Transportation, Technology & Legislative Affairs - Senate

The representative voters here first bill will be Senate bill three seventy nine and I have a motion but first before we take the bill I have a motion to expunge the vote by which the amendment DTP one fifty eight was adopted. Second all in favor say aye aye opposed thank you what happened we ended up taking the amendment Senate to members on and it has been engrossed so we need to expunge that vote so Mr vice chairman if you will take the podium I will go percent this bill. Senator it looks like you have a guest I do Mr chairman up Senator Hester my co sponsor and he is helping we with the presentation okay we'll German you're recognized again thank you committee of the Senate bill three seventy nine is to deal with the situation we have in our largest airport in the state where we seem to be at an impasse and can't fill a position on the local governing of the board of the airport. there's been a vacancy for several days. Well over yes we're going on. Over sixty days at least and there's just it this is not just an airport that serves one city it serves much of the state at least sixty of the seventy five counties are there. Sorry that was me. Okay be careful that's powerful solution the the airport has a hundred fifty five employees that live in the surrounding communities and counties a three thousand badge workers live and pay taxes in communities throughout central Arkansas and over two million passengers per year fly in and out of the bill in here Hillary Clinton national airport I has a one point seven billion dollar budget and a growing impact on our state of among the industry's there here or is the entire western hemisphere operation for Dassault falcon jet which may be no is one of the leading manufacturers of a business jet aircraft in the world Unlike other complete skews me unlike other commissions the airport commission has one hundred percent control over the airport. Four votes have the power to make it and has power to break it to so it's important that there always be the fully staffed Commission to to carry out that needs so the purpose of this bill was brought by also by representative acre McCollum and and hall to make sure that our region is properly served and I appreciate to our president pro tem joining me in helping make sure we take care of this issue be happy to answer any questions. Thank you thank you members I think it's just important that the that this effort is so important of the entire state I say sixty out of seventy five counties that there ought to be people on the on the commission that are concerned with more just than than just about one city not that that's not critically important it's important that the the commission have an understanding in view of more than just a very defined area. Any any questions yes. A. So the whole purpose of changing the way we have done business at the little rock airport how many years now how long is this the airport in the. I don't know the answer that senator I know it's been there in my all my lifetime but I don't know that the organization of it was done in that period of time so you're talking about changing the whole structure. Of this board because there has been a vacancy. Envoy no ma'am that's not what the bill does it only addresses a situation when there's a situation such as we have right now that you've had a long time but vacancy. Does this apply to any other airport. It would not apply to any airport I would certainly be happy to extend it to others if we had the same situation but I think there's really only two airports in the state that heavy even nearly this level of of passengers and and certainly the other one being acts and I it it is not having this problem but this is the only municipal airport in the State of Arkansas I am I correct now this law in this player ports but they're not have a regional airports we don't have municipal airports or see different this is the only municipal airport in the state of Arkansas that's not correct center what you I mean the other municipal well I can first what comes to mind is the Conway municipal airport which is in my district and I visited about a week and a half ago so so they're happy with this. They did express paying one where the other on if they have a commission and they also with the what we're really talking about is airports of a size that have a tremendous commercial aviation operation so in other words passenger four as opposed to civil in private aviation so if the mayor made an appointment right now. To that position which he has the opportunity to do. Then what is your argument. Well the appointment has to be someone that it complies under the law. If if that's been taken care of Senator we would be sitting here. So if the mayor makes an appointment today. This bill would be notable. So would you say I'm not sure that we would totally be null and void if if this had been taken care of between the mayor and the city board then there probably would have been no reason to have the bill except for maybe prospectively if we had a position a situation where this could rise again. Johnson. Are you live here Senator Hester doesn't of an overlap I'm sorry Senator Hester doesn't give a little up he's here supporting you and I understand the importance of the airport for the totality of the State. But what you are doing is singling out this airport. It seems very personal to me because their backstories. To this bill. That I think a very unfortunate the City of Little Rock needs time to heal. It needs time to heal. We have had a very contentious election. You supported one candidate I supported another. And for those of us who have lived in the city for a long time it all looks the other person. You may or may not say it is but I think it is. Because to punish. The Meryl process not mere Scott Scott will come he will go but you're talking about taking away the totality of this power. Mayor of the city of little rock not thank god you're not mandate with the mayor of the city of little. Because if they don't do something the way you want it done and we're going to take away I just think it's very unfortunate and I'm sure you will agree but it's not I need to say that let my city he'll. And let's not doing things that is so actively. Parties the stock. So. Sir let me respond First Baptist saying that the you make some very valid points about healing and I support that also want to remind you that while I part of my district does include the city Little Rock I live in the unincorporated part. I'm Pulaski County and therefore I'm often at the mercy of the things that city government does although I don't have a vote certainly didn't have a vote in the mayor's race so this is not about the recent mayor's race this is about a specific impasse we have in sixty plus counties and people there Sir. Let's Sir get a member of your family work in the mayoral race. I'm sorry did a member of your family working mayoral race. Work in the city from the airport or no no in the mail race a member of my family earlier in the mayor arrested work but he did not complete working in the in the area but it was not for the current may that's correct six that's why I think she's also forty three years old and I don't tell our state senator I truly understand I think everybody I need to understand the totality of what we're dealing with you today and I just think it's very unfortunate I really think it's a question thank. We got another question for senator Murdock yeah I need to play catch up a little bit I'm sorry so what's the problem what's what's made this necessary to because when I read it over the weekend it talks about the duty of the mayor of that currently exists in the and and the and the commission the board. The currently has authority but this is changing the eligibility is also narrowing or changing of. The qualifications of this second person so I guess to in just being totally transparent because it'll be fleshed out one way or the other so the best way is to be transparent about said into the table I have civic purpose I'm going to that knowledge and and the knowledge why B. so don't comes out in in a different looking way so what's the reason for this what happened on Senate Johnson to calls the safety of this bill you keep saying something happened I just I didn't get I think it is part of the school. Well if you look on page two and I will skip your allows a preliminary things but will stipulate it is talking about what Little Rock airport is if you look at one thirty three and thirty four that to it has to do with in the event that that there's a vacancy for more than forty five days in the Commission position and we are in a position now where that vacancy has existed for more than forty five days that it would allow if if you come will use the term break the impasse that may not be exactly a hundred percent accurate I know that might people might have varying opinions on that but that this would allow the governor to to fill that critical appointment in the event that the that impasse was not broken so that's that's the gist of what it is the Local government body has to confirm the by three fourths vote the the appointment by the mayor and that hasn't happened so we're now it would have this as a back up plan that would allow the governor to make sure that the critical operations of the the bill and Hillary Clinton national airport would continue its problem so you're asserting that currently what we have a current methodology has not happened is which is that's correct yes a chair are we going to hear from someone is there people want to speak to the other side of this because I'm trying to get a good understanding on Senator there to people who are signed up to speak against this okay I guess and so I'm trying to balance what is what is the is and the others I'm sure will. Make it somewhat clear on it thank you senator Murdock. Okay any other questions yes senator hill. Sure Johnson I'm also like Senator Murdock we're trying to catch up what's what's going on here did you go into any details our target here about why that they can see has not been filled. You mean for you got in the room today yes I believe I think you were here when I first covered it but not to if you want I apologize I'll try to fill the in there so that a vacancy thank you in a position for for over forty five days. All of Mr yes. Is there are you know a particular reason that making sees been there that long what has not been filled as wrestlers and it's because the mayor either just did not want to point someone or with one to appoint someone that didn't meet the qualifications that would allow the city board to to us Sir are to approve that to nomination and again I have not discussed that with mayor Scott so I just plain don't know the answer I just know that we're sitting here many days into twenty twenty three today is the thirteenth of March and we still don't you know have a good position fill okay thank you. centre Murdock. Thank you so you obviously know mayor Scott yes Sir have you had a chance to talk to him about this I have not discussed it with so you brought in and I haven't discussed it with a member of the of the commission I've been several stakeholders in the airport have spoken to me saying that there's a problem an impasse and they're concerned and so what would you call stakeholder what you define as owners of of aviation it both airplanes and aviation businesses and other Concessions that surround the airport there is concern that you have the smooth operation and the the professionalism of the staff provides will not go smoothly if this vacancies allowed to study thank. Okay any yes Chesterfield thank you Mr. Does the commission run the day to day operations of the airport. Don't we have CEOs and managers it run does on a daily basis. I believe so center but not that doesn't cover every policy I'm but but you're going from policy you're going to policy now rather than the personnel that's there. If. We have an airport manager and I can't remember his name god knows or should know because of this it was you who runs a good shot. The planes are taking off on. Leding most of the most of the time taken off on that. It's up to an Leding on time as well as any airport in the state. We've got vendors in the building from which people can buy salute. We got bathrooms that operation. That the leaders to run up and down. We've got various we've got southwest American delta. What parties continue to on an appointment. Well Sir let me introduce why if using your logic we would really need a commission we just turned it over to the the permanent staff and allow it to happen but that's not how by state law and by local ordinance that's not how it's organized there should be a functioning commission and it is independent just like us to use comparable just like the highway commission is independent from the governor running R. dot it is an independent commission and it needs to be fully staffed and and functional so you know I'm I disagree on that I just went through the airport last night Senator Hill aye returning from a conference center board was at the conference we all got home and thank the lord for the wonderful staff in the airline people I even went to the bathroom everything works but it there is still a procedure and you have to have oversight by the commission set up under the law and we need to make sure their staff. Is there no for a quorum for the commission. This committee No of the Commission the Little Rock Air airport commission and what the ruins are now. I don't know the rules and how many members make up the commission. I believe it's seven in their sense so you got one vacancy. So any time they need to have a quorum. Just because people have a quorum doesn't mean that you can always get business in any case that's one reason we have odd numbers of the people you know you have seven members of the Arkansas Supreme Court you can look at chairs of their and you have nine members of the Arkansas are the US Supreme Court again an odd number so you can reach decisions and okay thank you Mr thank you senator okay in any other questions. saying none there are two people signed up to speak against the bill so if we would start with mayor Scott do you want to come forward. I'm. Welcome and if you'll take a moment to each identify yourself and then you may begin our whoever wants to go first yes thanks to your question the button there sorry. Thank you senator thank you so much for the opportunity with you here today and if you'll identify yourself for the record yes my name is Frank scheduling your the senator mayor of the city Little Rock today we have with this city director. Yes city director against one feel of some LRC directors are represent inter city of little rock okay thank you shall we begin I've just first and foremost just wanna share our appreciation for the opportunity to speak on behalf and against this particular bill with this body we do share appreciation I do want to have the floor to the least answer some questions really help gain some understand so while we're here plainly we are against this bill there's no need for this bill it sets a bad precedence against longstanding mayoral nomination authority with city board confirmation it's been that way since the City of Little Rock airport when a commission I will get that actual date but will into the nineteen seventies if not earlier than that and we'll get that actual date for you where this always had this process secondly I'll just be honest with you to really cut to the chase from a transparency standpoint we had a commission appointment with become vacant in January that particular commissioner was Clark Kent he is the aviation pilot if you look at the history of the little rock airport Commission it only requires one pilot which we do have a pilot right now part of the existing six if you look at the bill it convene the adds a second policy to it and then due to the emergency clause after forty five days the governor can give it to a second pilot so we have no reason to believe that this bill is being made for one person and this is a special use bill we also believe this may be an affront to amendments fourteen from that particular standpoint. And so we want to share that with you and I'll just be very clear we know how important little rock airport is it is economic engine for the city of the rock and state of Arkansas and we provide services to the in Star state and we're grateful and proud that opportunity and we want to continue to do that this vacancy will be filled only reason why still vacant because we've only had one opportunity to have the process I'm AT a nomination within executive session that nomination did not receive the three fourths vote I see you have to go back to the drawing board we haven't had a another meeting to take up appointments yet that's the only reason why has and in the field and we will do it our next scheduled meeting. And and if I can jump in on a single tax questions just from a procedure standpoint as a member of the Little Rock city board directors as I read the bill and I'm also on page two Senator Johnson lines twenty nine and thirty this is that the apartment by the mayor or any elected and qualified members of city council or governing body. frankly that's a procedural nightmare to allow known to the mayor to make appointment but me or my other night colleagues to make appointments for airport so in theory we could have a mean everyone just brings up another suggested appointment and no one could ever get two to three fourths Boston's require those kind of things those practical concerns I think y'all should take it taking consideration as you decide to vote on his bill today because it will be virtually impossible to get anyone appointed under all circumstances of all ten of us including the mayor can nominate someone how can you get the three four call it we got ten different options so I think that's one of the procedural things I think you need to consider when you're designed a vote on this bill and and I'll leave it there and a lot of merit at our New York in answer any questions if there are questions from committee it in another state is to as mere mention I am against the bill as well and hope that you vote no and I visited with majority of the city board if not all of them they all or against the bill as well we have some emails that we can share with you so as not just myself and at large city director and one Phillips we all want to maintain our local responsibility to our residents who paid for the little rock airport longstanding history there and again this bill has been curated and developed for one person and it's a special use a piece of legislation the only impact the City of Little Rock because as is drafted for municipal airport that had this rank within the top one twenty five there's only one municipal airport ranked in the top one twenty five of the FAA that's the City of Little Rock ranked and number ninety seven XNA which is not a municipal airport is ranked one oh eight their regional airport and so again this bill is drafted specifically because a former commissioner was not reappointed it happens to be aviation. Person again you look at the bill that adds a second aviation person so reason to believe that has something to do with that as well and again at our next schedule City of Little Rock a board commission meeting that's the only reason why we've had a vacancy it's not unusual to have a vacancy for more than thirty days we don't take appointments every city board meeting our LRC director can share that with you we try to lump them in certain cases the get him all taken care of we look took this up in January and we haven't had a commission meeting since January the. Fourteen percent I can't remember that date but our next scheduled commission meeting will have this appointed. All right so any questions from committee members senator hill. Our state right now is the is the airport functioning at full capacity with the board everything I they continue business as usual yes Sir actually again based on how things are schedule they have not had a scheduled meeting I think their next meeting I had one in January your call they elected officers because they had a quorum it's seven people there were six present the elected officers most recently and they haven't taken up in the other new business they'll have a meeting on Thursday from that standpoint but there are no any fishing season when a credit the airport management team because we were the only airport this debt free in the state of Arkansas we're running efficiently and operating very will and so there's nothing wrong with the airport we do have a quorum again it's not the first time there's been a vacancy and so we can make sure this address pretty swiftly we really don't believe this is a I mean we clearly understand state local control we understand that we're at the behest of of the Senate committee but there's really no need for this and we can get this handled our sales. Follow up yes. Who's who schedule these board meetings and how often is Jimmy just based on I guess our city Clerk this but I can call a meeting tomorrow a special called meeting have this done there's really two options that I have until this becomes law is called a special board meeting tomorrow or sometime this week that will get eight votes and we've I've talked to members of the city board I think that is very possible to happen tomorrow sometime this week or I can re open the application pool so that existing application tool that I can pick from I can re open it and then do it at a different date but we will get this we understand the importance and we'll get this done the only reason why hasn't been done just because we had scheduled commission meeting we want to wait to get some other commission of what we don't like to just do one Commission appointment at the time we try to do other city commissions and again I want to add as mayor I virtually of every appointment authority for every little rock Commission except for what's being proposed today. Yes Sir I guess I guess last and one is that we're or I guess I'm going that is if it's that easy for you to call. Yes I can do that why have we not done it we already planned on doing but for this bill so it'll more than likely be tomorrow this week okay thank you Sir thank you senator rice. Thank you and appreciate you doing better today I appreciate to testimony because I really didn't have. A lot of background only is not already asked some questions but. I realize the the airport is a business nationally run as a business and I'd say probably the big majority of that is the business focus mine but. when I read this about the. Second pilot I thought about some testimony now what should believe last week. Hello federal appointment. In a request use of that had to do with the FAA and. Of things that. We're just more basic in couldn't be answered so With what's out at the airport in a but fortunately going on a second or two years ago of the. Silty after private aircraft do you think it would be important to have maybe a second person that was either a pilot or any pilots background of not just for private aviation but also some knowledge of commercial aviation time with that again a lot of what I understand from the joysticks again what I'm calling business so I'm not I'm not saying overwhelming part do you think that could be helpful no matter who holds it that could be helpful I think that's different we can always take that up for consideration that hasn't it hasn't been a consideration until this bill we fall from since the airports inception it's always had one aviation pilot or of sorts and so we have a policy of the six right now and of course the executive director and the team they're all well equipped in an aviation business aviation logistics and aviation from a polit standpoint I don't think there's a need for action but also we're not opposed to having the second one it at some point in time but I would think of that something that the city a little rock of which we would have to me and our local ordinance to do that of source and that's something we we haven't talked with the city board at all I think we definitely take that up for discussion but again we're only discussing the second person is because of this bill but we definitely always open and open for understanding even even if that doesn't go to the mandatory if you consider that again the FAA's continue what what the airport has to do for safety you know we we just we're here and we're near collisions we're seeing more planes clipped each other on the ground and all of that you know it's just somebody with basic knowledge of aviation I think would be a a plus so you've got one in and and we certainly want to quickly we're certainly not. Oppose that Senator and we're definitely open to that thank you thank. All right any other questions by committee members. Okay we have a the ocean inside we just humbly ask that you consider to vote against this bill the City of Little Rock will get this handed handled expeditiously and fill in that vacancy and that we maintain local control for the residents of little rock he paid for the airport however we do know that Arkansas residents help keep the airport and businesses so we recognize that it is about the state of Arkansas that's not lost on us and we wanna make sure that we represent the state will and that's the reason why will get this vacancy feel but we do humbly ask that you vote against this bill allow for local control okay thank you for your testimony thank you thank you we do appreciate you senator Johnson you want to come close for your bill. Thank you Mr chairman committee A few points first I want to say that I appreciate mayor Scott's comments and and director Phillips One make a couple of points a. One that the. While I appreciate the fact that the city is in charge of the airport at this moment I it truly is a regional airport it's a national airport is Senator Hester minor what Sir sixty counties out of seventy five counties in Arkansas I have been flying of this airport from the very first time in our. Early sixties when I stepped on an airplane so and except for a few years when I lived within the city limits I was not or a resident or voter in the city Little Rock now I don't vote Little Rock although they raise the sales tax I pay it the I'm in the extra territorial planning jurisdiction so every time something is done in our neighborhood it's done by people who I don't get to vote for but none the less I respect the city and I respect to the mayor and the city board of. One thing I do want to I've been told that the the recently expired position the individual who serve in that position does not want to be reappointed or pointed at this point but the changes to this process are very important because of such things as this gridlock is holding up a request for contracts and other services because of this lack of of a majority in gridlock it hurts the executive director who in my opinion has been doing a good job from actually ma'am carry out its job so. this is a corrective measure that hopefully won't arise again but this is extremely important entity not just for the people see little rock but for much of the state of Arkansas and so it's incumbent upon is alleged arsenal as legislators to always have a backup plan in this case perhaps in the future we should look at the possibility of of creating a. Broader entity such as exists in Northwest Arkansas but at this moment this is a a manner in which we can create a stop gap and and fix the current problem make sure there's always a mechanism to if this problem even should rise again so hi Senator Hester if he has anything that. No I think it's fair to say if there's there's a me an appointment and then there's no need for this bill. So with that I'm closed Mr chairman I will move do pass. Okay we have a motion do pass on the bill in front of us as engrossed do I have a second. I have a. Motion I have a second all in favor say aye hi any opposed no. The ayes have it. Okay we got a call for a roll call. Senator Linda Chesterfield. Senator Chesterfield votes now. Senator Jane English. Senator Jane English. Senator Terry Rice. Senator Terry Rice. Senator Ricky Hill yes Senator Ricky Hill votes yes. Senator Reginald Murdock. Senator Murdock votes no. Senator Alan Clark. Senator Alan Clark votes I. Center Justin Boyd. Senator Mark Johnson The notes have it Senator your bill fell. Are you gonna run your. Okay. If there's anyone here dealing with the Senate bill three ninety five. Have a nice week this bill will not come up until at least of the week after we come back from spring break and probably will not be to a little bit later in that week and and all parties that have reached out to me I'll be happy to. let you know as we get closer to it I don't think we need to Senate as a special order but the committee may wish to do that anything else come before the committee. If not returned.