ALC-Personnel

L. C. subcommittee a come to order and my culture Senator Davis didn't have any comments so we're going to go directly to our analyst Tony in person comments thank you Mr chairman before we start this one and I just wanted to point out we have two new analysts with the personal section of the bureau miss Barbara brown who comes to us from the research division as recently come over to the personal section we're happy to have her no school Spencer where he was new to be LR he's also with us which one to put faces with new names and for the committee membership shall ever have questions you see them please don't hesitate to ask them so with that Mister chairman we can start in this you have other comments or questions I think that'll do it so the first the order of business is to bring the minutes from the last meeting should have those available to you and at the appropriate time I'll take a motion. With the help of never mind a committee wrote Committee okay so the first item of business is I want to go back and revisit of I may just for a moment some of the issues with the merit pay since a number of this Arkansas constituents have been asking a lot of questions and I had a few questions I see Alex's with this and Alex if you go ahead and state your name for the record appreciated sure Alex Johnston I'm the chief of staff at transformation church services thank you Alex so I guess one of the questions that I have is the policy letter number twenty nine is still to this day on the opium website for supervisors to refer to. Is that gonna be pulled down or why was it not rescinded or amended prior to the changes in the performance evaluation plan we in we anticipate pulling that down and amending it but with no what the path forward we're studying how merit is done right now and how we will do merit in the future and the call was made to leave it there and tell we have a new plan in place as of you know my only suggestion was an amendment or some type of notification to the supervisors because they were in fact using this as a number of supervisors had told me with that but not only that but the the way that the the money was distributed is also addressed in this policy letter so there's a lot of uh it brought a lot of misunderstanding or supervisors and directors on exactly how we were going to execute business so another question I had is when the the word was put out that we were not going to use the bell curve was there any guidance given to secretaries or directors on exactly how that process did you consider leaving the portal open for a couple weeks to allow them to go back in and change that we did we left it open for an additional day and we know that's not very long but after the notification went out we did extend it will make it through the weekend until June first without having the calendar of the dates in front of me but we did leave it open for a little bit longer we were just pushed up the deadline because knowing that we had to get and all of those people who would exceed maximum over for the June we enjoyed the GM personnel committee we were just a shortened deadline so we didn't have the ability to allow weeks and that we did allow a day or two or three I'll go back and look exactly how I think it was supposed to close on the thirty first or the thirtieth in that state until June first. The second we have eleven for the second okay so how was that was there any documentation on how that message was delivered to the field because the only thing that I've been able to find it is a message from you two chiefs of staff and is just a one liner yes they were the following memo I believe from. Hey. There is amended from K. Barnhill I believe saying that was staying up until the second and I can't remember if that's to chiefs of staff secretary to HR administrators or a combination of the three but I can go back and look and share that with you okay if you could provide that to the committee I appreciate it now in the last subject I'd like to address is appeals the performance evaluations so you know since the performance evaluation process is under the umbrella of OPM and they have all the guidance to deal with that as well as grievances and there's a process for a grievance in the labor management arena so would it not make sense to have an appeal process and and I have a number of my constituents ask questions about the about why do we not have a standardized state appeal process for employees to voice their disagreement with a performance evaluation rating instead of just letting some agencies do it and some not do it what is that something that you all might consider having a standardized appeal process I think during the next few months we're looking at everything to improve the system I don't know where we're gonna land with that but I'm I'm sure that will be brought up I think it's just too soon to for me to correctly answer that question for accurately answer that question or if you would please keep us advise that and it in in I really think you need to consider that they do it all across government on the federal side and and I think it would be a big benefit to our our employees okay and thank you for your answers and center Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman thank you so much for being here this afternoon. glad to see you again my concern is very much along the same lines as the chairman. My concern is the uniform evaluation period. It is of great concern to me that I don't believe I have been told that there's no uniformity. What are the objective metrics that are being used to determine who is meritorious who is not meritorious and secondly what kind of turnover has this caused as a result of some being game meritorious and others because we have a severe shortage in. State government as far as our employees are concerned I'd like to know from you what is that objective criteria that determines whether a person is a three four five so in the packet and there's there's metrics that are laid out there's about seven or eight different categories with different writing center need each department as provided that when some departments use every single metric and rate on that some departments. Little there's doubt I know at at TSS at the first one is. I don't I don't have it in front of me customer service and there might be five metrics under that we write on three metrics supervisors get an additional sheet that has additional metrics that they're rated on because they supervised people so it is it's a uniform set among state government but each department can determine their metrics and what they rate on am I right on every single one of them then my around about half and in the weight on those also. Is that the department I think in conjunction with their HR department as far as your question on what turned over looks like I'm not sure yet and there it has not been awarded yet it's yeah I think it took effect July ninth which will come in. Paycheck next Friday I know that people know what they're writing sir but I don't have any numbers at that is something I'm sure that we can track just the turnover as far as if it's related to merit or not. I don't know that OPM will know that and it might be not at the department level I'm just not one hundred percent sure I guess your your answer to my first question is concerning simply because if I'm working in this agency not used to move to another you may have these metrics if I move to another agency in state government you've got these metrics so I don't blame it's still the same metrics you only have grading on three on somebody else maybe grading all fast within sight. In that uniformity I think helped us a great deal with state employees yes ma'am and I think it's something that we need to look at if you're in state government these are the metrics that are going to be used to evaluate whether or not you receive this rating or that right yes we already have a substantial turnover rate and no DHS used to have one I know when leadership now eighty one point was a fifty six percent turnover I'm just trying to see and perhaps as you go along you can help me to determine whether or not as a result of this we have lost our state employees okay thank you so very much thank you Mr. Thank you senator Chesterfield Tony. Mr chairman at your ready to move along to items B. R. A. B. as a request for ten percent your graphic differential the department of Veterans Affairs the difference would only apply to registered nurse hospital positions and MPO one and only to those working at the veterans home in Fayetteville this request would bring the RN's into equitable position with other nursing titles at the Veterans Affairs hospital the agency estimates the difference award apply to form placing costs about thirty five thousand dollars OPM recommends to request through FY twenty. Any questions from the committee. I have a motion. Your first second. It is one percent center Dotson second any of questions on the discussion on the motion. All the favor say aye opposed no. Mr chairman item C. this is a surrender Paul request from the commission on law enforcement standards and training within the department public safety classes requesting to surrender to advance brushless to suggest a three for one education instruction specialist and yes all seven request a position will provide both online officers as well as in person instruction the positions are being given up or budgeted but don't make clasts current needs the cost for this request is approximately forty three thousand dollars to fill the position and public safety estimates that are indicates it can absorb the cost OPM recommends to request. Questions from the committee. The motion the second. A second any discussion on the motion seeing none all in favor say aye. All those. CNN. Adam D. is request the department of commerce commerce is insurance department for three positions from the swappable the requesting a mail services assistant skews me they're surrendering a mail services assistant it just to fiscal support analyst that just a five and a half finance authority specialist agents of six or to insurance assistant deputy commissioners of finance and insurance program manager at a GS ten requested to address expanded responsibilities of the agency due to an increasing scope of work for which the current staffing levels insufficient the cost of this request is two hundred eighty two thousand dollars the agency indicates that sufficient funding to support opium is recommended that the swap will. Any questions. Welcome start senate Chesterfield thank you just want information to the chair to term total I'm always a call when I see the G. S. O. two would be making twenty three thousand three hundred thirty five dollars. Could I find out from you how many employees state government I'm making this amount of money or is that just too much to ask no ma'am I can find a I appreciate it very much I it's it's concerning to me because people have to be able to take care of their families and this is just insufficient. I appreciate it very much thank you and with that Mister I move that we adopt. Thank you senator Mister Fortner you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman did I understand that the they say this gonna cost additional two hundred fifty thousand dollars that correct. Two hundred and two hundred eighty two thousand six hundred sixty nine dollars and ninety nine cents and the Committee cost and they also said that they have that money yes Sir where they have that at I ask the agency would have I'd like I'd like to know where they get that extra from. We have an agency here on the table. If you would if you would state your name for the record. L. McLean Insurance Commissioner how did not bring my CFO with me but I have a HR director Tasha thank you hear the denture questions at that is in our we have special revenue it is part of our preparation there's just you know currently plenty of the of money for anything in our appropriation to cover that. Just just extra. Well if it's part of our salary appropriation and so yet that that's it we don't utilize all of our yeah we. There's that there's that much you know to to absorb that add to that in our salary appropriation yeah. Okay thank you. Any other questions. Questions from the committee. Hello motion and a second. A second any discussion see non all favor say aye opposed. Okay Tony thank you. Mr chairman we're an item he this is report request for the health department. there was just one of an eighty H.. Advertorial entered just a nine for eighty H. public health administrator and GS ten to properly staff the next generation sequencing Division set up during the pandemic to provide genomic sequencing and bioinformatics data the position would oversee lab operations the anticipated costs for the swap is about sixty thousand dollars in opium recommends to request. Titles little too complicated for us so legislators but I have any questions from the committee. C. N. nine The motion. Motion second. Don't have to pick it up around here in a little quiet so any discussion on the motion. All favor say aye. All opposed. Thank you Mr chairman I am F. this is the request from the health department this is for six positions from the swat pool in one position from opium growth pole positions that are being surrendered on page twenty three are authorized in various divisions of the health department five of them will be replaced with public health section chief titles at GSO eight within their respective appropriations and everyone will be replaced with an administrative analyst this what polls we would increase the grade of these five leadership positions in the boards and commissions to GSO eight so they can retain and recruit personnel in these positions this change would bring them in line with other state boards and commissions outside of the department of health the one requested administered in list would be increased for in common who is currently insuring the tobacco settlement commission runs properly and will bring their compensation in line with their duties and then the one growth requested for administrative support specialist ages so for this would move and comment from an extra help positions to a full time position there is no plan change in salary for that employee the total cost for this request is about eighty thousand dollars and OPM recommends to request. Sir Chesterfield you're recognized thank you Mr chair I'm looking at page twenty three and it's saying the eighty age to serve the board secretary treasurer of the eighty age executive director of these positions are occupied what happens to the occupants of these positions now that you're going to change them over to something else they go over to the new title so they're not going to lose their job no man there just because what I reclassified all right. Senator Rice aye aye up punched you out there if you want to. There you go and center rises recognized thank you mention of the tobacco settlement person is that able to be taken out of tobacco settlement funds their salary I want to do the I'm not sure senator I would have to defer to the agency on or I would just hope if they can utilize that that that they would do that but if their sole purpose is to keep up the. Okay. Machine. Your area. His stage name for the record you're recognized. Dot Adams eighty eight chief of staff. Matt Gilmore partner health. Senator that's correct it's funded with the tobacco settlement funds out of the commissions of program because low low. Times there's ever ever session legislators ask questions on that I just feel like it be the desire legislature use those funds for that thank you Mr. Thanks center center Dotson you're recognized thank you Mr chair I think this may be Matt the The position are that is basically what we're doing. Making this more of a generic title for these five positions so that they can. These titles that you're giving up they're they're pretty specific is that is that so that now that they're all under one heading the department of health. You can hire these individuals and use them across different boards. They're funded through those board so they're duties will stay with that board we were trying to find titles that would accurately reflect their duties that were under the department of health's titles they will still function as the director of that specific board at that position be tied to that court's funding appropriations so as to working across the department. That's not really the. How that position is designed and what the and I think the intent of the of that licensing entity but we there may be occasions where we can do something but their job duties will be with that board. So. It looks like there's going to be a. Fairly decent pay about for a few of these The ones that currently have this this title or the they expecting that. New new responsibilities or what's the so. With what the problem is B. and was when someone leaves one of these positions. We've had a problem recruiting individuals so and the thought was to to make them more in line with other boards of the same Size same number of licensees and to bring some consistency across uniform yes Sir that's what the that's what the goal is there so so some of these are vacant at the moment of one or two of them is yes Sir okay we just had a hard time recruiting and and getting applicants all right thank you thank you. Thank you more questions from the committee. The motion. Our motion the second. A second any discussion on the motion. All favor say aye All opposed. Motion passes. Mr chairman item G. is a circle requests from state police with the Department public safety Sir for positions they're at requesting three telecommunications specialist and a telecommunications supervisor they're asking to surrender five positions for AS peace security guards and just a three adminstration's three just over four three the positions to be surrendered are filled with personal already functioning as telecommunications specialist this it gets them in line with what they're doing and at the same with the telecommunications supervisor the remaining position we surrenders bacon the request of positions for our including the divisions by any request for not recommended during the session by the executive branch opium recommends this request at this point into and the Department indicated possesses the funds to cover the twenty thousand dollars cost. The distinguished gentleman from hermitage Mister Wardlaw which is anybody here for state police. That would mean go the table. If you're in the state your name for the record with state police. Philip Warner department public safety HR administrator so the cost of this funds to staff correctly is three grand is that correct. I think it's nineteen is what they have okay even better so it's what we're we pulling that money from and where we currently being used in that nineteen thousand so I think the. The way that we figure it was a little bit different so through giving me to value figure so giving up an additional position that was budgeted that we had money attached to is enough to offset the increases that would go for these people how is it enough to offset when the net is nineteen thousand. So. I think there's a difference in calculation in the way that opium does okay S. twice walking me through the difference please yes Sir I I got a pencil all right so if you look at how we have budgeted positions Have I don't do you have this sheet that is in the pack yeah yes Sir and you can see on there where we're talking about. These are all budgeted at like the first one the first security guard thirty seven five forty nine you'll see the match that goes with it is roughly nine thousand three fifty and then you that sixty six hundred for the health plan. Let's make this easy. Mr I'm sorry I have a little latitude you're recognized so on a position your surrender and tell me what you're what you're budget for each one of those positions right now so I can see your mass okay right now I have a range of twenty six thirty seven twenty nine forty two where is the actual number budget in your budget right now for those four five positions that's right there Sir that thirty seven five forty nine forty six eight fourteen thirty seven seven forty nine twenty eight five thirty four this is there in your budget at the Max today that is not the man. Sturch Max on my sheet. In my sheet says you're surrendering two two zero seven six four two zero and the salary ranges twenty six zero three four thirty seven seven four nine so that's seven thirty seven four seven four nine you just quoted is the Max on my paper okay. Okay. Mr better yet I would just make a motion to hold this position this position until Friday and I'll get with state police off line so we can figure this out but I just want to explanation of every day we hear state police a short fund and that and and I agree and I think we need more money over there but the last thing I wanna do is waste nineteen thousand dollars on the position so if if you would can can I have that latitude to Friday to work with them. Williams. You make a motion to hold it yes Sir motion. Second. Discussion. Simenon favor say aye opposed the motion passes will hold until Friday. Thank. Mr chairman I did H. is a request for the department of corrections this is asking for to growth pole positions with one of the new positions also having any title the requesting a DO see chief fiscal officer in SCO one and it DO see applied researcher GS thirteen this is the new title other questions from DOC's obligations to protect the. Protect Arkansas act requiring employee with the doctoral level credentials in addition if is requested for constant analysis and effective management of DOC's budget the cost of this request is two hundred forty thousand dollars inclusive this is inclusive of French and U. S. C. state that has funding available for the request OPM recommends to request. Any questions from the committee. Seeing none of a motion. Motion the second. Second any discussion on the motion all in favor. All opposed. Motion passes. Mr chairman item I this is a group request for public safety or fiscal support analyst just a five to serve the crime victim Rick crime victims reparations Board the Department is currently utilizing position with another division to do these duties consequently public safety feels the incumbent and our position should be housed at the crime victim rip reparations Board the estimated cost of the position will be about forty six thousand dollars in opium recommends to request a position. Questions from the committee. Sinan motion. I have a motion the second. And a second any discussion seeing none all in favor say aye. All opposed motion passes fisherman I'm J. this is a growth pool request for state police for the public information specialist at a just of six the position will coordinate a constituent services and ASP and recognition of fallen fallen officers as well as creating conducting internal ASP communications will also develop social media and website content interface with the public via the we tip hotline amber alerts silver alerts among others in just a cost of this request is fifty one thousand dollars OPM recommends to request and public safety indicates they have the funding for any questions motion. motion second. Second any discussion seeing none all in favor say aye. All opposed motion passes per chairman item K. is a request from the public service commission they're seeking a PSE chief of staff at GS fourteen from the opium growth pool is to create a brand new title as well the position would serve on the Commissioner staff and oversees legislative affairs communications office of the Secretary of commission and information technology would also liaison between the agency and the public and media to include FOR requests this is not a swap the agency intends to freeze a. Yes the Director of pipeline safety during the next fiscal year and it the next biennial budget they plan to eliminate that position the cost of this request is a hundred twelve thousand dollars in opium recommends it's pretty. Senator Rapert you're recognized. Who who is here for this. Representing the PSE yeah. You come to table state your name and Organization with please. Hello Michael Marchand on the executive director at the PSC. Senator Rice. it in this. Did I understand is persons is media related also war we'll have some Interchange with the legislator or any thing like that. Would you state I heard a little bit what a red state what is personal data you. You want to read the description or I want to know what this person will do they're gonna work it for the the commission staff so they'll work it's going to be the commissioners chief of staff okay currently the chief ALJ services or chief of staff also so I think the idea is to separate those two. And this new role will. cover all. Media related enrolled in Cory's Legislative literally whatever we have to be here yeah it's a public inquires. Public public enquiries into we have a consumer services department that handles. And I and I haven't talked about any thought about to also my friend who is a smidgen on here's a chair but let me just say you I'm I'll support your deal. I have gotten several reports back. The people that I have referred to the PSC although I've referred to some people the BSE. And I've had motor reports back over some period of time lots and it's just like when I have had one a few months ago. That said it's the legislature's fault call them. If this person is anything to do with the public our media I hope we get a little bit broader than that. If you would relate that back is. read the displays legislators file legislatures Paul called him. Can you relate that back to you yes Sir thank you. Thank Senator Rice center Dotson you're recognized thank you Mr chair so this position is going to be the chief of staff overseeing all the staff at the commission no not at all it so that's my role as executive director so the public service commission is actually divided into two different there's the commission staff which works directly for the commissioners so there's three appointed commissioners and they have a small staff and then there's the general staff which is basically everybody else in the building serves disposition what oversee anyone else. No it will strictly be commissions that. They not not general staff so they will oversee commission staff. Well they will I don't understand what you mean by oversee the staff hire fire people there the chief of staff so my I would ideally for me up ideally I would like them to handle HR decisions or you know help with H. R. issues also we don't have a an HR director at the PSC for managers handle that on their own how many staff will they be overseen in that ideal world I don't know organizationally if it's gotten that far to how. Who they will actually manage so the commission staff is composed of the A. L. J. the chief bill J. and she oversees the administrative law judges there's also a research and policy section which has its own manager and she has. Five or six analysts that work for her there's also several attorneys on staff that report directly for instance the commissioners have their own. attorney. So I don't I don't know that it's roughly eight people that they will oversee if I was counted I would say that's fair. And but again I don't know organizationally if they decided if there will be anybody directly reports to this person. And that be important to know before you hired we authorized the chief of staff to know kind of what the job was do we have a person in mind that you're looking to hire for this position. I don't that I don't know. I know they've written the description I know it hasn't posted obviously since it's not K. thank you. So. Thank you Mr over here she left over here okay my question is did you make any commitment to remain frozen eliminated during the biennial budget process and then on the back page to talk about the overall cost being a hundred twelve thousand eight seventy one. And they're given a position saying great is that is that number reflective of the fact that when we get around to the biennial budget that that position would be removed. That position being the. What the one that you're fine yes yes okay. Yeah yes so you're the plan is to surrender that that position the GS fourteen pipeline safety yes Is that okay let your question I'm sorry yeah that's my quick my question is you're you're making a commitment that when we get into the biennial budget process you're going to eliminate that position and my question is the overall costs that you're projecting is a hundred twelve thousand does that number reflect the price associated with the GS fourteen. Yes. Okay the the sorry the pipeline position is not filled so there's no cost associated with it. That's right we have the one twelve but then they will surrender that wind so you you've got one twelve regardless because we're not paying anything on the position wrecker right charm just want what's the value of that state the overall request because it's not really cost other than is appropriate but there's no real dollars attached to it right. You lost me there but if we were just a switch on with title thing with the loss okay is that what you're going for going towards I'm sorry yes I'm just trying to you know there's a justification that are the justification is that you're gonna get rid of position but against overall cost I just wanna know was that factored into the hundred twelve thousand dollars the GS fourteen what's what what is it how much is it. I GS fourteen starts at eighty six thousand and maxes out at one twenty five. So I believe this costs associated with that. Okay we have been since the date of their I was saying there was no cost of this will be a cost but they're not the rendering it right now that. Incentives taken by fathers a cost accomplishment okay thank you thank Mr. Represent the banks. Thank you Mr. how does this work in conjunction with the the hiring freeze that I thought was in place since this is a new position. I don't think I don't think our agency is subject to that that would be subject object. I believe there except for the hiring freeze but even if they're not they would still have to submit this through the hiring freeze and it would have to go through into the same paperwork documentation to get it under president to hire. Okay thank you. Senator just. Thank you thank you Mr thank you Mr. At which we've got a position. That you're trying to seek clarity on what is going to do. Because you say you need this position I'm tired of service the primary is on with the median. Uprooting all for your request. Then they're going to manage external communications for the agency related to press releases roles information dissemination in addition this position will also handle that stating his manager any potential effects the proposed legislation will have on the agency these duties are currently performed by the executive director. What are you gonna be doing if this person takes on all of these responsibilities which currently or yours what will you be doing that. my. Daily duties run these were running late these were party day does not come to a foreign accent yeah I know they are I'm going to bring in somebody twelve thousand dollars to take care of this party your date please tell me what the rest of your day duties would be. We we currently have docket some from the commission that we have to fall testimony for compliance terrace rate case is anything and everything that has to do with getting approval from our agency and so I oversee that as far as editing the testimony and actually haven't submitted there's also human resources related anything that's human resources related I handle hiring firing in your salaries will. My salary right now is I don't know what it is exactly a hundred twenty four thousand you don't know what you make. I know some around number so I think it's a hundred and twenty four thousand something so this first will come in and make a hundred twelve. That's correct but you make one hundred twenty four while you're currently doing all of this stuff you'll be doing less stuff your salary going to come down no. All right. The I just find it so interesting that. It seems to me at large part of what you're currently doing will be taken on by this person your your salary would remain the same with doing less work well so for for instance currently if we have a filing deadline on Friday and we're trying to I'm trying to coordinate thirteen different witnesses to fall testimony by Friday make sure that all the testimony conveys what we want to convey and then I get an email from KATV about something I have to drop everything and respond to that so this person would be able to do that we also receive correspondence from all different kinds of media outlets to different people in our agency so this person would coordinate all that and make sure that the responses are. Consistent. That would be the media aspect of it that's what I would envision it as doing so that's the media out. What level you get to the legislative issues which legislative issues or maybe dealing with and which were you be dealing with. I don't know if that's been defined exactly I would. B. dealing with anything that's related to general staff. I would think and then they would be dealing with anything related to the Commissioner staff I mean right now we have three commissioners are appointed by the governor and they really don't have. Support they don't have a support person they have our chief administrative law judge handles support for them and they have an administrative assistant but at this point we don't really have anybody to. You know health amount or organize everything for them so in you weren't expecting to testify today worry. I was not however I am an expert witness on always ready to. Senate. Thank you and into if it helps to committee the they're they're broken up into two totally separate branches got the Commission side is that correct and then you've got the the folks over there every day this working and doing yes everything else that are in your on the other side that's right yes so you're not the subject matter expert really be sitting at the table stays that correct well I am not a commissioner that's for sure okay all right let's move on to us Senator Wallace you're recognized. Idea thank you Mr. I'm I'm not so much a post I'm over here posi report you requested that I call I just question the the title the world I come from which is military in the corporate world and in and now private business chief of staff is a very strong position. responsible for numerous people under them to me in this house what you the job you're describing is almost like a media public media or a PR position. I just question the title not not necessarily the the necessity for a position You know in that with the. What do you think do you agree. I would and going back to the other gentleman's question about the chief of staff what staff I mean that's a good question great question I I would envision that this person see I I say that I would envision and it's not really my person so you know for the commissioners I would think this person is gonna Generally coordinate all the staff up there which would be about twenty to twenty five people so From that sense I would think chief of staff is I don't know what else you would call it because the duties are going to be so diverse and so It's going to be a complex position thank you Mr thank you thank you senator disappointment recognized co chair Senator Davis. Thank you Sir. She's on. In terms. Senator Hammer few of somebody's the Senator Wallace if you check your microphone I please get to me. There is. Thank you Mr chair and I'd like to make a motion that we hold out and Hey until Friday. That got a motion and a second any discussion on the motion saying non called favor say aye. All opposed motion passes and into might be if Justin Tate or somebody that might be a little more are they can answer the questions without really help to committee. Okay okay thank you thank you for your time. Thank. Mr chairman we're on two items L. L. is a is a request from the Department higher ed recommending two positions from the higher at Central High School for casa talk community college. Specifically they're asking for a food prep manager and a project program specialist request is made due to increase in the number of student organizations and to align it title with the duties actually being performed the Department higher it is recommended the request. The questions from the committee senator I have a motion. Do I have a motion. Motion the second second any discussion. See non on favor say aye. All opposed. Motion passes. Mr chairman we're on two items M. I. N. Hillman is a request from the department of correction DFA our CEO PM your question on play to receive her twenty four twenty three merit payment as a salary increase as opposed to lump sum because it carries or over the maximum this person was inversely left off the list approved by council last month salary increase would be two thousand three hundred dollars she's currently making forty six thousand nine hundred dollars and we go to forty nine thousand three hundred dollars OPM recommends this request. Any questions from committee. I have a motion second. With four seconds. I have a second any discussion C. N. nine on favor say aye opposed our motion was certainly the chairman I'd end has been requested to be pulled down by the agency to remove on the item this is from teacher retirement in his request to pay higher than Max but the SCO for pay grade for the new ATR S. director mark white requested salary is one hundred eighty three thousand six hundred ninety nine dollars which is twenty two hundred dollars above the maximum and reflects the ten percent increase which is in line with the standard promotion OPM has recommended this request questions from the committee Sinan motion. Second. Osnos any discussion on the motion seeing none all in favor say aye. All those. Motion passes. Mister chairman I have a P. is a request from the office personal manage management to establish labor market rate for two percent for employees who will lose shift differential payments went on paid leave due to a change in OPM policy and procedures this request will affect about two thousand employees from ten different departments in the past room play works a shift that includes a differential their pay the differential in addition to the regular pay when they're on paid leave as of seven twenty three of this year this will no longer be the case there's request is being made to help reduce the financial burden this may put on the employees if approved a department may off the two percent base salary increase into the employees pay although it cannot exceed the employee's Max this is a one time adjustment and that the agencies will need to confirm everything with opium by September first it's written there the request cost including matching is going to be about five hundred fifty thousand dollars opium is recommended the requested labor market rates. Any questions from the committee. motion. I have a motion second. Second any discussion on the motion seeing none all in favor say aye. All those. Motion passes Mr chairman the next item is on page one thirty seven in the packet this is Q. is from the department of education requesting the creation of a new title only this will be an eighty E. deputy secretary of education and SCO for despair had various initiatives and to assist in the implementation of the Arkansas learns ACT eighty is planning to cross great downgrade the current Commissioner of Education position that is still an appropriation bill. To accommodate this new title and will request to permanently give up that Commissioner of Education title during the next legislative session opium has recommended the new title question. Motion. Question. centre Dotson. Yes at. Just a little bit of clarification. Exactly so. We're we're getting the Commissioner of Education position is still or the title is still there even though that hasn't technically been filled it's being the secretary's filling that spot right now it's then one Senate so in so if you think about their appropriation bills the the main appropriation bill for their department education has the secretary of education that title imposition exist or what is called business area ninety nine oh four okay it's in their bill they have and Secretary leave it is in that position. N. O. five hundred which is the original appropriation for the department of education there still is the Commissioner of Education hi okay it's existed for years and years that title that position is current currently being used as the deputy commissioner of education there is somebody in it but they're not functioning as the Commissioner of Education okay okay so they're wanting to get rid of that title we go to the next legislators legislative session the Commissioner of Education and just make them and they're getting in that position with what is now the commission of education will be this deputy secretary of education so they're just changing out the title and I'll make it permanent we're going to the next legislative session okay so the Secretary legal is still being that the Secretary position the deputy secretary position will be underneath them the Commissioner of Education title will be gone correct thank you. Thank you senator Dotson Any other questions from the committee. I have a motion. The second any discussion seeing none all in favor say aye opposed motion passes. Mr chairman items S. T. and you these are reports that requires action I'll take any questions if there are any but these are all reports about Movements are changes that agencies are made with with their personnel through pre approved actions by this committee. Senate okay Senator Hammer. Mr just let you can ask a question before she its way from table on item P. it's not it's just a point of information if you don't mind before you get a shot here you're recognized with but back on exhibit P.. It said that this practice will change on July twenty third employees will no longer be eligible to receive shift pay when they're not working did we do that legislatively was an executive directive or what was the nature for why that changed. OPM policy. So we did it was not the legislation okay part thank. Our next will go to other business. And the representative Wardlaw I'm going to recognize you so you can fill everybody in on the law enforcement officer stipends. something. You're recognized. Thank you Mr chair of the committee last month we've voted and passed the rules of chairman's and myself and senator rice met with questions today and through the request there were some changes that need to take place just to make things more logistical I think would be the right word so the only main change we had and all the rules was we moved the group to date from October thirty first to December thirty first and I think it's important that I think we take for granted a lot of times members that when we planned stuff we don't take into account the staff and the hours it takes to review some of this paperwork and so when we heard from them yesterday listen their legal staff is going to take them about sixty days to get Group One approved by US role in agreed to write at that sixty day mark they don't they don't really have time to get everything done right so that's all the change it was of I make a motion to approve that change at the proper time as chair and I'll be happy to answer any questions. Okay and we need to adopt the the the packet that the the members have discussed the rule change in an I was going to go to Group One okay. You will change. I will represent Wardlaw if you don't mind can you repeat the rule change if the rule changes only to move that the date for for group to back sixty days so instead of coming back here in October in approving group to you we're gonna come back here in January and approved group to that way it gives staff enough time to verify Group One are certified law enforcement are working past twenty four hours a week all the things that are involved in that act that was passed last session not this session last session that's the act and rules that we referred to Chris is in the audience and you see in nonessential quest And that's the only change we've already adopted these rules in the last of personnel subcommittee meeting and council this is just a change to accommodate the time frames that need to take place a request for. And the the changes are identified in red team I'd like to review those but that your motion is. Okay just bills thank you so much miss your of up to the chair to senator Wardlaw the father of clarification. Everyone's on board with this proposal. Or is this just a Wardlaw Fuhrman no no man no not a word. The Senator Davis and myself and staff met with senator was represented Wardlaw as well as the class staff to to make the changes recommended changes that were being impacted by it or on board with your passport okay so that doesn't reason we're here to make sure it's not Wardlaw not. No we thought we had a perfect last month we didn't have a perjury okay and we're big enough to rip to admit that and come back if you look at that so much if you look at attachment a everything in red is the changes the only substance or change is that date that I miss mention and all the changes you see if you read on the search they go back to that date change thank you so much thank you Mr. Thank you senator Chesterfield and some of the motion we need to approve of attachment A. B. and C.. As well as the the final report to the Legislative Council. so that your motion yes Sir okay ninety a second I have a second any discussion on the motion saying not all favor say aye All opposed. Motion passes. And that's all the business that we have in front of the committee in this committee has anything else Senator Davis do you have anything no other business in this committees adjourn.