House Convenes
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (3)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HR1001
· 8 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “5. Representative Vaught presents House Resolution 1001 for a joint session of the House and Senate to hear an addr…”
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FOR A JOINT SESSION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE AT 12:30 P.M., … | Vaught | READ AND ADOPTED. |
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HR1002
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…k resolution 12 that objection read the bill a second time. House Resolution 1002 calendar House Bill1001 that objection read the bill a seco…”
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TO AUTHORIZE RECESSES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR THE SENATE, OR BOTH, FOR PERIODS … | Vaught | READ AND ADOPTED. |
|
HR11
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “house resolution 11.resolution 101 for a joint session of the House of Represen…”
|
Pre-2017 bill |
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- October 5, 2026
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Chair
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31:30
In accordance with and by authority of the Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, Section five.
Representative Brian S. Evans
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31:59
The fiscal session of the 95th Arkansas General Assembly will now come to order.
I invite the members, staff, press, and guests in the galleries to stand and be led in prayer by Richard Hamlin, senior pastor, Faith
Chair
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Baptist Church of Cabot. Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean. Let
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us pray. Heavenly Father God, you invited us through the author of the book of Hebrews to come boldly before your throne of grace that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And first of all, God, we're so grateful that your throne is indeed a throne of grace and mercy because we need both in great
abundance. It is especially for your grace, God, that I call upon you for this assembly today because they'll need your grace. Many of them have gone through great struggles since last they gathered together. Many challenges are ahead. But God, your grace is sufficient. And we claim that promise today in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I
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pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands, one
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nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Members, please
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indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk.
Speaker 56
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As everyone indicated their presence. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk.
Representative Aker
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34:20
With 97 members present, the chair sees a quorum. Are there any requests for leave? Representative Richardson, for what purpose? Leave.
Speaker 58
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You're recognized. I'm requesting leave for the honorable representative from
Representative Aker
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34:33
District 66, Mark Perry. Is leave granted for Representative Mark Perry? Leave. Representative Moore, for what purpose? Leave. You're recognized.
I'm requesting leave for Representative Brandon
Representative Aker
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34:43
Aker. Is leave granted for Representative Brandon Aker? Leave. So granted.
Chair
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34:50
Members, I would ask you to rise with me at this time for recognition of some very special guests that we have here with
Representative Brian S. Evans
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34:59
us today. I'd first ask you to direct your attention to the back of the chamber. Two members of our Arkansas law enforcement team that are here working on our behalf today, we very much are happy to have them. First with us, we have Trooper First Class Dustin Starkey of the Highway Patrol Administration and also Law Enforcement
Representative Aker
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35:18
Officer Destiny Woods from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Representative Brian S. Evans
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35:22
Would you please make them welcome? Over to the left in the back of the chamber, we
have with us Dr. Beth Milligan, doctor of family and emergency medicine from Little Rock. She is guest today of Representative Andrew Collins. Please make
Dr. Beth Milligan welcome. Working alongside Dr. Milligan there, I know everyone recognizes her.
We are happy to have back with us Ms. Lee Fazio, our nurse
Representative Aker
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36:09
of the day. Thank you members. You may be seated. Madam Clerk, please read House Resolution 1001.
Speaker 67
36:15
House Resolution 1001 for a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate at 12.30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in the House Chamber to hear an address by the Honorable Sarah Sanders, Governor of the State of Arkansas.
Chair
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36:32
Madam Clerk, please read the resolution a second time. House Resolution 1001. Madam Clerk, please read the resolution a third time. House Resolution 1001. Representative Vaught, you are recognized
Representative DeAnn Vaught
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36:50
to speak for the resolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The resolution is exactly what she said. It's just so that we can convene with the joint Senate, and I would appreciate a good vote on the resolution.
Chair
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37:44
Members, Representative Vaught has explained the resolution. Would anyone like to speak against the resolution? Would
Representative Brian S. Evans
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38:07
anyone like to speak for the resolution? If not, the question before the House is the passage of House Resolution 1001.
All in favor say aye.
Chair
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38:17
Aye. Opposed nay. The ayes have it. The following committee is appointed to notify the Senate that the House is now in session
Representative Aker
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38:30
and ready for business. Chairman Representative Stephen Meeks, Representative Denise Garner, Representative Brandon Aker, Tara Shepard, Representative Jeremy Wooldridge, Representative Jesse Magruder. Would
Representative Brian S. Evans
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you please notify the Senate that the House is in session?
The Chair also appoints the following committee
Chair
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38:52
to notify Governor Sanders that the House is in session and ready
Representative Aker
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38:58
for business. Chairman, Representative Ron McNair, Representative Austin McCollum, Representative
Chair
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39:04
Julie Mayberry, Representative Harlan Brough, Representative Tracy Steele, Representative Brad Hall. Members, will you please
Representative Brian S. Evans
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39:10
go to the governor's office, notify Governor Sanders that the house is in session.
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Read the bills, Madam Clerk. House Resolution 1002.
Without objection, read the bill a second time. House resolution 1002. Calendar. House bill 1001. Without objection, read the bill a second time. House bill 1001. Calendar. House bill 1002. Without objection, read the bill a second time. House bill 1002. Joint budget. House bill 1003. Without objection, read the bill a second time. House bill 1003. House management.
Representative Brian S. Evans
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45:04
Members, we are waiting on the arrival of the Senate, so appreciate your patience.
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Speaker 77
48:04
Mr. Smith. Mr. Sergeant of Arms, for what purpose? Please admit the senate into the house chamber.
Representative Tracy Steele
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49:04
Members, the chair recognizes Senator Dan Sullivan. Mr. Speaker,
Senator Dan Sullivan
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49:09
the Senate is organized and ready to do business, and it's great to be back here in front of my fellow
Speaker 56
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House members. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Members, the House will stand in recess until 1230 p.m.
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I'm going to go to the next one.
Representative Brian S. Evans
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1:02:34
By authority of House Resolution 1001 and Senate Resolution 1, the joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate is called to order. I invite the member, staff, press, and guests in the galleries to stand first for an honorary moment of silence
Chair
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1:02:51
on the passing of our friend and former colleague, Representative Stan Berry, and then to be led in prayer by Richard Hamlin, senior pastor of Faith Baptist Church of Cabot. I
Representative Brian S. Evans
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1:03:01
would ask you to remain standing for the presentation of the colors of the Arkansas State Police Color Guard,
for the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean,
Representative Aker
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1:03:14
and the singing of the National Anthem to be performed by Ms. Morgan Worbington from the Office of the Governor. Would you please rise
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for a moment of silence? O Lord God, you have invited us to be careful for nothing,
to in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known unto you with the promise, God, that the peace, your peace, that passes all understanding will keep our hearts and minds through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And we do at this moment lift up the family of Representative Barry. We know that they still struggle through their grief. And you, God, who are the God of all comfort, can bring grace and peace to their hearts.
Not only for them, Father, but for this entire legislative body. I pray that you would remind them in a world that is so full of turmoil as ours is. in a state that is not immune to it, and even to a legislative body that can struggle through times of turmoil. Help them, God, to remember that the path to peace is a path of prayer. And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Speaker 91
1:05:28
America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Representative Aker
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1:07:41
Forward, march. Members, you may be seated. Members, we
Representative Brian S. Evans
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1:08:03
have several guests here with us today. I'd just like to take a moment of pause to recognize them, Thank them for their participation in today's ceremony, for the duties that they provide.
First off, in the back of the chamber, by the entry doors, we'd like to recognize two members of our Arkansas law enforcement team. We have with us today Trooper First Class Dustin Starkey of the Highway Patrol Administration. And we have Law Enforcement
Chair
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1:08:27
Officer Destiny Woods from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Would you please give them a round of applause? Dustin, Destiny,
Representative Tracy Steele
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1:08:47
thank you for your service to us and to the State of Arkansas.
Representative Brian S. Evans
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1:08:50
Also with us today in the back of the chamber, over to my left, we have Dr. Beth Milligan, Doctor of Family and Emergency Medicine from here in Little Rock. She is guest today, Representative Andrew Collins. Dr. Beth Milligan is our
doctor of the day. Serving alongside Dr. Milligan here with us day after day when we're in session. We appreciate her very much.
Please welcome Lee Fazio, our nurse. Members up in the East Gallery, over to my left, we are honored to have guests
here with us today, the Arkansas Constitutional Officers that are joining us today up in the East Gallery. Would you please make them welcome?
Over to my right, your left, we are honored to have several guests here with us today. We have family and friends here of newly elected State Senator Brad Simon. We have Ms. Cynthia Hill, wife of Senator Ricky Hill. We have Logan Millsap, guest of Representative Ryan Rose. Here representatives of CASA and Angie Tate, guest of Representative Jeremy Woldridge. We have guest of Representative Andrew Collins, Steven Person, and Max Deichler.
We also have with us today Ms. Jenny Stone, wife of Senator Matt Stone. Welcome to the
Representative Aker
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1:10:39
House chamber. Madam Lieutenant Governor, you are recognized.
Speaker 104
1:10:45
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This time, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 95th General Assembly, please allow me to introduce the new Director and Secretary of the Arkansas Senate, Sabrina
Nikkei Evelyn Llewellyn. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. A moment of personal privilege, if
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you would allow me to thank the principal of this chamber,
the best clerk of the House of Representatives
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Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers,
Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Simon, Stone, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Speaker 104
1:12:32
Thank you, Madam Secretary. And before the House calls roll, I would like to take a point of personal privilege and recognize our esteemed members of the Arkansas Supreme Court who are here with us today, Chief Justice Karen Baker, Justice Barbara Webb, Cody Highland, Sean Womack, and Nick Brawny. Justices, welcome to the Joint Assembly.
I would also like to take a point of personal privilege and recognize my fellow constitutional officers who are here, Attorney General Tim Griffin, Commissioner of State Lands, Tommy Land, Auditor of State Dennis Milligan, Treasurer of State John Thurston, and Secretary of State Cole Jester. Thank you all so much for being here today.
Chair
Unverified
1:13:41
Representatives, please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. As everyone indicated
Representative Tracy Steele
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1:14:07
their presence, cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk.
Representative Aker
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1:14:13
There are 97 members present. The chair sees a quorum. Are there any requests for leave? Representative Moore, for what purpose? Leave. You're recognized. Request leave for Representative Aker. Is leave granted for Representative Brandon Aker? Leave. So granted. Representative Scott Richardson for what purpose? Leave.
Speaker 58
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You're recognized. Leave request for Representative Mark
Representative Aker
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Perry. Is leave granted for Representative Mark Perry? So moved.
Speaker 104
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Madam Lieutenant Governor, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The President Pro Temp of the Senate, Senator Bart Hester, appoints the following members of the Senate to escort the Governor into the House chamber for the joint session. Senator Jane English, Chairman. Senator Blake Johnson. Senator Reginald Murdoch and Senator Kim Hammer. Speaker
Representative Brian S. Evans
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1:15:12
appoints the following representatives as the committee from the House to escort
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders into the House
Representative Aker
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Chamber. Representative Lane Jean, Chair. Representative Fred Allen. Representative Marcus Richmond. Representative Matthew Shepard. Representative Francis Cavanaugh, Representative Jeff Wardlaw, Representative John Eubanks.
Unknown speaker
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Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 115
1:18:00
Let me announce or anything. You guys can go ahead. Yeah, I'm gonna get out of here. All right, guys. You ready, ma'am? I'm
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ready. I'll announce you and get out of your way. I'll announce you and get out of your way. Mr. Speaker.
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Mr. Sergeant of Arms, for what purpose? Admittance to the governor of the great state of Arkansas, the honorable Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Mr. Sergeant of
Representative Tracy Steele
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Arms, please admit the governor into the House chamber. Welcome, ma'am. Thank you very much.
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recognized. Thank you. Good afternoon. Speaker Evans, President Hester, constitutional officers, members of the Supreme Court, distinguished members of the General Assembly, my incredible family, my
fellow Arkansans, welcome to the start of the 2026 fiscal session. Sadly, this year our legislative body is not 135 members, but 134. I know we've already had a moment of silence, but I ask that you would stand and join me in a moment of recognition for Representative Stan Berry, who passed away
last month after decades of service to our state. He will be missed, and we are thankful for the great work that he
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did. I also want to give, you can sit
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down, but feel free to stand back up later and cheer again. I also want to give a special thanks to someone who traveled
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all the way back to Arkansas from Israel to be with our family this week, my mom, Janet Huckabee.
My dad is still in Israel, but he promised he would tune in and watch. Mom and Dad, we love you, and we're praying for you. On
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Easter Sunday, my dad sent our family the note that he had sent to his full embassy staff.
He said, and I quote, This weekend marks one year since I came to serve as ambassador. On my first full day in Jerusalem, I went to the Western Wall to place a prayer that President Trump had handwritten and given to me in the Oval Office to bring on behalf of the American people. Two days later, Janet and I attended the Easter sunrise service at the Garden Tomb. It was a wonderful beginning to the adventure of a lifetime.
In one year, we've lived through five wars with Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, the 12-day war with Iran last summer, and now Operation Epic Fury. Tomorrow will be a very different kind of Easter for us than last year. The sunrise service at the Garden Tomb is canceled for safety concerns. If churches meet at all, they will be limited to no more than 50 people or less, depending on their shelter capacity.
Perhaps you think that I'm deeply depressed by such a somber atmosphere and very limited options for public worship this Easter. But while there is some personal disappointment, my faith is fueled not by how full the churches or how special the services are. It is fueled by the emptiness of the tomb. Signed, Mike Huckabee.
If you hear nothing else I say today, hear this. Jesus is our living hope for each of us, for our state, for our country. America was founded 250 years ago as one nation under God. We have our differences, but our shared faith, our shared values, and our shared love of the people of Arkansas is stronger and more important than any difference.
The people of Arkansas sent each one of us here to work together to solve problems and lead a better, more prosperous state. 250 years ago, our founders put aside their differences to create a new nation forged around the ideals of liberty and justice.
We are heirs to that great country, and we should do the same. The immediate threats our founders faced were very different, but the challenges so many Arkansans face every day is no less daunting. Despite adversity, there is hope. We live in the best state in the greatest country in the world, and the state of our Our state has never been stronger.
Not long ago, my husband Brian and our 10-year-old son George were driving to a friend's hunting camp. It was late. They had the music gone. And George put down the window to look up at the stars. He said to Brian, "It should be a rule that you can never live somewhere. You can't see the stars." After a successful hunt the next morning, they were driving back home, and George said, "Daddy, I've made my decision.
I'm going to live here in the Delta when I grow up. It has it all. You can farm, you can hunt, you can fish, and you can see the stars." I share with my kids often remind me of what's really important and just how blessed I am. The work we do here is ultimately not about us, but about the next generation. To make Arkansas a land of unlimited opportunity for our kids and our grandkids. Congratulations, Senator.
But the Arkansas we know and love in all of its beauty and its extraordinary potential will not be the one that our kids inherit if we don't fight for it. Since I stood before you in this chamber last year, President Trump was sworn in for a second historic term, and he has made quick work of his many campaign promises. Our country's border is no longer open. Tax cuts from his first term are now permanent.
Our enemies abroad actually fear us. He exposed government waste and the common sense values that made our country great are once again guiding us forward into another golden age of America. And President Trump has no greater friend than the people of Arkansas.
At the end of last year, I started the Faces of Arkansas program, which every month tells the story of a different Arkansan who's impacted by the work that each of us do here. Their portraits hang in my office as a reminder of our top priority, the people of our state. Today I'm not here just to talk about policies, but to share the stories and the faces of Arkansans who are counting on us to make a real difference in their lives.
You all know that my first policy priority as governor has been education. And three years after the LEARNS Act was signed into law, we have an incredible story that we can all be proud
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of. Reading scores in every single grade level but one have gone up.
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And literacy coaches are now working in every D and F-rated school in the state of Arkansas. Three years ago, our schools were ranked 43rd in the country. Now we're 36th, and I know that we will only keep moving up.
With us today is Kevin from Tiller, Arkansas. He's a senior at Cornerstone Christian. Before the LEARNS Act, Kevin's family would never have been able to afford private school tuition, so they were resigned to Kevin being in a struggling assigned school. However, two years ago, because of the EFA program created by LEARNS, Kevin was able to enroll in Cornerstone Christian.
Thanks to Cornerstone's learning lab, he saw enormous growth in his academics. And for the very first time in school, he had hope for the future. He's now taking welding classes at the U of A's technical school campus in McGee. At the end of the year, Kevin hopes not only to graduate with his high school diploma, but also be well on his way to his welding certificate in a great career right here in Arkansas. You helped make that happen.
Thank you, Kevin. Kevin, thank you for not giving up and showing the power of grit and hard work. Thank you, Kevin. we hear stories like Kevin's everywhere we go Melissa Ferguson is a mom of two who lives in
Northwest Arkansas. The Fergussons are a military family and have two kids with learning differences. Melissa knew her kids needed extra care and attention when learning and who better to give it to them than herself. Through the EFA program Melissa is able to homeschool her kids with specialized resources and individualized attention. Another student is a young woman I've had the privilege of knowing for a very long time. Easter Seals student, Allie. She's the daughter of one of
my close friends from college. Although Allie has always been a happy kid, it was hard for her parents to find a sense of belonging for her. They wanted a place where she could find self-confidence and joy in everyday life. A place where Allie is really seen and known. They found that community at Easter Seals. Last spring, Allie got to participate in the Easter Seals fashion show. Most kids would be pretty nervous about something like that, but Allie wasn't. She talked about it
for days ahead of time. And the night she finally got to put on her pink jumpsuit, she could not take enough pictures or practice enough walks down the runway. When Allie finally took the stage for the event itself, she walked that runway without a care in the world. That may not seem like a big deal, but for Allie, it's one of those life-changing, never-forget experiences. And it was something that was only possible because of the specialized education that she receives at Easter Seals.
You helped make that happen. "A good education is the key that opens the door to a lifetime of opportunity. We cannot allow a child's destiny to be determined by their zip code or the size of their parents' bank account. We will honor our commitment to the next generation, and in Arkansas, no child will ever again
be trapped in a failing school or sentenced to a lifetime in poverty. We will empower Arkansans with the opportunity to be everything that God created them to be.
When you send me a budget, think of Kevin, think of Melissa, think of Allie, and think of the 44,000 other EFA students whose lives have been forever changed because we fully fund the LEARNS Act. We will not let them down.
But LEARNS wasn't just about investing in education freedom. It was also the largest investment in public schools in Arkansas history. And a big part of that went exactly where it should, to our teachers, because we know that great education starts with great educators.
We raised starting teacher pay from $36,000 to $50,000. We gave every single teacher in the state of Arkansas a $2,000 raise and became one of only two states in the entire country to give teachers 12 weeks of paid maternity leave.
That's a big deal. I think I might become a teacher after this. Another program I'm really proud of is the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund, which in just the first three years has already delivered $30 million in bonus pay
to more than 7,000 amazing educators. And one of those great teachers is here with us today, Monica Brewington, a fifth-grade teacher from Pocahontas. Monica comes from a long line of educators, and she has spent the last three decades in the classroom. Monica's students love her,
and she has built a legacy mentoring future teachers. Monica says she was always raised to do her best, with or without recognition. But when she got a call from her superintendent and heard that she was getting a $7,000 bonus through the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund. She felt like it had all paid off. She was finally being recognized for her hard work. A nationwide survey was just released this week that shows 89%, 89% of our teachers are satisfied with their jobs.
Thanks to the LEARNS Act, Arkansas now ranks number one in the nation for teacher job
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satisfaction. That matters, because you can't have great schools without great teachers.
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While other states struggle to recruit and retain them, Arkansas is now the best state in America to be a teacher. Monica, we are inspired by what you do for your students. Thank you for your incredible work. When you send me a budget, think of Monica and every other teacher counting on our work
here in Little Rock. But the progress doesn't end there. When I took office, only 35% of Arkansas kids could read at grade level. It was a crisis. By third grade, a child must be able to read in order to learn. And way too many kids in Arkansas kept falling further and further behind. In case you didn't know, the L in LEARNS stands for literacy.
We recognized if we don't address this crisis, we will not improve our schools. So through LEARNS, we funded and deployed 120 full-time literacy coaches and provided literacy tutoring grants for families. And now, in the most recent year for which we have data, 2,700 additional kids are reading at or above proficiency. Think of that.
Think of that, 2,700 kids who without learns would have left school completely unprepared to succeed. We are making tremendous strides and finally on the right track to improving public education in our state. Just a few weeks ago, I visited Merle Taylor Elementary in Jacksonville. Guess whose district that's in?
It had consistently been the worst performing school in the district. It also serves kids who need more support than anywhere else. Over 60% of its students come from low-income families. But because of LEARNS, in just three years, this school has gone from an F-rated school to a B, and I know that they are headed for an A.
And the woman who engineered that change is with us today, Principal Brandy Howell.
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She's so good, I promise I'm going to give you a chance
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to clap for her again. She's the type of person I'd like to clone and put in every single school in our state. When I visited the school, I got to see her leadership firsthand. As we were leaving one of the classrooms we visited, Principal Howell called out, "Learning Learning is what? I expected the students to say something like "fun" or "exciting."
Instead, they responded "required." It's blunt, but it's true. If we want to see every student succeed and reach their full potential, learning must be required. But slogans are not the reason that Principal Howell has been successful.
This is a school where teachers track every single one of their students' progress so So that if they fall behind, they have access to early intervention provided by the LEARNS Act. They teach their kids to read using the data-proven science of reading, not experimental methods that have been tried and failed. And Principal Howell supports her teachers. When she took over the school, they had 13 staffing vacancies.
Last year, they had zero. Howell, thank you for fighting for your students, for setting the bar high, and showing what is possible when we require learning. Thank you, Principal.
When you send me a budget, think of Principal Howell and the students that our great educators serve every single day. A few years ago, I heard a story from two friends of mine in Pine Bluff, Bill and Sherry Jones. Bill and Sherry are successful business owners. When their son was younger, Bill coached his baseball team. The first year he coached, Bill noticed that his team was absolutely stacked with talent.
But despite his players' athleticism, they couldn't win. Bill enlisted his wife to help him figure out what the disconnect was. Sherry came to practice and quickly realized that the players were hungry. Many of the kids weren't being fed regularly at home. So Sherry started bringing food to every practice, and not just orange slices and juice boxes, but full meals. She told her husband to hold more practices so she could be sure that they had dinner.
She paid out-of-pocket to feed her son's entire team, just so some kids in the Delta didn't go to bed hungry. That team went on to win three championships. one of the most heartbreaking challenges that families in poverty struggle with is food insecurity, which is why we made sure, with the work of this group, that every single student can get free breakfast at school. And we set up summer food programs so kids are getting meals
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even when they're not on campus. You helped make that
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happen. When you send me a budget, think of every child in this state who would go hungry without
our work to prioritize them. Fully funding education makes up the largest portion of this year's budget request, but it's not the only priority my team focused on when crafting it. Another needed increase goes to those who protect and serve our state. Years ago, other cities and states made the disastrous decision to defund their police. Arkansas went the opposite
direction. We fund our police and we will back the blue every single day in this state. From the Protect Act to Death by Delivery to the Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act,
we have fought to give law enforcement the tools they need to do their job and protect Arkansans. We put a law and order and rehabilitation-focused majority on the Board of Corrections. We ensured the most violent criminals serve their full sentence. We've opened 1,500 new beds at existing prison facilities, and we created a recidivism pilot program to get inmates back in the workforce
and kept off the streets once they've served their time. In 2024, I announced a new state employee pay plan to give our heroes in law enforcement and our corrections officers the raises that they deserve. In this year's budget, we are fully funding that commitment.
At the end of last year, our latest troop school graduated and was led by Trooper Bailey Bowers. Trooper Bowers started in law enforcement as a state trooper in his home state of Michigan, but three years into his career up north, he wanted a change. The pay raise we provided to new state troopers encouraged Bailey to make the leap and enroll in troop school in Arkansas, but money wasn't the only thing that brought him here.
He also valued leadership, and when he arrived at the troop school, he was able to focus on his three priorities, God, family, and the Arkansas State Police. He says it meant something, that there were Bibles in the barracks, and that he and a group of other troop school students could gather after lights out and pray. Today, Trooper Bowers is based at Troop L in northwest Arkansas, and he is just one of many state troopers who have come to our state because of competitive pay, a great
environment and a state that will always protect our people and always stand with our law enforcement. Trooper Bowers, thank you for
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your service. We are so grateful for our heroes in uniform. Thank you Trooper Bowers.
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When you send me a budget, think of Trooper Bailey Bowers and all the men and women of law enforcement who keep us safe and are counting on us to back them up. The budget we work together to pass doesn't just invest in education. It doesn't just invest in public safety. It doesn't just invest in our most vulnerable.
it also holds the line on out-of-control growth of government. And I know that that hasn't been easy. I tasked our state agencies to do more with less so we can deliver savings while still providing quality service and investing more in our key priorities. Thank you to the members of the Cabinet who are in the back of the room who have helped make that possible. You guys are doing an amazing job.
best team in the country my arkansas forward initiative plays a key part in that effort for example we had unused phone and fax lines but we were still paying monthly contracts on them Arkansas Forward cut those and is now saving taxpayers $1.4 million every year just getting rid of something we weren't using.
We renegotiated contracts with child welfare providers to return $5.2 million to the state. We brought a costly web application contract at the Office of Early Childhood in-house, saving us $2.4 million. In total, Arkansas Forward has identified at least $300 million in savings and is working rapidly toward implementing those efficiencies. In the meantime, you and I have worked together to cut our state income tax by over 20% in the last three years, returning more than a billion dollars back to taxpayers.
We worked together and we eliminated Arkansas's most regressive tax, the grocery tax, so families can afford to put more food on their tables. To fuel investment and growth, I signed executive orders to streamline state government, cutting permitting in half and removed regulations. I've led economic trade missions around the world to secure deals that helped further establish
our state as a leader in aerospace, defense, steel, energy, and advanced manufacturing, creating thousands of high-paying jobs for Arkansans. Thanks in part to that work, Arkansans are producing some of the key components of Israel's Iron Dome, and hopefully will be instrumental in building President Trump's Golden Dome to protect America. We cut the permitting time on new energy projects from 18 months down to 6 months, helping Arkansans
continue to enjoy some of the lowest utility rates in the country. The results are indisputable. Arkansas was recently ranked the number one state for lowest cost of living. The number one state Americans are relocating to for the second year in a row. And the number one fastest growing economy in the nation. And as of this morning, we have more people working in our state than ever before in Arkansas.
That's a good thing. Arkansas has never been stronger, but we still have challenges. For many, affordability is still a struggle, and some of our most vulnerable are particularly exposed.
A priority in my budget is the 1033 initiative, named after a passage in the Bible, Luke 1033, the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan after he commanded his followers to love your neighbor as yourself. As Christians and as lawmakers, we are called to be that Good Samaritan and to care for the least among us. We also know that keeping people trapped in a cycle of dependency isn't caring for them.
It's making them forever reliant on government, and that is unacceptable. The 1033 initiative breaks that cycle. Holly Reyes, who is joining us today from Russellville, is someone whose story we want to see repeated all across Arkansas. Several years ago, Holly was in court, and not for the first time. She'd been driving for five years with a suspended license, was battling addiction, living in a homeless shelter with her kids, and had just left a 20-year-long relationship.
It was Holly's rock bottom. Tickets had piled upon suspensions. Suspensions had piled upon fines. She tried to explain it all to the judge. He told her to sit and wait until the end of the docket. Holly was sure she was headed to jail. Instead, the judge did something totally unexpected. He told her about a community support model that could turn her life around. Through that program, Holly was assigned an advocate, LaTosha.
Holly told her she was overwhelmed by the barriers she faced. I don't know how to maintain sobriety. I don't know how to pay my bills. I don't know how I'm going to feed my kids. But LaTosha helped. First, they applied for SNAP to get Holly's kids groceries. They got Holly a driver's license. They found Holly a permanent place to live and a job opportunity. The next time, Holly was in court to get her license back.
She wasn't alone. Latasha was standing there with her. And today, Holly doesn't just have a driver's license. She's employed, off food stamps, and she's sober. Holly, we are so proud of the enormous change you have made to your life and for the courage
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to let us tell your story. Thank you.
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When you send me a budget, think of Holly and the thousands of other vulnerable Arkansans
that we can move from crisis to career through the 1033 initiative. We will show that integrated technology and strong community partnerships will decrease the need for welfare, grow our workforce, and deliver taxpayer savings through more efficient use of resources. Today I'm asking all of us to make the right but tough decisions. We can care for our people, and we can still hold the line on the expansion of government.
No new Medicaid coverage mandates, no additional long-term ongoing expenses. If we do that together, as soon as we pass our budget, I will call a special session to cut income taxes for the fourth time in four years. This will allow us to immediately cut taxes by another two-tenths of a point and return more than a hundred and eighty million dollars to taxpayers this year.
When we do this, together, we will have cut 25% off of our state income tax in just four years and given back more than $1.5 billion to our people. Low taxes and a great quality of life are a really big reason that people move to our state. But I believe the best way to keep our state growing is to protect and preserve our values and our way of life.
No woke indoctrination in our classrooms. No men in women's sports. No big tech exploiting our kids. No catch and release for the most dangerous, violent criminals.
And no foreign adversaries in Arkansas. I am proud to have worked with this body to be the first governor in the country to kick communist China off of our farmland and out of our state and make them pay for it on the way out the door. Our Kansans love God and one another, and we must never forget what makes our state truly unique and special, our shared faith.
We can be confident in our future, not because we are great and strong, but because Christ is great and strong within us. During my two-and-a-half years serving as President Trump's press secretary, I traveled on every single one of his foreign trips. The most unforgettable was December 25th of 2018. And I'm sure some of you, as I'm starting this story, think you've heard it before.
But just wait until the end. My husband Brian and I had just cleaned up the wrapping paper left around the house by our three kids when I had to walk out on my own family's Christmas. I couldn't tell them where I was going because the place I was traveling to was so dangerous they didn't want anyone to know that the president would be on the ground even for a few hours. We boarded Air Force One in complete and total darkness.
There were no lights on the plane. There were no lights on the runway. We were going completely off the grid. Twelve hours later, in the pitch black, we landed in the war-torn part of western Iraq. Again, no lights on the plane, no lights on the runway. The only light that you could see was coming from about a mile away of where we had touched down. And the reason there was light in that location, because it was a dining hall packed with hundreds of U.S. troops gathered thinking they were having dinner with senior military leadership from around the region.
They had absolutely no idea that the president and the first lady were about to walk into that room. And when they did, it was a sight and a sound that I hope I never forget. That room absolutely erupted. Men and women from every race, every religion, every political party stood up and chanted over and over and over again in perfect unison.
USA, USA, USA. One of the young soldiers yelled from the back. He said, Mr. President, I re-enlisted in the military because of you. And the president said, and son, I'm here because of you. As the president made his way around that room, that same young soldier came up to me and he said, Hey, Sarah, you have a tough job. I told him what I'd do is nothing.
I'd take questions. You'd take bombs and bullets. That is a tough job. And then in a moment that I know I will cherish forever, that soldier reached up and he pulled the brave rifle's patch off of his shoulder. And he placed it into my hand. He said, Sarah, we are in this together. I couldn't say anything, so I just hugged him, thankful for the heroes who keep us free.
That moment changed my life in ways I'm still seeing nearly seven years later. I've told that story hundreds of times over many years, but I've never publicly shared the next part. That young soldier's name is Dustin Singer. Dustin is originally from Texas, which I'm still working to forgive. After Hurricane Katrina, he dropped out of high school and worked in the oil fields.
After he got laid off in 2008, he joined the United States Army at age 18. He deployed to Iraq, then to Afghanistan, then to that last deployment in Syria and Iraq again. He finished his service with the old guard at Arlington National Cemetery, keeping watch over our heroes on our country's most hollowed ground. My retelling of our meeting in Iraq reached Dustin
when he returned back to the States, and he reached out to me. He shared how he and his wife had settled in Virginia and that he was now raising two young kids. We talked about everything that had happened in both of our lives since that first meeting, and as we were wrapping our call, He says, my next question caught him off guard. I asked, have you ever thought about moving to Arkansas? Dustin had never even been to Arkansas
and certainly never considered it a place he'd call home. But I knew he was a hard worker and was the exact type of person we wanted to recruit to our state. So on January 19th of 2025, Dustin officially left the Army and on January 25, 2025, he officially started his job at the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs. He bought a bigger house for less money here in Little Rock.
He even brought his grandmother to live here. And while it's not standing on the battlefield, the work he is doing now is life-changing for his fellow servicemen and women. He personally talks to dozens and dozens of veterans a week, telling them all the reasons they should move to Arkansas like he did. He helps them when they exit the service, find a job and a home, and build a great life
right here in his new home state of Arkansas. I can think of nobody better to move or work here than those who have worn our nation's uniform. In just one year, the program that he helps run has become so successful that we're expanding it to help even more of our great veterans call Arkansas home. One of the men Dustin recently talked to is Mason Bennett, who served with Dustin at
Arlington National Cemetery. When Mason left the army, he also moved to Virginia. He got a job, but the cost of living was astronomical. So he moved to Alabama. The cost of living was low, but he couldn't find a job. So Mason got in touch with his old friend Dustin. He told him he needed help. He said he was really looking for a job that could pay him $30,000. Dustin replied, "How does $57,000 sound?" On a Monday, Mason flew into Little Rock, and on Tuesday, he was hired at the Arkansas Department of Corrections to work as a corporal at the Wrightsville unit.
Mason likes his job and the fact that he's able to continue to serve his community. But moving to Arkansas was about much more than that. So much that his mom and dad are moving here next year, too. And when asked why, he said, because the American dream is alive, and it's in Arkansas. That's incredible. Our nation has unfortunately lost more than 150,000 veterans to suicide since 9-11.
That's more than 10 times the number killed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terror combined. That's unacceptable. And in Arkansas, we're fixing it. We're standing with our veterans, and we're empowering them with a new mission and a new sense of purpose, thanks to the great work of heroes like Dustin. Dustin and Mason are here with us today. And as governor, I proudly say to you both, welcome home.
We are forever grateful for your selfless, heroic service to our nation. Thank you. Thank you.
When you send me a budget, think of Dustin, and Mason, and Kevin, and Melissa, and Allie, and Monica. Think of Principal Howell, and Trooper Bowers. Think of Holly, and every single one of the three million people who are privileged enough to call Arkansas home. As Mason said, the American dream is alive in Arkansas.
And it's up to each and every one of us, the heirs of pioneers and patriots, to keep it alive for generations to come. Our vision is for an Arkansas where strong families thrive in safe communities, where jobs are abundant and paychecks are rising, Where the freedom that our veterans shed their blood to defend is the birthright of every man, woman, and child.
Where schools get back to teaching, reading, writing, math, and science. And where our children learn that the identity that truly matters is the one we all share. Our identity as children of God and citizens of the United States of America. 250 years ago, our founders put aside their differences and established the greatest nation the world has ever known.
This session let us remember the lessons of that founding generation and build a state that honors their legacy and stands strong and free for 250 years to come. May God bless you, and may God bless the great state of Arkansas. Thank you. Thank you.
Representative Stephen Meeks
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Representative Meeks, for what purpose? Motion, please. I'll hear your motion. Mr. Speaker, Madam Lieutenant Governor, I move that we adjourn this joint session of the 95th General Assembly.
Chair
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Representative Meeks, that's a proper motion. It's non-debatable. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed, nay. The ayes have it. The joint session is adjourned. Members,
Representative Brian S. Evans
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the House will reconvene in five minutes. The House will reconvene in five minutes. And the
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Senate will reconvene in ten minutes. Thank you.
Unknown speaker
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Representative Stephen Meeks
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2:23:59
Representative Meeks for what purpose motion please hear your motion pursuant to house rule 33 m i move that we adjourn until
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one o'clock tomorrow afternoon That's a proper
Representative Aker
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motion. It's non-debatable. All in favor say aye.
Opposed nay. The ayes have it. Do we have any announcements, any committee announcements? Representative Lee Johnson, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. Joint budget will meet at 2.30
Representative Lee Johnson
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2:24:42
in Big Mac A and then again tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. in Big Mac A.
Representative Aker
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2:24:48
Joint budget Big Mac A at 2.30. Any other committee announcements? Seeing none, the
Representative Brian S. Evans
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2:24:57
desk will remain open as needed for the reading of the bills. And upon completion of the items named in the adjourned resolution,
the House will be adjourned until
Chair
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1:00 PM tomorrow. Representative Pilkington, your vote.
Agenda
1. Call to order by Speaker of the House Brian S. Evans.
2. Invocation by Pastor Richard Hamlin, Senior Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Cabot, Arkansas.
3. Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean.
4. Electronic Roll Call of the House.
5. Representative Vaught presents House Resolution 1001 for a joint session of the House and Senate to hear an address by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
7. Speaker Brian S. Evans appoints the following named Representatives as the Committee to notify the Senate that the House is in session and ready for business.
Representative Stephen Meeks, Chairman Representative Denise Garner Representative Brandon Achor Representative Tara Shepherd Representative Jeremy Wooldridge Representative Jessie McGruder
8. Speaker Brian S. Evans appoints the following named Representatives as the Committee to notify Governor Sanders that the House is in session and ready for business.
Representative Ron McNair, Chairman Representative Austin McCollum Representative Julie Mayberry Representative Harlan Breaux Representative Tracy Steele Representative Brad Hall
9. Reading of the Bills that have been introduced.
10. Announcements.
11. Recess.
1. Call to order by Speaker of the House Brian S. Evans
2. Moment of silence for the late Representative Stan Berry
3. Invocation by Pastor Richard Hamlin, Senior Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Cabot, Arkansas.
4. Posting of Colors by Arkansas State Police Honor Guard
5. Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean
6. National Anthem by Morgan Warbington, Office of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
7. Roll Call of the Senate by the Secretary of the Senate
8. Electronic Roll Call of the House by the Clerk
9. President of the Senate Leslie Rutledge announces the following named Senate Committee appointed by Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester, to escort Governor Sanders to the House Chamber:
Senator Jane English , Chairperson Senator Blake Johnson Senator Reginald Murdock
10. Speaker Evans appoints the following named Representatives as the Committee to escort Governor Sanders to the House Chamber:
Representative Lane Jean, Chairperson Representative Matthew Shepherd Representative Fred Allen Representative Frances Cavenaugh Representative Marcus Richmond Representative Jeffrey Wardlaw
11. Governor Sanders is presented to the General Assembly by Speaker Brian S. Evans.
12. Address by Governor Sanders.
Recess
13. Joint Session adjourns.
reconvene
adjourn
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Speaker 1
Speaker 10
Speaker 11
Speaker 22
Speaker 24
Speaker 31
Chair
Unverified
Representative Brian S. Evans
Unverified
Speaker 45
Speaker 50
Speaker 51
Speaker 53
Speaker 56
Representative Aker
Unverified
Speaker 58
Representative Kendra Moore Chair
Unverified
Speaker 67
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
Speaker 77
Representative Tracy Steele
Unverified
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
Speaker 91
Speaker 104
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Speaker 123
Speaker 125
Speaker 127
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Speaker 142
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Speaker 144
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Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Speaker 182
Speaker 37
Speaker 180
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified