Senate Convenes

The Senate will be called to order. Any request for leave at this time. Madam secretary please call the roll Boyd Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Thank you madam secretary everyone in the galleries and the chamber would please rise for a prayer led by Senator parole followed by the pledge of allegiance. Dear lord we come before you today and humbly ask you to watch over us watch were minds in our hearts as we serve the people of Arkansas let us to do things the way you would want us to bless everybody this week as they spend time away from their families and up here as a team working for Arkansas in your name lark image. All. Thank you senator old ladies and gentlemen the gallery's welcome to Arkansas state Senate it is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today's proceedings without objection the rules will be suspended and the Senate will dispense the reading of the Journal the morning hour has now begun are there any announcements or introduction this time. Secretary other items at the desk yes yes where your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill two seventy five by Senator Hammer the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed. State agencies Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three seventy seven by Senator Mark Johnson compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed. Transportation. Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three Oct twelve by Senator Clark recommend to pass as amended number change. Counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three forty six by Senator Hester recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three forty seven by Senator Hester recommend to pass calendar Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three sixty six by Senator bribe recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three seventy three by Senator Cauldwell recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill four one by Senator letting recommend due pass counted. Senate resolution twenty five. By Senator Hill recognizing and celebrating electric cooperatives of Arkansas day at the state capitol March fourteen twenty twenty three Senate resolution twenty five calendar Senate bill four O. four by Senator Penzo to ensure reasonable regulation of amateur radio service station antenna structures senate bill four four. City county local Senate bill four five by Senator Hammer determine the classification of the offense of possession of a handgun by minor Senate bill four of five Judiciary center for six by Senator Hammer to amend the law concerning extended juvenile jurisdiction this action under the Arkansas Juvenal Code of nineteen eighty nine Senate bill four oh six Judiciary. Thank you madam secretary any further business to come before the body in the morning hour announcmenet center live you're recognized. Thank you madam president of good afternoon chamber. If my of my pages to come before I have three outstanding young men who go to to attend Parkview high school here with me today paging. The first young man that I'm going to introduce his mom actually told me at the at the college of public health at the university of Arkansas metaphor for medical sized opportunity it is Mr lane Committee now. Lane is eighteen he's a senior. he's on the debate team isn't the ator he's in construction landscaping in line wants to become a public defender when he graduates college so he's going to be going to law school. Please recognize miscellany. The next young man I have. Is Mr. Jose. The Pondo. The closeness all right. This V. Apollos eighteen is a senior at Parkview high school he also is on the debate team theatre in the construction and landscaping. I'm sorry about the wrong note. You are forgiven so. Jose is in the cross country track and field robotics debate in engineering he plans to become an engineer he plans to get his engineering degree and he wants to make a difference in the world. In the field of new innovations please represent please recognize Mister Jose the upon the. Last but not least is is my church member. He he the scenes and the greater second Baptist church this is the best church on this side of heaven. Jordan is enquiring he's in catering and he's in band. His future goal is income Senate just feel I think you'll really appreciate this his future goal is to become a early childhood educator. Jordan Jordan would also like to become a funeral director and opened his own funeral home in the future please give it up for Jordan givens. Thank you all. Thank you senator. Senator Tucker you're recognized. Thank you madam president I'm very excited to have two pages here with me today if you see me today I have an extra smile on my face because I have these two young men here with me I'm sure we all know that with our own kids we get some kind of bonus family members and and these two are just like that for me today we have seventh grade thirteen year old Graham Thompson who's one of my son else is best friends Graham is interested in baseball basketball that's how he my son know each other Graham you can have sympathy form because he's has spent the night at my house a number of times but he's one of my favorite friends of Ellis is to spend the night because he and I we go the same speed would try to keep things low key I can't say the same thing for the rest of their friend group but Frank grams always a pleasure except for the one time when he got a little too aggressive and he he dunked the ball too hard and broke the committee who put our house but we replace it it's okay and then his big brother Asher sometimes your kids have friends and then there siblings also become extended members of your own family and that's the case with Asher he's a fifteen year old freshman at Pulaski academy he listed his interests on this form as basketball and golf which is undoubtedly true but as I mentioned committee this morning he left off talking if anybody has a question about how they should vote on a particular bill today just show the bill to Asher and ask him and he will have an opinion for you about how you should vote there's only one person on earth who calls me Clark Kerr okay Ennis's red headed guy right here so please join me in welcoming Graham after Thompson to the state Senate to. Thank you senator Clark for. Any other announcements. Same manner. The morning hour has expired we will now start the business agenda. Senate memorial resolution to. The more resolution two by Senator Tucker remember Brandt run of for him and to recognize his contributions to the state of Arkansas and filmmaking. But president ask for leave for the family of Berman to be on the floor. Thank you madam president members I know we do resolutions in here on a regular basis and they're for worthwhile organizations and and people in groups but I'm gonna ask for your attention here today to recognize and memorialize Brent Renault brand is a native of Little Rock and I'm gonna read through this resolution he was the first American killed in the Ukraine. and he was over there to do what he did with his life which was to document stories that needed to be told and expose things that needed to be exposed to change people's lives and he did that throughout his entire life all the way to the end when he went to the Ukraine voluntarily to document what was happening with the conflict in Ukraine and I'm going to read his resolution I'm gonna read all of it because it's it's worth hearing all that but but here what he did with his life whereas Bremer NO was born on October second nineteen seventy one in Memphis Tennessee and died on March thirteenth one year ago today twenty twenty two and we're as Brent Renault was killed in Ukraine when Russian troops opened fire according to Andre ninety top of the head of kids regional police force and we're as you came president Vladimir's once he wrote a talented and brave journalist Brent lost his life while documenting human tragedy devastation and suffering of millions of Ukrainians and we're as we're at Renault was a loving son brother uncle friend and award winning documentary filmmaker who grew up in Little Rock Arkansas and we're as Bruno graduated from hall high school received his undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas and a master's degree from Columbia University in New York New York. And we're as Brent with his younger brother correct known as the Renault brothers. Co founder five oh one films a small phone company that won many national and international awards for their documentaries about human suffering around the world. Or as Brandon correct also co founded the Little Rock Film Festival in the Arkansas motion picture institute. And we're as Brandon correct made films for HBO NBC discovery PBS The New York Times vice news and others and their film last chance high an eight part series for vice media want to Peabody award the most prestigious prize broadcast journalism's journalist can receive or as Brandon correct in collaboration with Christoph pencil want to dupont Columbia award for vanguard arming the Mexican cartel and when Christoph you to learn of his close friends death he told WGBH Boston brand had courage like nobody I've ever seen yet at the same time had this heart to go in where he was needed and he was so incredibly careful and focused I don't know many people who can do that. And we're as Graham was known as a quiet humble brilliant kind and hardworking filmmaker and we're as brown was a Nieman fellow in two thousand nineteen at Harvard University and even curator Ann Marie Lipinski said prince filmmaking was exceptional and what made it so was not just as abundant skill but a kindness and deep humanity he brought to his work he told us that what he sought injured in his journalism was thoughtful stories about disenfranchised people and he lived up to that credo everyday his death is a devastating loss whereas at Harvard University brand study the effects of trauma and mental emotional illness on rates of poverty and violence in America. And we're as Brent Renault was a visiting distinguished professor for the center of ethics in journalism at the university of Arkansas for a one two thousand nineteen. Whereas Brimelow NO was widely respected as a photo journalist and documentary filmmaker said Larry Foley chair of the university of Arkansas school of journalism and strategic media. Whereas break Renault's two thousand fourteen short documentary between borders American migrant crisis help bring a new level of awareness to the youth migrant crisis in Central America it is award winning two thousand eighteens feature film shelter has raised millions of dollars to combat the youth homeless crisis in New Orleans Louisiana and we're as reigning McCaffrey director of the center for ethics in journalism said that Bremer no possessed unique journalistic skills that are especially valuable in today's changing media environment and he considered brand especially qualified to teach students about the power of multimedia journalism as well as the ethical challenges that journalists can face when using new technology to help report the news and we're as in recognition of the many contributions Bremner brought to Arkansas and the filmmaking industry Brent's family friends started the brand Renault foundation as a means of continuing his vision and we're as Brent Renault sacrificed his life to bring awareness of the war in Ukraine and his loss will never be forgotten now therefore be it resolved by the Senate of the ninety fourth General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the Senate remember Bramber no for his service and dedication to the state of Arkansas and the filmmaking industry and extend sincere condolences to his family. Your father is all that upon adoption a copy this resolution be provided to Bremen as family by the Secretary of the Senate without madam president I would move for adoption of the resolution. Thank you Senator Tucker all those in favor of. Senate memorial resolution to to remember grammar no and to recognize his contributions to the state of Arkansas and filmmaking please signify by saying aye. Any of those. My resume ask for a brief moment I believe. Man for a brief moment Lee for Brent's mother to address the Senate. Thank you this is new for me so of the first told me say that is as prince family we're so honored and humbled by this today and just by the support we've gotten this year is just amazing. Of the rent would be as we said it would be over there in the corner watching us so of he would be very pleased but he would be over in the corner probably filming he loved Arkansas he lives he never left New York after you went to Columbia but he never left Arkansas he split his time and just a little antidote he had a beloved rescue dog from the Conway animal shelter named chai and he drove back and forth so that China could ride with a so but he loved Arkansas and this is this was always home to an and so for the for us to have this honor today in his name thank you so much. Imprisonment may we have a two minute recess for a a picture Senate will be and recess for. A couple of moments. Many can body order Jimmy to. So now. House concurrent resolution one zero zero eight house concurrent resolution ten out eight by representative gene Senator Hickey to recognize the forecast school panther marching band and for winning class three A. state championships under as recognize the for high school and college Smith middle school concert bands for being nine twenty twenty two class three A. state on our brains. Senator Hickey you're recognized. Thank you members this is just a house concurrent resolution the I think all the festivities of already been done in the house so what I'm gonna do is just read the title and I would appreciate a good vote after that so this is to recognize the Falcao school in the Falcao School panther marching band for winning five consecutive class three A. state championships and recognize the Falcao school in the fall at Smith middle school concert bands for being named twenty twenty two class three A. state honor bands so if you all would appreciate if you'd give a deal my hand and the and if you don't mind I appreciate a good vote. Thank you Senator Hickey all those in favor of the house concurrent resolution one zero zero eight to recognize the sound high school panther marching band for winning class three A. state championships and recognize the county high school and college Smith middle school concert band to be named two thousand twenty two class three A. state honor brands please signify by saying aye. Many opposed. The body errors please return to the House. Amendment for two Senate bill five. Amendment four Senate bill five. And Health. My bill my amendment. Thank you senator hill all those in favor of the amendment for Senate bill five please signify by saying aye. Any of those. It is adopted. Please enter a gross. You're recognized. Thank you madam chair members this is a motion to suspend the rules withdrawal Senate bill three fifty eight from a committee for purpose of amendment. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Many opposed. Amendment one Senate bill three fifty eight. Senator days you're recognized the manager this is this is a motion to move to adoption amendments just. One of us and bill thirty eight. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. I have it please send. Senate bill seventy eight Senate bill one seventy eight by Senator Hammer and represented by law to amend the Arkansas health care consumer ACT and Brett provide reimbursement benefits for mental illness and substance use disorders that are delivered through a psych psychiatric collaborative care model. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you madam chair last summer there was a group that spent a considerable amount of time looking at the mental health needs in the state of Arkansas and looking at how we can go about addressing them in the most effective manner of nobody would argue I think that as a result of cope with the time we come through that the challenges have been great as far as I was trying to acclimate back into regular life style of some of which have some mental health fall out because of it so as a result of that year long worth of caucus means a mental health came out of that the idea of what's before you in Senate bill one seventy eight which is the behavioral health collaborative care model for those you may not be familiar with that basically what it means is that if you present year of if you present your primary care physician and the primary care physician detects that perhaps you need some additional counseling which subsequently is going to help your physical health then they would be able to refer you or provide that service in House the problem is or was in a code in order to be able to bill for and so what this bill does is require or he creates that pathway for to where the primary care physicians can be able to provide what is referred to as behavioral health collaborative care model service the I I had two pieces of information distributed to you on your desk so I'd like to draw your attention to one is from Blue Cross blue shield who's actually already implemented the behavioral health collaborative care model and it gives you some statistics that show that with the implementation of this it actually helps eventually been down the cost of providing services on the front page if you look about half way down the search off with unfortunately the surge utilization but if you look at the last phrase it says we already we are already seeing some encouraging signs but then you drop down to the next paragraph it says. After moving into the collaborative model emergency department utilization dropped by nearly half resulting in a savings of two hundred and five thousand dollars and then at the very bottom that says that they are supportive of Senate bill one seventy eight and we believe it's integrated collaborative and coordinated approach will benefit the overall health and well being of our members and likely will ultimately contribute to the reduction in the overall cost of health care in Arkansas the other piece of paper I had distributed to you is regarding the North Carolina Medicaid program because they already do this in North Carolina this afternoon our Medicaid director will be on the phone with their Medicaid director to discuss the benefits and also the processes for making sure that we contract that this is actually going to create savings as the evidence would appear that it will if you look at what was handed out as far as the North Carolina Medicaid model that utilizes it you'll see that it is trending as is the Blue Cross blue shield model BlueCross BlueShield already has it North Carolina has already implemented it and the trans would indicate that it is not only helping to bend the cost overall to the system but it's also providing for greater care to the members of the system one of the things that we would like to do is implement things such as this are going to help contribute to bending down the overall cost of Medicaid by addressing the issue of streams that are waiting to downstream in real life application what happens or what could happen is somewhat we're present to their primary care physician they would recognize that there's an issue that needs to be addressed from mental health perspective they would get that individual treatment and eventually what that would help do is keep people from being it could potentially help keep people from being admitted to perhaps long term care facilities for mental health which will help the call. To the overall program I'll be glad to answer any questions. Questions for Senator hammer Senate Sullivan you're recognized. Senator no you we were that in the cost curve language several times yes I have never been successful in a former model. The. Provider will make a request to the physician who them. What act on that either what a proving are not approving the what's different in the. I think what's different in this is it would provide the primary care physician that while the patient is in the office in the primary care physician recognizes that the patient has a need that would be better suited to address it in a mental health setting that would be through medication setting that the primary care physician could get that person into that position quicker and more efficiently because a lot of times what happens is a primary care physician may recognize that the person has a need but the personal leave the office then they will follow up with you appointment or they have to get put in line in order to get an appointment which might take two or three months depending it will know that there's a shortage in health care mental health care professionals and so what this does is put the need closer to the point of contact with a primary care physician and it also involves a primary care physician with regards to any of the medication that may the patient may be placed on so it brings Sidney closer to the point of contact. so who. For a part of this group that came up with this agreement with those players well it started last spring when representative Vaught call together mental hold a mental health caucus and I attended if not all those means nearly all of them and this was the one consistent theme that came out of that from all provider groups whether it was mental health providers the primary care physicians you M. S. it was a it was a host of people came together and one of the things that they said that would help us would be with this model or more of the same group that came up the last model thing was probably expanded more. Other questions. Boy you're recognized. Thank you madam president Senator Hammer do you think this could have it. Consequences to in the criminal justice system might keep people out of the criminal justice system if we can find help the behavioral health secretary earlier thank thank you I appreciate the question because I think it's going to have I think it's going to have far reaching benefits because here's the deal so my presents to the primary care physician and they may be in there for coal they may be in there for something else and through the things that the primary care physician may reveal is that this person is actually struggling in another area and I think our responsibility is that if that is identified in the primary care physician's office which many people go on a regular basis then if we can if we can do something to help that primary care physician be able to identify that be compensated for to get that person in a position of care sooner than later it will help keep them out of the psychiatric units and out of perhaps department of correction or other things that we know that if they don't get their needs met it's going to have a downstream effect and worry. Where are read there it's not not that is going to happen it or is happening. The question. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close thank you measure and I will say this one thing that will need to be worked out and had conversations having ongoing conversations we are going to have to have the systems in place and that's one reason for the conversation with North Carolina Medicaid directors how are they tracking it to substantiate these numbers the one thing I will say take the Medicaid conversation a discussion all together just parking over here from it because that's the population we're really talking about helping you've got Blue Cross blue shield that are has documentation to show that it that it's benefiting their programs and benefiting their members so I would think that if it's working over here because they are true about trying to cut costs or keep the you know keep the rates that we as a legislative body approved I would hope that in time that what's happened over here will happen over here in the Medicaid sectors well and we can see our costs contained in better quality health for residents appreciate a good vote. Any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please rowboat Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark prole Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote Senator Solomon president. Any other senators Sam Nunn please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty forty eight zero nine and one president Senate bill one seventy eight passes please transmit to the House Senate bill two fifty three Senate bill two fifty three by Senator crawled to amend the law concerning damage ballots and to amend the law concerning election procedures. Senate kroner recognized. State board of election commissions came to me with this bill this is to require creative process on duplicates on ones that can't be read by the tabulator what this bill does is it you have to write original on the original on the duplicate you have trade duplicate and then this will add that that they both have a C. or serial number. A matching serial number and this all be. Watched by the election officials that way just makes everything safer more transparent. Questions for federal. One was speaking against or for. Senator has closed any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well that would run Caldwell Chesterfield Clark for all Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast the ballot by a vote of the thirty five Yeas zero nine eight Senate bill two fifty three passes please transmit to the House Senate bill two sixty six Senate bill two sixty six by Senator Clark to amend the law concerning the appointment of members to the commission for parent council. Senate. I thank you governor Senate to see bill two sixty six as a bill brought by parent councils really a cleanup bill none of these new. Of positions or. The New they already exist in the law it's just to appoint some because it's been confusing one whoever's turn it is to a point there was nobody specifically that had to appoint these positions although it was required that they be on the board. or on the commission and this cleans it up there's no opposition to it and I'll be happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Clark. Senator Irvin you're recognized just that I know that you have it here where it is highlighted that one of the appointments by the governor shall be an attorney with at least ten years of experience in dealing with child welfare legal matters can you can you describe what you're looking for their just so you can just tell me a little bit more the Senator Irvin I can. But first let me say that that requirements already in the law an attorney with at least ten years of experience in dealing with child welfare legal matters along with the of the second one an attorney with at least five years of experience in bill which all wheel for legal matters and the third one retired circuit court judge all those already in the law it's just say and this one will point this one this one point this one because right now when each one of these have to a point no one specifically has to point one of these and they have to be on. Just restart it so that it's clear. Any other questions for Senator Clark. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Clark close I'm close to appreciate a good vote Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please Robert Boyd right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Scene nine please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty five eight zero nine Senate bill two sixty six passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three eleven senate three eleven by Senator Clark to amend the limitations period for when the petition for an initial order of child support may be solved in the period of time wait for which retroactive child support may be awarded. Senator you're recognized thank you governor thank you colleagues Senate bill three eleven since the time of that you can go back to ask for child support to three years but this doesn't have anything to do with a child support order that has already been issued you have as long as the law allows otherwise to continue to try to click support that's already been. Authorized this is for a new at action you could only go back three years we've had a couple of egregious cases of that where until a child was grown no one came forward and in fact at least one of those cases the father did not know they had a child where does not able to participate in raising their child but then of. They were awarded eighteen years of child support which was financially ruinous of the we have an amendment of. The phone Page two in the house that just deals with and insert ninety days it'll be a hundred twenty days to make it standard with all the filings of the Bar Association met Friday and sentenced the specific language we got that specific language going to house Judiciary Committee to fix that and they said that they would be on board and support of judicial council I was told that they are now supportive of. The I did not speak to them specifically but I was told this morning that they are now supported we have not had anybody testify against and do not have any since we. Originally we didn't have any look back once we put the three years that you could go back we have had of no opposition that I know of be happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Clark. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close. I'll close appreciate a good vote Senator has closed any objections rolling the vote. Transaction noted Senator flowers many sectors lease call the roll Boyd. Right. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Kroll. Kroll. Davis. These. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health. Health. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Leding. Love. Love. Mickey. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Staffan. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senators who did not vote for the wish to change your vote. Senator Leding president. Senator love present. Any other senators. Senator Murdock yes. Any other centers please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty one yea one nine one not voting and to present Senate bill three eleven passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three thirty three. Senator Irvin you're recognized. Thank you members I inadvertently left off a House bill and fourteen eighty six from today's calendar and the family is here today with us and the sealing galleries and so I'm asking to suspend the rules to place house bill fourteen eighty six on today's calendar at the top of the House bills I've left a copy of each of you at the at your does get cancer transportation committee on Thursday and I thought it would be on the calendar today and I told the family it would be on the calendar today so I just asked if I could suspend the rules to place the bill on the calendar today because the families with us. Motion made to suspend the rules to place. House Bill fourteen eighty six eighty six at the top of the House calendar today yes all those in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Is haven't thank you there's a copy there's a copy on your desk. Senate bill three thirty three by Senator Wallace to add certain gas pipeline facilities as an exemption under the utility facility environmental and economic protection act and declaring emergency. In the Wallace you're recognized government. Members this bill simply allows for construction of a natural gas pipeline serving as single customer to be exempt from the studies are required at the pipeline serves a public the the organization this provide the pipeline is black hills the customer is you is still be river still and then it's a private transaction. The studies are not necessary the situation with the pipeline service a single customer Anders other similar exemptions that already exist in this section. I've coordinate this with the public utilities commission they are neutral there's no known opposition there's no cost to the state or the federal government. And with that I stand by for your questions. Any questions for Senator Wallace. Anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator your free closed Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote. Secretary please rowboat Boyd prime Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice from Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty five Yeas the roommate Senate bill three thirty three and the corresponding emergency clause passed please transmit to the House Senate bill three thirty eight Senate bill three thirty eight by Senator Caldwell to amend the Arkansas ag marketing Act of nineteen sixty nine Benjamin the number of hands a retailer is permitted to have to be exempt from the Arkansas a marketing Act of nineteen sixty nine Senate Caldwell you're recognized thank you Mr president this is a very simple right now the small farmers limited to two hundred hands in their flock this raises that number to seven hundred ash Tosh and for number they tell me between six hundred eight hundred for their very accomplices of their number so I appreciate a good vote. Any questions for Senator call. What. What what classifies opinions and your call will you need to answer to love you brought it up in a committee meeting of the day so. Anyway thank you ma'am anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat Madam Secretary please Robert Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rhinestone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty five Yeas zero named Senate bill three thirty eight passes please transmit to the House Senate bill three forty two Senate three forty two by Senator Stubblefield to create the Arkansas statutory thresholds for settlement agreements involving minors at. Senator Stubblefield you're recognized. Thank you madam president. Three three forty two colleagues simply raises the threshold from five thousand twenty five thousand dollars this bill addresses a practices been going on interstate long time in litigation and unfortunately minors give her the same way we get our. and they have to claim their own damages of the law the parent or guardian to have to bring those claims or damages on their behalf in the current law if there's a minor settlement it requires court approval for an amount over five thousand dollars that's been the third Charles long as anybody can can remember what this bill does raise the threshold with court approval to twenty five thousand dollars or less in other words a parent guardian can go in and settle the case with the without or without a lawyer or representation but with the defendants are insurance company in the and obtain a binding settlement of twenty thousand twenty five thousand dollars or less without court approval court approval would require a lawyer to go in file a petition find a judge after hearing it all adds cost and downtime to the process this allows a settlement below twenty five thousand to be done with all that it also protects the minor and the funds being kept for the benefit of the minor until they reach eighteen there's also provision the bill for the money to be put in an interest bearing account until money can be paid out. There was no way. This past a judiciary without any. Opposition. Any questions for the senator. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. And secretary please roll the vote so it right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark cruel Davis the Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irving Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. St nine please cast a ballot. But thirty five Yeas zero named Senate bill three forty two passes please transmitted to the house Senate bill forty eight Senate bill three forty eight by Senator Mark Johnson to amend the liability of third parties to the Department of Human Services Arkansas Medicaid program claims. Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized thank you madam president Senate bill three forty eight on tax third party payers and it really does two things it's the state prior authorizes a procedure the player cannot deny payment based on the fact that the pair themselves did not prior authorized procedure and the second thing it does during the process of establishing liability for payment responses to questions and requests by the payer for information Those were quest must be responded to within sixty days be happy to entry questions. Any questions for Senator Mark Johnson. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Johnson we are pretty close. Appreciate a good vote I'm close thank you madam president Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well the vote Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem cell Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast the ballot. But at thirty five Yeas the room a Senate bill three forty eight passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill twenty fifty three cent at three fifty three by Senator Johnson to amend Arkansas law concerning drafting requests and information requests a legislative police. Senate Bahnson you're recognized. Thank you madam president Senate bill three fifty three does one very simple thing we all thought was law before at least I did and so most of us know that anything we whenever making a drafter request or information requests from the bureau legislative employees that that information is confidential it's not to be shared this considered working papers confidential for the legislative process and deliberation all that until we authorize it to be released or we filed bill in hand it's publicly available to everyone to to pick up and tear park and all that kind of stuff however. We didn't realize is that that it only applies to employees not former employees so once a a Legislative employee leaves employment they're no longer bound by confidentiality of of the things that we've discussed worked on bills that we've we put out there or haven't actually put out their information request research and that sort of thing that's what this bill attempts to do is to ensure that that confidentiality is is maintained even after someone leaves employment or have to try to answer any questions. Questions for center Dotson. Create a good vote anyone wish to speak against. Four four. Senator has closed any objection to read. Objection Senator Tucker secretary please call the roll and I would ask that you please speak up and in ninety eight. Boyd. Right Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Mark. Kroll. Davis these are Dismang. DISMANG. Dotson. English Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Leding. Love. Mickey. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Stun. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senators. Who wish to vote or change their vote I see Senator Chesterfield present. Senator Leding. Any other senators. Please cast a ballot. Five twenty seventy eight three nine. One not voting and for president Senate bill three fifty three passes transmitted the House. Senator Stubblefield you're recognized. Yes I'd like to put to Senate bill three fifty nine suspend the rules put it back on the agenda for amendment. All those in favor of suspending the rules. They signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Amendment one Senate bill three fifty nine. My bill my amendment. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Ma'am is adopted please and engrossed. Senate bill three sixty two. Senate bill three sixty two by Senator Hester to amend the membership of the calling of meetings of the of and a quorum court for the state parks recreation and travel commission to eliminate commissioner marriages positions and to amend the Mississippi River parkway Commission. Senator Hester you're recognized thank you Mr president members what this does is it just real lines the other requirements for the people on the board right now that you it requires for people be from different areas of media like television newspaper radio video industry it's going to take that from four down to one it's going to eliminate the requirement that one be historian limits requirement that one be from the arts in the main intent of this is not that any of those are worthy and good it's just that it restricts us down to where it's very difficult to fill those positions sometimes so we're moving those two five at large positions and then re changing the requirement to call a meeting to just the majority of the members. I'm happy to answering questions. Questions for Senator Hester. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized thank you madam chair Senate senator Hester thank you for taking my question on page two. line twelve could you tell me why you renominate in the historian within a knowledge of Arkansas historic background. And also what the law limiting a representative about the employment application and parks and culture since we're dealing with in the area that deals heavily with that flat. Yeah that's a great question it just goes back to that that's a very defined position sometimes can be very difficult of very difficult for the person to point these this point the governor to find somebody that fits that position this is something it's a very important to our state just like you said we want to make sure that we have people on there that we know they're going to be advocating to make Arkansas great we want tourists coming here. Thank you madam chair thank you senator. Any other questions. Anyone wish to speak against. Or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please roll the board right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these Dismang Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Senator flowers president. Any other centers. C. nine please cast a ballot but at thirty forty eight zero may and one president Senate bill three sixty two passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three sixty eight Senate bill three sixty eight by Senator board required disclosure by an insurance company of the monetary amount of a deductible based on a percentage of the insured Bragg you're under an insurance policy. Boy you're recognized. Thank you madam president I really appreciate the opportunity to make a motion to re refer this to insurance and commerce for the purpose of amendment. All those in favor signify by saying aye. The opposed. Is haven't. Is re referred. The commerce. Senate bill three sixty nine we are passing over will take up Senate bill three seventy five. Three seventy five by Senator Mark Johnson to amend the law concerning the distribution and use the funds in the commercial driver license fund. Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized. Thank you madam president this is a simple bill we have certain funds one of the ones that seems to get a little bit over funded is the The one where you can get a duplicate title that serve Trying to find that subsection three of the bill but we have several funds then the FAA can use within the Revenue Division to fund certain services but they need to the authority to be able to move for these excess funds from these fees that are generated such as the best example being the the the fee you pay when you get a duplicate title so the purposes this is to give them some flexibility to move it around as it says for related purposes as required by the Secretary in carrying out the functions powers and duties of the Division I will attempt to answer the questions are already. Any questions for senator mark Johnson. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Mark Johnson you're pretty close I'm close Preciado good vote. Senator has close any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well the vote Boyd Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark for a while Davis the Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irving Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senators wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast the ballot. By a vote of thirty five Yeas zero named Senate bill three seventy five passes please bring it to the house. Senate bill three seventy six Senate bill three seventy six by Senator English to amend the law concerning the duties of the data and transparency panel and to develop a shared services data hub for statewide data sharing. You're recognized thank you very much so the and Transparency panel with the Department information systems collects information analyzes the exchanges government information so that we have data to make better decisions this just ensures that all agencies will be a participant. Any questions for Senator English. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator English is closed. Any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please where the vote. Boeing prime Caldwell Chesterfield Clark cruel Davis Davis Dismang Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Sandline please cast a ballot. By the votes at thirty five eight zero nine Senate bill three seventy six passes please transmit to the House we will now take up H. the fourteen eighty six. Senator Irvin. This was the bill that we move to the top of today's. Council fourteen eighty six by representatives Hudson's Senator Irvin to amend the law concerning distracted driving into create Aston's and add this law. Senator Irvin. Thank you members thank you again for allowing me to run this bill today and I want to say thank you to the family of action ray would they're with us today in the gallery Janice jim Jacob Joshua says Cecil Jimmy and Melissa woods I want to thank representative Hudson for her work on this bill and I'm this is a tough issue and I when I think about driving under the influence we we've gone from driving while intoxicated to driving under the influence and so. There's nothing I think more distracting sometimes in our telephones and that's what this bill addresses it creates the definition of A judge to stat this at the penalty and and creates a class A. misdemeanor if Sears serious injury or death occurs and then the names on this bill ashen and Abby are to victims of distracted driving where they were killed because the driver was distracted using their telephone. And the other thing that this bill does is it allows for a court ordered the performance of public service work and and the amount of one hundred hours or less so there is some flexibility and discretion with the judges it continues to allow the officers to documents the crash and what occurred at that crash but overall I think it's a really important step to make sure that we do what we can to eliminate distracted driving and these horrible accidents that are occurring on our streets that are taking the lives of these incredible young people Abby was a baby that and it was in Senator hills District and he asked to have her name included in this law and of course action she was killed in Stone County by a driver that was distracted and it was just a tragic accident at a young age of her life so I'm be happy to answer any questions we worked with the prosecuting attorneys on this bill and be happy to answer any questions questions for Senator urban centre Dotson you're recognized. Thank you madam president senator and I haven't had a chance to look at all the various code section knows but could you define. What what is usage of a telecommunications is this like if you're listening to music on the phone number you're in a phone call does the hands free what is that now we have to find us we have great technology that allows us to utilize our phones while hands free and and those those are hands free and those are the devices we have that technology it's not if you're listening to music on your phone it's actually if you're holding in your hand and you're utilizing it as a tax message so if you're looking up a. Number to call that would be considered usage. Yes if you're if you're physically holding mints and looking it up that would be and then I'm trying to look through this skim through it maybe you can answer this what what if the driver is stationary at the time of the accident like you're on the phone with somebody hits you. Sure is what the penalty would be the same regardless. So again you've got we we struck out with those on page two lines six through nine we did strike it but we just moved it down so the law enforcement officer investigating the collision or accident shall indicate on the written accident form that the driver of the motor vehicle was using this at device at the time of the collision or accident so whether it's stationary or whether you're driving it is if it's a motor vehicle accident that's going to be up to the officers to determine upon their investigation the cause of the accident and if this mobile device was utilized at that time or not so even if you're not at fault in the accident you could be charged with a crime. But not that I understand. If somebody hits you and you're on your phone because somebody hits you that you're not causing the accident. Other questions for Senator. Senator Clark you're recognized. All up on Senator Dotson it's just says you officer investigating the collusion of extensional indicate on the reduction form the driver the motor vehicle was using a wireless telecommunication device that includes a phone call. Talking on the phone. So so that is actual current state statute so all we did that is current state law so we struck it six three eight nine but that's current law and they just moved it to twelve and fifteen so so that that language right there that you're reading it's underline to understand in twelve to fifteen but it was already in the law and that was that's current existing state law says six three nine we just struck it and we moved it but that's existing the only new is if the collision or accident under this subsection results in serious physical injury or death then the person upon conviction is guilty of a Class es misdemeanor. Any other questions for Senator Irvin. Anyone wishing to speak against four four against centre Payton you're recognized. Thank you madam president colleagues it's always difficult to vote against a bill that's tied to a specific tragedy in and so therefore I want to come down here to explain why I'm going to be a no vote of distracted driving is a broad term. But it seems like we narrowly focus it to the use of a cell phone. I grew up in careless driving has been an offense on the books for a long time and all of this comes under careless driving or somebody is you're responsible an automobile is a deadly weapon when it's used wrong and there are tragedies in soon but. Distracted driving could be distracted by a lot of things including electronic communication devices this bill spells out I hated every time I have to vote against all these bills that narrowly defines distracted or careless driving just to the use of a electronic. Communication device I think I think we should be. Broader if we want if we want to impose stiffer penalties on somebody that acts irresponsibly behind the wheel of a vehicle I think it should be broader defined than just electronic communication device thank you. Anyone wish to speak for. Anyone else wish to speak against or for. Intervenor free flows. Thank you I respect the comments of my colleague senator Payton and yet this was actually it's already existing state law that this body has adopted as it relates to penalties using a wireless communication device while operating a vehicle what we did was strengthen the penalty if a serious injury or death occurs that's what we've done here we're just strengthening that and allowing those prosecuting attorneys to stack this penalty and hold people accountable for for what their actions are and just I I and I really do understand the the the hesitancy about voting for this but I do know that we've got to stop and we've got to draw some attention to these accidents that are occurring in these deaths that are occurring and for that I you know I agree to support this bill and run this bill and I would ask for a good vote thank you. Senator Irvin has closed any objection rowing the boat objection noted. Madam secretary please call the roll Boyd. Boyd. Right. Right. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Crow. Davis. These. Days. DISMANG. Dotson. Dotson. English. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Hickey. Hello. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. King. Leding. Leding. Love. Love. Mickey. Mickey. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Price Stubblefield stahn. Stubblefield. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. I began on this side any senators who did not vote who wish to vote or was injured vote I see senator Dotson president. The Senator Eads president. Sender McKean NO. Senator love yes. Anyone else on this side Senator Bryant president. Senator Gilmore yes anyone else on this side. Murdock. Per year yes okay. Not remind all of you all know and be all spoke at but if you can please speak up Senator English yes. Senator Leding yes dollar been so well as speak up I really appreciate this centre Penzo did you. President. On the side. Senator Hickey president. Senator Chesterfield yes. Senator Caldwell yes. Senator king president. And the rice president. Of a field president. Anyone else. Please cast a ballot. By a vote of twenty three eight four nine an aide to president House Bill fourteen eighty six passes please return to the House. House Bill. Eleven forty three eleven forty three by representative find Senator Wallace to define home state for purposes of property tax exemption for disabled veterans surviving spouses of disabled veterans and matter to dependent children Bible prevalence. Senator Wallace you're recognized. Members disabled veterans currently already have a property tax exemption on their homestead all this bill is doing is just clarifying what that exemption is the county collectors came to us and wanted us to. Basically put together some wording so that all the counties were doing the same thing in the past some counties are only counting the house the bitter lived in somewhere County five acres some a hundred acres. This amendment. OR this bill makes it a Well in in forty acres as long as that forty acres is not used for commercial purposes so a veteran can have at home he have forty acres around in but if it's a farm. If is making money off that it doesn't count the forty acres. with that I will stand by for your question. Any questions for senator Wallace. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to vote. Madam secretary please roll the vote with always Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Walker. Any senators wish to change their vote. Sandline please cast a ballot. Five votes that thirty five Yeas zero nine house bill eleven forty three passes please return to the House. House bill eleven fifty six eleven fifty six by representatives Bentley and Senator Solomon concerning a public school district or open enrollment public charter school policy relating to a public school students sex offender Sullivan you're recognized thank you governor members we've debated this issue a few times on the bottom of page one it and uh includes the amendment there that it shares a quarter for the member or necessary multiple members of the same sex is about students on overnight trips press for good vote thank you. Anyone wish to speak against her for. On the bill. Senator Tucker. Senator Tucker was recognized to speak against. Thank you madam president colleagues. I know we're. Probably get more out of these conversations I I know I am but I still feel an obligation to make a case today you all heard from enough so I'm gonna have a little bit of a different approach instead of giving you my own thoughts a lot of times we talk about why something is unconstitutional. Or how it is but I'm gonna go into a little bit more depth on that day be a little bit more clinical I'm just going to read you a few comments from a case of the fourth circuit court of appeals this is one level below the Supreme Court United States a panel of federal judges after studying this issue in depth for months with experts from all over the country these are some of the lines from their opinions. At the heart of this appeal is whether I should say the point of this case his name is Gavin Graham. the defendant was Gloucester County school board which is a school district in Virginia their policy was a was a school or policy rather than stay low but it was basically identical to the policy in this bill. At the heart of this appeal is whether equal protection and title nine can protect transgender students from school bathroom policies that prohibit them from affirming their gender we join a growing consensus of courts in holding that the answer is resoundingly yes. The board bill single stall restrooms as an alternative for students with quote gender identity issues just as this bill proposes Gavin Graham suffer from stigma from urinary tract infections from bathroom avoidance and from suicidal thoughts that lead to hospitalization and he mended his birth certificate. they start to discuss the issue to be sure many of us carry heavy baggage and any discussion of gender and sex with the help of army he which is a fancy Latin word for medical experts we start by unloading that baggage and developing a fact based understanding of what it means to be transgender and fact based analysis of this question is what we should be doing that's my personal comments given a binary option between women and men most people do not have to think twice about which bathroom to use but there have always been people who consistently persistently and insistently express a agenda that on a binary we would think of as opposite to their assigned sex. Puberty is a particularly difficult time for transgender children. Transgender students face unique challenges in a school setting seventy seven percent of respondents to a survey said they would who are perceived as transgender reported bowling. Unsurprisingly than harassment of transgender students is also correlated with academic success students to experience greater harassment had significantly lower grade point averages the opposite is also true transgender students who have have better mental health outcomes when their gender identity is affirmed. When being forced to use a special restroom or one that does not align with their gender more than forty percent of transgender students fast dehydrate and find ways not to use the restroom. To respond to the needs of transgender students school districts across the country have implemented policies that allow transgender students to use restroom without matching their gender identity and they have done so without incident. Now we get a little bit more into the constitution. We had questions about this and I just wanna this body to see what a reasoned informed evidentiary based analysis of this issue looks like. The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment provides that quote no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws it is essentially a direction that all persons similarly situated should be treated alike. Because sex based classifications like this one our quads I suspect they are subject to a form of heightened security scrutiny. They fail unless they are substantially related to a sufficiently important government interests. We consider four factors that determine whether a group of people constitute a suspect requires I suspect class first we consider whether the class has been historically subject to discrimination. Second. We determine. If the class has a defining characteristic that bears a relation to its ability to perform or contribute to society. Third we look to whether the class may be defined as a discrete group by obvious immutable or distinguishing characteristics and fourth we consider whether the classes a minority lacking political power. I think it's obvious that a. A class of transgender kids me all four of these but I'm just gonna read of another line or two about this first take historical discrimination there's no doubt that transgender individuals historically have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of their gender identity including high rates of violence and discrimination in education employment housing and healthcare access. Congress added and include an exclusion. For stripping Jen's transgender people of their civil rights protections in nineteen seventy three this is not a new issue. Next we turn to the second factor whether the class has a defining characteristic that bears a relation to ability a relation or ability to perform contribute to society being transgender bears no such relation seventeen of our foremost medical mental health and public health organizations agree that being transgender implies no impairment in judgment stability reliability or general social vocational capabilities that leaves the third and fourth factors as to the third factor transgender people constitute a discrete group with immutable characteristics fourth and finally transgender people constitute a minority lacking political power. So there we know that transgender people are quote as I suspect class under the equal protection clause of the United States constitution. Now gets a little bit more into the facts and I know I want to I wanted to spend a moment on this because I heard arguments in committee and in the house that said this is a reasonable accommodation for transgender kids we're just saying they have to use a separate bathroom. let's look at that a little bit. Graham use the the the plaintiff use the boys restroom for seven weeks without incident. When the community became aware that he was doing so privacy in the boy's restroom actually increased because the board installed privacy strips and screens between the urinals given these additional precautions no one from the school could identify any other privacy concerns. The insubstantial of the boards for years has been borne out and school districts across the country including other school districts in Virginia nearly half Virginia's public school students attend schools prohibiting discrimination or harassment based on gender identity although community members a spouse similar feels that school was fears at school board meetings before the anti discrimination measures none of those fears have materialized. With us agree with the district court's apt conclusion that the board's privacy argument is based on sheer conjecture and obstruction the board sites to know incident which is the case here as well either includes or county or elsewhere and now we get into Mr Graham's personal experience in his declaration Mr Gramm described under oath feeling stigmatized and isolated by having you separate restroom facilities his walk to the restroom felt like a quote walk of shame he avoided using a restroom as much as possible and developed painful urinary tract infections and infections that distracted from his class work. The stress was unbearable and the resulting suicidal thoughts he suffered led to is hospitalization. He also broke down sobbing when a restroom was unavailable after school and he cannot attend football games without worrying about whether where he would be able to use the restroom or whether he could. There's no question that Graham suffered legally cognizable harm for at least two reasons first on a practical level the physical locations of the alternative restrooms were inconvenient and cause harm the distance cost him to be late for class or away from class for longer than students and teachers perceived as normal and when he attended after school events he had to be driven away just to use the restroom. Second in a country with a history of racial segregation we know that segregation not only makes for physical inconveniences but it does something spiritually to an individual that's a quote from Martin Luther king. The second the stigma of being forced to use a separate restroom is likewise insufficient excuse me like why sufficient to cause harm under title nine as it invites more scrutiny and attention from other students very good very publicly branding all transgender students with a scarlet T.. I'm wrapping this up but I think this is important. Grams four years of high score shaped by his fight to use the restroom that meant that matched his consistent and persistent gender identity the solution was a parent allow room to use the boys restroom as the admin doing without incident. Instead the board implemented a policy that treated Gramos quote questioning his identity and having quote issues and sent him to special bathrooms that might as well have said Gavin on the sign. We are left without doubt that the board acted to protect cisgender boys from Gavin's mere presence a special kind of discrimination against the child that he will no doubt carry with him for his life the board did so despite advances in the medical community's understanding of the nature of being trans gender and the importance of gender affirmation it did so after a major major nationwide survey put stark numbers of the harmful discrimination faced by transgender people in many aspects of their lives including in school. It also did so while schools across Virginia and across the country were successfully implementing trans inclusive bathroom policies again without incident. Those schools experiences demonstrate that hypothetical fears such as quote the predator math were merely that hypothetical perhaps unsurprisingly those schools also discovered that their biggest opponents were not students but adults like us. Young people are pretty savvy and comfortable and can and can understand and empathize with someone who just wants to use the bathroom. The proudest moments of the federal judiciary have been when we affirm the burgeoning values of our bright use rather than preserve the prejudices of the past how shallow promise of equal protection that would not protect Graham from the fantastical fears and unfounded prejudices of his adult community. The fantastical fears and unfounded prejudices of his adult community which is the basis for laws like this one that we're passing. So you might believe that this bill protects kids who are not trans in school. But it doesn't when this opinion was written in twenty twenty there was not one incident anywhere in the country in any school district that it passed trans inclusive policies to my knowledge there's not been one since not everyone in the country. You might believe that this bill offers a reasonable accommodation for kid whose transmit as we hear. Kids who are trans and have to use special bathrooms they dehydrate themselves and get your engine urinary tract infection so that they can avoid having to use the bathroom we've tried separate but equal in this country before and we know how that turned out. And you might believe that this bill preserves some form of our society but it doesn't. There have been transacted using bathrooms different from the ones they were assigned at birth for as long as there have been schools and bathrooms and the reason for that is because there have been transgender people for as long as humans have existed. The only part of society that this bill maintains is discrimination which is something else that's existed for as long as humans have been around from the dawn of human existence some people have tried to marginalize and castigate others simply for being who they were because they were different because of the color of their skin or their gender or their sexual orientation or in this case being transgender and so my question for this body is the same one I had at the beginning of the session when are we going to stop castigating and marginalizing people just because they're different. I relish our differences I'll paint a scary picture for you having thirty five Clarke Tucker is in this body now there's a scary thought right I would not vote for that. Because I've you are differences as the richness of this body their opportunities of growth and learning for me. And that's the way it is with everyone we have to celebrate our differences rather than criminalizing or in this case putting a scarlet T. on people are creating separate but equal bathrooms for kids in schools it's wrong we could have a shared future together were you brace everyone and if we were to do that there's no limit as to what we can accomplish as a society but until we're able to get there and stop passing bills like this one were only limiting ourselves. Anyone wish to speak for. Senator Teague you're recognized to speak for thank you Mr president. I think if we want to celebrate our differences we should do it somewhere outside of the girls locker room. And you if we want to talk about victims. I think we need to look at the young ladies who are being forced in some circumstances to undress in front of young boys okay who have or being forced to be in a situation where there. In a changing room with young boys undressing. Okay. This is a seems like a real simple problem to me in a real simple solution and if you want to say that discrimination has existed since time immemorial I would say I agree with you we discriminate based on your body parts. And if you want to see young man undressing a girls locker rooms I think you should vote against this bill. But if you'd like to protect the young ladies if you like to protect the young men were put in the circumstances. I would suggest you go for thank you. Thank you Leding you're recognized. President of colleagues last Wednesday was international women's day and we all had circled on our calendars around four thirty that afternoon a tweet popped up on our governor's official Twitter account that said it was a good day to remember the Democrats can't even tell you what a woman is. and I bring it up because earlier that day in the Senate Education Committee will debating this very piece of legislation there was a mother who is also a pastor who spoke against this legislation and pleaded with the committee not to pass it because of the clear threat that it poses to her son who's trans after this mother again who is also a pastor spoke against this legislation her son spoke this kid came before the committee and pleaded with the committee not to pass this legislation again because the clear threat that it poses to him and trans kids all across the state just the day before that and house Judiciary Committee another bill targeting trans youth there was a mother this when a mother of five who went into the table and fought through tears as she shares her family story about how I had a very young age when their children just knew he was a boy as everyone in here just knew who they were at a young age this child knew he was a boy and it presented some challenges for the family but they adapted because obviously they love and support their child as all of us what. and so after his mother left the table the child in question went into the table and pleaded with the committee and and I think we've all testified in front of house committee right it's it can be pretty intimidating you're looking down that long table you get twenty lawmakers staring back at you the house Judiciary Jersey packed room and I believe in this instance or even TV cameras in the room and this kid went down to the table and pleaded with the committee not to pass that bill because of the clear threat that it posed to him entrance kids all across Arkansas I've talked before and and and senator Tucker reference it to the House suicide is already the second leading cause of death among kids in the U. S. and the rate is higher among the LGBTQ community in part because the bullying and the stigma and the sense of hopelessness the kids feel because you can imagine you. a vulnerable spot and you need access to health care and people telling you that you're not to be able to have it just hopeless that must feel but in the case of this legislation it's not just that the bullying there's data that shows that kids will be put a greater risk we have data that shows again it is Senator Tucker noted that transposed no threat to anybody there's no link between inclusive policies and an increase in crime none whatsoever trans kids on a threat there is data that shows there is a clear link that schools that have policies like this in place TransCanada's period sexual assault at a rate ten percent greater than their peers. Schools of policies like this in place trans kids experienced sexual assault or sexually assaulted at a rate ten percent greater than their peers and so when I ask the sponsor of the legislation committee to explain how she feels about that all she could offer was that she's interested in protecting all kids not some special group I know we had data this is transcutaneous read to anybody but this policy will pose a threat to a very small foldable population of children I don't know how you can square that a trans kids are kids they will be hurt by this legislation. That's why the bill's being sold providing safety and privacy to everybody because you can't say that we are willing to put the small group of vulnerable children off to the side and put them at greater risk that's not a very good Pitsch which brings me back to the job at the top of this you can attack kids. Yes I would recommend going after the parents and so you make a joke at the expense of your political opponents you make Democrats the **** of the joke but that's fine we can make fun of me all you want I make fun of me all the time but for the kids and families this is not a joke. Kids will get hurt by this policy and so I would just ask you know I know it's easy to sit in this room with a privilege that we have the honor of the responsibility of representing our communities have been chosen to look out for our communities most of all the marginalized the kids can still be easily to be easy to sit in this room. With its relative isolation have to our own state troopers who got people watching the doors outside we have our own police force in the building can be really easy to feel distant from these issues just cast a vote and move on but I would encourage everyone in here and our governor if you haven't sat down some of these families and the kids and heard their stories and heard their pleas I would ask that you do so before casting a vote thank you. Thank you for Senator Clark you're recognized. Thank you governor thank you colleagues. There's nothing funny about this debate. And kids in general or risk. As we've continued to go in a direction. Where nobody has the courage to say stop. The whole argument from one side is inclusion. And the inclusion argument is based upon the fact that. I was born this way. But there's a problem with that argument. No one dare say that there's a problem with that argument but Gallup an article last year. Of the people who do the polling said that the L. G. P. L. G. B. T. identification had picked up to seven point one percent of the dole to American population. That doesn't begin to tell the story. There are polling in two thousand twenty one and keep in mind this is them asking people privately how they identify. Traditionalists does who are born before nineteen forty six point eight percent identify as LGBT. Baby boomers born between forty six and sixty four two point six percent that's over three times as many. Generation X. four point two percent. That's those were born between sixty five and eighty millennials those put more between eighty one of ninety six ten point five percent. And generation Z. those born between ninety seven to two thousand three those old enough to be adults. Twenty point eight percent but what's even more interesting about that number is one year before generation Z. was seventeen percent and the number of generation Z. that identify as LGBT. The younger ones so much more identifies L. G. B. T. as the older ones who aren't that much older. That it has to the numbers up three percent. From seventeen to twenty. Now when you come back and say what we were born this way. Well it's not possible that only point eight percent of traditionalists were born that way and twenty percent. Of children today are born this way it's just not scientifically possible within the argument that's raise not scientifically but the organisers raised what must have been twenty percent of traditionalist. They just admitted. It must have been twenty percent of baby boomers but when we had thirty percent it must have been thirty percent of generation Z. I mean the older generations he must've been more. But this that's not science at all. And so we castigate is just normal people saying. The employees not wearing any clothes. We like to include we want to include we won't we feel bad about the past sins we feel bad about about people being left out but we also. No. It just here lately I was. store was really the to me about a young girl. And she had filled out her college paperwork in in it she was asked how she felt about this issue. As far as housing goes and she felt like there was only one way to fill it out and I believe she was robbed. And she filled it out that way and she was what was related by her mother was she was in the corner. Solving. Because she found out that her roommate. For her freshman year of college was going to be a boy. Who believes. That he's a girl. And she had said that she was good with that. But she's not really good with that. And I'm not good with the fact. That were Colin signs. That you were born that way. Twenty eight percent if you're born before nineteen forty six and twenty point eight percent today. I'm not blaming anybody. But something's wrong I'm not saying there's something wrong with these people. I'm saying there's something wrong with us is a social society and the fact that we can't stand up and say to Senator Tucker Georgia Leding no you're just wrong. We don't want to castigate anybody. But this this young girl who says I don't want to sleep with a boy on a school trip I don't want a boy in my locker room and then we want to castigate him so what do you need to grow up there's something wrong with you know there's not anything wrong with them. We ought to be we ought to be parents enough an adult enough to stand up and say no there's not anything wrong with them I care about that other child I sincerely do. But there's not anything wrong with that little girl. Who says no. That's not the way I should have to live. This is a good bill your vote for it. Any other member wish to speak against or for. Senator Solomon you're recognized closed. Thank you madam president folks convert a lot of stories. About being empathetic and I think we're all empathetic and this is a very difficult issue but to claim that some are more empathetic than others and if you disagree with them then you're some far out not for warning is in Senator Clark Senate much better than I can you've heard the last few days people about thumping their chest bunch of us up here thumping our chests over things you've heard that this is the worst bill I've ever seen three or four times maybe five today. We've heard that that these are revenue are resume enhancements for us running for office and some of them trying to kill our bills are revenue enhancements for them folks that's what's going on right now they're asking is Senator Clark stipulated that there are boards and their young girls who are afraid and do not want to spend the night or share restrooms with people of the other sex that's exactly what this is about all I can ask for use to vote what your confidence in your heart tell you thank you and I'm closed. Senator has closed Madam Secretary please call the roll Boyd. Right. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. These. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey Hill. Irvine. Blake Johnson Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Love. The key. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Stan. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. You Senator wish to change your vote or votes to is not voted. Murdock no. Any other Senator C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote of twenty ninety eight six nine. House bill eleven fifty six passes please return to the House. House bill twelve oh eight twelve oh eight by representative Dalby Senator Hickey to amend the law concerning probationer public probation and Peroni read driving permits. Senator Hickey you're recognized thank you madam governor members I had this ability to pursue the session we sent back for some amendments if you're if you all remember what what we do is we allow restricted restricted driving permit after someone has been released for ninety days the thing was is a way that we had it written is basically anybody could get it even if they didn't have a license so what we've done is I went back and changed changed is to say that a person is required to be qualified to operate a motor vehicle under the laws of this state in order to be eligible to apply for that then that person must but Mr Perrin renew that every year in addition to that some of you all had a problem that said that the FNA the department may revoke rate may revoke a restricted driving permit and correctly told Joe last time that is in the current wall any just been moved however I did kind of should try to shine it up a little bit and put that they may revoke it but it had to be at the request of the parole or probation or parole officer that are that's employed by the Division community correction. I'll attempt to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Hickey. What hours you're recognized for a question. Well to say that the parole or the probation officer. Okay. for any reason revoke the lives. The way it the way that it says I'll just read it specifically said the department of finance and administration may revoke a restricted driving permit issued under this section at the request of the parole or probation officer employed by the Division of correction so yes ma'am it would be it would be solely at the discretion of the probation or parole officer only if they if they made that request of the FNA. We do not agree that the parole and probation officer at pursuant to court orders that provide the conditions of probation or parole for individual. So it appears to me. Would you agree. That the parole or probation officer. If they find that the person that has this permit that they're supervising. Has done something in violation of the court's orders. They have a petition to revoke. And report to the court. Whatever under the impression that these people have the. At. I just don't understand why we do. The authority to someone who's not elected to office. That service someone who is elected to office to carry out the conditions of probation and parole. I don't understand that would you agree that it would be better. For court to make that. Order. Questa read. Well I would not. Senator Clark. March fourth amendment much better. Of. The. It is a reason why we chose. Of. Parole or probation officer of and it is their specific instance that you know of where this would happen. Well again from from the last time I was here I want to make it right I understand that right now the Department DF in a would be canceling those permits I did I did get a hold of them and you don't hold me to it because it's been a month or so but I think that there'd been six of these that have been revoked since the census bill has a committee in place now as to why those revoked I did not get into that. Thank you yes Sir. Any questions for Senator Hickey. Anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator you're pretty close and closed center has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Objection noted madam secretary please call the roll. Boyd Bragg. Right. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Kroll. Davis. Davis. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hester. Hickey. Health. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. King. Leding. Leding. Love. McKee. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Staffan. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senator who did not vote or wishes to change their vote. Murdock president. Clark no. Leding I. Hester yes. Caldwell yes. Any others. Please cast a ballot. By a vote of twenty eighty eight to ninety three not voting and to present house bill twelve oh eight passes please return to the House house bill thirteen oh seven thirteen oh seven by representative Wardlaw and senator hill concerning the regulation of environmental social justice our government stores and authorize the treasurer of state service investments are obligations due to certain factors. Thank you governor. Calling this bill. Is an ESG bill for financial institutions in the state of Arkansas. Who discriminate against fossil fuel energy firearms and ammunition. This bill will. Require the state to a diverse limits investments that has as far as. Direct holdings if these companies discriminate if they do not discriminate there'll be no issue whatsoever direct direct holdings as defined is means with respect to financial company all securities of that financial company held directly by the state government entity and the counter Fund in which the state government entity owns all shares or large interest of. Financial service providers. Is an entity regulated by the State Bank department state security department or similar. Federal regulatory agencies engaging transacting business in the state of Arkansas. This being said the state of Arkansas. Is going to collect the list of companies to. Who invested in these. ESG policies at the companies health environmental social justice and governmental. Those companies are pushing their political agenda through businesses. They were not one not going to tolerate it there are several states across the country they're doing it both ways some are saying if you invest in fossil fuels our state when I invest with you California's example one New York is another one some say if you invest if you do if you're in the pharmacy business they will not do business with you and so I'm looking at this right off its position but those state or taken we're looking taken the position of the state of Texas is taking. The Florida Oklahoma several southern states are taking that to to defend the right size for these companies to not be discriminated against by financial institutions. The there's some financial institution to say if you make firearms we're not going to do business with you they shut off banking relationships with them. Well if the sum a retirement account for an indirect holdings in direct coatings starting to the four one K. four one eighty four three B. or four fifty seven. An indirect holding will not be affected whatsoever by this bill. And so if you if you're in mutual funds those type of a mutual fund or trust some of the trust will not be affected whatsoever. With that being said I'll take any questions. The question is for senate. You're recognized. Thank you madam chair and thank you senator him taking my question. I was reading the paper scanning it saying that retirement systems were thinking they were going to lose money. As a member of both of those retirement systems can you easement banks that. How much money is going to be new going to be lost and therefore have little it's going to return to those of us who are part of eighty first eighty hours a law the eight years is there anything in that bill that addresses that concern that has been expressed by retirement system well first of all I have actually heard some of the retirement system than this this bill has been amended I think six times if you look at to work to work to work which is to look at that I just need to know about the money right to work with them we've user their wording procuring areas one one word that's that's in here that was recommended to us to put in there but one retirement I will go with what Clint Rhoden said last week last week in committee he started out by saying they could lose seven million dollars in teacher retirement by the time he was finished and asked the question he said that they've already been doing this last two or three years there should be no financial impact is how we respond to the city to Senator Dotson's question. Twenty fifth to present me no financial impact to that I'm just quoting his words not mine so I don't see how they could be out here saying there will take a hit or a lot projected loss when we don't have a list of the companies yet. So to tell you that I can tell you that that we're going to lose anything no I can tell you that what we get out of some investments that were that were that were in yes we will but the list has not been put together yet by the treasure. Any other questions for Senator Hill. Anyone wish to speak against. Senator Tucker is recognized to speak again. The amount of. Thank you. I'll be brief at the appreciate the reminder Senator Solomon this is a chest thumping exercise if I've ever seen one it's impossible even probably over the course of one session to be consistent on every position because of how many bills we vote for down here definitely possible if you spend multiple sessions down here but this bill has the most inconsistencies I think of any that I've ever seen offense we claim down here to be for limited government and this is controlling the conduct of private banks through the state is allowed to contract with so it's growing government controlling private conduct which is antithetical to what we say that we're four down here secondly we also say that were fiscal conservatives down here well this bill undoubtedly there is no dispute it's going to cost our Kansans tax tax dollars the only argument is over how much in other states that have passed these laws spend hundreds of millions of dollars now they probably meant that this one enough for the impacts not going to be that big papers at one point estimated it would be a loss of thirty to forty million dollars a year teacher retirement seventeen million dollars a year I don't know whether the number's gonna be that big or not but I know it's more than zero representive Wardlaw confirm that when he presented this bill for the first time the committee so we're costing the Arkansas taxpayers their money and for what reason to make a point that's it and then third and this one is the one that really takes the cake in my opinion as we all know last week there were eighteen members in this room who voted to say. No preferences from the state government no preferences for the evils and scourge of racism and sexism. But now here's a bill that says you do get a preference if you deal on fossil fuels got fossil fuels guns or ammunition now. I just cannot square voting for SB seventy one and voting for H. B. thirteen oh seven so that's my case against that I hope you'll join me in voting now. Speaking favor Senator Clark you're recognized. I just make a habit of following Senator Tucker. The. Thank you governor. I cannot remember the names of the two large of the companies that manage. Huge stock portfolios. And you know I'm late to the game a lot when I was studying this past year and found. That they were manipulating these huge companies and so that the setting their policies and telling the CEOs because I wonder what the CEOs are doing these crazy things he's crazy left wing things. And it turns out that that these people menacing the shoe stock portfolios are telling them what they have to do. And so somehow that's not entering the conversation and so. The normally I would agree with Senator Tucker and since I did not vote for SB seven one I can certainly speak. Of the. This bill. Is designed to counteract that. As many other states are doing with somebody with some size and some gravitas to say we've got these huge agents the shoots people in the background manipulating the American people amended deleting society and and **** things to the left. And it shouldn't be happening. And we're gonna say in this state no. That's what we're doing. And and are we're we're gonna be just fine there's gonna be plenty things to invest in that will bring in just as much money wait and see. Thank you senator you're recognized thank you. Members most of you all know that I grew up in bank and then was there for twenty five years and first thing I want to tell you is this you know that some of you will probably say well you may own more guns or ammunition in Hickey probably you probably I probably doubt that personally have investments in the US a mole small stocks things to that nature let me tell you this whatever I'd first started in the banking one of one of the gentleman that owned the bank he would take me around with him everywhere and we would go from place to place and he will truly was a mentor to me and he was a good gentleman but I do remember one thing that he told me being in the finance business whenever you're dealing with other people's money he said Jimmy. You cannot always deal with the pure at heart or deal with the pure in heart. Now some of you here may disagree with that but whenever you're just trying to get a return on the old money whatever you're trying to invest other people's money such as our retirement funds are doing this bill affects direct investments that is a stock that is what that is by the excluded some stuff and made it so that they'd have to divest within a certain certain time. However what some some company does that makes that statement we're never able to invest in those again. Let me tell you this. If you're going to hold a company or if you're going to try to go after a company you go after their underlying service some way you don't go against the equity. That's out there that people are investing in because I will tell you what whatever that stock such as today will take today and this week you all seen how how the markets moved whatever the couple banks have failed their stocks out there that moved that were good stocks and that those stocks are now under sold seven eight percent. A foreign manager at that point needs to get in. To go and buy that stock so that they can make that money and then roll out of it in two or three months that's just the nature of the beast so you are going to be hurting our retirement funds with this again I agree from the political standpoint but that is not what we need to be looking at in this case so I'd urge you to vote no. Any other Senator wish to speak for or against. Senator Hickey has agreed to come back. Yes Sir I'll try. Senator Hickey of I understand your position. But our retirement system's if I'm not wrong all over defined benefits system is that correct. that is correct so the members guaranteed returns state. At the very beginning so no matter what we do their entity that returns are not correct if you were if you were able to fund it and that's a good point right now with our for retirement systems that we have around numbers. Senator paid you correct me if I'm wrong I think that we are seven billion dollars on under funded so in other words what that means is if we cashed out today if we cashed out of that today for whatever reason that may be. What we would have to do to make that hole is we would have to take seven billion dollars of state money which we don't have. And put it in there to make that whole. As those investments go down and we're not able to allow fund managers to get in there those unfunded liabilities are going to go up and at some point. At some point you would either have to. Cut back on the amount of the benefits that your retirees received or not payment all or you would have to put a huge amount of state money into it we have made great gains on those retirement systems to try to make those actuarially sound in the last in the last sixty years correct yes Sir and I don't want to do anything to harm that. But the retirees have a guarantee there by the State of Arkansas or a it's only as good if we can if we can fulfill those debts Chester and and if something happens with this it could possibly make those actuarial go out little bit further at that's that's the worst that can happen. Iquique might yes Sir we can make our actuarial is are unfunded liabilities C. continue to increase thank you. Anyone else wish to speak for or against. Senate bill you're free to close. Thank you for that senator Johnson me to say that will go on the sales. Looking at this. I would look at the worst case scenario that we're hearing. Contrary to what the. Senator Hickey just said there are funds out here that we can invest in that are not going to the S. G.. The process who do not believe in those places that are good. Producing companies and those are the ones that we're going to look at if you look back over the last two or three years. Fossil fuel companies have been the highest returns the other states that we talk about having this those returns because they have not been investing in those particular companies. And also I've been involved in banking for twenty five years as well Senator Hickey has and I know sometimes you have to take a stance on what you believe in and what you do and do what's right we've been put in this political office to make a position and I believe in the values the state of Arkansas has we believe in our fossil fuel energy firearms and ammunitions we have a copy right here in center Chesterfield district latest fixed invest forty two million dollars in a plant there is six all year. I don't run over to port that's the kind of companies making those type of investment that I want to stand behind them with with forty two million dollars going over there I appreciate a good vote. I don't secretary please call the roll. Boyd. Right. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Coral. Kroll. Davis. Davis. These. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health yeah Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Leding. Love. The key. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Some. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. I'll start on this side in any center wish to vote or change their vote I see Senator Kroll yes Senator Murdock no. Any of the center on the side Senator Leding no thank you for speaking up Senator Leding. Any other senators. Irvine yes. Any other centers. Please cast the ballot. But twenty two yea eleven eight one not voting and one president. I'd be at thirteen oh seven passes please return to the House. But we do pass because there is a member of that the was not going to vote yes. And they were not in the room with somebody here said that to voting yes so I want to make a motion to explore. Motion to find those all those in favor signify by saying aye. Posed. Vote on the motion. Well you're recognized. I like to make the most revoked HB thirteen oh seven. Okay. Okay. Madam secretary please call the roll. Boyd. Bright. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Kroll. Kroll. Davis. Days. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Yeah. Hammer. Hammer. Hester yes. Hickey. Hello. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Love. The key. Murdock. Murdock. Payton. Penzo is. Petty. Rice. Stem. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. And Senators not vote to wish to vote Senator parole yes. Any other senators wish to change your vote to restore. Murdock no. Hammer president. Any other senators. Please cast a ballot. By a vote of twenty three a nine name and three present house bill thirteen oh seven passes please return to the House. House bill thirteen fifteen thirteen fifteen by representative Ennett and senator Chesterfield to create the seizure safe schools that. Senate Chesterfield you're recognized thank you madam chair and after that mine is a very innocuous bill. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate When we talk about creating the seizures say school lacked what we're doing is talking about creating a place for children with epilepsy. Can be safe. There are approximately five thousand students in this state who suffer from epilepsy what we're trying to do is to identify those at least two individuals in that school will be able to administer service to that child. We had some very moving testimony in Education from those young people who are suffering from those seizures we tend to think of the grand mal seizures where kids are taking or something of that sort but there are many kids who just simply. Get very very quiet and unless you know that they are epileptic you may view them as a child with a disability a child who is just disobedient we don't want that to happen what we're talking about doing here is to train at least two people in that school and this bill comes from representative in it And representative Fortner who both have family members who have those children inform the school. Identified two people the epilepsy foundation will provide the training at no cost. So that they know they can go to somebody and that somebody can come to them when they have those seizures I'd be happy to answer any questions. Any questions for the bill. Anyone wishing to speak against. Or for. Senate. Okay knowledge to speak on the bill and I'm not even sure if I'm for against a look at it it creates a very complicated process to follow in as someone familiar with this I'm I'm not sure that it needs to be a complicated process you know traditionally these things are identified between the parent and the school and there is someone that is assigned with or without training because I want to eat and take a lot of training and it's in it's someone that's with the comfort level and what makes me a little bit nervous is the way that we've got this written we take away that latitude of the parent to say I want this particular person being charge if there is something to happen and the way that I read it says we're signing to people in the school district at a minimum or they have to have the training to be able to minister again I I just haven't had time to believe that read the bill but it it seems overly complicated for something that may not need to be overly complicated thank you. Anyone else. Again for. Allow me to address that and I'm so glad Senator brought it up this is not meant to be complicated what it does is to codify perhaps what is already going on if the parent designate someone that is not a problem that could be one of the two persons all we want to make sure is somebody knows that the child has epilepsy and there's somebody to whom the child can go the parent has the right to decide it that could be one of the persons the nurse in the school but we've got kids whose parents are reluctant to say anything who don't say anything and I don't want our kids to be there without somebody who can say to them all who can meet their needs if the parent is already identified someone does not want that broadcast fine but they're not going to be in one person's classroom the whole day. That is our concern. It was not meant to be complicated by the people who have children with epilepsy it was meant to be simply I can go to somebody or somebody knows that this is going on with me and that is why the bill is here it may sound that way but it is not meant to be complicated all what it is meant to do is to identify archer have our children be identified to somebody who can help them and so many of our kids with epilepsy are left with nobody who can help them I appreciate a good vote. Senator has close any objection to rolling the vote. And secretary please relevant. Boyd Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis the Dismang Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love Me key Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote Dismang no. Any other Senator. Clark president. Any other Senator. Any president Sullivan president. McKee president Dotson president. Penzo president Bill president. Brass president according to rice. Let. Three present for both. With both president. Page president. Please cast a ballot. But twenty five eight one nine eight and nine president. House bill thirteen fifteen passes please return to the House. House Bill thirteen twenty eight house bill thirteen twenty eight by representative makes repeal the annual reporting requirements for the Arkansas geographic information systems board concerning the Arkansas spell data data infrastructure. Senator English you're recognized thank you very much so basically what this does is it just repeal the report that have been required by the Arkansas geographic information systems board is no longer necessary. Any questions for Senator English anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator has closed. Any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please roll the vote void Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark cruel Davis dis dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Arvind Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator was to change his or her vote. Sandline please cast a ballot by a vote at thirty five J. zero may house bill thirteen twenty eight passes please return to the House House Bill thirteen sixty House thirteen sixty by representative immigrants Center McKee to allow residential electricity is to perform work on three and four family homes and to amend the law concerning definitions of electricians. Senator Ricky you're recognized. Thank you madam president members this is basically just to clean up bill it was pretty much already understood that tri plex is inquired plexus could be licensed by residential lecture shins but we had some inspectors that were. Differentiating between buildings that were connected by roof and separated by a carport and this basically just clarifies that residential lecture shins can wire those specific dwellings it also clarified some definitions on what those dwellings were a be happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Ricky. Senate heading you're recognized for a question so just to clarify this is only three and four if they're doing a twenty four unit apartment complex that would be a good plan to defer the six four unit buildings that would be considered commercial still that's correct. Thank you senator. Any other questions for Senator making anyone wish to speak against for her or. Senator has closed. Any objections rowing the boat. Three please role though it Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis the Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote Senator Boyd. Hammer president. Senator flowers. President. Many others. Please cast the ballot by voting at thirty three eight zero and to present the house bill thirteen sixty passes please return to the House. House bill thirteen ninety three thirteen ninety three by representative Pearson Senator Blake Johnson to create mental health awareness week in public schools. Members like Johnson you're recognized members this bill do is just going to have a mental health awareness week first week in may may is mental health awareness month so I appreciate a good vote. Any questions for Senator Blake Johnson. Anyone wish to speak against. Four four. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well the vote Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot by those at thirty five Yeas zero nine. House Bill. Thirteen. Ninety three passes please return to the House. We will we are passing on house bill fourteen sixty four we are now taking up house bill fourteen eighty three. So fourteen eighty three by representative Madison center this mine to amend the law concerning retention of criminal background checks under this name you're recognized thank you this bill amends the retention bass background checks charts currently it says they have to be destroyed within six months this me says that they have to be retained for a minimum of three years. Any questions for service my. Anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator has close any objections rowing the boat. Madam secretary. Lease rowboat Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. Tucker no. Any other senators flowers no. I see no other sent over Senator live present. See no other senators. Please cast up the ballot. Both thirty two yeah eight to nine and one present House Bill fourteen eighty three passes. Hello to the house. House bill forty eight four fourteen ninety four by representative Madison Senator Dismang to amend the law concerning the operation of bank facilities under this name thank you members this has to do with the decree declaration of a state of emergency and how that impacts branches simply states that a branch cannot be closed more than three consecutive business days that does have to get approved by the commissioner and then also if there needs to be an extension that can be for two days also defines business days Monday through Saturday and when we're talking about state of emergency that would also apply for instance of something happens and in another state that would impact a branch maybe in the State of Arkansas then that would allow them to to follow through with the the closure process. Any questions for Senator Dismang anyone wishing to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection rowing the boat. My secretary please while the vote Boyd Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis the Dismang Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot. That thirty five Yeas the roommate house bill fourteen eighty four passes please return. House Bill fourteen ninety seven for fourteen ninety seven by representative Lundstrum and senator board to amend the formula right review at and to modify the term of a formula right review approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission. Senate boy you're recognized. Thank you madam president colleagues a formula rate reviews an annual process to provide more stability in rates year to year formula rates have been existence in Arkansas since the legislature allowed in in twenty fifteen the alternative is a general rate review this bill makes it clear the utility company may request a change of from a formula rate review to a general rate case it anytime during that initial period and then on re certification the public service commission is aware of this bill and does not oppose it. Any questions for Senator boy. Anyone wish to speak again for. Senator your free clothes I really appreciate a good vote thank you senator has closed any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well that. Boyd Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator which the changes are her vote. Sandline please cast a ballot. Fite thirty five Yeas zero nine. House Bill fourteen ninety seven passes please return to the House we will now take up. The budget. Amendment one Senate bill one O. nine. members this is an amendment by Senator stone and what it does it changes the name of south Arkansas community college to south Arkansas college throughout the bill is that correct. Thank you. All those in favor of the committee please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Man as adopted centering grossing. Call center that's mine you're recognized all right members we have five more bills on the counted a we can do those a batch just let me know if you like to pull one out for a separate vote sent out so I read those bye number. Just let me know Senate bill three fifteen. Senate bill twenty six. Twenty nine. Thirty five. eighty five. Seeing none. Senate bill three fifteen by joint budget for the department of commerce Arkansas Economic Development Commission feasibility study for spaceport appropriation bill twenty twenty three twenty twenty four fiscal year seven twenty six by joint budget an act for the department of labor licensing workers compensation commission appropriation for the twenty twenty three twenty twenty for fiscal year Senate bill twenty nine by joint budget an act for the department of commerce State Insurance Department preparation for the twenty twenty three twenty twenty four year Senate bill eighty five by joint budget act for the Department of Parks heritage and tourism state parks and tourism divisions appropriation of the twenty twenty three twenty twenty fourth fiscal year. Okay and Senate bill thirty five ACT for the office of the prosecutor coordinator coordinator appropriations of twenty twenty three twenty twenty fourth fiscal year. And while much to speak against or for. Senator is closed any objection rowing the boat on the back. Senate secretary please roll the vote Boyd Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark pro will Davis the Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield so Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote saying nine please cast a ballot. Five votes that thirty five eight zero nine the batch of Senate bill three fifteen Senate bill twenty six Senate bill twenty nine Senate bill thirty five Senate bill eighty five passed please transmit to the House. Other items at the desk. Yes ma'am president will your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill five by Senator hill compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three fifty eight by Senator Davies compare the engrossed copy with racial impact of photographs Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three fifty nine by Senator Stubblefield for the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed. Senate resolution twenty six by Senator Ricky to recognize the lake Hamilton wolves girls indoor track and field team for winning the twenty twenty three five A. state indoor track and field championships Senate resolution twenty six calendar and I would ask the body to I would ask the body to not talk while we finish out these we do have announcements so I would ask body to maintain decorum. Senate resolution twenty seven by Senator Ricky to recognize like Hamilton walls wrestling team for winning individual weight divisions and the twenty twenty three class five A. state wrestling championship Senate resolution twenty seven calendar Senate resolution twenty eight by Senator McKee recommend to most boys swim and dive team for winning the twenty twenty three individual class five A. state championship and replacing in various in swim and dive events Senate resolution twenty eight calendar Senate bill four O. seven by Senator the key to require energy produced from certain sources be considered carbon neutral and requirements of energy for up for days from certain sources in conjunction with carbon capture technologies backed by be considered a carbon negative Senate bill four seven. Transportation knowledge of Senate bill four oh eight by Senator Penzo two men various laws concerning adoption and to amend certain adoption laws to differentiate between minor and adult adoption senate bill four oh eight judiciary's NO four oh nine by Senator Tucker to amend the law concerning funding for public defenders and require counties to be responsible for covering the cost of the annual attorneys licensed a full time public defenders several format Judiciary symbol for ten by Senator Irvin to facilitate the administration of or inspections and declaring an emergency center for ten. Public health center for eleven by Senator. To amend the definition of beer to change the allowable alcoholic content into. Register to set the minimum container size appear to be so. For off premises consumption senate bill four eleven. City county local symbol for trial by Senator Irvin to create reading and enrichment and academic deliver abilities reprogram accessible for twelve education announcements Senator Rapert you're recognized. Thank you members even have your to just a minute the. some legislators and former legislators that have been to Turkey are joining the Arkansas culture dialogue center for a fundraiser reception over Capitol Hill apartments downstairs this evening from five to six thirty as you know Turkey had a devastating earthquake could kill up bike was born forty four thousand people were raising some money before families of and those known by some of our area Turkish members here in Little Rock that we've got to know on these trips appreciate invite you to that thank you thank you Senator Rice Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized. Thank you madam president transportation will meet the old Supreme Court chamber upon adjournment thank you. Sanders Stubblefield you're recognized. Yes college. The judiciary will meet fifteen minutes upon adjournment. Our I don't think we've got twenty four five bills we needed in order. So fifteen minutes following German one is. Everybody that a thing that Mrs holding up needs to be to me by nine AM on Thursday nine AM on Thursday I need that bart has promised a great situation. Senate bill more direct. Members we have joint budget tomorrow at nine we have special language before that at eight and then if you can at nine thirty in two oh five forestry caucus will be meeting to discuss a few forestry bills so eight o'clock special language nine o'clock budget nine thirty four street caucus in two oh five. The German. Set to the coordinated ask until one PM tomorrow March fourteenth.