Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development - Senate

We're going try to hear all the bills by eleven thirty if everything worked out properly I'm going to ask if you speak for against the bill that you limit your testimony to two minutes and I think everybody's recognizes to were up against a tight timeline to get everything wrapped up for the session I would also ask it to two or three people have gone before you have set all said the same thing you're not going to add anything to what they say it the just be respectful about other people's time and you may say Hey I agree with the but if you're not gonna bring anything new to the table the clear the clear the way out for some from their bill the other thing I would bring everybody's attention is is that House busted me Senate bill five five oh six is being signed out of committee so I think we got some people signed up to speak for against it so we won't be hearing that bill today so I just want to bring that to your attention so no was it made here they dislike for five oh six to come up with that the estate I will recognize the call Senator Blake Johnson to run house bill seventeen PM. Thank you yes seventeen oh seven I'm sorry. Senator Johnson if you would state your name the bill number for the record. Please. Senator Blake Johnson district twenty one the members seventeen oh seven is a it keeps the new remote management plan chicken farmers that information private and from public inspection and exempt from the freedom of information act. Does anyone have any questions. Is anyone signed up to speak for anybody will speak for against the bill. Senator Johnson you're free to close your bill. The chairman I'm closing I appreciate a good vote. I have a motion to pass your senate Gilmore second from senator duties. Any discussion on the motion. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Congradulations Senator D. a pastor bill. And I think you have another bill signed house bill seventeen oh six. Yes Sir it has an amendment if if the past is that already we get the amendment passed out if you would restate your ninety four and house bill number for the record Senator Blake Johnson is house bill seventeen oh six. Everybody just about a half a second to of to look at the amendment. Does anybody have any questions on the amendment. I have a motion to move adoption of the amendment we have a second second all in favor say aye. All opposed the minute been adopted by the presenter bill. Thank you. The. Senator Blake Johnson seventeen oh six the this movie is rated five from eighty Q. over to the department of ag and they'll be in consultation with the with a B. Q. on that and that this is not. Eight six and then water and air so. Normal ill in the state since its hand and held in the department added. Do not have any questions on the bill. Does anybody will speak for against the bill. Hearing none I have a motion motion it up as the motion by motion do pass representative Gilmore as amended second by Senator days all in favor say aye. I any opposed. The latest interview a pastor bill. The Senator Hester I thank your next. please state your name for the record in your bill number. Esther Senator is recognized under my completion of our Hester state senator district thirty three Senate bill four ninety seven members I brought this to committee a few weeks ago and I didn't do an adequate job describing what it does and I'll kind of make this a little closer to home clearly are are lodging isn't interested in like ignoring our current procurement laws and we've visited with that Armstrong over there and he understands what we're doing. the reality is we're dealing with with housing and lodging on our on our state parks it there's a lot of good reasons to be able to give some flexibility on the procurement so for instance if if it's a loginh no the buffalo river and there's local people that maybe they make some some local snack they want to be able to provide it at the local give store right or they whatever the particular thing is that's locally sourced maybe somebody makes some interesting soap or something that they use in the community they want to be able to locally source those items and you know I'm I'm from a northwest Arkansas World Walmart and and even Walmart does that they they have certain the main plan that works but the mail out every local store manager to Seoul to do locally sourced items that are interesting to that community and I think this is a way that we can allow all of our local communities to get involved maybe they get people from all over the country to get to experience something that's locally made this just up I think it's a really good opportunity and at the end of the day we have a responsibility for oversight as the legislature if something's not being handled appropriately that'll be our job to watch over that and make sure that we get at the line back up I think this is a reasonable ask for something to try we will it's important we continue to support tourism in Arkansas I think this is a small way we can do it understanding that we've got oversight of how all this works I'm happy to answer any questions. Nobody has any questions is anybody in the office will speak for against the bill. Do I have a motion. I have a love of the game motion by Senator Davis second by Senator Gilmore all in favor say aye. All opposed. Congradulations Senator D. a pastor bill. Senator crawls up next believes. If you would would you state your name and bill number for the record please Senator Steve Kroll District three Senate bill five five seven a Supreme Court ruling has declared the appointment of the commission members by the non governmental body unconstitutional so On this board they were supplied by Arkansas farm bureau ag council of Arkansas and appointed by in another one by the Arkansas wildlife federation's this method was deemed unconstitutional so this bill fixes it Arkansas farm bureau agriculture council of Arkansas and Arkansas wildlife federation supported are supportive of this change this bill does remove one requirement that the bill has a levee and drainage district representative in this position has been very hard to fill in on field for many years so this is part of the Arkansas department of parks heritage and to reach legislative package. The anybody have any questions. Here nine is anybody dollars will speak for against the bill. Those that do I have a motion. Motion do pass second by Senator Gilmore motion by Senator Davis all in favor say aye. All opposed congradulations Senator give pastor bill. Senate bill four ninety three is Senator Stubblefield here. The Senator Davis are you prepared to do Senate bill five twenty one. Not running. Senator Leding is not here. Right Senator Gilmore thank you're going to do house bill. sixteen ninety is up next I am I've got several I can just do all those want that'll be perfect for thank you. six sixteen ninety center Gilmore few would turn your my code of this state your name and bill number for the record please. Thank you Mister senator Gilmore district one and I have at the table. Yes there was more from the Arkansas department culture you. I'm gonna let the Secretary do most the talking on these bills is our department bills that he brought and with that let's begin with us House Bill sixteen ninety. Yes Sir the house bill sixty nine is a return to service to this is this is a pretty limited in scope it It allows the department of culture employees to be able to come back on a part time basis even after they've retired but only in emergency situations they were I'm particular we we saw this need kind of a rise last year we had a really hot dry your we thought we were going out we had a lot more wildfire so we're going to have to pull in a lot lot of forestry retirees the law is actually going to prohibit us from doing that so that we may this small change to you to be able to use envoys part time employees not full time just just come back on a limited basis term during events of an emergency. Does anybody have any questions. Is anybody dollars will speak for against the bill. Say none do I have a motion motion to pass motion do pass by Senator Gilmore. Second by Senator love all in favor say aye. All opposed regulation Senator you're past your bill thank you not sure which is next on the six sixteen seventy seven sixteen seven. I believe again another department bill from part of agriculture I believe this is just for cleaning up a lot of language but I'll I'll let the secretary Walker one. Yes Sir that's correct service said this cleans up existing statutes on fencing walls in livestock running at large in the state of Arkansas and so as we started looking into this is actually you know came up a couple last session a few legislators mention were just too late in the session to get anything fixed there but we work with the cattlemen's association farm bureau the national call center to to go through a comprehensive review of their statutes and so it clarifies twenty seven different statutes repeals fifty nine different antiquated laws already had old old terminology of fencing districts had a whole lot of things in there that just weren't needed anymore so this is a lot of clean up a lot of clarification on fencing and livestock running at large in the state of Arkansas. The question by Senator Davies thank you Mr thank you the secretary at the scene a lot of straight through and you reference that we just that one more time to working with livestock and poultry we have agreements with farm bureau and and other other entities correct that's correct I don't want to speak on their behalf but it was a year that I know that they're in the room and we we work the cattlemen's farm bureau national a call center to to do a comprehensive review of that thank you some and I'll point out somewhere in the room today but they did not want to come to the table but I think by not coming they will they state their support thank you. Are there any other questions. Anybody in the audience will speak for against the bill. Senator Gilmore you buy clothes for your bill I'm close make a motion to pass second second by Senator days all in favor say aye. All opposed congradulations interview pastor bill thank you a House bill sixteen seventy six. Again I'm gonna kick it to my very worthy colleague over here secretary to to talk through this again other department bill just I think making some clean up to current statute yes Sir I appreciate that as is senator there to that's correct this is a little bit clean up to a current reporting for K. numbers close to sanction actually have to go to the commission's or clarifies that the department can receive those reports and act on that a minute cleans up the the name of our veterinary diagnostic lab to make that a little more comprehensive so that it's not just laughs I'm voter we we do cats dogs small animals as well so just cleans up that language as well but overall just a cleanup language. They might have any questions. Does anybody will speak for against the bill. Senator you're free to close for your bill I'm close make a motion to pass motion do pass second by Senator Davis all in favor say aye All opposed the regulation centered your past your bill thank you and sixteen seventy five House Bill sixteen seventy five great and I will get it back to the or the Secretary of here that you would state your name and bill number for the record absolutely Senator Gilmore district one house bill sixteen seventy five. Yes westward department culture so so this bill just cleans up the formulation language so we we have that office within within a part of our culture just of a one paragraph bill here so the way it currently reads that they were required to sit there for at least an hour it clarifies that really don't have to sit there for that long if a reasonable doubt reaching agreement service that makes a little more easier and cleans up that language. Thank you. Are those like a good government build me all right the bad happened questions. Does anybody in dollars for speak for against the bill. Senator you're. That bill for you to close for your bill I'll close make a motion to pass second set Senator Davis. All in favor say aye. All opposed hearing none graduation Senator your bill is passed. Representative period or used. Bring you up next. If you would state your name and your bill number for the record please a representative per year district twenty five house bill sixteen sixty two. Sixteen sixty two is a response to FDA ruling GFI two sixty three on June eleventh of this year anti microbial is used for livestock medications Will no longer be label for over the counter purchase what this bill do is it allow our current retailers farm stores co ops to continue selling that. Using. They still have to follow all the FDA guidelines regarding the vet client relationship having a prescription. And I need to add that we have an emergency clause on this bill to make sure it aligns with the June eleventh twenty twenty three days a week and not have kind of a dead window to keep everything running of the stores all right. Matt's very simple estimation shall take any questions does anybody have any questions. Do we have anybody in the audience will speak for against the bill. Hey now you're pretty close for your bill I believe I'm closer bill and I appreciate a good vote. I have a motion do pass by Senator Gilmore second by Senator Davis all in favor say aye. All opposed hearing none regulations representative via pastor bill thank you chair thank you Committee. Is a Senator Dismang here. Representative going. On the okay. The. The members of. Senator Gilmore district one. The bill number. sixteen eighteen thousand sixteen eighty nine and this is again another department bill from agriculture of as secretary to join with stable fifty nine yes I support from from the permanent collection thank you. Zero. As senator Mitch this is another clean up bill for them from the department of agriculture basically what it does within the department we had we we've done more to us better assist our culture industry in Arkansas we found in the progress of that that we had just different programs and functions in different statute that headed in different different areas of the departments of this cleans that language up allows us to better better serve the aquaculture industry they were they were in agreement with the builders new disagreement or anyone that's supposed to return to our knowledge we work with them on this language zero let us better serve industry it also cleans of what what previously was criminal penalties to be civil penalties. And and that regard as well so again mostly just clean up from the department for for the aquaculture industry is anybody have any questions. Very not as anybody in the audience will speak for against the bill. Hearing none I did not entertain a motion I'm close to a motion passed close got a motion the second by Senator Davis all in favor say aye. All opposed graduation center you can be ready. Is a representative Cllr here yes would you please run your bill please. State your name and bill number for the record please and turn your back on. Forty nine. So. Just give me a very odd question. Vision of. This record. For instance you are basically told us that seventy one percent of our counties the resentment of the election of nineteen ninety six counties in Arkansas. Thank you for that surprises in the. according to all the details of all the. Locally we do not we have lots of stress healthcare education over care food all types of areas basically what this bill does is focus very tightly people on the ground to initiate the economic growth in small. So the. Separately properties on city and county. Well. It is not necessary to community development. Program is very possibly related jobs I feel that all survivors select probably don't want to hear all that. They help that we ran across this. Although it's not known as tall as. Great job program in the. I represent that but I don't I don't mean to interrupt you but we would you turn your back on please sorry the numbers okay of as economic development council we've got a number of projects over the years enters a tier system that works well sometimes sometimes it doesn't there's other programs that work well this is designed to hopefully fill into some of the gaps I mean I could get into new markets tax credit opportunities on all those things you probably not interested so basically this bill is very very focused on rule communities rule counties that are declining in population I'll be glad to answer any questions. Senate Gilmour has a question. Thank you representative Cllr thank you Mr chairman I appreciate this bill I think it's I think it's much needed the couple questions I have or maybe just one I see in here that we talk about expensing money or distributing money and things of that nature but this is this is just creating a program this is not actually funding that program direct this does create the program we do have an appropriation bill that we passed over in committee this morning okay as a place holder for that money would go to the the economic department commerce so to be distributed to them there's process and very tight boundaries here for the planning and development and follow up sure so this will be administered through commerce or ADC or ADC would receive the money planning and development districts would be responsible for the all right on the ground let me use the word initiation of economic development not sitting back in answering the telephone or an email or text this is switching to being proactive instead of reactive fair enough of I think this would help address the issues that we've seen in rural areas yes I'm trying to get funding for projects and things of that nature but I just wanted the those clarifications thank you so much. Are there any other questions. Is anybody in dollars will speak for against the bill. You're not hearing none you're free to close. I know we can't fix all of our communities let's give it a chance to fix some and hopefully turn some around appreciate a good vote motion do pass by Senator Gilmore. Second by Senator days all in favor say aye. All opposed. Very nice regulations representative give pastor bill thank you Mr chairman thank you Committee. Senator Davis. I need to run to bills can you senator please. Five. Right senator if you'd state your name where you're from and the bill you're reading for the record Senator milestone state Senate district to. First well I'm going to run is Senate bill five fifty eight. this is to us Senator Dismang bill I got was asked to run it while ago this bill is to amend a law concerning public works projects by the Department parks here Jizan tourism and if I could I'd like to get Mr rock. J. J. about here please help answer any questions on the bill. He'll introduce yourself for the record please thank you Senator sound Committee I Jeff king deputy director division of state parks so the the purpose of this bill is to allow us to really tackle the maintenance backlog that we have in the division of state parks we do major maintenance type projects every year and this will allow us to bundle projects that are really more maintenance than construction type projects without going to the capital improvement process with the Division building authority we've worked with and laid low and the staff at Division of building authority in the drafting of this language and they're supportive of this and what it really if I boil it down to just a few projects you know when we when we paint buildings when we replace carpet and lodges you know we have to hire an architect or an engineering firm to put together plans and specifications for that one really want to be able to just say we want to replace like material with like material and this will allow us to do that up to a hundred and fifty thousand dollar threshold. Learn. There any questions on the bill. C. nine is there anyone to speak for against the bill. C. nine you are recognized to close closed best Preciado good vote. The judgment mission motion do pass I have a second. All right and any discussion all those in favor please say aye opposed no your bill passes thank you. Currently I have one more recognized Matt stone state Senate district to Senate bill five sixty currently in an Arkansas there's a program called fun parks it allows a dial Department of Parks here choose and and tourism to build to build these parks currently there's a limit that that apart can't be built in a town that has a population of more than twenty five hundred and this just raises that population is seventy five hundred to allow the my many park to be build upon park to be built. Senate bill here recognized for a question. Really so much a question maybe just comment should we have a committee adding to go to fund part. I think that be great I'd like to say you come down the slide. A lot of people would. as entities you're recognized for a question yes Sir yes understand I wanna know what the definition of fun is from. How do you define anything that makes you happy. But the medical part park there thank you senator they aim to please. Any other questions C. nine is there anyone to speak for against this bill C. nine you're recognized close I'm close I just make a motion to pass up and got a second motion second any discussion all those in favor please say aye opposed no your bill passes congratulations. I thank god we have cleared the agenda today but that being said we are adjourned.