House Convenes

I'm by the member staff press and gas in the galleries to stand and be led in prayer by Dr Carl Morris. Pastor of Christian education training and discipleship at second Baptist Church Little Rock against a representative terrace Shepherd. That is the. Have any father we just come down the name of Jesus lord we thank you father for this convening for the lord we thank you for the divine purpose on what to do which is a product on each representative here for five the lord we pray for the ladies as they begin on what Jesus to carry out the business on what that have been set before them father thank you begin on which is to give them peace of what Jesus that anything that is happening with their family father beyond these four walls lord that you are taking care of for the lord allowed in the no further alleges that as you can what you the for the citizens of this state filing the decision that they make for the lord we pray father that you begin with it let them know far the lord Jesus that you would give them the wisdom by that I understand the knowledge and revelation father that they need on the way to transact business that is set before them by the lord I think any even in the midst of a date for the lord when they may not be able to be on one accord by the lord and I would like to come together in unity five and one is by the lord and remember their wifi the lord by the wife of in which is that you have set them in this room for the lord why fight alleging that the season has to be made by the lord and wifi then what is the best decision five what would be the most beneficial for the lord to those alleging that they are making the decision for for the lord if I just be in this room on today for the lord allow everything to be done for them or to your glorify the lord into your place upon what or how we love you we thank you we praise you in Jesus name amen. Members please indicate your presence by pushing yellow present button the machine Adam Clark. Members please. Repress your yellow present but. Cast about man third. With one hundred members present chair sees a quorum represent Jeffrey Wardlaw moved to dispense with the reading of previous day's Journal without objections so ordered are there for some select committees read the reports man park. Mr Speaker you Committee on public health public retirement social security to whom was referred house bill seven three households for fifty three house bill thirteen oh three then the report we have the same consideration here this time within connection that it do pass as amended number one respectfully submit Mark Perry vice chair Mister Speaker your committee on public retirement social security to whom was referred house bill twelve sixty House bills of money to make the report we have the same consideration here presents a recognition that it do pass thankfully submitted Les Warren chair. There are reports from standing committees reports by the Clerk. This is because we are Committee on the Journal ingress and wrote Bills to whom was referred shell bill house bill thirteen fourteen Begley report we have in the same consideration here retirement same recommendation that has been substantially amended improperly engrossed in compliance with House wrote thirty nine C. respectfully submitted Matthew Shepherd chair. Three unfinished business are there any Executive communications read the letters from the government Clerk. To the Speaker of the house you Mr Speaker this inform you that on March tenth twenty twenty three I reviewed and approved the following measures from the legislative session ninety first General Assembly house bill twelve thirty eight ACT two thirty eight sincerely Serra thank Huckabee Sanders governor of Arkansas to the Speaker of the house Dennis speaking this inform you that on March sixteenth twenty twenty three are reviewed and approved the following measures for the legislative session of the ninety first General Assembly house concurrent resolution ten ten house concurrent resolution one thousand eight sincerely there had to be Sanders governor of Arkansas to Speaker of the house. You Mr Speaker this inform you that on March seventeenth twenty twenty three are reviewed and approved the following measures are legislative session nine fortune assembly house bill ten sixty five ACT two seventy nine house bill ten seventy five ACT two eighty house bill ten seventy nine ACT two eighty one house bill ten eighty X. two eighty two house bill ten eighty one X. twenty three house bill eleven oh six ACT two eighty four house bill eleven thirty four ACT two eighty five house bill thirty fifty eight two eighty six house bill thirteen twenty eight to eighty seven house bill thirty thirty eight to eighty eight house with thirteen eighty nine ACT two eighty nine house bill thirteen ninety three ACT ninety house bill thirteen ninety four eight two nine one has before Tino five eighteen ninety to House Bill fourteen thirty one ACT two ninety three house bill forty sixty one ACT two ninety four house bill fourteen sixty four eighteen ninety five has a fourteen eighty two ACT two ninety six that's the fourteen eighty three ACT ninety seven as a fourteen ninety four accident ninety eight house bill fourteen ninety seven ACT two nine nine house bill fifteen ten ACT three hundred sincerely Sarah Huckabee Sanders governor of Arkansas to the Speaker of the house you Mr Speaker this inform you that on March twenty first twenty twenty three I reviewed and approved following measures from legislative session ninety first General Assembly house bill one thousand seven ACT three fourteen house bill ten thirty to at three fifteen house bill ten thirty five ACT three sixteen house bill eleven fifty six ACT three seventeen thirteen sixty eight three eighteen has a thirteen eighty eight three nineteen house bill fourteen eleven ACT three twenty has the fourteen twenty three ACT three twenty one House before two twenty five ACT three twenty two House Bill fourteen twenty six ACT three twenty three has a fourteen thirty six ACT three twenty four. The fourteen thirty nine at three twenty five house bill forty forty eight at three twenty six of forty fifty nine at three twenty seven has before two six nine eight three twenty eight house for fourteen ninety seven ACT three twenty nine also fourteen seventy eight three thirty has before two thirty three and three thirty one house before to seventy five ACT three thirty two Haskell fourteen eighty one ACT three thirty three fourteen ninety eight three thirty four house bill fourteen eighteen ACT three thirty five also fourteen twenty four ACT three thirty six has before fifteen twenty five ACT three thirty seven has with that fifteen thirty to at three thirty eight of the fifteen forty six ACT three thirty nine has a fifteen forty seven ACT three forty also fourteen thirty four ACT three sixty seven house concurrent resolution one thousand eleven sincerely Sarah Huckabee Sanders governor of Arkansas. Members are Dr the day is doctor Lisa Spence of Jonesborough guests of represent Milligan are nurses days bring to human. In the north gallery today we have mayor Jerry Coleman Menifee against represent back. The east gallery today we have colonel Todd and Mr Gerald Corrigan who is the president of Vietnam veterans of Arkansas that's Colonel Nate Todd and they are the guests representive Unger. We also have Let's see we have gave in Addison Richardson there the daughters of representative Scott Richardson there here paging with this today. And representative Womack's daughters Bella Marie and Rachel are also here paging with this today. Represent Johnson moved that we place Senate bill three twenty two back on second reading for the purpose of amendment without objection read Amendment number one matter Clerk. Amendment number one to Senate bill three twenty two. President Johnson you're recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker and members this is a Amendment this was a bill passed out of committee was in negotiated bill would miss one section that need to be amended referred back to committee I got that Amendment cleaned up and I'll be happy to answer any questions on that and. Senate president about represent Johnson is explain the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. Represent Johnson is close for the amendment the question before the House. The. Adoption of amendment number one to Senate bill three twenty to prepare the machine madam Clark. There by eleven everyone voted as everyone voted. Cast a ballot madam Clerk of a ninety three eight zero nine zero present the amendment is adopted. Members we also have with us in the west gallery the river valley city elders per team they are the guests of the Sebastian and Crawford County delegations. Manafort please read House resolution ten thirty five. House resolution ten thirty five a representative under to proclaim March twenty twenty three is with them air veterans month in Arkansas resume under you're recognized explain the resolution. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues. Twenty nine March nineteen seventy three was recognized as the close of combat operations in the Republic of Viet nam by American forces in subsequent years different veterans organizations have asked that the month of March B. proclaim Viet nam veterans month and that's what we're doing today we lost a total of five hundred ninety two of our fellow Arkansans in that conflict and just want to have a chance to honor them madam Clerk if you would read the resolution by title only. There is explain the resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution. Would anyone like to speak for the resolution. President Unger is close for the resolution the question before the House is pastor House resolution ten thirty five all in favor say aye. Any opposed the resolution is adopted. Madam Clark please read House resolution ten forty one House resolution ten forty one by representative definitely recognize the inalienable right to life property in defense and the right to keep and bear arms in Arkansas and to reclaim the right to keep and bear arms day in Arkansas. Represent Duffield recognized explained resolute. Thank you colleagues the right to keep and bear arms one of the most sacred crucial rights guaranteed to American citizens it is the second amendment to the United States constitution that is kept our glorious country strong and his character people free for nearly two hundred and fifty years it is this right ultimately which protects our god given rights to life liberty the ownership of property as well as the right to pursuit of our own individual happiness the Arkansas constitution of eighteen seventy four reinforces and solidifies these available rights. As our Kansans. And as Americans we understand well the words in the English historian lord Acton when he wrote power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Another word for the phrase absolute power is Tierney. In seventeen seventy six it was the Tierney of the crown which the brave columnist of the New World or willing to sacrifice their lives in order to defeat. After the final shot was fired in the army's of King George had been defeated our forefathers said the horrific concept of Tierney never again. Enter the second amendment. It is in the spirit and love for the protection of the individual rights of the citizens of Arkansas as well as of the United States of America that I bring for to this body today resolution to recognize to celebrate and proclaimed Monday March twenty seventh twenty twenty three as the right to keep and bear arms day in Arkansas madam Clark please read the resolution entitled only. I'm Clark please read resolution by title only to recognize the in a little right to life property in defense and the right to keep and bear arms in Arkansas and to reclaim the right to keep and bear arms day in Arkansas. President doubled its plane resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution. Would anyone like to speak for the resolution president W. was closed for the resolution the question before the House is the adoption of house resolution ten forty one all in favor say aye. Any opposed the resolution is adopted. Man poor please read House resolution ten fifty two House resolution ten fifty two by representative status recognize the Arkansas state future caucus for its commitment and services state of Arkansas. Purpose of Scott you're recognized to explain the resolution. Thank you Mr Speaker. I'm going to turn it over to the the co chair the future caucus representative with. I thank you JB the mobile action projects also known as the future caucus has chapters all over the country one of them and when the earliest ones actually Arkansas future caucus started which I believe was in two thousand seventeen. Engineered to co chairs along with two co chairs over in the Senate as well the Bill action project works directly with their nation's leading young policy makers on both a national and state level the bridge the partisan divide and lead a new era collaborative governance as a national nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to activating millennials and Gen Z. policymakers map gives our nation's young leaders the resources and support to develop impasse innovative policy solutions and forge productive partnerships on the issues affecting the younger generations of Americans. Yeah. Okay working with our lawmakers map has advanced post partum post partisan legislation on issues including criminal justice reform under new ownership technology twenty first century skills training veterans employment and so much more including the introduction of the first bipartisan legislation on ride sharing in social impact so today we're here because it's our our week nationally and across the country the. The caucuses are being recognized across the country said today we just want to have our resolution read in. Yes the title. And that right before the Clerk read that I just want to say we actually won the largest future caucuses in the nation right now so if you are a member of this body you're under the age of forty five congratulations you are a member of the future caucus there's a lot of great work we're doing it through this week on social media they will be highlighting some of the great policy that shall have passed during the set. Please that please read the title of the resolution only madam Clark please read resolution by title only to recognize the Arkansas state future caucus fourth commitment and service to the state of Arkansas. It represents Scott is explained ability would like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Scott is closed for the bit of resolution question before the House is the adoption of house resolution ten fifty two all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The resolution. This guy for what purpose. Point of personal privilege please you're recognized for poor personal privilege. I appreciate that that vote will occur. Today we have someone very special with that I just want to take a second to recognize Smith related bill till yet. Right okay right to Wilkins she is one hundred and she lives in my district and he's here today I just want to read a few things I want John to help me welcome her and make her feel very special today. So Miss World was born on March twenty sixth nineteen twenty three and North Little Rock Arkansas. And now celebrates the remarkable milestone or what her one hundredth birthday she has lived a life full of treasures the memories and if the wealth of wisdom and knowledge she is blessed with a loving family she has sixty fifth one nephew a host of nieces and great nephews and two cousins she is retired as a nurse aid from the VA hospital in Little Rock she enjoys getting her hair done and keeping up with passion and she loves to dance the house of representatives of the ninety first General Assembly of Arkansas takes great pride in recognizing miss Wilkins on the occasion I per one hundred one hundred birthday and wish her many more years. Today I want you all stand to your feet and help me wish miss Wilkins of happy bless. And I want to thank you representative Shepherd was the one who actually connected me with this family in my district so she brought it to my attention and we were just happy to honor her today. Represent a core for purpose. You're recognized for a personal privilege. Thank you Mr Speaker I would like to ask that representative David Ray please join me at the well. President ray. May join represent Baker to well. Colleagues today eight min representative ray are excited to issue a citation to the Maumelle charter high school golf team there in the east gallery asset all members their families coaches and athletic directors and or superintendents please stand. Ladies and gentlemen you're looking at the three eight current golf champions coached by coach James Mitchell we have senior Luke Hansen junior Linda Linda to CSAL. Sophomore chase holder sophomore drew burns. On October fourth twenty twenty two these individuals here collectively earned themselves the title state champions for the three a golf tournament in the State of Arkansas senior Luke Hansen shot a one under seventy two to win three a overall and all state honors this allowed him to finish as high school campaign as a three time individual state champion a one time individual conference champion and played a huge part in two previous state championship teams chase holder finished inside the top ten posts a score of eighty three turn all state in his sophomore campaign. From their coach it was an absolute pleasure and blessing to be around these guys this year it was amazing to watch the continual hard work and dedication that these young men put in allow them to achieve the goals they set for themselves their bonding competitive spirit carried them throughout the season and I believe they will continue to keep those close as they move forward in the future please collectively help me recognize this wonderful achievement. President flowers for purpose. Thank you Mr Speaker personal point of privilege you're recognized for point person. Colleagues on last Tuesday. This state and the nation. Lost a great son of Arkansas and a great. son of the delta. And a former state senator. And if you all never had the benefit and the joy in the pleasure of knowing senator Royce C. bill Bilbo as he was known by friends and family Llewellyn. Then you Mr street. He was a true stalwart leader his family will be here to be recognized by the house and Senate in may but for now I would just ask that you join me in a moment of silence. Thank you very much. Morning hour is indeed. Represent Wardlaw recommends we current Senate amendment number one to House Bill thirteen oh seven. I'm Clark please read Senate Amendment number one Senate member number one house bill thirteen oh seven. Represent Wardlaw you're recognized to explain a member number one. Thank you Mr Speaker normally I would say my bill my amendment but I think this was for a little bigger and that so. I'll go through a few things I hate to rehash this whole bill out again but it looks like that's where we are. So guys. Not emails a lot of talk about how this bill affects retirements so if you follow me to page five of the bill. On page five line one goes through indirect holdings it goes through how indirect holdings are totally exempt from all retirement systems follow other lines seven through nine list them all out it says how they existed on January one. That way they can't be changed it exempt some from indirect holdings from that point forward. Follow me to the back page of the bill. Pretty big bills it takes me a couple minutes here. We go in and they said that indirect holdings would be a concern I mean direct holdings would be a concern. And they talk about how they were locked into maturity date on those direct holdings so we put a little moment in at the end at their request all these amendments were added at the request of the retirements this is given investment is subject to divestment under this subchapter but is locked into a maturity date and early divestment would mean the result of a financial penalty that would cause a negative financial impact. You don't have to divest in till that date is met so focused more on the story these amendments were all put on at the request of the retirements they were put on to make sure we had minimum impact like I said when I ran a bill here on the house floor we still want to make sure that we get our point across and these folks are not discriminate against the firearm industry and against the oil industry but we're doing it at a very minimum impact you also saw there was an email floating around about blackrock investment they named it in the email so I'm on name in here in a way out. Investment advisors are not held are not put on the list it says that in the definitions so you can't lose Black Rock in this bill so the only reasonable lose blackrock blackrock size not the business state Arkansas won't be because of this bill that was an amendment that we put on for Stephens so I'm telling you that a lot of what you're seeing a lot of what you hear is just not true the bill is black and white on white paper you can read it for yourself I just quoted the three places where it is said it does not invent and does not affect retirements on indirect at all it does affect direct the only one it costs nothing to the state with that I appreciate a good vote thank you Mr. Wardlaw has explained Amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Percent worn recognized to speak against the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker. Yes I was a co sponsor on this bill I did so to get concessions made but I don't think they went far enough. Case you haven't noticed I don't come down to the well to speak against bills or amendments today's different. I'm speaking against these amendments because they're huge consequences if they do pass. I don't care for anything to do with the ESG movement. Redneck macalin Dotson has a bill that she's worked on that perfectly addresses. This issue. And how it should be treated with respect our retirement system's. I'm now in my seventh year on the retirement committee the last five including this one. I've served as chair. I work with many of you and spent many hours behind the scenes with the executive directors of these retirement plans and the retirees across our state to make sure I retirement plans were the best they could be in getting closer to being fully funded. Here are some items that I want you to know before you vote on these amendments. I retirement plans for anywhere from seventy five percent funded up. That means we do not have enough money. In these plans to pay what is anticipated to be needed for all the retirees we currently have in the retirement system's for their lifetimes. We put many measures in place to employ to improve returns and have other contributions made to close the gap but we are not there. My understanding of the bill is that the retirement plans will have to divest I'll let represent representative Wardlaw show me that I've tried to have some meetings. I've not been very successful with that but anyway. Our transaction costs will go up. The state puts money into these retirement systems for the sole benefit of the retirees. The retirees put money into the same retirement system's put their retirement benefit. A fiduciary responsibility is to invest those co mingled funds in a way that gets the best possible returns. With this bill the legislature will be telling the investment professionals what they can and cannot do. This money will never come back into the states ownership. It is March for the retirees yep we're telling the investment professionals the experts what to do. Every other state has exempted the retirement system's or provided a fiduciary exclusion for the retirement system's with respect to their ESG legislation. Why are we. And believe me. The director so the retirement system and I ask for this and we we were told that's not happening let's see what concessions we can make. The sponsor will tell you that they made concessions to minimize the impact on the retirement system's by accepting the indirect investments from being sold and they did. They're still fourteen point five billion dollars in direct investments. That are subject to control if this bill passes and these amendments. There are limited companies to choose from when it comes to investing retirement funds to the size of our retirement investment portfolios. When you take away company. You take away a competitive pricing. Benefit. We should be protecting the systems and retirant's which is a lot more important than making a political statement. Which is what this bill in these amendments to. The bill in its amendments come down to protecting our retirement systems in the state's retirees are constituents or. Potentially the best. Investments with those companies that have ESG related agendas. Do that with the state's money the treasurer's office but don't do it with the retirees money. Retirees are gonna take note of the vote on this bill. And they're going to be asking why we did this why would we do anything to hurt. The value of our retirement accounts. I ask you to join me in voting no on these amendments and prevent harm to retirement system's there's a better way to keep ESG factors. Out of our investments it's representative mac Linden's bill house bill twelve fifty three thank you. Percent worn spoken against the Amendment when he would like to speak for the amendment. We would like to speak against the amendment represent Mayberry you're recognized speak against the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker. I think my biggest regret on this amendment is that it doesn't have a line that says delete J. A. Mayberry is a co sponsor I was not aware I didn't ask the right questions I should say before becoming as co sponsor and I greatly regret that I asked too late the bill was already through the Senate and it was going to be on the Senate floor there wasn't anything I can do so that's the one problem I have with the amendment that we're voting on since I can only talk about Amendment number one what had me concern was that I was reading an article that says that the teacher retirement would receive a seven million dollar loss every year our teacher retirement system a seven million dollar loss every year. Our police and fire one million a year our public employees retirement thirty to forty million dollars a year our highway retirement twenty point one million dollars over fifteen years two hundred and forty point six million dollars. This isn't a game. These people have been banking on this retirement. And I think we need to slow this down if there's another option. They can create the similar into effect without hurting the pocketbook of our retirees and we need to do that. This is. Possibly you. Possible your spouse your neighbor. Your child your mom or your dad what are you going to say to them when their retirement is not what they were expecting it to be. Specifically on this amendment. It says I was told that this amendment was in there because there was thought that it gives too much power to the treasurer. So it placed him with a five person committee however the treasurer is on that committee and is also a board member for the Arkansas public employees retirement the Arkansas teacher retirement and the Arkansas State Highway and fully retirement so there is also a conflict of interest if and when a retirement system as told to divest. I also know that the sponsor of this bill when you hear about in a. Forming committees the sponsor this bill is usually the first one down in the well to say we don't need another committee with oversight that's in large in our government I hear that over and over again on bills and that's exactly what this does I would appreciate a no vote and I'm sure those in our retirement systems would appreciate as well represent Pilkington for what purpose. The members left the will represent Mayberry spoke against the amendment would you like to speak for the amendment represent baby you're recognized speak for the amendment. A couple of points colleagues one let's address the political statement issue that was addressed by representative form. First let's remember that there's a political statement being made by these investment companies in the brokers that they don't want to deal with gun industry or the oil and gas industry so the first political statements made by the brokers so I think it's I think it's fine and and and fair that this body can make a political statement the other side is you're hearing of all the losses to the retirement system. Those losses are paper losses on investments based on market fluctuations up and down. The concerns we have for losses the retirement system is addressed by the last paragraph on the last page the representative Wardlaw read to you if there is a negative impact to the state and the state is all encompassing it's everything if there were if there was a definition that singled out public entity Arkansas teacher retirement or or those definitions then you would have to have that in there but there's no definitions for that so the state is everything this Arkansas so those losses would only impact if they sold it while the market was down that was lost and fluctuation in an investment. The bill says you don't have to do that so there will be no loss to the retirement systems and other entities and please I encourage you to vote for this it past seventy nine to twenty one out of the house and twenty three I think the twelve out of the Senate this is a good bill and I ask that you vote for thank you. Represent based spoken for the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. Represent Wardlaw you're recognized to close for the. Thank your Speaker I want these people I like to point out proof and I can prove to you that blackrock was exempt but I can now because I knew it was in the bill Page two line twenty six to twenty eight. Any action. Discrimination does not include actions by an investment adviser that's what Black Rock is is an investment adviser this is not going to cause fees to go up it's not going to hit retirements because their indirect investments which we learn through all those meetings we had with retirement folks. R. S. and P. five hundred mutual funds there's almost over sixty percent of their money tied in that also this bill has nothing to do with the under funded portions of the retirement that's retirement committee passing all the bills and we don't pass anything to increasing the cop of the the money that we're putting in that's not got anything to do with this bill so we gonna talk about all this stuff but let's talk about the bill itself what is bill does it does make a political statement makes a political statement will stand up for South Arkansas Ole we're gonna stand up for the gun manufacturers that have recently moved into this state we had remitting here for years we picked up to one in Fort Smith and one here in central Arkansas we need to stand up for those folks this what this bill does that tax Arkansas jobs let's talk about the treasure four minutes that got brought up yes I am against a task force and I'm still against task force bill does not set up a task force amendment one on the Senate in which I did not explain earlier because everybody will talk about the retirement. To the treasure out of that position because they did feel like on the Senate in it was a conflict of interest. The retirement status of the conflict of interest when we started meeting with Dastis file a bill to take him off the boards bill was filed get to committee hi we don't want that bill anymore we're good that's what happened on our end so we get down there the Senate came up with this commission my part of that commission was is they wouldn't be there forever so the commission's gonna me decide who goes on the less the commission goes away if the governor gets a letter from the treasury says they should meet again the governor can reconvene that commission to meet again so it's not a commission it's there all the time it's only there to meet when they needed to be that way it's not any big government there so with that I appreciate a good vote thank you. President Wardlaw us as close for the amendment the question before the House is concurrence was Senate Amendment number one to House Bill thirteen oh seven prepared machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. Madam Clark. By a vote of fifty As thirty days and five present The Amendment the concurrence is fail. President Wardlaw recommends we can current Senate amendment number three to House Bill thirteen oh seven and Clark please read Senate Amendment over three. MMN number three to have a thirteen oh seven. Represent Wardlaw you're recognized to explain the amendment. Same as before a no reason reaction and I explain both amendments appreciate a good vote. President Wardlaw explain the amendment would you would like to speak against the amendment represent Mayberry recognized speak against the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker. speaking specifically on this amendment. It's present been presented as an amendment that would protect the retirement system's from losses but it actually doesn't do that and I'm going to pull you down to some specific words that need to be changed so at the very end it says prevent financial harm to the state and ensure that the fiduciary duty for the treasurer of the state is met I want to look at that word state. It should say prevent harm to the public entity which includes the retirement systems and cities and school districts the word should not be state it is poorly worded then the other part to ensure the fiduciary duty for the treasurer of the state is Matt. And it should say the dictionary duties of the trustees of the retirement system's. This is poorly worded it does not provide the additional protection to the retirement system that the sponsor states I encourage you to vote no thank you represent Mayberry spoke against the amendment would anyone like to speak for the amendment. Would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Represent Cavenaugh for purpose question. The two questions clarification so if we don't concurred on an amendment. Can body explain to us what happens in the procedure so we understand. The parliamentarian advises that if the house and Senate remain at odds as to these amendments that a conference committee can be appointed between the house and Senate to try and work out those differences. If this another words. At this point if Amendment number three passes it's still not be it will not be transmitted to the governor's office and let's Amendment number one is also passed for a resolution is reached between the house and Senate. Represent Mayberry has spoken against the amendment when he would like to speak for the amendment. We would like to speak against the amendment representative Wardlaw you're recognized to close for the amendment. Thank your Speaker I would just say that it's the same as before language is still the same and I appreciate a good vote. Reserve Wardlaw has closed for the amendment the question before the House is the adoption of amendment number three to House Bill thirteen oh seven. Thank you for the houses the concurrence with the sentiment in order number three to House Bill thirteen oh seven prepared machine madam Clark. Has everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clark by a vote of fifty eight thirty three nays and seven present The Amendment has failed. President Charlene Fite recommends we can current Senate member number one house bill eleven forty three madam Clark please read Senate member number one MMA number one house bill eleven forty three. President fight recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker the Senate Revenue and Tax Committee ask for more specificity in the definition of a homestead and how much acreage is involved so that's what the amendment does appreciate a good vote. Represent files explain the amendment when you would like to speak against the amendment would anyone like to speak for the amendment. President fight is close for the member question before the House is the concurrence and Senate Amendment number one house bill eleven forty three prepared machine madam Clark. Is everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about madam Clark by a vote of ninety six Yeas zero nine zero president you've concurred in Senate Amendment number one to House Bill in forty three represent Charlene Fite recommends we concurrent Senate Amendment number two to House Bill eleven forty three madam Clark please read Senate member to an amendment to house bill eleven forty three. President fight recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker again the Senate had requested a few more definitions involving exactly what a home state is and exactly who would be involved as the descendants of the disabled veteran or the family of the disabled veteran and receiving this so I appreciate a good vote. Represent fight has explained the amendment would you would like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. Representive fight is close for the amendment the question before the House is a concurrence with Senate member number two to House Bill M. forty three the machine madam Clark. Has everyone voted. As everyone voted cast about madam Clark by a vote of ninety five Yeas zero nine zero president. You concurred in the Senate amendment over to the house bill eleven forty three represent Dalby moved that we concurrence Senate Amendment number one to House Bill twelve await. Madam Clark please read Senate mineral one. Senate member number one Haskell to avoid represent Richmond you're recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker represent Dalby had stepped out as that I come down present currently all the amendment does is tying up some language within the bill I ask for a good vote. Represent Richmond has explained the Amendment. We would like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. President Richmond is closed for the amendment question before the House is the adoption of Senate and member number one to House Bill twelve oh eight prepared machine ma'am Clerk. As everyone voted has everyone voted. Cast about man Clark. By a vote of ninety three eight zero nine zero present your card and Senate amendment or one house bill twelve oh eight trips represent Gazaway. Rep Passover House Bill. Seven representative Pilkington moved that we can current Senate amendment or want to have to house bill ten await. I'm court please read Senate mineral on. Senate number one to House Bill one thousand eight. You're recognized thank you madam Speaker just adding Senator Davis on as the Senate sponsor I guess she wants credit for run it over there so that's forget. Representative Pilkington has explained the. The Amendment would anybody like to speak against the amendment. For the amendment. Are you close for amendment he's because first amendment. The question before the House is a concurrence was Senate Amendment. One to House Bill one oh eight. And I wait prepare the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clark Clark with the vote of ninety three eight zero nine zero present The Amendment has passed representative Ladyman recommends that we can current Senate amendment one to House Bill fifteen twenty madam Clark please read Senate Amendment number one in Amendment number one to House Bill fifteen twenty. represent Ladyman you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker of this amendment only and all it does is add center board as the Senate sponsor pretty good vote. Representative Ladyman has explained the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment for the amendment representative Ladyman is close for his amendment the question before the House is a concurrence with Senate amendment one own House bill fifteen twenty prepare the machine medical. Has everyone voted. You're voting on the amendment and the emergency clause. Cast up the ballot Manson Clark with a vote of ninety four yeah zero nine zero present the amendment has passed. Go back to the regular bills madam Clark please read house bill fourteen sixty nine. Fourteen sixty eight sorry ma'am. How forty fifty a representative wants to create the given name acts and to remember requiring employees of public schools and state supported institution of higher education the use a person preferred pronoun name or title without parental consent representative long you're recognized to present the bill thank you Mr Speaker. House Bill fourteen sixty eight those two simple things but both are very important. It protect religious liberties teachers professors administrators or public education system. These have a guaranteed by the Arkansas constitution under its declaration of rights. Article two section twenty four under the heading legislator to state no human authority can any manner in case or manner whatsoever she shall interfere with the right of conscience. Despite these guaranteed rights some educational professionals are being compelled to use pronouns or names three consistent with the student's biological sex. One is compelled speech violates the person's conscience. Is unconstitutional. H. B. fourteen sixty eight will provide needed clarity and protection for this education educators and the staff. Secondly H. the fourteenth sixty eight requires parental parents of minor children to give written permission to the school for their child to be called by anything other than their given name. This will share the knowledge and involvement of the parents in such an important matter. Represent council for what purpose you're recognized for your question. On an. I'm just reading this bill and and I I hear what you're saying about pronouns I understand while we may disagree philosophically I understand the reason for that bit of it I want to ask something about the names portion of the bill so I've got a daughter and and her P. coach has for ever get in all of them silly nicknames that builds class around it's it's terms of endearment for these kids my daughter for instance has always been to him. Curly that's what he calls are currently and because of her curly hair I guess my question is are you aware that under this bill if he did not get my consent to call her that name I would be able to sue him if I decided I needed a little bit more money or wanted to go that route and if so why is that in the bill and why you think that's good policy that we need. Well with. We wanted to make sure that in these situations where there is a problem that to the parents would be involved your situation I'm sure you would not mind to write a note to the teacher saying it's okay to to caller Curley of course you're you're probably in the parent would be subject to that type of thing I don't foresee that being a major problem of what we have currently without any protection is we have teachers that are being Harassed possibly having their jobs threatened because they don't feel that it's right to address the person by the pronoun or a name that's not consistent with their biological sex. Follow up you're recognized thank you Sir represent long just to be clear is your position that. Under this bill a teacher would have to get parental consent before calling a child by any nickname. Any name it's not on there transcript yes I'm I'm I don't I don't know for sure thanks. Presented Tosh for what purpose question you're recognized representative loan you may have just answered questions in the title of the bill it does say. Without parental consent but while ago when you've presenting the bill I thought I understood say that it would have to have parental consent so I'm I'm just asking for clarification of is it weird there without and you may have already answered that would you care to. At the end of the guide to try to answer does require real consent first. If the parent gives permission then any stick out teacher administrator staff if it doesn't Go against their conscience for their religious beliefs can be felt appropriated to participate and calling the child by the preferred pronoun a preferred name it however it does not require people that do not believe that this is a proper to participate. Representative McCollum for what purpose question you're recognized representative long can you tell me how many teachers and state of Arkansas have been harassed or I think that was your word harassed or threatened for doing this well in fact after I filed the bill I was contacted by a teacher from northwest Arkansas she's a single mom and she's actually in fear that her contract not be renewed because she's told administration I can't do this. You're recognized follow thank you madam Speaker someone. Is that answers one teacher give me one one teacher has some I've reached out to me thus far. Representative hot for what purpose question you're recognized reserve law I just I'm just a clarification here so like for me for example my my legal name is Robert but since birth I've been called Arjun right so would if I were in school with my parents have to give consent for them to call me RJ or would that go by my legal name no I type my understanding is that a very it would not be a problem as the person currently product earlier that to a situation I build different when it's a really an actor. Representative long as explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Your representative called you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker Pronouns should be hurtful. Maybe unless you remain bullish class when I was teaching and you didn't know the types or the person or the case that kind of thing. But you probably don't remember all of those but you probably remember personal pronouns kind of the easiest ones and that's what we're here to talk about today I know more about pronouns and you want to hear but probably shouldn't hurt they can hurt a student through the legislation on this bill this bill is presented is protecting school employees against compelled speech but it only protects employees who don't want to affirm students gender identity while limiting the speech of employees who do. It's viewpoint based discrimination which would be subject to strict scrutiny and a first amendment challenge. This bill claims a person's individual gender identity as a matter of public concern. How is that. I'm not an attorney and I'm not up here to argue religion either but I've always thought the maintenance of any religion. About respecting the dignity of people and loving them and I don't believe this bill achieves that goal on either level. I'm not here to challenge Police I'm here to challenge actions this is about people and how we treat them and there's got to be a better way for us all to co exist in this world. The ask is simply for a small accommodation to help a struggling kid whose mental health hangs in the balance. Since when do we need to outlaw that. We make accommodations for folks and students every day without loss. This bill will also please Sir teachers in their own classrooms and burdens are public schools with more government and legislative over reach when that teacher perpetuates a harmful behavior on a student don't think that it will not trickle down. To peer behavior as well. I've always believed we were here to help people with good policy but this bill places another target on these children a population so small in this state but one that this legislatures convinced it can falsely legislator way. This bill harms our state's image and actively creates a less welcoming place to raise a family with young children we're talking about a really small minority of students. A these are people that we're legislating against these are kids and parents they have a right as we do as Americans to enjoy the fruits of free speech in the pursuit of happiness and so I will vote no and I ask you to consider doing the same thank you. Representative McCall has spoken against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill. Against the bill representive county you are recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you madam Speaker colleagues I just want to reiterate what it is I was asking representative long about because well I certainly agree with representative McCall that this does target students based on their gender identity this bill does so much more than that and I want us to be aware of that before we vote on this. My daughter's elementary school P. E. coach gives all of them all of his students nicknames how the bill that moralis how they have fun together he calls my oldest daughter whose name is Evey currently because she has curly here he called my younger daughter whose name on her birth certificate is Catherine with a C. he called her cat cat. Neither of those are derivatives of her given name both of those if you chose to call either of my daughters those means I if this bill were to become law and he had asked me for permission to use those names first would give me as a parent cause of action to suit under this is huge the ramifications of this are potentially huge every making. Given to our kids every name that our students teachers come up with to be loving and fun inclines and create a warm classroom environment. Now have to go through this process the parental consent. For those teachers are living under the very real threat of a lawsuit by any parent who chooses that maybe they'd like to make a little bit of money so anyway I just wanted to reiterate that is what this bill does whether it whatever it's intended to do that is in fact what this bill does And I would encourage you to vote no thanks. Representative Clowney has spoken against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill representative road you're recognized to speak for the bill. Good afternoon colleagues great discussion I just wanted to clarify something that I understood in the bill it was said previously that this would take control away from parents or would be an affront to parents and as I understand the bill as I read the bill this puts the ball in the parents court for the parents to make that decision whether it's a nickname it's the first name it's pronoun any one of those things but it's the parent's decision on what they're child candor can't be called or what they do or don't go by thank you appreciate a good vote representative Rosa spoken against the bill would anyone like to speak for the he spoke for the bill in by like to speak against the bill. For the bill representative Crawford you're recognized to speak for the bill. Thank you madam Speaker hello friends. Let's get back to the basics. Let the parents decide let the parents know if the child wants to change a pronoun because of what they've seen on you too Instagram I don't know that they're on Facebook at that age but what ever their own one so that the parents can guide them in the direction that they need to go. A child may come in one day and want to be called one thing. They might want to be called she he it cat dog I mean they don't let the camera keeps going. And then I come in the next day and want to be called something else. So as adults we set boundaries. As legislators we make laws. We shouldn't be having to make this law I totally agree. But we're here in a day when we got to do it. Our teachers are scared. Because they are afraid of being sued. So let's help them out so they don't get sued. And let's get back to the basics of he and she. Representative McCollum for what purpose. Representive Crawford has spoken for the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Against the bill representative flowers you're recognized. Colleagues this bill came through the education committee and one of the things that I ask the sponsor is whether or not this is a problem and you just heard him mention that there was one teacher not who had whose contract had not been renewed but someone who feared that her contract may not be renewed. So once again we really are you serving. Parental and local control by creating a law to address an issue that is not not an issue. No one's been sued no one's lost their contract and you just heard representative council an attorney talk about the ramifications and I would say this to many of you who may feel compelled to vote for this in support of where your values lie and I understand the environment we're in I understand this is the the sex the issue of the session. But I'll say this aside from the fact that you've heard that there will be young people who will be her. The bottom line is this there there is not a problem now we're creating a cause of action and for all of you who don't think that you support trial lawyers you will this time thank you. Representative flowers has spoken against the bill. Representative Duke you're recognized to speak for the bill. Thank you I did anticipate coming down here to speak for this bill but I feel like to to say that there isn't a problem because there has been someone fired because there hasn't been a lawsuit I don't think is is fair and I expressed this personally to some of my colleagues I do know of teachers who struggle with this issue and it's not because they don't have a harder compassion for their students they absolutely do but the reality is that there are some children who are struggling in oftentimes that middle school age bracket. And they are coming into class and they want to be told called one name which they've accommodated and then a few weeks later they've asked to be called a different name and they've accommodated that as well because as a general rule or teachers or staff want to love and support the kids. But then it happens again and I know I know this first hand from to a person from teachers that that has been a struggle they've had in their classrooms and it is because I needed discomfort and it sometimes. Just different problems in their classrooms and they just want some stability to be able to know that they can call them whether it is scholar Duke or sites that they can do that and that is my experience on this and I don't I I think that part of what this can do is give the teachers an opportunity with their love in with their hard to address that without feeling like that they're going to be fired and I do know whether they can be I know it's often difficult to fire teachers whether they can be or can't be that is a concern and that is my understanding as what the heart was of the bill I don't see plan say to be an expert on it certainly not a lawyer but that's just what I've seen and I will try to answer questions but I don't know that all have a very good answer represents Clowney you're recognized for what purpose question you're recognized thank you representative I appreciate your comments and I along with you I think we certainly share wanting to protect teachers from fear I guess my concern about this bill is that it actually really gives teachers a lot more to be afraid of rather than last because under this bill if it passes I mean I use the nickname early impact but if a teacher Collocate honey or sweetheart or champ they are now opening them up to being sued if they've done that before getting parental consent to use that particular nickname I guess can you just explain to me why you think that is it less scary scenario for teachers than the one that they're currently operating under thank you that's a great question and I think you made a great point because I used to call my kids chickadees and so I understand that and I guess I can't answer how that might be able to address on the Senate side I'm a freshman I don't understand all of those layers but I think that that is a appoint with Meredith. Whatever represent flowers for what purpose question you're recognized representative you shared your personal experience with me and right after committee and I do appreciate that and I would be concerned about a child who came in devoid of parental involvement with those kinds of changes and at asks of a teacher however Since we have not seen any teachers lose their contracts or B. five. Why couldn't. A teacher elect to call the student scholar Duke without the legislation. I don't know that the teachers right now feel like. There there's two. There's two groups kind of battling and oftentimes I think the teachers feel kind of in the middle and they're just trying to find a way to navigate that and often times even though the state probably could and there may not be an issue it's been my experience with teachers that they're just looking for a path of least resistance so they can go in teach their academic course and I think this gives them an opportunity to not have to think about this to know that they can choose to use color do not have to worry about it and get back to the basics of teaching The reading writing and math which is what that's what they want to do they want to love their kids they want to make the best decision I don't think most of them are looking I don't think any of them are looking heard any kid I really don't and so that's that's why I support the bill do I think there's some nuances that maybe could be improved upon I don't disagree but I just felt like I needed to add that there are some issues out there that I think with the dressing thank you representative Dick has spoken for the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Or the bill representative long you're with. Want to close for your bill. You're recognized. Richmond Speaker. This bill does not stop a student believing whatever they want about themselves. With written permission educators can feel free to call students by their preferred pronoun or name if you have no objections. Educators and staff who can't do in good conscience. Don't have to participate. By having written permission it guarantees personal involvement in this important issue in the student's five. I want everybody to know that people who object to using is incorrect incorrect pronouns it's because I really deeply fill this is wrong it's not because I hate the students in fact I think the I believe it's been harmful to the student so I don't want to participate in forming the child. Without this bill. Parents may not be informed of what's going on at school. The school could elect to keep this quiet and The parents maybe taking some sort of intervention action to to try to. set the Charleston river course. Without a representative of. Representative long as close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fourteen sixty eight prepare the machine miss Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Passed up the ballot madam Clark with a vote of sixty five Yeas eighteen nice and five presents the bill is passed. Ms Clark please read house bill eleven sixty. Eleven sixty by representative where lots regulate compensation and benefits of public officers employees and to clarify supervision of volunteer products under the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance program we're gonna have to pass over house bill eleven sixty madam Clark please read house bill fifteen sixty eight okay I'm sorry sorry sorry. I was being told you weren't sorry. Thank you madam Speaker. House bill eleven sixties bill that we've been working on since begin the session is in the V. D. bill what it does is it separates the answered plans from EBD it allows a bid process take place for the plans themselves an EBT will oversee those bid process is in there right rules and bring those to counsel that will oversee those process to make sure they're done fairly and equally with that I appreciate a good vote thank you manager. Representative for law has explained house bill eleven sixty would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representative Wardlaw is close for his bills so the question before the House is the passage of house bill eleven sixty please prepare the machine madam Clark. Has everyone voted. As everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clerk with the vote of ninety four yeah zero Nays and zero present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill fifteen sixty eight. Fifteen sixty eight by representative makes an act of their standard time year round in Arkansas and to eliminate daylight savings time in Arkansas. And make sure recognized thank you madam Speaker for calling the soon as I walk up here and you saw the title some of you were already sold on this bill others of you however may be like I used to be daylight saving time is good for the leisure industry and who doesn't like that extra hour of daylight at the end of the day however once I actually took the time to study the issue and learned all the harm that comes from it I now understand why it's imperative that we turned to normal permanent standard time. For all human history going back to the days of the sundial we have operated on what is now called standard time that is natural time by the sun and the times standard that all of nature operates off of. In seventeen eighty four during his time as an American envoy to France Benjamin Franklin published the proverb that we're all familiar with early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise suggesting that Parisians economize on candles rising earlier to use morning sunlight however contrary to popular belief so here's your fight back for the day Franklin did not actually proposed daylight savings time. It was not until World War one on April thirtieth nineteen sixteen that Germany together with its allies actually led the way in introducing daylight savings time the aim was to alleviate hardships due to wartime coal shortages an air raid blackouts a month later the United Kingdom use daylight savings time in the United States it was the retail and manufacturing interest that soon began lobbying for daylight savings time when US entered the World War one in nineteen seventeen objections were overcome and they started daylight savings time however it only lasted one year. Because contrary to popular belief farmers have been one of the strongest lobbying groups against daylight savings time since it was first implemented the factors that influence farming schedule such as morning dew dairy cattle's reading this to be milked the time working in the fields are alternately dictated by the sun not by what the clock on the wall says so the trying time change introduced unnecessary challenges for them. Daylight savings time back came back into use again during World War two but it was not until the uniform time act in nineteen sixty six that's standardized system we still use today the act gives states the option of either switching back and forth or going to permanent standard time we don't have the option to go to permanent daylight savings time has been tried in the past why he opted out immediately Arizona opted out the following year so those two states of not observe daylight savings time for the past fifty years. By the time we got to the oil crisis in nineteen seventy three eighty percent of the American public supported actually moving to a permanent daylight savings time ended December of that year Congress made the switch however when they came back from the Christmas break just three weeks later. There were already calls for to be repealed Senator Clark from Iowa said I think it's time we recognize we may have all made a mistake and in Florida who today is one of the strong proponents of moving back to a permit daylight savings time. The Florida delegation was opposed and actually one of the representative said the small savings in energy that we will make do not justify the loss of lives of our children nor the hardships placed upon our children and their parents the lives of our children should receive first consideration the Florida legislature met in special session move their clocks back to standard time because eight school children were killed in predawn accidents waiting for the bus by the time the dust settled less than a year later only thirty nine percent of Americans still supported the move to permanent daylight savings time and it was eventually and it was repealed after only one year. So whether we like it or not. Like the rest of nature our bodies were designed to be regulated by the sun. Left to their own our biological clocks run generally on about a twenty four hour thirty minute schedule it is the light of the morning sun that gently pulls us back to the twenty four hour solar schedule when we spring forward we jerk our body clocks back to twenty three hours. And we've all felt the social jet lag that comes from that chains sleep specialists say that generally takes about two weeks to get fully adaptive though research indicates we never fully do adapt as the sun is always point our biological clocks back to standard time it's even harder on at risk populations such as the elderly and children a twenty fourteen study by the university of Michigan showed a twenty four percent jump in the number of heart attacks on the Monday following spring forward. In twenty seventeen a study by the American economic journal estimated the jump to the S. T. cost over thirty death and had a social cost of two hundred seventy five million dollars annually but twenty nineteen study also showed a modest up tax and heart attacks certain neurological mood disorders that are heavily dependent on morning sunlight or made worse so the question is why do we do our this ourselves every year evening twilight it turns out is just as important as the morning sun the rate low sunset is what tells our biological clocks it's time to prepare for sleep by pushing that back in our pushes that time back studies have indicated that already sleep deprived Americans get twenty minutes less sleep during daylight savings time than at other times of the year early morning drowsy drivers not yet fully awakened by the delay sunrise cause more accidents a study from twenty twenty showed a six percent increase in fatal vehicle accidents following the jump to daylight savings time. This prompted this past November the American medical association called for a move to permanent standard time Dr Dani who is a trustee of the AMA said for far too long we've changed our clocks in pursuit of daylight while incurring public health and safety risk in the process committing to standard time as health benefits allows us to in the biannual tug of war between our biological clocks alarm clocks the American medical association is not alone more than twenty other health organizations support permanent standard time including the national sleep foundation the American academy of sleep medicine the American academy of cardiovascular sepal and the American academy of neurology it is clearly bad for our health so again why we do it every year. In the nineteen fifties and sixties most school started between eight thirty and nine AM by two thousand many high schools were starting at seven thirty or earlier and a growing number of studies shows that these early morning school schedules can undermine teenagers ability to learn to drive safely and get along with others leave or not you can even increase the likelihood of smoking drug abuse and teen pregnancy. So what we do of course each spring we jerked their schedules even earlier exasperating the problems. And then we do it right before asking them to do well on year in standardized test again why do we do this to them. Now daylight savings time does have some benefits of course golf course operators retail leisure outlets do benefit from the extra hours in the evening. Some evidence also suggests there may be fewer car crashes in the evening and the decrease in robberies however while some benefits do business benefit others don't yeah remember drive in movie theaters. They are popular in the sixties and seventies some people say the move to daylight savings time was our demise because in the summer it puts the new Twilight back beyond what was practical for movie goers morning focus businesses coffee shops and diners can awful so for. One estimate is stating in Bloomberg says the time shift costs the US economy over four hundred million dollars annually due to the loss of sleep employees are less likely to be self regulating their behavior and more client to spend time soccer loving. If any of you been guilty of cyber loving. Some of you may be doing it right now right. I had never heard the term summer loafing until I started researching this. Now let's switch this around to see how absurd this is. If I brought a bill to you that said we're going to make all of society get up an hour earlier with this corresponding health issues and economic losses for the benefit to the leisure industry would you support it. I'll be not that's what we do every year. Now so if you live on the border and you're concerned about the hassle it would create but don't just assume your citizens would be opposed to it for that reason the American academy of sleep medicine in July twenty twenty did a study that said sixty three percent of participants would welcome the elimination of daylight saving time in favor of a fixed year round time schedule for the elderly that number jumped to over seventy seven percent wanting it back and forth eliminated. When asked what values are most important to you when choosing what system would be optimal sixty three percent of Americans say that they want the system that is healthiest and most in line with human biological rhythms that standard time. Fifty five percent said they want to use a system that promotes safety in the morning among computers commuters and children going to school again that standard time forty nine percent what the system that makes sleep better again that standard time. Will cross the country deal with the hassle of different time zones Arizona and Arizona is done for over fifty years people live along the Alabama Georgia border live across different time zones they deal with it Tennessee Kentucky Florida and other states and time zones it ships within their states. Are the detrimental aspects really more important than saving people the hassle of dealing with cross border time zones. So some people may have asked why not we just make this a trigger law several other states have bills to create permanent daylight savings time Arkansas is not the only one there's about seven or eight other states that are looking to do this most of them are trigger a loss but you know trigger law doesn't trigger laws you putting your fate in the hands of somebody else. To be referred to be a leader sometimes means you have to step out front. Too many times. We're tired of being last will be first to be an example for somebody else that means you have to be one of the first ones to step out I think we should do it. I'm gonna finish up by saying this. If I brought a bill that improve childhood safety you probably support that right. If I brought a bill to you that would improve the health of our citizens surely you to support that as well. If I brought a bill to that improve worker outcomes and improves our economy surely you to support that if I brought a bill that created an environment that helps our students to improve learning outcomes it's for that as well you know this bill does all of that here's the great thing about it we literally have to do nothing to achieve it. We just don't spring for next year. By the way the whole reason for spring for was a save energy. It doesn't. Studies have shown it actually may cost more energy so daylight savings time is a failed government experiment and it's time for us to bring it to an end here in Arkansas with that I'll be happy to answer any questions anyone might have. Representative Collins for what purpose question you're recognized thank you I I just wondered practically how would work if it goes into effect in July is that the date that we would bring clocks back now it would go into effect next year so we would do normal this year we would fall back in October and then next year when it came time to spring forward we just wouldn't spring for. And I'll follow up on this. If we decide to do this next year we not spring forward and it just turns out to be a complete disaster we come back in twenty five we can repeal it and we can be back to jumping back and forth like everybody else however I think like Arizona once we do it will be asking ourselves why did we do this sooner representative Dalby for what purpose question you're recognized can you explain to me how I can determine when I go to eat on the Texas side of town when they don't change their time. So Texas so there is actually yes. So there's actually a bill right now in the Texas legislature that would allow the citizens of Texas to vote this year whether to stay on permanent standard time so there's actually some motion in Texas to do that and wouldn't it be nice if they followed us for once and to standard time instead of us waiting for them now as far as the you know us versus Texas they do it all the time if you are a lawmaker so for example from Knoxville when you travel to Nashville to a session you're falling back an hour because of the time zone when you go back to Knoxville you jump forward again you go back and forth so would just be during the summer it would just be the difference of you know that three o'clock Texas time or three o'clock Arkansas time. Again I understand there could be a little bit house of their but what's more important health of our citizens or that little hassle of maybe getting a fuse that our difference between taxes if they stay on daylight savings time. Follow up you're recognized. There's a big difference between at times crossing a state in crossing the street wouldn't you agree. Representative Mayberry for what purpose a question you're recognized representative needs help remind me because we had. This issue comes up just about every session in some way but we passed a resolution. That if I remember correctly said that if it. Passes nationally or change that we would do just the opposite of what you're saying right can you like help me remember what that resolution is and how that would affect what you're trying to do right now right so what you're talking about is there's been some efforts to make a trigger law to allow for permanent daylight savings time federal government does not allow that. So as I said the vast majority of Americans just want the back and forth to stop they don't necessarily care which one it is as long as we stop right now federal law does not allow us to go to a permanent daylight savings time so they're been attempts to try to say if Congress allows then we will go to a permanent daylight savings time I think those attempts have failed to pass the house would not made it past the the Senate so this would not. We don't have a trigger law in fact my knowledge right now on daylight savings time if there were this would trump that. Representative Graham not quote for what purpose question you're recognized so if we were to vote for this bill would phones and stuff automatically know that if you're in Arkansas don't switch because of the mass chaos for a couple days it yes. Yes your your phones would up with switch I've ever driven across country whenever you cross state borders are times owns your phone switches as a switches from one cell tower to another cell tower yes your phone will update so. All right saying or other questions Opobo representative wouldn't for what purpose. Question you're recognized thank you. Yes Sir did you make the state. That the elderly or for this according according to we we have a hard. Tell most listeners. So according to our recent survey seventy seven percent of those people over the age of sixty five want the back and forth to stop this is the only way we can make it stop is by going to standard time permanently and when we when we make that jump forward every year that the affect on our bodies the older you get the more pronounced in the harder it becomes on your physiology to make that adjustment thank you will. Follow up you're recognized if if seventy seven percent of wisdom says that being. Among some I think so now could you do like I do my clock tells me it's two oh five correct thank you it's really thrilled about. Yes by the by a by a by the sun and nature is actually two oh five not thrill five yes I see no other questions I'll step out and then I'll have a few closing remarks representative makes has explained the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill against the bill. Represent very for what purpose the motion what's your motion media consideration. Proper motion non debatable all in favor say aye. Opposed no. The ayes have it. Question for the before the House this passage of house bill fifteen sixty eight prepare the machine madam Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Past of the ballots madam Clark by a vote of twenty six days fifty three nays and twelve present the bill has passed. Failed. It definitely failed. Representative Ray moved that we place house bill fifteen ninety five back on for second reading for the purpose of amendment without objection read Amendment number one madam Clerk. Minimum one to House the fifty ninety five represent right you're recognized. Thank measure this bill passed out of state agencies last week and there were a couple of questions that I believe representative makes a representative Collins both had so had just a quick amendment to clarify their questions and concerns and would appreciate a good vote. Representive ray is explained the amendment would anybody like to speak against the amendment for the amendment. Are you close for your amendment. It is close for his Amendment. The question before the House is that passage of amendment one to House Bill fifteen ninety five all in favor say aye. Opposed no. The Amendment has passed. We're gonna pass over house bill fifteen ninety seven. For and we're gonna go back to pick up representative Gazaway is concurrence. Represent Gazaway recommends that we can currency in Amendment number one to House Bill thirteen twenty seven madam Clark please read Senate Amendment number one. Senate Amendment number one to House Bill thirteen twenty seven represent Gazaway you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker colleagues this is amendment friendly amendment from the Senate. that simply add some language for transparency purposes for The federally licensed firearm dealers when sheriff's trade in firearms this bill said that they can trade them in for credits toward future purchases and I think very wisely in the Senate I hate to admit that they add an amendment that said that if a sheriff trades those firearms and four credits toward future purchases they have to document that and provide documentation to the quorum court and whatever they use those credits to purchase that to provide documentation the quorum court of what they use the credits to actually purchase which is fair I think that's all the amendment does. And I'm happy to answer any questions. Saying not appreciate a good vote thank you representative Gazaway has explained the amendment would anybody like to speak against the amendment for the amendment representative Gazaway is close for his amendment the question before the House is concurrent with Senate Amendment number one to House Bill thirteen twenty seven prepared the machine madam Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clark by a vote of ninety eight Yeas zero nine zero present the amendment has passed. Passover House Bill fifteen ninety seven. Fifteen sixty so we're gonna go to House Bill twelve fifty two. Please. Madam Clark please. Read by Adam. House bill twelve fifty two by representative Johnson to modify the Arkansas health care consumer actions required coverage for prosthetic devices or athletic or recreation and prosthetic devices for showering or bathing. Representative Johnson you're recognized for senate bill thank you madam Speaker colleagues currently most insurance companies will only play for a single prosthetic for people that have one lamb this bills designed to require insurance companies to pay for an additional prosthetic this call the wet prosthetic this is a fairly inexpensive prosthetic that allows folks with one man to get in and out of the shower in days it also has a stipulation requirements for paying for what we call an athletic or recreational prosthetic these are the kind of blade prosthetic to see that hi and athletes running on it really affects very few number of people in the state but if you are one of these athletic people who want to try to participate in different competitions with your high school or college as required insurance companies pay for that second type of prosthetic in addition to a wet process that it cannot be happy to try to answer any questions. Saying I appreciate a good vote thank you representative Johnson has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill representative Johnson is close for his bill the question before the House is a passage of house bill twelve fifty two please prepare the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clerk by a vote of eighty nine yeas and seven nays and one present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill twelve seventy six twelve seventy four House Bill to seventy four by representative Johnson to modify the prior authorization Transparency Act and some in the appeal process for the now under the prior authorization transparency at. Representative Johnson you're recognized for senate bill thank you madam Speaker so this bill amends the current prior authorization transparency act to put a time constraint on people doing reviews for prior authorization so if a prior authorization is denied specifically for a hematology oncology complaint it is a non urgent concerned that they have for days to come back with the education of the appeal process if it's urgent they have two days this was language negotiated between the insurance companies and providers and I'd be happy to try to answer any. Senate president good vote thank you representative Johnson has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill for the bill representative Johnson is close for his bill the question before the House is passage of house bill twelve seventy four please per the machine madam Clerk. As everyone voted. Has everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clerk by a vote of ninety six days one million zero present the bill has passed representative Johnson. Moved that we re referred house bill twelve seventy six back to committee. At the proper motion. President Johnson you're recognized to explain The motion thank you madam Speaker members this bill needs a little work we're gonna take it back to committee inducement minutes on and after once okay with that thank you. Representative Johnson has explained motion would anybody like to speak against the motion for the motion the question before the House is the motion to re referred house bill twelve seventy six back to committee all in favor say aye. Opposed no the bill is passed. The motion is passed madam Clark please read house bill fifteen ninety two as the fifteen ninety three by representative Charlene Fite's amend the digital product in motion pictures industry development act of two thousand nine Sentifi you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker those of you who were here last session remember the bill that we had for the film industry this bill seeks to capitalize on the growing success of the film industry in Arkansas. I know a lot if you were involved with true detective and saw it being found in various parts of the state we have an emphasis in this bill on promoting projects in economically distressed areas of the state and multi series productions. House Bill fifty ninety two raises the base tax incentive for qualified production cost from twenty percent to twenty five percent making Arkansas more in line with similar states who have demonstrated success in promoting the film industry through economic development incentives specific lay our neighboring state of Oklahoma. House bill fifty ninety two also establishes an additional five percent tax credit incentive for hiring employees are making qualified expenditures within a tier three or tier for economically distressed county as has been established by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and then lastly the bill allows for an additional five percent tax credit incentive for multi project product. Multi project productions such as television series are multi film projects some of you remember again true detective this would be something similar to that and this amendment to the current film tax incentive is specific to identifying and cultivating future projects of a similar nature to our knowledge this bill has zero financial impact and there is no known opposition so I would appreciate a good vote. Representative for a for what purpose question you're recognized represent by my questions on the the last thing that you just mentioned on the fiscal impact the fiscal note on it I believe says is the impact of about four hundred ninety thousand dollars per year going forward can you. Yes that this lady up and I said that but then they came back and said that was a mistake. And that did not have that impact in fact it would have a positive impact. All right. Representative makes for what purpose. Question you're recognized so just kind of following up with representative razor NEC kind of cap on the amount of impact that this would have to general revenue or is it just open ended for you know I if if if you know movie came here that had a hundred million dollar budget or we have a twenty five million dollar impact to our state coffers. There is a cap this would not change that we've when look at let changing that at a future date but as of now that would not be changed. Right. Representative Fite has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representative fight are you close for your bill representative bodies in the take indicated she is close for her bill the question before the house of the passage of house bill fifteen ninety two please per the missing madam Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted casts up the ballot madam Clark with a vote of sixty ninety days thirteen days and nine present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill thirteen thirty three thirteen thirty three by representative wants him to amend the definition of a student under the Arkansas concurrence only scholarship program represents Lundstrum you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. This allows tenth graders to actually participate in the lottery scholarship we have a lot of tenth graders now that want to take college concurrent classes and graduate from high school with an associates degree in this will allow the schools that this kids that can't afford a college class to participate in the lottery scholarship and with that I'll take any class any questions from the class. If you're white. Okay with that appreciate a good vote represented Lundstrum has explained that bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill representative Lundstrum is close for her bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill thirteen thirty three prepare the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted casts up the ballot madam Clark by a vote of ninety eight zero nine zero present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill fifteen fifty nine also fifteen fifty nine by representative Madeleine concerning implicit bias training required by a public school or state supported institution of higher education representative Michael Landon you're recognized. Thank you. Good afternoon colleagues I presented today with house bill fifteen fifty nine it's a pretty straightforward bill this simply says the school cannot compel an employee to participate in implicit bias bias training this does not eliminate D. E. I. training or at the requirements. It is so and I had a Harvard Business Review study they did a meta analysis of four hundred ninety studies with eighty thousand people and what they found was that it actually had no meaningful change on people's biases another study in scientific America show that actually made people more angry more frustrated. When they looked at the people who are minorities in the meta analysis study those people reported that they did not feel like there was any less prejudice against them having been through that many trainings. this also does not exempt reporting from any required hours of training so if they decide to not do the implicit bias training they still have to make up those hours elsewhere in there is no recourse for the individual if they choose to attend attend a training and they find that training has implicit bias they choose to opt out this still have to make up those hours and there's no recourse for them against the school. I have spoken with the eighty eight made some changes to make sure that the school is not held liable I have also spoken with you in mass in the of a systems and they have not checked into the bill. So I would appreciate a good vote thank you. Representative Michael Landon has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representative Mike Linden are you close for your bill representative Mike Linden has closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen fifty nine per the machine man Clerk. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clark by a vote of eighty one Yeas eleven Nays in three present the bill is passed we're going to pass over house bill fourteen eighty nine Madam sorry please read House Bill fifteen ninety four. House fifteen ninety four by representative feel to create itself exemption for the disabled American veterans organization representative Duffield you're recognized. Thank you madam chair colleagues this is a bill brought to me by the disabled American veterans organization this bill would make them a tax exempt organization has a nominal very nominal. Impacted be a thousand dollars in year one fifteen hundred dollars in the year two. we have no known opposition to this bill. And we have the support of many veterans across the state in many in this house and I appreciate a good vote thank you representative Duffield has explained the bill would anybody like to speak for against the bill. For the bill. Representative Duffield has has signified is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen ninety four prepare the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clerk with the vote of ninety seven yeah zero nine eight and zero present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill fifteen eighty fifteen eighty by representative warned to them because of houses from licensing restrictions based on criminal records. Representative Dalby you're recognized. Thank you Matt thank you madam chair members this bill is in reference to a couple of sessions ago could've been last session time gets away we had a big omnibus bill on out licensing requirements and those kinds of things well one of the unintended consequences was that in our prison system we will teach folks how to be cosmetologist and then they can't get licensed when they get out so we're teaching them a skill that they can't do once they're released from prison so this will correct that it is a good bill represent warranted talk to me because I was the original sponsor way back when on that big omnibus bill and so with that I would appreciate a good vote representative Dalby has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill representative dobby is close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen eighty per the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. Everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clark with a vote of ninety ninety eight zero nine zero present the bill is passed. Matahari please read house bill fifteen eighty two House for fifteen eighty two by representative warned to amend the law concerning job order contracting and to increase the cap on job order contracting contracting the awards for institutions of higher education we're going to skip over that bill madam Clark please read house bill fourteen forty six. That's the fourteen forty six by representative Kevin authorized state oversight of quality of care provided to children in psychiatric residential treatment facilities and other regulated facilities representative Cavenaugh you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker this is another bill that came out of our mental health working group and what this bill is dealing with his psychiatric residential treatment facilities or P. R. F. T. for short what a P. R. F. T. is is a residential child care facility. That actually provides a structured therapeutic program for treatment for children under a supervised psychiatrist. So these are some of our children that have the most needing with mental health issues and so this is where that they actually go. What this bill does is very simple it allows us to be able to set guidelines so that we can have more bad for Arkansas kids and we do that because we actually go in and say they have to be a resident of Arkansas or a parent is a resident of Arkansas or whose treatment is being paid by another state or Medicaid program or whose parent is active duty or veteran. Of the US armed forces. And the reason we do that is because we found that although we had beds they weren't always be in full field and put in for Arkansas kids this is an attempt to do that the other thing we discovered through this process was that we needed someone to have one standard of quality of care over these bets and that's what this does is sets up DHS to actually oversee the quality of care they will be handling the licensing of these bands I will still stay wherever they get the licensure but they are actually going to be taking care of the quality of care through this process we found that we had some issues with quality care in these facilities and this is the way for us to be able to address that so that we can correct anything that might happen and with that I will take any questions. The representative Shepherd for what purpose question you're recognized thank you representative just for clarification if a child comes here from another state goals instant to some type of psychiatric episode if they key it needed acute inpatient treatment immediately they would not be able to be seen four or referred to a program if there're a private pay then this would not give them priority is going to get priority over Arkansas kids what we found out through this process was a lot of times these kids that might be placed in through private pay. a lot of times when they're found in their time is up then there's nobody to come and pick them up and then they actually become a ward of the state of Arkansas. Follow up you're recognized so what would happen today check out. They would in my understanding they would go to the back to the state where they originate the resident this thank you. Representative. Hudson for what purpose question you're recognized I've had some questions in terms of what happens when the FBI or other law enforcement since referrals for trafficking victims because they're often not read as residents of Arkansas and they don't often come through state contracts or state Medicaid they're referred by the FBI and other law enforcement what we do to care for those victims my under that question did come up in my understanding with talking with DHS they're actually gonna be referred by some state at some point and they will be covered under this because of that that was what I was told because we did ask that question it was brought up in committee. With that C. N. nine I'd appreciate a good vote representative Cavenaugh has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill representative Cavenaugh is close for her build the question before the House is the passage of house bill fourteen forty six prepare the machine madam Clerk. As everyone voted. Has everyone voted cast up the ballot madam Clark with a vote of ninety four yeah zero nays and one present the bill is passed. Madam Clark please read house bill fifteen sixty three house of fifteen sixty three by representative evinced amend the law concerning the attachment of possessory lien held by towing and storage farm into the clear anyway agency representative eleven you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker. Members in two thousand and seven. The General Assembly found it necessary and acted to amend the possessory lien law in Arkansas. I believe they felt at that time that the original intent was to broaden two bay. The change was supported by the Attorney General and the law is amended to create a clear exemption for items that could not be held under the lease. Of those items as listed in the bill. Personal legal documents child restraint seating prescription eyeglasses cellphones books medications wallets purses prosthetics and photographs. Why was it necessary in two thousand seven to draft legislation to exempt items to not be included on the possessory lien. Number one because there was a necessitated need for those not to be kept hostage it wasn't the intent of the law. Number two and most importantly because the driver of the vehicle owned those items and they were needed for them to conduct their business and go about their daily lives. Today we're not necessarily talking about your personal vehicle we're talking about. Commercial transportation over the road trucking. So what defines the word cargo as stated in the bill. Cargo is defined as goods and materials being transported by a motor carrier that includes pallets packaging or securement systems that might be tangent to any load and re purposed for trans loading you're only talking about commercial transportation we're only talking about motor carriers licensed by the federal government operate on federal highways. By law who is the owner of the cargo. Federal law states that the owner of any goods shall be the shipper. That be the person that loaded the truck. The constant E. that's the receiver the person's going to receive that load or other respective agent that's a freight forwarder saw a load of cargo comes in ownership it comes into a freight forwarder and for that brief moment in time until it's put on a truck and transported the freight forwarder the and is the owner of that cargo. But the law goes on to say but at no time shall it be the operator the operator of the truck is never in the ownership of the cargo. So what governs the cargo while it's in transit with us the bill of lading. Bill of lading is this document that accompanies the cargo that states that the agreement of the shipper when the goods are in transit it details the commodity being transported it gives the weight and the pieces of the shipment for instance twenty six pallets of bottled water forty two thousand pounds and it gives specific delivery instructions such as the address of where the delivery is supposed to go. And then gives title to the ownership of that shipment to the receiving party again no time during that transit does the trucking company on the cargo. So what is this bill do number one it defines cargo as stated in the bill. Number two it adds cargo to the list of items exempt because the motor carrier does not own the cargo. Number three. All the all know if you've ever been involved with the insurance claims can take weeks to settle and this allows the cargo to be moved through the supply chain while the insurance companies and the tow companies arbitrate the settlement of the invoice of the services provided. What is the bill not due this is not a referendum on tow operators or their fees or their fee structures. They completely self regulate that themselves. And it is not intended to relieve any company from paying for the services provided again this only gets the cargo moving while the insurance process takes place in is worked out. The over reaching a big unity of the statute allows a practice that negatively impacts the supply chain. Denies consumer protection you can have a stifling effect on constituents daily needs so who benefits from the policy change the entire economy of Arkansas. In Arkansas we make things we grow things we buy and sell things but most importantly in Arkansas we transport things Arkansas has more trucking company jobs per capita than any other state in the nation when shipments of cargo or held hostage every sector of the supply chain from the grower to the wholesaler to the retailer and ultimately to the consumer negatively impacted all of those are our constituents. This bill has the support of the Arkansas auto dealers association the associated industries of Arkansas the Arkansas retail grocers association the poultry federation wholesale beer distributors Arkansas state chamber in the Arkansas trucking association. Mattis bigger I'll be happy to answer any questions. Representative Springer for what purpose question you're recognized representative of I did not hear you speak to the towing Board the Arkansas torn board. The position on your bill so I'm glad you asked that question representative Springer I spent a great deal of time over spring break this thing with three separate entities that are involved with the issue have the Arkansas towing and recovery board. You have the the foundation for responsible towing and you have the professional towing and recovery association of Arkansas they have different positions on what needs to be done with this bill. And what is that position. So the Arkansas towing and recovery board would like to not see this bill passed at all the they have offered no top solution whatsoever to try to make a change on this bill in speaking with the other two entities they have proposed what they felt was a solution of they would like the state through some type of product to guarantee a fifty thousand dollar coverage that if that was provided to them that they would release the cargo immediately with that comes with an expense to someone again the trucking company who has no fault in this who does not own the cargo the supporters of this bill do not believe it is necessary to add an additional expense or inconvenience to them in order to get this cargo moving it down the road. All up you're recognized for a follow isn't it true that that board that you just spoke of indicated that they're willing to sit down and have a. And if need be in order to get a resolution to this they would be willing to incur that bond also speaking of isn't that true hi there is never so there's been conversations that dated all the way back to December were we had a group meeting at the Arkansas trucking association I phone calls in late December in January with members of the towing and recovery board at those times there was never any solution offered by them whatsoever and even after my request there has not been any offer by any of those parties to bear any type of cost whatsoever for incurring some type of charge for a an insurance policy. One last question this is the last one yes ma'am is it true that just recently the president of the foundation. Make contact with you that foundation board and to have a discussion with you about resolution just recently in the past couple of days so I had a conversation on Thursday or Friday of last week I spent about ninety minutes on the phone with representatives of the foundation for responsible towing at that time we I thought we had a very collaborative effort I gave them my assurances that I understood what they have is an insurance problem they understand that this maneuver that they use to hold this cargo is is collateral against some future insurance settlement they understand that that's really not right in their industry but it's what they do this is an insurance issue I have assured them that I would be happy to take up that issue with them with our federal delegation and work to achieve a solution to help them get the insurance coverages that they need. Representative berry from a purpose question you're asked so Mr Evans is it true that you have tried and gone out of your way since December on numerous occasions to get all the parties involved around the table to reach a collective agreement and the parties with the records association did not show up is that correct there are there have been conversations both in December where members of the towing and recovery board were present they did not notify the other two associations at that meeting was going to happen there was conversations in January were again I ask them for a solution was not offered one and even as up to date there's the only solution that I've been offered has been for the state to provide some type of product for a minimum of fifty thousand dollars where every time they roll their wrecker off of their yard they're going to be guaranteed no less than fifty thousand dollars for the services they provide follow up madam chairman recognized so is it true representive eleven that up until three four days prior to the committee meeting. Which just passed overwhelmingly and committee that there is no Agreement are not in agreement but there is no solution that was brought forward to you into three four days prior to the Committee meeting there was no solution offered to me prior thank you committee meeting. Representative long for what purpose question you're recognized what recourse does the towing company have if there is no cargo insurance was forced to federal law mandates that every shipment that moves across federal highways interstate highways must have cargo insurance so they'll they'll get paid eventually. So they should but it's going to be obviously most as with any insurance claims to be arbitrated that's going to take time and and our our placement on that is we want to get that cargo moving and get it down the road let the insurance companies in the tow companies the two people that are privy to that transaction work that out between them thank you for clarification yes thank you. Representation a good vote eleven has explained the bill would anybody like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representative Evans is close for the bill the question before the House is a passage of house bill. Fifteen sixty three per the machine madam Clark. You're voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Everyone voted. Casts up the ballot madam Clark with a vote of eighty two yeas seven nays and eight present the bill is passed. An emergency clause. Represent a madam Clark please read house bill fourteen eighty five. Maddox Clark please read. The fourteen ninety five a representative and it's authorize the issuance of a special license plates for national historic sites in Arkansas integrate the Little Rock Central High School national historic site special license plate. Good afternoon colleagues. As a proud Little Rock Central High School alone need I'm sorry alumni. I'm cited to present this bill this bill is simply to create the Little Rock Central High School NAC national historic site. Special license plate. currently in law if you want to get a specialty plate you have to repeal or discontinue apply this bill is set up so if it is a is this designated by the US Congress as a historic site you don't have to go through the process And with that the governor also an alumna she's in full support of this bill and ask for a good vote thank you. representative and it has left the whale. Representative and it has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Represented in it are you close for the bill representative and it is close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fourteen eighty five per the machine madam Clerk. Has everyone voted. Has everyone voted cast up the ballot matters Clerk by a vote of seventy three days. Ten nays and seven present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill sixteen twenty one house bill sixteen twenty one by representative back to amend the definition of revenue under the Arkansas speed trap law representative back you're recognized. Thank you madam Speaker of our colleagues will take the. Background on this. Hi. What this bill does is simply a change the definition of revenue in the Arkansas speed trap law currently revenue is is computed includes a court costs failure to appeal. They are to appear court costs any delay in payments or anything if you need if you on. The main all that if you get a speeding ticket that's two hundred dollars speeding ticket came quickly turning to two thousand dollars if you don't show up for court and they just add additional fees on to that what happens to smaller cities is is by keeping those court fees in which the smaller cities are not the cities have no control over whether or not I'm going payment taken on time and show up to court by doing this with smaller cities. What actually happens is you can throw them into a speed trap situation where they're not a speech that was really the result of several people just are individuals not showing up and paying their tickets on file so all this does is in the computer revenues associated with the speed trap law it says the court cost any any additional court cost any additional fees by the court which is fair to appear the line payment and all that are just removed from the is still uses the number for the actual too high in my case the two hundred dollars and I would have paid that's still used in the calculation it just takes those other things that we really out of control of the city. With that I appreciate a good vote thank you. It back is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. President back is close for the bill the question before the House is the passive house bill sixteen twenty one prepared machine. Is everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Manafort. By a vote of ninety eight one nine three present the bill is passed by a court please read house bill fifteen fifty fifteen fifty by representative under to amend the law concerning restitution payments and to require institutions to be paid before court costs and fines. President Mosby recognized explain the bill thank you Mr Speaker our colleagues this is a bill in which the title says it all if there's a criminal case. And there's restitution to be paid and there's a victim who could be paid restitution simply this bill. We'll have the victim get paid first in the court fees get paid after. This came to me is suggestion by the prosecuting attorney of Springdale my home I took it and showed it to the prosecuting attorney in Fayetteville and he thought it was a great idea and that was a real we are the world moment for me and so what this does is it helps per it helps crime victims I didn't break into song it helps crime victims in a lot of victims are poor people and they need that new front door they need that new set of windows they need that car in so I ask you for a good vote thank you. Percenters explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Like to speak for the bill. Griz close for the bill the question before the House is a passage of house bill fifteen fifty per machine. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about madam Clerk. By a vote of ninety eight zero nine zero present the bill is passed. I'm Clark please read house bill fifteen forty seven. Fifteen forty seven by representative to fill the to define loaded firearm for the purpose of the statute concerning possession and use of a weapon purpose of Duffield you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues this statute create uniformity across the state the current definitions pull from the state of Utah and closely aligned with the Arkansas game and fish regulation they're currently over five hundred municipalities an Arkansan The state not having a defined law it opens the door for the possible possibility exist that we could have about that many definitions as we haven't municipalities. I appreciate a good vote thank you president Donald is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill represent Clowney record. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues and I just want to. Be clear again about what it is exactly that we're doing it's true this bill does define loaded firearm but I want to talk about what that definition is that we're doing with this bill and why that matters what what are the ramifications of changing that are providing that definition so first of all and I do just want to say that there there is a federal definition of a loaded firearm that federal definitions as a loaded firearm means a starter gun or a weapon designed or converted to expel a projectile threw an explosive that has a cartridge that need or powder in the chamber magazine cylinder or click in other words the federal definition mimics I think what most of us would think of when we think of a loaded firearm the definition that we're voting on today is much different the definition that we're voting on today says that anything is loaded only if it is one manual operation removed from fire pulling a trigger what that means in practice is that there could be a round in the chamber if the safety of that gun is on. Taking the safety off and filing pulling the trigger comes as to manual operations in other words that would not count as a loaded firearm under Arkansas law so why does that matter. The phrase loaded firearm appears as far as I can tell once in Arkansas Code and that's five seventy three one twenty two that's a concealed carry law that law says it is unlawful to carry a loaded firearm in any publicly owned building or facility. This definition vastly expands. What types of firearms org or the state of a firearm that is able to be carried in a public facility. I would imagine that right now. Most municipalities are using something closer to the federal definition something that mirrors what we think of when we say loaded firearm in other words not a round in the chamber with the safety on in order to count is loaded under this definition you have to be walking around a public facility with a round in the chamber and the safety off I'm not sure who would do that but that's the only category of weapon that would count as loaded if we pass this time. Pass this bill excuse me of course this is this only applies by the way if you don't have the enhanced concealed carry license this is for who can carry in a public. Place Public building or facility so again I just want to be clear that's what the definite definition is that's why it matters this is actually a pretty substantial change to Arkansas law so I just wanna make clear that the routing on before we do thank you represent Clowney spoken against the building would like to speak for the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Represent the field you're recognized close for the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker. Like to know that Arkansas is an open carry state and it has never been against the law in this state to carry at seven forty six of two thousand thirteen establish that. A. C. H. C. L. is not required to Kerry open or concealed in this state. This is a good piece of second amendment legislation I'll just go ahead not as read the bill as it is so you guys can see exactly what it is it's one page. Loaded firearm means a firearm that is assembled and contains it and and expended cartridge seller project on the firing position including without limitation for a distorted volver when and unexpended cartridge shall a projectile is in a position in which the and expended cartridge shall a projectile could be fired by one manual operation of any mechanism and for a muzzle loading firearm when the muzzle loading firearm is charged with a propellant and a projectile in his captor prime. Once again this is a good piece into a legislation I appreciate a good vote. Represent the field as close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen forty seven. Where the machine. As everyone voted. Has everyone voted. Cast a ballot madam Clerk by a vote of eighty two yeas twelve nine zero present the bill is passed represent more for what purpose motion to reconsider. Mr Speaker having voted on the prevailing side and consideration of Senate amendment one to House Bill thirteen oh seven I moved for reconsideration how did you vote no. That's proper motion and it is debatable represent more you're recognized to explain your motion. For the purpose of a revote. S'mores explain your motion would anyone like to speak against the motion. Represent Mayberry wrecked recognized speak against the motion. Thank you Mr Speaker. All. This isn't a game. It was it was stated in the paper teacher retirement lost seven million dollars police and fire one million dollars public employees retirement thirty to forty million dollars a year high we retirement twenty point one million dollars over fifteen years I don't know if those things have been completely address I expressed specific wording and both of these amendments that I was concerned about that people who know this topic are concerned about. And we're just going to pass this along. I don't want to tell my constituents when they're planning to retire it was my fault I still planned on voting no I hope you'll continue to vote no thank you president Mayberry has spoken against the amendment when he would like to speak for the amendment are for the motion. Warren you're recognized speak for the motion. I'm not necessarily for but I want to say that I have had some extensive conversations. I think that there are some things that have been pointed out. there are some other considerations that I had been made aware of I've been on the phone with the one of the directors of the retirement system. The. Ability to and and let me let me just state first of all. I I am married to a woman whose family is in the office this. I don't like anybody discriminating against the oil companies or the. Firearms or ammunition companies. My whole intent. With this bill was to make sure that we did not speak against it was to make sure that we did not have losses in the retirement funds. So I have been. told that It has been minimized and what would be done to the retirement system's at this point I will accept that and I will not vote no. Represent warranted spoke in favor of the motion would anyone like to speak against the motion. For the motion. Speaker Shepherd you're recognized to speak for the motion. Thank you Mr chairman members as you all know rarely do I come to speak from the well for against any motion or bill but I do think in light of this motion to reconsider and in thinking about the Amendment in front of us now or that will hopefully will be in front of us now and the additional amendment as well as the bill in the minutes were put on the house and there was numerous discussion with the directors and I appreciate the work that represent warns done as chairman I have met with the directors that represent warrants request with their legal counsel they brought to me several amendments on the house in which I took to represent Wardlaw and we made every one of those amendments in my understanding from coming from that meeting was that we had address the issues that were there then it goes to the Senate in. Issues were raised I mean that's one reason why I came out of the house with such a strong vote on the Senate in additional issues were raised their respective of the discussions that I've already had on our in the represent Wardlaw in good faith made additional amendments some at the request of the Senate some that came from the retirement system and so I would ask that we reconsider and hopefully approved these amendments and pass this bill and moving on to the governor thank you. Speaker Shepherd is spoken favor of the motion would anyone like to speak against the motion. For the motion. Representative Mar you close for the motion. Represent more as close for the motion the question before the House is the motion to reconsider amendment number and concurrence of Amendment number Senate Amendment one to HB thirteen oh seven. Prepared machine madam Clerk. Has everyone voted. Cast a ballot madam Clerk. With seventy ACT twenty nays and one president. The motion to reconsider is passed. Question before the House is concurrence to. Senate Amendment one to HB thirteen oh seven where the machine madam Clerk. Everyone voted. Casts up the ballot madam Clerk with sixty seven days nineteen days and three present. We have concurred in a man Senate Amendment one to HB thirteen oh seven. Representative more for what purpose motion let's hear your motion. And Mister Speaker having voted on the prevailing side and consideration of Senate amendment three to House Bill thirteen oh seven I moved for reconsideration did you vote no. You're recognized as proper motion it is debatable you're recognized to explain your motion. Thank you Mr Speaker. Representative Morris explained the motion would anyone like to speak against the motion. For the motion. Representative Morris close for the motion to question before the House. Is concurrence and Senate amendment three the house bill thirteen oh seven all in favor say aye. Opposed nay most. We have can curtain Senate. Motion to reconsider is passed. The question before the House is concurrence and Senate amendment three to House Bill thirteen oh seven prepared machine madam Clerk. Has everyone voted. Casts up the ballot madam Clerk was seventy eight eighteen days and to present we've concurred in Senate amendments three the house bill thirteen oh seven. Members for going back up to calendar Adam Clark read house bill fifteen sixty. As the fifteen sixty by representative up to clarify the law regarding reports of child maltreatment with alleged victims who are eighteen years of age or older to prohibit anonymous reporting reporting of child maltreatment to amend penalties for failure to report child maltreatment. President Vaught you're recognized explained bill thank you Mr Speaker at this bill will amend the statute of limitations for prosecuting failure to notify by a mandated reporter to the latter of ten years after the victim reaches eighteen or the statute of limitations for the offense underlying the child maltreatment. I. It also adds that any adult to witnesses. abuse such as sexual abuse or sexual exploitation as a mandated reporter the bill does not include victims of violence threatened threats of violence or sexual offense by the same offender so if Representative McClure is. Beating his wife and I witness it and and she does that and and a child is also being abused in that home then and of course he would never do that that's why I picked them as a pastor I know he would not do this and then the wife would not be subject to being prosecuted because she's also been a victim of the views but it increases the penalty for disclosure of confidential information. Including the reporter information to an unclassified misdemeanor with a five thousand dollar fine and up to a year in jail it starts language about faxing we no longer facts here in the state of Arkansas everything is done online and eliminates anonymous reporting by child abuse hotline and several have ask about wine or we get rid of anonymous because a lot of times I need to go back and be able to ask questions and they have no name to go back to and ask questions whenever they're doing the investigation also it keeps frivolous things being turned in husband and wife are going through a bitter divorce because of the bitter divorce one turns the other end I anonymously and then I have to go to court for all of that so it kind of takes care of all of that also. And that's what the bill does And with that. I'll do my best representive road for purpose question you're recognized for a question sounds like a great bill the substance of it I I think I agree with ninety plus percent of it but. To your point on the anonymous reporting I understand that there are potential negative consequences of anonymous reporting Specifically at not being able to follow up and ask questions correct however. Do you think that there will be child abuse that will simply go unreported because an individual's afraid of retribution should their name be attached to that complaint that's a great question nineteen other states already do this and I have not seen a decline in their reports in so we're not the first state to do it there's nineteen that's already been doing this follow up Mister Speaker recognized. I don't intend to be argumentative but that means thirty one states aren't doing this correct. I've got a few that's mine yeah yes thank you. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't represent a car for what purpose question you're recognized Hey explain on the part when the report is made it's through the digital platform and that it's not out and about on paper so clarify that please yes so several years ago we were looking at a system in Missouri and I ask for the hotline to please go check it out they were all online we didn't come back in. Choose that exact system I wish we would have but we didn't faxing and with faxing though it's seventy two they later for set up to seventy two hours before they're actually even looked at some times and in those cases we do have kids who are going out and still being abused for that seventy two hours I know of a child that was near my district and that didn't get checked on soon enough and the child died and the other child was actually put in children's hospital. I because that seventy two white our so online is so much better than what it what it was before we had online so I'm thankful for that I will say that the judges and DHS both helped me prepare this and write it and everybody seems to be on board for it with that I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Vaught has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Representative road you're recognized to speak against the bill. I understand I may be in the mid minority on this but as a mandatory reporter and somebody who has worked with other individuals who deal with children who are abused and individuals who have filed reports and had to deal with the repercussions of that with their names attached to it I recognize the importance in the validity of the anonymous reporting component and I would vote in favor of this bill should that be amended or removed and so I decide thank you. Representative Rosa spoke against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Representative bought his close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen sixty prepare the machine madam Clerk. Has everyone voted. Casts up the ballot madam Clerk. With fifty nine yeas thirteen Nays eleven present the bill is passed. Madam Clark read house bill fifteen NO one. That's the fifteen oh one by representative Gazaway some in Arkansas law concerning when it. Prosecution is commenced. Gazaway you're recognized explained the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues this bill came about through the code revision process as we were looking at title five of the criminal law section we came across the issue of when a prosecution was commence and I realize that there were. certain. Courses of conduct if you will that were not included in the statute for when a prosecution should be commence these are all things that have been previously recognized in the law as being when a prosecution is commence that includes when a person is arrested when they're issued a citation by law enforcement officer when an arrest is made Reverend arrest warrant is issued by judge based on probable cause and executed without unreasonable delay upon the filing an indictment information or they're charging us for all of those or an accurate statement of when a prosecution is commenced and so we're just accurately setting forth the law in this statute because the the existing statute did not recognize all of those ways. when a prosecution is in fact commence that's what the bill does happy to answer any questions. Seeing not appreciate a good vote thank you. President Gazaway has explained bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representative Gazaway is close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen no one prepared machine madam Clerk. Has everyone voted. Casts up the ballot madam Clark ninety eight zero nays and to present the bill is passed. President make sure recognized after announcing three new bills transferring the bills placing an announcmenet on the desk members amending their own bills own amendments members withdrawing their own bills finalize resolutions reading communications and any remaining committee report I move we adjourn until one thirty tomorrow afternoon. Proper motion non debatable all in favor say aye. Opposed nay motions adopted. Are there any announcements representative Cavenaugh for what purpose now you're recognized Budget joint budget will meet at nine AM tomorrow on big mac K.. Representative very for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized judiciary will meet ten a ten AM in the morning room one forty not represent Holcomb for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized public transportation will meet in the morning and mac bay at ten o'clock. Representative **** for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized House Management will meet upon adjournment downstairs in room one thirty eight and five minutes. Representative Tosh for what purpose announcmenet. You're recognized state agencies will meet in ten minutes we'll be here and Constitutional amendments so this should be the only time you'll have an opportunity to present your constitutional amendment so we'll be in room one fifty one in ten minutes. When voting for what purpose. You're recognized personnel joint joint budget personnel committee meeting in the morning at seven thirty big mac a thank you. Representative Johnson for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized public health meet tomorrow morning at nine thirty AM in room one thirty thank you. Representive eleven for what purpose. Announcmenet you're recognized House education will meet at nine thirty tomorrow morning room one thirty eight. Representatives for what purpose. Hausman you're recognized revenue tax tomorrow morning room one fifty one ten AM. Are there any other announcements. The desk will remain open as needed for the reading of the bills and upon completion of the items named in the adjourned