Senate Convenes

Order any requests for later this time Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized. As for leave for Senator Hickey and for senator Murdock. Leave. The. I'll I'll and also for for senator king. The. Thank you madam secretary please call the roll. Boyd Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis these this mine Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Thank you madam secretary for everyone in the chamber in the galleries would please rise. For a prayer led by bishop Kenneth Robinson will be formally introduced by senator Chesterfield will remain standing for the pledge of allegiance. And I recognized. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized thank you madam chair thank you ladies and gentlemen of the Senate I have the rare opportunity to present to you a young man who is both a pastor and entrepreneur he owns three funeral home so he gets to pray about it with the Family he gets to console them and make sure that when they. When their loved ones are laid to rest at there is care and love given he is a friend and I thank god for him please welcome to the Senate bishop Kenneth Robinson of the Antioch full gospel Baptist Church of college station Arkansas bishop Robinson you're recognized for prayer. Thank you senator thank all of you. May we pray. Gracious god is in your name we calm without hits piled on hard. Trumbull in open to the. Before we ask you for anything we've thank you for everything. We pray god that your Holy Spirit will lead rules applied. We pray for our state we pray for our country we pray for our communities we pray that your your presence will be made known. As we lift up. The agenda today I pray that peace unity. One this will apply thank you for leadership. Thank you for the privilege that you've given each one to be able to serve the state of Arkansas and we pray that your name will be glorified and you will be lifted and exalt bless individually as well as collectively it's in Jesus name we pray. A man. At. The United States. And. One. All. Thank you so much for those words of encouragement center Chesterfield tells me you have a beautiful singing voice I don't know about anybody else but I mean if you want gives notice to be opposed to. Lieutenant governor god bless you. Press my way through. Press where you you rule. I can give up nine. I am most proud as my way through. Press my way through school. Caress my wages God's got something we need to. If we process are we through praise our way through rules. Three ways to use I. Hi mostrou is my way through To bridge my way through ProRes my way. Guards got some been limited and. If I approved. My way through god bless. Thank you so much. This is. German the gallery's welcome to your 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 central dispense with the reading of the Journal of the morning hour has now begun are there any announcements or introductions at this time Senator Hill your record. Man we honor all I can say is with a voice like that I would move from the back row at church to the front row where I'm at. But with the great job he did I will take time to introduce a doctor today today got to a personal friend of mine Dr Justin white in the cavity mercy hospital they've been open about the four years not. About four years there in cavity does a great job twenty four hours and if you need to see an emergency doctor and get in and get out fast that's the place to go to the they'll get you in and out that I'd will welcome Dr white here. Senate Chesterfield you're recognized thank you madam chair in the back. Raise your hand former member of the Arkansas house of representatives and one of our doctors dot I got inducted shall we welcome him to the Arkansas state Senate we're delighted to have you today. It's good to see old friends who are still good friends it is my honor then madam chair to introduce my pages for the day. I would ask that lately. And Camilla. Linney Parker. for outstanding service and Camilla for the same thing lineage fifteen years of age. Really it is in the ninth grade at Little Rock Central High School she is a member of the black student union the central wrestling teams it'll mess whether. The young left is that she's interested in photography in the future and I hope to be a traveling photographer for National Geographic I'd like to get a degree in International Studies ladies and gentleman lately Parker. Camilla Parker who is sixteen and in the eleventh grade at Little Rock Central High School she is a member of the band the black student union the National Association for the advancement of colored people the choir the madrigals the National Honor Society in the future she's interested in computer science and would like to attend brown Howard or the University of Arkansas at little rock welcome please Camilla Parker. Thank you senator Chesterfield Senator Leding you're recognized. Thank you madam president colleagues I'd like to welcome a six year old Luna Richter a junior at fable high school back home in northwest Arkansas Luna is a member of the the National Honor Society competes in the quiz bowl and dollar going to be participating in the state championship on April first are you sure that's not they're not pulling your leg no that's not okay it also works in the literary magazine at school and has a long list of volunteer work that frankly makes me feel really bad about how I spent my youth including volunteering opportunities al creek elementary in favor working for habitat for humanity the local animal shelter the fable Housing Authority and much much more Luna plans to study aerospace engineering when she goes to college and aspires to study abroad as much as you can please help me welcome going to. Senate he. Really just want to make your indulgence is I recognize the the Garland County circuit Clerk Christy Wombles who's in the gallery on that side would you recognize or please. In the morning. Thank you Mr president I didn't catch Senator Ricky quick enough to say that the county circuit Clerk printed shields of all as washing County casa Mr who is also the president of the circuit clerk's association is also in the west counted we look. Any further announcements. I am secretary other items at the desk. Yes madam president will your committee on engrossed bills I ingress Bills to whom was referred senate bill three oh eight by Senator Dismang compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed Education Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three forty five by Senator hill compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed public health committee on Iraq to whom was referred Senate bill five by Senator hill recommend to pass as amended number four. Calendar committee on a Brandon was referred senate bill three thirty three by Senator Wallace recommend due pass counted Committee on aggregate whom was first Senate bill three thirty eight by Senator Colwell recommend due pass counted Committee on a bride who was referred senate bill three sixty two by Senator Hester recommend due pass counted Committee on a plan to whom was referred senate bill three seventy one by Senator Caldwell recommend due pass counted. We have Brad who was referred house bill fourteen eighty two by representative McElroy recommend due pass counted Committee on insurance and commerce to whom was referred senate bill three sixty eight by Senator bored recommend due pass counted Committee on insurance and commerce to whom was referred house bill thirteen thirty eight by representative McKenzie recommend due pass counted Committee on Insurance commerce to whom was referred house bill thirteen forty nine The representative brave recommend due pass counted Committee on Insurance commerce to whom was referred house bill thirteen eighty nine representive agreement recommend due pass counted Committee on insurance and commerce to whom was referred house bill fourteen eighty three by representative Maddox recommend due pass counted Committee on insurance and commerce to whom was referred house bill fourteen eighty four by representative Maddox recommend due pass counted communications commerce to whom was referred house bill fourteen ninety seven by rex Lundstrum a committee pass counted Committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate bill twenty six by joint best budget recommend due pass counted Committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate bill twenty nine by joint budget recommend due pass counted Committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate bill thirty five by joint budget recommend due pass counted Committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate bill eighty five by joint budget recommend due pass counted Committee on joint budget to whom was referred senate bill three fifteen by Senator bored recommend to pass calendar Committee on state agencies to whom was referred Senate bill two fifty three by Senator Carl recommend to pass calendar Committee on state agencies to whom was referred house bill fourteen oh five by representative payee to recommend due pass counted Committee on state agencies to whom was referred house bill. Fourteen sixty one by representative Ladyman recommend due pass counted Committee on state agencies to whom was referred house bill fourteen sixty four per cent parks recommend due pass counted Committee on state agencies to whom was referred house bill fifteen ten by representative right recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation to whom was referred Senate bill three seventy five by Senator Mark Johnson recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation whom is referred senate bill three seventy six five by Senator English recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation to whom was referred house bill fourteen eighty six by representative Hudson recommend due pass counted Senate bill three ninety by Senator Penzo. To increase the amount of civil penalties for child labor violations to extend the time for assessments of criminal penalties by the director of the division of labor and staff and to establish criminal penalties Senate bill three nine judiciary zero three ninety one by Senator king concerning championship athletic games held between public schools and private schools Senate bill three ninety one education center three ninety two by Senator Davis to amend the an act to amend the law concerning body art and amend the law concerning the cosmetology technical advisory committee Senate bill three ninety two public health center three ninety three by Senator Davis to amend Arkansas law concerning attendance original national conferences by members of the General Assembly Senate bill three ninety three state agencies about three ninety four by Senator bowing to amend the law concerning the collection of sales and use tax a murder ballads and subject to a certain used motor bags to a special rate of tax Senate bill three ninety four Revenue and Tax symbol three ninety five by Senator Clark jumps to amend the law concerning the ownership operation or control of a motor vehicle dealer by manufacture Senate bill three ninety five Transportation. Further business to come before the body in the morning hour if not the morning hour has expired we will now begin the business agenda Senate resolution nine Senate resolution nine by Senator Chesterfield to recognize the Hicks funeral home for eighty nine years of service to the hope community. Chesterfield you're recognized thank you madam chair ladies and gentlemen of the Senate this is I would ask that Senator cool join me. Well this is his district so I'm just going to serve it because it's my hometown. So we're going to move right on the head of. This isn't a special honor for me. Because this is a family that has been with my family through death. Senator Kroll senator Kroll are you going to join me down here I thought you were out of the chamber. Thank you so much yeah I remember this election to. Weather is my great grandmother. My grandmother my mother my Big Brother they have been with my family through all of these ten these things in my life when I've lost not one so it is in a special honor to present this to people who are not only. Individuals alone a business but have been French to so many so to this is to recognize experimental eighty nine years of service to the whole community today is the eighty ninth anniversary of the founding of this funeral home. Whereas role in a X. junior was born in North let Arkansas graduated from high school there and moved to hope Arkansas in nineteen thirty two and whereas Mr Hicks attended gotten Jones school of them bombing in Nashville Tennessee and the Mister Hicks graduated from and bombing school grant Davenport and professor J. W. Walker the grandfather of attorney John Walker was there and asked Mr Hicks to come to hope Arkansas to open a black funeral home and we're as ruthless Herndon of Herndon funeral home gave Mr Hicks equipment to getting started in the business when he first returned to hold as there was a building behind the Herndon funeral home with black persons were taken to be embalmed and we're as Mr Hicks open his funeral home March nineteenth nineteen thirty four and the first location was in a strip mall in where is in addition to the excise yard home the location was also home to a doctor's office a typesetter of blacks in the ear and restaurant. And whereas the external moved locations twice and is currently located at four oh seven south hazel street hope Arkansas where the business is banned for the last fifty years and whereas at the time back persons who are paying insurance plans for burial we're told by Mr Herndon to use the services of the exterior home mistakes would travel the state to a bombing seminars as he was considered the best in the state at that time and whereas Mr Hicks would get meat vegetables fruit and milk in exchange for down payments on the very business plan and he was proud to come home with whatever he's community members could afford as a down payment and whereas from there me go down payments to what has been billed as sixty on the services provided to the community or a source of pride for the owners and employees and whereas Mr Hicks became a successful businessman and left his legacy to his family in the city of hope whereas on March nine twenty twenty three exparel home will celebrate eighty nine years of providing service to hope and surrounding areas and the legacy of Mr Hicks now continues to the fourth generation of licensed funeral directors at the funeral home now therefore be it resolved by the Senate of the ninety four General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the Senate recognized Mr Roland Hicks in the external home for eighty nine years of service to his community B. and therefore resolved that upon adoption a copy of this resolution be provided to the family of Mr Roland Hicks by the Secretary of the Senate with us today I miss Gloria Hicks met fan senior member of the family. Surely kicks Davis. And ms six Branford. All right. Please join me madam chair I would appreciate a good vote. Thank you senator hatch your bill all those in favor of Senate resolution nine to recognize the funeral home for eighty nine years of service to the community please signify by saying aye. Any oppose ayes have it Senate. I would also like to present on behalf of senator cruel and myself this resolution signed by both of us Tim is make that. Thank you come for. And I would ask for just two minutes so that we may take pictures together with. Senate center Chesterfield although we take that okay several minutes Senator flowers yes. Take my mask off in this. I have a connection with the Hicks family. Her father or father in my father we're type friends. And back in the forties in Hempstead County. There was a trial. The black man named Herman Max will accused of raping a white woman. Postal worker caught them in bed together. Mr Maxwell was eventually. Sent to the electric chair chair. The first rally had he had some attorneys that were white. Trial lasted I think about a day or two. Real quick. My father got on the case. That was thrown out. My father representative Mr Maxwell. He asks for. The jury to be allowed to see. The child that was born. To the woman he was accused of raping. Who was a mixed race baby. And the judge denied that. In Mr Maxwell. And ms ms is Hicks. It. Father. Is who my father state with over there in hope for that trial. They assisted with the money raised for purposes of appeal. It was costly. Back then. The bill was denied. He was sentenced to death and electrocuted. And I'll remind Senator Hester when he came to my office one year in pine bluff there was a black and white photo on the wall. Man behind bars was Herman Max well. In his sale. Right before his electrocution. Reading his Bible. Senator Hester counted tease me about it. I'm not gonna say what he said. I just want you to know. This state. Has had and still has a history of discriminatory practices but I'm great. That I saw. My dead three and she said she was a little girl back in. But these two sisters I'm proud to have appear in the Senate. And they have that resolution to the Hicks funeral home thank you. Just two minutes but bulldozed. Senate will be in recess for two minutes for photographs and handshakes and be on a combined say hello to two remarkable women. Come back to order. Because he is on leave we will pass over H. the R. ten oh oh eight Senator Blake Johnson. The point of personal privilege under I'd like to recognize Randolph County judge being Whitaker. Are you up there on the west side under. Thank you for coming down judge and welcome to the Senate. All rights you're recognized real quick Brenda Nelson Polk County judge I mean they're a good day of your day thank you. Now we will take a. Amendment one to Senate bill three eleven Amendment one Senate bill three eleven. Senator Clark you're recognized. Thank you governor of my bill my amendment. I appreciate a good vote. All those in favor the Amendment one Senate bill three eleven please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. I was having a moment is adopted Senator grossing member one to Senate bill three fifty three Amendment one Senate bill three fifty three Senator Dobson you're recognized my bill my amendment appreciate a good vote. All those in favor of amendment one to Senate bill three fifty three please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Amendment is adopted please entering gross Amendment one Senate bill three sixty nine Amendment one Senate bill three sixty nine. Under Dotson you're recognized. Thank you my bill my amendment appreciate a good vote. All those in favor of. Amendment one to Senate bill three sixty nine point signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Amendment is adopted please send. Amendment one to Senate bill three sixty seven. Wow Senator flowers. Thank you governor make a motion to withdraw Senate bill three sixty seven from Education Committee for purpose of amendment to add sponsors. All those in favor of withdrawing. Senate bill three sixty seven for purposes of amendment please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Amendment one Senate bill three sixty seven. It's my bill my amendment that only add sponsors Preciado good vote. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye All opposed. Amendment is adopted please enter an gross. House bill eleven fifty six. Amendment one house bill eleven fifty six Senator Solomon you're recognized thank you madam governor we had a bill concerning the public districts are open enrollment charter schools a policy related to the public school students sex The Amendment just read that a public school student attending an overnight trip either eight one share sleeping quarters with a member or if necessary multiple members of the same sex or as provided single occupancy sleeping quarters as was at the request of I think it was Senator Hickey asked us to change that not appreciate a good vote. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Name is adopted. Three two House Bill thirteen oh seven amendment three the house bill thirteen oh seven. And Health. My bill my amendment. All those in favor. Amendment three to House Bill thirteen oh seven please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. I have it members adopted please entering gross. Senate bill sixty two Senate bill sixty two by Senator Hill to prohibit public entities from contracting with companies that boycott energy fossil fuel fire arms and ammunition industries. Hell you're recognized. Thank you governor. Calling this bill is a. Needed. Fifty four Marian Central Arkansas. We're remitting arms six all year in several energy companies around. Who are being discriminated against. This bill is based off the real bill that we passed a few years ago this says that if a public entity in which a defined public entity is being the state school disclosed DO be cannot do business with a company. Could not have a contract with a company that discriminates against energy fossil fuels firearms ammunition. Which is pretty simple they sign off and say that they do not discriminate against that at that point they can do business with the state of Arkansas but during the entirety of that contract that they have they must pledge to not discriminate against that. That being said. Take any questions. Any questions for senate bill. Anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator you're pretty close. I appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any of the rowing boat. Jackson noted ma'am secretary please call the roll Boyd. Brandt. Right. Caldwell. Caldwell Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Kroll. Davis. Davis. These. DISMANG. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hester. Hickey Hill. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King Leding. Love. Love. The key. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Price. Stun. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Wallace. Any center did not vote for who wish to change your vote Senator Chesterfield no. Senator love no. Senator Davis yes Senator Bryant yes. Any others on the side senators on the sides and Caldwell yes Senator Dismang yes. Any others. Please cast a ballot. Right twenty six J. six nine. Senate bill sixty two passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill seventy one. Senate bill seventy one by Senator Sullivan to prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment by the state of Arkansas and other public entity. Senator Solomon you're recognized thank you madam governor folks is active to prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment by the state of Arkansas and other public entities I think it is also worth a second success for all bill has been debated quite a bit was hotly debated yesterday in the committee matter fact that the newspaper held out today this morning that this bill would close the mosaic Templars cultural center became quite a topic I want to visit the cultural center last night it's a wonderful Senator doing a lot of good things I contacted the Attorney General and those statements that were made by the senator the Attorney General says those are absolutely false I have the copy of his tax thing is just not true in the continued rhetoric rhetoric to stir up this issue and to intimidate the Bill sponsors and people who support this project if we're ever going to solve discrimination this state it will not be by father or discrimination the statement was also made that I use a lot of platitudes in the presentation well that may be true there was no discussion of whether or not the platitudes are true and that discrimination will never end further discrimination it just won't happen and all those plant they may be platitudes but it's true. The Attorney General father says that he has reviewed the bill thoroughly. And if there are no constitutional infirmities and. What it actually does we entity a an amendment to the bill pretty long amendment to it that sets out a two year cycle for us to promulgate rules to implement what the bill does some people said they would never support it pull it down pulling down was the only thing I heard. And then put it in an interim study and all of us are familiar with what happens to interim studies this bill has been effectively an interim study so if we're going to have a bill about the teachers in needed areas that's will discuss and we as a body will promulgate those rules. Budget flip through you'll see some Important instances. Inserting comprehensive Arkansas higher education on an annual report is report appealed repealed. But you'll see a number of instances where it talks about what success for all of means for example if we decide that in higher read in committee we as a body with we decide that first generation creates the need then that's what we'll do and first generation college students are applying that's what we can do we will set the standard for what we need is so that we're not basing our higher procurement and hiring and higher ed those of the three places this is addressed that if if those are individuals that are applying for that it's based on your needs the other point that was brought up that I was I think it's pretty personal I took it personally whether was intended that way or not I don't know that I've the purpose of this bill will result in African American women and babies dying that was pretty clear. Folks this sets the standard different way. Any woman any child who's dying if those numbers support that the people that that's true and I believe it is they will still qualify for assistance from the state there's no money revoke removed from those programs it doesn't walk back anything it says that anyone regardless of your race or your color national origin regardless of all those things if you demonstrate the need you qualify. It says on page eight lines nineteen through twenty one the university is authorized to develop selection criteria for critical needs teacher scholarship program folks we got a critical need in Southeast Arkansas in many parts in Jonesborough are the state in John's four we have a critical need we've got students that are not performing or are performing at the thirty percentile level and I'm so thankful that when we hire those high performing teachers that my school will be able to my schools will be able to hire teachers who are highly qualified regardless of their race regardless of their gender regardless of all those qualifying factors it will be success for every teacher and every student in our state. Again on page ten it states the state of Arkansas does not discriminate in access to employment opportunities or employment practices on the basis of race color religion sex national origin or disability disability or genetic information. Everyone is equal and we're going to determine what equal means based on your the a your merit not those other qualities folks I'm so glad to be able to present this bill I've been all over the state. Met with many but many people on what this bill needs to do I got a call this morning from a. Someone that I respect very highly and if I were to mention their name you would do I'm not going to mention their agenda their their race their origin but you would recognize him as a leader in our state. They are concerned about being a part of this bill but they do agree that the process that we're going through will end up vetting people who really qualify for that for the services that we render so we're going to rules will bring in the the matter fact the bill calls for bringing in those secretaries and department heads and they are going to have to report to us they're going to have to meet with us to develop the criteria that would allow someone to be a part of this qualified for the services in this bill. I think it starts on about page. Twelve. and Arpit Page twelve line twelve Ford says not to quit codify but it talks about the Legislative Council and the executive head of the state agency shall appear before the Legislative Council folks we're going to hold people accountable for this we're going to make sure that Arkansas does not discriminate based upon one's race or color or national origin. We have two years to implement this we have two years to go through a LC and put the details of what this looks like together if you'll notice we signed the the governor signed the learns Act yesterday but I'm so thankful that what they're trying to do is improve education not based upon your race or your call or your gender national origin they're basing it on getting merit and quality in the education this bill does the same thing And procurement in hiring practices and education with that I'll take any questions. Thank you for the following. Anyone wishing to speak against center Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you madam chair ladies and gentlemen of the Senate I am in opposition to Senate bill seventy one I wanted to be very careful about the definition of minority. Because the majority view in this state think of minorities and ethnic minorities in the State of Arkansas a man a minority is defined as. An ethnic minority a woman. And a disabled veteran. And we have put in place programs that will help them not at the expense of other people but to give them the help that they need to overcome whatever in their past has been a detriment to them. Excuse me. This is important because women even though they make up the majority of the state. Have not had the opportunities that many white males of Hey at. They are now beginning to have the help that they need to go into business. To open up their own consortiums to open up their own shops and all we do in the State of Arkansas is to give them some assistance to help them navigate the system that has never been open to them before the same is true of ethnic minorities this state does not have an affirmative action program what this state has is a goal that we will work hard to try to make sure that businesses in this state. Rick or hiring in state agencies reflect what Arkansas looks like we have agencies in this state right now that have one percent ethnic minority representation in the totality of the agencies. When I asked the question what are you doing today so we can do better. We haven't done better over the last twenty years because that's saying state agency still has one percent not because people are not qualified. Not because in a qualified. But in society is not what you know what to you know and if you are in one of those groups you have not had an opportunity then to put in place those those connections that will allow you to get a chance to move up I President Pro Temp new people you know people I've had to work at it is best I can to get to know folks. This bill I think Senator Solomon means will. And I think the Attorney General means well but I respectfully disagree with him the ramifications of this bill a great especially for ethnic minorities for women and for disabled veterans because you're saying in essence there cannot be programs that address the specific needs of those individuals I think that's unfortunate. I think it's unfortunate if we do this then we do have an opportunity to say that the University of Arkansas at pine bluff which was established specifically. Four black children to go to school and funded at one quarter. Of what the other institutions of higher it will funded at that's true. Well as exemplars is designed to make sure that African American history is in place you're saying that there can't be anything that deals specifically with minorities that is a state entity. So as we go through this process and many of you've made up your mind I hope not this will have a deleterious impact on dole's minorities as we define them in the state of Arkansas we don't define minorities as black folks Hispanic folks Asian Pacific Islander American Indian Alaskan natives only we say in this state that a minority is a member of an ethnic group. Is a woman or it is a disabled veteran and to say that we're eliminating those programs that will deal specifically with the minorities as we define them in the state of Arkansas there's something wrong with it I say there's something wrong with this bill and I appreciate a good vote a no vote. Anyone wish to speak for. Again Senator Tucker you're recognized. Thank you madam president. Appreciate your time this morning colleagues I want to start with just kind of a philosophical question for this group and that question is. Why are we here. Is it to identify real issues affecting the lives of our Kansans and engage in serious work to make a difference on those issues for the people that we represent. Or are we here to engage in platitudes and thump our chests. There's plenty of examples of both kinds of bills in this legislative session. I'm not give I'm gonna give you a couple of examples I'll start with Senate bill two ninety five it was on the floor this week now voted against that bill I disagree with some of the policy in that bill. But how can you say it was not a serious bill with real policy affecting an actual economic industry in Arkansas. How can you say that Senator Dismang did not do is homework on that bill you can't say that not with any credibility you could I Senator Dismang any questions you want about the solar industry in Arkansas and he'll give you an answer you may not like you. But will be based on facts and research and I respect that even if we disagree. We have too many bills coming through here that deal in platitudes. And there's we've already had an example on the floor here today. Senate bill sixty two. That bill is not going to help anybody in Arkansas it's a chest thumping exercise. And what we did when we pass that bills we said we're going to give preferential treatment to people in this state who deal in fossil fuels ammunitions and firearms and that's the richness of the irony between that platitude bill and this one. We're gonna give preferential treatment to those who dealing guns and ammunition and fossil fuels but we're not gonna get preferential treatment based on race or gender that's the platitude in this bill it's easy to stand up here and say but the the platitude of this bill is we're going to end discrimination. Well that's a nice thing I'm for that. But if we're actually governing in reality we have to understand the impact of the laws that we pass outside of this marble building. And the impact of this potential law is huge it's beyond even my own understanding because no one can know all of the programs throughout the state that it will impact but I'm gonna give you a few examples. What are they up to what kind is determination of the up to over the minority health commission. That's a bill that would be if excuse me that's a an agency that would be affected by this bill but is not addressed specifically by the bill. The work that they're engaged in over there is preventing diseases and conditions that are prevalent among minority populations Arkansas is forty six in the country maternal mortality rate. But the maternal mortality rate is triple for black women what it is for white women. Wow we don't know. But the good people of the minority health commissioner trying to answer that question. So that we can prevent deaths of black women in childbirth as we move into the future. House that weren't gonna be jeopardized by this bill I believe that it is but we don't have a serious answer that question and responsible legislator will know the answer that question before the vote to pass a piece of legislation like this. That's health let's talk about education for minutes Senator Chesterfield mention historically black colleges and universities we have for the state she mention the University of Arkansas pine bluff we also have Philander Smith in Arkansas Baptist here in Little Rock and shorter College over in North Little Rock. Thurgood Marshall institute did a study of H. B. C. use and they found that a black middle class would not exist in this country without them forty percent of black members of Congress attended H. B. C. U. half of black lawyers did eighty percent of black judges to. There is another study it's dated now I'm sure the numbers will be more present at this point but is from two thousand fourteen H. B. C. use are responsible for fifteen billion dollars of economic impact every year in America a hundred thirty five thousand jobs here in Arkansas what kind of difference the H. B. C. use make in the lives of their students. And that two thousand fourteen study they found that the graduates from that year alone order earned one point eight billion dollars in their lifetimes personally that's the impact they're having for those students what about for the rest of us every year those four H. B. C. use have a one hundred and eighty million at a dollar economic impact for the state of Arkansas. All four H. B. C. use in this state one way or another get money from the state. Are they gonna be impacted by this bill I honestly don't know the answer to that question but I can promise you one thing I demand a real answer that question before I'm willing to pass this bill because that's responsible legislative. That's education let's talk about the economy for a minute. Senator Irvin sponsored peace legislation in two thousand seventeen that created the minority and and women owned business enterprise division over the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. How were they doing over there are their quotas over there for minority owned businesses are women owned businesses absolutely not that's not the business that they're in they're making sure that every kind of entrepreneur has an equal opportunity to start their own business in Arkansas just last year the women's foundation of Arkansas and our former governor Aissa Hutchinson put together a women's commission report. Part of that report found that Arkansas is one of five states on a list that's unsuitable for female entrepreneurs unsuitable for female entrepreneurs another think tank in Bentonville rated us forty six. Not just for women and minorities but period for our entrepreneurship critical index rating or forty six in America and the largest reason for that is because we have a hostile environment for people starting businesses who are female from diverse backgrounds so we're forty six right me now this division over AT C. is working to help us go up in that ranking and they won't be able to do that work anymore if this bill passes will be going down forty six down from forty six so those businesses that could get created. They not only help the entrepreneurs they help unleash the economic potential of our entire state for everybody. That these are three huge statewide programs that I'm talking about and now I'm just going to say quickly. What the ramifications are beget beyond these statutes statewide programs I will promise you that this applies only to state government but to every form of local government I will promise you that every member in this district your mayors your county judge is your school districts you'll have at least one and possibly dozens of programs that would be affected by this I'm gonna give you one example from my district. UAMS statewide institution is headquartered in my district they have a program called the pathways program now these what kind of evil are they up to over there what kind of discriminatory activity is this it's a K. twelve stem camp to make sure that the healthcare workforce looks like the people who live in our state. And that we have a diverse healthcare workforce but that campus not only in Little Rock there's twelve camps all over the state. Senator Solomon mentioned mosaic Templars cultural center I want to address that respectfully I disagree and I just want to say for the record nothing about this is personal okay I respect Senator Solomon I don't believe he's racist and I want to undisputedly say that I I do not believe that I respectfully disagree with him and with the Attorney General on this but I want to address this very specifically the mosaic Templars cultural center this is not a hypothetical none of these are okay that was one other thing that was mentioned in committee the other day these are not hypothetical examples these are real world examples this is a museum that exists over at ninth and Broadway and its mission is to preserve interpret and present black culture and black history from Arkansas every transaction that they engage in has a preference based on race every single one every single piece of art they display in the museum every single piece of merchandise that's for sale in the museum store grants a preference based on race and that's the way that it should be if this bill passes they won't be able to do that now they may not have to close their doors but the museum will cease to exist as it is right now if this bill passes. I was asking Senator Solomon in committee and I I was admittedly aggravated if he was okay with the museum ceasing to exist in its current form and I didn't receive that I was getting an answer to that but we all have an opportunity to answer that question with our vote on this bill. The platitude on this bill is supposedly is that we're trying to end discrimination but but what I think the real message of this bill if it passes will be is that as far as we're concerned racism and sexism and I the United States are over. We can wash our hands of it we're good we've we've checked that box but I was listening to Dr Terrence Roberts speak one time. If you don't Terrence Roberts is there's a statue of him over on the north side of the capitol with eight of his teenage contemporaries. And he knows a thing or two about discrimination he was speaking in round numbers but he said that from the early sixteen hundreds when the slave trade started until the civil rights movement we essentially had three hundred fifty years of oppression of black people United States. We're not gonna solve that in fifty years. How long is it gonna take I don't know. But I know one thing we're not there yet we have a long ways to go and that's why we need the minority health commission doing the work that they're doing and the H. B. C. use doing the work that they're doing and the women and minority owned business division eighty see doing the work that they're doing. So that we can move up from forty six and forty eight and fifty. So that's that's the question that we're putting to the members in this chamber that I started with are we here to govern in platitudes and ignore the real world impacts of the legislation that we pass. Are we here to be serious law makers. And make a difference for the lives and the people of the state we all have an opportunity to answer that question right now with our vote on this bill now The voting now. Anyone else wish to speak for or against. Senator Clark. On followed by Senator Leding. This is a subject that I've given lots of thought for decades. And appreciate Senator sold and taking on such a difficult subject. And it is a difficult subject expressly in this state where we have. Folks that are Woking admission offices of the university's doing crazy things. And we have folks that go from trying to help people to actively discriminating. Of. The in society. Reverse discrimination. And. And so that comes a question when is enough enough and when can we just be. People. I think there's a real desire. For. Lots of us to just be people I think that's the thought behind this bill. On the other hand. When I graduated from high school there's a place in garland county where a lot of people would like to work because it's the hospital in place when the House paying places in Arkansas if you go to work there you don't need anything beyond a high school education and you're you're set for for an Arkansas of stole what. And one of our friends one of our classmates went to work there right out of high school he was the only one the rest of us do not apply. Of his or his dad and uncle were a major part of the union there. And. The because a senator tester bill pointed out it's who you know. And but the the point that a lot of us miss is that while I didn't have a chance in the rush mother classmates that have a chance Senator Chesterfield or her son certainly didn't have a chance because all of these all these people from the beginning has been what. And I'll begin to notice because I started out decades ago with let's just all be equal no discrimination. Except for and then a a look to my own hiring practices. And the fact that although I didn't want to be that my staff was all one color. And the. but Sandra newspaper ads one the things that I found that I could do to get the best employees was go to friends and friends of friends and say I'm looking for somebody but I realized part of the problem there. If I didn't want my staff to all be homogeneous was that most of my friends were what. And so I actively started because I had that thought I started going to friends that were black pastors except for and start saying Hey I've got job opens but that's rare. We don't realize that you know I don't buy into a lot of the things that are being sold today but still there is some truth in it that that it is how you know and that the there are tier set up that there's some of us to know people and some of us know and dislike there's a there's a welfare class about income from a and the sometimes they get a lot of openings that I didn't have when I don't worry much about that but it doesn't mean that there's not not still some any qualities that go on. And. So on one hand I very much appreciate for Senator Solomon coming from on the other hand it becomes a very difficult vote for me. because I don't know where I come down. The All I Want and I very much agree. Let's just all be the same let's make a claim let's make it clear. Look no discrimination not even when we're trying to fix things with government. The all the other hand to do that though I have to stop and say. Everything's fair. And yet I know in my mind everything's not fair. So having a difficult time. Senator Leding you're recognized. Thank you president colleagues I would second the concerns raised by my colleague senator Chesterfield Senator Tucker but I want to come to you quickly from a somewhat separate issue and I do apologize to the sponsors few minutes ago this is only brought to my attention this morning it turns out the city of Faye Advil has a contract with the defense logistics agency if you're unfamiliar with that agency it's the U. S. military agency that manages the entire supply chain for a U. S. military in the city of Fayetteville turns out so it's a lot of fuel to the U. S. military for the aircraft that fly in and out of Drake field just south of Fayetteville so you might remember that trick field used to be the airport in northwest Arkansas obviously a lot of business now those in and out of XNA to the airport is heavily dependent on this contract that is the opinion of an independent law firm the city asked to review the contract that the city cannot have the city must have an affirmative action plan in place otherwise would be in violation of the federal guidelines and could lose this contract and the airport could then shut down I'm not an attorney I've only had a few hours to to ask questions about this but for those of you who might be sort of indifference or even willing to support the legislation I just want to raise this issue to be nothing wrong with holding off today and making sure you go back home and talk to people to make sure that there's not another unintended consequence to this legislation thank you. Anyone else. Wish to speak for or against. Senator Solomon you're recognized closed. I would question my colleagues statements about all the terrible things that are going to happen because in the newspaper yesterday he is quoting as saying the museums are going to close in the Attorney General says no many continue to say a whole bunch of consequences how can you trust that I don't think we can we have the the Attorney General of the state of Arkansas the one that we all trusted offend us saying that's just not true. And the comments about platitudes to the two kinds of platitudes the platitudes it says the world's going to explode if you do this that's what's going on right here folks we have two years before this is impacted two years some of these questions you know first of all the questions on the city available these these this bill could expressly says that if you would lose its federal contracts you can do whatever you need to do this doesn't prevent that at all so it's clear that the city of fables experience they can do what they need to do to they can't and dangerous state contract. We hear a lot about talk together folks again two years to do that and when I went to all the groups and talk to all the groups minority groups however you want to find minority I talked to and there's not one person that stood up and said I want to help you cure this except one. Achieving an environment where affirmative action is no longer necessary and hiring procurement and education which of the three factors is a goal that all our cans and seek to reach let's understand where we currently stand in reaching this goal by conducting a study studies that accomplishes the following that's two years identify the barriers both legislative and social that have prevented protected classes from reaching their full potential state the desired outcomes and direct action legislation pertaining to hiring procurement education state the actual outcomes how has affirmative action Legislative qualitative and qualitative affected hiring procurement and education identify those areas where the desired outcomes has not been met an accomplished a plan to address those areas within the next seven next several years the plan should include desired outcomes as well as resources that must be obligated in order to reach those that desire an outcome of a prosperous Arkansas for all folks that's the goal and we could work together to achieve it without I'm closed. Senator has closed Maddox secretary please call the roll. I have a pair at the desk Senator Caldwell yes. Senator Murdock met. Boyd. Boyd. Right. Right. Caldwell yes Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Kroll. Kroll. Davis. These. These. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Love. The key. Murdock Payton. Penzo. Penzo. Petty. Padding. Rice. State Farm. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace no. The centers who wish to vote or change your vote. I see Senator days yes. Senator Boyd yes Senator Irvin. No. Senator Bryant yes. Senator Clark no. The side center Penzo yes. Any other please check the board. Senator Kroll president. Any others please check the board. Please cast a ballot. Five votes at eighteen ninety eight twelve nine two not voting and one president Senate bill seventy one passes transmit to the House. Senate bill ninety five. Senate bill ninety five by Senator Wallace. To amend the law regarding embalmers and funeral directors and revised the due date for renewal of licenses under the law of the proper records regarding embalmers and funeral directors. Senator Wallace you're recognized. Thank you governor. Members. This in the bill following are my third and fourth. Funeral home bills. The session I'm starting to get coupons of ten percent off if I use them with the next sixty days. This is a very simple bill. It simply allows embalmers and funeral directors. To the they now renew yearly this will allow them to a new either yearly or bi annually there's nothing else to this bill. And with that I stand by for your questions any questions for the senator Wallace. Anyone wish to speak against for. Senator you're pretty close I am closed centers closed any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please for all that beau in Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell 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 rice system Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senators wish to change your vote. C. nine please cast at the ballot. By a vote thirty two yeah eight zero nine Senate bill ninety five passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill ninety seven Senate bill ninety seven by Senator Wallace to amend the Arkansas prepaid funeral benefits law to regulate prepaid benefits contracts and enhance the administration of the Arkansas prepaid funeral benefits law. Senator Wallace you're recognized thank you governor member there's a little bit more to this bill but it's a good bill it cleans up some questions out in the Funeral home industry. Those two organizations that either control or influence the funeral homes and cemeteries in the state of Arkansas one is the board of funeral directors and they make most of this the Issue most of the guidance and the other is that funeral home directors association and they have a lot of influence will. These two organizations don't always agree but they agree about ninety percent of the time and they both come to me they both agree on these changes. and I'm going to go through what so those changes are. In the past if a funeral home. Lost your license. In the license to sell. Prepaid the burial policies they were not required to. Surrender their files this bill does that we've had a just a few bad actors out there and this will help clean that up. It removes the requirement of quarter reports in the state of. just requires that to be reported annually. The clarifies requirement when the consumer wants to transfer the contract to another funeral home after the death. Of the family member. And it clarifies who controls the prepaid contract. It adds references to the final disposition right. It helps determine the next of kin. In this language they feel is needed to clarify to consistently B. throughout the state. Finally it abolishes the prepaid funeral contract recovery program board this borders created in two thousand one it's only met twice in the last twenty two years and with that I stand by for your questions. Any questions for senator Wallace. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close I'm closed Senator is closed any objection rowing the boat. And secretary please roll Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson 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. Any senator wish to change your vote. Please cast a ballot. By thirty two yeah eight zero named Senate bill ninety seven passes please transmit to the House Senator Hester you're recognized members I I know we've got quite a bit left today but I'm getting Kerr just to try to finish today moneys calendar is already longer than this calendar so we don't push anything to Monday just had a few questions about it the goal is to cleaner counter thanks. Senate bill two fifty two. Senate bill two fifty two by Senator Kroll. To amend the definitions of manufacturing and processing for the purposes of the use tax exemption for machinery and equipment used to retread tires to match their death definitions for purposes of the sales tax exemption. Calabro recognized thank you ma'am governor this is a clean up bill to make sales and use tax exemption for machinery and equipment in retreading consistent they've had the sales exemption but they have not have the tax exemption and by state law they have to be applied with equally this'll just clean up that language. Any questions for several. Anyone wish to speak against her for. Senator has closed. Any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please roll. Boyd Bragg 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 stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator we should change his or her vote. Senator flowers. President. Any other centers. Please cast at the ballot. By a vote of thirty one eight zero nine and one present Senate bill two fifty two passes please transmit to the House. We will. Passed over for the time being. Senator Irvin. Thank you members I want to make a motion to withdraw my bill as Senate bill three sixty five from Education Committee for the purpose of amendment and then. Placed on second reading so that I can get the amendment engrossed it's my bill my amendment. My motion is to withdraw Senate bill three sixty five from Education Committee. Motion to withdraw to send a committee I'm sorry. Withdrawal from education. For the maintenance. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed. As. Amendment one Senate bill three sixty five. Members this is my bill in my amendment I just wanted to be engrossed so it's ready to go for next week Committee. All those in favor please signify by saying aye aye any oppose ayes have it presenting rose thank you members. Senate bill two ninety one. Senate bill two ninety one by Senator days to amend the laws regarding the central registry of persons with a disability resulting from a traumatic head injury and transferred the center central registry to the department of health. Senate bill you're recognized thank you thank you madam chair members quick cleanup bill Senate bill two ninety one this is working with the Department health and with UAMS on this this is a an out dated third party that is at now defunct related to Catherine and work with data related to head trauma patients and so we're striking that third party now the third funds in the event that the registry of information inside with the health. That take any questions. Any questions for Saturday's. Anyone wish to speak against for for. Senator has close any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please welcome Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark 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 down Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Dotson president. Any other senators. Please cast a ballot. Five votes at thirty one eight zero nine and one present Senate bill two ninety one passes please. Transmit to the House. Senate bill three one three seven three thirteen by Senator Petty to allow taxpayer receiving military retirement or survivor benefits to receive the full amount of the income tax exemption for retirement benefits. Senate you're recognized. The president members this is a bill to clean up some unintended consequences when not all scenarios were thought through under current law taxpayers can exempt from income tax the first six thousand dollars of their non military retirement benefits or one hundred percent of their military benefits a taxpayer can only claim one or the other but the six thousand dollar non military exemption or the military retirement exemption so they can only pick one or the other what ends up happening in is this certain situations is if there is a three thousand dollar military and say a six thousand dollar or seven thousand dollar non military they don't get the full benefits so the intention was to not get six thousand military and six thousands for a twelve thousand dollar exemption this would allow them to claim those that are not receiving the full six thousand to claim the full six thousand dollar exemption it would. have a small fiscal impact about sixty six thousand dollars it would help seven to eight hundred and taxpayers every year that are receiving this military benefits for survivors benefit for militaries and with that I'll be happy to answer any questions any questions for centre Petty. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please roll forward Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark rolled Davis these Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love Me key Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice sounds Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senators wish to change his or her vote Senator Wallace president. Any other centers. Please cast ballots. Matt thirty one yea zero may and one president Senate bill three thirteen passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three eighteen senate three eighteen by Senator Irvin to amend the law concerning Arkansas manufactured home commission and to require civil penalties assessed by the Arkansas manufacture Commission to be established by rule. Senator Irvin you're recognized member Senate bill three eighteen and then state law to permit the Arkansas manufactured home Commission to establish by rule civil penalties for violations of the federal manufactured home construction and safety standards act that are identical to the penalties established in the federal civil penalties inflation adjustments adjustment act the most recent version of which became effective in twenty twenty one this issue was raised by the department of housing and urban development in a recent audit of the agency's state plan and this legislation is a direct result of that reason audit the bill also reduces the member the number of members serving on the commission from ten to eight and clarifies the Clark criteria on those appointed by the governor to serve on the commission and making a little bit easier for the commission to have a quorum about their meetings and to find qualified candidates who will serve on the commission again the amended penalty applies to violation of federal standards so the penalties are set by Congress and then administered by HUD. I'll be happy to answer any questions any questions for Senator Irvin. Anymore so to speak against or for. Senator. I'm close Preciado is working on it with the manufacturing manufactured homes association thank you senator has closed any objection rowing the boat man secretary please role that Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stun Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senators wish to change your vote. Senate president. Any other center saying nine please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty one eight zero nine eight one present Senate bill three eighteen passes please transmit to the House. We are passing over Senate bill three forty eight we will now take up. Senate bill three fifty three fifty by Senator Bryant to increase the percentage for damages on loss claims under an insurance policy. Right you're recognized thank you Mr president. Because this bill increases the amount of damages that the you can recover from your insurance provider if you get to the point where they refuse to pay and the courts have exhausted all options not only with a pay attorney's fees this law originally was that they paid twelve percent additional to the loss I'm this bill would increase that to twenty five percent this act that you're reading was enacted that by Act one forty eight in nineteen fifty nine has not been increased until I'm trying to increase its today. That will get hopefully get insurance providers to actually want to settle prior to getting to this point I'll take any questions. Any questions for center right. Question center Gilmore. Do you have to know what the other states are doing on with this in particular or have other states taking this action and they moved for all states are different how they approach things okay so the that percentages fairies yes okay the okay thank you. All the questions anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Adam secretary please roll the vote. Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark prole Davis these dismaying Dotson 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. Any senator wish to change your vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By those thirty two U. A. zero nine Senate bill three fifty passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three fifty fourth senate three fifty four by Senator Hammer to transfer the duties of certain boards to the State Board of appraisers ABSTRACTERS' and home inspectors and declare an emergency. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you madam chair. What this bill does is it to is brought to you on behalf of the par workforce services it is also supported by the governor's office what it would do is take the three current board to ensure the ABSTRACTERS' ABSTRACTERS' appraisers and home inspectors in condensed it down to one board the new board would have won abstractor representative on it five appraisers and to home inspectors the number of the board members on the new board would be equivalent or aligned with the number of licenses high hi handled by each one of the agencies it does not add any new positions in fact it will result in the surrendering of one position and it allows for the employees to remain on that are currently employed by each of these boards what it will do is it'll help share the duties across the respective three a current boards in order to bring in greater accountability with regards to handling of finances coverage during times when employees need to be all and also help with just some of the day to day duties by bringing them together as one it will help streamline the application process and licensors testing continuing ed all stays the same for the three professions has overtaken three boards condensing them into one in order to share those responsibilities and as I mentioned it helps eliminate one position I'll be glad to answer any questions. Any questions. Why hours you're recognized for a question. Senator how many Members serve on the board the individual boards now there are five on the other abstractor board ten on the appraiser's and seven on the home inspectors. For a total of twenty two thank you yes ma'am. Other questions Senator Brian. Thank you Mr president I'm just curious is where we're going to. Reasonable for different. Professions represented about one for every sort three the voice of one group. How the overcome opposition by being dominated by a group that does not. Question okay and I think you find this aligns with some of the other activities as far as the other boards there will be representation equal to the number of it and the way that because I ask the question how do we come up with the number that we are coming up with on the new board and equated what what the agency shared was equated to the number of licensors that are handled by each respect one for example right now there are approximately thirteen hundred licenses under the appraisers there's approximately three hundred fifty under the home inspectors and there's approximately two hundred under the ABSTRACTERS' and so you know proportionate to the number of licenses that each one handles that's how they arrived at the at the new number as far as the you know as far as like the the as I mentioned I will as far as the training the continuing ed all the other things that are essential the knowledge of the representative on the board. Senator Tucker you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr president and I apologize if you said this in the midst Senator Hammer there was just one pointing Committee but I want to confirm for the membership which is that all three of the boards that are being proposed to be combined they're all fully self funded by fees that that the members of that industry pay there's no actual cost savings for combining these three boards and one is that correct. Well cost savings is a testified in committee that there would be a position be eliminated number one the yes the money is retained by by each one of them up so as far as where the cost savings are going to come in it's probably more the area of the fission see as far as actual dollar state but I think that would also translate because there's another bill that's working through may already been pastor I don't remember where we are going to add we're having each one of the boards spend down their balances to a three year average so you know one of the things that was voiced by one of the boards was they needed more help so the reaction is that by doing what we would do here it would help prevent from having to hire another person because now those duties could be disseminated out of of over the existing ploys employees the representative all three boards thank you thank you. Any other questions. Senator Dismang you're recognized for a question thank you but. I feel like there might be a little bit more to this discussion I think we should probably might from the other members to probably needs of the people that are paying dues to this board I mean there were some findings or some L. checks there were some issues I think in regards to this board as it stands right now I'm probably a little bit more oversight do you have any additional information collaborate I do but I was gonna say it let's House asked amassed so now I say it because it was you don't mind I think it's just important for the context is I'm getting emails and and and ask that you know they remain separate and and maybe there's some justifiable argument to make about how they're not completely related with the being consolidated into but the the core problems still exist which. I'll let you leverage you to my thank you I'll repeat you all shared and testimony as it came out during questioning the home secretary board had a situation auditors are currently now auditing in their normal processes but the home inspectors had a total of about ninety thousand dollars worth of checks that were left in your for three months that was made known to the board and there was no action taken at the time and so one of the comments that was also made to is that whenever the employee would be gone that it would either be that nobody be in the office or that the volunteers would step in for example maybe during vacation or just during work hours so part of what's driving this decision by the agency and again with the blessing of the governor's office is that they want to bring of accountability as far as for example the segregation of duties so that there could be cross checking if you would by bringing the three boards employees all at once and also get the additional help that is needed so we can help expedite the handling of the licensure application and be done in a quicker manner which we get people's licenses out so that was some of what we shared intentionally hopefully through this section if they're it genuinely is a need for help so be it this will help bring that help but also help bring accountability. Senator flowers I know you ask questions. Okay. Thank you governor. Senator Hammer the Bill. The board already under the division of labor all were for services. The transformation of services. Yes ma'am during the transformation process that we handle I can't member last session session before last they were transferred over under the department of workforce services okay so because of that transfer. would have been expected that. The larger agencies department of workforce services are labor or whatever. One more systems. To the board. The home inspectors will. I thank well I think that's what this is a reaction to is by doing what we're about to do here this gets passed because the one currently the appraisers have for employees the ABSTRACTERS' have none because they're covered by the administrative assistant I think within the department for services after back check my notes but they don't have employees and then the home inspectors have one so based on the fact that the home inspectors have three hundred fifty current license yours and there are applications that are coming in in all fairness but the appraisers have thirteen hundred the answer to the the this is the proposed solution to the problem that by being able to spread this out there would now be does additional for people with the appraisers that would be able to land the health. But what what is it reasonable to expect that because of the transformation services under the last administration and the movement of these boards to develop that one division. That you would have expected some senior administrative. Is that is that reasonable expectation that we could of. And should have been now it should have occurred under transformation then this is the reaction to that identifying that there is a need and this is the proposed solution to that and I would say like they're not there's opinions about transformation this is a common sense solution to be able to do exactly what I think you're hitting on and that is they're going to bring the assistance they need but it's going to be through the combining of the boards without compromising the quality of what each one does so that they can share those services by utilizing the four employees are with the appraisers now it'll give that additional help and support. Senate heading. Thank you madam chair. So I had a few enquiries about this and the concern was that obviously these are three very different professions and the concern was you're going to have for example appraisals telling home inspectors how they should do home inspections but with this what I understood you say the staffing is not going to change you're still going to have the. The home inspection staff experts those that are subject matter knowledge experts on appraisals you're still going to have the inspectors in the ABSTRACTERS' staff dealing with the administrative so you're not going to have an appraiser person telling an inspector person what to do they're going to have that same representation correct yes and I'll give you what was said in testimony because this issue was raised in in Committee and that was the home of the the home inspector employee would receive the call should know the answer she would send that person to the president of the board who would in turn give the expertise on it that whole that whole system stays in place as far as there being representation on the board and if a call comes in as a question that staff can't handle then they can refer to the respective board member Debbie on the newly created board just like it was before. Thank you. Now the questions anymore wish to speak against Senator flowers you're recognized to speak against. I'm going to vote no on the bill in committee we had. Members of the home inspectors Board come and testify. And we had home inspectors come and testify against this bill now. Just based on my. Common sense in my experience. I think we all can say that. Maybe we have some experience in purchasing a home or the property. And. What when I read the bill I thought. First talk about it the board of abstract. That deals with the history of the property. And as an attorney I am seen an abstract none and I don't know we. I have to look back in my father's files an abstract is not. You have title insurance now now they say that they still do it and they got some people probably the older lawyers I can imagine younger lawyers doing it but maybe they do. But that's one thing that traces the. The property from the beginning grant of land or deed. Down to the present it looks for all members it looks for any judgements against the people that were the owners of the property. Means a all whether they've been all cleared. And it looks for. The succession of title hi I need to get from one person to another was it a D. that made the transfers are wasn't death in a airship affidavit filed what happened was it a sale was it something in somebody's decedent's estate where the property passes somebody that's what you're talking about with abstract. And that's the Board of abstract tips. Then you have the appraisal board. What we're talking about just the value of the property. Thanks may use a. The require somebody to get an appraisal on the property before they can extend the loan to a person that's all about comparing it and getting a true of fair market value on the property. So that whatever the bank loans the collateral which is the property is sufficient. And you look at the things that are around the property of a is it in the commercial area on what. But it's all about the value of the property. Then you come home inspectors Board. These are people. As one of the witnesses testify at. That crawl around in the crawl space The Lion of the House to check for leaks are. Cracks in the joint uses and the see if the thing is gonna hold. Check for electricity what do you got the old not been toolbar sometimes. That's correct an Meeks building codes. They check for other things plumbing rule. hidden things. And that you deal with the quality. Of the building hi the facility. This is like. Apples oranges and hamburger meat. This don't even make sense. And then to put on the board the new board this proposed. He said five. Appraisers. Five people that are going to be sitting up here that their expertise is figuring out the value of the property for bankers. And I think one of these. The. Is a banker. On the board he missed that one I think. And then you got. One person who does abstract and like I said. to the abstract and I don't know lien. It. I don't know. Maybe all company I'm searching for all that I don't know. But I have not seen one. That it was done in recent times. And then you come to the home inspector. Two. Home inspectors on the board. Fite raise appraisers. One factor. And to home inspectors. This Mork. Of home inspectors. Thanks the bill would standards. Whether something is going to hold up when the you buy and something that has some hidden defects. Complaints are filed they go through the board. How in the world is an appraiser. Want to figure out. One eight. Full inspection. This does not make good sense and so. The director or secretary whatever we call now the division of workforce services is. What we're trying to see contingency. This is about. And quality. You have certain building code standards. But I don't think we need to be taken lightly. We're talking about the people of Arkansas being able to trust. Boards and commissions. When they file a complaint. At a house. Inspection. The house is a big thing that people try to get. That's. Most children. What we want to do something like this. Based on efficiency. And don't even consider safety and quality. It doesn't make good sense the other thing I want to point out. Inspectors said. This board of home inspectors. Was established or created. One governor Sanders. Was it office. The safety of the people of Arkansas. In something that they would spend their money on that they would be able to live in and then there is children. I ask you to vote no thank you. Anyone wishing to speak for or against. Senator you're recognized close. Thank you measure I do need to make one correction of some I said well go this is from labor licensing of city W. S. labor licensing so I stand corrected on that apologize for that you know one of the things that was just said is that all three of these have no common denominator or have no connection to each other but in each one of them the work property which use they all do relate to property one form fashion or another and the other thing is that each respective expertise will be maintained within the structure of the new board and the bill balls down to one simple thing if you will it's utilizing the current employee structure without having to add any additional employees and be able to spread the responsibility and accountability among five set of eyes instead of just one and with regards to the expertise of each one of them I would like to remind you that when it comes to our committee structure. The Judiciary Committee is not made up of all lawyers the public health committee is not made up of all public health employees the education is not made up of all education employees it has represented with on within the board different backgrounds different diversities and different ideas and a balls down to the quality of the people are serving on the board and the things that we want to see reflected in members to serve on any of our boards we talk about we've been we just went through a long lengthy process about as senators confirming appointments to the boards and one of the things that this will do is taken from twenty to request something it was twenty two down to eight but it doesn't compromise each one of them being able to have a voice and representation of quality people that would be recommended that Silverstein need to remember the people of the on the board will be those that we as senators will have confirmation of at the recommendation of the governor and that would help us make sure that the people are on the boards of the quality people they're going to have the voice again I remind you this is brought by the agency in response to a need this is the reaction to it and the governor supports the bill and I would appreciate a good vote thank you thank you senator Sanders closed any objection rowing the boat objection noted man secretary please call the roll Boyd. Right. Brown. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Kroll. Davis hi days. DISMANG. DISMANG. Dotson. Dotson. English. English. Flippo. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health. Health. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Mark Johnson. King Leding. Leding. Love. Love. The key. Murdock. Page. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Rice. Staffan. Stubblefield. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. The senators who wish to vote to did not vote or who wish to change your vote any on the side Senator love no Senator Johnson yes. Any others on the side Senator Bryant president. Senator Johnson yes Senator Leding. No. Yes Senator Hill yes. Gilmore yes. Right yes. Flippo yes Dismang yes. Double bill yes. Many others. Please cast a ballot by voting at twenty sixty eight five may and one president. Senate bill three fifty four passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three fifty five Senate bill three fifty five by Senator Caldwell to provide for certain requirements related storm shelters for educational facilities under the Arkansas fire prevention code. All the while you're recognized thank you Mr president. The members what this bill does is to the delays implementation of a fire code bill when a state adopted federal fire codes there was an error in it it required to gymnasiums have a storm shelter that would be the the House everyone that could be in the the GM initiative just classrooms this delays of twenty twenty five the feds of already given notice that to they're gonna go back and correct is in this languages by the state fire marshal. Any questions for Senator Caldwell. I wish to speak against or for. Senator is closed. Rowing the boat. And secretary please roll the vote Boyd right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark role 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 if any senators wish to change their vote. Please cast the ballot. By a vote of a thirty two year eight zero nine Senate bill three fifty five. Passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three fifty six three six three fifty six by Senator English to abolish the an active state entities to amend the law concerning the reporting of boards and commissions and declare an emergency. Thank you very much so basically this does exactly what it says it abolishes state boards and commissions that are no longer active. Questions for. Question center Chesterfield. Ages. The other night and I was looking for those things that you know so many times to see the solutions we just say. I'm wondering what was the criteria to determine the to be abolished well the of the bureau of labor I mean the bureau of legislative research went through a whole process of all the boards and commissions to determine which of those were active which had people which had met which had programs so in this bill you will see that in some cases where right for the vision that that program or that effort has been transferred is with the department of education and there will be optometrists helping nurses to do that training but. If there is a is a ongoing program is going to be agency rather than to a board and commission but one of the things that was of concern to me is this dell to regional music thing because it was such a big deal when it started it only started years ago so just concerned about it because we're trying to put our state on the map for the the wonderful music by that this state has generated over the years I was concerned about that one in particular so is it and never met or how many times it's not and it's not been meeting but all that effort is going to the Department of natural heritage and parks or whatever that call so that whole effort is in there so it's not been lost it just doesn't have a big boarding commission or commission right thank you thank you manager at the front pages Jett thank thank you I did. Any other questions for centering. Anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator you're pretty close Stander has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary. Lease role that. Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell 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 senators wish to change his or her vote. Three nine please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty two yeah eight zero nine. Senate bill. Three fifty six and the corresponding emergency clause passed please transmit to the House. Senate bill three fifty seven Senate bill three fifty seven by Senator dis track the state insurance departments journal on this bill. Senator Teague you're recognized manager quickly to build working with the department insurance and with a commissioner to go through some other sections that they'd ask for some cleanup and so a lot of minor corrections to address the needs that they had everything is as small as allowing incorporated cell to be used as an acronym is icy throughout different sections have to take any questions per share. Any questions for the senator rice you're recognized thank you one question on page two. At the bottom section three and it goes over on the page three it says it the commission determines that are not authorized insurance violated subdivisions and any go head and says it's a fine can be up to twelve thousand dollars and a twelve month period. What is the appeal process for that thank you senator I'm not sure until process I know in committee this is a question or a statement from the insurance department lawyer said that this was similar to other states and was aligning with what other states performed across the board that's that's all information I believe that there is an appeal process to injure commissioner I'm really out of my wheelhouse Eric wood building answer very well. Okay I find that. Any other questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has close any objection rowing the boat. Madam secretary please roll the vote Boyd Bragg 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 done Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot by voting thirty two Yankees zero nine Senate bill three fifty seven passes please transmit to the House. We are passing over. Senate bill three sixty one. We will now take up house bill eleven forty to eleven forty two by represented by the man and Senator Penzo to create the Arkansas nuclear recycling program. Senator Penzo you're recognized. Thank you Mr president. House bill eleven forty two builds upon the study conducted under act ten ninety two of twenty twenty one acted ninety two was the first to an H. B. eleven forty two is the second step in a three step process under acted ninety two our team working to solve the nuclear waste problem in Arkansas and in the nation found supporters in Arkansas and Washington DC we have the support of Arkansas delegation in DC and U. S. senator from Kansas to Delaware and West Virginia Act ten ninety two has been adopted by the American legislative exchange council in the southern states energy cancel as model legislation in a nutshell we have proven there's support for doing an R. and D. projects to prove spent nuclear fuel rods can be reclaimed and used to produce power we need to take the next step which is to develop plans and implement this project we need to hire a firm to develop plans for completing the project develop a model for commercial application developed the storage plan for residual materials develop engineering documents for the recycling process. Performance data site analysis for research and development plan to verify commercial viability Neville construction cost and schedule for construction of the plant this will establish Arkansas is the only state pursuing a final solution for spent nuclear fuel rods through recycling. We need to be able to request federal funds from the US department of energy to develop these plans. There is a phone that has been established by the US department of energy over the last fifty years to develop a solution to the nuclear waste problem funding for this fund was from fees paid by nuclear power generation plants for the last fifty years currently it has a balance of fifty one billion dollars. The main thing is this bill does is allows us to request funds and establish management structure to manage this process and to secure federal charter to receive the federal funds. If we're successful in completing the planning. Of the Arkansas project there's a potential to create sixty two hundred jobs in Arkansas. And I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Is for senate Penzo I see Senator Pitsch Paula by Senator flowers. Thank you madam president and Arkansas public support in this for the last couple years I have that I've been asking all along with what those school impact so to speak is I know we've had to spend a little bit of money on on some of the research and plan creation and have we had any federal participation in the cost and and I know if someone we expect this plan to be funded by those federal dollars you mention but this didn't know what it will cost will the. No I don't I don't have the numbers on and the bill doesn't add any dollars for funding for it this is us reaching out to the department of energy for that for that grant money so if we if we can't get the grant money we can't proceed with the project at this point we. For the cost alone even though I know it's a very small yes and it was for the study part to see if it was our fees the novel participate in these further plans that this bill does. I'm not a hundred percent sure there's not fund still remaining from the other act. To to cover any future because this didn't address any additional funding thank you thank you. Senator flowers you're recognized for a question. Senator though. That in any kind of discussion about we're. A nuclear recycling. Program would be located in the state of Arkansas. I don't think there's any specific place that's part of the next step is to find an adequate location for it alternately of it would need to be perfectly near access to a power grid maybe an old coal plant we're any of those. They're not near where I. Okay. Are you where where are so I think I know you're going with the question I don't know the exact locations I know that you know elder radio was mentioned as a location the pine bluff area but in in the me into your question you're you're probably here and all this about everybody in here that lives up in Northwest Arkansas drive service fill every day a lot of people don't realize it's for all of our nuclear waste is currently being stored if you're familiar with what a a grain silo looks like the pork the the that property is full of the silos full of spent fuel rods if with this recycling plan you're reducing a silo into roughly a sixteen ounce bottle of water size so I mean it it's it's a reduction in in the waste product so we're actually taking a highly radioactive material and. Recycling it ninety five percent of the potential energy is still in these nuclear fuel rods it just can't be utilized by these large reactors because they're based on nineteen forty technology we have more modern technology that can utilize a lower radioactive level material so they're safer they don't have the risk of meltdowns like some the old reactor so um the the the location it you know the saying that we're going to set up a a nuclear waste dump in Arkansas is not thank you we're actually if this project moves forward will actually be reducing the radioactive waste in Arkansas. What would have been transported from that site. The bill in in a transportation plan this is part of this next step is is coming for with the transportation plan. So. That. We'll talk about that. Getting federal money for this program. That no other. No no we there's there's fifty billion dollar set an account waiting for a state to take the initiative to solve the problem there will for fifty years it's been accumulating. So this is a life With all due respect we already have it we already have nuclear waste in Arkansas so I mean nobody in the country has solved the problem yet so it during the the half life for these materials are like around a million years okay the silos are certified for ninety years so it the recycled material is brought down to a half life of roughly three hundred years so that's a manageable. waste disposable you know we can manage a three hundred year half life you can't manage I have of of you know a million your half life this is gonna be a problem for generations to come and this is the solution you know and and you can make an argument this is probably the purest form of green energy out there we don't have to do any more mining all the material we need to do this and produce energy for hundreds of years in Arkansas is located on the property of nuclear one so it this recycling program not only eliminates our nuclear waste issues it also provides energy for the state for years to come you know solar panels require a ridiculous amount of mining and they're considered green energy but you have to you know silicone silver copper there's all kinds of materials that have to be mind we're talking tons of in terms of materials just to make a few solar panels so um well what we did away with the sole program the other day voting you resort for. Sitting here to the solar program. We set the also look into and I will I will I will say there probably will still be more solar panels built in the in the future. Any other questions a one. Senator Stubblefield. Five you. Penzo. nothing in this bill about the process that will develop a few years ago to extract. Eighty to ninety five percent in the State fuel. That that is going to talk about. Phone number. This whole process talk about for ten years. Part of the discussion. And we have a number five. You will take a mile on the Arkansas but they're not accepting nuclear waste at any location that's what we're storing on site here to clear one. Senate says for the that the Japanese of already developed about taking the rest of the. I mean are gone labs of I don't think there's a functioning gin for or generator anywhere in the world right now I mean everybody's got proven plans I mean we are going laboratories is got the proven pains just like they probably have this Japanese Location so I mean there. Can. You'll. Parking lot you just sit there for for millions of years because that's just the half life that's what it takes for half of the the the material to decay and then the next half life is another million years and another million years for the next half lives so yeah I mean it's it's a problem we need to find a solution to. But. The group that works for our federal delegation. I just believe this. Because we were two years yeah I mean I think that I think they're on board with this to push for us to get the grant if we get this bill passed so I would recommend everybody reject our federal delegation and you know so we can get that grant money move forward with the project. Thank you. Any other. Anyone wish to speak against. Or for. Senator you're pretty close. I'm sorry. Senator Irvin you're recognized to speak for. At I just want to say the publicly how much I appreciate representative Jack Ladyman and senator Penzo and Jack and I worked on this bill for six years and he's we are really fortunate to have somebody that has worked in this industry as an engineer really has done a lot of due diligence and work on this issue so I think it's a great bill and I just wanted to applaud you for bringing that and I will appreciate a very good vote for the bill. Senator Penzo you are pretty close center has closed any objection rowing the boat. Dejection noted man secretary please call the roll go ahead. Boyd. Bryant. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Kroll. Davis. These. DISMANG. Johnson. English. Lepo flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health. Hello. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Mark Johnson. King Leding. Leding. Love. Love. The key. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Petty. Bryce. Done. Stubblefield Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Wallace. Any senators not voting for which injured road center Chesterfield president. Senator love yes senator Boyd. Yes. Senator Leding no. Any others. Please cast a ballot. By boat and twenty sixty eight two nine three not voting on one president. House bill eleven forty two passes. Returned to the house. House Bill fourteen oh one. We're passing over to twenty seven. Apologies house house bill thirteen twenty seven. Thirteen twenty seven by Senator representative Gazaway and senator Mickey to amend the law concerning the positions of contraband and seize property and to allow forfeited firearms to be traded to federally licensed firearms dealers. Thank you you're recognized thank you madam president members is kind of a clean up bill a couple years ago the legislature passed a law allowing law enforcement agencies to trade confiscated or seized firearms for juvenile offenders to federal licensed firearms dealers for credit for the law enforcement agency it did not include adult offenders so this bill cleans it up makes it uniform for adult and juvenile offenders but what we've done here is done in an added a clause that requires the law enforcement agency to make a report to the elected body that oversees their their finances I'd be happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Ricky. Senator flowers you're recognized for a question. What what did you say about. What. At. What was I don't think. Well in the bill so let's talk about I was explaining the the law as currently written allows law enforcement agencies to take firearms seized or confiscated in juvenile cases and trade them to federal licensed firearm dealers but not an adult this law cleans that up and makes a uniform between juvenile and adult cases. Where the farm is taken or in. Adult cases now what happens to them believe they must be six sold at auction or the fire or the law enforcement agency can dispose of them. Any other questions for senator McCain anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote. Ma'am secretary please roll Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson 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 senators wish to change your vote. Senator flowers. President. Any other senators please cast the ballot. But at thirty one U. A. zero nine and one present House Bill thirteen twenty seven passes returned to the house. And the corresponding emergency clause passes also. House Bill fourteen oh one fourteen oh one by representative is barks in center Penzo regarding public assistance and to amend the duration of cash assistance. Senator Penzo you're recognized. Thank you Mr president. House Bill fourteen hello one amends the duration of cash assistance benefits provided to work eligible able bodied adults reason rate receiving tandem. Ten if is the temporary assistance for needy families program administered by the department of workforce services. It is designed to help low income people during a difficult time or while or while they're becoming more job ready such as participating in a training program currently entertain if children and adults receive cash assistance and other support services this bill does not change anything related to child cases it only addresses work eligible AT able bodied adults. For those able bodied adults the bill reduces the time limit to be on the program from twenty four to twelve months during those twelve months a participant should be able to ready themselves to find work and then join the work force. The safeguard here's that under current law DWS has the discretion to issue a waiver and extend the twelve month time limit for up to as many as sixty months if needed for example for an individual is training in a training program that takes longer than twelve months DWS could extend the benefit to allow for them to finish the program building bills to help more Kansans leave the trap of government dependency cycle off the work program and this. Most of the work force has more adults move from welfare to work. There's no any questions and. Senate bill you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair senator Penzo. I look to the bill and they're exceptions there are and I appreciated that I'm concerned though about areas in this state where there is no employment. And I I pose a question to one of my colleagues once a set move then that means that people in the delta people no later you for me was sent on a. G. Nothing in snowflake snowflake. And we don't have a vehicle you can get at a snowflake. So. I'm just trying to understand the in in these these employment debt service. What is it that will allow these people to do the best they can and how will this help them get a job if there is no job. What is my answer to that is if if there really is I mean I have a fund a hard to believe in this economy we have places in the state that are are lacking jobs cement I'll take your word that there are a whole have to look in the snowflake but the I mean if if they're in a training program or or something that is an exemption so there are other ways to extend pass at twelve twelve month period and at the meeting it It allows up to five years surely surely somebody can. Take care business in five years and get training to get better employment. Would you agree then that the. The department that we have in charge of the tracking businesses needs to do a better job of trying to send those employers potential employees to all parts of the state because those who live in areas where there's not a problem like that I live in and you live in. But then when you go to areas where there is a huge problem. Would you agree that it should be the responsibility of of this state to try to find ways to get employment into these areas so these people are better able to get jobs. I would say that it whether it's the government or business you would think that they would want to go to the places where we have employees and and look at ways to match that with places that have jobs weather's locating a business there are I mean that's what was one thing's been proving talent as it tracks businesses so Thank you so much for your for your answers. Any other questions for Senator Penzo. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please roll the vote. I'm sorry. Injection noted as secretary please call the roll we have a parent this. Senator Boyd yes Senator Leding no. Boyd. Yes right. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. For. Davis. These. These. DISMANG. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Health. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding nioh. Love. The key. Murdock. Payton. Page. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Stanton. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. The senators who did not vote for who wish to change your. Senator Pitsch is a yes. Any others. Please cast a ballot. By a vote at twenty forty eight five nine three not voting. House Bill Fortino one passes please return to the House. And secretary other items at the desk. Read return Senate bill two eighty seven by the house as passed you wrote notice of passage of Senate bill two ninety five by the House and rolling. That is the passage of Senate bill one eighty five as amended number one role. Revenue and Tax. The. Where your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three eleven by Senator Clark for the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate three fifty three by Senator Dawson compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly. Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three sixty five by Senator Irving compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed Education Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three sixty seven by Senator flowers compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed Education Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three sixty nine by Senator Dobson compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed calendar Committee on west Bills to whom was referred house bill eleven fifty six by representative Bentley further gross copper three John Feinstein correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen oh seven members and Wardlaw for the rest copy the original find same correctly engrossed calendar. Senate bill three ninety six by Senator days to correct the social media safety act to require age verification for use of social media and clarify liability for failure to perform eye age verification for use of social media and illegal retention of data Senate bill three sixty three ninety six Insurance and Commerce symbol three ninety seven by Senator Dotson to amend the administrative procedure act and to allow a mystery education decisions to base of served like try to place Senate bill three ninety seven state agencies. House concurrent resolution of ten oh nine per cent of eighties to designate the month of March is national athletic training month House resolution ten oh nine calendar. Current resolution ten ten per cent of Crawford to recognize the tenant colonel Harold Schaefer and for his dedication and sacrifices made on behalf of the United States House concurrent resolution ten ten calendar. House ten oh seven. Pilkington Pilkington in center Penzo to authorize pharmacists dispense HIV pre exposure and post exposure of. Follow. Per life like six house bill ten oh seven. Hello. Council twelve sixty one by representative Johnson. To enact the Arkansas Terry training treat and transport to an alternative destination act mandates insurance coverage for an ambulance service to Tara street entrance port of patient to an alternative destination house bill twelve sixty one Insurance and Commerce hassle fourteen twenty five. Ma'am all represented berry and senator mark Johnson to update the military code of Arkansas house bill fourteen twenty five state agencies. House for fourteen sixty two. As for fourteen sixty two Senator Scott Senator Irvin to amend the law concerning use in foster care and to certify unaccompanied homeless use house bill fourteen sixty two public health. Passer fourteen seventy five a representative baby. To amend the property tax exemption for an tangible personal property to identify the intangible personal property of self service storage facilities that is exempt from property taxes require a county assessor to provide an explanation related to a taxpayer's tank in tangible personal property houseful fourteen seventy five Revenue and Tax house for fourteen ninety eight by representative program to amend the law related to a microbrewery restaurant private clubs House Bill fourteen ninety eight. City county local has for fifteen eleven by representative Scott center Johnson. To create Charlie's law and require electronic child safety alarm system to be installed on the school bus Council fifteen eleven education. Hassle fifteen twenty four by representative bearing to amend the law concerning publication of notice required for certain public works contract procurements hassle fifteen twenty four state agencies. Also fifteen seventeen by representative enters and Senator son to separate the office of sheriff in town elector Washtenaw county and to consolidate the offices of tax collector and a county treasurer in Washtenaw county house bill fifteen seventeen city county local. As for fifteen twenty five by representative Hodges in center Dotson to amend the definition of rebates issues in the business of insurance and to modify the minimum threshold value of token gifts in the business of insurance house bill fifteen twenty five. Insurance and Commerce hassles. Fifteen of thirty two by representative Hodges in center valley to amend the law concerning charitable organizations and to modify the requirements concerning annual financial reports a charitable organizations houseful fifteen thirty two Insurance and Commerce. House of fifteen fifty seven by representative Tosh and Senator Blake Johnson. To amend Arkansas law concerning the confidentiality of certain records related to a coroner's investigation house for fifteen fifty seven state agencies. As for fifteen fifty a representative Pilkington to amend the prior authorization Transparency Act and modify the medication assisted treatment under the Arkansas under the prior authorization Transparency Act house for fifteen fifty eight Insurance and Commerce. Any further announcements Senator Pitsch you're recognized. Thank you Mr president retirement committee will meet Monday mornin should be eight thirty if we can we'll back it up to nine o'clock but check the calendar will be Monday morning. Any other announcements. The announcements the Senate will stand endangerment subject to the clearing of the desk until one PM March thirteenth two thousand twenty three.