Girls State (All Day)

The house of representatives for Arkansas gross state will come to order I've got the members staff press and gas in the galleries to stand and be led in prayer by the house chaplain in the autumn and to remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to. Anders please indicate your presence by pushing or yellow present button prepared machine that Clerk. Has everyone voted. Cast of the ballot madam Clerk. With fifty members present the chair sees a quorum The chair appoints the following Committee to notify the Senate that the House is organized and ready for business Claire Hudnall Maddie Bender and Isabella Hines. The chair appoints the following Committee to notify the governor the houses organized and ready for business. Damarious Castaneda I the fielder in Caroline green. Madam Clark please read gross state house resolution one thousand one. To authorize the members of the house of representatives to remove their girl State bothers on the floor of the house of representatives. Representative daw off you're recognized explain the resolution. Hey listen guys we all know these hats are uncomfortable and they make a swat and they make us it's and we all are breaking out because of them so we should take them off. I'd appreciate your vote. Representative Dov has explained the resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution. Would anyone like to speak for the resolution. Representive Dosti wish to close for the resolution. I seen before the House. Its passage of house resolution without a pastor of House resolution one thousand one all in favor say aye all in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Madam Clark please read house bill one thousand one. To address the mental health crisis facing youth impose cove it into your car the department of education to provide rules to add access to mental health and behavioral health therapist at each school district in the state. Representative Josie you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you madam Speaker colleagues today in before you presenting house bill one thousand one. This bill is one to address the mental health crisis facing our youth post code what I present this I want you to consider how important mental health is. The mental the values is. Our school counselors are very resourceful and so very helpful when it comes to helping the mental health emotional health of our students this is not a bill to take away from what they do but to try and add that extra help and resources to those school districts that do not have it to benefit our students of Arkansas. I'll start with an example of a comparison of school districts I am from the automated school district and some of my co sponsors and partners that I'm working with are from other school districts of a very big city for example Bentonville. Within the arrest or district my school district goes above and beyond for the mental health of our students I can personally say that I've worked with my counselor to better myself as I have gone throughout my high school years. While having a conversation with my counselor we discussed the help in the extent that we take to or they take to help benefit our students. This bill is asking everyone to. Consider why we need mental health behavioral specialists and therapists and our school the automated school district does have that we have worked with agency outside of our school district to help benefit does in the those students in order to school districts. And we also. I'm just gonna start with other schools sorry. In Bentonville there are eight counselors there organized by it last names and their an alphabetical order. In Bentonville there eight counselors that are qualified to help assess students mentally and emotionally but also academically they there are some students at Our voice their opinions saying that they do not feel like they have the help that they need when it comes down to being assessed mentally and emotionally. The schools offer. There's their students the help that they need but what do we do if a counselor is not available at that time for that student in the African name range what are we supposed to do when a student needs that counts are now but that counselor that they are designated two is not available. In comparison to the venue bill in order to Arkansas high school my high school we are able to email our counselors we are able to call our counselors in our counties are able to come to rooms when needed. As I was saying earlier there are agents there outside agents are counselors work with. if a student needs extra help beyond our school counselor office they are able to have visits from those mental health counselors. We are also. Allowed to go to our counter it anytime of the day that we need. But for student that feels like they aren't getting enough of what they need from accounts or what are they supposed to do. For in Bentonville for example. What is that supposed to do when they feel like they don't have the help that they need from that school counselors we need what for example the automated school district has. There are schools like Bentonville Cabot high school they do not have those extra outside agencies to work with those students and their mental health like I read a high school does. So action for a good vote on this bill. Representative Josie has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Senate rates you're recognized to speak for. Your address the mental health crisis facing use post covid it is important for students to have access to a qualified mental health experts and school buildings Senate behavior issues depression anxiety has escalated since the COVID nineteen pandemic. This is part due to time students spent in remote instruction and isolation. Yes students have access to school counselors on a daily basis but. School counselors are not trained to handle crisis slash dramatic situations students may face at home or in their community. In the last two years why ten school Lamar high school has launched a janitor pair pro teacher and student athletes. All these losses were hard in affected each personally different like if someone confused angry and shocked and some well they're just nine and did not know how to cope. This is in my district were expected to talk to our guidance counselor who isn't even qualified or trained to deal with crisis each of these times. Additionally school counselors are not trained in handling students with mental health issues it's safe to say that most aren't even trying to identify behaviors that might indicate mental health issues. It is vital to require an fine the placement of qualified mental health professionals in all school district. As a young adult I have witnessed in the media too much violence and school districts the biggest set that we can that can be taken to curtail that balance is to get a better grasp on student mental health. I urge you to vote yes on this bill thank. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative McKenzie you're recognized. Thank you Speaker of the house hi I McKenzie I actually go to bed in the high school and at my school we have over three thousand kids. You work on schedules have. Students during COVID a lot of kids were very isolated. Use of households were stuck with their. The affected kids And and isolated people from everything people were very easily able to bully and talks to and hide behind electronics and computers and talk very poorly about people this is really affected our mental health. We are at the future guys we have to be the ones to vote for what we want to see we need mental health it is better to help the mental health of students now than when we are all adults. This bill is to put. To get trained therapists put into schools it is going to use state funding so. Private schools charter schools and home school kids so no one falls through the cracks we need this for everybody I hope you'll vote for this bill thank you. Representative more for what part. Would anybody like to speak against the bill. Representative it Gazaway you're recognized. Our country's already that. But anyway thanks to speak a for the bill. He would like to speak against the bill. Representative more you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker my question about this bill is how much like her late Gazaway how much would this cost how are we going to find these extra calories because while we do have low numbers and they are stretched very thin there isn't a lot of more senators were not more senators I'm sorry what councillors wanting to come into the school districts when they can have better opportunities at a college or university with better pay so where would you find more money to pay these new counselors and more training and there's a lot more things that go into. That sergeant of arms for what purpose. And that the delegation from the Senate. Senators you're recognized. The Senate is now open and about to start. Thank you very much. We would like to speak for the bill. Representative McCollum you are recognized. Thank you house Speaker okay so so nervous okay so I really addressing where you were talking about where is this money coming from what price are you willing to put on these children's lives do you know what I mean a lot of children nowadays that are growing up in the younger generation our generation are suffering because they are facing mental health crisis they have anxiety depression it took me a lot of strength to come to this program because I suffer when with anxiety Act of them seeking right now because I suffer from it with public speaking I think it is important because of the pandemic really did a fact did have an effect on us as well as younger children this is I think it's very important for us to address this problem now because suicide rates have been going up and a lot of crime rates as well that are going towards schools like shootings and things like that are happening because children are not getting the help that they need and deserve it is up to us as future leaders to provide those services to them. And I really hope that you vote for this bill. Thank you. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. President of Ladyman you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. Okay so in lines thirty one to thirty three eight states including students that receive instruction and home schools open enrollment charter schools and private schools that's a lot of that state's funding to just go to all of the schools including public schools and also how are you going to get this word across home school kids that are not involved in their community and public schools how are you gonna get this right across so think about the funding think about the outreach and how impossible it could be to races across the state and this amount of time thank you. But anyone like to speak for the bill. Senate BDR recognized. Thank you madam chair every single one of our lives here are priceless we should we should not let the cost cloud our judgment and though indication for this bill even before post cobit. Even before post COVID mental health has been a huge crisis in our schools and nothing has been done as future leaders we have a moral obligation to do something about this and to make a change a vote for this bill is a vote for humanity thank you. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. President of fees you are recognized. Representative Milligan for what purpose. Immediate consideration. That's a proper motion is not debatable. The question before the House. Is immediate consideration. House of house bill one thousand. Favor say aye. A post a nine. The nays have the. Representative easy are recognized as being I guess. Thank you madam Speaker. So while mental health is really important in children's agent as they grow up to be adults I think it's also important to recognize the funding of this and while there is and should never be a price on children's mental health as stated before we already struggle with the payment of teachers. As. As a family member and as a first hand experience I have nine teachers in my family so the upcoming payments and treatment has been very treated unfairly I believe so. Where are we gonna get this funding if we cannot already parent teachers who deserve it too where are we going to use that and help. Each and every person and quality while children who need it can also go to a therapist outside of school areas I do believe that is important but I figure we should. Start with who raises us who teaches us and who lets us become who we are today and I hope you take that into consideration and vote against this bill thank. Anyone like to speak for the bill. President address for what purpose motion. What's your motion motion for committee consideration. As a proper motion is not debatable. The question for the House immediate consideration for house bill one. All in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. The eyes of the. Question before the House is pants is passage of house bill one thousand one. Where the machine Adam Clark. It'll take twenty six. As everybody voted. Casts up the ballot madam Clerk. With twenty five Yeas and twenty five and a the bill fails. I don't Clark three the house bill one thousand two. Represented by you are recognized. Speaker several people are asking questions now so you need to fifty plus one on our house floor so. There's fifty of you all you all needed twenty six to vote yes for that bill to pass okay. John did much better on your voice yes and no that time I know it's seems odd and maybe a little bit disrespectful to Yale yes and no whatever you're doing immediate consideration RL resolutions and things such as that but that is how we do it here okay. Medically please read house bill one thousand two. House bill one thousand two I represented by her. To amend the Arkansas juvenile code in nineteen eighty nine to require prosecutor mental health specialist an investigator to evaluate certain offenses and to provide additional funding for rehabilitation. Represented by or you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you madam Speaker member's bill number one thousand two aims to prioritize the well being and future prospects of our young individuals within the criminal justice system the proposed bill seeks to implement a have your examination of value sorry to implement a heavier evaluation of cases for juveniles aged sixteen and under when considering their prosecution as adults by considering the you they're unique circumstances all also advocating for increased funding to enhance rehabilitation programs within the Arkansas juvenile justice system this bill is important because the decisions we make today can have long lasting impacts on the lives of our children and the overall beloved or cans in society. The bill aims to establish a more thorough and comprehensive evaluative process for cases involving juveniles ensuring that the consequences they face aligned with their individual circumstances by considering factors like maturity levels mental health and the nature surrounding the offense we can provide young individuals with the support they need to address the underlying causes of their delinquency additionally the bill recognizes the need for increased funding to straighten to straight that strengthen rehabilitation programs within the Arkansas justice system investment in these programs is an investment in the future of our state in providing sufficient resources for education mental health services and counseling we can equip young individuals with the tools they need to successfully rebuild their lives and return to society. In Arkansas and nearly eighty percent of juveniles that are released back into such back into society are rearrested or return to prison within a short three years studies have shown that rehabilitation programs can help to prevent this rate in addition to lowering it this bill presents Arkansas with the opportunity to allow our youth to not only learn from their mistakes but to grow and contribute back to the communities in a positive way our Kansans will rest in peace knowing their children are being served fairly and justly I trust so give it a good vote. President of our has explained the vote. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representive Duffield you're recognized. Hey guys I'd like to speak for the bill because when you throw someone in a jail cell you're just allowing their addiction to fester and they're not getting proper help a teenager they'll be an adult one day so it doesn't matter whether adolescents if you allow them to stay in a cell and don't give them proper help as an adult they're gonna be. their addictions not gonna have any help I have family members who have been to the court system and have been in jail have been imprisoned. They get clean for eighteen years and then addiction just comes out of no where you're always in addicts it never goes away so I think this is very important that we have is. Emphasized in these situations so please vote for this is very important thank you. But anyway like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. President of Ladyman you are recognized. Thank you so crossamerica right now so many prisons are being built right now we're having more prisons in jail cells being built in schools and rehabilitation centers so if we start now with the rehabilitation centers we can stop creating more jails and create a better future for our children and our next descendants that are about to come. I know that this will require additional funding I'm not blind to that but if you look at this divisional funding and look at the future that it will bring you would see that this is very much needed in our state and our country as a whole thank you. If you would like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. The question before the House is the past. Sorry representative or would you like to oppose the bill. You're recognized. Thank you Maddox. Members I trust they'll give this bill a good vote because it's necessary to ensure that the upcoming children to ensure that our children have the best access. Bill Tatian and Rick the best access to reentering society that they can possibly get I trust that you'll give it a good. Representative Bower has closed for the bill question before the House is the passage of house bill one thousand two. Repair the machine Adam Clark. As everybody voted. Casts up the ballot none of the. With forty five Yeas in five days the Bill pass. Adam Clark please read house bill one. House bill one thousand three arrested representative or hand to provide absence recovery credits students in need. Representative you're recognized explain the. Thank you madam Speaker. This is bill one thousand three it is the absent recovery bill this bill is to give kids living in poverty working two or more jobs taking care of their siblings are struggling with anything like about home life of. Or anything taken away from school or learning to give them an opportunity to make up credits and absences by having two or three hour sessions on the weekends before and after school during school that will be held with teachers so they can make make up credits are absences to graduate. One one hundred eighty four thousand kids living in poverty in Arkansas are living in poverty in Arkansas and is increasing the drop out rate every single day. Kids at my school or struggling with with that home lives and property I know because they coming confided me to it and I would love to represent their voice and represent this bill. So to help them graduate the drop out rate Arkansas is eighty three point seventy percent and so much of that is coming from property and due to those struggles kitchen not have to struggle because of something they cannot travel. Control thank you and I would appreciate a good vote on this bill president Gazaway what's. Recognized. So. These recovery hours come on the. Thank you. So I see what you're saying I have thought about that yes but obviously we would recognize the kids that really are struggling that really are going through bad times we wouldn't let kids who are actually doing okay and school and actually come to school disparities today and. Just come on the weekends just to make up that credit. Representative Hollowell for what purpose. You are recognized as. Has a physical impact statement been done on this bill. I have know I have no sorry. The president million for what purpose. Representative during has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Representive pair for recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. When talking absent recovery we have to consider that most schools already provide credit recovery motions need credit recovery when they have too many absences what is the purpose of having an absence recovery when there is already credit recovery to give them credit to graduate and that is the exact purpose of that program. And cents were impoverished and don't have a ride to school that is the purpose of school buses there are solutions to these problems that don't involve having to pay teachers extra hours in this school week to work after school or on the weekends Furthermore teachers mental health matters that is why most teachers recommend only working in their contracted hours of the can go home and rest having the recovery is not the solution that people think that it is when there is already credit recovery and other solutions for the students thank you. Would anyone like to speak for the. Then hello you are recognized. Thank you. I am for this bill I'm just concerned about the funding and money that goes in behind it but I did want to say that kids who can't come to school and who are failed in school and high stakes Mr tests or their finals or whatever just because they couldn't attend school is not their fault if they have to take credit recovery classes if they should be able to take those classes because in the end if they if the reason that they have to take them is because of their attendance it's not always because they just don't want to come to school is because of family issues mental health issues that sometimes the schools do not to. I request that you vote yes for the. In a separate for purpose. Generation. Motion. Okay for what purpose immediate consideration. The proper motion that is not debatable. The question for the House immediate consideration for house bill one thousand three. All in favor say aye I. All of opposing. The chair sees five hands repair the. Has everyone voted. Tests of the ballot Clerk. Seventeen days in thirty one days the motion fails. Speaker has good hearing. Represented by your. Or some of you got really confused you're voting on the motion right then the motion was made somebody raise their hand roll call meaning they didn't agree with what the Speaker called as far as it filing okay so the first vote is on the motion if that motion would have a past you would have immediately voted on the bill does that make sense everybody all right thank you madam Speaker. We would like to speak against the bill. Representive McAlinden it you're recognized. So I saw the ronin representing more you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker I would like to put out a more positive note about this bill whenever you think back to a while we're in high school whenever you have to go to the dentist or whatever you have to go to the doctor or you have a family emergency you're not going to be able to be at school that day so the purpose of this bill is to make up the attendance of classes that you missed that day wouldn't we rather have children making up time in school in a safe environment if they are from less fortunate homes would we rather have them making up time in class in a safe environment. Okay the purpose of this bill is not to improve grades which credit recovery has a lot of emphasis on it's to improve the time that you were in class it gives students an opportunity to make up the work that they missed not necessarily improve their knowledge. semester tests are in place at my school and if you have five absences with it in a in that class or more than five absences within and I class you're taking that semester test so if you did have an option for absence recovery you would give students an opportunity who did work hard and maintain in a for that semester to not have to put themselves through semester test and potentially and with the lower grade just because they potentially had a dental visit doctor visit family emergency thank you. The president made a for what purpose. But anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative there You are recognized. Senate rates for what purpose. That's here motion for bill back to committee for physical impact statement. In the gross set rules physical impact is not. That's a proper motion is debatable. Representative press we explain The motion. We need to know the cost of what this is. so we need to refer this back to committee because we need to know what the cost of this is going to be and since we don't really know that the communities to have it correct answer and it definite answer for that so we definitely need is half the fiscal impact statement. Anybody like to speak against the motion. President of birds you're recognized. I'm trying to say what a cost would be for this is impossible because it school school so I'm going against the motion because it's going to depend on the students are in the school and you can't really give a definite answer until we enact this bill and see how many people will participate in this absence coverage thank you. But anyone like to speak for the motion. Against the motion by Senator Leding and you are recognized. Thank you I also agree with that because schools have tons of different you go from Cavenaugh to have like six hundred people or so two people involved all the have like a hundred people per class so you will never get a definite answer on what the cost will be because it will be different for everybody and there are also some cheaper options that you can do online to do credit recovery so let's think about that through this motion thank you. Anyone like to speak for the motion. President of shepherd for what purpose. Motion. motion it to immediately consider. As. Ten for the House is immediate consideration for half of the motion I have a motion to re refer. All in favor say aye. Posay nine yeah. Ninety seven. SC's five hands repair the machine madam Clerk. We are voting on the motion to immediately. Student center the motion. Re referred. Cast out. You're voting on the motion to reconsider the motion to re refer. As everyone voted. S. of the ballot title Clerk. With forty six yeas and. Two nays the motion is pass. The question for the House is to re referred house bill one thousand thirty two committee. All in favor say aye. Posay nine. The ayes have it. The Texas more than five minutes the machine medical. The question before the House is to the motion to refer. House bill one thousand thirty two committee. Repair the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. Casts up the ballot title Clerk. With forty two yeas and seven days the motion to refer House Bill. One thousand three is pass. Representive are you are recognized thank you madam chair Mr promontory and can you please explain to them because there's a lot of questions about what just happened could you take a moment to please come and explain to them what happened. And all of that motions and roll calls. This will be the easiest way for you all know. Sullivan tearing you're recognized thank you thank you madam Speaker delegates though what what just happened yeah we're debating a bill of question was raised about it having a fiscal impact statement it did not have one the rules of the of the real legislature require in the House representatives of fiscal impact statement on any bill dealing with the schools and there's a reason for that so the members will know what something will cost is really not practical to require girl state to have of fiscal impact statement and had A point of order been made about having the fiscal impact statement being made instead of the motion to re referred the Speaker would have said the rules of the girls state do not require the fiscal impact statement. But you made the motion to re refer in this circumstance that motion if it passed would kill the bill for the for the session unless you voted to bring it back Committee which would take a two thirds vote of the membership of the it gets complicated is complicated and then while that motion was being debated the motion to immediately consider the motion to re refer was made and that's property that's proper and and then the initial vote on that was overwhelmingly no. But then there were five hands to have a roll call and then when the roll call was taken The vote was over willingly yes so it the the speakers hearing I thought was perfect vote every time but the roll call did not confirm that sorry madam Speaker so that that's what happened and then when that motion passed you merely vote on the motion to re refer and then that passed and so that Beals behind and so now you're ready to go to the next bill. Vaught you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so. I was talking to someone and trying to help out all education bills K. through twelve must have a fiscal impact before it can even be heard in a committee in our committee. So if I would have really been paying attention whenever the motion was made I was busy with somebody about another issue. I would have ran over and told to the sponsor is you have a fiscal impact as you came in here to committee without one okay so all education that's the only committee that every bill that comes through has to have a fiscal impact on it thank. All revenue tax revenue tax does Taylor but not about that yeah thank you I'm representive Mayberry so. Everybody understands what just took place now a bit better all right thank you madam chair. Adam Clark please read house bill one thousand four. House bill one thousand four representative Coleman to provide affordable lifetime medication to require coverage for lifetime medication and to mandate that insurance policies cover lifetime medications. Representive common you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you madam Speaker colleagues today I present to you. House bill number one thousand for a relatively simple bill with long lasting and far reaching impacts. Requiring insurance agencies to cover fifty to one hundred percent of the cost of lifetime and or required medications. Medications that are Kansas need to live should not come with the question can I afford this epinephrine a medication meant to save the lives of individuals with severe allergies AS one lifetime medication that is far. The average cost of a singular EpiPen can be hundreds of dollars with the brand name EpiPen Copic costing upwards of seven hundred dollars. It is also recommended that those with severe nut allergies require an EpiPen have to at all times. This is simply unreasonable to expect the average American to pay for our Canson excuse me. Especially when the average income of an R. Kansas twenty six thousand five hundred twenty six dollars annually. Further this bill would be of no cost to our Kansans. We as representatives are here to represent the common people of Arkansas what is worth more than money of insurance companies or the lives of your constituents. I ask for your good vote. President of shepherd what is the purpose. Representive Coleman has explained the bill would anyone like to. President Milligan you're recognized. In our state medical insurance is a private business so it's important to consider before voting on the bill whether or not this House should regulate what a private business can and cannot do thank you. But anyway like to speak for the bill. President of the field you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker members this bill speaks to many of us in here because we have had a person close to us be disadvantaged due to the lack of accessible medications a few months ago my dad was hospitalized for his blood sugar which was over five hundred. His diabetes but what triggered this incident was the cost of the medicine needed to level out his condition I was impact was the name of the medication he needed to function normally as a diabetic. The problem with this medication is that is twelve hundred dollars a month. Depending on your insurance company. My dad has to spend twelve hundred dollars a month as a deductible before he even gets any of this medicine. This is unfair for people who are also trying to care for their families because they over to unload their own health they would rather care for their families before their own health. Most medications are generic but was then because not it must come to your insurance company and right now it is twelve hundred dollars. People of the state would be much better served if insurance companies couldn't set high deductibles and prices the deductible is not realistic for those who cannot pay it. My dad developed severe and Robert De in his feet because there was a time that these lifetime medications we're not available for him the doctors told him that he would never walk again but with the tiniest ingresa document Hari he was able to get my dad's samples of the medicine from the Canadian company third party and that. Even though my dad get samples of as much in a medication there are some of the worst condition because they can't I fight for this bill because individuals in their families should not fight to live are you do the same thank you. President Milligan with the purpose. Is this the Gallatin you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so something common that was made was that this was not going to be at any cost our Kansans but then where is the money going to come from are we going to have to raise our taxes do this or is it going to come from government because we can it's going to cost somebody so that's in the I think we need to address you know I do believe there's people needed me the medication we just I don't think we have the money to fund it. President of Burke what is the purpose of the. motion. Let's see a motion immediate consideration. That is a proper motion is not debatable. The question for the House is immediately consider. House Bill one thousand four. Where the machine madam Clerk. All in favor say aye. All opposing the. The highs of the. Questions for the house's passage of house bill one thousand four. The machine madam Clerk. As everyone voted. Cast the ballot medical. Thirty three ACT sixteen days the bill has passed. Madam Clark please read house bill one thousand five. House bill one thousand five by representative may very to modify restrictions on immediate intermediate driver's license and to allow an indeterminate driver to have two unrelated minor pastors in the motor vehicle. Represent a Mayberry you are recognized six. Thank you madam Speaker so today I present to you house bill one zero zero five so all of us here today are about sixteen and seventeen meeting that we have intermediate driver's license. So there's many restrictions on that which granted we should have restrictions because we are new drivers sometimes or not the most careful but it's in house bill three ninety four of two thousand nine it states that we can only have one unrelated minor passenger. Now. That is a problem because We're changing it to too because the. I've heard amount of families and the United States children is to thirty three percent of families in the U. S. have two children well twenty two percent of families have one. And lots sixteen and seventeen year old baby sets forty five percent of teenagers have the experience of babysitting and we would love to go take the two children because as that's the most average number of children. Driving around but you can't you can only do one. You can't drive both of them. So I want to change this it's too because. You need to have the opportunity to be able to babysit and be able to drive around the two one of my examples in life is I have two best friends that are twins in my ingredients so imma can drive me in grade grade drive me and Emma but I on the other hand cannot drive in the ingredients I'm the older one and. That just doesn't seem fair to me it's not. Right so I would appreciate your vote to change this at two two instead of one. Thank you. Represent Mayberry has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against. President Barry are. Thank you madam Speaker as Mayberry has brought up we are in immediate driver's we are new to this and I am a babysitter but I don't know what parent out there would be okay with a sixteen seventeen year old driving there to little kids around if you're driving little kids around so I understand why we want to unrelated people what we need to understand that some parents still aren't fully. Okay with us driving their kids around yet and yes it sucks we can't drive our friends around and other things and there are people that rely on us we need to understand that there we are still new we don't understand the road fully yet and there's still people out there and we are the best in making those decisions yet thank you. Anyone like to speak for the bill. President of each you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so while using the example of babysitting not everybody does do that speaking of sports I guarantee you like ninety nine percent of us in here play some kind of sport cheerleading does not matter we'd like to drive around our friends and as stated before we are still new but the fact is if we trust ourselves and our parents agree that to let us drive. Why why would they not let us drive if they didn't think it was safe for us and for the other people now we may not trust other people on the road that's a guarantee I don't trust other people on the road and I watch out for that but I just recently got my car this year at the beginning and I just started driving but I feel that as though I am more experience than over half of the people on the road. But. Other than that and I would like to so speaking of the sports criteria I like to drive my friends around I live near and I go to school in Searcy so I would really like to just drive my friends to chick fillet like Riverview is not even five AM. Fifty miles away Blake it's near. But the fact is that you can't have more than one person that's not a family member in your car so I encourage you to vote for this bill thank you. President of Ladyman what is the purpose. For question president of these has left the well that's a question on the bill. One is in the well to take the question at this time. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Representative McCollum you're recognized. Thank you House I do agree that though it may seem like a final bill for all of us because we're all teenagers we all want to drive around our friends this this rule was put in place for a reason not only are you endangering others on the road but your friends as well It is important if you're in immediate driver you are new to this you are not used to the road I personally I am eighteen I am not registered as it easy immediate driver but I still know that I am new to this road and I don't drive my friends around at all and so I have felt comfortable. It took me around a year and a half or so for me to finally feel confident enough to be able to drive with them because I knew that a vehicle is a dangerous thing there are people out there that don't know how to drive like even though they may have their license and though you may feel confident enough to take your friends around wherever you want you have to understand that it is dangerous for you and the safety of others I'm going back to the babysitting and the sporting not everybody does that personally I do not babysit nor do I do sports and I don't really plan to be like driving around others that I don't need to be so I really motion that you vote against this bill for the safety of those on the road as well as others. If you would like to speak for the bill. The president of Hollowell you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker I someone who has been driving since I was fourteen years old I did not know that this specific was restriction was part of the law I will admit that but I drive from school two separate buildings for rehearsals for my theater program and there are so many young kids in this program that need rights that can't get rights from their parents or can't get rides from other people from our school to the other locations that we're having rehearsals at and it's pretty impossible to find a ride especially since a lot of people that go to high school our under eighteen. this is the same for sports teams driving to practices and games it's not us etcetera over half of the world is on a sports team or involved in extracurricular activities outside of school that they need to be able to move locations the driver's test we take the driver's test for a reason if the state didn't think that we should pass these tests and they would not process thank you. He would like to speak against the bill. President of Hudson you're recognized. also okay so I would like to say that first of all I know that I'm assuming that all of your great drivers but we don't represent we are not just representing ourselves as good drivers result representing all of the Arkansas young intermediate drivers and not everyone is as good or as qualified to drive as you all may be and Let Is Senator Ivers. We are much more susceptible to distracted driving especially when you're with their friends I know that you all. Hang out with your friends in class and sometimes don't pay attention to the lesson because you're having such a good time laughing and joking around Is Senator drivers there's a maturity level that hasn't been reached yet. And five makes distracted driving such a larger possibility in such a larger danger to us and I think the passage of this bill would be a grave danger to the public because of the amount of distracted driving that it would promote and I would implore us to vote no on this bill because of the danger that it is allowing to happen so yeah thank you. He would like to speak for the bill. For what purpose. I see a motion Immediate consideration. As a proper motion is not debatable. The question for the houses immediately consider house bill one thousand five. All in favor say aye hi. Opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Question for the houses the passage of house bill one thousand five. Repair the machine and Clark. Has everyone voted. Cast of the ballot medical. Twenty nine days in twenty one days the bill has passed. Clark please read house bill one thousand six. House bill one thousand six by representative Roach to service public safety on interstate exit ramps to maintain to construction of the lands on insurance and to establish certain criteria for the requirement of construction of dual lands on exit ramps. Representative roast you wish to explain your bill. You're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. So today I will be introducing bill one one thousand and six which is the act to establish public safety on interstate exit ramps. So these criterias would expand into arenas stadiums any entertainment districts and schools on the it like off the interstate which mine is. I am from White County which is. Close nearby and. The Searcy exit that I have to go on every single day from ball not to Searcy. From early in the mornings to from school time to when everybody's going to work it is always jam packed all the way to the interstate itself. So I would be putting this in motion to make tool lanes and anywhere that has a big population this would include safety evaluations and average daily traffic counts which would make sure that this was needed here not everywhere is included but only in the states the parts that needed. The safety of drivers should be a top priority for people especially since there over and. Millions of people drive every single day on roads and in an especially in Arkansas. The safety of our drivers needs to be one of the most important things especially. The lives are at risk. So I have almost have. I have almost had to rex on this particular exit ramp where the traffic has been built up all the way to the end of the Interstate. It is scary to think about almost either causing a wreck going seventy five miles per hour in coming to immediate stop is almost impossible. And slowing down too much can almost caused a wreck and you cannot stay on the interstate interstate so you would have to miss your stop. Well I think in this many people are late to work many people are late to school by doing these things. By making themselves be safe. So this create this act creates a safer option to single lanes and would you state funding. Which state funding also. Also Does multiple options for these road areas. Many people have concluded the option of driving in the rights of the road. Which sharp objects can be there containing nails screws glass anything that can pop tires which I have actually had a flat tire from driving off in these rights and while also driving into these rights they're splitting in two dual lanes. So. Let's just make dole lands already and create the safety of our tires and our expenses. So. And tires are expensive if you didn't know. So I hope the vote yes for the bill. President Gazaway for what purpose mission recognized okay so how are we going to have. So how would we get more and. Thank you yes I would also like to taking volunteers there are many volunteers and especially from the COVID area which was very recent there has been a lot of unemployment jobs so I should figure people would. I want to help any way possible and also for the safety of them because I guarantee you they drive as well children parents wanting children to drive. The safety for them. Representive garner for purpose. Senate. What purpose question you're recognized okay I had this to say that your take volunteers to work on construction within the State Council work on the road if they're not satisfied to be a construction worker why we want volunteers to build ramps that's not safe at all okay so volunteers would have to have the background check of having a construction or a recent job I know most churches and most areas and schools have had people that worked in construction and construction sites we do a lot of volunteer projects at my church including data disaster relief and we went up to win and helped rebuild houses so doing this we would also have a safety professional on site and a total control of the situation if all it possible we would have volunteers but if that is not possible then we can also just include the fact that unemployment rates Bragg rising there at an all time high so. Thank you. Representative because of what is the purpose. Recognized. My question is in two parts the first being I'm guessing the committee didn't do a fiscal impact report on this. The gross sales of physical and. Is if you're gonna do one right now with this come out of our tax dollars or are we really going to. Okay so I stated before this would be a state funding so it would include tax dollars so not only does this go to the roadside. Development of stuff but we we already do a bunch of things that are included instruct construction on the roadsides he's we pass construction of a lot of many different things coming here today so I figured what with the cost of safety drivers be to not only just had the construction here from our state funding thank you. Represent more what is the purpose. Recognized how do lands may the driving safer how doesn't make that save okay great question so the dual lanes would create a safer option of as stated before driving into the rights is very dangerous tires can range to two hundred four hundred higher depends on how many tires and what. Tires are used in this situation dole lanes would also lessen the amount of vehicles scraping other vehicles. Especially when so if you picture one line and you split into two there may be a diesel that you're passing there may be an eighteen wheel or something that is just too big for us to be splitting into and while this can also like. Change the way the rotis party in in different directions it would be safer to not even have that option or accident to come into light. Thank you. Representa Shepherd was. We repeat that. You're recognized. Okay so if the two lane. What they funneled into one lane or what. Yeah great okay so if you and okay many of you probably have not been through or involved law but in bald knob Arkansas there are dual lanes which do split into so every picture left and right into splitting into them. It would continue into two so coming off the interstate it is just one line but then not even three seconds in and the ball mom exit area it begins into two lanes so that would immediately expand into that. What is the time you're recognized. What is the time. The minute as soon as possible or would this be over a course of a decade or two decades great question I feel like it could be A little waited on especially since school just got out. So schools are the main focus of this especially for safe safe driving of young drivers and Also a bunch of people are on spring break including college students as well so this could wait a couple. Say months years just debatable on where and when it would be thank you. No I representative Ladyman. You're talking about how you're going to have volunteer construction workers and have projects correct. Can you repeat that I'm sorry you're talking about how we're going to have volunteer construction workers for Act mmhm well what is going to happen whenever you give an unlicensed volunteer construction worker heavy material to use to build these exit ramps and they get injured. Okay so as stated before on the other questions if there were to be volunteers they would have to have an experience in this field of some sorts I know that there has been a lot of construction workers in the past especially and on a large an unemployment of these things They would have to sign contracts especially since it is such a dangerous area. depending on that yes a if there were volunteers there may not be but if there were. Representative lance was. Okay. You're recognized. Okay so being in a. If the construction takes a long. Yes so it there would obviously be precautions taking to avoid this and every situation you see them sectioning off the roads anyways and they would have to either create a another part of this section or work on it in a different time zone. time area frame so including these. Okay. Including these parts it would be a little more chaotic but road work as usual always is so thank you. Representa flowers was the purpose. President of hair what is the part. Representative Roach has explained the bill would like to speak against the. President Perry you're recognized. Okay as a dual lane road would allow for safer travel once it is completed it would take so I've lived in Little Rock for over ten years and on a paid very popular roll call cancel they've been doing construction on it since I've lived here and it is still not complete and it is unsafe and it is a very busy road and it causes lots of wrecks and it is not a good road to be on so while the intent once it is finished it will be good it is taken over ten years for it to be finished and it's still not done and as far as getting workers for that all volunteers it's good hard to get a volunteer there on qualified and if they are qualified to work then. Why don't they get a job and come in as a so you will have limited on tips thank you. Representative per year what is the purpose. That's here motion immediate consideration you're not recognized. We're not taking immediate consideration. I would like to speak for the bill. Representative. And it you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker sorry my voice is a little rocky valley nine okay I think that we need to consider this bill from a humanity standpoint and I'm talking about car accidents it is a very grave topic and it's not fun to talk about but usually car accidents are considered in retrospect people look back they think what can we have done if only the driving slower this is a helpful Sliq part of the solution to that is a negative stereotype but teenagers are usually recognized as reckless and negligent drivers it's just like it's part of being a new driver and the way that representative eaves was talking with her personal experience with this line a lot of them are connected going to school buildings so kids you know every morning make a routine it's common you just drive don't think about it I'm guilty of this I just put myself on auto pilot and I'll consider my speed whenever I drive to school especially if like I know the way I've been doing it every single morning so I can send to speed and getting off at an exit if it's filled all the way to the interstate you don't have time to slow down if you're just like not thinking about it there's a time to slam on your brakes and even if you do manage to slow down and haul the cars behind you aren't going to be able to stop for you you have to think about. Like people can die from this and finding the. Might be an issue you have to think about in terms of life. And also if you managed to miss the exit you know to avoid a pilot all the way to the interstate you might miss work or school and there's no excuses for that it's just like a tough like scenario and people need to recognize it and you'll language help this problem there'd be more space for cars to go by it could go to different routes you can go your different jobs workplaces and they'd be like just last conflict going on for the. Gazaway was. Wish to speak against the bill. President McCollum your. Thank you House I'm here to speak against the bill today because. What the construction that is already implemented they're not having come would not be completed by the time that these dual lanes be implemented another thing where is the funding coming from for this while implementing this bill the construction that is already in place as well as the construction that will take place would not make the roads more dangerous. This is something that I would want all of you to consider when voting for this bill thank you. They would like to speak for the. President of shepherd what is the purpose. Sam motion. A motion for immediate. That's a proper motion is not debatable. The question for the houses to immediate consider house bill one thousand six. All in favor say aye hi. Jose nine. The. The question for the House is passage of house bill one thousand six. Hey Missy madam Clerk. As everyone voted. Casso the ballot title Clerk. With thirteen days and thirty six names the bill fails. Not include please read house bill one. House bill one thousand seven by representative Murphy to require schools to offer volunteer hours for students to start a free pantry for students in need. Representative Murphy would you like to explain your bill you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. What do you need to start your day for me I take a shower any breakfast what if the simple things were not available to you as a child in twenty twenty years reported that twenty one point seven percent of our cans and children live below the poverty line depleting them of essential products for hygiene and food this is Arkansas is one of the worst states in regards to child poverty on top of this many students feel off often feel embarrassed to ask their teachers were needing for these products this lack of personal security we students had Jack disadvantage with reduced attention span and thus less successful learning kids need easy access to basic necessities in order to remove the stigma of having to ask for necessities that other kids have readily available kids can access is free school pantry that can be sponsored by teacher and placed in the hallway in the school. In addition volunteer hours are becoming increasingly required for schools such as invading key club and National Honor Society especially with the passage of the learns Act volunteer hours have become essential for students in high school this bill proposes the allowance of volunteer hours in order to send device fulfilling school pantries across the state I would like to clarify that this bill will not cost the state any money all products that are intended to be purchase should come from fundraising or donations from students I am not mandating pain injuries but rather allowing volunteer hours for those to stop PNG's to incentivize pantry to. Just wanna be incentivized to sponsor this pantry as many cosponsors needs constant opportunities for volunteer hours this pantry can run the full school year providing a continuous increase of volunteer hours in the mind of students aided this bill is solely created to aid the suffering constituents we do not often see. I urge you to consider this bill for the struggling students across the state who are afraid to speak out this is what the house is the house is destined to aid with out appreciate a good vote thank you for your time. President of Scott what is the purpose tion you're recognized you said that the funding will come from firm raises and kids volunteering so once you run out of the food in that pain. So in my school we actually have a pantry and usually kids donate and if we do run out of food in the pantry will just have to stop running is solely relied on the school and the students who want to donate and fundraisers so this isn't mandating pantries in the school but rather allowing volunteer hours to answer. No it's for allowance of on two hours to incentivize went into allow people who want to donate to gain one or two drives the gracious. President of Berks what is the purpose. Who would be running this would it be students or we have like we allow these high school students to be running this pantry or do we have to have teachers to run it would they be paid or they have to be volunteers so at my school we do club sponsor selection club sponsored by. Do not get paid because this is a volunteer service it can be run by the school but the main purpose is to provide access for students who are free to ask for help because I know students who may not have shampoo or conditioner are free to ask the teacher for it so that's readily available in the school and its students are able to give one two hours from stocking it that'll increase the amount of pantries across state thank you. The representative body what is the purpose. You're recognized. I have a question with the way this bill is written since you mentioned that were not necessarily requiring pantries I was wondering what is the purpose of this bill is the purpose to help students or to create a volunteer opportunity. I created this bill in order to make a volunteer hours in order to. if students are able to get volunteer hours from stocking pantries I believe that there's more likely of a chance for this to be placed in schools especially because once ours are becoming increasingly needed and if we can increase volunteer hours on top of increasing students that are being helped I think that bill. Representative Hodges with the purpose. You're recognized. So kind of going off what she said. Why. Do you think we should make this a requirement like it can't just be something that schools could just up and do just because they want to do why do you think we should just make this a requirement like a bill because I. And if word gets out there that I get the school realizes Hey if we place a pantry and our students can get ours back and knock off two things off the list to get lunch hours for the school and. This is in order to increase the amount of. Representive do what is the purpose. Question you're recognized. If clubs are going to be involved in this as well how would they go about counting the hours is one student brings one can or one item versus student who brings five must be counted as ours or would it be. After bowl for different times for different items brought the Senate matters on the school and the schools at the sides of my school if someone brings that can that can be an hour or they can choose to get ours from driving to the grocery store and picking up food and this can be locked in a spreadsheet and brought to the teacher who is a sponsor for approval and to make sure that they actually run. What is the. Representa Murphy has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. In a call you're recognized. Hi there thank you madam Speaker I'm speaking at this bill today because although what are what the sponsor said to maybe true that it would increase volunteer hours I can see taking another way so for the purpose one can eat what I believe one hours what you said if that's the case I know that at our school we need sixteen hours to graduate why did you just not turning sixteen cans and we don't volunteer hours that's not actively helping the community you're getting maybe two meals out you're not giving your volunteer hours you're not helping the community you're not helping other people you're just going to the store buying some cans and saying you've done your due diligence when really there other people out there who are working harder than you which is needed that's why we have the a volunteer as a graduation requirement we need people out helping so I think if we were to pass this bill we we need to create some sort of system saying. You need X. amount of chancery to work at the food pantry need something else other than just the ability to buy and give to the. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Red representative berry you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker I think what we need to understand most part is this bill is to help other students in need not just for the volunteer hours that's an added bonus there are we don't know what's going on in other students lives around our school there are so many kids in Arkansas that are going through many different problems whether it be their home life school anything and this pantry is there to give them resources that they need it can be embarrassing for kids have to go to a teacher and say Hey I need this I'm not getting this at home because they don't want to have people know that they're struggling and some people aren't okay with just having that out there so having somewhere where they can go by themselves to get what they need would be such a help to them and it would foster volunteer hours but that's not the main purpose of this the main purpose is to help kids in need and that's why I think we should vote yes. But anyway like to speak against the bill. Then I Shepherd you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. My concerns with this bill our this bill could be established as a resolution instead of a bill and like because a bill this would be an unfunded mandate for all of the schools in Arkansas. And that this could possibly harm more school districts because my school district I go to West Memphis is a pop or a school district and there are students that need it more so than that have the need to donate so the students donating could. Also like her then instead of help them and another concern I have with this bill is it what the pantry B. and private would it be in a public room how did the student's discreetly take these items without being further embarrassed for taking thank you. Anyone like to speak. For the bill. The more you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker I am not for this bill while I do agree that it can be embarrassing to ask for help in many regards how would you regulate leading a student go in a room by themselves to get materials or items for their home life because while and as sad and unfortunate is this is a lot of students would take advantage of that because maybe I'm at school one day and I'm hungry but I'm capable of bringing my own food to school and I see some Cheetos and I really want those Cheetos but you have a room by themselves and other students can just go in there and grab those which makes it very unfair for the other students but if you keep a teacher or a student in their regulating who takes these it takes away how the privacy of them being in embarrass also how would you mandate how well the schools keep this pantry you can't what would you put a regulation on you have to have this amount of items students can take four cans a day while in reality they might need five or six meals. I agree with requiring schools to have volunteer hours for their students in opportunities for that but I don't like how specific a pantry yes thank you. President garner for purpose. But purpose. Recognized. Thank you madam Speaker okay so this bill would not cause no impacted this state because this will be fun the voluntary leave and I know in my school we have to have IT community service hours for beta club and National Honor Society that is four years of high school you need hours and some students are in sports so if you ask for sometimes you can't go out and get those community service hours and also by violence here having this pantry you I have a student who are not fortunate enough to have who in their homes and sometimes Cisco the people have not been having through a home system via and sometimes they're only meals coming from home so this will give them the opportunity to take full home I have lived with a family thank you. Anyway like to speak against the bill. Presentiment call you're recognized. Motion are for what purpose immediate consideration. As of. NO. Send for the house is immediately consider house bill one thousand seven. All in favor say aye. Posay nine. I. Question for the house is the passage of house bill one thousand seven. Page Mishima okay. As everyone voted. Of the ballot title Clerk. With twenty six days in twenty three days the Bill pass. Representative Ladyman for what purpose. To a motion motion to reconsider house bill one thousand one. How did you go. Nay. You're recognized. Does it have a motion it is available you're recognized. thank you madam Speaker I originally voted no for this movement because I thought of the pay and the unlikely circumstance at this would be able to happen but I recently have learned that with a mental therapist that's a completely different agreed to what our school counselors have right now so that's an extra training an extra what four years of college just to get one degree so that way you can have the job that you already have so having a mental therapist would benefit us and according to act to sixty with accounts and compact in Arkansas we can use telehealth so that way we can save more money than hiring somebody inside the school so you're talking to a real life person just online which is help people with doctors offices around the world since covered happen so I really like you to reconsider your vote for this and help us pass thank you. But anyone like to speak against. But anyone like to speak for the motion. It was a number. President eighty for what purpose. You're recognized. Share I would like to mention that mental health is a crisis that we are all dealing with today and I feel like this bill should be reconsidered because of our other bills that we pass even though that's twenty maybe rocky and we might not be sure what funding that we can. It is the most. I was in. At. Okay so I was in the reconsider. But anyway. Representative Mayberry you're recognized. Thank you Miss madam Speaker so I liked the idea of the motion but that's not the raising that has in here you it stated that there was online that was cheaper which that sounds perfect but in the wording of this it says health therapist at each school so I'm wondering like what that would entitle because it being online what it implied at each school. So that's why I am against this motion thank you. Representa Shepherd what is the purpose Jan two motion motion to FOR immediate consideration. That is a proper and non debatable most. The question for the House is immediately considered the motion to reconsider house bill one thousand one. All in favor say aye. Opposing day. I have a. Now the question to the House is to reconsider the vote for which house bill one thousand one failed. Mishima in court this. The question for the House is. The motion to reconsider house bill one thousand one. All in favor say aye. Posted nine. The nice have. The cherry sees more than five hands repair the seeing the machine medical. Casts up the ballot. With twenty five Yeas twenty five days the motion. Twenty five Yeas in twenty five days the motion to reconsider house bill one thousand one failed. May your. The failure of that motion is the convention. Not a Clark please read out house bill one thousand eight. House bill one thousand a representative Micheaux to establish requirements for purchasing firearms. Represented by a recognized. Maybe we could also have parliamentarian kind of explain why we don't plan to. Reconsideration and what all just happen if that's okay with you madam Speaker thank you. Yes thank you ma'am Speaker delegates what what just happened The house bill one thousand one failed originally at twenty five votes for yeah a twenty five against needed twenty six so it failed representative Ladyman moved for reconsideration and that's that's that's the proper thing she had voted against it that was the prevailing side so she could make that motion and she asks you to reconsider your vote to take it up again and there was debate and then we took the vote and the vote was again twenty five twenty five The motion to reconsider Texan majority of a quorum to to pass so that if if the vote have been twenty five twenty four that motion would have passed and then you would have a chance to vote on the bill again. But because the vote was twenty five twenty five that motion failed and then there was a move to move the clincher and that that's a that's kind of an interesting motion that we use in the house of representatives. Which really seals the deal on the on on the on the vote but in in this case the failure of the motion to reconsider is the clincher the only way to bring that bill up again would be to explains the vote on the motion to reconsider failure and that takes two thirds of the membership to do and that's that's real high bar to to to cross. Those that okay okay thank you madam Speaker. Adam Clark please read house bill one thousand eight. Representative so you're recognized explain the. Thank you madam Speaker members of the House I am bringing to you house bill one thousand and eight so my bill reforms the current gun possession legislation within Arkansas in order to possess or purchase a gun there are a couple things that they must there under they must be at least eighteen of eighteen years of age which is lower than the current the current is twenty one they must under no circumstance be allowed or be a felon they may have they must have a mental health check if previously admitted admitted into a psych ward a licensed psychiatrist must approve the quiet the clients to acquire a firearm. Alliance with the misdemeanor may acquire a firearm after completing at least thirty years service hours or an online or in person expense of course. So as we know violence is very have large currently instead of America and more concentrated as well in Arkansas so so far in two thousand twenty three the US has had up to eighty nine cases of school shootings. The nation has had seventeen thousand six hundred and twenty deaths by firearm twenty twenty three so far it is only June first in twenty twenty one the nation had forty eight thousand eight hundred and thirty deaths due to a gun in two thousand and twenty two Arkansas had eight six Arkansas had six hundred and eighty and ninety eight deaths due to a firearm. Readers stricter gun laws with in Arkansas will lower these numbers within our state which will therefore lower numbers within our needs. The reason that we need to lower it from twenty one to eighteen is because in the U. S. military any young man or young woman is allowed to bear firearms in order to create a quality within people outside of the military and inside of the military you must we should lower it to eighteen years old thank you for your time and I hope for your vote. Representative was has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Present a barrier. Thank you madam Speaker I agree with the bill that we should have enhanced background checks on people buying firearms secure saves but I don't understand the reason to lower the age many high school seniors are eighteen years of age meaning they would be able to go in and buy a firearm making it easier for them to bring these into our schools and we have a problem with school shootings lowering the age would just make it easier for kids and teenagers to be able to commit these acts if something happened against them thank you. But anyway like to speak for the bill. There isn't a Milligan you're recognized. I want to acknowledge what the past representative said that it could allow eighteen year olds to bring guns into schools eighteen year olds are already bringing guns into schools people younger than that are already bringing guns into schools there barring family guns they're doing things like that so actually this bill helps keep people safer because the eighteen year old to have access to guns must pass mental health checks and enhanced background checks also their family members that own guns must pass enhanced background checks so this actually helps make schools even safer than they currently are it also does not prevent law abiding adults from owning a gun and it doesn't prevent young adults and children from using guns for recreational activities with an adult who is legally allowed to own a gun thank you. We would like to speak against the bill. President of Scott you're recognized. I'm going off of what you just said if we are lowering the age from twenty one to eighteen no matter if eighteen year olds are lower already bringing guns into schools and homes in excess or a you're giving them legal permission to have a gun which basically is you're giving them access to these guns legal access before they had illegally nine given the legal access to go and do the school shootings and harm other people so it's it doesn't make sense it's not issue this is not. And you would like to speak for the bill. In a pair recognized. Thank you madam Speaker well this bill is important to have restrictions on the ways you can acquire a firearm it doesn't make perfect sense seeing as it says the person shall not be subject to mental health restrictions but shouldn't mental health issues be definitely taken into consideration when purchasing a firearm. Further it also states that a person would misdemeanor conviction can have the right to purchase firearms stored upon the completion of community service how much users would have to do what kind and where they acquire it from how would we mandate this and make sure that everybody who is has a misdemeanor commission gets the same kind of community service. And lastly it set. It states that a percent of eighteen years under eighteen can be in such a farmer there indigent hunting activity and accompanied by a relative or a person is eighteen years of age or older how do you have proof that they are engaged in hunting activity sure someone can acquire a hunting license but they may not be actually going hunting having an adult with them doesn't necessarily prove that they are engaged in this activity and doesn't make it any safer for somebody under eighteen to acquire a firearm. Anyone like to speak against the bill. President of the field. I am completely against this bill because why are we allowing twenty one year olds to consume alcohol but we're going to give them a gun eighteen the maturity levels they just don't add up if you look this logistically you're gonna give an eighteen year old a done but yeah you're going to raise the age of twenty one to consume alcohol the harm differences please wait those in please consider this because it's very important for lives and for children to be saved for school shootings thank you. If you would like to speak for the bill. President of flowers you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker I just want to make it known that in Arkansas currently you can buy a gun eighteen you have to be twenty one to have a concealed Kerry license but you can already buy again at eighteen so um this bill would actually help because we would be providing for have your background checks with those kids that can already buy guns in the state thank you. But anyway like to speak against the bill. I was impressed with the purpose. What's your motion a motion for committee ever consideration. As a proper and non debatable motion. Thank you for the houses the immediate consideration of house bill one thousand eight. All in favor say aye. All posts a nine. The ayes have it. The machine Clark. As everyone voted. Casts up the ballot. Two fifteen five out of thirty two to fifteen the motion to. Most. The question to the House is the passage of house bill one thousand eight. The medical. Casts up the ballot. With twenty nine yeas and twenty days the Bill pass. Not a Clark please read house joint resolution one thousand one. President of you're recognized. Thank you madam chair hi ladies I know I was trying to smuggle down a minute ago now we can go get back to our other speed and get through with these last two bills that we have and then they'll be a time for question answering right before we let you although the lunch thank you madam Speaker. Joint resolution one thousand one by representative Clark an amendment to the Arkansas constitution to lower the age requirement to vote in election in this state from eighteen years of age to seventeen years of age. Representive Clark you're recognized to speak on the resolution. Thank you madam Speaker. So currently right now the voting age is eighteen years old and I would like to change it to seventeen years old because. Before eighteen years old were already at getting jobs are already driving I mean up fourteen you can start work here without a permit at fourteen years old sixteen you start working for large corporations driving sixteen you're driving with your license fifteen you can drive to your jobs at fifteen years old with the hardship. The time is now to change this vote we are the generation who will make up the lost ten percent of voters in Arkansas. We are ready we're hungry we're passionate about this and we want change lowering this age to seventeen years old what impact America and our state and plentiful great ways thank you. Representive Clark has explained the resolution does anyone wish to speak against the rest. President of each you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. So before stated it was the fact that. Eighteen year olds. We're lowering the age limit sorry to seventeen it's the fact that people are not old enough nor mature enough to develop their understanding is completely. You have to take a lot of responsibility and a lot of dignity and you have to completely understand something to the full limit I believe that fully the average rate and this is this is sickly women age before men obviously that has nothing to do with it but. They age the top age of maturity is in their twenties. So if anything I think this should be higher the voting limit should be higher because if we still cannot be able to drive people around. If we still are able to be in charge of our own selves completely. I feel like we should also have the choice in making those decisions too early before we have a complete understanding thank you. Does anyone wish to speak for the resolution. Anyone wish to speak against the resolution. Senate. I'm speaking against because the twenty six Amendment says that you must be eighteen years or older to vote we can't override national law would be in a lawsuit so. We cannot pass this bill is unconstitutional thank you. If you would like to speak for the resolution. Would like to speak against the resolution. President of Springer you're recognized. Madam Speaker Lauren the voting age to seventeen is a little dangerous as much as I would love to vote at seventeen years old I believe that most of us should not bow as when our parents form opinions we tend to go for their opinions rather than form our own opinions yet because we're still young most of us don't fully comprehend everything going on they could previously said we still go with based off of what her parents say thank you. Reserve lance what is the purpose. What's your motion it consideration. As a proper and unavailable motion. The question for the houses the immediate consideration. Of house joint resolution one thousand one. All in favor say aye. Opposed say nay. But. The question for the houses the passage of the house stored. Where the machine medical. As everybody voted. Test about medical or. Five Yeas and forty four Nays. Anyone present the house joint resolution one thousand one. Not include please read house bill one thousand nine. House bill one thousand nine by representative chancellor to gray and exercise tax on vape juice and to provide funding for the Arkansas Medicaid programme Trust Fund. Representive claims there would you like to speak explained the Bill. You're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. The right to health was recognized as a human right in the nineteen sixty six international covenant on economic social and cultural rights meeting all people deserve to have affordable healthcare and insurance. This bill motions for an act to create an excise tax on vape juice to provide funding for the Arkansas Medicaid programme Trust Fund and for other purposes. Fourteen point one percent of teenagers and three point three percent of middle schoolers use vapes every year this is not included all its meaning and that we get plenty we could get plenty of money towards this Medicaid trust fund in order to have healthcare more accessible for the over two hundred thousand image individuals in Arkansas that don't have insurance. I strongly urge you to vote for this bill thank you. Representive cleanser has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. If you would like to speak for the bill. I was in a Springer you're recognized. I encourage you to vote to pass this bill because this bill will hit two targets one it will most likely lower the percentage of people who use base which is a huge problem amongst us teenagers and it would also help with allowing more people to have access to insurance which is also another huge problem not many people get the health care that they deserve because of the you know personal reasons and that alone is like I said again hits two or two ten targets at the same time thank you. But anyway like to speak against the bill. President of Hodges you're recognized. So while I do believe it is a good. I feel like kids doing this. Anything that will do anything to get this and so I feel like this is just an. Would anyone like to speak for the bill presented per you're recognized of sorry Mr what is the purpose motion. The motion is The question of the house is the motion for immediate consideration of house bill one thousand nine. All in favor say aye. All opposed nay. Is have it. The question to the House is the passage of house bill one thousand nine. Madam Clark please repair the machine. As everyone voted. Cast about. But forty five Yeas in three days the bill. Not include please read house bill. One thousand ten. House bill one thousand ten by representative fears to limit the tax on feminine products. Representative fears you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker good morning house representatives I am here today to talk about an issue that concerns every woman in this room as you all may know their sales tax a women's been in products which could have someone paying up to ten percent of sales tax every time they purchase pads tampons or menstrual cups we can't control periods so why should we have to pay more for something we can't control this bill is to introduce the elimination of that extra tax on feminine menstrual products. The tampon tax classified menstrual products as non essential items but I can assure you that every woman would classify them as essential I know that my nine year old self would agree those products save me humiliation from my peers but there are some girls or women who can't say the same the tax with the regular price of pads is roughly eight dollars and ninety cents if you were to go to Walmart by eliminating the sales tax from this price more feminine products would be assessable. It will help the girls whose parents won't by the pads or tampons and it will ease the burden on those who have to choose between groceries or tampons there are sixteen point nine million people living in poverty two men straight in the U. S.. With about two thirds having to choose between buying food or menstrual products there should be no reason that a family has to choose between groceries or feminine products also the sales tax added on the products could have gone to a college fund or minute redirected towards anything other than the products to help me stop from bleeding everywhere. Lastly the her rough there are twenty eight states that do not tax menstrual products let us make Arkansas another. He is our natural so are we paying for it I would appreciate your vote on this bill thank you. President of Hodges for the purpose question you're recognized okay this is an amazing idea I love it I do but how do you plan to make up for the loss of the tax from these products good question thank you so it it's not that we're taking people's money we're leaving in their pockets. We also have a billion dollar surplus to back us financially and that's what we choose to do with our money thank you. Representative figures have explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Resented eighty. Thank you chair I want to start by saying a two dollar extra costs to things that we bait that we buy may not be a big deal for anybody in this room but imagine for the people who are living in poverty and have to choose between essential needs essential needs and things such as pads at which are also essential but are not seen essential by everyone this is something aimed towards women and as we are here today I grow states to recognize what we go through as women we I would urge you to vote for this bill so that we can move in progression in our society to help women in our society thank you. The president Shepherd what is the purpose. What's your motion. FOR immediate consideration as a proper motion and unavailable. The question of the houses the immediate consideration house bill one thousand ten. All in favor say aye hi. All opposed nay. The ayes have it motion to the house is the passage of house bill one thousand ten. Not include. As everyone voted. With forty five yeas to nays and to present the bill passed. We're going to recess recognized representative Vaught for anything else. So we thought about. Five minutes ten minutes if representative may very. The field and can draw more will come down here I will try to give this committee good hand the. Then give yourselves a hand. We come back we'll be doing the Senate Bills that came this way have and will still do some procedures try to help you'll see a few more things a lot to place this morning and if you've got questions we want to be able to answer real quick for you before you go to lunch Or if you want to ask yeah what we do or if you've got any questions for any of us that would be this would be a good time to ask us to. Yes ma'am. We use your my pretty please because we can't hear you. Resentment Allen you are recognized thank you madam chair. so when you are not an year debating are you all back in those offices working on bills for any year or what else are you. A we're doing various different things each one of us here serve on two committees at least two committees while we're in session or call a committees B. committees that just means one meets on Tuesday Thursday one meets Monday Wednesday or Wednesday Friday so are committees typically start at ten o'clock every morning so we all have a committee meeting that we're dealing with and then we have session and a lot of times after session that's when we're working on our bills we go to bureau of legislative research and it's located that direction across the way and you saw a lady in here while ago she's taking Caroline's picture we're Carol Caroline went there your issues are head of bureau of legislative research and it has A whole lot of attorneys there and we go over there and visit with them as to our bills and how we want them and those kinds of things so our day is spent that way and then I'm sure everybody else up here they're also getting we get pink slips of people who want to talk to us and so we're making phone calls or people are calling us or we get lots of email so that's how we will spend our day but sometimes our meetings we may have meetings that start at seven in the morning sometimes it'll be a breakfast or something like that so we keep our days pretty well occupied. Representa Shepherd you're recognized during April House session how do you decide that it's. Out I would think most the time we don't do that unless the sponsor is like ready for us to unless the debate has gone on for. Yes thirty thirty minutes forty minutes and were probably trying to get an immediate consideration for it in reality I. We don't do a whole lot the. Just and somebody else can add to. Yeah. Yes why don't we start down here. So I serve on the public health committee labor and welfare and the agriculture committee and this was my first session my first term. Session is only a small. Of the entire process so what you as a representative are charged with is representing the thirty thousand people in your district so when you go back home you spend a lot of time going to festivals and coffee shops and meeting with people. Or in trying to help them and being prepared for the next time that you have session so that again you can make life better in your district for your. I'm representative Matt the field actually sit right there were that young lady setting and I'm from Russellville I currently serve on Judiciary Committee which missed all these the chairman of and I'm on the rules committee and also aging children youth and Military Affairs which miss Mayberry is a chair on if you notice one thing I don't know if anybody said you guys if you look above and you see the stained glass and if you notice the lighting in here changes that depends on where the sun is at that time so when we were in session once it became dark the lighting in here changed quite a bit so that was something that I notice I thought you guys might want to see because that's a really beautiful artwork as there is around the capital also once we can be in for lunch if any of you guys have an interest in the production that you guys would like to see here we're gonna take a short tour upstairs of the production that they provide for us as representatives here so thank you guys so much of an honor working with you guys hope you guys enjoy the rest your time girl state. I'm Julie Mayberry and this is my fourth term and I'm vice chair of children aging youth military affairs I didn't want to get sign you matter to us. and I also serve on Revenue and Tax I just I don't I am gonna back up on the reconsideration and just throw this out there that the reason why we probably don't have reconsideration a whole lot is because a lot of bills are not debated. You know five six seven eight people want to come up and speak for against the bill the reason for that is number one you can't as a member you can't speak for against every single bill what's up here we would be here for ever and you're gonna make lots of people mad by spending too much time but then the other thing is is that if we have done our job and we are prepared coming into the house for the votes that are going to be that day we often already know how we're going to vote on those bills sometimes our vote is influenced by the person standing here in the well and sharing information and being able to ask questions but a lot of times that bill might have already been in one of the committees that you serve on so you're really familiar with it or it's a bill that you've already talked about you know what your district once and all that and you're ready to vote on the bill and that's probably why we don't really have as much reconsideration we do have some that get very controversial and it goes on for a really long time and again you're not really influencing people and so we ask for reconsideration ready to vote on this and move on to something else but anyway I had lots of fun today so thank you for this opportunity. Well I'm sorry immediate I'm sorry. Yes immediate consideration I'm sorry I kept using the wrong term. Thanks. Hello friends I'm representative Cindy Crawford and every time I come to the whale that's what I say to my colleagues is hello friends and in that process people wonder why do it it helps me just settle down a little bit when you're looking out over a hundred people. The thing that I love about this process. If you can stand up for what you believe is right. And you can come to the well and you can defend it. And I would just encourage everyone you ladies. To look into your hearts. See what you can depend in your communities and stand up. And don't quit. Because as you know we're gonna mess with our nation I think our state pretty good I thank god we have good leaders in our state that are. Have common sense and we do good things. But it's going to take all of us to bring our nation back to god and it's going to take all of you standing and influencing those people who are around you so when you leave here this week don't just put it in a shelf I want you to consider what you can do for your state and for your nation. What committees I serve with that Carol Dalby on Judiciary it's so pretty fiery. I love to debate some it helps in that area the other one I serve on is state agencies it's my first year to serve on it that's where a lot of the election Bills come through this is my third term and I enjoyed serving my constituents thank you. Good afternoon I'm sure it sorry. I'm representative Jamie Scott and this is my third term I came in with representative Dalby I mean not represent Dalby I serve on Judiciary underrepresented Dalby I have the entire time I've been here and yesterday I remember when I said I was scared of her a lot of us are scared of chairwoman Dalby but anyways on Judiciary I have the pleasure of serving on state agencies I'm the vice chair for all state with my prayer partner representative Bob and I'm on budget and so I represent North Little Rock in it's just been a blessing and honor to be able to just kind of help navigates out through the process I was kinda young when I got elected so I love working with kids at my other job I work with young adults and kids so it's always empowering to me for us to kind of work on developing the skills and gifts and talents that young women have it so hopefully one of one day some of you will decide to put your name on the ballot county let. Elected at all different levels so thank you. I'm Carol Dalby in five of my committee members are on this committee and I'm proud of every one of them then I'm warm and fuzzy all the time I am of the chair of the house Judiciary Committee I also serve on rules and I serve on city county local because I represent the city and so it's always an important committee in the interim time I serve on audit in the Arkansas Legislative Council and so it is my privilege I've always in the seven years I have been engrossed state five invoice state to girl states a lot more fun than boys state thank you for being here. I was that I did I was on the bench for a couple years and I also served in the Arkansas Supreme Court on the lake view school funding case for ten years. Hey ladies I'm Cameron Cooper I'm in my third term I came in the same time as representative Collins Scott. President Crawford I serve on the agriculture forestry economic development committee I've got a farm back home in White County so agriculture committee was very important to me to get on the committee also serve on judiciary I think we have about almost half of our actual Judiciary Committee here with us today as a great committee as well also serve on legislative audit that's a very important committee what we do is we audit every city government every county government every state agency every school an educational institution to make sure that they're spending the people's taxpayer dollars wisely and correctly and not doing anything that is incorrect or illegal so that's very important committee that we have legislative audit so you all have some great questions today there are a lot of naturals in in this audience today and I expect to see some of you as actual members of this house several years from now so it's been a pleasure working with you all and hope you have a great rest. I'm major Commons as human as this is my third term and I'm on Judiciary and city county local as well as budget and retirement committees what I thought I would tell you is a little bit more about how this chamber looks during the actual session because it's not just the people in the chamber sitting here we also have the galleries filled with different types of people we've got media up there and they take pictures from up there we do have rain in here who is our actual house photographer taking pictures yeah good he does a great job as is all the staff we have a few more staff members here people from the governor's staff or typically out there watching watchfully over us we have lots of lobbyists and other people who represent different interests and I know lobbyist probably sound like a bad word but not always is that the case I mean a lot of times we're getting useful information there and they do a good job representing their different interests there's also a lot of people outside the doors of the chambers are when we walk in not only do we encounter lobbyists and other people who represent different interests but often a lot of just citizens and people who are grassroots organizations are sometimes lined the stairs and they tell us about what matters to them and finally I don't want to leave out we have a lot of people who sit up in the chambers different groups to come down school groups if the team wins a championship sometimes okay recognized from here on the floor of the stand up and watched the proceedings they only watch a little bit of the proceedings because it can kind of drone on if you don't know what we're talking about but anyway if you guys ever come back down to little rock during session you'll see how it goes and it'll be very similar to what you did with just a little bit more going on in the gathering outside thank you guys for your Teunissen great participation. My name's Keith Brooks and district seventy eight which is west little rock in portions of northern Pulaski north west since lien County I don't serve on judiciary so I'm not scared of represent anyway I'm fortunate to serve on aging children youth military veterans affairs with last year Mayberry and I serve as vice chairman of house Education Committee and so there's I believe this your house Education Committee set the record for the longest committee meetings with a couple of nine or ten hours of meetings represent also some exciting stuff always come through our committee one my fun facts for the chamber for the day is that my first sessions my second session my first session I sat on the front row over here and I noticed that I often times can hear people talking at a really low whisper and then I saw they were standing back there so you can hear people having important private conversations standing rob recognized by the door if you sit over here I was always pretty cool to me it just has to I guess with architecture which I'm not smart enough to really know about that right here's what is there's there's some really cool places where you can hear just interesting stuff that you probably shouldn't so but I just want to applaud you all for for your willingness to be conscientious and take notes and actually ask questions are you guys are are very. Hartman each other but that's a good thing because you help each other grow because standing up here as as those of you still appear sauce not really an easy thing to Senator from your peers or colleagues and explain a bill and try to have a. Conscientious thought without falling apart but you all did an amazing job and we're very thoughtful so upon yourselves for the hard work you done I'm excited about the leadership that you will bring to your communities in the state of Arkansas going for so thank you all for being here. I serve on agriculture Rules and. Education yeah education. Education I've actually been the chair of agriculture I've been the terror of House management and now I'm the chair of the rules hi this is my fifth term so analysts I've already gone no everything else I tell you yesterday so as you all are going to go to lunch right back here in the back of the capital I understand in the shade is for your lunch will be and then you'll be back in here at one so see you all then yes ma'am. I figure you probably have to wear your hats now. And when you come back in you can take a back office. The house is in recess until one PM. I'm. The House will come to order. Madam Clerk please read Senate bill number two. Senate bill number two by Senator gari an act to correct outdoor Elgin Act and for other. As to explain your bill. said today I'm presenting Senate bill two. So essentially what this bill is is it creates the County state park people to be able to have the access to and the pins for allergic reactions so when people go to state parks there are bees wasps many different things that people are allergic to and some people might not even know that they are allergic until they get stung or any other things happen and whenever that happens and you go to an electric shock you don't have time for an ambulance to get there you need to EpiPen right then and by having this at the Penn go into it it would cost about nine thousand dollars at all of the parks and I think she said there was about sixty for each of sixty people that would carry it and annually it be about nine thousand dollars. Overall the parks get three hundred million dollars to think about nine thousand three hundred million that's not that much and it could possibly save lives I would appreciate your vote thank you. Representative Mayberry has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against it. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Your clothes for your bill represent. Okay. President of Mayberry has closed the bill. And. Question before the House is passage of Senate bill two. Where the machine madam Clerk. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clerk. Forty nine yea and one day the bill has passed. Not include please read Senate bill three. Senate bill three by Senator Wallace to increase category funds for transportation and underserved areas for healthcare education and economic development. Who's the representative please stand up for this bill. Representative more you our way. Recognized to explain the. Senate because no one asked me to do this right now. This bill is asking for an increase in categorical funds for transportation and under underserved areas for healthcare education and economic development there are multiple under served areas in Arkansas I mean you can go practically any city and if you drive around long enough you're going to see areas that. Are what most of us girls here live in and see it day to day at our schools we are leaders in our school and we get to see the best of the best but what we need to advocate for the people who live in the worst of the worst this is one of. This bill is asking for more of funds just to help out transportation and I would appreciate a good vote. Representative more has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative more would you like to close. Okay represented more has closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate bill number three. Prepare the machine mental Clark. Has everybody voted. Passed up the ballot title Clerk. With the eight twenty one five nays and twenty four president the bill has failed. Representative Michael and in. Madam Clark three Senate bill number four please. Senate bill number four by Senator o'neal to increase access to feminine hygiene products for women with low incomes and to designate tenant hygiene products as durable medical equipment. Representative Michael and then you. You are recognized to explain the bill thank you madam Speaker so I'm present act that will provide low income women with hygiene feminine products they need their Medicaid this means we will basically designate all feminine products such as tampons pads menstrual cups exciter as a durable medical equipment so that through Medicaid they can get them for free if they are allowed in Medicaid the low income and so this will make many women you can't afford it used a makeshift products if they're not in this program and therefore they'll have toxic shock syndrome infections and other things that are just really bad for them so we don't want them to have to use these makes a products and so we need this to be part of Medicaid there for every woman in need can get the products they need because everybody in here is eventually going to get one and we all have to you know get it sent. Represent the field what is your purpose. Representative Mike Linden has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. As representative field you're recognized. Hello okay I'm neutral on this right now because I know you said that you're gonna allow women with low incomes to have access to feminine products but without women who don't have Medicaid and women who don't qualify we begin to with that I would love that question to be answered and then I thought I have a pretty confident response thank you. Anyone like to speak against the bill. Representative Shepherd your are recognized. Thank you that this act for the hygiene to women and low income this is a great idea however it's just the same as saying that you would provide contacts or glasses things like that to people with low income so I feel like if you have to do one thing that people can't control you would also have to trying to the. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representatives you're recognized. Okay. So I am for this bill not only because if we thought feminine products Ryan all time high in this and it's so expensive how in the world our low income women supposed to get these. If we really think about it and we really make the connections they don't have a chance to get these they don't have to use the products and which that to which they may. Anyone like to speak against the bill. Representative Ladyman you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so as much as I am for females in need of feminine products I just really don't see all the logistics with pricing because Medicaid goes to a lot in Arkansas not just for women but it goes for children because for so many other research so if you have more it in for. Clause your round for how many people I would really appreciate that. Running like to speak for the bill. Perks you're recognized. One bill obviously can't solve all problems so yes there are people that are not part of Medicaid that are impoverished and they still need tampons and pads and everything but this bill is a step in the right direction of getting women what they need and these products are much different from glasses or contacts every woman has a period. And what are they supposed to do if they don't have a need it is our responsibility to make sure that these women can go out of public work their job without being worried about having change their pants three times they may not even have. Thank extra pairs or anything it is so different because these women are going to experiences every single woman is going to experiences and it's hard to put a price on something probably everyone in this room has a hand it doesn't have to think about it all thank you. Anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Milligan you're recognized. I just want to say that this is a great moderate option to provide the same things as the feminine products bill we heard earlier for those of you worried about the loss in revenue from getting rid of that tax completely who voted against the feminine products bill earlier on that we heard I think this is a much better option it still allows people who need those products who cannot afford them otherwise to be able to have access to them without us losing revenue from taxes thank you. I would like to speak. Against the bill. Representative right you're recognized. I do support this bill I'm just kind of right down the middle right now I have concerns on how we will get these products distributed so if I could just get a little bit of clarification on that you would have a good vote for me thank you. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Anyone like to speak against the bill. Senator McCollum you're recognized. Thank you House so I just want to start off by saying I am for this bill but I do have a few concerns about the quality of this product seeing as how they are going to be free I'm kind of wondering what is the quality and how do we ensure that these women are not going to be getting stopped and like that syndrome from as well because we know as women all of you know that if you buy a low cost of the product you are endangering yourself to getting that. We don't have the word for it is. Talked to Senator you know what but until then if you can answer these questions and you would have a good vote for me. Anyone want to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Representative Michael and then do you wish to close for your bill. You're recognized. So to address questions we just had the state ran health services would distribute all of this and make sure that it is safe and then also. Poverty this would help alleviate that a lot there's been passed bills but this would add to it I think helping anybody we can who is on Medicaid I know they're still impoverished women who are not a part of Medicaid by thing we just want to reach as many people as we can and one in ten women cannot access period products and poverty is actually where they don't have the education to know about menstrual cycles or they don't have the products so I think we should really help that end this ages twelve and three fifty five thirty Human Services I know somebody asked something about that but that's how we would get it to a certain number of people thank you I hope this I hope for a good vote. Representative Mike Linden has closed the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate bill number four. Where the machine Madam Clark. Everybody voted. As set the ballot on a park. Forty eight zero nays the bill passes. Who will be sponsoring Senate bill number five. Please read Senate bill number five. Senate bill number five five centers Sam. Representive enters to require school personnel to receive training on mental health within a professional development program. Representative of injuries you are recognized to explain the bill thank you for your permission to speak. Okay so this the bill is to train teachers on mental health issues that we have in our system currently and the mental health has increased since COVID happen because we are all of. A slated yes we're all isolated from each other and this mental health a percentages increase so to do to try to even out these percentages we should have our teachers trained in mental health just like they are trained in active shooting so this would not take away it would not cause any extra money it would just be added on to their training courses that they already have to take in sometimes teachers just refer the students that have mental health issues to the counselors which are already overwhelmed with all the work that they already have to do with the schedules and getting seniors ready for college like we are all about to be. Representative Gazaway what is your purpose shin. You're recognized okay so you're saying. you would just be added. For to do this additional career development. Actually I have no idea how that works okay do you pay do you have hours you do for the professional development but what I was saying is like if they're getting added hours during the summer that they have to do a. Further stress strain that they are already having to undergo. I would not think so because they're trying to help better the students that they are teaching so I feel like if they really have a servant heart that they would like to help their the future generation Jenner. Representative McCollum you what is your purpose. You're recognized so I'm just wondering since they are having to go through a number. Representative Anders has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Represented more. You're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker I'm not for this bill because I do not think it is fair for our teachers to have to already they already have stress from trying to teach students up to part of the curriculum that they have for their specific class or lots of different classes so they should not have to worry while they do need to notice signs of mental health and potentially refers student should be up to them to work through that mental health with. Their own who would like to speak for the bill. Representative Ladyman you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. So I wanted to pay attention to line twenty eight in this because it talks about elementary schools needing mental health classes in needing more mental health guidance there is children as young as ten years old right now contemplating suicide. Ten years old what were you doing at ten years old probably not thinking about suicide I believe that this is mandatory it's needed because we can't keep losing our students to something that could have been prevented or help with our students need to have healthy needs people to rely on there's people at home that will rely on them or help them sometimes school is our people's only outlets during code there is a rising suicide rates because they're stuck at home and we could print. Health disorders thank you. Representative mark what is your purpose. Ask questions. Is there anyone who would like to speak against this. Represented the field you're recognized. So I'm speaking against the bill because my mom is an elementary teacher and Sherri deals with enough as is and I feel like for to most effective there should I mean there should be some personal definitely trained but I don't think all teachers should go through the training especially because it would take away from the educational requirements a lot of schools are especially after covering the pandemic they are the education and everything there far behind already and I know that mental health is a really important topic in like I think it's really important have personnel in the school but the teachers I just feel like it'll take away from those education requirements and I think that against this bill. President of. Anyone like to speak for this bill presented McKenzie you are recognized. Okay so my grandma has actually been a. Students that have come to her. And has talked about most. Stop I believe that this act this bill would help with that and teachers already have to do professional development over the summer so this is just going to be a part of it they're already there's. This is this is to help us guys this is our future this is to help children. If kids keep dying they can't become adults and do good in the world so I believe that this bill needs to be passed thank you. Turn would like to speak against this bill. A representative Gazaway you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so my mom was also a teacher for she home schooled me but she also taught at a public school and she would always come home and would discuss with us about how stressful her day was because not only was she happened to be in charge of these children and teach them and better their lives but she was also being thrown with all the issues they had at home and everything that was technically out of our control teacher's job is to educate a counselor a therapist their job is to help with the mental problems so I think as far as that goes the teacher should be the one to provide the knowledge and then the counselor should be the one to help sort those out because that's just extra stress and strain that is added to the teacher. Representative Ladyman what is your purpose question. You're recognized. Okay so everybody has at least one teacher in your school that they were trusted anything correct. So if you want to the teacher and said Hey I'm dealing with suicidal problems and they said I already have enough stress on my plate go to the counselor. Would you be heartbroken by that or did you go to the House or be like whatever. I mean yes the heartbroken but I'm not saying that. They should be helping hand but I don't think it should be their responsibility to add extra stress to the play as far as taking additional courses because there are going into this field without servant heart right because they want to help these kids get better but I think by adding the additional classes such as the. Mike mental health classes I mean. It's just extra stress on. What is the purpose of follow up questions you're recognized okay so with these mental health classes. Teachers go during the summer already to try to get the rooms and check contagious to what a thirty minute seminars slideshow can they have a mass email sent out so that way they could see it and not have to have more quote on quote stress. Yes I'm like I think it's good for them to be like get a general knowledge of like how to deal with the situations but as far as going through career development which is normally like to make one call courses where they go and spend their time during the summer to learn how to teach the kids I think that if they're going to be required to do extra courses that they should be paid for that. Representative Shepherd what was your purpose. Let's hear your motion a motion FOR immediate. That is a proper motion is not debatable. The question to the House is the immediate consideration for Senate bill five. All in favor say aye. Mmhm all against opposed say no. The ayes have it. Prepare the machine mental work. Is everybody voted. Cast of the ballot title Clerk. With forty two yeas and nays zero presents the motion passes. The question for the house is the passage of Senate bill number five. Per the machine madam Clerk. Is everybody voted. I saw the ballot one Clerk. With nineteen Yeas thirty one isn't zero present the bill fails. Representative what. Lundstrum moves. Clincher all in favor say aye. Opposed nay. The nays have it. Per the machine madam Clerk. Cast up the ballot madam Clerk. Twenty seven is twenty three days in zero presents the clincher motion is adopted. Mentoring you are recognized thank thank you ma'am Speaker delegates of what just happened is after that bill failed someone move. Several of you moved thank your motion the Speaker recognized representative Lundstrum for that motion and it was it was voted down and what the clincher motion is is a way for the body to say we don't want to deal with this bill anymore you know what we just did is going to stand and was that motion is adopted it takes a two thirds vote of the membership of the House to bring that bill up again. So that's just the way the body saying let's move on to the next bill. Madam Clerk read Senate bill number six. Senate bill number six represents Springer. To create the heart act to provide part examinations and access to prevent president. Preventative heart treatment for rule committees and to provide a tax credit for private health care practices. A Springer you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you madam Speaker I am here to present to you a bill called the heart Act deleting because of that in the United States is heart disease Arkansas among other several southern states such as Mississippi and Alabama has one of the highest mortality rates caused by heart disease where the one hundred thousand people in the state of Arkansas about two hundred and twenty three people are likely to die from cardiovascular disease every year for every three million citizens in the state of Arkansas six thousand six hundred ninety are likely to pass away from cardiovascular disease although these deaths are dispersed across the state the high mortality rates or fund and rural areas or areas are from facilities to have the capability of treating other diseases as a result many Arkansans have to travel to urban areas such as little rock or Fayetteville just to get basic health care that is unavailable in the respective regions not to mention the financial burden that total compete on low income households for those with chronic heart disease or other conditions that require constant monitoring traveling can be missing work required in the job because of the burden of having to travel long distances on the regular the hard Act was treated to alleviate the stress and anxiety that comes with the diagnosis of heart disease by using federal such state funding the hard accuracy to provide examinations and treatments for individuals with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in rural rural areas he hoped to their acting work with the Arkansas department of health and rural hospitals and clinics to ensure that every area has the proper equipment to both educate injury to various forms of cardiovascular disease or those that have chronic diseases to hurt Act would expand non critical care transportation for individuals that live in rural areas across the states being Arkansas this would mean that we would offer transportation for low income individuals with cardiovascular disease to and from doctors appointments the heart actor you see permanent preventive action which will greatly benefit the health of Arkansas I can see is by providing health exams. Through. County health in its citizens will be able to receive early diagnosis or even find out if they're at high risk for cardiovascular disease heart act would also include a tax incentive for private practices so that they may also provide their specialized services thank you. President of Mayberry one. No. Representative Springer has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. You're recognized representative Mayberry. Thank you madam Speaker so I like the idea of this bill I was wondering so are they gonna be using pre existing buildings or are they going to be having to build these buildings for these heart places to go in real communities because I feel like that's a big difference like the tax dollars going towards these buildings like that's a lot of money and equipment for the hearts stuff but I do like the idea I just need more clarification on the money part thank you. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Senate of shepherd you are recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so in my grandpa and my dad both our farmers and we live in a rural community and both have heart problems my dad had a heart attack at forty one and my grandpa died from congestive heart failure so having these like accessibility to our community would be so much better and it could keep our farm community during stronger by having these resources to help out the men and women that live in these areas thank you. Thank you would like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Graham like you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker so my family has a very very long history of heart problems and just any cardio vascular problems and my mom who is head three stints place in our heart and a triple open heart bypass surgery found out that she had heart problems from a free athletic physical when she was younger so programs like this to offer these examinations can be very beneficial and catch these things early so that you know what you're looking into leading up to your older years thank you. When you would like to speak against the bill of. Representative hello what is your purpose motion what's your motion motion for immediate consideration. That's a proper indivisible motion non debatable. The question the house's immediate consideration of Senate bill number six. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The question to the House is to Pat is the passage of Senate bill six. The machine madam Clerk. As everybody voted. Because of the ballot nine Clerk. DTA six nays and one president the con the bill has passed. Madam Clerk please read Senate bill number seven. Senate bill number seven represent Ladyman. Concerning the consequences of an investigational thank you incapacitation of a school staff member for sexual interaction with students or minors. Representative Ladyman you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. So this is kind of voluntary my roommate didn't so don't judge too hard but this is basically. Like many teachers get away with having sent sexual interactions with their students across the state of Arkansas whether it's pictures touching like they get away with the very easily if you see instant a we're going to try to see if a license staff member is the subject of a pending criminal investigation involving an allegation of sexual interaction between the staff member and a student minor or both. There's so many teachers getting away with this who still receive their license they get like a little slap on the wrist and that's it and then go back to work surrounded by minor's father sexual predator so this bill would help to. The teachers are found guilty of this crime then there teacher license would be gone absolutely no teachers license they would not go back to their job if they're found not guilty it would be suspended for a period of. I believe she wanted to this. Yes suspend the license for two months and we're going to try to do this because how would you feel about your children being taught by sexual predator in the future. I would not like to if I had something to say about if I found hard evidence about our report and I would not want a teacher back at school so. Representative Milligan what is your purpose. You are recognized thank you madam Speaker I just had a quick question about what counts as the teacher being accused of this so like this one student have to accuse the teacher do multiple students have to accuse the teacher to what extent does. Talk to be investigated that's a very good question so we would like to start investigating even if one student says something and we would like concrete evidence we would like to see their pictures if there's touching and with how monitored schools can be we can definitely find that. Senator Scott what is your purpose. You are recognized you said that if they're found. For two months I mean no no if they're found guilty there teachers reflect license is revoked completely and they will not get it back okay so what was a two month suspension the two month suspension is if there were. Thank you yes there it is okay yes. Right thank you so much. President Ladyman has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against this bill. President of Milligan you're recognized. I want to clarify that I do want to give this bill a good vote I think it's important to protect students however I do think that it could potentially be an issue if a teacher can be suspended for two months if a singular student accuses them of sexual assault without evidence I think there should be other provisions such as photo evidence before the teacher suspended or other things that can protect teachers from being wrongfully suspended thank you. Senate mackenzie what is the purpose. Recognized. There's nobody in the well. There had concrete evidence. There's no one to answer. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative more you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker members of the house I just want you to sit here and imagine really quickly and about ten years were probably gonna have some of our own kids some of us will and I just want you to think about if you and if you had a student in school and they came home and they told you that their teacher had been sexually abusing some kids or anything we don't want I don't I personally don't want my children anywhere near or affiliated with that teacher even if it's not there specific teacher I don't want them in their school district this bill will protect the kids and make schools a safer place if there are queues I want teachers to have concrete evidence before they are suspended but if there is more than one accusation or even one solid accusation I think it should be taken into consideration and it'll make our kids safer thank you. Would anyone like to speak against this bill. Representative Perry you are recognized. Thank you madam Speaker okay I think that this like many of said is a very it's a good thought and we want to keep sexual abuse out of the classroom but on line thirty four through thirty six it says a conviction is what we'll remove the license or provoke a license and a conviction can look anything from just one child say something or many kids so that would have to be a solid foundation. One two month suspension of a teacher is detrimental to their paycheck into the students getting change teachers thank you have to restart your education in the sense so it's a suspension of two months is not accurate or good conviction for a teacher an alternative would to be keep a close watch on these teachers and way and concrete evidence thank you. Everyone has a purpose. Let's hear your motion. Amendment to amend. to refer back. Terror for back to committee. That's a proper motion is debatable. You're recognized to explain your motion. Thank you madam Speaker I would love for this motion to be passed because I love the idea behind this bill and I would like to keep that out of our schools but the part about it being suspected and the suspension from it I think that means amended because yes if they're convicted then they need to be removed but if they're just suspected a suspension ruin someone's career so I would like for it to be amended that part out of it. Thank you. Would anybody like to speak against the motion. Representative Beatty recognized. The reason why I disagree with this this to refer back to the Committee because of the fact of the two months I disagree with this coming from a school with multiple allegations of sexual abuse I believe that when when the when this when the teachers were suspected no student wanted to be in that teacher's classroom there was a protest surrounded the school people literally tried to harass the teacher so I believe that the two month is not only protecting the students but it's also protecting the staff member thank you. Represent Shepherd what is your purpose. Let's hear motion motion for immediate consideration on. That is proper and non debatable. Questions for the house is the motion. is to immediately consider the motion to refer to committee. All in favor say aye. All opposed say no. Is haven't. The question to the House is to refer Senate bill seven to the committee. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. You guys have a. The bill is re referred to committee. I recognize representative on. Thank you madam Speaker ladies you all have done an outstanding job today just such a great job. Senate yesterday whenever I was talking the all that there was a lot of intelligent women young ladies and I was not wrong approved yourselves very well today and yesterday so with that this concludes our time here on the house floor we're thankful that you all are here and we hope that we help to all learn and understand the process a little bit better it is time for you all to return back to Star City see all later. The representative Milligan for what purpose. And for what representative Milligan for what purpose. I'd like to make a motion. Let's hear your motion there being no further business I move this session of Arkansas girl state to be adjourned sine die. That's proper motion all in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it hence. This.