JBC-Special Language

Members of your take your state we're fixing to start the meeting. Members thank you. With that we're going to call the meeting to order Mister chair do you have anything you'd like to thank all right with that we're going to go down to Adam date. Representive Ladyman if you go down and introduce yourself for the record and you're recognized. Thank you madam chair. A committee I did bring this bill before you awhile back and there was no vote taken so I want to give it a second chance here I plan to have amendment to have an amendment to this bill to add co sponsors but I didn't have time to do that before this meeting. On very short notice I have twenty representatives who want to sign on as co sponsors of this bill. Senator Kim Hammer is agreed at the B. S. a Senate sponsor other senators have not been approached about sponsoring this bill. And give me some data here in February of two thousand and twenty two twelve senators and thirty six representatives signed a letter to governor governor Hutchinson to pay the hundred and twelve pharmacies small businesses the thirteen point eight million dollars that they requested. Okay. That's a forty eight members of the legislature Legislature. The reason given for not taking action on that request was that the request was not verified by data. So the pharmacist redid their request as they were requested to do and reduced it to seven point seven million dollars that's a fifty percent about a fifty percent reduction the request was still nine. These pharmacies are one hundred and twelve mom and pop small businesses who gave free treatment to patients suffering from COVID nineteen. And I'm sure they saved many lives. These pharmacies did not charge these patients for this treatment. The monoclonal antibody infusions any of you ever got that I know this from experience took over two hours per patient to administer these pharmacies had or had to rent extra space they had to hire extra help. And in many cases they hired travelling nurses and paid in over a hundred ten dollars an hour I know that for a fact I've talked to the pharmacist. These pharmacists understood what it was a handshake or in writing that they would be reimbursed by the federal government through Arkansas state agencies. This should be paid from the Arkansas recovery plan act of twenty twenty one. However the executive branch is not acting on this request. I feel we as the Arkansas state government made a commitment to the small businesses that we have not kept. Our form of government is made up of three branches the executive branch who executes laws and policies for the state the judicial branch who decides the state laws and policies are being enforced correctly and the legislative branch. makes policies and laws and funds state government. I feel we as a legislative body have forgotten. It is our task to fund the government. I hope members. I hope members of this committee. We'll think about our legislative responsibilities to our constituents. And make the right decision. I'm having great difficulty understanding why we as a state legislature are not standing up to our commitments to our constituents. I hope. There is one member of this committee who will be responsive to our constituents back home that we represent. And make a motion to pass this bill. Let me just summarize what I told you before but what I'm requesting is that these these bills be paid with federal money. Not G. R.. Not Harper. But it would say the executive branch. These to pay these people back with federal funds wherever they can find with that manager I'd be happy to take any questions. Thank you representive do you have any questions. Senator Hickey you're recognized yes representative Ladyman I know we discussed this fully before and I appreciate your. Willingness to keep only known but I don't I don't I really don't know has to say it that this is not the correct way. It's one hundred percent supposed to be out or both. Those discussions are supposed to be starting with the new executive branch and that's where those funds need to come from now and I've been in discussions with them and I know what you said they adjusted it down. But to do an appropriation like this. Is not not the way that even has to be done. It's all about us getting the executive branch to send the letter down here and I can say last week we were in there trying to figure out our essay and everything is my understanding that within the next couple weeks that all the discussions on are we supposed to was supposed to begin I think everybody just kind of been on hold because of you know what's been in session things of that nature. So hi I know we had we deal with this you know three weeks ago or are always million but This is not the right way. We'll Senator Hickey I understand what you're saying a new but I have talked to the governor's office as it just tell me what is your plan. If it's six months from now but you're going to look at this tell me. No response. No response. I feel like we're in equal branch of government and we need to we need to try to move the ball down the court here somewhere that's what I'm trying to do. it does not say where this money comes from. It just request executive branch to pay these bills with federal funds. Do you know the do you know the president has have they told you what the procedure is to requests are proponents no there discussed the discussion was last week whenever we were trying to figure out you know the tax cut the RSA trying to make sure everything balanced out the discussion come up of the discussion come up well when when are we going to start that and again I think there was uh you know everybody's thought process that we just need to get the session binders which were you know open as guardian this week. So like I say. Within two weeks that's supposed to happen as far as procedures ago the only procedure is is that the discussions start happening there in the executive branch sends a letter to peer. And then peer looks at that is the only procedure that that's there now granted the executive branch does have to do that and that's their prerogative. and I'm not saying you know that. You know that's going to happen or not going to happen I don't know that because like I say those are supposed to start with the next couple weeks. Well I would appreciate if they would tell us. As with people branch of government what the plan is that's what I want if they would tell me that I'd back off of this today sure and and nobody in this place agrees with you more on this equal branch of government separate but equal branch I mean I think the I've been committed to that for the last ten years and I'm here and always go out on a limb and again I appreciate what you're trying to do. But trying to do it this way is not going to force anything it's a. If it's going to be done. And again I've I've got pharmacies in my district that needed maybe worse than anyone because of exactly what you're doing so it's not that I'm against it I'm one hundred percent or it's just we we have got to make it happen to the or performance that's what those funds were out there for we've got the money left we've held back in we didn't spend some of it on some projects that were outside of health care to make sure that we got all this covered. And you know this just with the new administration and everything Changin that did slow down so. So thank you Sir. Members any other questions for representative Ladyman. The more you're recognized thank you madam chair thank you a representative for bringing this up I think that a lot of folks in this room probably actually agree with you that the pharmacies do need some sort of compensation to make up for what they were doing but my question sort of centers around the dollar Max weird we're the eight million come from because I I've heard. A myriad of different dollar amounts over the course of this session when I presented this last time I gave you all a copy of the sheet that was broken down by pharmacy and in three different categories. where they experience cost. that's they only had two numbers the first one was thirteen million I was not involved back then so I don't know how they reduced from thirteen to seven point seven on but some of the things that they had in there they took off. So there's a detailed breakdown I've got a copy of the sheet right here they gave it to you all last meeting yeah and and I have I remember that sheet from last meeting I've also heard that maybe there's been a reduction even since that meeting of of a request I don't know if you know anything about that. Okay thank you. But there was a discussion about whether these numbers were real or not Mr chairman and I in my notes the last meeting I suggested that we audit these pharmacies if that is what people believe if they believe they're not there but I don't believe the pharmacy out there is charging for things they didn't do. When they were trying to save people's lives well and I appreciate that this is a follow up I'm not implying that they did just for the record at I just wanna make sure that we're getting accurate number thank you. The members. Senator Hickey you're recognized cynical Senator Gilmore's correct actually myself and Senator Dismang had a had a conversation beforehand and ask them to go back I do believe although I don't know what it is that they did go back to each and every one of those And have adjusted those numbers some with the room individually so you are correct that that that has transpired now because of session is not not anything that I've just set out and went over myself but those that did happen is so you are correct sentence I was with. Thank skews me members any other questions. Sam Nunn what is the will of committee I got a close would you like to oppose the measure. Committee there's probably a pharmacy in the city you live in requesting these reimbursements. You need to be responsive to the people you represent not the people here in Little Rock. There are pharmacies in some of the city's I'll give you just a few of them. Jonesborough has eight pharmacies who are requesting funds for Smith has eight arms. Little Rock has eleven pharmacies that are requesting fun Searcy has three. Walnut Ridge has one. Pine bluff as to Conway has won Texarkana has one as representative thank you that's probably the only pharmacy intakes again there. But I just wanna give you a feel for where these requests are coming from so With that I close I'd ask for a good bill. Thank you represent Ladyman. What is the will of the committee. We have a motion do pass I have a second second. All in favor say aye. All opposed nay nay. The nose haven't sorry representative thank you Committee. Members that's the only thing that we have on the agenda with no other business the meeting is adjourned.