January 11, 2011
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (1)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HR1001
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Speaker, we are Committee on Rules, whom is referred to House Resolution 1001 by Representative Robert Moore. Beg leave to report we've h…”
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Pre-2017 bill |
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Unknown speaker
0:00
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 4
5:00
members please take your seat i invite the members staff press and guests in the galleries to stand
Chair
Unverified
5:17
and be led in prayer by house chaplain reverend john a fleming pastor first united methodist Church in Sheridan. You're recognized, sir. I wanted to say this is one of the great privileges
Speaker 8
5:34
of my life to be here today, and I thank you for the opportunity. Let us pray. Oh, Lord, the hymn writer has us sing, O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come. Be thou our guard while troubles last in our eternal home. And Lord, just a few months ago, Osborne's commentator spoke of standing on the backs of giants. Today we thank you for those who have come before us, those who have stood up for what was right and fought for what seemed wrong. We stand on their shoulders this morning. We build on the foundation they have given us,
and we ask for your blessing. O God, give us strength to face the challenges that are before us along with wisdom, vision, and patience. Let us see in one another the great needs of our state and those we represent do bless us now as we begin this day and may you who began a good work in us bring it to fulfillment we ask this in your holy name
Chair
Unverified
6:30
amen and we remain standing for the posting of the colors by the arkansas state police color guard
You recognize Dr. Gaskell, leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
Speaker 18
7:18
to the class of the United States of America and to the republic for these things one nation of God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Speaker 12
9:18
Please take your seat and indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button.
Speaker 21
9:49
Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Might have been a little quick on that. Everyone voted? What purpose, Mr. Sanders?
Speaker 22
10:25
You're recognized. I hit my present button, but it did
Speaker 21
10:30
not register on the machine. All right. Mr. Clerk, can you make that adjustment? Mr. Walker, what purpose? Mr. Recognize Representative Walker's presence here, Representative Bell. Same purpose. Same purpose.
Speaker 19
10:43
Mr. Clerk, can you give us a new tally? Anyone else? Representative Lampkin, same purpose. Yes, sir.
Speaker 21
10:53
Anyone else not recognized on the board?
What was our final count,
Speaker 12
11:07
Mr. Clerk? Okay. Chair sees 88 members present, recognized as a quorum. Any requests for leave? Seeing none. Representative Sanders. I ask for leave for Representative Prissy Hickerson. Leave for Representative Hickerson.
All in favor of leave.
Speaker 21
11:34
Leave be granted. Representative Pernard, what
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
11:38
purpose? Leave for Representative Powers. He's stuck about an hour from here. Leave
Speaker 12
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granted. Leave granted. Representative Lee, what purpose? Leave. Representative King. Representative King, leave granted. Leave's granted.
Speaker 16
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Representative Alphys. Leave for Representative Wilkins. Leave for Representative Wilkins.
Speaker 12
12:19
Leave. Leave's granted. Anyone else? Representative Cheatham. Representative Cheatham moves we dispense with a reading of the previous day's journal.
No objection. So ordered. Have any reports from select committees? Ready to report, Mr. Clerk. Ready to report. Mr.
Speaker 33
12:54
Speaker, we are Committee on Rules, whom is referred to House Resolution 1001 by Representative Robert Moore. Beg leave to report we've had the same under consideration. Herewith return the same with the recommendation that it do pass as amended.
Respectfully submitted, Keith Ingram, Chair.
Speaker 21
13:14
Any reports from Standing Committee? no reports any other unfinished business any announcements
Speaker 19
13:27
seeing no announcement the no other business house will stand
in recess until 1030 thank you I'm all cracking up here.
Unknown speaker
14:10
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
God bless you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Go, go.
Oh
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Unknown speaker
22:40
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right, come on.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 43
32:40
Members, if you will please take your seat. The joint session will come to order.
Speaker 19
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Madam Secretary, you're a recognized call roll for the Senate.
Speaker 45
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Baker. Here. Bledsoe. Yes. Bookout. Here. Burnett. Here. Chesterfield. Here. Crumbly. Here. Dismaine. Here. Elliott. Here.
Here. Flowers. Here. Harrelson. Here. Hendron. Here. Holland. Here. Hutchison. Here. Irvin. Here. Jean Jeffress. Here. Jimmy Jeffress. Here. Johnson. Here. Key. Here. Lamoureux. Here. Laverty. Here. Luker. Here. Madison. Here. pritchard rapert salmon sample taylor teague thompson whitaker williams wyatt
Speaker 21
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mr clark prepare the machine members indicate your presence by pushing the
Chair
Unverified
34:53
recognizes the quorum members if you will stand i'm going to recognize reverend john a fleming pastor of the first United Methodist Church in Sheridan to have the invocation. Representative Reverend Fleming,
Speaker 8
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you are recognized. It's one of the greatest honors of my life. It's good to be here today. Let us pray. The Lord, a hymn writer has us sing, O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come be thou our guard while troubles last and our eternal home today we thank you for those who have come before us and we look forward to those for whom we
represent today we look forward to a future that is bright and hopeful we stand on the shoulders who have come before us building on the foundation they have given us and we ask for your blessing do bless us now as we begin this day and may you who began a good work in us bring it to fulfillment we ask this in your holy name Amen Representative
Speaker 12
36:02
Billy Gaskill lead us in the pledge of lead us
Chair
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36:20
Members you may be seated members it's my pleasure at this time to recognize special guests on the floor with us today first i would like to recognize the member of members of the arkansas supreme court if you will hold your applause until i announce all of those members we're it is indeed a privilege for us to
have each of them present today. Chief Justice Jim Hanna, Associate Justice Donald Corbin, Associate Justice Robert Brown, Associate Justice newly sworn in, Associate Justice Courtney Henry, Associate Justice Jim Gunter, Associate Justice Paul Danielson, and newly sworn in, Associate Justice Karen Baker. We are very happy to have you all with us here today. Let's give them a
Representative Robert S. Moore, Jr.
Unverified
37:17
big round of applause.
Chair
Unverified
37:21
We are also privileged to have a former House member, and as a distinguished guest here, Mr. Jim Keat. Jim, would you stand up and be recognized? We're glad to have
Representative Robert S. Moore, Jr.
Unverified
37:44
you here today. Thank you. Likewise, we are privileged and happy to have with us former Congressman Ed Bethune,
Where's Congressman? Ed, really glad to have you. I haven't seen you in a while. Glad to have you with us, sir. Thank you. Also, we're very happy to have our U.S. Senator and former House member and great friend, Senator Mark Pryor. Certainly happy to have you with us. Thank you. I always hate to have a list of distinguished visitors because I might have missed someone.
Chair
Unverified
38:25
Is that the case? This is what I have before me. Well, we're certainly glad to have each one of you here today. And as we have announced earlier, for those of you who have joined us, we have recognized our friends and family in the gallery, and we're certainly glad to have them here with us today also. This time, I'm going to recognize House Parliamentarian Tim Massinelli. Mr. Massinelli is going to announce the results of the general election for the vote for the United States Senate, Congress, constitutional amendments, and ballot issues.
Mr. Parliamentarian, you're
Speaker 57
39:04
recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen of the joint session, the United States Senate, U.S. Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln, 2,888, 156. John Gray, 14,430. Trevor Drown, 25,234. Congressman John Bozeman, 451,618. Right in, 519. For United States Congress, District 1, Chad Causey, 78,267.
Ken Adler, 8,320, Rick Crawford, 93,224, right in, 205. United States Congress District 2, Senator Joyce Elliott, 80,687, Lewis Kennedy, 3,599, Lonnie Levy, Lance Levy, excuse me, 4,421, Tim Griffin, 122,091, right in, 54. United States Congress District 3, David Whitaker, 56,542, Mayor Steve Womack, 148,581.
United States Congress District 4, Mike Ross, 102,479, Josh Drake, 4,129, Beth Ann Rankin, 71,526. For proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1, the right to hunt for $612,495 against $127,444. For proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2, interest rate limits in government bonds for $448,711 against $250,167.
and proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Economic Development Bonds for $431,724 against $260,735. Mr. Speaker, I invite you to enter these in the journal. Thank you, Mr. Parliamentarian. They will be
Chair
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41:08
entered accordingly, and I will now recognize Parliamentarian to go to the podium for the result and declare the results of the general election vote for the Arkansas State Constitutional Officers.
Speaker 57
41:27
Parliamentarian, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I call your name, please, if you would come forward for the oath. For Lieutenant Governor, the race was Shane Broadway, 373,591. Mark Dahr, 389,690. You come forward, please.
Speaker 61
42:04
after me, please. I, Mark Dahr, do solemnly swear that I'll support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office
Speaker 63
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Arkansas upon which I am now about to enter.
Speaker 69
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Governor. For Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, 525,940.
Speaker 57
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Rebecca Kennedy, $193,658, and write in $3,216. Invite Attorney
Speaker 58
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General Daniels to come forward, please. Mike Daniels. If you
Speaker 62
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right hand, please, and repeat after me.
I, Dustin McDaniel, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United
Speaker 64
43:51
States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Attorney General of the State of Arkansas upon which I am now about to enter. So help me God.
Speaker 57
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of State, Representative Mark Martin, 392,468, County Clerk Pat O'Brien, 372,123.
Speaker 62
44:49
Mr. Martin, you come forward, please. Can you
Speaker 82
45:13
raise your right hand, please, and just repeat after me. I'm Mark Martin. I, Mark Martin, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States
and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas that I will faithfully
Speaker 82
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the Office of Secretary of State of the State
Speaker 67
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of Arkansas, upon which I am now about to enter. So help
Speaker 57
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me God. Mark, congratulations. Thank you very much.
6,606, Mary Hughes-Willis, 210,476. Mr. Daniels, will you come forward, please? Charlie,
Speaker 58
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raise your right hand. And repeat after
Speaker 62
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me. I, Charlie Daniels, do solemnly swear, that I will support the Constitution of the
Speaker 89
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United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas
that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Auditor of the State of
Speaker 67
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Arkansas upon which I am now about to enter. So help
Speaker 57
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me God. Thank you. For the Office of State Treasurer, Martha A.
Speaker 58
47:24
Schaffner, 479,701, Bobby Tullis, 230,594.
Speaker 62
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Ms. Schaffner, would you come forward, please? You just raise your right hand and repeat after me. I,
Speaker 27
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Martha Schopner, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the
Speaker 27
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that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Treasurer of the State of Arkansas upon which I am now about to enter.
Speaker 57
48:07
So help me God. So help me God. For the Office of Commissioner of State Lands, L.J. Bryant, 355,996, John M. Thurston, 396,263.
Speaker 62
48:39
Mr. Thurston, will you come forward, please? If you just raise your right hand and repeat after me, please. I, John Thurston, I, John Thurston, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas and
Speaker 63
49:02
the Constitution of the State of Arkansas that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Land Commissioner of the State of Arkansas
Speaker 67
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upon which I am now about to enter. So help me God. So help me God.
Chair
Unverified
49:39
John, congratulations. Thank you, members. Lieutenant Governor Dahr and I will now make appointments respectively from Senate and the House
to notify Governor Mike Beebe that the joint session is ready to receive him and to escort the Governor
Speaker 99
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to the Speaker's roster. Lieutenant Governor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senator Ruth
Speaker 100
50:00
Whitaker, Chairperson Senator Gilbert Baker, Senator Percy Malone, Senator Jimmy Jeffress, Senator Kim Hendren, Senator Jim Luker, Senator Sue Madison, Senator Gene Jeffress, Senator Mary Ann Salmon, Senator Randy Laverty, Senator Jerry Taylor.
Chair
Unverified
50:16
On the House, Representative Clark Hall, Chair, Representative Hank Wilkins, Representative Tracy Steele, Representative Denny Altus, Representative Robert Dale, Representative Tim Summers, Representative Tony Bradford, Representative James Word, Representative Keith Ingram, Representative Buddy Lovell, Representative Mark Viviano, Representative Mary Slinkard, Representative Jonathan Barnett, Representative Johnny Roebuck, Representative Bobby Pierce, Representative James McLean,
Representative Walz McCrary, and Representative Tommy Wren. You all will proceed to notify the Governor. Thank you.
Speaker 102
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Mr. Sergeant Irwin, for what purpose? Admission
Representative Jerry R. Brown
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53:11
of the Governor of the State of Arkansas, the Honorable Mike Beebe. Met the governor.
Chair
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54:45
Mr. Parliamentarian, you are recognized to present the results of the general election
Speaker 57
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for the vote for the Office of Governor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen of the Joint Assembly, the results, Governor Mike Beebe, 503,336, Jim Keate, 262,784,
Speaker 58
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Jim Lindell, 14,513, and right in, 700. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker 62
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I, Mike Beebe, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of
Speaker 89
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the United States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Governor of the State of Arkansas upon which I
Speaker 108
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am now about to enter to enter. So help me God. So help me God. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
56:23
Governor, just in case they've changed the lock on your office out there, it is my pleasure to present
Speaker 110
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to you officially the key to the governor's office so we can get you back in.
Speaker 100
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President of the Senate, it is my privilege as Lieutenant Governor to present the Honorable Mike Beebe, Governor of
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remarks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen
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of the House and Senate, Constitutional Officers, Mr. Chief Justice, members of the Court, distinguished guests, friends, and fellow Arkansans.
Standing before you today, I recognize my good fortune as a man and as your governor. A fortunate man because the voters of Arkansas have granted me a second term and allowed me to help continue our advancement as a state. A fortunate governor because I'm able to give a speech today that is far different than those my fellow governors are giving throughout the country. In many states, the budget process has become one of triage, where leaders desperately trying to save whatever services they can in the face of gaping deficits.
Governors across this nation, both Democratic and Republican, have been forced to propose budgets that either raise taxes during tough economic times or set thousands and thousands of children, families, and seniors adrift from programs they have depended upon for years. Education budgets are being slashed. Prisons are closing. Health care programs are being stripped. You have before you a list of these challenges facing other states.
It's on your desks. It is only a sample of the unenviable dilemmas other state legislatures face this year. That we do not face such bleak crises here is a source of pride, yet it should not be a source of complacency or contentment. While our economy is recovering, we remain vigilant because Arkansas could confront its own financial crisis in only a few short years. We have worked well together before, and that partnership must remain steady if we are to
continue building measured and wise fiscal policies. Senator Bookout and I were talking about this only yesterday. All of us know that standing on solid ground today does not guarantee solid footing tomorrow. Two of our three largest obligations for general revenue tax dollars are facing unsustainable growth in the next few years. Unless we take action, both our Medicaid costs and our prison population are increasing,
propelling us toward the unpalatable choice of raising taxes or cutting services. I have ideas to rein in these costs, ideas that I'll detail in a minute, but I want you to keep these looming expenses in mind as I discuss our state budget. My proposed budget for the coming fiscal year is generally flat. Nearly all agencies and services will remain funded at the same levels as this year. With our state economy recovering, we anticipate a small increase in revenue.
additional revenue will allow us to further bolster public education funding, keep pace with adequacy requirements, and continue our push toward excellence. Based on the study and recommendations of this legislature, my budget includes a 2% increase in per pupil funding. Our education system has come a long way in the past decade.
And while we won't realize the full results of our work for many years, stronger standards and increased funding are already producing positive results. We've come from consistently settling among the bottom few states in the nation, all the way up to number 10 in the nation for K-12 education. And throughout the... Yeah.
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Throughout the past year, I've sounded like a broken record at times, celebrating
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that progress. Well, today I'm done. I'm not talking about 10th in the nation anymore. Because the new rankings have been announced for 2011 this morning, and Arkansas is no longer 10th. We are now sixth, the highest ranking our state has ever seen.
While this ranking is unprecedented and certainly praiseworthy, it does not signal an end to our work. Even as we see our education system rise in esteem and create impressive opportunities, we still lag behind much of the country in the results that system produces. We will tackle this issue through more than increased student funding. Money that
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comes into Arkansas meant to close achievement gaps is often stashed away instead
of being spent efficiently on the very purpose for what it was
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intended. My office is working with the Department of Education on legislation
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to push more of that funding into active efforts to help our students while still allowing districts to save some funding
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in reserve. We have a much bigger hill to climb, however, when it comes to higher education.
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Our woefully low rates of degree completion must change if we are to truly claim educational success. With thousands more Arkansans now receiving academic scholarships, we have begun addressing the financial barriers that block some students from obtaining their degree. To counterbalance the sharp influx of new students on campus, I've requested a small one percent increase in higher education funding to help our institutions with their rising
enrollment. It is likely that this funding alone will not cover growing operational costs for our colleges and universities. So I ask administrators to be measured and modest when looking at raising tuition. With this increased enrollment and increased opportunity, I'm committed to seeing increased responsibility for results.
I want to tie funding for higher education institutions more closely to coursework completion
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and graduation rates, not simply to enrollment. These tax dollars must
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produce college graduates, not just fill up seats. And we can and must
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double the number of college graduates in Arkansas by 2025 if we are to stay competitive.
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Now, this is a lofty goal aimed at the
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future, but we must begin implementing it today.
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Today, my proposed budget sets aside a relatively small amount of money for tax relief to continue attacking the sales tax on groceries.
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A half-cent cut is not much. I'd like to do more, but it is the most broad-based tax relief we can offer to our citizens at this time, and it shows our continued commitment and dedication to eliminating
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this regressive tax. Beyond that, I don't see any room
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for additional tax cuts or significant increases in program funding. If we are to retain the enviable national position we now hold, we must remain cautious and conservative.
If you make a proposal that seeks to cut revenue or increase spending, the only responsible approach is to state precisely where that money is coming from. If the proposal calls for a tax cut, then it is only fair to detail exactly which existing programs you will cut to offset that loss in funding. Abstract claims of hypothetical future growth don't change the immediate impact that a tax cut will have on state revenue and state services.
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services. On the other hand, if the proposal boosts funding for an existing program, detail exactly how to pay for
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it. What other program will you reduce to find the money? What tax will you raise to generate the necessary revenue? To choose any other option to pass changes without regard to consequences sidesteps our responsibility as leaders and recklessly
endangers the stability we've brought to our economy during these tumultuous times. Everybody likes tax cuts. And politically, everyone wants tax cuts. But tax cuts are suited for times when economic conditions provide confidence that those cuts can be sustained. Arkansas's present economy, while stronger than most other states, is still in the middle of a tenuous recovery. Added to that are those significant cost increases for major state services that loom in the
near future. Any cuts to Medicaid or corrections now will only expand the potential future gap we could soon face. There is, however, immediate action to be taken in both Medicaid and corrections to bend that curve of unsustainable growth, to rethink how we operate these programs to better serve our people, and to reduce the demand for new revenue. There are no quick solutions, and real change will take time.
But we can begin to contain costs now and avoid the risk of this tide swamping our state budget in the next few years. Over the past year, we have been looking at ways to change how we pay for Medicaid services in Arkansas, moving from an unsustainable fee-for-service model toward one that rewards results and not just treatment. This model has shown successes in other states, and we need to develop pilot programs to begin trying that here. We'll also ask the Department of Human Services to explore with our Medicaid providers the
possibility of a self-imposed tax both to ensure that more funding will be available and to capture more Medicaid matching funds from the federal government similar steps you will remember a few decades ago helped our nursing home providers fend off a funding crisis I admire those willing to stand up now and recognize the dangers that lie ahead if we continue down this same untenable track we will also continue exploring the savings we could realize through the implementation
of electronic health records. Our approach is cautious because of ongoing operations costs, but a strong statewide system will help us improve care while reducing the need for repetitive and costly
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tests. Now, we spend our federal stimulus dollars wisely and save much
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of our own Medicaid money. and that has brought bought us some time otherwise we would be facing a medicaid funding shortage right now
but it's in fiscal year 2013 that we expect to see the heaviest impact of our cost demands for medical medicaid services and that's why our actions must begin now to slow growth and improve care in corrections the
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cost will rise more gradually but could be equally devastating to our future budgets we warehouse too many people in our prisons and at our current rate of incarceration we will need a projected
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additional one point one billion dollars just to
supply enough beds for the next decade the choice will be whether to raise taxes to pay for those beds or release potentially dangerous criminals because we have nowhere else to hold conversations about our correction system are too often dominated by Fear and anxiety. Many discussions end in new laws with harsher sentence and longer prison terms. We can never fully predict what any person is going to do in the future. But to say that the only solution is to take no chances, to lock up nonviolent offenders away for longer and longer periods of time, whatever the cost, to do this is to give up on trying to reform our corrections system and our society.
And the steps we take in corrections reform will be rooted in common sense, informed by input from those who know the criminal justice system
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best, and will always be undertaken with public safety foremost in our minds. We
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must appropriately punish lawbreakers, but in some instances, nonviolent offenders can repay that debt to society while remaining productive for their families and their communities.
If they don't correct their ways, incarceration will always be an option. Our drug statutes must put a stronger emphasis on heavier penalties on those involved with the drug trade Instead of giving equally harsh sentences to those merely arrested for mere possession or use Previous legislatures have built a grid of sentencing guidelines A grid that is often manipulated or ignored to put away offenders for even longer stretches of time
Those guidelines must be more closely followed, or perhaps, perhaps those jurisdictions that frequently exceed the grid should share in the
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cost of incarceration with our state. Our Department of Corrections and Community Corrections
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will be instrumental in our reforms and I will make sure they are functioning to the best of their abilities to provide confidence in their increased responsibilities.
My proposed budget adds more than $4 million to the Department of Community Corrections,
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which will help accommodate the agency's anticipated larger role. North Little Rock Police Chief
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Danny Bradley said it best at a news conference
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last week. He said, we're not talking about being tough on crime
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or soft on crime. We're talking about being smart on crime. When it comes to our criminal activity, we've got to make sure that the bad guys that will hurt you,
The violent criminals or the career criminals are the one we lock away and save the beds for and protect our people and not use up that bed for some kid who, given a second chance, could turn his life around but who still needs to understand the consequences of a
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criminal behavior done in a different way. When it comes
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to our infrastructure, Arkansas's highway system faces ever-increasing repair and expansion needs with a declining source of revenue.
We all recognize the problem and that we must re-examine how we fund our roads. I've made clear my
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position that we cannot move existing general revenue to pay for highways. So if we are to address it, new
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funding sources must be found elsewhere. It's a tough issue to confront in lean economic times. But ladies and gentlemen of the House, your speaker, Robert Moore, is a tough man,
willing to stand and lead that discussion, and I salute his personal initiative to do so. Now, this will not be a session where good fortune presents us surpluses and opportunity, nor will it be a session where we are forced into terrible decisions over whom to care for and whom to cut from needed services. Compared to most of the country, Arkansas is a stable and productive
state for us to oversee together. We cannot jeopardize that. The fiscally conservative actions we have taken together, the General Assembly and the Executive Branch of Government, have saved us from the worst of this recession. So far, you have provided me with tools, including the Quick Action Closing Fund, which have brought more than 26,000 jobs to Arkansas, offsetting some of the thousands that the recession took from our workforce.
And with your help, we will continue to bring more. Our foresight will help us ward off future financial hazards instead of facing the dire consequences that confront other states. Teddy Roosevelt often spoke of what he called the honor of those in the arena. The medal of those willing to become engaged and involved.
You. To quote Roosevelt, it is not the doer of deeds, it is the doer of deeds who actually counts in the battle for life and not the man who looks on and says how the fight ought to be fought without himself sharing the stress and the danger. It's you people who are willing to put your reputation on the line,
who are willing to put your name on a ballot, who are willing to take slings and arrows and sometimes accolades from people across the state. You people in the arena with your own blood and
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your own sweat and your own tears, the doers are the real champions. All of
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us from time to time have practiced Monday morning quarterbacking. All of us from time to time have critiqued other people's actions.
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But remember, in the final analysis, the people who are actually in the fray, willing to do the tough tasks,
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are the ones that deserve our gratitude and our respect. we saw this past weekend in arizona just how real danger can be for those who serve our democracy all of you here are the men and women that i speak of in that arena roosevelt spoke of who have chosen to stand and serve to guide our ship of state with wise
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measure debate and deliberation. And in the final analysis, our efforts for Arkansas are actually
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1:18:21
bigger than the sum of their parts. Oh, we'll continue building on a foundation of education and economic development. We will balance our budget and serve as a model for fiscal responsibility in difficult times. We'll take the steps necessary to make our government more efficient and more cost-effective in
Speaker 115
1:18:39
time the biggest impact will not be one that's easily measured but in my opinion it'll be the
most rewarding it will be the change in the
Speaker 113
1:18:54
way Arkansas is perceived beyond the numbers and budgets and bills in this evolving sense of people of who we are as a people and where we stand as Arkansans. Ladies and gentlemen, we refuse to be the brunt of jokes, a small, also-ran state mired at the bottom of national rankings. Our surge forward is being recognized today as
Speaker 112
1:19:21
we speak throughout the United States,
and we need to acknowledge it ourselves as Arkansans. As I pointed out earlier, there are still statistical positions that put us at the bottom.
Speaker 113
1:19:55
The per capita number of bachelor's degrees is one example. Our health rankings and childhood obesity are another example. There are still many mountains for us to climb. We are still woefully inadequate in so many areas. But I told Boys State two years ago, and I started using it ever since, I told them that if they hadn't been guilty of it, certainly their parents were guilty of it.
I have been guilty of it. And I'll bet you almost everybody in this room has been guilty of it. And that is that old trite phrase that we used to say all the time, thank God for
Speaker 115
1:20:43
Mississippi. Have you said that before? Well, it's inappropriate anymore, people. You say
Speaker 112
1:20:49
you're irritated at Maryland's first in educational rankings and we're only sixth. You say that you're irritated that we only created 26,000 jobs in the midst of the worst recession instead of 36,000 jobs.
Speaker 113
1:21:01
Set your goal higher. Understand who you are. The rest of the country knows. They're taking note of what's going on in Arkansas. Arnold Schwarzenegger, before he left office earlier this
Speaker 112
1:21:14
week, would have given anything to be in Arkansas shoes fiscally. And so would 46 other states. It's up
Speaker 114
1:21:31
to us to realize our own potential and to continue this momentum and to carry our state's mantle.
Speaker 113
1:21:37
Let's position ourselves so that long after we are all gone, Arkansas will still be advancing, still be rising, and will remain admired throughout the country and throughout the world for our progress and
Speaker 113
1:21:56
the General Assembly. We will have our fights and our disagreements and our discussions as we
Speaker 114
1:22:05
should. But I am jealously respectful of who you are and what you represent.
I spent 20 years in the General Assembly and loved it and still do. You are the first branch of government established
Speaker 115
1:22:20
by our founding fathers for a real good reason. You're in charge of the public policy and the money. All
Speaker 113
1:22:30
of us must work together. The judicial branch and the executive branch stand ready and willing to work with you. But as the first branch,
Speaker 114
1:22:39
you are who our founding fathers thought of first.
and I have tremendous respect for what you do and what you go through I've sat where you sit I've taken the phone calls and the letters I've been misunderstood and unfortunately often times been understood together together let's put
Speaker 113
1:23:06
our head on the pillow when all this is done and say we left it better than we found it That's our charge. That's our responsibility.
Unknown speaker
1:23:13
God bless you, and God bless the state of Arkansas. Thank you.
Speaker 19
1:24:11
Are there any announcements? The House will reconvene in five minutes. Senate reconvenes in ten minutes. Seeing no announcements, the joint session of the 88th General Assembly will stand and adjourn.
Unknown speaker
1:24:41
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Unknown speaker
1:30:41
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Go, go, go.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Members, please take your seats.
Speaker 102
1:38:41
The House will come to order. Are there any
Speaker 9
1:38:59
announcements? Mr. Speaker? Yes, Representative Brown, what
Representative Jerry R. Brown
Unverified
1:39:04
purpose? Announcement. Recognized? I have two announcements, Mr. Speaker. First, the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas State University will be holding
a reception tonight for all members of the General Assembly at the Peabody at 5 o'clock. Also, they asked me to tell you that they have a souvenir cup that has been placed in the room behind the chamber, and you are requested to only take one please. I wouldn't know anything about that, but I think we've had a problem with that in the Please only take one. There's one for each member. Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce that the Agri, Forestry, and Economic Development Committee
Speaker 147
1:39:47
will meet tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock in Room 138. Thank
Speaker 12
1:39:53
you, Representative Brown. Any other announcements? Any other committee meetings tomorrow? Seeing none, Mr. Parliamentarian, you're recognized. Thank you,
Speaker 57
1:40:02
Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, this is an announcement. That is not really for all of you, but hopefully everybody will be attentive to it. Yesterday, under the conditions that were existing out there with the weather, our records indicate that five people were not administered the oath of office.
I'd like to read those people that we have, and if you know of anything different we could add to this list. They were Mr. Cowling, Ms. Hickerson, Mr. King, Mr. Powers, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Kerr. So our plan is tomorrow in the agenda under unfinished business is to administer the oath of office to those persons and any others who we might have failed to know that didn't take the oath. I'm a little bit concerned about us going into the era of voting on bills, and maybe our qualifications of members might be challenged if they haven't taken the oath.
And so before we get into any bills at all tomorrow, going to the calendar under unfinished visits, we're going to administer the oath to these people. And what the process will be, they'll just be standing at their seats the same as each one of you did, and we'll have somebody from the judiciary over here to administer the oath. Are there any questions from anybody, Mr. Speaker? Yes, sir. You're
Speaker 21
1:41:20
recognized. Representative Mayberry. I know, for instance,
Representative Andy Mayberry
Unverified
1:41:23
Ms. Hickerson is not here again today. I don't know. Yes, sir. I'm aware
Speaker 57
1:41:27
of that. And that's why we're putting this off to tomorrow.
And then we're going to have to evaluate this again tomorrow. But I think it's still proper for us to go ahead and administer the oath to whatever whatever persons are here, because at least they ought to be free from the liability of not being able to vote. And that's I think that's where we are. If anybody's got a better suggestion about a handle is I thought I had everything happen to me up here. This first time this has happened to me. So we're treading out here in a little new water. but I still feel like we have an obligation to administer the oath to anybody who's been elected to the House.
That's a part of the constitutional provisions. Any questions? Thank you, Mr.
Speaker 21
1:42:08
Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Parliamentarian. Seeing no further questions
Speaker 9
1:42:11
or announcements, without objection, Mr. Clerk, transfer House Bill 1013 from public health to state agencies. representative hall for what purpose uh mr speaker announcement you're recognized uh state agency organizational
Speaker 150
1:42:28
meeting will be tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock in room 151 thank you any further
Speaker 12
1:42:37
announcements not uh representative allen you're recognized after the after
the announcements reading other bills, placing the camels on the desk, amending members' own bills with their own amendments, members withdrawing their own bills, finalizing resolutions, reading communications, and any remaining committee reports. I
move that we adjourn until tomorrow morning at 1.30 tomorrow.
Speaker 9
1:43:09
Proper motion. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed, say no. Motion carried.
Speaker 50
1:43:16
We stand in adjournment tomorrow at 1.30. Rate the bills,
Speaker 33
1:43:23
Mr. Clerk. House Bill 1087 by Joint Budget Committee and Act for the Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission Appropriation for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Second rating. House Bill 1087. Joint Budget. House Bill 1088 by Representative Edwards to amend Arkansas Code 15.
Second time. House Bill 1088 City County Local House Bill 1089 by Representative Rogers to amend the
Agenda
Call to Order
Invocation
Pledge
Roll Call
Recess for Joint Session
Joint Session Call to Order
Roll Call of the Senate
Roll Call of the House
Invocation
Pledge
Announcement of General Election Results
Constitutional Officers Take Oath of Office
Committees Appointed to Escort Governor
Governor Takes Oath of Office
Remarks by Governor Mike Beebe
Announcements
House Reconvenes
Reading of Bills
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Speaker 4
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 8
Speaker 18
Speaker 12
Speaker 21
Speaker 22
Speaker 19
Representative Tracy Pennartz
Unverified
Speaker 30
Speaker 16
Speaker 33
Speaker 1
Speaker 43
Speaker 45
Speaker 9
Representative Robert S. Moore, Jr.
Unverified
Speaker 57
Speaker 60
Speaker 61
Speaker 62
Speaker 63
Speaker 67
Speaker 69
Speaker 58
Speaker 35
Speaker 64
Speaker 74
Speaker 75
Speaker 82
Speaker 89
Speaker 27
Speaker 99
Speaker 100
Speaker 102
Representative Jerry R. Brown
Unverified
Speaker 108
Speaker 110
Speaker 59
Speaker 112
Speaker 113
Speaker 114
Speaker 116
Speaker 115
Speaker 124
Speaker 119
Speaker 130
Speaker 133
Speaker 135
Speaker 41
Speaker 147
Representative Andy Mayberry
Unverified
Speaker 150
Representative Fred Allen Chair
Unverified
Speaker 50