. I do want to tell you also that the group that you're presiding over here today is a whole lot prettier, and they look a little friendlier, the ones that I happen to preside over through two sessions here.
So I hope you have a great day sitting in that big chair. But I do hope that each one of you enjoy the experience. It is a very rewarding time as you will reflect back on it, and I hope that you take away something that is motivating for you to continue your service. Now, I'm going to do something. There are a number of privileges that go along with the responsibility of being Speaker of the House. One, you get to sit in the most comfortable chair most of the time in the chamber.
You get your own parking space. You get a big office. You get this wonderful staff to take care of you. And you get to do things nobody else can do. And so I'm going to do one of those right now. I'm going to – I happen to represent the largest geographical district in the state of Arkansas down in the southeast corner right on the Mississippi River. and I encompass some of four counties down there and I was looking at the names of you young ladies
that are from the district that I represent. I know many of your parents and grandparents, but I don't know you, so I'm going to take the opportunity to introduce you and I'm going to ask you to stand up and then I'm going to ask everybody to join me in giving a special welcome to those of your colleagues who happen to be from the district that I represent. So if I call your name, please stand up. Sarah Hayes from McGee. Sarah's, okay, Sarah's not. Gina Silva.
Am I reading off the right list here? This is what we, okay, Sarah Haygood. Are all my people outside taking a picture? I'm going to run down real quick Adija Sykes Mike Village Peyton Cashin from McGee Madeline Gibson Dermott Jessica Wargo I've only got a couple more
maybe somebody's going to be here Paige Gabriel Courtney Gibson Antoinette Wade okay I'm not going to meet anybody from my district we'll try something else they don't want to try to follow you and your name good thank you i'm proud that you're down here helping to represent our district um just a uh a few words before i let you get on with your business again i want to congratulate
you for being here, because you have exemplified what I'd like to simply call some of the right stuff at your young age to have achieved the privilege sitting in one of these seats out here. You obviously have a history of making some good decisions, of taking advantage of opportunities that have been presented to you that you've either been blessed with, or you've been challenged and made available
and you've taken advantage of those opportunities. You obviously have, most likely, most of you have had to study kind of hard, keep your grades up, you've worked hard, and by your presence here I think you show that you care. You care about what's going on in your communities, you care about what's going on in your school, and that is one of the most important attributes that can be brought into this chamber and one of the most important attributes that you can carry with you as you go through life
to make a difference in your communities, for the betterment of your communities, your state, and the United States of America. So I congratulate you on this achievement and hope that you will build on it in the years to come. Now, I do want to point out, I know you're all aware of this, But sometimes you don't really, you're all probably very precocious, but when I was out in the seats you were in about 50 years ago, I wasn't thinking about things like this, but we didn't have this particular thing.
That's called term limits. So in the seats that you're sitting in out there, the person that you'll be representing, whose name you'll be going by during the process is today. That person is only going to be sitting in that seat if they get elected to the maximum number of terms that they're authorized under our term limit laws. It can only be out there for a total of three terms or six years. So it means that the business of the House of Representatives, you've got to be a fast learner. You've got to be extremely committed to the process, and you've got to be up and at them to make your contribution in a short period of time.
What it also does, and I'm not going to go ahead and talk about the good and bad of term limits, except say that there are some negatives which have been debated. You could spend your entire day here debating pro and con, But one of the good things about term limits is it does allow opportunity for persons like me and my colleagues, many of my colleagues in here, who otherwise would not have been able to serve if we didn't have term limits. What it does also is make the opportunity for young people to get involved.
We have more than several persons under the age of 30, and I believe I had a couple under the age of 25 that served in the House of Representatives. So even though 25 still seems a long way off for you, trust me, it'll come around. So keep your eyes open to the opportunities that you have to make a difference. I hope you enjoy the process. I will tell you that in politics, to me, politics, the rules for success in politics are very much akin to the rules that you go by
and having success in business and having success with your friends and family. And that's what I call the three R's. And everybody's got their own set of rules, but I'll just pass these on to you. That is, as you go through today, as you go through your business back home and as you make your way through life, if you always show respect to yourself and to your colleagues here today or your family and friends back in your communities, If you are responsible, responsible always for your actions, accountable and responsible to the people who depend upon you.
And if you temper your actions always with reason. If you always think about if you're not beholding to one person or one special interest group, but you always consider all of the information that's available to you, if you're legislating before you make that final vote to know that you're doing the right thing for the people that you represent or if you're back in here with your family and friends that you're being fair and considerate in the actions that you take because your actions they do always
tend to catch up with you. There's a guy named some of you will recognize names some of you may not very popular when I was very young guy named David Crockett who's attributed with the quote quote of, be sure you're right, then go ahead. And that's kind of the R and reason there is always consider the ramifications of the decisions that you make. Public service is a great honor. It's very rewarding to be in a position where you have the opportunity to help others and make a
difference in your communities, in your state, in your nation. So I urge you to learn all that you can today. You make friendships that last a lifetime. Hope you have a great time and success today and from here on out. So thank you for letting me address you and welcome again. We're about to begin the formal process. Any questions? And we
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
9:07
have a delegation here from the Senate. We appreciate your patience. We'll get right to you just as soon as we
Speaker 7
9:14
That's Senator Williams back there. He's like the speaker. He's a real senator. So
Speaker 8
9:19
thank you, Senator Williams, for your patience. Madam Chairman, if there are no questions, we're ready
Speaker 12
9:30
to start. The 2012 session of Arkansas Girls' Day will please come to order. I invite the members, staff, and guests in the gallery to stand and be led in prayer by the House Chaplain, Eleni Miramoukos, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Speaker 14
9:53
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray a special blessing over each young lady in this room. We thank you for this wonderful opportunity. Thank you for a productive day and a safe trip back to Harding University. May our words and actions be honorable to you today. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
Speaker 19
10:16
and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated.
Speaker 12
10:25
As the first order of business, the chair appoints the following members, Grace Kronfest, Katherine Hegemeyer, and Anne Grace Clark, to notify the Senate that the House is organized and ready for business. Okay, would
Speaker 7
10:45
you all stand please? Rep. Summers, would you go with them to the Senate to try to do as well as Senator Williams is doing?
Y'all meet here at the door and go with Mr. Summers to the Senate, please.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
11:14
The chair recognizes delegation from the Senate. Madam Speaker, you are recognized.
Speaker 34
11:31
I'd like to report that the Senate is organized and ready for business. Okay, as we go
Speaker 7
11:42
along, we're going to be explaining things to you. That was a formality there. The Senate is telling the House they're over there and they're ready for business. We've sent our people over there to tell them that we're open and we're ready for business, which means we're going to officially start. And in keeping with that on your desk, there's a packet, and those are the bills that are there. There's a packet of House bills and a packet
Speaker 37
12:00
of Senate bills, and we're going to be going in numerical order down through those bills this morning, and we're going to begin like right now.
Speaker 44
12:20
House Bill 1001, Representative Wallace D. Smith, Lemons Reed, an act to extend
Speaker 46
12:27
Medicaid benefits to all individuals with disabilities under the age of 18 years of age.
Speaker 7
12:39
Okay, Representative Wallace or Smith or Lemons or Reed, who's going to handle this bill?
Speaker 52
12:55
You were recognized to explain the bill. Thank you. I firmly believe that all people deserve equal medical attention no matter their family income, and this is a big problem for families that don't make as much as others,
and I feel that we should all have the equal opportunity to receive medical attention attention because some are not able to pay for their doctor visits or their braces or anything that they might need. And all the Medicaid procedures will follow this act. Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
13:44
Representative Bale, you're recognized to speak against the
Speaker 57
14:01
bill. I know that there are many issues today as far as income goes, but there are options for lower-income families, such as our kids, because any person that needs medical care can get it. But if we were to pass this bill, the main question I would have was how would it be funded?
Would we raise taxes and cause the lower income families to have to pay more out to get something else that they can already receive? So I urge you all to vote against this motion. She has spoken against the bill. Would anyone like to speak
Speaker 60
14:33
for the bill? Against the bill? Sponsor, would you like to close for the bill?
Speaker 65
15:01
Answering her question, there are other ways that we could provide for this other
Speaker 52
15:06
than I'm raising taxes by taking money from maybe highway funds or leveling the budget in other ways, making the Arkansans pay more money. So I feel that building a highway is much less
Speaker 66
15:19
important than another child's life. She is closed for the bill. Question before the House.
Speaker 8
15:34
It's passage of House Bill 1001. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clark. All those in favor, vote green. Those opposed, vote no or otherwise. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted?
Speaker 68
16:07
Cast up the ballot. By 59 yays and 34 nays,
Speaker 7
16:29
the bill passes. That's the first one. Everybody caught on there? We're okay with that? Congratulations to all of y'all that helped with it, okay?
Speaker 92
16:39
We'll just go to the next bill, on election bill.
Speaker 91
16:42
Representative Ingram, for what purpose? Madam Chairman, I
Speaker 93
16:46
would like to make a parliamentary motion. Let us hear your motion.
Speaker 96
16:54
I move that we remove our advisors for the remainder of this session. Proper motion. It's not
Speaker 99
17:04
debatable. It's not debatable. Question before the House. Question before the House.
Speaker 102
17:08
It's to suspend the rules. It's to suspend the rules and remove these visors.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
17:16
Representatives, please put your visor's neck on. All in favor of the motion, say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. The ayes have it.
Speaker 84
17:31
The motion passes. Those procedural motions, most of the time
Speaker 7
17:41
we'll be voice voting those, but if somebody wants something on the machine, we can put it on there too, but we'll vote on the bills
Speaker 44
18:01
Clerk, please read Bill 1002. House Bill
Speaker 109
18:04
1002, Representative, sorry. of the Motor Vehicle Helmet Safety Act of 2012. Representative Sari,
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
18:14
you are recognized to present bill. Representative Sari.
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
18:24
do is look over those bills, and if you're one of the
Speaker 116
18:34
sponsors on there, you need to be prepared to present it when the time comes. You are being recognized. This bill is to require helmets on all motorized vehicles without doors. I believe in the safety of my fellow colleagues, their family members.
Anyone who is on a motor vehicle should have a helmet on. statistically last year more people were killed in motor motorized accidents without helmets than with helmets so I would like you
Speaker 118
19:06
to vote this bill in and representative sorry has explained the
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
19:14
bill would anyone like to speak against the bill
Chair
Unverified
19:21
representative mail you are recognized
Speaker 122
19:25
I understand the safety issues as far as, you know, there are a lot of accidents,
Speaker 57
19:38
but the state of Arkansas is number two in motorcycle tourism, and it's because we have a no-helmet law. I know that in my area, we get CMA tourists every year, and a lot of people come for the changing of the colors. Well, if we were to, you know, make this into law, we would lose a lot of
money in our town. And there would be many places in the state of Arkansas that would lose money as well. So how would we replace this funding that we would lose in the state if we were to pass this law? So
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
20:12
I urge you all to vote against this motion. Representative has spoken against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Sanders? Representative English, I apologize.
Speaker 126
20:28
You are being recognized. I'd like to speak against
Speaker 76
20:47
the bill, because which is more important? One moment. I
Speaker 126
20:51
mean, four, sorry. Because which is more important, people's lives or funding?
Speaker 108
20:59
I think people's lives is more important. She has spoken for the bill. Is there
Speaker 131
21:09
anyone that would like to speak against the bill? Representative Morris.
Speaker 133
21:29
I agree with the bill that people should wear helmets when I think that people
Speaker 135
21:40
should wear helmets, and I think that it would be great if they did, but I don't think that it's the state's job to tell people whether or not they can wear a helmet. it's it's up to them so even though it would be safer for them to wear one it's not up to us to tell
Speaker 137
21:57
them what they should and shouldn't do
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
22:05
representative had just spoken against the bill Representative
Speaker 143
22:15
Westmore for what purpose let's hear your motion consideration
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
22:31
promotion not debatable question before the house is immediate
Speaker 68
22:37
consideration in House Bill 1002. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Nay. The nays have it. Okay, ladies, what you
Speaker 7
22:55
were voting on there, you weren't voting on the bill. You were voting on an opportunity to vote either for or against it. So what happens in this process is if you've heard enough, if
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
23:05
it's a simple bill and you understand it, you know, why do you want a continuous more debates. So if everybody out here understands this bill, it could be time
to vote on it. Is that right? Otherwise, you know, then we keep it up. By virtue of the speaker's decision up there, you voted not to immediately consider
Speaker 89
23:21
so debate is back open again. All that making sense? Okay. Would anyone like to speak
Speaker 149
23:36
for the bill? Representative Lampkin for what purpose you're recognized
Representative Sheilla E. Lampkin
Unverified
23:55
thank you Madam Speaker If we are required to our seatbelts in a car, I think we should be required to our helmets and motorcycles. Thank you. She
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
24:08
has spoken for the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Tyler, for what
purpose? Use your microphone. I would like to speak against the bill. You're recognized.
Chair
Unverified
24:26
One particular representative, when she was sponsoring it, I don't quite remember what her name was, but she said that we would be required to wear helmets in any vehicle without doors. So would that mean that you have to wear a helmet when you're riding in a Jeep? Thank you.
Speaker 60
24:56
She has spoken against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Dale, for
Speaker 131
25:16
what purpose? I would like to speak for the bill. You're recognized?
Speaker 169
25:26
I would just like to make a clarification on the bill. I was with Representative Sarri when we wrote this, in um it's basic it's a bill that we would like for all motorized vehicles that are on roads
not like bicycles and jeeps it's meant we were supposed it's a bill to make to require you to wear a helmet in all motorized vehicles including motorcycles um like the three wheels with the little in the ones with the cab anybody on those motorcycles or motorized vehicles have to wear a helmet just for safety because in cars just like another representative made the point in cars you have to wear seatbelts and we just think that on a motorcycle the same protection would be best thank you
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
26:33
representative I just spoken for the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill representative martin ed for what purpose I'd like to speak against the bill.
Speaker 114
26:44
You're being recognized. While she's coming down here, you can give the speaker a little
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
26:49
tip and help her out up there. If you want to speak for her, you can have your microphone in. You can do your thumb like that. If you want to speak against her, you can do it like that. Then it'll give her a little bit of signal up there what you're doing.
Speaker 176
27:03
In response to what the previous representative said, aren't Jeeps and bicycles on the road as well? and if we're requiring all motorized vehicles, that would be everybody. So I think that we should vote against this because that's really limiting a lot of people to a lot of things. And I don't think you should require somebody to do something if it's their choice and it's
Speaker 177
27:28
their health. It's their choice. We're taking away a human right by doing that.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
27:35
Thank you. Representative has just spoken against the bill. Representative Allen to speak for the bill. You're being recognized. Representative Passion,
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
28:00
a motion. I have already recognized Representative Allen. you recognize it represents
Speaker 182
28:07
valor okay in response to what the representative before me just said
bicycles are required to wear helmets and in jeeps you wear a seat belt because it's a car on a motorcycle you don't have a seat belt you need a helmet so in that sense all motorized bicycles like motorcycles are
Speaker 181
28:25
different from bikes and jeeps because the jeep is a car and you have a seatbelt and it requires a seatbelt. Thank you. Representative
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
28:33
has just spoken for the bill. Representative Patterson for what purpose? Mode.
Let us hear your motion. Removed for
Speaker 68
28:46
immediate consideration. Proper motion not debatable. Question before the house is immediate consideration on house bill 1002 all in favor say aye all
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
29:08
opposed say nay the eyes have it
Speaker 187
29:15
prepare the machine mr. clerk The question
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
29:20
before the House is passage of Bill 1002.
Speaker 68
29:24
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. By the vote of 71 yea, 21 nay, and 1
Speaker 10
30:06
present, the bill has passed. Members of the House, I would just like to remind you all that you may ask questions during the debate of a bill.
Speaker 40
30:19
Madam Clerk, please. General Clerk, read House Bill 1003. House
Speaker 109
30:29
Bill 1003, Representatives Randolph, Riddles, and all. To create the applying PE to me, act to assist schools in fighting obesity. Representative Randolph, you're recognized. what she
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
30:44
was saying is while she's down
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
30:50
here and explaining if you have a question you can
stand up and you know try to get recognized for
Chair
Unverified
31:02
a question you want to know something thank you madam speaker fellow representatives um the requirement in arkansas schools um from a personal standpoint, talking to teachers is one hour a week. And that is simply not enough. The goal, I think, with physical education should be to encourage lifelong knowledge
about exercise. So if we make it a requirement, not just ninth grade, you know, first semester, okay, you're finished with exercise, but no, you need to continue this. We can defeat things like the freshman 15. It'll also be cheaper to the government if we have healthier people in the workplace, and kids would also be able to focus more in classrooms. We'll have healthier, stronger kids, and those kids can pass the habits that they learn down to their children,
and it can be a good cycle to start. It'll save us money, as I said before, and it'll help defeat things such as diabetes, high blood pressure, which are all things that contribute back to being obese. So please pass this bill. Representative Wagner, for what purpose? To ask a question.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
32:31
She has already left the well. Is there anyone that would like to speak against the bill? Representative Rogers? Let me explain that.
Speaker 200
32:44
You can only ask questions while they're standing here in the well. When they leave like this, they're
Speaker 193
32:52
gone. There's nobody here to take a question. So if you have a question, do it while they're here, okay? Representative Rogers, for what purpose?
Speaker 185
33:04
You're recognized. Okay, first I would just like to say I understand the importance of health, and as
Speaker 202
33:18
someone that is involved in sports, it has, you know, greatly affected my life, and it is a good thing. But if we require schools to have more classes on physical education and PE classes, we are taking away their chance to take more educational and AP classes, whereas physical health is an
individual choice and you should be spending your own time outside of school doing that. Yes, we do need a course such as the ninth grade one we have in PE to give someone an opportunity to learn about it, but we don't need to enforce that throughout every single year in school when they
Speaker 121
33:54
could be spending their time learning that's what school is for thank you
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
33:58
representative has just spoken against the bill is there anyone I would like to speak for the bill representative Linderman for what purpose
Speaker 193
34:12
you recognized all the questions again it's okay to be energetic while somebody's not here speaking, if you have a question, just go ahead and stand up
Speaker 205
34:25
then while they're speaking, and the speaker will wait until they finish, probably, and then ask you what you want. But stand up and
Speaker 169
34:34
let them know you want to check it out, okay? Well, it'd be good to have a class just once a year, just like a PE class, just in general, so that way people can get their exercise every day.
Because if they get obese, it can lead to lots of diseases and even cause death. And we need to have healthier children. and so people can stay alive. Thanks. Representative has just
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
34:57
spoken for the bill. Representative Brown, for what purpose? Where she left.
Representative, just please stand up before they leave the... Area. Representative Overby, for what? You're being recognized.
Speaker 209
35:39
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to speak against this bill because requiring students to have four credits of PE while good for their health,
I don't think it would be effective because if we all think about it, how much do we really do in PE class? A lot of our PE classes, I know at my school, you work out for the first couple of days, the first couple of weeks, and then it's just a study period. You can do whatever you want. So I'm thinking instead of making children take PE four times a year, maybe work on changing the physical education curriculum. Thank you. representative has
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
36:17
just spoken against the bill is there anyone like to speak for the bill
representative Gillum being recognized you're being recognized
Representative Jeremy Gillam
Unverified
36:39
response to you know the educational we should have more educational classes. Our life expectancy is withering
Speaker 212
36:45
away. We have people dying all the time, you know, from diseases, as she said. And I just feel like if we, you know, cram all these
Speaker 213
36:54
educational classes into our curriculum, that knowledge is completely worthless if we don't live to pass it on. Representative Rogers, for what purpose?
Speaker 217
37:10
I'm sorry, I have a question. For what purpose? A
Speaker 165
37:17
question, please. You're recognized. Since you're for this, would this cost
Speaker 213
37:22
anything? That would be my question, too. You know, what exactly, how much would it cost?
Would it take time out of the school day? But at the same time, our life expectancy is more important. You know, we need to live to pass the knowledge on and to do something
Speaker 217
37:37
with it. Well, I would just like to know how much equipment we'd have to need for this and how effective it would be. Plus, who would pay for it? What money
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
37:50
would come out of education to pay for this? Representative, I just spoken for the bill. Representative Klemmer, to speak against
Speaker 133
38:06
the bill, you're being recognized. thank you speaker um i would like to speak against this bill because as a part of an athletic team
it says in the bill it says that you will receive an athletic credit for being a part
Speaker 169
38:18
of a sports team if you require everyone to be a part of a sports team yes the physical education for everyone is healthier and will make them less obese and fight against diseases, but requiring all of them to take away from the educational classes, but also requiring them to be a part of sports teams will not only take away from the sports teams, you'll have to restructure everything because you have more people on a team and also, oh, I'm sorry, to build off
Speaker 133
38:52
of representative rogers who would fund the extra pe classes because certain pe teachers have to have you have to have that cert the certification and not not even athletic coaches have those certifications and that funding would be a lot harder to thank you representative sanders for what purpose you're
Speaker 225
39:16
being recognized um what about schools that like um i know that my school dance cheer and soccer don't count as an athletic it's like not an
athletic like it's still class period but it's not an athletic so would we change those to
Speaker 133
39:32
be athletic that would also help and I agree that if those were structured for people who don't want to be a part of a sports team or don't want to take the extra PE class that is I in my opinion in a physical education course And if the coaches were certified in PE, then I think that that would work. Representative Wagner, for what purpose?
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
39:57
To make a motion. She's still in the will. Representative has just spoken against the bill. Representative Wagner to speak
Speaker 230
40:18
for what purpose? To make a motion. Let's hear your motion. To move to immediate
Speaker 68
40:25
consideration. The proper motion, not debatable. The question before the House
is immediate consideration for House Bill 1003. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. eyes have it the question before the house is passage of
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
40:48
house bill 1003 prepare the machine madam clerk has everyone voted
Speaker 68
41:07
Cast up the ballot. By the vote of 18 ayes, 73 nays, and two present, the bill has failed. Madam Speaker, could
Speaker 235
41:28
we ask for a moment to have a vote for debate on the DVDs, please? Yes, you recognize.
Speaker 238
41:37
Hi, there were a lot of questions about the DVDs. If you just fill out that pink form and just leave it at your desk, when you're done, I'll come collect them. But we just need to make sure that we have your name and mailing address, and it is going to be no cost to you. And it might take us a couple of weeks to get them all burned and out to you. So just leave those there. Thank you.
Speaker 40
42:07
Madam Clerk, please read Bill 1004. House Bill 1004,
Speaker 109
42:15
Representative Barnes. To require education curriculum to focus on skills as opposed to standardized testing. Representative Barnes, you're being recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Speaker 182
42:37
This bill really focuses on, because in Arkansas, I
Speaker 209
42:41
know that we have a lot of standardized testing, and in our committee, the Education Committee, we feel that education has moved away from fundamental skills like math and reading and grammar and move more into preparing you for a test. And we feel that teachers shouldn't be teaching to a test. They should be teaching so that we are actually learning something.
And we wanted to make it so that after testing, you know, we all have AP classes, and most of us do, sometimes after AP testing, the class just shuts down and we're not doing anything else. We would like to make it so that we are learning throughout the school year. Representative Powers, for what
Speaker 242
43:30
purpose? I have a question. being recognized representative the
Speaker 243
43:32
from what i've read it says that just a public school student would this also include students with mental disabilities yes ma'am okay thank you
Chair
Unverified
43:44
representative tyler for what purpose i have a question you recognize um i see here that it says on line 27 including its curriculum more career based classes one can you give some specific examples of that like how we would apply those into schools and also in line 30 and 34 it says that you would have to administer administer tests in the beginning of the year and at the end of the year isn't that the same thing as a standardized test why is that any different than the standardized testing we have
Representative Betty Overbey
Unverified
44:18
now, like EOCs? Well, to your first
Speaker 209
44:23
question, the career-based classes, I would think shop class or computer business applications, accounting classes, classes that would actually help you when you graduate in pursuing different careers. And the pre-test, post-test, in line 30 and 34, as you said, we have to have some way of assessing if the students have learned those fundamental skills so our goal was to cut back on testing and to test you
on the fundamentals but not per se standardized testing. Representative Summers for
Speaker 118
45:00
what purpose? I have a question. You recognized? Does this include getting rid
Speaker 182
45:06
of SOAR testing? SOAR testing. Well we didn't say anything about SOAR testing. The only standardized tests that we would have if you
Speaker 209
45:12
will look on the back of the bill on line two and three, it says the end of year comprehensive test shall be the only testing of public school students required by the state.
And since SOAR testing is required by the state, then yes, it would eliminate that.
Speaker 249
45:35
Representative Smith, for what purpose? I have a question. You're
Speaker 209
45:39
recognized. For what purpose is the end of the year comprehensive test? Once again, that would be to make sure, to assess whether or not the students have learned the fundamental skills needed to help them pass the
Speaker 114
45:49
next grade level. Representative Pierce, for what purpose? I have a question. You're recognized?
Speaker 135
45:53
In order to get college credit and hours for classes, one has to pass these standardized tests. So without preparation during class time, how do you expect someone to be able to go in and pass it? pass it. In the bill, we're trying to
Speaker 209
46:06
eliminate the tests that are required to get college credit. We're just trying to have that one test required by the state that helps you pass the grade and then you just have to pass the class as a class. Okay, thank you. Representative Bell, for what purpose?
Speaker 31
46:25
I would like to make a motion to refer back to committee. She is
Speaker 202
46:37
still in the will. representative Rogers for what purpose I have a question you recognized okay in line 29 and 30 it says that we would have to take a pre-test and protest post-test it is not in the teacher's job description to do that so how would we pay for that and who would be giving that
Speaker 247
46:52
test um the tests would be given in classes individually and it is a teacher's job to learn
I mean, to teach us and test us on the knowledge
Speaker 91
47:01
that they teach us, so. Representative Smith, for what purpose?
Speaker 20
47:07
You recognized? Okay, it says here in lines two and three that the comprehensive test is for the end of
Speaker 257
47:14
the year. If the student has fairly well grades, yet they don't pass the comprehensive
Speaker 209
47:21
test, what does that mean? Well, if you will turn back to the first page of the bill, lines 35 and 36, we will require a 70% or above pass rate to be able to move on to the next grade.
And we decided that even though you might not be as strong on one subject, usually in comprehensive tests or standardized tests, being stronger in one subject helps balance out where you're weak in others.
Representative Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
47:53
Representative Steele, for what purpose? Okay, so you said, you made a statement that for college classes, you would only have to
Speaker 125
48:00
pass the class. What about students that don't, like, fairly pass the class? I mean, without testing, there's no way to tell if you really know the
Speaker 169
48:07
material or if you're just, you know, skimming by the class.
Speaker 247
48:10
There's a test. There's a pre-test and a post-test, and then there's the comprehensive test at the end. Representative Benedict, for what
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
48:19
purpose? You're recognized? I have a question. She has left
the well. Is there anyone that would like to speak against the bill?
Representative Penards to speak against the bill? I
Speaker 264
48:51
would like to speak against it because, all right, it says it
Speaker 267
48:55
includes in its curriculum more career-based classes. And we do have, like, your counselors and stuff in your schools to have stuff for that. And I think that's more for, like, college. And the part where it says a public school student who scores less than 70%, I don't agree with that because, like, some people, like, they might know it, but they're not good test takers.
So, I disagree with that. And that's all. The representative has just
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
49:27
spoken against the bill. Is there anyone that would like to speak for the bill? Representative bill, for what purpose? i would like to make a motion to refer
Speaker 122
49:34
back to committee at the proper time that is a proper motion and it is debatable
Speaker 40
49:50
representative bill you are recognized to explain your
Speaker 57
50:03
motion Looking over the bill, I see that we don't define what careers, like what the levels would be tested, what the definition of the fundamental skills are. We need to go back and specify what we want to have in this to make it to where there's no loopholes to where they can get around it.
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
50:24
Representative Ingram, for what purpose? I would like to debate this motion. It is debatable. would you like to speak against the motion yes you recognized thank you madam speak in debate you have to come here to subject yourself to the entire membership
Speaker 93
50:56
she's open to all of you when she comes here i would like to speak against this refer because i do not believe we should send
this bill off to a committee when we can just go ahead and vote on it and get it over with now. It would take too long to send it off to a committee when all of us can vote on it ourselves at this time. Thank you.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
51:16
She has spoken against the motion. Is there anyone allowed to speak for the motion? Representative Wagner to speak for the motion?
Speaker 277
51:30
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was on the committee that helped to make out Ms. Bill, and I agree with Ms. Bell that we do need to go back and fine-tune it a little bit before we bring it towards everyone, because she's correct. We don't need loopholes. We don't need people getting around this. We want our students to learn so that whenever they leave school, they're prepared for the real world. Thank you. Representative has just spoken for
Speaker 230
51:57
the motion. Is there anyone like to speak against the motion?
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
52:07
Representative Allen, for what purpose? Against the motion.
Speaker 114
52:13
You're being recognized. The whole point of
Speaker 182
52:23
this bill is to take out standardized testing, because not a lot of people are good testers, and because of standardized testing, the teachers go off course. Like in my math class, we go from chapter one to like chapter seven, and then go all the way
back, and it's confusing. And then when we get the test, we still don't know what's going on so to take out standardized tests into a pre-test and a post-test you still could figure out what you're learning and to know what you're going to do before you get out of school and before you go to college and spend all this money doing something that you eventually are not going to want to do we need to vote on it now because it affects all of us it doesn't you know affect the people that we send it to it affects all of us so we should vote on it now Representative Tyler, for what purpose?
Chair
Unverified
53:08
You're being recognized. You said that this is going to help, like, you want to completely just go along with it now because it's based off the fact that it would help students know better with their careers and it wouldn't be based off of testing skills alone. But it is clearly stated in this that they are still required to pass this test, to pass their grade. So it's still based off of test scores. It's not based off of your score in the class.
Representative Tyler, what's your question? So my question is, where are you getting it that it's able to go ahead and go on with this bill when it's unclear as to whether it is based off of testing or
Speaker 182
53:55
based off of your class skills? The pre-test and the post-test is to show what you learned and if you're ready for that particular thing that you
Speaker 248
54:01
signed up to do. Representative Ingram, for what purpose? I would like to make a parliamentary motion.
Speaker 282
54:15
She is in the will. Is there anyone like to speak for the motion? Representative Ingram, for what
Speaker 96
54:35
purpose? I would like to make a parliamentary motion. Let's hear your motion. I move
Speaker 235
54:44
to immediate consideration of the refer. Proper motion, not debatable. Now what's happening here, she has made a motion to immediately consider the motion that's on the floor.
Speaker 7
54:51
You have a motion to refer, and that's what you're voting on. You're not voting on the bill, you're voting on the motion, whether you want to vote on the motion to refer or not. And if you've heard enough debate and there's not much more to say, it's
Speaker 68
55:08
probably a good motion. The question before the house is immediate consideration of the motion to refer. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. Nay.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
55:23
The ayes have it. The question before the house is in motion. Motion to refer. Everybody
Speaker 7
55:34
got it. Everybody okay with this? Now where we are, you passed a meeting consideration to this motion. Now the motion is before you, and the motion is to refer it back
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
55:48
to committee. Okay? All in favor of the motion to refer, say aye. Aye.
Speaker 89
55:53
All opposed, nay. Nay. The nays have it. Okay, ladies, that was a good exercise. What really was happening there, since
Speaker 7
56:06
you're just here one day, if you would have passed that motion to refer, and I'm not saying it was good one way or the other, that would have killed the bill because you're not here but one day. In the House, all it would have done was send it back to committee, and the committee would have had to get it back out again. So you still got it before you now, but that was a good exercise you did there.
Speaker 89
56:26
And I compliment those who came down here and understood what it was like saying, let's vote on it now or let's don't vote on it now. That's what you were faced with. Is there anyone out to speak for the bill? Representative
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
56:37
Bell, for what purpose? Roll call? Okay. Five hands. I see five hands. Well, let me explain that.
Speaker 7
56:58
Okay. The voice vote was taken, and Ms. Bell is indicating that maybe somebody didn't hear it right, so she's asking for a roll call, which would put the vote on the machine. All that's all fine and good. The trouble with that is you don't accept those things once you've done something else. And we basically got over into something else because I came down here and did some explaining and whatever. So, you know, if I was sitting in the chair, I would root it improper because it was not timely.
But that's going to be up to the chair up there. But it's a good motion. And what she's trying to do is get on the record.
Speaker 89
57:36
She's trying to find out for sure whether that many of you did not want it referred or not. Okay? Are you with me? She's going to put it on the machine to see whether that
Speaker 7
57:45
motion to send it to the committee passed or not. So she can do what she likes. You
Speaker 92
57:54
going to take the roll call or not? You've got to make an decision on the roll call.
Speaker 287
58:03
Do I see five hands for a roll call? Prepare the machine,
Speaker 86
58:12
Mr. Clerk. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Are you on the motion to refer back to committee or not refer? If you want it to go to committee, vote yes. If you want it not to go to committee, vote no. Has everyone voted?
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
58:33
Pass up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. the speaker has real good ears she voted that didn't pass and it didn't would anyone
Speaker 60
58:46
like to speak for the bill so what's happening
Speaker 89
58:54
here now you went through all those parliamentary maneuvers and you're right you're back to the bill again everybody okay with that That's where we are. Representative Brown, for what purpose?
Speaker 257
59:05
Speak for the bill. You're recognized. There
Speaker 295
59:19
is an issue regarding exactly what the new curriculum would pertain to. And if you look in Section 1 on Lines 21 through 26, it clearly states the focus of the curriculum is on reading, writing, mathematics, and comprehension.
Speaker 24
59:37
Thank you. Representative Paul, for what purpose?
Speaker 252
1:00:03
I'd like to go against the bill. You're recognized. For little kids in Eastside, for example, many have to take the standardized test so
teachers can know what the students know and can teach them throughout the year. We also need the standardized test for ACTs to, that
Speaker 297
1:00:22
will help us, that will prepare us for college too, so yeah. Representative English for what
Speaker 298
1:00:31
purpose? I would like to make a motion. Let's
Speaker 60
1:00:41
consideration. The proper motion is not debatable.
Speaker 12
1:00:44
The question before the House is an immediate consideration on House Bill 1004. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Speaker 68
1:00:56
All opposed nay. Aye. The ayes have it. The question before the House is
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:01:05
passage of House Bill 1004. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Speaker 68
1:01:27
the ballot with a vote of 18 yeas 75 nays and zero present the bill
Speaker 40
1:01:41
fails Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1005.
Speaker 109
1:01:47
House Bill 1005, Representative Bale, an act to address the inequities between academic and athletic spending in schools. We made this bill
Speaker 57
1:02:16
so that the schools would get more focused back on education and so
we want to make it to where the money that goes to the school districts doesn't go straight to the sports teams to where, you know, there's not money for new equipment. There's not money for new textbooks. There's not money for the stuff that students actually need to get through life and through college and through anything that they're going to do in the future. So we just wanted to make it to where school was more focused on the education side, but the sports and career classes would still get their funding, but we wanted it to be a lot more education focused.
Speaker 306
1:02:56
representative Rogers for what purpose I have a question you being recognized do you know the percentages of these currently so that we could see what exactly is changing no I do not representative powers
Speaker 243
1:03:19
for what purpose I have a question you recognized Representative, a big problem at our school is the salaries among sports coaches.
Would that do anything for them? Because some of them actually make more than great teachers. This has nothing to do
Speaker 296
1:03:33
with the salaries of the teachers or the coaches because we factored out the teacher salaries before we did the percentages. Thank
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:03:41
you. Representative Tyler, for what purpose? She's out of the wheel. speak against the bill. You're victimized.
Chair
Unverified
1:04:08
Due to the fact that we currently do not know the percentage that actually goes to athletics, I think you should consider the fact that Much of the money going to athletics is from booster clubs and the sales from the athletic department, meaning the sales of how to get in there and the concession stand. And I think you haven't really considered the fact that schools really do not spend that much on athletics funding. And also, the teams, they trade out every year. Every year, each team doesn't get the same amount.
So there really isn't going, there isn't really that much money going to the whole school as an athletic fund. period so i think you should vote down this
Speaker 178
1:04:49
bill representative always be for what reason um i have a question you're recognized
Speaker 182
1:04:54
um the representative said that not that much funding is spent on athletics do you have any
Speaker 261
1:04:59
statistics or percentages do you know i do not have
Chair
Unverified
1:05:03
any statistics or percentages like the person sponsoring this bill however i can say that i do know personally with the school that i'm representing that most of the funding that we have
does come from the athletic department's booster club so i think that
Speaker 228
1:05:18
should really be considered representative colin smith for what purpose
Speaker 314
1:05:24
i have a question you recognized i was just wondering is school about education or sports
Chair
Unverified
1:05:32
i believe school is clearly about education that's why my point that there isn't that much money going to athletics in the first place from state funding Therefore, that's not even a question that I'm personally going against.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:05:50
Representative has just spoken against the bill. Representative Baird, you're being recognized. Okay, at my school we just built like a
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
1:06:14
million dollar indoor field house for the football field. And that did not come from the Booster Club, that came from the administration.
Speaker 317
1:06:23
But, again, you go to the hallway and you look into the teacher's classroom and there are water stains going on the wall and the textbooks are falling apart in just about every class. I want to know which is more important, the textbooks or the indoor field house? Thank
Speaker 39
1:06:41
you. Representative Tyler, for what purpose? Jen. You're being recognized.
Chair
Unverified
1:06:44
I'm asking you, you said that the majority of the money from this went from the administration. Do you actually know this, or was it based off of donors from your community?
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:06:54
No, I know. Okay, thank you. Representative has just spoken for the bill. Is
there anyone that would like to speak against the bill? Representative Stubblefield is being
Representative Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
1:07:22
recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would just like for y'all to think about how it says in line 24 that all state funding
for education and grades can run through 12. We would be taking money from them, but why would they have to contribute? because what sports are in elementary, so why would they have to be affected by this? Representative has just spoken against the bill.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:07:45
Is there anyone that would like to speak for the bill? Representative Pierce, for what purpose? To speak for the bill. You're being recognized.
Speaker 135
1:08:05
A school is a foundation of learning, and it is a place where someone should get the skills and the abilities to succeed in college. And, yes, school spirit is very important, and sports are too, but more money should be funded towards buying new books, like someone else mentioned, and fixing the school building and improving the environment in which the students learn and not the place where they play sports. Thank you. Representative Brownford. representative ground
Speaker 91
1:08:32
for what purpose i have a question you're being recognized thank you
Speaker 295
1:08:44
um i i agree on some points but my question is how do you plan to make this effective even though it will be a state law when the money goes to the districts and they're distributed to schools it's ultimately up to the school what they do with that money so how do you plan to make this bill effective make it
Speaker 220
1:09:04
work correctly I'm not really sure I have an answer to
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:09:10
that question. Representative has just spoken for the bill. Representative Thompson, you're being recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Thompson is being recognized to speak against the bill.
Chair
Unverified
1:09:30
um the reason that i really don't agree with this bill is because i go to personally i go to central high school which is the biggest school in little rock and one of the biggest in the state our football team for one raises most of the money that we do get from the school And that money that they get in order to raise our money is from booster clubs.
They recycle jerseys every year. I'm on the tennis team. We don't get new uniforms. We recycle every year for a long time. We didn't even have uniforms. We just wore T-shirts and shorts. So I don't see what money the school is giving us in the first place. And the little bit that we did do goes to, like, Gatorades and things that we really need. Representative Bill,
Speaker 163
1:10:12
for what purpose? for time yes you may
Representative Tommy Thompson
Unverified
1:10:45
Representative Overby, you're being recognized to speak
Representative Betty Overbey
Unverified
1:10:59
for the bill. Thank you, Madam Speaker. In response to what one of the representatives said earlier about the K-12
Speaker 209
1:11:07
also having spending, In the bill, we specify athletics. We do not specify sports teams. So some of that money would be spent towards buying physical education equipment,
like balls and jump ropes. And I know in my elementary school, we had a rock wall built. That was pretty fun. So not
Speaker 248
1:11:27
just sports teams. Representative Mock, for what purpose? I'd like to make a motion for
Speaker 116
1:11:36
immediate consideration. She has left a well that is
Speaker 55
1:11:42
a proper motion and is not debatable. Question before
Speaker 12
1:11:50
the House, any immediate consideration for House Bill 1005?
Speaker 68
1:11:54
All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. The ayes have it. The request before the House
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:12:08
is passage of House Bill 1005. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted?
Speaker 68
1:12:29
Cast up the ballot. With a count of 38 yeas and 52 nays, three presents, the nays having this bill has
Speaker 10
1:12:46
failed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1006. House Bill
Speaker 109
1:12:56
1006, Revenue and Tax Taxation Committee.
An act to fund Arkansas Girls State
Speaker 46
1:13:03
by increasing the sales tax on Arkansas Girls State advisors. it appears that that sponsor there is
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
1:13:13
the revenue and tax committee and generally the chairperson of that committee whoever that was would would take the lead so any of you all who were on the
Speaker 7
1:13:21
revenue and tax committee of the house are welcome to do whatever representative ingram you're being
Speaker 310
1:13:30
recognized. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm in favor
Speaker 93
1:13:37
of this bill because I know I'm not the only one who dislikes our headwear. There has to be an alternative way for the staff and our counselors to identify us. This bill would not only pertain to us, but it would also change the experience of the future delegates for Girl State in a positive way. I understand that headwear has been a tradition for many years, but I believe that it is time that we, the delegates of
2012, voice our opinions. So I encourage all of y'all to be in favor of this bill. Representative Harris, for what
Speaker 242
1:14:14
purpose? I make for immediate consideration of the bill. This
Speaker 68
1:14:23
debatable. The question before the House, an immediate consideration for House Bill 1006. All in favor say aye. Aye. All oppose nay. The ayes have it.
The question before the house is passage of House
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:14:42
Bill 1006. Prepare the machine Mr. Clerk. work. Has
Speaker 68
1:15:03
Cast up the ballot. With a vote of 77 yeas,
17 nays and one present, the
Speaker 108
1:15:21
bill passes. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1007. House Bill 1007, Representative
Speaker 46
1:15:30
Watkins, Sunderland, Bates. To establish a county-wide curfew for individuals under the age of 18.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:15:39
Representative Watson being recognized to speak
Chair
Unverified
1:15:45
for the bill thank you madam speaker under
Speaker 329
1:15:48
this bill we are hope this bill would place a curfew on the kids under the age of 18 so from the ages of 15 and under they have to be in at 9 o'clock on weekend I mean on weekdays and 10 o'clock on weekends and with kids 15 to 17, they have to be in on weekdays at 11 o'clock p.m. and on weekends at 12.30 p.m.
And under this bill, it will place a reasonable limit on time spent by children under the age of 18. And through this, it could possibly help to better prevent children on the streets and out of harm's way. And we do understand that extracurricular activities and other involvements are in effect, but there are other dealings that pertain to this. Representative Thompson, for what purpose?
Chair
Unverified
1:16:49
I have a question. You're being recognized. How do you plan to enforce this with all these, you know, a
Speaker 329
1:17:01
lot of 15-year-olds, how do you just plan to keep this going? Well, if we were to keep the regular staff of policemen over to authorize this, that would be, I guess that could be justified by the number of youth in the community or possibly the number of youth who break curfew. And if you have to increase the staff, you can do so, and you will fund the wages by possibly raising a half-cent tax on tobacco products, since those are detrimental to, you know, citizens.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:17:34
Representative Murdoch, for what purpose? I
Speaker 332
1:17:40
have a question. You being recognized? I know some 15-year-olds actually have jobs, as some of you probably have. Would this include people that are
Speaker 329
1:17:50
coming home from their jobs at night time? No, because as stated in the article on line 31-33, it says nothing in this section shall prohibit a minor from participating in any school activity, church-related activity, job, or responding to an emergency.
Speaker 139
1:18:06
Okay, thank you. Representative Walker Burnett, for what purpose?
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:18:17
All right, Representative Watkins has just presented her bill on the affirmative side. Representative Tyler, for what purpose? Bill, I'd
Speaker 263
1:18:26
like to speak against this bill. You're being recognized.
Chair
Unverified
1:18:46
As you all know, we are here to represent the people of our towns and our cities. And I'm sure if any of you think about it, that you clearly realize that this is a very unnecessary rule, especially with the time of being 9 o'clock. That's just a little out there if you really think about it. And also, this bill isn't even very specific because it says to establish a countywide curfew. And to that, I would say, what county, where, I mean, they're not specific in this enough.
And we currently already have a curfew for people that are under the age of 18 or 11 in Arkansas, as it is. And I believe that's strict enough. And also, there would be no way to identify someone under the age of 15 because they're not required to carry an ID or a license because they haven't reached that age yet. So you would never, there would be a very hard way to enforce it.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:19:45
Representative has just spoken against the bill. Representative Raskin to speak for the bill.
Speaker 313
1:20:00
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, like my dad has always told me that
Speaker 306
1:20:05
nothing good has ever happened or nothing good is worth being out past like 10 o'clock because all the stores closes everything closes at like 5 10. And it's no like you don't have to be at your house by 9 30. You just don't you just don't need to be like running up and down the streets.
Speaker 139
1:20:30
Representative powers for what purpose? I have a question. You're
Speaker 243
1:20:36
being recognized. Okay. By instituting a curfew by this early, would we not be creating, like, the mood for teenagers to want to rebel even more so they
Speaker 306
1:20:47
would stay out later? That's just based on the teenager and their personality, because some teenagers, that's what
Speaker 335
1:20:55
they do. Because the law is enforcing it, that's what they want. That's just personal.
Speaker 242
1:21:01
So how would this be helping because the people who are typically out very late are the rebellious? Like,
Speaker 245
1:21:09
really, really late, you know? That's my question. Repeat that question.
Speaker 243
1:21:14
Okay, so, by having the car for you, it's to keep kids off the street late at night, right? Well, the rebellious kids are the ones who are going to be out really late at night. And they're the ones who aren't going to care.
Speaker 335
1:21:28
no they're just gonna kind of go and then that's where like i guess law enforcement's come in
Speaker 91
1:21:35
representative bill for what purpose i had a question
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:21:45
all right representative summers being recognized to speak against the bill thank
Speaker 118
1:22:05
you um my boyfriend is only 14 years old so that would require me to have a chaperone
Speaker 330
1:22:13
and i also would like to say that does this include like when you're on like the dance team and cheerleading squad, and how would I put this, how would this affect us if you're like, I think in the ninth grade you started at like 15 years old, so would you not have to be on a cheerleading squad and drill team? That's the end of
Speaker 91
1:22:40
my question. Representative Pierce, for what purpose?
Speaker 28
1:22:43
Who? I would like to speak for this bill. Okay. She had left
Speaker 135
1:23:10
a well-represented peer. She's being recognized to speak for the bill. I would just like to say back to what was just addressed. Line 31 of this bill says nothing in this section shall prohibit a minor
Speaker 343
1:23:16
from participating in any school activity, church-related activity, job, or responding to any emergency. So therefore, you wouldn't be going against the law if you were affiliated with one of the things mentioned below. And also, it is our duty as teenagers to have respect for the law. Therefore, if this bill is put in motion, we should return to our house before curfew or at the time stated. and I've like someone else mentioned nothing good happens at night drunk drivers come out at night
and that puts ourselves in danger and um I just I feel like yes we need do need to be in in a certain time because we are much safer in our homes when certain predators or other people come out to harm people of our age
Speaker 178
1:24:05
thank you representative walker for what purpose i have a question they've been
Speaker 345
1:24:13
recognized um on lines 20 29 and 30 it says um unless the minor has prior written permission from a parent custodian or legal guardian i know at my school
we already have trouble with um attendances like people forging notes how will you um enforce drivers and teenagers from not having a forged note from a mother or father or how will you know that that is a legit um note for them to be out that late that is a good question and i think
Speaker 135
1:24:42
it can be stated that there's always going to be forged notes so i'm not really sure how they
Speaker 343
1:24:47
would determine whether it has been forged or not representative over b for what purpose
Speaker 182
1:24:56
i have a question you mean recognized um you went back and referred to if you're a participant in church, athletics, or anything else that was on that
Speaker 209
1:25:07
list I can't find. Oh, activity, job, or responding to an emergency. Would attending a game be considered participating? Because if you think about it, you're not playing the sport, you're not on drill team. But in high school, there's a girls game that may start at 5 or 7, and the boys game may not be over until 10 or 10.30. And if you want to come support your team, okay, you go to that school, that's fine. You're 17, your curfew
isn't until 11. But say you have an older brother and you're 14 and you would like to come see him play and the game isn't over till 10. Are you in trouble for being out past curfew
Speaker 135
1:25:42
and you're not with a parent? I don't think so because it says participating in any school activity and
Speaker 343
1:25:48
being part of the audience at a game is considered participating in the actual activity. So I think one attending the game just to watch it would also be excused from the curfew thank you
Speaker 347
1:26:00
representative gaskill for what purpose i have a question you're being recognized what is
Speaker 343
1:26:10
the penalty for the violation of this bill i'm not sure i
Speaker 139
1:26:15
wasn't the one who created this bill so okay thank
Speaker 176
1:26:21
you representative barnett for what purpose you're being recognized I know that I go out at nighttime past this to go pick up people that have started they've decided to be stupid and it's past this but I'm doing the responsible thing by letting them not drive drunk or letting them do that so that's going to create problems because I know a lot of ladies and young gentlemen go and pick up people that are doing stupid things so this would cut them from that and I think that this would do that so would there be any allowance
that if you're going to go pick up somebody and i
Speaker 135
1:26:52
consider that in the case of an emergency because your friend could do something
Speaker 343
1:26:55
rather harmful to themselves or others so i would consider that an emergency for you to take the time to go and pick them up so they don't harm themselves or anybody else representative english for what purpose I would
Speaker 91
1:27:07
like to make a motion for immediate consideration.
Speaker 68
1:27:20
The proper motion is not debatable. Question before the House, in immediate consideration for House Bill 1007, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. Nay. The ayes have it. Question before the House is passage of House Bill 1007. Prepare the machine, Madam Clark.
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. With a vote of 20 yeas, 68 nays, and three presents, the nays have it,
Speaker 12
1:28:16
and the bill fails. Madam Clerk, please read House
Speaker 109
1:28:22
Bill 1008. House Bill 1008, Representatives Clerk, Tilly, and Callas.
to increase scholarship funding for non-traditional students by increasing the sales tax on tobacco products and alcohol beverages. Representative Clark to speak for
Speaker 343
1:28:49
that it would increase scholarship funding for non-traditional students by increasing the sales tax of tobacco products and alcohol beverages.
And this would be increased by a 2% on each pack of cigarettes sold in the state and the first sale of tobacco products other than cigarettes to wholesalers or retailers within the state. And for those of you who don't know, a non-traditional student consists of one who doesn't go to a post-secondary education the same year as their graduation. So that would say they attended college a year after they graduated or attends part-time of the academic year but not the whole year
or works full-time, which consists 35 hours or more, transfer students. It would allow the money of the increase on tax of tobacco and cigarette products to go to funding for scholarship for non-traditional students who have a hard time getting money to go to college to get the education that they deserve. Representative Tyler, you're
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:29:55
being recognized to speak against the bill. First,
Chair
Unverified
1:30:12
I would like to point out that, as you all know, that Arkansas has already placed
the Arkansas Lottery Scholarship, and it is actually highly available to non-traditional students and we also have other funding for non-traditional students that is available which also I would like to point out that there has already been numerous tax increases in Arkansas on tobacco products one in 2009 actually that increased it 56 cents per pack which I understand where you're all coming from the health of the others and for targeting
something that we don't all necessarily agree with but that's a matter of opinion and you have to keep your constituents in mind when you're voting on this and when you vote for something that targets someone's way of life so much and so often it can really harm your reputation and also if you think about it many businesses such as restaurants and bars they sell alcohol which I know many of you would probably agree that as an adult
buying alcohol maybe at a restaurant for a girls night out or anything like that is not always a bad thing and that could really hurt local businesses that help our economy and help revenue coming into our cities. Representative Lemkin, for what purpose? I have a question.
Representative Linda S. Tyler
Unverified
1:31:49
Being recognized. It's the, I don't, I can't, I can't, the FAFSA.
Chair
Unverified
1:31:53
You can apply for the FAFSA and get government aid based off of your, the amount of money that you have. Does that apply to, like, just high
Speaker 244
1:32:01
school students or does that apply to abroad? No, the FAFSA actually does apply to
Speaker 163
1:32:06
non-traditional students. Representative Walker, for what purpose? I just figured while we're waiting on
Speaker 7
1:32:13
the next exchange, I'm going to take this privilege to present to you all and introduce the speaker-designate of the House of Representatives, Representative Darren Williams. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for coming in.
Speaker 8
1:32:26
And also, some housekeeping measures. You're under the provisions of the same rules that the House operates under. We don't allow any kind of liquids
Speaker 7
1:32:32
in here on the desk, and that's been reported to me. There are two or three water bottles around on the desk, so if you have one on your desk, please remove them from the chamber. No liquids in the chamber. Thank you. The representative has just spoken
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:32:44
against the bill. Is there anyone that would like to speak for the bill? Representatives still being recognized to speak for the bill.
Speaker 125
1:32:58
I would just like to say that taxing, you know, you need the money for the scholarships. There's no other way you can get money besides private funding for these kind of scholarships and to pay for people's education. And taxing on cigarettes and tobacco and alcohol is the best way to seemingly go about it because it's not a necessity for everyday life. Unlike taxing on bread and milk and things that are basic needs for survival,
like you need just food and stuff, it's an optional habit that you can bring forth to yourself. Representative
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:33:41
Harris, for what purpose? Question. You're being
Speaker 169
1:33:46
recognized. I don't understand why we're just taxing on alcohol and tobacco products, because as the one who opened the bill stated that you're not necessarily, like, for alcohol, 21 years of age. So why would you put that for the non-traditional students?
Why can't you do something else? Like, I don't know what to say, but, like, what else could you do that
Speaker 125
1:34:12
for? and why is it just on tobacco and alcohol? I mean, I guess tobacco and alcohol just, it's, like I said before, it's not a necessity. Like, it's not something that you need to go about your life, like bread and milk and, like, basic things. It's a habit you bring upon yourself, or it's an option that, you know, you don't have to go drink.
You don't have to go buy cigarettes. and so that's seemingly the best way to pay for the scholarships for the non-traditional students. I, you know, I didn't form it for non-traditional students, but that's what they chose to write the bill for. Representative Bill, all right, you're being recognized. It's said that we
Speaker 122
1:34:57
are taxing this because it's not necessary for everyday life, correct? Yes. Okay, well, junk food isn't necessary
Speaker 57
1:35:03
for everyday life, so are we going to increase that to help prevent obesity and fund the scholarships?
Because if we're going to do things that are unnecessary, is it going to be junk food? Is it going to be soda? Is it going to be everything that is unnecessary? Because just because these are unnecessary doesn't mean that other people use them. Some people don't drink soda, so that would, you know, if they don't drink soda, it wouldn't really apply to them. But some people smoke. Some people don't smoke, so it doesn't apply to them. Like, it's just going to tax a certain department of people, which isn't there. Well, like I
Speaker 125
1:35:36
said, I didn't write the bill. I'm just speaking for it.
But I do agree with the fact that, you know, there are other things that could be taxed. But in the same respect, the people who wrote the bill wanted specific tax and alcohol. That's what they're aiming for. I mean, if they wanted to open it up and aim it for other things, they could. That's an option. But what they're
Speaker 357
1:36:01
focusing on right now is taxing on alcohol and
Speaker 304
1:36:05
tobacco products. So I guess my question is,
Speaker 57
1:36:08
why is it just alcohol and tobacco?
Why isn't it something else that affects more people to where it would create more revenue to create more money for scholarships? I honestly, I don't know. I
Speaker 357
1:36:17
wasn't the one who wrote that. Representative Love, for what purpose? all right representative has just spoken for the bill is there anyone
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:36:25
that would like to speak against the bill for the bill representative rogers for what purpose uh motion let's hear your motion immediate consideration
of the bill okay the motion is a proper motion and it is not debatable The
Speaker 12
1:36:54
question before the house is a motion for immediate consideration for House Bill 1008. All in favor say aye. Aye. All
Speaker 68
1:37:04
opposed nay. The ayes have it. The ayes have it. The question before the house is passage for House Bill 1008.
Speaker 233
1:37:17
Prepare the machine. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast
Speaker 68
1:37:37
up the ballot? With the number, with the votes of 49 yeas, 40 noes, and two present, you have failed the bill? You have failed
Speaker 193
1:37:47
the bill? As much as that appeared to be close to you all, it wasn't close at all
Speaker 7
1:37:51
because to raise the taxes on those two items there by constitutional vision takes 75 votes. So any taxes that were passed and in effect before November 1934 requires a 75 vote. So there was a tax on liquor and a tax on cigarettes before 1934, so that would have required
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
1:38:13
75 votes. So you missed it a long way anyway. Civics lesson.
Speaker 109
1:38:22
Madam Carter, please read House Bill 1009. House Bill 1009, Representatives, Manuel, Foreman, Robbins, and Gunn. To repeal the limitation on the
Speaker 46
1:38:38
number of occupants allowed in the passenger vehicle driven by an individual under the age of
Speaker 131
1:38:46
18. 18. Representative Manuel to speak for her bill.
Speaker 212
1:38:54
Thank you. And the current law in Arkansas is that a driver under the age of 18 must only have one non family member in the vehicle with them at one time. And this bill, our committee believe that this should be repealed because, you know, in many instances you have sporting events or not even events, just practices. Many people are involved and they have classmates that can't drive. You know, you have underage drivers that for the law you must drive back and forth and
back and forth to take one person at a time because you're not related to everyone on your team. so and and in many times you know these students just don't have another way to get there so if it is you know a lot of people believe that there are distraction in your car and that just a lot of times you have that many family members you know so if you get pulled over because they're being a distraction well I have four little brothers you know you can't say that they're not my little brothers there's that many people in my car so I just feel like this should be
reconsidered and adjusted thank you representative has just spoken for the bill is there anyone
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:40:04
that like to speak against the bill for the bill would you like to close for your bill Question before the House, she is
Speaker 68
1:40:29
closed for the bill. Question before the House, it's passage of House Bill 1009.
Prepare the machine. Has everyone voted? cast up the ballot by a vote of 83 yeas, 6 nays and 2 presents, the bill passes Madam Clerk, please read
Speaker 109
1:41:08
bill 1010 House bill 1010 Representative Atkins, the School Bus Safety Act of 2012. Representative Atkins, to
Speaker 364
1:41:36
Madam Speaker. This bill is to increase the safety of public and private school buses.
Speaker 365
1:41:42
Um, currently, um, people who ride in cars are required to wear seatbelts, so we think it should be required in school buses for students to wear seatbelts also. Um, also, this bill will, um, increase safety by raising the height of the school bus seats and, um, requiring all students
Speaker 298
1:42:04
to wear seatbelts, so. Representative Parrish, for
Speaker 243
1:42:12
Are you being recognized? Would this, um, for the conviction, would that be for new school buses, like, when the schools, like, get in trouble, would that, is this something that would have to be placed on new school buses, or would this have to go in and redo all school buses in the state of Arkansas?
Speaker 365
1:42:37
Um, it would have to be redone in all school buses in the state
Speaker 39
1:42:41
of Arkansas. Thank you. representative Colin Smith for what purpose I have a question you're being
Speaker 243
1:42:46
recognized no if we have to put seat belts in all the old school buses where is the money for that um
Speaker 365
1:42:56
the schools would have to pay for it and what we're asking is not like a full-fledged seat belt it's just a lap belt like something you'd see on a roller coaster those little cloth belt because we think that would be safer than not having a seatbelt
Speaker 91
1:43:15
at all. Representative Wagner to speak against the bill.
Speaker 277
1:43:33
I believe that school buses, one, if we're going to make the schools go, and install in all the school buses. That's going to be costly to the school. Second of all, it's a safety hazard. What if the bus is to tip over, kids are strapped in, they're going to tip over with the bus. They cannot easily get out to safety. And also, it's been proven by many reports that a regular car, you're only clearly protected if you have on both the lap belt and the shoulder belt. So only having on a lap belt
really isn't going to protect students any more than they already
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:44:11
are. Representative has just spoken against the bill. Is there anyone who would like to speak for the bill?
Speaker 122
1:44:20
Representative Bell, for what purpose? I'd like to
Speaker 68
1:44:25
make a motion for immediate consideration. All right, the motion is not
Speaker 12
1:44:31
debatable. The question before the House is in motion for immediate consideration for House Bill 1010.
Speaker 68
1:44:37
All in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. The ayes have it. The question before the house is passage of House Bill 1010. Prepare the machine. Has everyone voted?
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot. With a vote of 24 yeas, 65 nays, and three presents, the bill fails.
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
1:45:30
I would like to recognize Mr. Massinelli for an announcement.
Speaker 8
1:45:34
Ladies, excellent job. Excellent job. What we normally do here under these conditions is to recess for lunch and then come back at one o'clock and take up
Speaker 7
1:45:43
whatever Senate bill the Senate may have sent over here and then take up the rest of the Senate bills that we can get to that are originating in this house. So I was looking for a counselor and I couldn't find one. I'm not sure where your lunches are supposed to be. Does anybody know anything about this?
Speaker 369
1:46:13
saying. You want to? Okay. Okay, there's... Somebody know
Speaker 115
1:46:20
what we're doing here? Okay, here we go. Recognize her, please.
Agenda
HB1001
HB1001
HB1002 Motor Vehicle Safety Act
HB1003 An Act to Assist Schools in Fighting Obesity
HB1004 An Act to Require State Education Curriculum to Focus on Skills as Opposed to Standardized Testing.
HB1005 An Act to Address the Inequities Between Academic and Athletic Spending in Schools
HB1006 An Act to Fund Girls State Apparel
HB1007 An Act to Establish a County-Wide Curfew
HB1008 An Act to Increase Scholarship Funding for Non-traditional Students
HB1009 An Act to Repeal the Limitation of Passengers
HB 1010 School Bus Safety Act
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Representative Robert S. Moore, Jr.
Unverified
Representative Nate Bell
Unverified
Speaker 7
Speaker 8
Speaker 12
Speaker 14
Speaker 19
Representative Lori Benedict
Unverified
Speaker 34
Speaker 37
Speaker 40
Speaker 44
Speaker 46
Speaker 52
Speaker 57
Speaker 60
Speaker 65
Speaker 66
Speaker 68
Speaker 92
Speaker 91
Speaker 93
Speaker 96
Speaker 99
Speaker 102
Speaker 84
Speaker 108
Speaker 109
Speaker 116
Speaker 118
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 122
Speaker 126
Speaker 76
Speaker 131
Speaker 133
Speaker 135
Speaker 137
Speaker 143
Speaker 89
Speaker 149
Representative Sheilla E. Lampkin
Unverified
Speaker 169
Speaker 114
Speaker 176
Speaker 177
Speaker 182
Speaker 181
Speaker 187
Speaker 10
Speaker 200
Speaker 193
Speaker 185
Speaker 202
Speaker 121
Speaker 205
Speaker 209
Representative Jeremy Gillam
Unverified
Speaker 212
Speaker 213
Speaker 217
Speaker 165
Speaker 225
Speaker 230
Speaker 235
Speaker 238
Speaker 242
Speaker 243
Representative Betty Overbey
Unverified
Speaker 249
Speaker 31
Speaker 247
Speaker 20
Speaker 257
Representative Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
Speaker 125
Speaker 264
Speaker 267
Speaker 277
Speaker 248
Speaker 282
Speaker 287
Speaker 86
Speaker 295
Speaker 24
Speaker 252
Speaker 297
Speaker 298
Speaker 300
Speaker 306
Speaker 296
Speaker 178
Speaker 261
Speaker 228
Speaker 314
Representative Duncan Baird
Unverified
Speaker 317
Speaker 39
Speaker 220
Speaker 163
Representative Tommy Thompson
Unverified
Speaker 55
Speaker 310
Speaker 74
Speaker 329
Speaker 332
Speaker 139
Speaker 263
Speaker 313
Speaker 335
Speaker 245
Speaker 330
Speaker 28
Speaker 343
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Speaker 119
Representative Linda S. Tyler
Unverified
Speaker 244
Speaker 357
Speaker 304
Speaker 233
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Speaker 364
Speaker 365
Speaker 115
Speaker 369