Education Committee - Senate

Senator Tucker Senate bill three oh three. No I have you on the list topped the list for three three of three. Okay so you need three sixty four ACT. You identify yourself you'll be recognized. Thank you ma'am. Our state. This is the bill we. As to do with a state takeover of a little strict. Estimate that last time I was committed the amendment is now fully engrossed it's the bill. the down amending there's not much to. And. The ex gratia request in two years take over and then sections the any just say that section D. says that if the school district meets those action criteria within five years in the district goes back local control and then section he says if the school district does not meet those criteria after five years of state takeover than the. Well controlled I visit with former representatives Rep. I as I said the first. Awesome this. I'm really the. The within two years which again the department is is okay with so so that's really it. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized. I thank you madam chair senator Clark thank you for taking my question my original legislation said that when they took the mopar they had to kill why and how to get out of control why we decided we will give them two years to identify. What they needed to do in order to get back in order to tell folks what they need to do in order to get to school districts back. Because my contention that if you take a school district over you ought to know exactly what they have done and you ought to be able to tell them exactly what they need to do to get their districts back so would you clarify why that change. What in an existing law. The department has to promulgate the X. across here and there's no timeline on. Are in Little Rock. And the expert here in February of nineteen so for years and one month later that was way too long in my judgment. And I tried to come up with a number reasonable and the Department was fine with two years so that's why I put that number in the bill. There any other questions from the committee. Is there anybody here speak for against this. Nobody here speak for against the bill what is the will of the committee. Senator Chesterfield lives do pass Senator Leding seconds all in favor. All opposed. Thank you bill thank you thank you thank you members. Right next on our list is Senator Hammer unit to Senate bill three oh eight. Identify yourself you'll be recognized. Thank you Kim Hammer state senator district sixteen I'm running Senate bill three await for Senator Dismang. A bill for self explanatory think that worked out with the governor's office as far as the previous bill that was going to be offered and they've got it down to where it's degree bill and the headline pretty well says it all that it's concerning the federal funding for children nutrition programs create a means by which students who qualify for reduced price meals and school receive free meals at school we all know that because of the federal cutbacks it is caused the Great is because a great issue among students at school that were otherwise depending on those meals that no longer would be able to get them and so what this bill does is create a mechanism where we can use us on the funding in order to make it possible well be glad to try to answer any questions I can. Dotson. Thank you madam chair Senator Hammer. At what what is I guess I was a little confused I've heard that Or seventy seven was replacing Senate bill three oh eight And I'm trying to understand the differences between now because I've for some odd reason Senator Dismang I thought through it wasn't running it was four seventy seven on the thirty chair may have been handed the wrong bill it's on the list they're both on the agenda but. At four seventy seven be the replacement one I've thought for seventy seven was replacement that I handed the wrong bill will be I just want to. We have four seventy seven. Four seventy sevens toward the bottom of the agenda that. Hello similar law. Bad Mike up for seventy seven. Thank you welcome. Does exactly what I said earlier shows for seventy seven out three oh eight. Okay. Right right answering questions. Senator Chesterfield I want to thank Senate senator Hammer for bringing this bill too many times our kids have Patty. Just about anything not to be hungry. It is time that we started recognized that a child with a child and that. And so I would appreciate and support this bill thank you. Any other questions from the committee Collins. Anybody in the audience to speak for against this bill. I don't think there is anybody. Four okay let's see. I'm and nest. Thanks for the bill. You have two minutes. Good morning. I'm Amanda western education director for the Monticello school district and I'm also the Arkansas school nutrition president elect and I would just like to ask support for this bill Do away with the reduced meal prices so students can eat free. A charge and. If we were able to provide three meals a charge to our reduce students this what I'm able to provide an additional eighty student meals. With free meals in the Monticello school district in approximately forty nine thousand reduced meals. Eligible across the state of Arkansas. This helps families that are struggling it reduces the stigma and reduces school meal debt. When students come to school we feed students were regardless and at the end of the year. That that has to be paid by the district in our district currently today we have around twenty three thousand dollars in debt. For school meals ten percent of that is reduced meals that sound like a lot but that breaks down to around fifty one hundred reduce mail lunches it would greatly impact. I believe all kids in the state of Arkansas because kids cannot learn on empty your kids are hungry and. One one story I'd like to share a family working family mothers and our fathers and minister and they have six children thank call five four reduced meals and they still couldn't afford it that sounds like a lot but when you have six students in the school district it does. It adds up and. Whatever those kids were allowed to eat free at school the mother told me that her kids were excited because they were not carry peanut butter and honey sandwiches every day. They were able to receive a free meal at school like their peers and. And what my superintendent miss sandy lane Hart has said. At. Our families depend on nutritious meals that are essential for physical growth emotional growth in academic growth. And I would really love to see this bill passed. Thank you very much thank you. A Corey Keller. One. Identify yourself to be recognized you have two minutes thank you madam chair and committee members. I am Corey Keller I'm actually a constituent of yours madam chair and an advocate for the American heart association. I was not able to recognize hunger in my community and so I was in middle school the boy who sat next to me every single day in class with students secure and I had no idea. One Friday I saw him get a bag of food after school to take home for the weekend after further investigation I realized that he was the one in four children in the State of Arkansas that are food insecure and part of the seventy five percent of children in the stock art school district who are on free or reduced price school meals at the time. Children who are food insecure can experience health risks associated with malnourishment import eating habits like an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes behavioral and social problems and diminished academic performance are additional side effects of food insecurities many students rely on school meals to be nourished for the week I support Senate bill three oh eight or four seventy seven because of my classmates stock or in all of the children in Arkansas they deserve a fair chance diss to succeed academically without the pressures of school will payments for debt. Any opportunity you have to ensure that Arkansas students are nourished and excel in the classroom is an opportunity. We are creating the future of Arkansas and I encourage you to support and vote yes for the next generation of our Kansans thank you very much. Session by the committee. Thank you yes we do that can make a closing comment yes thank you. the one thing I want to draw attention to on the bill is first of all this is bipartisan support the one thing we sometimes as Republicans and Democrats differ on many issues we kind of go to the opposite end of many issues but is good to be able to come together Is bipartisan body and unify the one fact that none of us want to see kids in school go hungry or come to school hungry or have to stay at school hungry so I would like to commend Senator Dismang representative Vaught on the fact that they were able to bring bipartisan support on this bill and the other thing I'd like to thank the governor's office for working Senator Dismang in order to make this bill come to come to the point that I would ask for a favorable vote I've heard senator Chesterfield make a motion I'd like to make second if I would madam chair. They're Chesterfield is the House. Senator Hammer second all in favor. All those. Thank you pass the bill thank you measure members committee. Okay let's see senator mark Johnson. Senate bill three seventy. You identify yourself be recognized. I Mark Johnson Senate district seventeen thank you madam chair of. We are gonna run the amendment I may speak first off. Which is. I'm sorry madam chair I had not signed this amendment yet is. This five. Misplaced the chair. Thank you Sir. I'm sure I apologize the staff asked me to sign the amendment before we do that and it will be passed out of a I'm here to present the. Senate bill three seventy the image first somewhat complicated but I will try to calculate his miss let's let people see the amendment yes ma'am thank you. I don't know. Yes. Okay. Is this is pretty much the bill The Amendment I'm sorry amended the bill or this is an amendment to the bill. Okay. So would you explain the amendment yes ma'am and and let me also introduce a of professor Rick felt Steele who is a former UA little rock law professor and now out of state different school it immunities himself momentarily but that. Before I could actually explain the amendment I better explain the purpose of the amendment and have where it fits into this of. The bill prior to the amendment one of the changes it would do and consolidating the administrative expenses of both available in little rock Law School is that the wood to revert to where we were many years ago when the Little Rock School was was a branch of federal and we have one team up that was in the Senate bill three seventy the amendment will remove that provision there will still be two teams one for while in school and one for left for school in fable so that's basically what the amendment does but it it continues to look for cost savings through consolidation of of the. The school and and it doesn't change the number of students or the number of professors it simply addresses the administrative costs and that I would appreciate to. A good vote on the amendment and then we'll move on. Do I have a motion on the amendment. Chesterfield you're recognized and I I've I've said to Senator thank you madam chair. my concern that the drop in the amendment. Is that we have got to go back and forth between the bill and the amendment to try to make sense of it all. In I have asked in the past that we would. At at least have been engrossed in the bill so that it reads. Any flows more smoothly for us to for me to understand I can't speak for anybody else a need to understand because now I'm running between lines twenty eight and thirty one and thirty six excuse me twenty eight and thirty six I got to find out where this state would you be so kind as to get this engrossed so that we could see. The bill ready thanks let let me respond to you this way first of all I understand agree and you asked me about a a bill headed retirement the other day which I gladly did that yes because it was complex and you need to see it contacts if you would hold your your request in abeyance for just a little files you might feel that it's not necessary to do that but certainly I understand everything you say and I want to accommodate that because I also share your frustration often when I'm trying to put a amendment in context so if you would just let us go and adopted now and then we will will discuss it at that at a little bit later in my presentation I've asked for a favorable vote on the amendment and your. I have a motion to. Thank. What on paper Opposed. Thanks thank you after a again I want to welcome a professor built steel and he was a catalyst for this bill in the first place and I want to thank My co sponsor senator Caldwell Senator Clark here Gilmore Senator Hill Senator McKee centre Payton and representatives back Beatty Bentley long and Pilkington for working with me on this Again this came about because of the study done I believe about twelve years ago my correct professor of back up professor Phil Steele when he was at the Bowen School of Law UALR. It it basically said instead of having to relatively mediocre law schools we should have one great law school and he outlined in his it's paper the winds and we're for so that I will let him touch on that in just a moment but at the time and I will allow him to correct me if I have some historical facts wrong because obviously it was twelve years ago but it's my understanding that he originally presented this as a law review article and the dean at the time of day in the paper declined to allow that to be published by the you L. R. Bowen School of Law review subsequently the arcade Vance Arkansas institute which some we are familiar with it was founded by former state representative Dan Greenberg published a published this paper that he had had written which course of being in a private organization they could do so it obviously was critical the status quo but it pointed out academic and and Educational reasons why it would be best to consolidate the two schools and it also had a effective for a. Generating some some push back on anytime you do making changes but more specifically and I will use the the twenty eleven numbers that he was dealing with the time in his estimation it would save the State of about one point two million dollars a year now we can figure inflation and then twelve years of a new cost I want to say it would be between one and a half and two million dollars a year in savings which would not affect a single student or faculty member that teaches but would also allow the that savings to go to scholarships or for some other thing actually help students become better lockers and I That number that I just threw out there is an estimate and it does not include the effect of the amendment because when you have administrators making around a quarter million dollars a year and you keep two of them then your yes that's going to affect the saving somewhat but we this is what we have to do that I the question was raised and that professor bill still will address that to that of. If you took away the dean at bow and then there is at least a question of whether or not the school's accreditation would be maintained and so rather than risk of that I would I weigh that against the cost savings and we just terminates its simpler just to take that out of the bill and not risk anything that that could affect the credit station so basically that's what the bill does I have you in in the administrator on the. Bill that is not before submitted on page two lines three through. Twelve you'll see some of the offices that that can be consolidated and The Amendment. A. Contracts that somewhat but the idea is that of course we're gonna save money we're going to have a more efficient operation that could even perhaps be some professors that could to I teach about schools certainly since the twenty eleven we had technologies like zoom and things like that would allow some of these things to happen and cut out some of the redundant costs that to is ultimately a cost to The system the you a system and to both campuses available in Little Rock so if I could madam chair I would like to. Turn the Mike over to a professor felt still let him introduce himself and and to give his testimony and that I would reserve the right to close. You'll identify yourself to be recognized you turn on your. Yes ma'am. good morning madam chair and Senators I repelled steel it's a tremendous privilege to be back in my once home state to be with you today I've been a law professor for twenty five years about half that career here in Little Rock I know chancellor professor at the university of Massachusetts Law School unlicensed practice in Washington DC I live in Rhode Island now with my wife who is also the legal academics she is UALR alumni and Still a proud licensed Arkansas Terry she says hello. centers I'd ask you to imagine something with me to law schools each with distinctive strengths have come together to create extraordinary opportunities for learning experiences for growth from the two locations one a commercial and research of the other a political capital the schools offer world class faculty a curriculum of exceptional breadth and depth in theory practice and interdisciplinary studies geographic presence that spans legal markets a vast alumni network and a strong tradition of diversity and social impact. I wish that that tax I just read to you was about Arkansas. Are those words I took a from a description of rockers university rockers is one fully accredited ABA accredited law school with two campuses one near New York and one in Camden which is near Philadelphia and Trenton. Our records is a for campus land grant university and in twenty fifteen and merchants to law school campuses despite their locations at opposite ends of the state. SP three seventy to be cleared does not do that it does not merge the to law school in Arkansas it's a far more modest proposal. Senator Johnson asked me principally to answer one simple question which is does as B. three seventy a risky accreditation to Arkansas law schools my answer is equally simple it does not I do not even think that it triggers an ABA review though ask for consultation is always wise. The senator has me here because I I left Arkansas to become immersed in ABA accreditation I joined UMass in its second year of operation as the first and still only public law school in the Commonwealth you must hire me laterally from UALR to have someone with experience at a fully accredited ABA law school to take a leadership role in the ABA approval process there I can tell you for a new law school the a BA process is grueling and lengthy. I started a UALR in twenty eleven we got provisional accreditation in twenty twelve and we were fully accredited in twenty sixteen in those years I a lead author to strategic plans for the law school as chair of the faculty and all part of the senior administrative team I coordinated the ABA cell study and site inspection that were pivotal in our application and we are blissfully now in our ten year cycle of accreditation and I have happily happily returned to the classroom. I Senator John says knows and and as you indicated I'm part of the reason invited me was because of the twenty eleven white paper that that he referred to which indicated a potential cost savings by combining administrative functions not affecting student facing public facing services of the law schools to be sure I think that the a I when it when it distributed that paper to legislators in twenty eleven hope it does save you money will get your attention that's not why I wrote the paper though much as the center indicated I wrote it because if you made you made these are the unified law school such a thing existed I wouldn't give you the money back I would have vested in making Arkansas top class law school in the country putting a savings and students faculty and programs rather than in your or see the potential in my view was was even bigger still when I taught here I was very frustrated that the to law school seemed locked into what I described them as a pseudo competition in which each jealously guards its own resource and I understand that it's it's natural to be sure you of a is top plate research institution. That's fabulous programs such as al ag law interdisciplinary opportunities Little Rock is a terrific institution as access to the state capitol a lot of my life and I are here in this building today both those law schools have sharpen their curriculum to facilitate those strengths but the strangeness of it Senator says that when I taught here and my students were not able to take advantage of the opportunities available at the other public law school you have to be seen faith bill or team Little Rock and then in in there was no contact between in my thirteen years here I think I went out to you at your of a twice and I was on my own initiative and the only time I saw the law schools collaborate was when they came here to legislature by anally to ask for money I I would like to see students in Arkansas have the best of both worlds have the most that the public calendar can offer I and to be fair an economic conservative and I support healthy competition but this is not that of the schools have very similar missions and and in the back offices I fear that are cancers are paying for services twice of twenty five states with less the median population in the country Arkansas is one of only three with two public law schools Kentucky has five million people to Arkansas's three the other is Kansas which has Washburn a peculiar municipal university history there in the eighth circuit only Arkansas Missouri have to public law schools Missouri has double the population to private schools as well. I reiterate as peace three seventy does not mercy to law schools the bill modestly because for sharing of overlapping administrative functions I hope that that will cause the law schools to work together APA standards in summary require adequacy in support of the program of legal education student facing services in the program because occasion would not be affected here because as B. three seven would keep a both schools and and two teens as centers indicated that's required by ABA standards there be two chief administrators That there should not be a problem I would I would say that even if rockers has two teams and they split the I missed the administrative side but on top of the faculty salary so as you you know it's technology has made this I think even more possible since seven was in twenty eleven centers and no wonder then that Penn state also is looking to merge its two campuses it's too low schools similarly one flagship university parking when a car loan the of the state capitol. Those two law schools are separating twenty fifteen in that state seeks to achieve efficiency resources and competitiveness as B. three seventy is not as bold but I think a step in the right direction. I think Senator is also for the invitation to speak that point today I have for you for having me today thank you very much are there some questions from the committee. There anybody in the audience to speak for or against the bill. Joni Lee. Identify yourself you'll be recognized your. I'm John day from the University of Arkansas at little rock and vice chancellor for university affairs and handle most the issues for that university at the capitol and and I just want to respond if you thanks that we heard in relation to the bill I think this is a classic case of it if it's not broke don't fix it I think that the I would review first of all that Arkansas has to be up or law schools I thank you Mr Peltz you heard him say that we actually have two very excellent law schools and I would argue that they serve different needs of the state and they serve the legal community very differently from the capital standpoint and bow and we have a number of our students that graduate going to prosecutorial roles and others that work with the legal system here very practitioner type of roles and so we appreciate and we sort of honor those differences I don't believe that the competition that Mr Peltz about two is felt as much as as you might want to allude to and in fact I think the two law schools respect of the distinct submission of both schools and I think that asking for there to be an administrator of a compilation of the schools sort of starts to the terror that is distinct missions are there is not a lack of lawyers in Arkansas Arkansas is fifth from the bottom and the number of lawyers per capita and in their parts of the state they don't have any lawyers that are serving as counties and so the idea that we somehow are there's no demand for the services of the law schools is not in fact the case also I think that the accreditation issues are real and I think that the cost savings would be very limited especially with the amendment that by Senator Johnson is aye Daddy today most of the. Administrative functions that are listed in Senate bill three seventy at what in fact we believe by accreditation standards need to remain at the Bowen School as well as the school of life or injury of bill and not having the services in both buildings I just fully serve the students at each location we believe would be an affront to preservation standards so when a law school is even numbered or thought about being merged or split out of I think that it's safe to say that accreditation would have to begin very early in the process of that does not start with the Senate bill at the capitol it starts with an examination of what it would take to merge those schools are separate those schools and that's a long process that the ABA accreditation unit has to work through with that with that at a locality and so I think that the savings in fact would be minimal we would refute that there's even one point two million that was mentioned in a two thousand eleven article and we believe it would be very limited in terms of savings and and also to add four hundred students to what those school Fayetteville within need to serve in addition to the students that they already have you can't imagine that they could do that with the staff that they have there have to be additional staff on there in so for those reasons we wanted to present our opposition to the bill and I'm glad to take any questions if any members have. There any questions from the committee. Thank you very much. C. Douglas have. Identify yourself you'll be recognized. You're on a you were on. I know you were on. They're temperamental. There is. My apologies Adam chairman members of the committee hi my name is Melissa rust vice president for university relations at the university of Arkansas system please forgive my voice it sat returning from a few days having left me I'm I certainly am not going to cover the ground that my colleague did because she did so I thought very a clean but I would like to share with you that doctor Bob it was unable to be here today had to be out of town at an event but he did want me to express strong opposition from university of Arkansas system with respect to this bill and I also have been asked to likewise expressed strong opposition from university of Arkansas Fayetteville FOR this bill as well and I'll be happy to answer any questions but I did want to share with you that on behalf of the president board of trustees there's no entity within the University of Arkansas System that is supportive of Senate bill three seventy thank you thank you very much with any questions for the. Thank you thank you senator on. Okay. Are you closing your bill. Thank you Mr chair and thank you misli in this for us for my up and sharing that with us of. As I mentioned earlier indifference the request by Senator Chesterfield I would be happy to pull bill to allow it to be engrossed and I wouldn't request you madam chair make sure they could maintain its position on the agenda until we can get it engrossed in the committee can meet again so with with that I appreciate you letting these witnesses specially a professor Phil Steele who travel long like the able to hear his testimony today and our reserve my opportunity to close once it's engrossed and we bring it back to the committee's consideration. You want to expunge the vote I'm sorry ma'am on the adoption in the amendment allow it will then meet at one keep that the amendment because it's gonna be engrossed and then bring back give Senator Chesterfield and others a chance to to review the the bill as engrossed. Well your enemy to be exercised in order to get in on these be the very next meeting is what I'm saying Senator Leding. But we will get it engrossed so the committee can can look at the engrossed bill in context and I am. Thank. Because. Committee chair yes. So. Thank you okay and I have a second. Seventy five all those thank you very much and if it's okay that is what I will do is is put that on members on for tomorrow and that we will have engrossed to be sent back to committee for subsequent meeting thanks okay bye thank you madam chair thank you Committee. Hopefully. Okay of senator Wallace. Senate bill three eighty four. Good morning madam chair Senator David Wallace District nineteen. Members I brought this bill to you last week hold it down for an amendment that amendment has been engrossed The Amendment of was. Cannatech go in nature I had used the term one hour and the the. Senator Chesterfield help me and I'd now says it will be for a classroom period or up to one hour. the other changes that we've made originally I had said from the ninth to the twelfth grade we have lord that now for to go from the six to the twelfth grade M. and what this does is simply. Tell our children in school the advantages of adoption in the benefits of adoption how to go about it on page two from line six the line twenty user reasons why. I'll catch a couple of moments the benefits of adoption to society the types of adoption available We've also added in there that the school will provide information to go home to the parents or legal. Guard. In with that I will stand by for your questions. Other questions from the committee. Senator Chester. No question madam chair but it thank you. thank you senator Wallace for listening to my concerns I think it is a great deal and I have a motion expressing interest will thank you for helping me. Are there any okay said Erdogan. You make a motion. Senator Chesterfield made a motion to do pass senator Dotson seconded all in favor. All opposed thank you very much you pass your bill members thank you so much for that it would close its. The. Okay. Senate. You will be one seventy two. One seventy two. Thank you senator. Thank you madam chair members of the committee Senate bill one seventy two hello this bill came about due to teachers struggling route with the the recent recess stagnant designation changes adopted that made recess instructional time instead non instructional duty time like our line duty or on lunch duty since recess was extended this has shortened the actual. Instruction. Instructional time each day it shorten the availability of time to cover material in classes actual classes is also resulted in some teachers have to cover up to two hundred minutes of recess time each week in addition to Carlijn duty lunch duty and trying to lift trying to fit all the lessons into that shortened class period of time all without leaving any lesson prep time really between classes so this bill is in attempts to balance the need for students to have physical activity while also alleviating some of the stress on teachers and allowing more flexibility for actual academic instruction time. That's. Kind of the the over bill one happy try to answer any questions and questions from the committee. Senator Chesterfield. Thank you. Senate action if you changes so much that because all bills I get we're just. Really not real pleasant toward you. Well as a result of this proposed change so I'm seeing a whole bunch of striking than all of that stuff from the bill the teachers were very much concerned that they were going to have to do extra duty as a result of your bill so tell me now with the changes I assume there's some changes that would speak to the fact that that's not going to be the case because I always hated duty. Because by the time you've finished with it you want it to teach school well because you just worn out so I need only the current law. recess is not duty time it's instructional time. And so teachers are. They have sixty minutes per week of duty time which is like Carlijn duty. Lundstrum duty things like that so we struck that section four years ago in the code in recess quote on quote instructional time. And increased it to a mandatory forty minutes per day. By doing so that now means that the instructional time that they have is. Not considered duty. But it's considered instructional time so teachers are being scheduled to go out and do recess as instructional time they're not getting a break but they go from Carlijn duty to class. A recess to class to lunch duty. The class to recess to class to garland duty in done with the day. and so. That was how this all started I thought I thought we should ask you who is teaching school and at a this is teachers that are reached out to me okay region teaches school and I thought the simple fix this is to. To put recess back in as duty time. And that kind of blew up the world is it is so so this is been an attempt it's much longer bill more complex and I. Someone from possible the Department for the That someone might be able to speak to how this would function a little bit better than I would within their but this is I worked on this over the course of the session to try to come up language that would match the intent of what the teachers are asking with the functionality of how would work within schools and I think we've got to that place but we're at the end and and I'm presenting it to you for consideration and questions and and if someone from the department or a. A a E. a or somebody wants to come and speak more specifically on how would function if you have a question for them I can ask them to come up I would certainly appreciate it because Mr Hernandez could you come and speak to us no because he didn't do duty. Who would be appropriate I don't know. All. You'll all I know is that. When I did duty it was not a good. For my class work. Because when you there early in the morning you have to deal with the difficulties of being on the playground. Engaged in discipline prior to and then you go into a classroom and then you come back out and you do duty again any go back into the classroom and you do duty again in the evening it makes for a very very long week and it makes for individuals who are not I think as effective as it could be in a classroom so perhaps this is going to alleviate that concern Dr Anand as a could you speak to that please yes ma'am I believe so so we definitely appreciate centre Dotson working on some of these amendments when you mention blown up the world that was one of the things with his original bill we felt like you know did some of that in and of keeping the sanctity of the sixty minute requirements for duty in place along with essentially double it down what this bill does is it takes the two hundred forty minutes per week that was required for recess P. E. a physical activity reduces that to it to a time that gives that time back to instructional time but also ensures that the teacher still has sixty minutes of protected time that they can only do duty and so from that it actually gives a little bit more flexibility back to the teacher back to the district and I think what the goal of all of it is is to get more instructional time in the classroom so as you know with the new passage of or Education legislation you know what we've got to be hyper focused on that And districts throughout the flexibility to add recess time if they want to above and beyond but this does certainly give that flexibility and reduces some of that time without putting extra burden on teachers. If I build this and I'll be castigated by my colleagues in the teaching profession no ma'am and I'll just to speak to where this did come from if not us Senator Dotson is really correct I mean I was on a Friday evening going to a softball game I got a call to join is in within a group of teachers up for northwest Arkansas and listen to their concerns I think some of the concerns really stand around ensuring that they're planning time was protected and so there are protections already in law about that and then also with this the recess time that keeps you know drawing teachers out of the classroom that was kind of the compromising increase in recess time at that we could use teachers to cover playground duty and so as we've gone on we see that to be an issue and that's what brought this up hi thank you thank you senator doesn't work diligently on it and I pray that I am not killed by both. Thank you. You have any more is there any questions from the committee. Anybody here to speak for against the bill thanks. To oppose the bill I'm close and make move do pass. K. centre Dotson moved do pass and Senator Leding has seconded are there any is in the discussion. On the motion it's not on the other. All opposed thank you pass the bill thank you okay good explanations you may run any others or. I don't yeah I did go ahead and do your next one is that for seventy of four thirty two of leaves the next on agenda. You're going down the list. Yeah four thirty two. So four thirty two was really brought to me in an effort to insure. That so so that the Senate bill four thirty two Is really geared toward virtual academies we have charter schools throughout the state have online You know online student instructional time but the annual assessments for that. Students have to go to a location to try to take those tests at the end of the route the year they also have. Basically proctor tests through the computer which the environment But that end of your test is. Very challenging for some students and parents to try to get their student to that location and put the men in there and it's also an intimidating environment for for kids that are not used to going and taking a test away from home and so what this bill effort to do is to say that that annual assessment if you're in a virtual school the virtual schools can establish a process by which they do that assessment through the computer like they do with all the rest of their forces and It puts in place It requirements that they have the the appropriate software cameras in place so that they're they're taking the the testing and everything like that and without. Without cheating you know and and in getting that assessment so we get the assessment have a higher compliance but make it easier for the students that are used to doing their work virtually to to continue to do so in a medium in which they're they're used to my son is actually In Arkansas virtual academy and so we have personal experience with this challenging environment every year and so when this was presented to me I was like yes we need this so I'm more happy try to answer any questions is gone through and I think I've explained it. The questions from the committee. Just going to explain to me why more challenging for his own virtual to go to a test site and it would be a kid who is just. A regular kid in a public school well intimidating for all of them so is it more intimidating for this group and will be for any of the other kids have to take it at a particular site. Well they're they're in the. When they go to test apps like a traditional public school environment they're not leaving the public school they're going and they're they're used to being in classes and taking tests and things in that school environment that they're in. For virtual student that is taking. Other course work at home an online they're not involved in that type of environment they're at home all the time or or they're doing all their work online to go to a site. Away from home with. A bunch of people they don't know and to be checked in for eight hours with teachers that they've never met in person before it's or or within proctors that are there that. They may have never met before. It's it can be intimidating for a. Thirty fourth graders per second grader I guess my concern needs thank you to go to these casting sites are being tested by individuals on they don't know. And at some point in time you're going to have to leave home. You cannot you can't give virtually the rest of your life. I'm trying to figure it out because I know how intimidating it is because you're not taking it right there at the school most of the time especially important ones you were taking it somewhere else with somebody else. In a get out of it but it just concerns me that we're protecting kids from the real world when at some point in time deal with the real world you can be a virtually all your life I guess this was troubling me with the whole thing you know so it may be only me. Maybe I'm aware of it but I I I did I don't know the kids leave the public school in order to take their annual assessments. Yeah. It. In the audience speak for against. Thanks. So what is the will of the committee. I move do pass. He passed by Senator Dotson I have a second. The second. Who did. Senator Leding I'm sorry I didn't see it the second all in favor hi all those. I think the ayes have it. Okay. Thank you all right Senator Davis Uganda. The Bill. Okay all right okay. the representative Bentley got a couple. Comes back from the. Thank you chairman committee we're looking at house bill fifteen twenty six give you guys all imminent to pull out house bill fifteen twenty six. The fifteen twenty six as the an attempt for us to address the a for health of our state Arkansas's we all know we're forty eighth in the nation. number those issues with putting is afforded the nation is diabetes and are of high rate of maternal infant mortality so House Bill fifteen twenty six as a temp at to address those issues and hopefully reduce those numbers of infant and maternal mortality and decreased IBD's in the state. So we know that in Arkansas we are a. Currently three hundred sixty thousand our cans and have diabetes as fifteen percent of our proper population eight hundred thousand Arkansans are pre diabetic we also know that we have a high rate of maternal infant mortality due to hypertension and women and infants was citizen other situation so House Bill fifteen twenty six what a. Ask the up department schedule with curriculum and for the health class require one class period on the importance of breast feeding because we know that breast feeding will decrease diabetes by thirty three percent and infants throughout their lifetime and the mothers as well. First reading will also decrease hypertension and women that breastfeed so decrease our maternal mortality in one of the most important things with breast feeding is that decreases sits up to eighty percent of those that fully breast feed so we can decrease the amount sits in our state we can decrease the amount of hypertension our state and I please and make our state more healthy and you asked represent really why do you want high schools to learn about the importance of the rest being how can healthy food to the moms and events because of the kids in that class of the future lawyers the future co workers and one that a mother needs to go and take a break to pump permit breast milk the more willing to assist their co workers and the employees that they have there so that we can be more us supportive because the president's not easy having those moms are to take that extra time is not easy is difficult on them we need to support those moms an Arkansan fortune we have one of the lowest rates of women that breastfeed past of the a six week mark so we want to increase that number in order to increase that number will go head to support those moms that are breastfeeding so this bill is an attempt to plant that seed early and are in high school so students understand as a lifetime the lifetime of health improvements for the moms and infants we can get that early early on they can start thinking about that and hopefully will improve Arkansas to help in the long term decrease or infant maternity maternity and infant mortality and decreased diabetes and hopefully get Arkansas healthier that's the whole point of this bill is to allow for one class period in the health class and junior senior high school so those kids can learn a little bit about the importance of it and that's in that shall be happy to take questions the questions from the committee. Nobody speak for against the bill the. So what is the will of the committee. Senator stone do pass Senator Leding second. All in favor aye All opposed. You pass your bill okay thank you let's see house bill fifteen twenty seven. Thank you chairman thank you committee this is a very simple bill brought to me by my director of four H. in plastic in Perry County and our schools that have FFA directors for easy for the students to get excused absence for the projected is but some of our schools do not have an FFA director so for those kids those students really hard to get there absence issues because for just not specifically listed in the statute of furnish use absence for schools or simply adding four H. as an excuse absent for students on the call the right protocol make sure it wasn't a at actually to be with a forest Director they can excuse I have an excuse absence from school that's all House Bill fifteen twenty seven does. Other questions from the committee. Many speaking instead then the. So what is the will of the committee. Senate Chesterfield due to past seconds by Senator Sturch and all that. All opposed past your bill thank you very much thank you to me so much I appreciate you senator Leding would you like to do your bill. You identify yourself you'll be recognized absolutely metal chair by the vice chair members the committee good morning I'm Senator Greg Leding from district thirty of in Fayetteville I hear president senate bill four twenty one. You sports injuries arisen become an epidemic in US data from the CDC says that each year young athletes suffer an estimated three and a half million injuries related to their activities and half of them are preventable costs from these injuries clock in an estimated three billion dollars each year but much more importantly children are getting hurt I often times leading to lost school days which oftentimes means that the parents are also missing work well injuries are not always severe sometimes the worst does happen in one instance in Clay County Georgian twenty nineteen sixteen year old died while participating in mandatory outdoor conditions rules with the heat index is over one hundred degrees the coaches were found guilty of second degree cruelty to children involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct and the county agreed to pay a ten million dollar settlement. Last year former university of Arkansas razorback football coach Jack Cronin Terry Winston both with the coach safely organization reached out about running this bill here in Arkansas it's legislation that has been low now for a few years and our family forty thousand coaches they have received the training protecting more than three hundred thousand young athletes I believe Mississippi just passed similar legislation and it's being promoted across the south of the bill would protect both child if athletes and their coaches by having the staff and coaches receive three free online safety course approved by the Arkansas department of health the components of the course I found on the bottom of page two of the bill I would include information about concussions even under extreme related injuries and for. As noted it's been low Alabama were more than forty thousand coaches have already received the free training it's important that this would not apply to any coach at a school any licensed teachers with coaching adjustments licensed teachers who completed the Arkansas activities association and national federation of state high school associations coaching endorsement program or any volunteer registered under the Arkansas registered volunteers program act who is also completed that same Arkansas activities association and national federation of state high school associations coaching endorsement program this is really more for volunteers like myself right to volunteer to coach the my daughter's soccer team. just make sure that you know I don't know just how to coach the game but I know how to coach the game safely the courses I said is free it's a minimal time commitment just this morning I went to the coach safely website to take the training program Got a call from home so as not able to finish it but I would have been able to finish it just about an hour the related videos ranging from like three minutes to seven minutes providing basic information again about concussions. I also believe it's absolutely worth while you're gonna commit a coaching is a commitment to the athletes in the sport parents I think of about an hour is a worthwhile. Commitment I would six taken similar steps to protect students from athletic related injuries and sessions passed and if I just the session earlier this this committee unanimously endorsed house bill eleven fifty seven I just now ACT one one by Senator Dotson that provides or the required school districts to provide basic information about water safety and swimming lessons. So the Arkansas politicization is believable supportive of this legislation the Arkansas thirty trainers a review the bill have no opposition I provided each of you letters of support from coach grow in the National Council of you supports in this morning I also received a letter of support from Dr David Satcher the sixteenth US Surgeon General I haven't had a chance to buy that to the committee but I have it with me if anybody would like to see it I'm happy to take questions. Other questions from the committee. Senator Chesterville moves do pass center stone second. Any questions discussion the Committee. All in favor. All the. Thank you very much thank you any. Senator Bryant do you like to do your bill for seventy three. All the. I'm. Okay all right okay so then let's see don't know why. Okay. Did you sit here. Okay all right. let me see then Last year. Thank. Johnson shot here and. Thank you to. Just take a moment here still Senator Chesterfield returns. Thanks. The state once you okay. representative long. All right here right here. Let's see what bill do you have. a student house bill fourteen sixty eight. Yes go ahead. You identify yourself you'll be recognized. The committee chairman Wayne long house district thirty eight skinny thirty nine. House Bill fourteen sixty eight those two simple things to protect religious liberty the teachers professors lawyer microphone up to use it thank you at the protection of the religious liberties the teachers professors and administrators are public education system. The rights that are guaranteed Arkansas constitution state question products under article two section twenty four hundred having religious liberty states no human authority can in any case or manner whatsoever control read through the route conscience. Despite these guaranteed rights some education professionals are being impelled to use pronouns or names that are not inconsistent with students biological sex when this compelled speech violates person's conscience it's unconstitutional H. B. fourteen sixty eight will provide needed clarity and protection to the educators and staff. Secondly and just as importantly at H. P. fourteen sixty eight will require parents of minor children to give written permission to the school for the children to be called anything other than your given name. this will assure that the knowledge and involvement occurrence in such an important matter. I'll be happy to answer any questions. Other questions from the committee. Speaking against the national center Chesterfield what is the genesis of this bill so. I'm sorry could you repeat that okay your yes what is the genesis of the bill where did it begin what problem are we solving. What is happen that would make this is necessary. Of the Some schools are not being forthcoming to the parents regarding for Children the question to be called school and one thing we want to make sure that this is parents are involved in basically gives written permission if the child child could be called by different names so that was one of the most important for our seven of the other is I've been contacted by a the teachers Northwest Arkansas she'd made it clear to the administration but she couldn't do this because of the ballot her her conscious of her her religious beliefs thank you speak to Michael sure. In the. If the to invalidate or religious beliefs and now the single mom is in fear that her contract might not be renewed because basically you what schools Hendren Hester due in part to work her own ability system tells Russia should do in conflict under this is this the bill I wanna make sure I'm this is the bill that says you have to get permission to collocate by a. Certain name or some. Yes the center of your phone if the US trying to make sure because I worry about and then we say why AS one a classroom teacher. I had nicknames for my kids. A they were affection Houston. If I were in the classroom today I have to get permission. D. is is that right. We tried our best to figure out a way to so we can exclude Can make names terms of endearment top names was not able to so basically you're you're correct if if I student you have a nickname for you would have to get through because relation from a parent column sweetheart Katie bear something of that sort. Unfortunately yes return your for the greater good I thought that it is necessary for him because The children your without this being in place the children you can still believe whatever they want to scores what their name is. With this bill the the prepares to give permission to for the child to use a different name or pronouns of a You teacher who doesn't have an objection to it is free to to. The children that manner you're digits base considered protected the teachers would be compelled to basically to live to the children impertinent they agree with this position. You you you keep a I keep. It's it's rather devastating to me that we continue to add stuff for folks to do. To solve problems that I think basically don't exist to any degree. But it concerns me that all the set now because it may be the only name to which the child responds in a positive way if I'm trying to get kids who are just alienated many of them and I say so we are. Teddy bear something of that sort I gotta go I can't do that. A. Just spontaneously. I got I got to write a letter to mom. My my ready knows the child has problems I got to write a letter to mom and dad and say. In order for me to get your kids today. I need to know if I can use this. That. It is making no sense to me because something they just instantaneous and I don't want teachers punished for doing things that come as a result of the situation as it existed at that moment in the spontaneity of teaching. To me it's being. Hampered. Things really have never come much to the attention. Educated we're bringing stuff to the attention of educators that we never thought about in the first place in this and that's my screenplay today thank you very much for listening to me. Senator right I was at the Leding did you have a. I don't. leading. Thank you madam chair just two quick questions and I think I've maybe answer the first and myself at the bottom of page two so I birth certificate I'm Gregory Leding but. Always went by Greg in school in fact my sisters are the only two people have ever called me regardless of my entire life With this prohibit the teacher from calling me Greg in the compact with back in amended it to make it very clear very upset of a name would not be a problem we just could not figure out a way to do that the nicknames but as center Chesterfield proper moment ago you know it's it's unfortunate that you know that your proposal but a burden on teachers but at the same time we think it's very important that teachers not be punished for basically or be forced to roam to act in a manner that's contrary to their religious beliefs or their conscience and yeah there's there's kind of a give and take you and I think the greater good is to protect religious liberties of teachers okay which to dig into just a little more deeply than so Greg is very clearly I would think a derivative of Gregory but you have Williams ago by Billy Johnson go by Jack Richard to go by Dick like how do we how far just to read it is go. The ones that you just mentioned I don't think there would be any problem with I'm sure you can come up with something that sort of off the wall but in that case I know from the parents it's a done deal and and I'm I'm I'm picturing possibly that maybe are with this is in place or if your child thank you I stayed at the beginning of the year when they're doing the paperwork for you to move the child to the next grade is just one more thing stated in there that this child can be called you know Whatever enduring name that that the teacher likes. Just one other quick question I know you know we're we're saying that this is to protect the right to free speech what we say like wouldn't if I'm a teacher who chooses to affirm the identity of the student and use the name that they would prefer that I use. Isn't in like my right to free speech being prohibited by if the if the parent of course first the parent has to give permission if the parents as it's okay to use a name that is basically not to one of their number certificate then you need any school district or teacher or staff. Read it for you use that program or that name without without any objection or her problems were mainly just trying to protect people who have a deeply held religious beliefs this is wrong it is not that these people hate these children that they love and I'm sure they just. Phil but it's it's in conflict with the biblical beliefs in nobody should be forced to choose between their job the vehicle police because the constitution clearly in I think unequivocally protects a person from this type of thing just having this bill in place I think make it much more clear in maybe keep people from having to to litigate because you would have to basically go to court and prove that it's unconstitutional which would be very time consuming and expensive and I don't think they really need. Thank you mention. Senator right did you have a. Yes just gonna make sure go back to your opening statements this this was brought to you by faculty by educators. Yes Sir they don't want it to be because of the need and educators with the wording the stuff yeah I got help lower your scores so I. Phrases and questions but it is it is a common upon classroom started schools this season that educators meet with parents and they can kind of cover because I my son was by the middle name. Teacher would not know that unless they ask the question or we told them so the part of start of the school year you could work out those details and if any form need to be signed by a I commonly referred to my students in a endearing manner is that a problem. In that case then the parents said yes yeah I think it's on a form that that's my intent yes Sir thank you. Your Chesterfield yes In understand out in the beginning you you're fine and everybody knows it fine the bill is not clear Kerry saying that me My concern is we keep saying that. Whatever is on the birth certificate. I tell school thirty three years and I never saw a burst. No. Because if they're a birth certificate showing it would be probably in three K. R. elementary school. So now what we're saying is that those of us who taught at the middle school or high school young I level those birth certificates must go up the line to these people so that we will know what's on the birth certificate how does that work because I've never seen one after a long time. I'm I'm school when I was in school which is a long time ago when not parents registry I believe they did take a birth certificate and at that point you're asking in the system so therefore my transcript had mind you my name is at present my perspective which unfortunately had my first name which is when I don't use in your question you have back I was just up to correct people of for the rest your life because everyone's call very first name that that may very well be true what I am saying though is that in the classroom. As a classroom teacher I never saw a birth certificate. It concerns me that we keep referring to this birth certificate as if it is common knowledge throughout the school. In a majority of us never see that and so now we're saying that we're going to have to show it. Do note of that is going to have to be known to us the the name on the birth certificate I think will be on the school record is what I'm getting at Senator I think that will the transcript you would transcript because it wasn't my business my business was to teach the kids came to my room that day. During that period I never saw the transcript I never saw their birth certificate as a classroom teacher now that may be known through the office or whatever but it was not known to me as an individual teacher that was my concern I guess that's my concern you putting us and I understand teachers don't want to be made uncomfortable and I appreciate that and respect that a great deal what I am saying is that we need to make sure if we're putting this stuff on teachers that they have access to all this stuff that you assume they see because during the course of thirty three years I never saw a birth certificate and I never saw a transcript because it wasn't my business to see the birth certificate and a transcript the the the administration provide you with a list of names of the children it was gonna be and that's all that. And not on that one I could think of trying to get at is the not the list that I will provide you would have the names of some of our subject center stone I have a question for clarification you saying you have a teacher that feels like their religious rights being violated is that correct this is what what what's the point of violation having use a Nick name or pronoun The Washington this particular teacher had no problem with nicknames it was actually given using name served worked consistent with the child's biological sex within why not why did you craft the bill just to deal with pronouns and bring nicknamed into it can you not just amend the bill to techconnect nine thousand address that teachers religious liberties and I think that with the address of sender Chesterfield also. Per serving larger of hi at large trying to help me in. They were able to come up with a way to. Deviate curlinate nicknames from rest of the. Of the problem in the profound entered he or she or. Them and date that's different that's for religious violations and right that's a reasonable accommodation and usually the big names out of it. Watson I said I don't have a problem with with the pronouns and I'm not a big fan to nicknames but I'm not against a meter I don't and I think I understand if you're Senator Chesterfield loud and clear I think what's giving her some heartburn on the deal otherwise forty but working out these two nicknames anybody can let something slip out of their mouth is not on the approved list and then they're in trouble so if your teacher is concerned about pronouns let's get a bill that addresses pronoun to leave the nickname Sir terms of determined out. We didn't actually but I'm not against you I'm just trying to bring line what you're trying to accomplish in the the bill doesn't really address. The names at all that's just something this big brought to our attention that that could be a problem on the week's mistake of the director we just talked about the programs in the given name only. Well if you. If you just said dear. And and and you said that not a dry eye drug for weight due to address that child any by name or or terms this not on their birth certificate. I mean I'm just trying to understand or all. Yeah man I'm not against you I'm just trying to clarify the streamline what you do not agree with the pronoun part hundred percent. Other any other questions from the committee. Hi we have some folks to speak against the bill. Late level or. Senate lane the borders here speak against the bill. You have two minutes. S. thank you my name's lance lavar um I'm here's a private citizen to speak against the bill former principal teacher and I share some of the concerns that senator Chesterfield assured about what this does to teachers it states any time they miss you they use a different name I will tell you as teachers oftentimes that they've never seen the student had them in their class but they see them in the lunch room and all the friends call their certain name and the teacher addresses them as that name then are they liable for this I'd also like to point out that we have a bill about billing and billing it it talks about building addressing an attribute and one of the actors that lists as gender orientation. My question is which law then trump's this the law that a student can't be made fun of her bullied because of their gender orientation or this one that says a student can't be punished if they don't fall if they make fun of them for the gender orientation this is where we start to have issues I also want to add very quickly we talked about the derivations of the names is merry adulteration of mark. Is Christina identification of Christopher. I think there's a lot of broad this bill is too broad and it's going to catch a whole lot more than you think it's going to catch and cause a lot more issues and and encourage voting against that bill thank you. Thank you. Leon. The more. Yes please identify yourself. My name is Leila bar I am a cisgender female student at seven hills high school and speaking on my own as a private citizen you speak up just a little bit. Thank you. I'm do you want me to repeat myself yes please my name is Leo of R. I. Mrs gender female student at seven hills high school and I am speaking on my own as a private citizen. All children. All children need places to learn and grow safely without fear of retribution at school we can discover different aspects of our identities and come to new conclusions it is a necessary aspect of childhood it is how we grow to ourselves income well adjusted adults that the privacy protection of the spaces are development stunted we cannot learn new things about ourselves for fear of punishment. I have a friend who deals with constant vitriol and hate when he's at home to me he describing a school where the teachers support him and referred to the way he wants to be referred to as a breath of fresh air he's dealt with severe mental health issues in the past without the space to be a selfie would certainly relapse any modicum of support he now has he would lose he urges this committee and the state government as a whole to not give an already vulnerable group that is constantly under attack another potentially life threatening issue to deal with. By taking away the ability of transgender youth to feel secure and free from discrimination your father exposing them to mental health issues up to and including suicide with every new bill passed restricting the ability of trained professionals to support transgender students another child gets one step closer to ending their life you have heard this before and you will hear it again you're killing children with this legislation I urge this committee to consider in addition the by calling children to feel unsafe in their expression of self at school you push them further into the proverbial closet they hide themselves away from south send their peers and most importantly to this committee their parents you don't allow the right to explore without that freedom to make mistakes to try new things to truly grasp who we are as people in people are even less likely to eventually took parents better feelings I have friends who has experience of whose experiences at school with their peers and with teachers have a confidence in expressing themselves at home they would have a very difficult time informing the parents of the struggles otherwise if the purpose of this bill is to involve parents in their children's lives you should allow children the dignity of support for adults we trust in order to discover who we are and feel comfortable telling your parents ourselves thank you very much. Only the all of the. Gardener gardener. You recognize yourself. Thank you madam chair and members of the committee my name is Olivia Gardner on the education policy director with Arkansas advocates for children and families I'm here today to speak in opposition to H. B. fourteen sixty eight I want to first acknowledge that I have an immense amount of privilege and never needing to change my personal pronouns however I feel compelled to date to join those who do need that change in standing up for some of Arkansas's most vulnerable students. I've heard the argument that kids these days change their name and personal pronouns every other week because it's trendy but I would argue that allowing children the freedom to grow and understand their identity is not only the right thing to do but it could literally save lives according to the last national survey on LGBTQ youth mental health forty two percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year including more than half of transgender and non binary use and notably LGBTQ youth who had access to spaces that absurd that I've affirms their gender identity reported much lower rates of attempting suicide there have been no lawsuits or firings to warrant a bill of this nature instead we are choosing to send a message to our trans and non binary use that their existence and their identity is not respected I urge you to prioritize the well being of these children and vote now thank you thank you very much. Any other questions from the committee. Right close your bill. With the message but chairman of squandering it on well as soon as sponsor could to. It to the bill for close thank hi I'm wondering if it would be okay if of my Senate sponsor spoke. But not for the bill. Okay so you want close. I go for it two minutes thank you thank you madam chair and members of the committee a first I want to thank. represent long for not only bring this bill but doing the heavy lifting I agree to co sponsor out of support and friendship and a personal interest that I have and I want to speak briefly that is close and I'll turn it back over to him up so we all may have been the familiar with the lawsuit called merry whether the the trustees of Shawnee state university Shawnee state university punished a philosophy professor Dr Nicholas Meriwether because he declined a male students demand to be referred to as a woman with feminine titles and programs. although Dr Mary whether offered to use the student's preferred first or last name instead. Initially the. University accepted that compromise but they reversed course later ultimately punished him by putting a written warning in his personnel file and threatened further corrective actions unless he spoke contrary to some philosophical and Christian convictions of. The. He sued and referred to federal judge dismissed the case but the Italian was appealed to the US court of appeals for the sixth circuit and in March of twenty twenty one the sixth circuit ruled and Dr Mary where there's favor. it said professor if professors lack free speech protections when teaching a university would wield alarming power to compel ideological conformity university president could require a pacifist to declare that war is just. A civil rights icon to condemn the freedom riders a believer to deny the existence of god or a Soviet immigrate to address his students as comrades that cannot be unquote now in April twenty two there was a settlement offer to Dr Mary whether he received four hundred thousand dollars in damages from the State University and that he didn't end up that I think he got about ten or twenty thousand dollars the rest went to attorneys but the fact is that he was held in the haze but treated wrong the reason this is personal Johnson this state their three sisters personal to me madam chair is because Dr Mary weathers a friend of mine I know that senator Chesterfield probably knew his father Bob Merryweather Robert also who is a professor at one time dean of students at Hendrix college. And and my advisor to senator so he is an icon to many of us in Arkansas later served as a Faulkner County just the pace only bring it up to say this is a real person that I know well that was wrong to because he tried to accommodate student that didn't like the pronoun that was used now this is not about attacking students this is about protecting educators and while I think it's much more important to protect them from the cat things that happen to Dr Meriwether as it is to worry about whether someone's got seen a birth certificate or not I think those minor things can resolve themselves but that's the whole purpose of this bill and I'm so grateful for to Representative long for having the foresight and the hard work to bring it to this point so I would certainly appreciate a good vote and turned over to a representative law. Thank you this would like to reiterate that this bill basically does four things. Bill doesn't perform. The bill does not stop the student believing whatever they want to about themselves. With written parental permission educator is free to call the student by their preferred name or pronoun if they have no objection. educational staff. who can't in good conscience participate will have their jobs protected. and also by requiring the written permission it guarantees parental involvement in this important issue and students live. there there may be some hassles basically use force of the nicknames or concern but I think that pales in continuing. Compared to the downside of not doing anything we would have parents who were possibly what's going on with their children at school what are being called. This could could turn into just a really bad situation and also we have teachers that currently in fear for their jobs and should not be having to choose between doing what they feel is right in trying to provide for their family like that single mom teacher Northwest Arkansas that I referred to earlier I appreciate a good vote. Thank you. He thought it was in the committee shall. What is the will of the committee. The past by Senator Bryant I have a second. Second by Senator stone. Yes Chesterfield. The. Thank you madam chair ladies and gentleman the Committee. I think I understand what he's trying to do but John is trying to do I know understand what these kids are talking about. And I know I know education. I don't know a lot of things but I know good teaching in good teaching is respect but every kid in your class. We got the. It doesn't matter they are god's children and they deserve respect and we're killing the spontaneity of changing every single day with all of these cultural they don't have anything to do with teaching. I have anything to do with teachers and would kill thank you and I appreciate a noble. They were. All pose. I thank you very much thank you Committee manager thank you Committee okay. I can't. You want. Jane English which takes the table would you mind either flip in my acts are turning the other one all first of all and then if you would name and title for the record please yes. Thank you senator Jane English district thirteen and I'm here to present the Senate bill four thirty six. Senate bill four thirty six or thirty six. And I need to ask Melissa respite from the injured you would have the. Yes on the on the table and introduce yourself please for the record. Mr chairman members of the committee Melissa have a university of Arkansas system Regis you're recognized resent your bill however you choose to do so Q. I will let. Mistrust speak to mistrust. Mister chairman I'm contending for the division of higher education today Senate bill four thirty six is a bill that is are filed every regular session of the General Assembly it involves institutions who may need additional provisional positions or who made the decision who may need additional vehicles in their fleet and and just to give you just a very quick explanation a provisional position is a position that a campus request when they have funds other than general revenues so for instance if they have a state grant for federal grant like the National Science Foundation National Institute of health entities like that those positions do not involve general revenue and in the law each campus as a certain allotted number so you'll notice in this bill that there are two campuses who are asking for some additional provisional positions and I believe there are six campuses that are requesting some slight increases in their vehicle fleet and primarily the vehicles are for transportation of students two different program sites and be happy to answer any questions but that in a nutshell is what the bill concerns members have any questions. Nobody signed up to speak for against the bill. No one signed up to speak for against the bill any questions from members one more call. Not sure English would you like to close for the bill Senator English is closed for bill Senate bill four thirty six what's the will of committee. The past by Senator Leding second by Senator Bryant any discussion to the motion. You're no discussions emotional favor say aye hi any opposed. Not oppose congratulations Senator English she passed Senate bill four thirty six and your second bill senator is Senate bill three eighty seven three eighty seven. Senate bill three seventy having guest you want to come to the table okay. In on what the chair get a copy of the bill online. Thank you. Our Senator English if you would with a name and title for the record please S. the Senator Jane English district thirteen and a Senate bill three eighty seven makes technical changes to the military child school transition after the two thousand twenty one. Okay members have any questions. And I speak for against the bill. Okay we signed up to speak for against the bill a of any questions from members for go back centering. Centering sure recognized close for your bill close from a bill bill to close for Senate bill three eighty seven of which will committee. Do pass as do pass by Senator Rapert second by Senator stone a discussion to the motion. No discussion to the motion all favor Senate bill three seven say aye hi any post graduation centering pass the bill. Okay it is. Senator Clark. President senate bill four hundred. Thank you madam chair there's amendment. The Amendment. So Senator Clark. I will probably have to say what senator Chesterfield usually Services there's huge demand. Your bill. Basically. We haven't had a chance in numbers at ten to read it. Or have been engrossed in the bill I would I would suggest that maybe you from that Monday with this as a as engrossed bill so that we've all had a chance to look at it before the it's our this. The. Mentor the Amendment is fairly simple. if we I mean do I will have no time to get the bill through the house the. This this is the. The I was asked to meet with these folks this is their amendment. except for one sentence. Of. And as you said my bill is very simple and I I have agreed to the amendment I don't actually like the amendment I love the bill just the way it is The what I would prefer is that parents in Arkansas. Be able if they decide that of another school is another public school is best for their kids that they note the file to the petition by may because they don't know to do that they can't do it anyway of. the state can have their kids go to another school with no repercussions And that's what I would like to happen what is in here in this amendment. And I don't even know how of family knows are supposed to do all of this but if of. A child. Of is participate in athletics they already have a a already has this warm up to the tenth grade there were allowed juniors and seniors to get most schools to sign the parents to sign. And in less there was uh demonstrable evidence of. Recruiting the school that they were leaving would have to sign. Of. They wanted in here that a CO two was guilty of recruiting is the sanction anywhere from a one year suspension to revocation of the license. Of and they have a penalty for other people. Of and then they were I've got one sentence that I added that they don't lock which says that just simply coaching of. L. side of your school is not recruiting. Of. And The but I. To continue to the late this is. Of Chillin the Bill. What is the will of the committee. Yes Senator Rapert. Question is is that the intent is committee to convene after session they find we need to convene after session today no problem we will Monday. Today is sessions transportation meeting. So start transportation. Okay just because we don't get Senate bills out today they will have a chance in the House even if it comes back here Monday so we. We don't get all the Senate bills out or we they're just it's time to be over. Well I don't know that. A if it were to come out of this committee on Monday that it could be on the Senate floor Tuesday could still be heard in House education on Thursday as far as I know we're still gonna be meeting on April seventh. So could be on the House floor next Friday. I mean I'm I'm currently a co sponsor but I I also having just gotten and then that would also like a little more time to consider it but I do understand we are getting up against the the end of things as a lot to absorb it's it's really hard to vote on something we haven't had a chance to read. I thank. I thank you all. So what is the will of the committee. No we don't even have a quorum that is true we do not have a quorum. So why don't you wait for a while hopefully will be here for a little while longer and then you come back right hopefully we get a quorum thank you madam chair. Okay let's see Senator stone you have been able to do. They part. No Sir we don't you just have to wait a little bit for somebody else to come back. He left. Senator Clark we don't have a quorum. Of start senate bill four sixty six. If I. I want to do any others. Senate bill four sixty six adds one line to the Arkansas student protection act and it's related to abortion referrals currently this Arkansas student Rick protection act that requires it they are prohibits any public school or open enrollment public charter school to knowingly enter any type of transaction with the individual or entity that performs abortion induces abortion or provides abortion this would add. Four offers or provides abortion referrals so it's just adding that one line to the To the existing statute. Try to answer any questions of again. Questions from the committee. Please speak for against the bill. So so what is the will of the committee I'm close a motion to pass if passed senator Dotson and Senator stone second. All they've were opposed thank you pass that. To be possible to run house bill fifteen thirty one. Yes. As you guys flipping through it I'll just start with House Bill fifteen thirty one Basically right right now school districts can Choose to select their school board of directors and determine how it's done by single members owns at large or a combination thereof. And the people can do can refer any committee initiated act if they collect signatures from ten percent of the voters the district in order to have the power to choose single members owns however they don't have the ability to. To do. Not single members owns but the comment the other two at large for a combination there of this would include that option so that the citizens if they collect the signatures and want to put on the ballot that the local citizens can actually do have the same authority as the the board has in order to choose the other options. I think that's it in a nutshell. Questions from the committee Senator Leding. Thank you manager just to make sure I understand so like right now federal we have single member positions but there are also I believe a couple of at large position to board yeah yeah so this would allow if if ten percent of the electric van bill collector the Senate on the ballot citizens can decide have all at larger all single member or increase the number of at large positions yeah that the it would it would give then the citizens initiated the same authority as the school board has to choose all the options okay. Thank you. Other questions from the committee. It's W. speak against or against the bill what is the will of the committee. Make I'm closed I'll make a motion to pass Johnson notes do pass. Second by Senator stone. A discussion on the motion. All in favor all opposed ayes have it hence that. I also have senate bill four seventy if. All right okay if there is an amendment on it okay. Four seven zero. What we haven't seen this bill before we saw one fairly similar to it. So I. I'll direct your attention primarily to section four of Senate bill four seventy that's where the amendment is going. And so basically the change in the the Amendment is on line seventeen through twenty of Page four in section four of the bill lines seventeen through twenty right now in the bill it says the career and technical education shall establish minimum criteria. this adds in there that the Division of current technical education within the Department of Education shall work with the Arkansas computer science initiative within the department of education to establish by rule the minimum criteria by which computer a career and technical education course for the minimum criteria for the for the course so this. I won't go into Longley the presentation we've already heard similar bill Senate bill three sixty nine. This is identical in sections one two three and five Senate bill three sixty nine the only difference is in section four and section for working with the Department and the various ones that have been interested in this came up with language that tries to reflect if you'll recall on Senate bill three sixty nine we heard last that there was a fifty percent. Amount for Computer science within the career and technical education course that was in that language this restructures that that wording to try to more accurately aligned with implementation and so if you read section for Page page for it now reads in those lines the department of education approved high school computer science or computer related career and technical education course before the student graduates so it's it's restructured that line on page four lines four and five. On lines nine and ten. Added that section that we just amended in seventeen through twenty and then also on lines twenty two and twenty three and other than that in a different title of the bill it's identical to the the one we heard in here twice before we need to vote on the amendment yes I make a motion to adopt the amendment and a second senator Johnson those two of. The Amendment center stone second. All in favor say aye opposed thank you okay so now if. I kind of present the bill as amended sorry I thank you questions. Is there some other some questions from the committee. So we have a number of people speak against. seventy speaking yes okay we have a list of. Okay they put them in order hi Alison. Nicole yes. Video of two minutes. Bill identify yourself to be recognized. good morning Senator bless thank you my name is Alison Nicholas I'm Director reporting that up to you just a little bit questions beat that because the thing you're not very good okay is this better yeah thank you. I thank you senator English on my name is Alison Nicholas I'm director of recruiting and Toba we are a technology based consulting company headquartered in Bentonville Arkansas. I'm I am use yesterday I'm going to use today again my background as a way to position my comments I move to Arkansas in nineteen eighty four to get a master's degree at UCLA after complete my master's degree I worked enters college as director of career services for eight years I was recruited by an alumni of Hendrix College to service manager of college recruiting of a a program that was primarily technical recruiting cobalamin foreign programmers as well as plans for programmers with a team of about fifteen recruiters and support staff to recruit conduct before as a cause of Anya I then the transition to to accent corporation where I manage the college recruiting program for axiom I also then transition to a first Ryan where I was director of recruiting and today on Director recording at the tone of us live and wonderful opportunities to have an opportunity to recruit talent from Arkansas and benefited greatly as as our company's dead from the significant investment in the public school system here in Arkansas on in the early years promulgated fine computer science majors and honors programs and in communities where companies were investing time resources individually and computer science over time of course those programs have incorporated in the east and east initiative project lead the way that have significantly added Tremendous resources for communities families and students alike faculty of course students on. I personally just very concerned that we needed trying to make a decision to minimize the opportunities for students to take a computer science class we are currently number one in the nation for being recognized for our investment in resource the computer science I want to be number one I believe that we should be number one and I believe that Arkansas has made commitments to other other states across the nation to prove that it's important. the state of Arkansas we have sponsored as as a state companies and others alike and hostile programming contest collegiate programming contest. That time In a right of ways investing in are you hoping understand computer science the opportunities over that are that are there. I ask that you take into serious consideration on the benefit of of computer science or talk about this yesterday but I don't believe that a one computer science what will students only pursue a career in cut and and programming the benefits of computer science far outweigh the opportunity for mean blends into so many different opportunities including medical manufacturing production their sites for your your time is up again thank you thank you appreciate your time okay. Most of. Mr Austin. Okay can you have two minutes. Thank you manager Steve members of the Senate Education Committee my name is Skyler Austin and I'm a recent graduate of the university of central Arkansas or majored in computer science and cybersecurity my time you see a I had the opportunity to work in CS internships organizations like NASA jet propulsion lab as well as local companies and organizations here in Arkansas the fall I'll be starting a PhD in computer science where I hope to study our research cybersecurity education tools and policies. I discovered my interest in CS at the volunteering and outreach efforts to teach computer science across the state I have to become a CS professor one day so suffice to say the topic very near to my heart that's why I'm here to testify against us before seventy a group I've grown up around computers my whole life but my interest in studying computer science really began a high school computer science class AS in that class that computer science went from a hobby that I was kind of interested in something that I would definitely pursue as a career. The course that I took in high school taught me skills like computational thinking in project management and help me develop a more robust technical vocabulary to understand things like cookies and encryption. Only a few of the folks in that class went on to study computer science in college but we all walked away with skills that students headed for any profession will find valuable tech literacy is becoming necessary to engage in our increasingly digital society that's what we need to work to further CS education in this state not dismantle it and effect for deciding whether we want Arkansas students to be the pioneers future technology left behind by a. In our cans in a computer science student I've been immensely proud of the work that our state is accomplished in the last few years I would hate to see the work of so many educators policymakers and community leaders I'm done when the efforts were only just beginning to bear fruit thank you so much for your time. My name is Sandra liderman. But. Thank you madam chair and committee members I am a license K. twelve teacher in cyber security educator here in Little Rock I have a bachelor's in middle school math and science education a masters in digital teaching and learning and I'm a dissertation defense away from a PhD in mathematics education I've had the privilege of being on the committee to draft the cybersecurity and robotics standards both of which are approved computer science courses in Arkansas high schools I am here today to respectfully ask you to vote no on SB four seventy computer science as part of every industry in Arkansas and is the number one source of all new wages in the United States the Arkansas sites initiative has been successful here in the state and as a model for other states. Nationwide only fifty percent of US high schools offer based. Course but ninety three percent of Arkansas high schools offer this computer science course. I believe there is a misconception of what computer science course is it's more than just programming and given the choices available to students the courses teach problem solving how digital technologies work cyber security skills and or a greater understanding of how big data should be used properly. The sponsor of this bill it states that it will provide more flexibility for students to engage in other C. T. pathways under Arkansas's current graduation requirements flexibility is not a problem the computer science can count for a fourth math class the third science class or as an elective in any of the approved CTE pathways as a matter of fact some of the C. T. U. pathways use the approved computer science courses in their as their level three quarters so taking that course not only meets the sea to you probably requirement but also the current graduation requirement. The computer science related course as stated in the bill is of great concern to me who's deciding what computer science content will be included well the Arkansas state standards be followed. Existing standards were created by standards committee with industry representatives and then and approved by the S. B. E. this bill would change that process to allow the DC to you to determine what is computer science and what is related computer science. I understand that some schools claim it's difficult to hire a computer science teacher or keep them employed to say that so is finding a calculus teacher and I don all right well anyway. Vote now please. Also read past. R. J. Hendren. He'll identify yourself you'll be recognized you have two minutes. Yes I am James Hendren you ran a a technology company for twenty two years I'm the founder and chairman of the venture center where we have the brought ten news from the rest of the country here as computer science the company's all of these folks are having trouble getting employees I wanted to talk to this bill relative to economic development issues what we what we really got going on here is this is the opportunity that's been put in Arkansas. Through the computer science initiative is what's bringing us up from the bottom giving us good jobs without paying jobs so let's let's talk about what also been happening in economic development we've been getting some really good manufacturing jobs in the last few years those. Kind of manufacturing jobs now require the critical thinking skills Problem solving skills and that's what computer science delivers it's not just it's not just program if we wanna see us not either way it was decades ago when I manufacturing went away because we didn't keep up reason we didn't keep up is we weren't going to continuing improvement continuing improvement comes because you have the kind of skills that you learn in computer science so if we want to see all these manufacturing jobs gone in twenty years yes this bill does this bill keeps this from generating the kind of employees that those kind of jobs the the high paying jobs need and then the small communities people can work there from home if they're doing the computer science computer science job so let's not go backwards let's keep Arkansas moving in the right direction this is a huge opportunity for Arkansas let's not kill it thank you thank you. I see in the near one. Identify yourself you'll be recognized you have two minutes. Thank you chairman English Antonio one co dot org senior director of government affairs and also the president national advocacy coalition Obviously I address the committee on a lot of these points last time I was here I just wanna bring some additional information to you each we also got an updated letter with additional signatories on it and also additional organizations that are opposing this bill couple that I'll point out of note is excelling ADD who was a strong supporter of the Arkansas learns ACT and is one of the largest supporters of student choice they are opposing this bill along with several other new entities including the Arkansas school for mathematics sciences and the arts so I also want to state because there's been some confusion that this might this bill may be being pushed by the governor's office I have reiterated just this morning again are we confirmed with that office that they are neutral on this bill they're not taking a stance on it so those things are shared I also want to share that since the last time we met that we have had another state in the U. S. send the legislation to the governor's desk. Adopting the computer science requirements for their state so we are stepping backwards while other states around us are stepping forward it's going to put our schools and our students in a in a bad situation also know that there will probably be some statements made regarding about Students not continuing the war beyond one course I will say that's the exact reason that we need this bill because it's an example of schools not providing that the opportunities for students to go beyond that one course and if you pass this you take this step backward Jean you senator signaled Arkansas schools this is not something that they should be doing then they're going to go back to not even offering one opportunity for students. Please vote no. Thank you very much. Posted by Senator Wright. The quick question so that the school administration's that contacted me that that are supportive of this. For the reasons the sponsor as mentioned what what's Avenue they can use to correct the issues they have well particularly what issues because I mean they're that CT programs get conflicted with course requirements because it is you might be a last minute request that my last minute change not accept the college whatever the reason is the students of our being there failing another city program because they're having to give up this program requirements to be able to come back to a CS class well one I would say that I with the current graduation requirements I don't see that being an issue because we have six career focused credits already required in Arkansas that are basically lectins so a group CT pathway is three credits law. The year science credit can stand in place of the fourth Matt the third science one of six career focuses so they have an opportunity they have ample opportunities to complete a three course pathway in another subject area and still have the CS course what this comes down to is the schools are contacting saying that they're supportive of this they just don't want to provide the CS opportunities to students they don't want to take that extra work education's not suppose we it is it is difficult because we have to do for students what is right for them and sometimes that is difficult and takes extra work status quo is not education. Senator Hammer. Thank you measure with the recent large act being passed and you know people are going to have a greater choices which school they would go to. What would be your response that the schools of one offer this will be the one to recognize that there's real demand for and would be attractive to students who may want to go to their school person's remaining in a school where it is not offered if that is your concern of yours your your spots I would say that we would further the situation of creaming the best students to the premier programs which is also the background behind this bill one particular school district in particular has a up premier program that they were upset when we expanded the number of CS courses that get waited credit to over nine actually over ten that we work through the committee process to get that approved they were not happy with that because two years prior I approved their premier programs awaited credit for CS and I was taking students away from their premier program that is the back of this bill that's what this bill is coming out Northwest Arkansas that you have schools that don't want to provide these opportunities to every student they want to claim the best students and I want to be able to build up those programs. Other questions from the committee. Thank you senator Davis. I'm I'm late to that discussion here and but I mean I've heard from schools all throughout my area who I mean is I understand and students are exposed to computer science in grades K. through eight which is a great foundation and not something that I think we're all on board for an if there is continued interest and which I think is great we're seeing a lot of numbers that you know girls that are taking computer science I mean I know there for their you know mandated to at this time but I think that exposure in K. through eight is great and to bring people into it and then if they're interested can then take that year or if they're going down a different pathway and they can a little more easily graduate or less in a less complicated manner because they're trying to you know handle these mandates and and I've talked to a number of and teachers and superintendents you and will superintendents Pacific Lee who say we're concerned every single year that there are we have some students who will not graduate high school because they cannot pass computer coding or computer science and to me that's a concern because not everyone's going into that field and I and I understand we live in this digital age and and that's where I think the cater eight is so important of exposure to computer science but I think that I think everyone here loves that we what we're doing on so many fronts with computer science and that we we we know not every single student is going on the computer science pathway just like every single student is going to college or and and I think it's and so I guess what I want to say is and I don't think it's just Northwest Arkansas we're hearing from all over the state people that are relieved to see that there's flexibility for kids without diminishing the impact that we want to have in our state on our work force in the field of computer science and so and. You know have you heard that from any other places besides Northwest Arkansas just people honestly sharing their concerns with you well Senator Davis I am well aware that every committee member here received over a hundred and forty emails over the past two days from Arkansas educators who expressed their opposition to this bill and I have copies of everyone of those emails and would be glad to produce those for the record if that would be the case I will back up my answer couple your questions up K. eight I was a high school math teacher when I was a teacher. We teach students math Kate the rate also but we believe as a state that they should have additional math at a high school level for credits worth actually because we know that that's what every student needs we teach every student English K. through eight. But we require for tuition credits at high school why because we know that's what every student needs nineteen eighty three I mentioned this last time a nation at risk report said that every student in America for us to stay ahead of other countries needed to have at least a half credit in computer science we fell behind that were forty years behind it into the schools that are saying that they're having problems already the current requirement applies to the current ninth grade class so I don't know how they're having issues with graduation of computer science when the requirements not even officially their unless they've adopted on their own I will also say that I heard this at being the Max specialists at eighty I heard the same thing about G. R. geometry I heard the same thing about how to I heard the same thing about the fourth match which is why we made CS be able to stand in place of that fourth math because and it's a application of mathematical concepts is not just programming the third science or one of those six career focuses so I agree with you yes it is great that students are getting that Kate exposure but I believe they also and the people that you parked from believe also that it should be in high school. Thank you I just as we walk through this debate I just wanna make sure that the narrative is that we do also for computer science it just looks different for every student in every school district in that and if we're for this bill we're not opposed to computer science and and so I just wanna make sure that that that that's clear and because that's important I mean we want to see our kids have options and and we want to keep up with you know the world that we live in I'm and we want our kids to be able that work permit for high paying jobs somewhere else if we don't have been here in the state and and we need an educated work force to do so so I think a I just wanna make sure that we're on the same page we understand the importance of computer science but and we understand the number of mandates were putting on our students in order to graduate and and we're just looking at that you know one size doesn't always at all and and sometimes students need flexibility and for course that they won't use you know and so Davis and I know you have been a supporter of this for many years and I appreciate that I'm gonna respectfully push back to slightly if you will allow me. I didn't think that I needed history in high school but I was forced to take history. We still for students this is an attack on CS no matter how we spend it because if it was an attack on CS long we would be looking at all the other graduation requirements the twenty two other graduation requirements that we place on students automatically already we are focusing on your focusing in on CS and rolling it back so it is attack on CS and it will result in your students learning CS in Arkansas and your opportunities and other states around us will exceed US. We agree to disagree at you know I think the case the right exposure given that and the kids that are interested and can continue on in their computer science education so that's okay we can agree to disagree exactly. Senator Hammer. You know a time anybody invokes the governor's position on that are we think it's important just make sure it's reiterated because it lets the governor's office is going to come the table what did you say the governor's official position was on this the general nature of its if they haven't taken a stance not that against it you're saying that what you were told as they were neutral I was told that they were neutral and I was told that they were paid the bill sponsor aware that they were neutral. It thank you. Governor's office representative is in the room though thank you they want come the table again or not thank you. Okay six thank you very much thank you. I'll be Watson. Thank you madam chairman we Watson CEO forge Institute yeah two minutes thank you ma'am. The the discussion that we're having and go to law script is that we it sounds like we thank the computer science as a career pathway and it's for the kids of the nerds that want to just be the coders are just to the computers. That's not the world that we live in anymore the puter science is about critical thinking logical reasoning problem solving really really good analytical skills. It's about equipping future citizens with a basic literacy to interact in a world where everything is a computer not just the machines we use at our desks it's about advanced manufacturing it's agriculture and it's the small businesses on main street. Keeping the one credit is fundamental to ensuring every student has been provided access to this basic education. It's critical that they understand not how to use the machine but how the machine works and how the data is processed and how that data is protected there are over seven hundred thousand open cybersecurity jobs in this country and that is growing to three point four million we simply do not have the talent pipeline or the tech literate workforce is needed to combat this growing risks posed by cyber criminals and nation state adversaries and this is not hyperbole or a TV news segment with these adversaries are seeking to disrupt degrade and destroying the critical infrastructure that we rely on and they're stealing intellectual property the powers our economy. If you're science is driving the most significant technical technological advancements in decades on par with the invention of the computer and the internet and of course I'm talking about A. I. R. A. I. powered by advanced computational algorithms is expected to impact eighty percent eighty percent of US jobs in this country every sector of the economy from again agriculture manufacturing to tech companies and main street businesses will be disrupted by this technology and we do not have a citizen ship prepared to deal with that so this is not a career pathway career pathways are awesome and we should double down let's not take a step backward let's continue to lead the nation this is critical to economic development it's critical to national security we have to keep moving in the right direction thank you Mr. Okay. I think that all the folks to speak NO Kenny hall. Here. Thank you madam chairman. You identify yourself to be recognized thank you madam chair and members of the committee in canton hall executive vice president of the Arkansas state chamber of commerce and the associated industries of Arkansas Randy's Oakwood loved to been here but had to be out of town so I know it's but it has something eloquent to say but I think all the people that have testified before have covered all of the issues of the reasons that we support a program that that that this is a rolling back a bit. Tickling on the economic development comments and been made so we just want to go on record and say that we oppose the bill thank you for the amendment to try to make it a little better but it's still all the things that have been said are still problematic so thank you very much thank you very much. House. But will. So discussion the committee. Questions. But close for your bill yes ma'am chair thank you. Just to respond to a couple of things I just want to make clear that this this amendment that we added to it. Really make sure that the computer science initiative portion of the department of education that worked on this that That created the entire computer science. Thing in Arkansas. Is instrumental in creating the computer science related portion of of the the standards going forward so in reality it will help in bed more computer science in all the CTE courses in eight in in throughout each pathway going forward so it really is an expansion and more of a robust computer science focus on all career and technical education aspects but it's relevant computer science within each industry and and current technical education area that it would be focused on so with that I'd appreciate a good vote and make a motion to pass. Senator Dotson motions do pass as. As amended by here second. Thank you senator Bryant. Of any questions any discussion on the motion. All in favor All opposed. Thank you bill. The senator Bryant you have Senate bill seven I mean for seventy three. Your ability. So. Senator Rapert you're recognized. Thank you bill what four seventy three yes senate bill four seventy three. Thank you madam chair of the committee. I want to start off by saying this you probably know what else on this it's a difficult conversation to have but this is what the process requires of us. I think the initial reaction of a lot of people be like yourself some nefarious intention to this and that I have it out for educators of their association. While I may disagree with their bias in their ties to other labor organizations that was not my desire and intention of the bill. What this bill does is amended the automatic payroll deduction feature for any professional or labor organization of the dues directly from his employee's paycheck. I received a push back and by the evidence of the eighty six emails I received over six hours last night. I can see that their their members are active in trying to figure out this bill. First we dispel any rumors that the emails were sent first this bill does not keep any educator advocate for participating in any professional group. This bill is also not prevent or discourage any important conversations happening between professional colleagues this bill is about removing any potential fear intimate that intimidation in the workplace. I spent several years and I'll explain this so I spent several years as an excepted service federal employee that was covered by labor organization. When I was hired I was asked for months to begin paying dues. When I respectfully denied the request I felt the pressure and intimidation from my peers of the most seasoned union members. When they did I mean the benefits of their negotiations such as over time or schedule priority I simply just continue to do my job no complaints. Other new hires were not so fortunate and succumb to the intimidation tactics. When I witnessed those members request to be removed from the rolls I watch the toll of the perceived betrayal. No I'm in no way saying that this is the atmosphere that occurs in our right to work state what I'm saying is I heard the same trepidation invoices of newer at numerous educators that call when I discuss their own professional relationship with the organization. To explain this I say this session we saw the most expensive change in our state's education since its inception. As a member of this committee you can attest to the countless emails or phone calls received from educators across our state they're full of perhaps of passion but perhaps also misguided or one sided. And I suppose even that statement depends on the lands in which you see things. These emails are generated by organizations that felt excluded from the conversations and therefore lashed out at the government through the voices of their membership. That's the process and I understand that. Yeah in the dozens of conversations I had with educators during a learns bill process I easily quench the fears once the a motion was over over the facts of the bill. When I would ask where they got their information it was from their professional organization. I also received dozens of calls in support of a learns bill but that if you concerns resulting from the same information that they just need to get cleared up. I acquired to a couple these callers about the organization and they felt it was training away from education and more into national politics arena. When I acquired as why they would support any organization which they may not always agree with indicated it wasn't worth the hassle if anyone were to find out that left. They spoke of annual fairs at their school the highly encourage persuade intimidate into renewing these memberships. It was easy for them to sign and move on. They felt that they could remove the pressure from the public and take these members are requesting the privacy of their home like all other organizations which they belong it would alleviate their stress. I thought that technology to pay direct and keep it out of the business of the school staff was a better option that the payroll deduct option was in place due to the absence of on like making from years past and not an inconvenience as it once was. There's those are supportive of the organization would stay a member. Since I had numerous conversations with educators I decided to take a quick survey so I picked eight or the eight school systems throughout our state that I had somewhat of a new relationship with educators and ask three questions of. Do they currently pay the organization through payroll deduct five said they did three so they were not members. Then I asked regardless of your membership status would you worry of any peer pressure of it or intimidation if you decided to terminate this membership. Three said yes reset likely yet to said no even one of the members that is not paid so that's one reason they did not pay. Then I ask the question do you think you would pay more attention and be more active in an organization if you had to make the intentional effort to pay for this membership five said yes two said maybe one said no. So I'd like to restate this bill does not force anybody to stop paying for something which they do not agree or have a passion to support. It does take the potential for workplace fearing it into intimidation other process if any organization or business bills at the loss of a payroll deduction service will undercut their ability to function I would say they need to get a better product for the people that are willing to pay for. With that I'd like to take any questions. Much so questions from the committee. There anybody in the audience to speak for against the bill and I believe so. And. We have. Missy okay Mike Hernandez. Thank you. Identify yourself to be recognized. Thank you my comment is executive director of the Arkansas association educational destroyers and we have spoken to Senator bridle bit about this bill in our our overall concerns is that you know some of the things about intimidation and and the widespread at this because it says professional organizations as a whole you know there a numerous different types organizations where there might be library association councillors Association any of those that have the flexibility to do payroll deduction as part of their memberships we don't do drivers we don't do anything like that where we go and you know Intimidator browbeat people into into being an association it is by their choice and and you know we just like that flexibility as reference to putting out misinformation I think hopefully most of the folks in on this committee can attest that we try to be very factual and truthful with information that we send out to folks especially in this session around all the different kinds of bills or put out there and will continue to do that we just see it kind of is a trying to be Working in a good working relationship with our our legislative body in others we have conversations we feel like this is a little bit of a slap in the face when it says I we don't we wonder what we can to limit your ability to be able to to talk about taking away some of the flexibility and convenience that staff has by doing payroll deductions thank you thank. Senator Hammer. Mike thanks for comments I'm just need clarifier one get information so what do you know what the average use or maybe sponsor can answer questions what are the average dudes that are with help from of the paychecks you know. I think it's it berry so from my perspective in our organization it's based on the salary component so it can be as little as a hundred dollars a year to depend on how high their salary partisan so they opt into that and it's can be taken out monthly can be taken out at once it's kind of at the employee's discretion as so they can they can up the employee has ability opt in or opt out and the district has the ability to opt in or out opt out is districts don't automatically do payroll deductions we do have districts and say Hey we're not doing payroll deduction period this is a very flexible process where the employer gets to decide whether they do payroll deduct the employee decides whether they want to participate or not and it's it's been that way and and not other than you know the way that at senator Right. What like there at had described it is you know and I agree with them if there is any kind of meetings that are held in people are intimidated unfortunately in his situation that's not a good thing that's not a practice of every group in a wide net and say Hey don't matter your you're in this boat I just think that's a harsh penalty to hand them this and you know those are those pre tax or taxed dollars I mean if they if they also know that there's or those my understanding is to be taxed so after after tax after tax okay all right thank you. Thank you. The city. The rest round. For the bill. And your member of the committee thank you for having me is rusty brown of the southern director the freedom foundation and I'm here in support of the bill it. Senator Bryant said basically everything that I would have to say like this bill we'll probably get made out to be a an attack on democracy and teachers and it's anything but that it is banning her stopping the practice of the state of Arkansas acting as a debt collector for a private organization which is what the ACA a subsidiary of the national education association as a entity that brings in hundreds of millions of dollars a year that are perfectly capable of collecting their own membership dues and if they are worried about making the transition then that that should beg the question why. Why would an organization be afraid to collect its own dues and doctors all members and prove its worth. That's all I have so. Very much. Amy Douglas is speaking against the bill. You. Identify yourself to be recognized two minutes thank you Amy Douglas and director of legal services for Arkansas state teachers association we are state chapter of the association of American educators and as a member driven organization may meet many of our members across the state arises payroll deduction process and we provide other options of payment but the bulk of our members use and appreciate the benefit of payroll deduction. And it's reasonable convenience afforded to our educators. M. rather than prohibit this our national partners association of American educators has M. announcer position asking that and for our use of the payroll deduction policy that the school district's charge our organization I three percent fee to utilize that service. And then give that to that three percent would come from us to the districts to go back into the schools. And our role is not simply as a labor organization for professional organization that provides for the professional development resources and teacher support we also provide a liability policy and M. scholarships and grant opportunities to educators that are in and outside of our organization we never push questions or bullied members and I member can join or leave our organization at any time by their own request. Thank you. You very much. Speaking for the bill. Chairman members of the committee thank you for the opportunity I am I'm sorry Gary Newton with Arkansas learns which is the voice of consumers of education of. We are in support of this bill for the reasons that have already been stated but I also want to point out I'm a thirty year member of the union in fact I'm a member of two unions that are in the AFL-CIO of my household pays dues for for earth for unions three different ones we have the ability to do payroll not payroll excuse me we have the direct deposit keep a card on file write a check there are innumerable ways to pay dues I paid dues into these unions as I said for decades and it's never come out of payroll deduction so I wouldn't I think technology exists to this point that we give more flexibility and respect to our employees our colleagues when we allow them to control rather than having to go through a third party to determine whether or not their payroll deduction starts or stops I believe and we believe that if you're in a professional member organization you should pay your own dues period thank you thank you very much. Carol Fleming. Speaking against the bill. You identify yourself to be recognized you have two minutes the morning committee I'm Carol Fleming a speech language pathologist president of the Arkansas education association Senate bill seven forty three will make it harder for educators to to participate in important educational and professional opportunities and enhance their work in our schools and ultimately benefit our students sadly this legislation distracts from the critical needs facing our children in schools like safety educator shortages and mental health services as educators we made a choice to help children to achieve their full potential part of that responsibility includes belonging to our professional organization so we can appropriately advocate on their behalf members are concerned that the effect that this bill has would be would in fact impact their important conversations that we have with professional colleagues about how we can best meet the needs of our students educators perceive this as yet another attack on public education whether it is specifically or not it is the perception and that is our reality our students see and hear what is happening they've even participated in the election the legislative process or attempted to what message are we sending them education is the one profession that allows children to job shadow for thirteen years we're discouraging them from joining our profession are suggesting that this is not a worthy profession we know there is a shortage so we should be making it easier to join this profession not harder key words and phrases that we've heard during this session have included choice or local control this legislation would remove an educator's choice they will no longer be able to choose how to submit payment to a professional organization I allow you I urge you to allow educators to choose how we pay our dues and vote no on Senate bill four seventy three so we can work together on the real challenges and issues facing our public schools thank you for your time thank you. Very much. I think that's all of the folks so. Those on the committee have some questions discussion. Senator Rapert. It's been great a great conversation with England's that's awful but I close the bill. Senator Bryant a vote do pass. Do we have a second. Second I'd center stone. A discussion on the motion. All they ever hi All opposed. Yeah I said it thank you. And senator Hammer you have a Amendment. Thank you ma'am chair up. I'd like to make a motion. The Senate bill at four seventy seven or seventy seven hi. What do my explanation for doing the motion just so that's right go ahead that show on Senate bill four seventy seven that we passed while ago on the launch Bill what didn't realize was that Senator Dismang actually sent a amendment in and what the amendment would do said everybody on this committee plus more sponsors that was not communicated to me when I sat down she would like to make a motion to expunge the vote by which Senate bill four seventy seven failed so for the purpose past sorry past for the purpose for the purpose of adding this amendment after we take care of that business we get all these hundred percent sponsors on the bill I make a motion I'm making a motion to challenge the vote by which Senate bill four seventy seven passed and center Dotson seconds that motion all in favor hi All opposed the ayes have it so you thank you I'd like to make a motion that Senate bill four well I'd like to I'd like to have a motion to have the amendment adopted which is Senate bill four seventy seven that's being handed out. Be a motion to adopt the amendment. Two four seventy seven with amendment does that are the sponsors on the house of the Senate Arkansas Senate members are sponsors here in the committee. Hammersmith motion center Dotson second the Amendment to Senate bill four seventy seven on paper hi All opposed thank you very much okay thank you know I'd like to make a motion to pass Senate bill four seventy seven as amended. Senator Hammer has been do pass senators Dotson second. All in favor. All opposed thank you. Ask for seventy seven as amended as amended manager I'm ready to do twelve fifty four one of the chairs ready thank you and so we have House a bill fifteen fifty nine. Okay I think that's the last we'll deal with the manager mob I called the wrong number of twelve fifty four twelve fifty four okay. Twelve fifty house bill twelve the. But. I was actually committee chair okay we have to have a motion to pull it off of deferred well. There's another. I actually got to bills man chair one is twelve fifty four I would make a motion to pull twelve fifty four off the deferred list for the purpose of adding amendment as senator Hammer said seven Senator Leding. Hey. Okay. So representative Mayberry's here. Senator Hammer. You all the recognized. Ma'am chairs Kim Hammer station District sixteen. You're recognized. They represent sorry. A state representative Julie Mayberry District ninety two I thank you we have an amendment. Do you like to explain amendment yes ma'am based on conversations that were in this committee last time we were in here this is an amendment I thank but hopefully strikes a balance what it does is add a cap on the square foot about at two hundred and eighty nine dollars represent Mayberry consulted with Tim Kaine in this this came up to be what is a reasonable number it's not how much it cost per square foot but it's more than what it was and this is a strike of the ballot madam chair that's good. So I make a motion do pass on the amendment please. Thank you Sir thank. Second by Senator Davis. All in favor hi all of those thank you okay. Go ahead president and chair K. so we've had a lengthy debate before in here about twelve fifty four this would set the captain at two eighty nine a month for a representative maybe because she's going to workforce on this and let her give a brief explanation or be available answering all questions basically we're just coming up with the dollar amount so that there's no discrepancy we all know what it is we've heard your comments from this committee and we asked what is that current dollar amount and this is the amount that I'm told actually had some change two eighty nine and. Forty seven cents or something like that so I but it just it to eighty nine and we're hoping that pleases the committee and we can move forward and help our school districts at least with a little bit more funding so that they can come a complete some projects. The questions from the committee. Questions in nobody speak for against the bill Simmons the will of the committee. Make a motion to pass manager senator Hammer do pass I have a second. As amended I'm sorry did I have a second. Second center Chesterfield. You know once I Senator Davis. All they were. All those. Thank you bill thank you thank you met your committee. Okay we did you say you have one more I've got a carrying a bill house bill fifteen fifty nine thanks representative McClendon had passed I think there's an amendment prevents me as sponsor from out of state and. Thanks. You. Of okay. So you identify yourself you'll be recognized thank you madam chair Thank you to copy the amendment if I could please may had one earlier but. Thank you. I think this is a up. Agreed upon amendment that the primary sponsor which would add me as the co sponsor but also for the purpose of this section you can read an inch institution is not prohibited from required implicit bias training if at least ninety five percent of the implicit bias training is required buying a credit or grant or or licensure and manager I'd make a motion to adopt the amendment. Senator Hammer is to adopt the amendment here second. Second center Dotson. All in favor hi all posed. So the amendment has been adopted. You read it. I'll close up on no measure. Thank you member thank you measure members committee today president you fifteen fifty nine the bill gives teachers an option to attend plus supplies training by public or state supported institutions of higher ed it's very straightforward simply says the local that school cannot compel employed to speak pellucid buys training Harvard business review's did a meta analysis of four hundred ninety studies with over a thousand people regarding implicit bias training show that while well meaning it does not lead to meaningful change in some states actually leads to an increase in anger frustration additionally minorities reported no change in perceived biased against them teachers. What I would also want to point out madam chair is that the primary bills sponsored would work with it eight I hope so A. A. E. a U. M. S. N. U. A. systems made some changes they requested I'll be glad tried answering questions. The question. Nobody here speak for or against the bill. Thanks. Fifty fifty. I had Senator Chester at the risk of being relevant Having gone through the training I'm glad that you off with this amendment. Because there are times when we need to walk in somebody else's shoes. What people don't understand what others are going through. There is a lack of empathy. It would imprison mass training was designed to do is to develop a degree of empathy. And yes it makes people angry because when you Senate minority for a long time you're angry to. So I appreciate you allowing this to happen rather than just saying it ain't gonna happen at all thank you yes ma'am. Thank you very much. We have left so the board speak against the bill. Lancel OR private citizen So I I I I just wish to speak about the the idea that somehow bias in and of itself is a bad thing and I think that this comes from the idea that bias is bad and biases not with bad using my bypass to hurt others are not taking check to see if my bias does hurt others that's when it's bad the report of implicit bias training done properly is to help look to see if our bias or it's not to say that because you have by if you are back instead of looking at some that are done poorly it would be a lot not better to serve to find ways actually or done correctly that help people figure out that bias and whether it is hurting others or not I'm in a band Director I taught kids how to play drums I would tell them you as a habit drop your right arm low and I would have to force them to figure out how to do it right to be able to play the drums really want to do that made them uncomfortable they got upset some push back really hard at me over that that's what happens when we teach people and we learned but the point of bias true implied by training is not that the bias is bad but that it can be used poorly I'm glad we have some exceptions here because there are federal laws that require training invites for students to get for schools to get funding so I will leave with that after any questions of course when you take them not expecting that but willing to have them thank you very much. Questions from the committee. So what is the will of the committee. Close. Okay so I do hereby make real short sweet hi yes I appreciate the amendment that's being added to this because it creates the option for people to pick and choose if they want to be in there which I think is a better environment and creates a better learning environment that if somebody does want to be educated or exposed to learning about these areas that is not because are being made forced to do it but they have been created the option to do it and so for that reason I think it's a much better bill with the amendment because it does address the concerns that were expressed and people that want to be good teachers good learners are going to seek out this information without having to be forced to get it and with that madam chair I would appreciate a good vote I make a motion to pass. Senator hammer do pass as amended as amended as amended sorry. Thank you second. Second senator Dotson on paper hi all posed. Thank you pass the bill thank you manager members committee. So Committee thank you very much everybody I think we have done a really good job today of getting through all of these amendments I mean needs of bills and we will probably try and beat again on Monday there will be some things coming from the house as well. So we are Richard.