State Agencies & Govt'l Affairs-Senate

We are going to be concurrence is first senator Patty the. Two seventy two. This. Introduce yourself and you're recognized. Thank you Mr Gemini Senator district twenty nine to seventy two. Yes Sir statement wanted to seventy two is the concur in the amendment that I referred to on the Senate floor essentially what this does is it removes the shall and makes the may primarily for staffing purposes wanted limit staff cost the JPR element was removed and essentially that was it other than that do not codify section. The questions. Seeing none at the you want to speak for against the bill the nine year close deal I am closed what's really committee motion by Senator as amended Senator Patton Payton sorry Patton. Second by Senator centre Dotson all in favor say aye I got a call that. We know what you what's the other one H. B. eighteen to a representative Warren. H. B. eighteen oh two. Yes so H. B. eighteen oh two came about as a result of a situation that happened in the transition between administrations it was something that occurred kind of probably won't it once in a lifetime thing but there were two unexpected vacancies to existing terms that it expired and in one unexpected death all about the same time on the state board of public accountancy and so this this bill as it is a small clean up. To up to that situation is just administration of the state board of public accountancy but by providing them more flexibility to fill vacancies and then it delete some obsolete language concerning public accountants that had a transition provision in there that that provision has expired and then the bill will allow the appointment of a current board member for one additional five year term relaxed the age requirement for one of the two at large positions and then because of the situation they were and declare an emergency to facilitate retaining some institutional knowledge and experience and on top of this the executive director submitted his regnant resignation so it's kind of an urgent situation. Is there any questions. You may speak for against the bill saying none of your clothes your bill. The motion by Senator for all second by Senator Payton all in favor say aye opposed Like sign thank you senator. Thank you Mr. You may want to do that the. Other concurrent sixty two. Bills. Okay. Red concurrence. Thank you Mr members committee this is the concurrence to Senate bill sixty two thanks thank you senator let's any make any questions. The no questions what's will of committee. A motion to the ocean do pass second by Senator Dotson all in favor say aye. Thank you senator and. Seventeen fifty six. Members this is just updating to our To our ethics laws and on the house so they work with Graham Sloan of the ethics commission for for some amendments and address the concerns of the ethics commission originally but you know it it moves from no later than fifteen day to the twentieth day if it aligns with some other some other reporting and it goes up to from fifty dollars to two hundred dollars if you have to name somebody on on who's donating to a campaign. It says We see here. Colorado's gonna have a bit here before before before I came up and want one of the big deals ultimately is that if somebody three times during the same election cycle doesn't follow report after receiving notice so like if you don't file a report your camp one campaign cycle you'll follow report they'll notify you Hey you should file a report you do the second time Hey you should've reviled report a third time you don't do it you get an automatic fine. And then if you're if you're capable of to sign up to run for a front office you ought to be capable of all the ethics rules or at least we all understand that somebody and maybe everyone of us in this room of filed filed a report late it happens sometimes certainly not three times consecutively without you know intentionally ignoring what the what the law is. Three questions. Senator Pat Patton. Thank you. Of. I haven't read with section you just referred to about the for the third time in a fine. But I would assume that right now. If you had one or two instances where you fail to follow report they can they not already fine you for that on the first or second offense would would changing that basically give you a free pass the first two thousand. No not. Someone could follow a campaign complaint against you an ethics complaint against you from time one. This just says by time three no one has to file a complaint it's automatic. Okay so it so it doesn't change it actually it makes it firmer not easier at any point so if somebody filed a complaint that the ethics commission could still impose a fine on the first or second offense that is my reading insert okay we can ask Mr Sloan to ensure that that's the way I understand it thank you. Thank you Mr I'm just. Really trying to read through this before we we vote on it and so. So this is an automatic fine of a thousand dollars. And so the ethics commission is going to keep track of this and In all other all other at ethics things are based off of complaint I know that this compact department has said before that They don't have the staff or the Faceted. The workforce to to be proactive lead doing anything they're just trying to keep up with citizen complaints is this going to require them to have additional staff expense on of. Mr Sloan's here might be able to answer that how they're gonna handle this so I would say the the amendments that were put on in the house address their concerns and Mr you know I'm sure Mr on comparing and say that they're it they're able to manage this as is you probably now get read you know letters in the mail saying Hey someone filed something needs to be filed coming up so they're currently doing that process this only really gets involved once there's a third in it is automatic unless if you go to page six line seventeen eighteen unless good cause be shown for the violation. Do you have any idea what that good cause might be well I think that I think that's what we have citizen commissions have much much people not directly involved in and and they can under you know define what good causes. Is that. Will that be actually developed in rules. Yeah I the definition of what good causes. Yeah I don't know I would I would assume that would be subject of a phone that a commission. Because there's I means so many unique scenarios that you could never possibly prepare for. But if someone misses three consecutive. Campaign filing deadlines is. It could possibly be an indication of someone that may not be so should be serving. Three consecutive or three within a general re within three a total. One which three through sent within an election cycle thank. It says third and subsequent Page six line thirteen. So I guess you could miss three laws they weren't subsequent. But I think it's been clean clean up quite a bit on the house in from the original version you saw. Bills. Your question about another essential law. Go ahead Senator. So on the change of the fifty dollars to two hundred. I if I remember right. Anything over fifty dollars. Cannot be accepted in cash right. so I'm seeing this language and I'm coming through here and I see were it has do a lot with aggregate reporting are we changing that is the key is the cash limit still fifty dollars. I'm I ask Mr Sloan come up and try to try to ensure that but I think ultimately what we're trying to address with moved that from fifty to two hundred dollars is a scenario where you can imagine this potential candidate in Arkansas. Where maybe hundreds and hundreds of people giving ten or twenty dollars a month to and it just creates a huge burden on the filing as far as having to get all the detail of things in as far as read in the bill. Everywhere it's change seems to be more to do with the aggregate amount I just wanted to make sure I'm not missing something the the fifty dollar maximum cash donation would still be in place or not and I thank anything over a hundred has to be itemized and under a hundred doesn't have to be itemized so are we affecting that in anyway. Graham Sloan director that this commission center Payton the campaign cash contribution limit is fifty dollars this done change that in the in the itemization threshold for contributions under current law is fifty dollars and this raises The Addams ation threshold to two hundred so you know under current law somebody gave you twenty dollars three times that sixty they're over fifty in the aggregate you have to itemize a list of my name and you know provide their address so forth this raises that threshold to two hundred but it doesn't it doesn't affect the maximum cash contribution being fifty dollars. So if they can give you fifty dollars over and over again and it's not required to be itemized how do you track the aggregate well it no it would well just the way this same way if I gave you twenty dollars three times the first time they gave you a you're going to put the twenty dollars on the non items a non itemized monetary contribution line second time goes on that line and then the third one would be over fifty to have to list them over there so you have to keep track of the money they're giving yeah but so if you have a campaign event and there's a bold people drop checks in and some people dropped a twenty dollar bill in you have no idea at the end of an who has a twenty dollar bill came right we advise against just have an unattended and it's popular to fish fried with fish bowl out there that you know you really need somebody there because if you know if there was sixty dollars cash in there and it came from one person they be over the station threshold but either way this bills really not changing that other than the aggregate. Threshold correct and I'll add that this is just the commission you know this in our legislation but we we looked at it had concerns and the concerns got amended the governor the bill got amended to address our concerns in the House locally centered Dotson six and ask about the implementation of thank you. Senator Dodd of. I had to drop in Greece's II so. The the question has came up and and it was suggested maybe you'd come to the table speak to it whether or not you have the manpower to. Enforce this and track it senses leveraging dating other than from a complaint right we are ready conduct review exercises of the filings made back Pretty much all state and district candidates and then at the. County municipal level you know there's five hundred cities and seventy five counties and so that's you know five hundred and seventy five filing offices that we do not have the manpower to review all filings at that level or at those levels but we do you know we'll check fifteen counties a year and and go and check the county seats while we're doing that but so we already checked to see the filings are made and that the state and district level and and so that's not going to create any additional work and then you know the way it works is if somebody has not filed a report and we already notify me anyway what this what what's going to change the procedure is you would we would ask them to file it within ten days of the date of the notice letter this would would. Requirement to make the filing within thirty days of the original due date I don't think that's going to that's good school change the wording of the letter read cycle change our workload and then you know then you're gonna have to have somebody that three times within an election cycle has failed to fix the delinquent filing within thirty days and that hopefully there won't be too many of those people and if there are such people there You know there. they're gonna get a complaint but the I think what what what what we'll find is responsible candidates are going to fix it within the time requested they're not gonna They're not gonna let it go thirty days and certainly not three reports in the cycle and then you know it but a late filing case or non filing case like that's pretty cut and dried and require a lot of manpower but it would go before a board three times and Experiences taught that the person that didn't file that reports probably gonna bury their head in the sand and not show up to contested so you know that it'll be those proceedings would be pretty cut cut and dried but it would you know they would have to go before the commission's board as many as three to in a case could go before him three times thank you thank you Mr. Thank you Mr so the. They would have to actually failed to file the report within thirty days in order to make that one of their three times in an election cycle correct the you were going to conduct a review the. The reports are that going to be due on the you know monthly reports going to be due on the twentieth you kinda have to let the dust settle you know that there's the report still in the mail or it's been stamped in but it had been posted on the secretary of state's website so you kind of got let the dust settle for a few days after reporting deadline but then we would conduct a review and and send a letter to people that hadn't filed and and and give them you know essentially you know if the report is due on January twentieth we're gonna send him a letter saying Hey you need to file that thing by February twentieth in if they didn't filed by February twentieth that's going to be strike one and then you know the same scenario strike two and then the third one is going to result in a the Commission initiating a complaint and then it's going to be a minimum of a thousand dollar fine sos will there be a notification given out at that thirty day late that Hey you've got one dean two deans. Your third and final as is a mandatory I have a problematic. Thank you it's not required to but I feel like if you would go ahead and put that in the letter you're probably going to increase your chances of getting them to comply you know that you're you're young you're on strike one or certainly by the second time you know it's like this you know this I start to feel that we part of the rules that you'll promulgate I think you would just be the in the it just be in the letter and all that but but we we would put that letter language in there just to. You know if nothing else just to increase the chances of compliance and the only other question I had is are there any other. Automatic. Penalties or fines that that you impose for any other violations that with that are not complaint driven. Well there's not a fine without a complaint and then So union in every instance there's a fine is preceded by a complaint in the You have the bill if the commission finds violation is authorized to do one or more of the list of things it sent a public letter cost morning reprimand impose a fine from fifty to thirty five hundred referred a prosecuting attorney or. Appropriate law enforcement agency in the in you can order somebody to file maker amend the filing and so a really to and you know the commission doesn't have to impose a fine if it does it can't be less than fifty dollars nor more than thirty five hundred but there's not there's not a. Of automatic minimum fine other than just you know if you're going to impose a fine it has to be fifty dollars thank you. Close the bill. There was I think this is like so many many things we do just over time it's time to update the the overall cost of things and we don't have inflationary. You know factor said in on this I don't know when the fifty dollar set in but I can tell you is more than twelve years ago and that sometimes just to appropriate update these especially we got some online systems and again I'll finish with of somebody can't file a one of three in concession at any point they probably deserve a fine like this especially the receiving notifications to an address that they just filed and that was a good address you know that I'm I'm closed and I make a motion to pass. A motion and a second Senator Tucker all in favor say aye All opposed likes and thank you senator we were anymore. Okay. Senator Tucker you have to. What's your what's the number. What's your number. First one seventeen seventy five. Seventeen seventy five. All right you're recognized thank you Mr Clarke Tucker center for Senate district fourteen this is bill by representative on to provide state employees with up to forty hours of leave per year when they get a foster child obviously when you get a foster child there's a there's some things need to be done none more important than just bonding with the new child but also attending to their school placement court hearings and and other needs and this just provides that employees with up to forty hours of leave per year from when they got a foster child. Having to take any questions. Any questions. So you're in pain. Thank you senator Tucker just real quickly on looking out for the first time but I mean in foster care means that. The person or the home is decided to be foster. Parents correct and longer standing the system as you know kids are placed in there and taken out over and over and over again. So how often can they. Exercise this no more than forty hours per year no more than forty hours for your thank you. Any other questions. It also can be carried over to the next year Senator. Right. They nobody the science and that you're in I'm I'm I'm closed particularly I move do pass Russian second all in favor say aye opposed like them thank you what your next. The next one's house bill eighteen twenty three. You're recognized thank you Mr members is a good transparency bill for open meetings all it says is. That if you have a website and you're gonna have a meeting or your vehicle website or social media page or whatever the case might be you're gonna have a meeting you got to publish it on your website or social media page forty eight hours for the meeting an emergency meeting it's going to be on there two hours before the meeting that timeline has not changed the law just says that if you have the emergency meeting you also have to post it. It's really a simple bill. Any questions. A select I think this is clearly appropriate today's age but like worried about what some small town and they got some person that does the website that person's out sick I mean I I don't know like is is it what is that like if you don't have a meeting with the consequence I guess is if you don't post it what's the consequence. What you have to provide the you know notice to the media now anyway so. Quite frankly it without looking at the law I don't know what the consequences for not doing it but. the the obligation would be consistent with that you know they they have to notify the media this is just kind of an out no obviously social media websites that exist when the boy was created so you really could do was notify the media now with with the the internet and social media you can actually notify the public as well thank you used to you will notify the public through the nineteen notify the public directly so You know that I'm when I there's I don't think there's like a fine or a crime or something like that is just an obligation that you have to do if you don't do it someone could bring a lawsuit. But again I don't think the damages for that would be catastrophic in anyway. Yes no I agree and you just sit on the audit listen to what's what's some very basic things with these little bitty towns that don't have anyone full time are able to accomplish but no that's what I mean it is is clearly an appropriate goal to at least try for for all the cities it's appropriate thanks. Prince. Thank you Mr chairman Senator Tucker with discussion in this committee the other day about. The definition of a meeting. And I noticed that you not put a definition in here for a meeting is you and I had discussion after the afterwards and sounded like you had a good idea of of what should be codified in in the definition of a meeting I'm curious why you didn't put in this bill. Well I'm gonna give you an honest answer representative flowers text me yesterday and said this bill is filed and asked me to be the Senate sponsor of the. Thank you well I'm glad that has a definition of online. You know we filed bills all the time have definitions of different terms that are used within the bill but even though we may disagree on what the definition of a meeting is would you agree that is pretty important that if we're going to make a law like this this is a meeting being held has to give public notice and let the press be there anything that we should try to clarify what the meeting is I do it in fairness I think this is a little bit different of an issue than house bill sixteen ten that your presenting the other day because that's really what that bill my for my understanding is seeking to regulate this kind of conversation outside the context of an official meeting of the board and this is really just for official meeting so you know if you're a quorum court member and you're gonna have you're gonna see someone at a ball game or fish fry. Obviously that's not gonna have to be on a social media page because that's not an official meeting of the quorum court for the county in which you serve this is just for official meetings of of the bodies I appreciate that but it doesn't say that it doesn't it just about eating it doesn't say official well not in this bill but in that code section twenty five nineteen one oh six it's talking about the the meetings of the body. Okay thank you thank you Mr richer Dotson. Thank you Mr So I'd. I understand that social media is prevalent but I also understand social media's not controlled it's a third party it's not controlled by a An account holder at all that they can shut down social media account so what happens in the case where say Facebook's is your social media thing that you're you're posting or something like that and they suspend your account Without notice to you are with notice or you're unable to get another format up in out there. Then that cities can sued because they. They don't have one they don't have a website themselves they're not. Tech savviness as early in and they're just trying to. To do the job they've been asked to do with limited resources I'm not see if you issues with this that here this late in session on that we can work through in time to. Try to try to get it to where but I'll let you respond to the social media questions if you look on page one line thirty. There's an if there. You don't have to publish it online or on a social media page if you don't have one the obligation only exist quote if the entity or governing body of the entity owns or maintains a website or social media page. So so third council suspended then they're no longer than a longer have one correct. You're not maintaining a social media page at that point. Thank you. Your your questions. Image speak for against the close I'm close to appreciate a good vote I make a motion to pass motion Senator Tucker. Second by Senator Hester all in favor say aye our. All opposed. Sorry Senator Tucker. Fifty fifty pretty good baseball. The Division pretty good baseball. Senator Hammer. What's your number. Sixteen eighty seven. Mr chairman Kim Hammer state senator district sixteen and would you mind if I'd have Lindsey with the association council come up to answer any technical questions all right thank you. Sixteen eighty seven. Introduce yourself you're recognized. Lindsey Bailey French with the association of Arkansas counties. Thank you Mr chairman members committee especially being out so early in the morning after long not appreciated very much of this bill comes after Senate bill two fifty was passed was a issue or two that was raised I think maybe one by you senator Payton dealing with elections that have fewer than five thousand and so this bill was crafted by a representative long in response to that and carrying on the Senate side and just for the purpose of being expeditious Mister chairman of like to deferred lens you could probably walk through pretty quick and we'll take questions at that time. Thank you Mr chair thank you senator Hammer as senator Hammer said this is a cleanup bill if you will after SB two fifty was passed as ACT three fifty there were concerns brought up about small school elections small city elections with very few voters and having them do paper ballots with hand count which is a common practice such as in Cleburne County I know that Clark had some issues so this bill cleans that up if it's not a general or primary election and it is fewer than five thousand registered voters then provisions of the bill become optional if you're using paper ballots that are hand counted. For example a small school election with very few voters or a school millage or that's the only issue and it's not changing you could do a paper ballot and hand count and not have to pay to program the tabulator to run it through their. a couple of other things This does on page three. Lines thirteen through sixteen. After being run through tabulation device the ballot shall be placed in a sealed double locking hard shell and signed by to election officials this was just a a security measure about some citizens that representative long did to to help make sure that those paper ballots once they run through the tabulator and make it into that box that they are secure and can't be tampered with. On page four. Line for. Hand counted paper ballots shall be completed a minimum of twenty four hours before the certification deadline and if the paper ballot count is not completed then the tabulated results shall be the official results that are certified to the Secretary of State. And. Other than that I'm just here if you have any questions. Just to be real clear you didn't mention the mayor's race but like if it's a special election for mayors race under five thousand that's okay too. Correct as long as it is not a general or preferential thank you. Primary sorry. This bill is in response some concerns expressed earlier appreciate you helping at two fifty two I think this address is another issue brought out that process and would appreciate a good vote. Motion by Senator Payton. Second by Senator crawl all in favor say aye. Opposed Like sign. Thank you senator you getting re room again look listen I think so but once the great appreciation Association council for being responsive and help and get distracted nonsection public appreciation to them thank you Mr chairman members committee and all you look at the list I don't think so okay. All right. We have. Merry can you run seventeen forty eight. Representative Mary Bentley chairman senators I think you guys were all here in twenty nineteen we pass the. Article five convention states Arkansas to be part of that were the nineteen state so when we get to thirty four states would actually have a convention we thought was very prudent to put in place how we're gonna nominate the delegates the delegates for Arkansas before they should happen I don't want to the last minute so this will give the house a member of the Senate some members and some of constituents another spot so this puts in place what are protocol is going to be to elect delegates for the state of Arkansas before we get to that point it's as a proactive measure with that'll take any questions you guys might have. Three questions. Singing ninety the ones on the. you know closure real yeah again This is proactive we're have of alleged to be part of a convention states and so I want to have a process in place beforehand to do that. Strategically from the house the Senate gets and get things done with that I'll close appreciate a good vote. What's most will. Motion by Senator Hester thank you bye senator nuts and all in favor say aye. All opposed Like sign. The representative she passed your bill. The. Or at when you say you run. Eighteen. not now not until we get them. With everything that had been done. What is it eighteen eighteen forty five house bill eighteen forty five by representative Wardlaw this is just take a code revision Clean up the Yes Jean. Legislation that passed thank you is. House bill thirteen oh seven if I recall correctly I may be off on the number but There's a couple of things that needed to be fixed in it it's now statute and so um this is clean up on that. I have answered questions three questions. Seeing none closure real close to make a motion to pass. What's real committee center paid the city the. Senator Hester second all in favor say aye opposed Like sign duties. I'm sorry. Yes more. The generation. Resistible. This kid. All right the. All right. Anybody here to run seventeen forty nine. All right good morning. Committee and let me know these things. All right if the issue seven you're recognized thank you Mr chairman representative Marshall's District twenty eight. this is pretty straightforward bill comes from our friends at DPS. What it boils down to is there's are there is a safety office over there there's one person in this office. This will be a one two year two hundred dollar. Allowance to buy uniforms for that one person. And it will come out of their their cache over there. Questions singman close I'm close creationism by Senator Dotson second by Senator crawl all in favor say aye. All opposed Like sign thank you Sir find somebody in this room run this on the floor for you so I don't have tracked it down thank you Sir. And and and I will come find you if you don't find somebody to run this for you. The. AS McLindon. What number is. Seventeen eighty nine. It introduce yourself you're recognized anybody come to the table yes right. Representative Michael Landon House District ten so this is a pretty straightforward bill what I've done is just created a bill that prohibits Arkansas state agencies from entering into a contract with companies that are owned or majority owned or unduly influenced by the people's Republic of China. I expect with the governor's office and the department of commerce and they see no conflicts with this bill. There any questions about state tax bill. Read. We currently have a contract with China according that department commerce now that's why they feel like there is no conflict okay so we're just being proactive here correct I think we have in the past but currently we do not all right thank you. No questions the ninth you will close the bill I am because my bill is as that you activity pass all right we'll see motion by Senator Johnson second by Senator Payton all in favor say aye opposed Like sign the representative thank you chairman thank you senator. at. What about. There's. This call will is not here Dave Wallace not here. If anybody have a clue. robin can you do. One oh six. Okay okay. This is a constitutional amendment. One thousand or one O. six H. J. R. one oh six good morning colleagues this is the House constitutional amendment to allow the tech to become a part of the lottery scholarship and it's about time that we made sure that workforce add a little bit of help from lottery scholarship without all of entertain any questions the jury questions. Yeah go ahead Tucker I just wanna thank you for giving the opportunity co sponsored and for bringing constitutional moment that I'm happy to vote for so that's the that's the thank you represent one. Thank you I'm glad there's something we can all agree on the end of session. Thank you for your me the opportunity the. During this. Thanks. It is it is there any questions. Thank. No question no clothes I I think everybody knows what needs to get done and I would just appreciate a good vote all right of the motion by Senator Dotson second by Senator Kroll all in favor say aye opposed Like sign thank you we have one constitutional member. Thank you thank you it's an honor to be getting can you run represent Raz bill. Which which bill is that Sir. Musicians yes okay but I will not be singing can you. Seventeen sixty seven. This. President. Three medic any questions. For. You senator represented Leinster questions inmate days save for against the bill. The motion by Senator Kroll. Secondments Senator no. Second by Senator Pitsch. We got a motion. This is simply honoring Arkansas musicians who have excelled at thanks. We got a motion. Senate okay we got a second. No no we don't have a motion elderly. Yes uses that we got a motion and a second by Senator Hill motion by Senator Hester second by Senator Tucker all in favor say aye. All opposed. Yes. Thank you senator Lundstrum thank you and next to them yes Sir thank you is there anything else you need me to do. If it will work with Dave you can read as. We'll do the. Ocean juice funds of all the all in favor say aye opposed all right if there's another way to to do that without having a meeting then we'll do that later. The. You got centered around where. We are you passed we've got. Repressed eleven. Excellent presentation. Your. All right six the the wanted to suspend the rules motion. Sixteen ten I move we suspend the rules in here six we've already heard sixteen ten but we have another vote on sixteen ten. All right there's a motion. Motion to to hear sixteen ten again. All in favor say aye. All opposed. All right the list here this this new sixteen. Okay well this do you want to go the table or just you want you merrier on there too right. Merry NO the table you stay there. Okay members we've heard the testimony on this bill I think everybody's very familiar with that of when we when it was presented the other day I went to them to the table on the Senate sponsor and I done my presentation but then I got called out and had to go to another meeting and was not even in here when The vote was taken on this bill so I just want an opportunity to vote on it again. All right with that all the representative Bentley close your any questions of members in here some members out of the rent tax under review. Is there any questions no questions what's will the committee. Motion by Senator Payton. Second second by Senator Hester all in favor say aye. All opposed Like sign. All in favor say aye All opposed Like sign no. There's two that I here's nose and that is not good numbers. So. Sales again. Thank you. Is there any other business. On what we are adjourned.