March 24, 2011 Part 2
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (10)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HB1955
· 6 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1955”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1980
· 6 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1980”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1947
· 5 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1947”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1952
· 5 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “you read House Bill 1952? House Bill 1952 by Representative Roebuck to amend the Ark…”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB2179
· 5 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “House Bill 2179, Mr. Clerk, please read.”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1783
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1783”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB2202
· 4 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “…nay, 0 present, House Bill 2179 is adopted. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 2202. House Bill 2202 by Representative Sanders and all,”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1784
· 2 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1784”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1450
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1450”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB2128
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB2128”
|
Pre-2017 bill |
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House, please come to order. Please take your seats. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 1955.
Speaker 3
0:13
House Bill 1955 by Representative McCrary, an act to amend enabling legislation for Amendment 82. Representative McCrary, you can speak to your
Representative Walls McCrary
Unverified
0:28
bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen, the bill before you today is House Bill 1955, which the subtitle
says is an act to amend the enabling legislation for Amendment 82. If you remember, Amendment 82 was on the ballot two years ago, and what this bill deals with is implementation language concerning economic development under the Amendment 82. It does two things. It takes out the language that requires an investment by an industry of more than 500 million and that creates more than 500 jobs. In other words, what we call the super projects. It takes that language out and what it does, it lets the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Arkansas Development Finance Authority have more flexibility in entering agreements with prospects.
This bill was brought to me by the Arkansas Department of Finance Authority. There is no opposition, and the State Chamber of Commerce is for this bill, and I would entertain any questions. You've heard an explanation
of the bill. Are there any questions? Is there anybody
that wants to speak against the bill? Somebody wants to speak for the bill? If not, the question before the House is House Bill 1955.
Speaker 10
2:01
Mr. Clerk, prepare the machine. Has everyone voted? Has
everyone voted? Cast up the ballots, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 79 yea, no, 0 nay, and 0 present, House Bill 1955 is passed. Clerk, please read House Bill 1980.
Speaker 2
2:34
House Bill 1980 by Representative Westerman to amend the Arkansas Retirement Community Program
Act. Representative Westerman, you're recognized to present your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, we have a large economic development opportunity in Arkansas, and it's one that doesn't require a lot of infrastructure development. And actually, the infrastructure develops a lot of times with this industry, and the industry is retirement. There are 79 million baby boomers approaching retirement age, and 11,000 of them are retiring each day.
We have a huge potential in Arkansas to draw those retirees to our state. Only 11,000 are moving here to retire each year. With 11,000 per day, they're actually retiring. A retiree brings about $12,000 annually in federal assistance, and the typical household spends more than $30,000 annually. Retirees also bring their financial assets with them when they retire, and they often build or buy new homes. The bill that I have before you today is to amend the Arkansas Retirement Community Program Act that was set up in 2007.
Even though we have this program, it's never been put into action, mainly because it can't get funding. But we've got a group in the state that's interested in seeing this program developed, and that's the Arkansas Association of Development Organizations. This is the organization that represents the eight planning and development groups across the state. What this program would do, it shifts the responsibility from the program to the AEDC, from the AEDC to the AADO.
And again, the AADO has expressed interest in this program. They're willing to administer it. The program allows retirement communities to apply to the program and to be scored on a set of criteria defined by the program. If selected to be in it, then the retirement communities will pay a fee of 25 cents per person plus a $2,500 annual fee to continue funding the program. The AADO will assist the communities in the program through training, marketing, advertising, public relations, brochures, and support materials, as well as providing ongoing evaluations.
and I'll take any questions. You have heard Representative Westerman explain House Bill 1980. Are there
any questions? He has left the well. Is there anybody that would like to speak against the bill? Is there anybody that would like to speak for the bill? If not, the question before the House is House Bill 1980. Mr. Clerk, please prepare the ballot. has everybody voted
ballot Mr. Clerk House Bill 1980 by a vote of 82 yay, 0 nay, 0 present has passed next bill will be brought before the house is house bill 1947 representative perry you're recognized to explain excuse me mr clerk please read the bill house bill 1947
Speaker 3
6:03
by representative perry to amend provisions of the
arkansas scholarship lottery act considering lottery proceeds scholarship award amounts and management of certain capital assets of
Chair
Unverified
6:15
the arkansas lottery commission representative perry
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
6:17
you're recognized to present your bill thank you mr speaker members house bill Bill 1947 is the scholarship lottery amounts. The committee's been working as long as we can, waiting until as long as we can to do that, but the committee has determined that 4,500 and 2,250 will be the amounts that we
are recommending for this next year. All scholarships awarded last year will remain at $5,000 and $2,500, but this language will keep $4,500 and $2,250. I'll be glad to answer any questions. Are there any questions
for Representative Perry? Any questions? If not, is there anyone that would like,
Representative Gary Deffenbaugh
Unverified
7:02
excuse me, Representative Deppenbaugh, you're recognized. Question. You're recognized. Will they, Representative
Perry, will we be able to give out the same amount of scholarships as they, as were given last year approximately?
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
7:18
I mean, is that? You know, that's always a good question. The amount that we're looking at is roughly $100 million. So, you know, we should be able to fund all of the traditional scholarships. The non-traditional will be the ones that, you know, on the tail end of it. but odds are we should be and that's one reason we're reducing them out to to be able to fund more scholarships on that side ask another question you're recognized i know last year uh
Representative Gary Deffenbaugh
Unverified
7:49
you know working in public schools there was um uh some confusion as to uh youngsters sending in their transcripts and also applying online they were coming into they were not coming at the same time and there was a lot of confusion some youngsters got lost in the process a little bit or that's at least that's what I hear so my question is is it more organized this year yes sir in fact I
Speaker 5
8:16
had a couple of constituents address that concern as well those those issues haven't
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
8:22
been addressed this second year into the process it should be a lot better in fact you know and And that's where if you would help them work through those issues,
Representative Charlie Collins
Unverified
8:30
it would gladly be resolved. Thank you. Representative Harris, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized. Since
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
8:38
we're in the business of reducing the amounts, are we going to reduce the amount that is paid to our lottery commissioner? This isn't a joke. This is a serious
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
8:50
question. I understand, Representative Harris. That would be something to be taken up with the lottery commission.
Speaker 36
8:55
Okay, well, I hope we reduce his salaries like we are the
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
9:00
scholarship, so thank you. Thank you. He, you know, I understand the commissioner, we asked him to bring on a very tough project, and that was done and very successful.
I'd appreciate your good vote. You heard Representative Perry give an explanation of House Bill 1947. Is there
anyone that wants to speak for or against? If not, Mr. Clerk. Prepare the ballot. The question before the House is House Bill 1947. Prepare the ballot.
Has everybody voted? You're voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 75 yea, 7 nay, 1 present, House Bill 1947, and the emergency clause is adopted. Mr. Clerk, would
Speaker 2
10:04
you read House Bill 1952? House Bill 1952 by Representative Roebuck to amend the Arkansas Code
Speaker 3
10:11
considering the enforcement of ethics violations by Arkansas educators. Representative Roebuck, please explain your bill. Thank you,
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
10:18
Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House. In my freshman year, 2007, I
stood here and presented legislation to you that created the Arkansas Professional Licensure Standards Board. I'm pleased to tell you now, four years later, that the board has operated, and we are very, very pleased with the results, and that board actually polices the teaching profession. It is made up of peers that actually police,
and we are now like other professions in that we have that board. Today I bring you House Bill 1952, which are some clarifications. As you know, when you birth a baby and it starts to grow up, we have to do a few things to make it behave. So that's exactly what we're doing today. We're kind of in the teenage years. So it does take existing code, and it does talk about, on page 2, we've defined that an ethical violation does not include a reasonable mistake that has been made in good faith.
or an act or omission undertaken in accordance with the reasonable instructions of a supervisor. So that will protect our profession, and so you see that. We've also made some other corrections, and we've talked about some timelines, and some of you had concerns. We took all of those, worked on them in the interim, and we bring you today the results of those changes, and it makes our board even a better board. The Professional Licensure Standards Board helped me testify for this bill in rules,
and it is also supported and endorsed by the Department of Education, the Arkansas Education Association, and the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators. They've
all been involved in making these corrections. I'll be glad to take questions, Mr.
Speaker. You've heard Representative Roebuck explain her bill. Are there any questions? Are there any questions? Is there anyone that wants to speak against the bill? Is there anyone that wants to speak for the bill? If not, the question before the House is House Bill 1952.
Mr. Clerk, prepare the machine. Has everybody voted? Has everybody voted? Mr. Clerk, cast up the ballot. By a vote of 89 yea, 0 nay, 0 present, House Bill 1952 has been adopted.
Speaker 2
12:49
House Bill 2179, Mr. Clerk, please read.
Speaker 3
12:53
House Bill 2179 by Representative Roebuck requires an Arkansas Lottery Commission comprehensive annual financial report and amend the Commission's budget review process. Representative
Chair
Unverified
13:02
Roebuck, you're recognized to present your bill. Thank you,
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
13:07
Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House. Some of you were in the Lottery Oversight Committee meeting the day that Mr. Pasolet presented his annual report last year. And those of you that were there heard me ask him a lot of questions about that annual report because of its brevity.
It was a very short report to the point. But in my hand that day, I had the South Carolina annual report, And I showed that, of course, to Mr. Pasolet because that report had actually been exactly like the one that he had prepared when he was the lottery director in South Carolina. To tell you how comprehensive that report is, I wanted to tell you that South Carolina won a national award, a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
I can assure you that if you looked at that report and you looked at the report that he submitted to us, he would not have won an award. So we began to work with him on what our report should include, and you see that in the bill. It really isn't anything additional to what he's been providing. It's that we get it piecemealed out. So we've worked and listed exactly what that report should look like, and I bring this on behalf of Senator Key and
the others that have been involved in this process.
I'll be glad to take questions, Mr.
Speaker. You've heard Representative Roebuck explain the bill. Representative Penartz, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized. Ms.
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
14:37
Roebuck, do you understand, and when I was reading this bill, I thought, well, why wouldn't we as legislators want to know all this stuff? I consider, and I don't know if you do, so let me ask you, do you consider this report just the minimum level of information that we as legislators who make public policy should know?
Speaker 51
14:57
Yes, ma'am, I do. Thank you. Representative Linderman, for
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
15:05
what purpose? Question. You're recognized. Representative, has anything been done in these reports to address what were exorbitantly high salaries and possibly unethical activities in travel or at least undocumented travel expenses and things like that? Mr.
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
15:21
Linderman, thank you for the question. The audit report is certainly a separate report. This is their comprehensive annual financial report.
The audit report would be separate, but certainly all of that will be included
Representative Gary Deffenbaugh
Unverified
15:39
in the annual report. Thank you. is there anybody that would like to speak against the
bill is there anyone that would like to speak for the bill if not the question before the
house is house bill 2179 Mr. Clerk prepare the machine has everybody voted
Mr. Clerk, cast up the ballot. By vote of 88 yea, 0 nay, 0 present, House Bill 2179 is adopted. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 2202. House Bill 2202 by Representative Sanders and all,
Speaker 3
16:21
an act to enhance the public integrity of certain regulatory agencies. Representative Sanders, you're recognized to
present your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Representative Roebuck, well, I guess she gave a key indication
Representative David J. Sanders
Unverified
16:34
of one of our jobs, and that is oversight.
So I just wanted to know what Mr. Pasillet said when she brought it to his attention that she had his award-winning annual report. This bill does the same thing. It takes seriously our job in oversight. Earlier in this session, we all came together for what was the first time in the history of the Arkansas legislature, and that is to pass ethics legislation that dealt with ourselves. This piece of legislation deals specifically with individuals who fall into a regulatory capacity. And it simply says this. If you are a regulator in the state of Arkansas, and you can see that if you look at the piece of legislation,
you can see that we cover the member of the Public Service Commission, the director of the Public Service Commission, insurance commissioner, deputy, state banking commissioner, and on down to securities. We say this. You cannot be, if this becomes law, you cannot be the regulator on one day and be the regulated on the next. What it does is it puts a one-year cooling-off period that simply says you will not be allowed to work for a company or an entity you regulated in your capacity as a regulator.
I think this is a good piece of legislation. I'm happy to have the support of some of these agencies that are listed on here. And I would certainly entertain any questions but
would appreciate a good vote. Any questions? If not, is there anyone to speak against the bill? Is there anyone to speak for the bill? If not, the question before the House is House Bill 2202. Mr. Clerk, prepare the machine.
Has everybody voted? Has everybody voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By 86 yea, 0 nay, 0 present, House Bill 2202 is adopted. Mr. Clerk, please read House
Speaker 2
18:33
Bill 1783. House Bill 1783 by Representative King to amend Arkansas law
Speaker 3
18:38
concerning certain disclosures by a member of a county board of election commissioners.
Mr. King, Representative King, you're recognized. Explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Bryan B. King
Unverified
18:52
This bill just makes sure that election commissioners who do not have to file a statement of financial interest, much like we do, and if you're on a board or commission, a triadary board, whatever, you have to file a statement of financial interest. This bill would just make election commissioners fill out the same sheet that we have to that either check sales to governmental bodies. If you don't sell the governmental bodies, you just check no and move on.
If you do, then you have to list it. It's just open
transparency. That's a good bill. Are there any questions regarding Representative Patterson for what purpose you're recognized? Does this
Representative Mike Patterson
Unverified
19:28
have anything to do with a personal fight between yourself and somebody, Commissioner? No, that's not correct, Representative Patterson. You know,
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
19:35
I honor Brother Basins, and I'm
Representative Bryan B. King
Unverified
19:38
going to tell you the truth and say we all have problems in our district. You've had issues that we bring up that bring a forefront when you're a legislator, you address.
Is it a personal issue? I mean, I can tell you tomorrow I'm going to bring up the concealed weapons in church because of issues that have went back home in my church that thinks it's needed, and there's nothing personal there. So there's nothing personal. This is just a good transparency bill that makes election commissioners fill out that sheet. And I have been a former election
Representative Mike Patterson
Unverified
20:07
commissioner, too. This is disclosure, so I really don't have as big a problem with this as I do something else, but I appreciate that.
Okay. Thank you. Any other questions, Representative King? Representative King has left the well.
Is there anyone that would like to speak against this? Is there anyone that would like to speak for it? If not, the question before the House is House Bill 1783.
Speaker 9
20:38
Mr. Clerk, prepare the machine. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast
up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 67 yea, 9 nay, 0 present, House Bill 1783 is adopted.
Representative Garner, you're recognized for the clincher. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? The ayes have it. The clincher is adopted. Mr. Clerk, would you please read House Bill 1784? House Bill 1784 by Representative King,
Speaker 3
21:17
an act to prohibit a county election commissioner from having business dealings or entering into contracts with the board on which he or she
serves. Representative King, you're recognized. Present your bill.
Representative Bryan B. King
Unverified
21:30
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just another election commissioner reform bill that sometimes we have a situation coming up in counties and we have to address it. What's good for Carroll County is good for everybody else. It just basically says that election commissioners cannot award their self-contracts. Pretty simple bill. Appreciate
a good vote. Any questions? Well, Representative King
has left the well. Is there anyone that would like to speak against it? Representative Patterson, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Mike Patterson
Unverified
22:00
You're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd just like to say, ladies and gentlemen, that this particular bill right here, 1784, prohibit a county election commission from having business dealings or enter into contracts with the board on which he or she serves. And Mr. King, Representative King, did say that this doesn't have anything to do with personal facts. But now this person that he's running this bill on has been doing business with this county for years and years and years.
And I really don't see anything wrong with that right there. There's a lot of legislators in this room that has contracts with local government. They have contracts with state government, and there's a lot of people do business like this. So I personally believe that you need to keep your personal facts at home and do that, and I don't think you need to bring them to the well. But that's my feeling, so I'd appreciate you voting against this. Thank you. Representative Lee, you're recognized.
Representative Patterson has left the well. Is there anyone that would like to speak against or for the bill?
against the bill for the bill Representative Collin-Smith you're recognized to speak for the
Representative Linda Collins-Smith
Unverified
23:27
bill you're recognized thank you Mr. Speaker this is the election commissioner they do need to show us
who they do business with we do that for the people of the state of Arkansas, that's the election commissioner. It's pretty bad, but I didn't know that they didn't do a financial report or reporting on who they do business with, even in my own county. In city, county, local, when we voted on this, I heard that from several people. I encourage you to vote on this information that the people need to know
because they'll be questioning those election commissioners sometimes when they do business with the county government. And I believe that, so please give this a good vote. Thank you. You've heard Representative Colin Smith
speak for the bill. excuse me is there anyone who would like to speak against the bill if not would you like to close representative king clear something
Representative Bryan B. King
Unverified
24:42
up as far as doing business it doesn't keep them from doing
business out with governmental entities what it does is it doesn't allow election commissioner to be able to print ballots with and give aboard the contract to his own company be like mr barnett having an asphalt paving company and while he's a highway commissioner awarding himself contracts i don't know what's so hard
Speaker 75
25:05
about this so anyway appreciate a good vote it
is a good bill the he is represented king is as close for the bill the question in front of the house
is house bill 1784 mr clerk prepare the
Speaker 9
25:32
machine As everyone voted, as everyone voted, Mr. Clerk,
cast up the ballot. By a vote of 67 yea, 8 nay, 1 present. House Bill 1784 is adopted. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 2128.
Speaker 3
25:49
House Bill 2128 by Representative Woods to amend
Speaker 2
25:53
the law concerning the purchase of water service properties and facilities. Representative Woods, you're recognized.
Explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. This is just another addition to a bill that I ran last session. It deals with basically when you have two cities that are growing and they overlap. Say a city is growing and they annex in new land and it has a water line from a neighboring city,
It just, all this new section does to the existing code that's already on books, this additional code just says that the two municipalities need to be able to sit down and at least talk about a buyout of the water lines. It doesn't say they have to agree. It doesn't say that there shall be a buyout, but last session we, or I ran a bill that created a board. and the Natural Resources Commission presides over a board and they have all these barriers and all these qualifications
any time a city wants to annex in a new piece of land and there's rural water lines. Just you have municipalities that need to be able to sit down and communicate with each other that aren't communicating and it's not fair to the citizens about who offers the cheaper water rates. And so this is happening in different parts of the state. I've had a legislator, Representative Leslie Post, approached me and she knew that I had ran a bill that pertained to the subject in 09 and this would help her out quite a bit in her area.
That's why she's a co-sponsor. So I would appreciate a good vote on
this. Thank you. You've heard Representative Woods explain his bill. He's left the well. Is there anyone that
would like to speak against this bill? Is there anyone that would like to speak for it? If not, the question before the House is House Bill 2128.
Speaker 9
27:50
Mr. Clerk, prepare the machine. has everyone voted has everyone voted mr. clerk cast
up the ballot by a vote of 83 a two nays
zero president house bill 2128 is passed mr. clerk please read house bill 1450 house bill 1450 barbs and
Speaker 2
28:05
barnett null the arkansas carbon dioxide storage act representative barnett you and your asphalt company are recognized to speak sound like a pretty good idea to me i want
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
28:18
to go back and try that sound like a good way to maybe make some money but this is a non-control bill
this is a bill that i've actually worked on since the beginning of the session and
filed it early and this bill has been very, very vetted, probably the most vetted bill of probably any bill in the entire session. That's, Representative Pernard, it's a true statement, because in most of you all in this room, I've talked to you personally about it. Even I, Representative Pernard, had a mock-up of the bill and asked about 100 questions, and we gave her a response in writing to every one of her concerns. So I just want to be sure and make that notation.
There actually has not been any emails on this lately that are negative, so they've all kind of went away. So it seems like that we've made most people happy on this. This is a bill that has been run on behalf of the energy companies in this state because we're going to have to deal with CO2 not just now but in the future. So this House Bill 1450 authorizes the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, ADEQ, to apply to EPA for approval and to administer a state program for carbon dioxide injection wells
under recent EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. It directs ADEQ and the Oil and Gas Commission and the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission to enter into interagency agreements necessary for that purpose. No carbon dioxide storage facility permits are to be issued before June 30, 2013. The legislature will authorize the proper state agencies to provide for a coordinator statewide program for transport and underground storage of carbon dioxide no later than June 30, 2013,
after interim study. ADEQ and the Oil and Gas Commission and the Pollution Control and Ecology Commission will provide a report to the House Insurance and Commerce Committee by June 30, 2012, on their progress and proposals for an approval of permitting carbon dioxide injection wells under the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Regulations and for a coordinated statewide program for carbon dioxide transportation and underground storage. I have one member of this legislature, Representative Westman,
who I know you all have a great deal of respect for because he's kind of our resident engineer. And he's worked with me on this. And if it gets too technical on questions, I'm going to have him come up and speak for the bill and answer some of the questions. But
Chair
Unverified
31:16
I will try to entertain any questions if anybody has any. Representative Eubanks, what
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
31:21
purpose? Question. Recognized. I have an area in my district that had an issue with this last year, and I think they have some concerns. Does this bill basically create another set of rights that landowners have in addition to mineral rights?
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
31:34
All of those questions will be studied and answered by the Inter-Study Committee. Thank
Chair
Unverified
31:42
you. Representative Deffenbaugh, what purpose? Recognize. Representative Burnett,
Representative Gary Deffenbaugh
Unverified
31:47
I really know very little about this, and there has been some recent emails, and actually they were accusing me of voting for a cap-and-trade bill, and so what's your explanation, and what can I say?
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
32:04
Well, cap-and-trade, as you all well know, is a totally different matter and a totally different subject, and that has to do with, you know, carbon credits and so on and so forth. credits or the purchase of those or nothing i don't even see al gore's name in this this bill anywhere so it's really it's totally separate from that and you know this this raises a lot of eyebrows because it deals with you know a lot of things uh property rights liability um insurance
and just the list goes on and on and on and you can take people all the way to the complete left to the environmental spectrum, and some of them have a problem with it. They don't have a problem with this bill, or at least they seem to be okay with it at this point. And you can take people all the way to the far, far right that thinks that if you even talk about greenhouse gases and admit that there is CO2, that it's a global warming bill. And I've actually, I'm not a global warming person myself, but this bill will allow industry,
especially if you're an energy electric company and you're burning coal or you're trying to, you're a paper mill or if you've got a refinery, this is a good bill and helps all these people. Representative Ward, law of what purpose?
Chair
Unverified
33:23
Recognized. Representative Barnett, can you tell us that if we don't
Representative Jeff Wardlaw
Unverified
33:28
enact this, will it in fact give up our state rights upon this or not? Did you vote for this bill in committee
Speaker 92
33:36
or I don't remember, did you vote yes on this
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
33:40
in committee? I don't remember. Okay. This bill actually provides for a legal framework. It's a state's right issue. It's a legal framework that lets the state of Arkansas decide how we're going to deal with CO2 and the sequestration and the transfer and the storage of CO2. There's going to be federal mandates at some point, so this provides a legal framework for Arkansas. Representative Mayberry, my purpose is to recognize.
Representative Andy Mayberry
Unverified
34:14
In one of our previous discussions, I think you mentioned to me that the energy companies were in favor of this, that this helps them in some way. Can you describe for me a little bit
Speaker 95
34:26
how this helps our existing energy companies? Well, right now, as you all well
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
34:31
know, 73 percent of all the liquid hydrocarbons in this country is coming offshore. They're not refined here because nobody wants to build a refinery in this state anymore or this country because there's too many regulations. And refineries, which is an energy company, obviously released CO2.
Chair
Unverified
34:46
So this will help address some of their concerns, and the energy companies are very much in favor of this bill. How's that? No trace in line. Representative Collins, what
Representative Charlie Collins
Unverified
35:00
purpose? You recognize? Representative Barnett, the first thing I'd like to do is just thank you for your courage it seems like you take one tough issue after another and can you just confirm for me that the email blast
I got really centered on the eminent domain questions have those been
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
35:16
taken out of the bill sir they have they've all been sent to interim study and in the email blast that you got actually I met with those people after the fact and that they seem to be very very settled down and they seem to be We have somewhat of a comfortable feeling at this
Chair
Unverified
35:39
point. So I think their fears are relieved.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
35:43
Representative Meeks, right? Representative Meeks, I appreciate you staying down here and taking all these abrogic questions.
The question that I have is, on the carbon dioxide, the storing it underground, is it being stored down there for disposal purposes, or are we looking at storing it down there for future use, a later benefit, and do you have some examples of what that future benefit might be? Well, hopefully it's for future benefit now.
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
36:07
There may be so much of it they may have to store a lot of it for a long time, but, you know, the oil industry is looking at this, that there's a lot of oil in South Arkansas around the Smackover area where it used to be, you know, pumped up years ago.
It's so thick down there they say 85% of all the oil that is still on the ground, And CO2 has been proven to break up the viscosity of the oil and thin it down and let it come up. And if you know there's so many uses to CO2, I've talked to the ConocoPhillips refinery plant in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and every bit of the CO2 that they capture off that refinery in Bartlesville is captured and sold to the beverage companies. It's used every time you drink soda pop. So CO2 is something that has got a lot of commercial applications and it's probably going to be used for biomass in the future to help grow algae in ponds and produce biomass.
So there's a lot of, this is an economic development bill too,
Chair
Unverified
37:12
if I didn't mention that. Representative Tyler,
Representative Linda S. Tyler
Unverified
37:15
are you recognized for a question? Question, thank you, sir. Mr. Fernand, I heard you say we're providing the legal framework for carbon capture so that we're ready so that the feds won't come in. It's a states' rights issue that we're able to do this on our own, the feds don't dictate
how we do this. Wouldn't you say that's the same thing that we're trying to do on the healthcare exchange? You
Speaker 106
37:40
know, that's a good question, and I'm sure that's very debatable. Well, if you'll come to Insurance Commerce Friday morning, I'm sure we can
Chair
Unverified
37:51
help answer that question. Thank you, sir. Members, heard an explanation of the bill. Anyone wishing to speak against the bill? For the bill? You close the bill. Which close the bill? Question for the House. Passage of House Bill 1450. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Everyone voted? Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot by a vote of 75, 76, yay, 8, nay, 0, present. You have passed the bill. We're represented by that. Moves for the clincher. Great activity for defeating the end of the day. Everybody in favor of the clincher, say aye. Aye. Those no eyes have it.
I'm going to recognize Representative Cowling in just one moment for a motion. I do want to take the privilege from the Chair and recognize that it seems like there's a need for a brief respite here before a little gathering we've got tonight. There's been a lot of discussion, not a lot of discussion, but there's been discussion the last couple of days about appropriate address. Just remember that when you walk in the door that you get to immortalize yourself because you and whomever you bring are just yourself.
You're going to get your picture taken. So just dress for a pretty picture tonight, and I look forward to seeing each of you. Representative Cowling, you're recognized for motion. After
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
39:36
the announcements, reading of the bills, transferring bills, placing the calendars on the desk, amending members' own bills with their own amendments, members withdrawing their own bills, finalizing the
resolution, reading the communication and remaining committee reports.
I move we adjourn until 10 o'clock
Chair
Unverified
39:54
in the morning. Proper motion, non-batable. All in favor say aye. Opposed, no. Ayes have a motion
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
39:59
carried. Representative Barnett. Very important announcement.
Representative Charlie Collins
Unverified
40:02
House Transportation is going to meet right now in 151. We're all going to go to Big Mac. We're going to go down to 151. We have
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
40:10
a bill that we've got to handle immediately. House transportation immediately, room 151. Any other announcements? Thank you very much.
Chair
Unverified
40:20
Representative Wagner, what purpose? Announcement. Recognize. City, county, and local affairs
Representative Charolette Wagner
Unverified
40:25
will not meet Friday. City, county, and local affairs will not meet Friday. Representative Cowling, what purpose? Just a reminder
Speaker 112
40:37
of what the parliamentarian said about leaving the computers on your
Speaker 107
40:42
desk tonight. Thank you, Representative Tyler. Purpose? Any other announcements? Any other meetings in the morning, committee meetings in the morning?
Representative Slankard, what purpose? Recognize. Let's
Speaker 53
40:59
see, what is it? State announcement. State agencies, 9 o'clock in the morning. okay any other any
Speaker 108
41:06
other committees meeting in the morning okay thank you very much
Agenda
Call to Order
HB1955
HB1980
HB1947
HB1952
HB2179
HB2202
HB1783
HB1784
HB2128
HB1450
Announcements
Adjournment
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Representative Keith M. Ingram Chair
Unverified
Speaker 3
Representative Walls McCrary
Unverified
Representative Bruce Westerman Chair
Unverified
Speaker 10
Speaker 2
Chair
Unverified
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
Representative Gary Deffenbaugh
Unverified
Speaker 5
Representative Charlie Collins
Unverified
Representative Justin T. Harris
Unverified
Speaker 36
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
Speaker 51
Representative Homer Lenderman
Unverified
Representative David J. Sanders
Unverified
Representative Bryan B. King
Unverified
Representative Mike Patterson
Unverified
Representative Larry Cowling
Unverified
Speaker 9
Representative Linda Collins-Smith
Unverified
Speaker 75
Representative Jon Woods Chair
Unverified
Representative Jonathan Barnett
Unverified
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
Representative Jeff Wardlaw
Unverified
Speaker 92
Representative Andy Mayberry
Unverified
Speaker 95
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Representative Linda S. Tyler
Unverified
Speaker 106
Representative Charolette Wagner
Unverified
Speaker 112
Speaker 107
Speaker 53
Speaker 108