Education Committee - Senate

Really full schedule this this morning so we'll begin right here with a house bill eleven fifty six. Representative Bentley. You will identify yourself you'll be raking. There we go state representative Mary Bentley here this morning with at a small amendment with house bill eleven fifty six senator Jimmy Hickey asked me to make an amendment to a house bill eleven fifty six. First page of the bill. Always If the original. Bill online thirty four if the fifty ones required sure sleeping quarters for the member of the same sex we want to make sure that it was clear that the the student could have a single occupancy room so the amendment this provides for Singh August this thing occupancy sleeping quarters for student on overnight trips so this amendment to house bill eleven fifty six I think we don't have the amendment yet right well second sorry that's the way the member yeah simple amendment that I'm Tom Senator Hickey that I would do to the bill that's fine. Everybody meant to read the amendments for short so. Motion by. Senate. To adopt the amendment I have a second second by Senator stone. All they were. All opposed thank you. Thanks very much we look at line thirty four and thirty five and original bill it just said the student is required an overnight trip to share sleep board with a member of the same sex and the members just says that the student can share sleeping quarters the member of the same sex if necessary multiple members or is provide the single occupancy sleeping quarters it just allows a student have a single occupancy room if the school of their nature they would like to as well does and I ended my amendment and I'll take any questions from the. The members. Any questions from the committee. Senator Leding. Thank you madam chair of. So when this bill this bill that the Senate for a couple weeks ago and I brought this up in my remarks against and I'm hoping maybe you can provide some provide an answer there's a study that shows that when these kinds of policies are in place and schools that actually increases the risk of sexual assault for trans students by about twenty six percent and so I know that the the. Does this legislation that we're trying to protect students but we have data that shows legislation like this actually puts transfer students a greater risk of sexual assault so what would you. What would you say that data I have personal of business with all of my superintendents and I've visited with them they're the ones asked me to bring this bill forward in that personal experience and their students here in Arkansas they feel if the students much safer and I'm that's why I brought this before that know what data you're talking about what research study looking at but I was it was a Harvard study done just a couple years ago with a look at that class or school district all across the country and and and just surveyed transfused transients and it's just pretty convincing data and if we're really trying to keep students safe I don't know why we would pass legislation that would put. An already vulnerable population at greater risk of sexual assault in regard to pass this bill out of committee with just a simple amendment percent understandable back committees I really want to mention my statement and I appreciate you let me finish my statement I was again saying we'll pass the bill we've spent was good and safe but again we have parents that are very concerned because a young girl was raped in the bathroom by students who claim to be transgender who was not a you know he raped younger in the bath and the student the superintendent did nothing about it but that student another school may have another young girl so we have young girls I can assure you a text from parents issued me students in fable young girls that refused to go to the bathroom and they hold their pee all day and they have your truck inspections because they're uncomfortable going the bathroom with the transgender students so again we're looking at all the students not just the a few looking to every student every student can be safe and everyone of my superintendent said this is the safest way for not only there's all this to the transfer students every student have a safe comfortable place and I'm looking at all the students not just for you every student this is a way for all of them to be safe and to be more protected and that's exactly why brought the bill forward. Right but again we're dealing with actual data that shows that this is going to take an already vulnerable population put them at greater risk and what would you say to the parents of trans you were worried that this is going to put their child at greater risk of suffering a safe place for their child to go the bathroom a safe place where a semi occupancy bedroom and saying aye the bathroom for them to be safe and comfortable go to the bathroom so I'm sorry future debt or whatever you bring forth senator thank you. Thank you are there any other questions from the committee. What is the are there any other people in the audience would like to speak for or against this bill. Let's see we have Anthony that. Was referred hi Jessica Disney. You identify yourself to be recognized. So my name is Jess Disney or just a dozen I am a citizen from Conway Arkansas and have spent years working with marginalized used in central Arkansas area I am speaking to this bill today because this bill seeds take away the right for transgender students to use the bathroom in accordance their gender identity something that has been as a senator Leding has mentioned proven to do nothing other than harm to transgender students in question. Of course is transgender students to use single occupancy bathrooms as opposed to just being one of the options offered it leads students to questioning why a student or one of their peers is not able to be like the others why the must be singled out and told to go elsewhere. Most people of Sir knight just erupted just for one second and everybody only has two minutes. But thank you for coming out of. I did want to mention or go into some more detail on the survey is that have been conducted to the data that we do have for this so some people have mentioned that this bill is kind of common sense Senate seats to take care of all of our students however we do know that due to a UCLA school of law twenty eighteen study reviewing evidence regarding safety and privacy in restrooms locker rooms and changing rooms that and I quote inclusion of gender identity and various nondiscrimination laws did not affect the number or frequency of criminal incidents and restrooms locker rooms and changing rooms reports of privacy and safety violations of public restrooms locker rooms and changing rooms are already exceedingly rare. A twenty twenty you're reviewed study by the Trevor project's researchers published in the journal of adolescent health from the trans gender non binary you for two to two point five times as likely to experience a very a very is depressive symptoms seriously consider suicide and attempted suicide compared to their cisgender peers. Many of these use lack access to affirming spaces with only fifty five percent of the youth reported that their school is affirming and only thirty seven percent reporting that their home is affirming. By othering are transgender students we are opening them up not to be protected and it is not adequate to provide or force them to use a single occupancy room as it is taking away their right to exist as who they are that in finance I am open to questions I have many youth and stuff that have reached out to me and said Arkansas entrusted me with their experience and pretty well read on that so if there's any questions I'm open. Thank you for your testimony appreciated. Of. For. Just. This is Serra ever. My name is Sir I read on the policy director for the ACLU of Arkansas just wanted to know if you things it including the fact that we've we've been told many times by schools and students and and school districts that there are not enough single occupancy facilities in schools across the state for them to actually accommodate trans students or other students who need to use those facilities including students with this. Nothing to help students like those in Huntsville on the Morrow who were assaulted by students of the same sex in their locker rooms and no other legislation seems to be addressing that issue which is actually happening here in Arkansas and again this this other mythical thank trans person is not a has not been shown to ever be an issue in Arkansas. and of course multiple it circuit courts of appeals in the United States have held up policies like this to be violating title nine because they clearly discriminate against students based on sex thank you thank you very much. The. Senator Hammer. Thank you major thank you for being here this morning you're the director of ACLU's that correct I'm that policy director the big direct okay our policy director do you hold any other professional titles Such as a maybe a social worker or anything else that gives you expertise in this area I'm an attorney and attorney okay okay all right that's all I need to thank you. Thank you very much. Say. Senate K. owed o'connell. Yes hello I'm came amid o'connell and I'm a trans non binary student attending a public school here in Arkansas. And I'm against this bill because well right now transponders suicide rates are already several times higher than there since counterparts which is largely due to bullying ostracizing and lack of safe spaces within our Arkansas Community and this bill will effectively. Separate the trans individuals from the CIS individuals which one will be good for the trans students mental health and it will out of the trans individuals to people who might not be safe which will. Including me it will paint a target on my back for bullying gossip and social ostracizing and that already makes the trans individuals in this community for very vulnerable. And I as a person have already been followed by another minor of who waited for me outside of the bathroom to try and tell which agenda I was originally. And I've already had another minor since minor try to look down my shirt when he figured out I was trans and we don't need people. No we don't need to ouch more people so that people who will want to hurt others can see them and I do like how in the bill you it tends to include single stall accommodations however the way it does so is not sustainable because my school only has one in its in the nurse's office which is not accessible from a classroom perspective but also you need permission to use it and it's meant for use by sick kids who are having stomach problems at school I think needed more than me and. My school does not have the funding to build more of these accommodations for people who need them and they're just if we just had one there too many trans gender non conforming and intersex people at my school to use that one bathroom I'm is that they could very much for your common questions later. It's the. Maready o'connell. Hi my name is Reverend Marie Maynard o'connell but I'm here today is a parent of a trans student My chief concern in two forms both with The Amendment I'll start there any amendments. The ability to have a single sex room is good but the requirement to have a single sex room if you were the only non binary student puts a burden on my child's of. If there are other non binary students of either gender could they room together that question is left unanswered. It is also left unanswered who bear the financial burden for providing the single room whether that's the school or myself. And. I'm imagining them the most likely scenario for the amendment which would be up jazz band events in which my student is often the only one like them and that they would be further ostracized from the social activities that go along with having that space but to speak to Greg Leding this point I would be concerned about my students not having a roommate in and being. At risk of. Sexual assault from their classmates to the bill as a whole I when I spoke with Mister Sullivan about this bill and the a combination of a single stall restroom we discussed how this bill could be acceptable because money could fix the problem if there were adequate single stall facilities then everyone could be served equitably but as it is now there is no acknowledgement of the actual financial implications to the school districts and so I am confident that no additional single stall restrooms will be built I ask Mister Sullivan to please amended this bill and address this thank you very much for your confidence Preciado moping the questions thank you. The city. M. D. hunter. Hello my name is Andy hunter I'm just a concerned citizen. I just want you to ask yourself why why exactly do we need to have this bill as Senator Leding Leding said is already dead out that shows that this bill harm students I don't understand why we keep saying that we're trying to protect students when there is literal data that says that this is going to harm our trans students I am a gay male who is six from here in Arkansas and I remember very vividly when I was growing up that I was picked on just for being gay in the mails bathroom so you can only imagine what it would be if we feel like for trans youth to be in the bathroom and being picked on just for being who they are so this bill is going to put them in a position where they are going to be targeted even more than they already are in our society today. representative Billy brought up some unnamed student who I tax somebody who's and specifically said they were not trans and they said that they were tracts so why exactly putting this bill up then you've already acknowledged that this person was not trans so why are we attacking actual trans students who which are just going to the bathroom. and. Just put it in sight transport some of the most talented and strong individuals I've ever met in my entire life they have to do with things like this particular bill and several other bills that have been proposed in our legislative session just this section alone and I want to be mindful of who is actually putting these bills up because representative Bentley is one of those people who's put up most of them so don't say that this is not about hate and attacking our trans and non binary individuals and that's all I have to say. Senator Hammer. Thank you ma'am and thank you for being here I just wanna make sure I took something away from your chest which I did misunderstand that I got the impression that you do not feel safe going into a bathroom where there are multiple people based on your past experiences that I understand that correctly that you've had experiences where you did not feel safe in a bathroom setting that allowed multiple people and. I'm I wouldn't necessarily say that as a kid I was picked on because I'm different so as a game now and now I don't feel unsafe going to the bathroom because I'm comfortable with who I am however a trans youth was growing up and trying to identify who they are themselves being in a place that they're going to be attacked way more than I was as a as a game now is going to put them at risk I cannot imagine a trans youth one man who is going to a bathroom that is a male bathroom could you imagine that at trans woman going to a bathroom filled with men who are men men having to go in there it's just not right that would and and no I cannot imagine that but I'm I'm not open to the lifestyle so I would not put myself in a position to imagine what that would be like but the second question I would have is this. Would you not feel safer going into a bathroom that was a single occupancy bathrooms that was designated so you didn't have to worry about encounters with anybody else would it not be a safer environment for you that way I think that's a safe environment for everybody in general however again this is going to be a fun thing a lot of our schools are ready under paid a lot of our public restrooms already don't have the funds for things like that so it's just not going to be a problem is going to be able to be solved. But the question set on his side you would feel safer in a single accommodations than you would a multiple accommodation me personally I don't mind but our trans youth probably would that thank you. Thank you very much for your comments initiate. All we have signed up for. Other questions from the committee. So what is the will of the committee I'm sorry who had. Close are you closing your bill. AS one say thank you again for passing the bill yes it would just bring the bill back as a courtesy to Senator Hickey who want to make sure I was clear that we could have single occupancy overnight stays for students to keep them safe so I would really appreciate a good vote on the amendment would bring for you today and and on the bill. Okay. the senator Chesterfield thank you. Thank you representative Bentley I'm still troubled by the line it says we take the glasses off read a. It says except as provided in subsection B. of this section public school district or open enrollment public charter school that sponsors a supervising overnight trip involving a public school student shall ensure that a public school student attending the overnight trip is required to share sleeping quarters with a member of the same sex so even if they have the money to have a single room it seems to me you're requiring them to share a room is that what you're saying you senator we that's the amendment the amendment Iverson yeah that's exactly what we're here today thank you over the issue and make sure that they are allowed to sing okay so thank you senator we just confirm I need for the amendment that I brought to you today. Temperamental what is the will of the committee. If. They paid special yes. Thank you madam chair a just a week I reference datum opening remarks I was going to share a little more detail but if we heard that during public testimony we heard directly from somebody who will be harmed by this legislation I know the intent is to protect kids and I know that that intent is sincere but this legislation will do nothing to protect anybody it will put a vulnerable group of children at greater risk of harm and I think the thing that is just equally offensive is that legislation like this assumes the trans you are somehow inherently more of a threat to people and that's just absolutely not true. Thank you. A further discussion. Is there a second. Second by Senator stone. All in favor. All opposed no ayes have it thank you thank you chairman thank you committee for your time I appreciate it. The Representative Mayberry House Bill twelve fifty four. You would identify yourselves please you will be recognized sure state representative Julie Mayberry. Kim Hammer say senate district sixteen. And this is our house bill twelve fifty four we have an amendment now okay. Thank you. Thank. Thank you. Would you like to explain your minimum Amendment. Well this is what the Committee the last time we were here had requested we went to the department and asked for some feedback and this is this amendment that was suggested to address the concerns that were raised last time we were here. It's the solution to the issue of there being no cap madam chair. Other questions from the committee. So second. Check. All in favor all those thank you. You may proceed. We we spent a great deal of time talking about this bill I I we were one vote shy we were told to come up with a way to add a cap to it and that's exactly what we've done and. Create a. Good vote. You have questions. Senator Dotson. Yeah that maybe maybe I should thank you madam chair may rest of it. **** during the amendment portion but would you mind kind of explaining The Amendment and how this how will work what's going on with that sure can I can I ask the facilities department come up you'll probably do a better job. Certainly. Tim Kaine director facilities and transportation in death senator to answer your question what and the Department of ad is is new on this bill is for last week but. What what does instead of eliminating the cap it puts a cap in in its based on the average of the statewide funding factors. So for example If it was if we're looking at the twenty three twenty five which is coming up partnership cycle that we. The average state why would be to eighty two hundred eighty nine dollars and seventy one cents would be the cat which is fairly close to what House adequacy had had recommended. So every two years it would in the even year selling twenty twenty four we would take the average statewide of the funding factors that we receive from a vendor that look statistically at finding factors around the state based on construction cost is based on R. S. means which is. Which is a very respected company. I so it says. The funded statewide funding factors from his facilities as determined under subsection a two of this section so. If I'm reading that correctly that's line on page two lines sixteen through. Twenty four. That is that. Yes Sir and that's what we get this every year. These funding factors so. Those are the benefactors the would terminate. Yes Sir needs for all twelve regions of the State for based on Roman projections for the size of the schools that type of schools whether to an elementary middle or high school it's kind of like a matrix. The average of that statewide average would be the case yes it would be the cap so that could be. What would that make the cap right now well for twenty three twenty five it would raise the cap from the current two hundred in rule two two hundred eighty nine dollars and seventy one cents to eighty nine seventy one from two hundred. And what does that do as far as like the projects that could be approved then out of that. Well. It would there would be less projects funded. Then there would be a two hundred dollar tab so currently it doesn't change any of the cost factor the bill or the the fiscal impact of the bill that's correct it's just leaving there and says we're going from two hundred to two eight nine. Whatever in change that you said yes for two years and then I'll be re averaged at the end of two years and every two years thereafter for the twenty five twenty seven cycle we would take the average that would get it usually November December the even year okay we'll do the same thing if this bill becomes law all right thank you. Senator Bryan. Can you can you go back in time and so currently we do annually it bumps up what was the average the average annual our. What was the average annual increase they were you know the last ten years if we were evaluated annually this and that this partnership funding the go up I have to go back and look but it's it's it was fairly. It was kind of a small increments until two years ago and then it jumped from twenty twenty November twenty twenty to another member of twenty twenty two it jumped about forty three percent because of the increased construction costs so the reason we say every it says every other year that's because we have two years in the partnership cycle and we wouldn't want to do Fite different funding factors in year one and year two. Thank to be problematic. Chesterville. Nice thank you up. A representative may be area senator Hammer thank you for bringing the bill Correct me if I'm wrong but the only changes are the ones that are underline is accurate. The amount of state financial participation under this section is limited killing you change it to shall be. Then it says instead of formulas you change funding factors. And then you have an establishing the funding factors these are the things these already exist is not correct. So what we're changing some language that. That does something The division shall not lower the funding factors damage this subsection of this section is that basically what you're doing and this will allow school districts them to have a great amount of money can't hear those things that they need because they're woefully underfunded now as they continue as they try to engage in buildings and all of that stuff do I have that about right because apparently I missed seeing a wonderful face down here before and it's good to see especially since we but districts out thank you madam chair thank you for the clarification I appreciate it so I I would I ask a question kind of I'm sure it's not ever happened but so if the construction costs were to go down would you also do that same thing with this funding factor yes ma'am that if the cost if the if the construction cost drop in our funding factors because the state should draw in the average would drop CS ma'am. Madam chair I am not. I think what we're sitting here is a floating factor with the smoothing effect that is things rise and fall this will allow us to be able to rise and fall with them idealistic Lee would like to thank that things will go down realistically I don't see that any time. Any time soon economics one no one is things are sticky up yes ma'am they don't come back down. Are there any further questions from the committee. Senator by it. Yeah just just for to gain. Is there a point where every two years we just get to the point where. We should still have a cap overall on it. Because the say construction costs keep going up in two years third third fifty percent again greater. And then we we we we calculated in our. Foundation dollars or five hundred dollars but which same part of money even shrinks down even more is there any need to have a Catholic no more than fifty dollars every two years Leding increase because you put it was marginal going up like last ten years and also we're at forty three percent. It is a reasonable that we say but not to exceed thirty percent of any any rise just to make sure that they get spread of a month or school districts. Senate by my understanding question. You're asking if if there should be a percent increase in the in the law that capped a percentage increase because it's safe to say the average statewide costs are just astronomical now granted this this is not make or break the school doing this is this cover soft costs and seed money and you know it's just a small percentage of the overall build cost and I know schools have to factor that in in a villages and all that stuff but. I mean if the if the goal was to make sure all schools get a piece of this pie and the pike it's getting cut in a bigger bites sure we have should we use that out over time with the cap on the overall percentage every two years or is it just it is what it is that the market rising deal with. That's a good question I've what I would say the answer that in my opinion is that that's something we can look at moving forward depending on what the market does and see how this goes but that's something we can definitely consider what I think this does versus taking it away mopping purses and moving the cap as it does provide some controls because you've got your taken an average and that's your call. And I understand what you're saying it's it's moving most likely applicant Kerr said but but at least it is a cat does allow anything to go. The tax to your question I think that's something we can look at the future depending on what the market shows but I think this is a good compromise in my opinion. They're Davis thank you madam chair and. It's I wanna make sure I'm understanding correctly says in the amendment the maximum funding factor will be the average of the funding factors for new facilities statewide. And so I wonder. Like if that is a real cap if every you know of all the school districts continue to raise prices and. At like drive concept like the concerns I had last time I guess our that and maybe a school like costs are driven up for different reasons right but one school district does it and then others follow suit because it's just the average of what they all do so they still control driving like they still control the costs are being able to drive it up if they want to which will determine than the average of. The Max funding factor is that makes sense so yes ma'am so I'm not sure that my concerns are alleviated because it's it's still and it feels almost like a round about way and if they wanted to do a loophole to be able to still have the cost the as high they want to be as if if one is or does it and they all continue to do it and then they naturally get to control that average cost across the state. So can I repeat it back to you to see if we're locked in on the same concern not that I have it but just one St St so school a says Hey we're gonna do this and it's going to be at this price and just say they're gonna build the Taj Mahal is going to drive up the cost and then the school comes in behind it says well they got to do it so we're going to do it and now after a period of time that's the way that you get around it and sure it's got a cap on it but it's not real cap because they've they've kind of done the end around that you talked about by building Taj Mahal's instead of what they really need that's that's your concern correct yes a member of the committee I'd like to ask. Asked him to respond to that and I think the answer is going to be that's part of where they come in as far as reviewing what plans are in the department would have to have some influence over the cost of the decision what they want to make but I'd be curious to hear what you would say as far as how to answer the short. Senator when we review a project we we look to safe and here's to the roles we look to see if it here to the facility manual searching from around the state we only fund up to what's called the program requirements so we don't. Any anything above that in square footage or any amenities that the district has to absorb that. To answer your question your concern I. If I could just go back and kind of explain how it works it's just to be clear the funding factors are not the Bill Gates that they're getting. From contractors. the funding factors are derived from statistical analysis done based on the market conditions which I give you are tied to that. but I want to give an example like if if we're looking at twenty three twenty five in the cap is two hundred eighty nine dollars and seventy one cents we have quite a few around the state right now that are over three hundred on the funny actor so it would cap that. As far as you're concerned about. It continuing to rise I mean I think that that what you're saying is is true I mean it's gonna it's gonna be an after effect of of the prices so when we review something we do we do review for paid for use of funds but we were really this type of those funding factors so I think it's something definitely we can look at the future. Keep an eye on that but I understand your concerns that make sense. Are there any other questions did you get to Senator. Are there other questions from the committee. In the audience to speak for against. What is the will of the the are you closing. I'd like to close just stash that the this is a. I think this is a reasonable attempt an effort to address the concern listing though to Mr a Kean's comments I wonder if the concerns. That were raised any questions Senator Davis need to be addressed another legislation as we go back and look at those fundie factors and we we tie hands a little tighter somewhere else. what drives the need for this is that it seems that we have a lot of schools that get there nearly but they don't get their completely and what this would do. Including adding the amendment would allow us to let those schools go head to get finished so they could get off the list and then the next cycle schools coming around would have a greater opportunity to get it completed that was part of the intent in this and so I would appreciate and I'll make the motion do pass madam chair I would appreciate a good vote because while this may not get us as far as what you want to get to it takes us in a better direction and we're going right now and at least help you move down the wall down the down the road and to the other issues that address we still got playtime this session in order to address those in a tidal wave that still is a concern with that manager make a motion to pass and appreciate your. As amended as amended S. as amended judgment Chesterfield U. Mendis. Second. Yes the. You can. Senator Rapert. Thank you madam chair at I think last last time when they're in this we had we're documentation overall costs and one of the issues that they're concerned with was the implementation of the twenty twenty one international building code that required to shelters I know there's a bill filed to. Maybe push those standards down the way a little bit so we can get hold on actual cost so I don't know that there's. Well I know that the construction costs are going up I mean this isn't designed to build schools is designed to partner with them and and get them seed money to start the process and see what that looks like so I don't I'm I'm just concerned this is this is too soon to see about the rapper has around within with learns Act what that's gonna do for a facilities and budget so. I just want to throw that there's discussion thank you. Thank. Hammer. As a member of the committee you cannot discuss certainly all right be my guest the way I would see it is that with the other piece of legislation that's out there dealing with the safe from. Which I think is a good piece of legislation proceed to pause button I'm not. In my mind if that goes through. Then it could have a positive effect on this because it could remove some of the costs associated with that safe room of what this bill is intended to do which is how I illustrate while ago we're setting a floating or float we're we're putting in place a floating of. Bill to to follow floating chart if you would please as costs go up and we've talked about how to address those concerns but as cost goes down coat go down into the safe room bill goes through the costs go down then this is is going to help push it down and keep that cap in place as far as the amount of funding you know that that's going to be handled in the you know in the in the matrix proposal or and learns Act and and the costs associated with the large act I thank all we're doing is just taking the same amount of money that is there now and saying let's get the projects done that need to get done so we can get him off the list and what other projects coming behind them and that way the schools can complete their buildings With with this new piece of legislation I personally believe the safeguards or they're that if we can go ahead move this forward and let the other piece of legislation that I think a program to pass that I would support personally it'll all come together before we get out of here for the session. That's why I'll be voting for it thank you mention. I make a motion as amended. As amended. Second issue. Senator Chesterfield has seconded that motion thirty more discussion on the motion. All in favor hi All opposed. Senator Davis. No. Senator Leding. Thank you senator Hammer. Hi Senator Bryant. No center stone. Now senator Dotson. Now. Senator Chesterfield. Yes. I'm sorry the bill has failed. Okay. So Mayberry you have that next bill do you want that. Okay all right representative years. You have house bill eleven. I mean thirteen ninety three. Thank you make thank you madam chair thank you Committee. And my co of and your name is. J. Pierre State district forty representative. in my tell me how to do this my co sponsor of the Senate is not here at. The bill all right get into your bill with this bill I have in front of me is to create a mental health awareness week for public schools and all schools not just public school but I'll schools is I'll rate it is to raise awareness of mental illnesses remove stigma and misunderstandings associated with mental illnesses and provide support for the. The experience mental illnesses the first full week of class in my Arkansas schools shall be shall be recognized as mental health awareness week with that there's no economic impact we have no known opposition and I was a part of the one at southside last year it was very. It went over well they had a five K. they raise money for their school and and support this because. And you some was asked at first why I'm why may well when you look on a nationally may is mental health there's like six different sixty six designated wait in and around my that or mental health awareness. And so with that said I will I'll take questions. The questions from the committee. The body in the audience speak for against. Please. So what is the will of the committee. Senator Chesterfield as bill do pass Senator Leding is seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion. All in favor. All those thank you pass to bill thank you it was a good experience first. We're not really mean in the year. Okay let's see. Senator Solomon. Senate bill one twenty five this year. Okay. Thanks. The Bill pass. One Bills built one month's failed. If the dam. Okay Senate bill Two oh eight Senator Penzo. You see here. Okay all right. Okay Senator Tucker is not here. Senator Dismang. Is not here. some of the run senator Caldwell's bill senator still need to run that. S. as Senate bill three fifty five. When checking your question while we're early thank you so back on on twelve fifty four we pulled it down last time it failed this time you can still remain on the agenda to be brought back we don't we we just leave it set there will be back. Yes the vote the first time yeah but by it failing today it could still be brought back up for consideration without having to do the X. bunch of the stuff right. And then one and then it would go to that would go the deferred it bills. Get one Richard Wright thank you thank you senator Bryan clarification on on Senator hammers bill because we adopted it with amendment is after run after run on the floor for that amendment to be engrossed and then that would stay even though the Bill failed. And then it stays in the committee to the Committee stays in the committee to explain to vote I wish it was adopted. They're Chesterfield. Yes. No bottom bottom. The top of it look at the top there. No no. You didn't do that you could do that. You will identify yourself you'll be recognized Maxtone state of state senator district to issue stated on one of the bill for Senator Caldwell had a conflict could make it this morning the purpose of this bill there's several school districts in the state they're building gymnasiums they're in various stages of completion there happened to be in faced with having to make make compliance with the storm shelters be required this bill will give those schools an exemption to finish their projects without having to comply with the federal laws to the storm killed three and if they do it will make the it will revel dropped calls to where they will be sustainable level they will finish their projects. Other questions from the committee. Yes he does not senator Chesterfield you just turn on your. Thank you. Okay at sandstone yes what you're saying is there federal guidelines that are applicable to new construction is that what you're saying yes but if these buildings have already begun that is correct then we'll. How does that with that conflict with federal law or with that be a part of federal law thank you one of the things Senator Caldwell told me that they're going to get our fellow exemption to work with them to know how that happens all right thank you that clarifies my. Senator Hammer. Thank you I'm on his team still in the room. The step out. I'll ask you okay and maybe if you don't know me we get answer for somebody but does now of do you know what this is going to do as far as reducing the cost for the for the building what the square foot I do not. I'd like to to weigh in on that just maybe answer center just bills and hammers which so when when we adopt the twenty twenty one IBC out there in A. L. C. your go it added storm shelters in two classifications E. buildings. so what this does is just suspend that part of the IBC. So to answer your question I mean testimony on Senate represent Mayberry's Bills awfully five hundred dollars a square foot for that shelter so it should lower that footage for that designated person five hundred dollars a square foot. The international building code. Is that is the parent for all the other coat. I am under the impression that you were here we are not going to. I would say I would say no now I'm not Turnier. That but. Senator Hammer. It either the sponsor over to center right through the to the chair. The the buildings that currently are approved based on them putting ace a safe room in it does this allow them to suspend their plans if they are doing a freestanding safe room that's not designed into the plans of the classroom. We have an answer. I don't I'm I'm not I don't have that answer I think is jams that are currently being built that they felt like they don't have to add the safe route it makes it is less then be exempt from adding a. safe room what made construction the. Thank you madam chair so if you are in the in the design process and you're getting costs in from from your our of peas. This bill would say you can rejects the storm shelter cost if you've already stuck shovel in the ground this does not exempt you you've got to continue that storm shelter. After twenty twenty five stickers shovel in the ground the design better have had a storm shelter and so give the eggs giving a little window so we can. Reprimands roundness all right and. Can we continue this conversation in a manner certainly. We all need the information. Then that would mean that the dollars that they have been approved for to move forward with construction. Those monies would be returned. The the difference would be returned back to the agency to be redistributed to other school districts that maybe their plans. they they didn't get approved or they got approved but they didn't get the money because there was enough money because I think I think this program is substantial chunk of change that we're about to re direct back to the Department. I would save the school district decided to not move forward because the overall cost of construction the you know kick the can down the road they did return that nothing ever see the foundation funding because they didn't approve the project but that foundation funding would go back into the pot for other schools to move for. So that's going to give us a. We're gonna have a temporarily we're gonna have a temporary. Cost of construction per square foot. That if we were to set a cap on it. It might give us a false indicator of what that cap number RB. I would say we we won't get it back it's of the school system if the school system where is had in design but then pulls it out. The overall cost of that building still is way way high in our current funding is capped at the two hundred dollars per foot so the still retain that two hundred partnership money. They just don't have to spend extra money on the on the bill to the show the storm shelter. Okay. All right. Thank you so the my question then is that the the requirement the money to build those shelters is not included in there. That's extra money my guess is including the overall costs but that that partnership money just covers this much of of the square footage per you know six sixty eight dollars a foot and all buildings are going to be two hundred plus dollars of the. So even though reduces overall costs of the square footage of the bill the partnership money still has to come up to sixty dollars hi. Other other questions from the committee. Good discussion. A little louder. So if the if the if the current design with without storm shelter is going to be greater than two hundred dollars for two or fifty three hundred dollars a square foot that is storm shelter was under testimony was pushing that up to like four hundred dollars fifty four dollars or five hundred. The partnership funding as is currently I'm control number after seventy dollars a square foot. Even if we reduce the price the building by the by passing this bill. The price is still two hundred dollars but the partnership money is still gonna be seventy dollars a foot so we won't get anything back to just the overall cost the build wealth school districts complete a project. Yeah I know the. And I'll be done. The. So I'll have a follow up conversation because I'm going back to the previous bill that we just voted down and add that four hundred fifty what is that number said at and if it's set at four hundred fifty what's true crosses to fifty I just try to make sure we're comparing apples to apples I'm trying to get my mind around it that we're trying to that four fifty versus two fifty and as far as how we go about setting a cap knowing that were if this passes were we are it's going to have some bearing on the cost of that cap even if it's just a little you mention but okay all right thank you thank mentorship. Okay any further questions from the committee or discussion. Do I have a motion. Motion to. There's nobody in the audience speak for against. You want to close the bill the close appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Do I have the. They pardon. You senator stone made a motion to pass and senator Hammer seconded. If the discussion on the motion. All in favor. All opposed. Thank you Estherville. Okay. you see here hi Senator Mickey you have Senate bill three sixty one. It identify yourself will be recognized. The Committee chairman Mickey state Senate district six. Senate bill three sixty one. Thank you members of this is a bill that simply seeks to a room some barriers for home school students to participate in interscholastic activities that are not provided in their school in a school district in which they live. And I'll be happy to take any questions. Chesterfield. Thank you mention thank you Sir thank you for taking my question I remember past the GMT bowl Act down here has that substantially houses stand three different. What are the barriers that you're rebuilding currently of our current procedure requires the approval of the home school superintendent and the superintendent of the school in which the program that they're seeking to participate in is provided this would eliminate the necessity for their home school superintendent to make that approval. I don't even know we had home school superintendents I thought that was the parent home school superintendents the superintendent of the district in which the home schooled child resides hello I apologize for any confusion thank you. Other questions from the committee. Senator Davis thank you madam chair so as I understand with and public school students right now if you attend school a school district Hey and they don't have an an activity a club support extracurricular and in that public school student can at choice school choice into another school district that does have that activity and so do I understand correctly that this bill is insane a home school student basically has that same ability like if the district that they reside in is not have that activity they can choice into a district that does which is what we already do for public school districts thank you thank you. Thirty questions the other. Questions from the committee. There's nobody you speak for against the bill. Would you like to close the bill I'm close from a bill appreciate a good vote. Thank you. What is. Senator still made motion do pass Senator Davis second. A motor any discussion on the motion. All they. All opposed. Thank you pass the bill thank you. Okay let's see senator flowers. Senator Irvin. She's not here. Senator Tucker is not here. All represented in it And and center Chesterfield they're going to do that bill. You're recognized. Thank you madam chair Linda Chesterfield Senate district twelve presenting this bill has. Scott and I have to create the seizure safe schools act. A we have a number of children with epilepsy one of the reasons that this bill is near and dear to Senator in its heart Anshu representative partners are is because they have they are personally affected by the bill what the bill does simply is to provide training and that training will be at no cost to be provided by the national epilepsy society. But there will be two people identified in the school. And that will be able to provide services for a child who has epilepsy the parent has responsibility. to make sure that the medicines that are needed but just a personal story about epilepsy when I was teaching school when I was younger so much younger than today Which we would charge you have to hold the child's time all that changed the training changes and and our knowledge of epilepsy has changed so what we have come to do should ask you today it's just say that there should be two people who know that the child has epilepsy is familiar with the medication has gone through the training. And the child has some security in knowing there's somebody here. There's somebody here at this school they can help me and basically that's what the bill does I'd be happy to take any questions. Senator Hammer. Thank you after all for I just trying to find it here. How does this because I'm saying about other medical issues like diabetes and administration of medication and everything does it give that person the latitude in here to be able to give prescription medicine maybe even thought it yes of the the two trained individuals with no risk the parent would provide that the medication of course and those individuals who are the two designated individuals. Would be but no the proper dosage how to administer it that's what the training is supposed to be about and it also would make sure that if they do it in good faith and follow what is happening that they will not be held liable and I think that's important as well so it's a great deal it's I think is one of our greatest opportunities to help children who really need our help greatly and representative entities here she wishes that wishes to come to the table and add anything one other quick question the the nurses the nursing social school nurses all that they're all on board with this as far as I know yes okay there's been no opposition okay thank you passed out of the house ninety eight and okay and it's one of I think one of those great bipartisan bills that we can wrap ourselves thank you. The representative in it if you to identify yourself. Good morning Senate Education Committee my name is Denise Ennett and I represent District eighty here in Little Rock in parts of Alaska County this is a great bill we have about with five thousand students here in Arkansas the suffer from epilepsy or seizure disorder I'm like Senator Chesterfield mention it ask for two people to be trained on these two people can do free training with the epilepsy foundation if you're a nurse you get C. C. L. E. credit for your training in its every other year. I think Senator Rapert. Is it is a with a school employee be able to say aye I do not I'll take the training but I do not want to administer aid or render aid I'd rather. They have a right of refusal certainly this is not mandatory we're just asking the two people that could be a pair professional if a teacher's lotus sold is so high we just need to individuals designated so that the child has a seizure. That gives the child the comfort of knowing to where they should go. Okay. Other questions Senator Davis. Thank you madam chair and on Page two line for it talks about the presence of a full time school nurse shall serve as one of the school employees required under C. one where it says at least you school employees at each school should have met the training requirements is that requiring as a full time school nurse on each campus are you saying it is there's one there if there's one there in day shall be they shall be that right we're not. We know that we don't have the funding nor the nurses available to. Person every building but where there is a nurse we would automatically assume perhaps that they would have the training but it does not help to refresh your sales in knowing what exactly to do because as we learn more the training evolves as we learn more about the about the seizure disorder. And then you're saying it on a line seven a page to the ones you're saying on top of that the chief people being trained. in each school that also every other and basically person in the building principals guidance counselors teachers. We'll have to receive seventy five minutes of training or you're saying just those with the director's vision yes I do indeed have okay thank you. Are there any other questions. I believe there are a number of people here speak for the bill. let me see. Dominate I am. You feel it is yourself yes two minutes okay good morning my name is on the ground the senior manager a state relation public policy for the epilepsy foundation and I'm here to testify in support and on the bill so I if there are any additional questions I just wanna kinda library on the sea just a school initiative C. just a school initiative we successfully pass legislation in nineteen states where are we it's composed of five components that school personnel are being trained in season recognition in first aid because we know that a seizure can happen at any time and one in ten people will have a sis right some point in their lives and because students may spend most of their time that school they need that extra push protection and as representatives I'm in it you know stated there are about five thousand students living with epilepsy active epilepsy there could be more but according to the CDC they classify active duty they currently are not in remission from having seizures so they're about five thousand students living with epilepsy in Arkansas so just the overall condition of the bill is to make sure that teachers are aware of how to respond in case of a seizure that they recognize the signs and understand that there are variety different types of seizures and be able to provided adequate support so um this is our recognition and first aid training would provide that it's free of charge the epilepsy foundation has established that training through I CDC cooperative agreement we have a learning portal we track that data sold the school districts could will be able to access that they could house it on their website where the teachers to go into that care professionals that are going to be trained in administering rescue medications could go in and we can provide that information back to the district's. Okay these are all of the people that have been trained. Thank you very much for your testimony. Thank you. Thank. Thank you. Sex him Sexton. Thank you. Identify yourself you'll be recognized both of you okay. My name is Kim Sexton my name is Savannah Sexton. But I'm twelve years old and I'm from Rogers Arkansas and I was diagnosed complex partial seizures at four years old and a couple years later. A the seizure stopped. Two years ago they came back as absence seizures my type. My seizures are very easy to miss so I think that teachers should be trained on how to help me. And others when we have seizures thank you and I hope you support house bill thirty fifty. Thank you. Kim Sexton and I just wanted to speak briefly about experience as a parent of a child in public school with epilepsy and she's now in middle school but we had great experiences in elementary school having to speak on her behalf with one teacher now in the middle so it's very different having to speak in basically teach six different teachers what to do when she has a seizure and you know what to look for just in case anything happens as well as the nursing and like I said we had good experiences in elementary school but this year she started sixth grade and the third day of school I get a phone call and of course I was work and I was busy I didn't answer the phone right away and it went to voicemail and. The voice message that don't worry which of course you know coming from the school. Don't worry I worry of your daughter's fine she had a seizure in class of the teachers crying but everything's fine everybody went back to class and it's all good so I thought you know now she's having different types of seizures than what she had and so I all kinds of things went through my mind like we've got a what are on different medication different testing thank you. Okay glad that you. Make it brief okay but anyways it turned out it was that he got her confused with a different child and so you know we did have to go through all of that but it made me realize at that time how important professional training is for teachers to help them feel more comfortable and confident in taking care of children in the classroom so thank you for your time and opportunity to speak thank you for this is what we have one question I'm sure absolutely sorry. Thank you madam chair this is more of a congratulations on coming and speaking before a committee you did an excellent job and are very poised for twelve year old congratulations thank you for being. Yes the beginning. Thank you very much. The father of them some more. Let's see Charlene Kirk. All right good and good morning my name is Charlie Kirk and I'm the chair of the board of educator educators on the board of directors for the epilepsy foundation of Arkansas and the epilepsy foundation I'm also an epilepsy foundation certified instructor my daughter Sadie was diagnosed with epilepsy she was four years old and when she was first diagnosed my husband and I knew very little about this this order and had no idea where this journey with and take S. so however thirteen years later what am I am very proud of how my daughter has learned to advocate for herself and others in her school and community in fact CD my daughter here just received notice that she at got her girl scout gold awards if anybody's familiar with that thank you Eagle Scout award and at on Monday so it's very exciting for us and she actually did her gold award on epilepsy awareness and seizure for state. as she's grown older she's realize just how much stigma and misunderstanding there is around apple at sea and city and I recently gave a seizure training for school personnel workshop at park the arts and science magnet high school here in Little Rock and we had an overwhelmingly positive response to this training the teachers who attended volunteer their time after school and actually was parent teacher conferences so they can get off at one o'clock and they stayed after an to take this training because they saw the importance in educating himself about epilepsy and seizure first aid so they can better equip themselves to help students like CD at the school the trainee took about sixty minutes in person and they were very engaged in they ask tons of questions so we ended up being there for almost two hours because they we fed them or gets into prizes to but they were totally engage the keep asking so many questions that and it was it was great to see the need that was there and they gave a lot of positive feedback and since that time we've now got four other and I'm training scheduled and now central's looking for us to train and as you know anybody familiar with little school district there's a lot of schools to be trained so it's really exciting how that word spread and even one of the universities is wanting her to come and speak to their disabilities and this bill and would help parents like me and others with children living with epilepsy know that their child is safe at school this is such a common disorder that many students in Arkansas like we said around five thousand to be exact suffer from and I hope that you will give this help give parents peace of mind by voting in favor for this bill. Thank you. You have two minutes. Good morning my name is Sadie Kirk and I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was only four years old I'm not seventeen years old and I applaud C. foundation I've let some bass Center in the senior apartments are complaints magnet high school here within a literate school districts I am here today to speak on behalf of myself and all students living with this disorder I feel this bills greatly needed to help school personnel be equipped to help a student when they have the seizure they also need to be educated on the different types of seizures because not all seizures are the same in fact I have absence seizures which are basically little staring spells I ASA few seconds but if my teachers were aware that I had this the thing that I just wasn't paying attention or that I was giving up sometimes I can have the seizures up to twenty times a day I'm currently on three different types of seizure medications and I continue to have these users seizures my medication often caused me to have brain fog and sometimes forget what I'm saying when speaking in the middle of the sentence I'm very open about my seizures of my classmates and my teachers every year when school starts I am for my teachers that I've apple apps you so they can be aware in case of an emergency many times they have a frightened look on their face and ask me a lot of questions I explain to them what type of seizures I have because they to the automatically think I have tonic clonic previously referred to as grandma seizures. Then they will even contact my parents to get more information this made me realize exactly how much stigma in confusion is behind this disorder I have had a lot of support from teachers in my school administration nevertheless there's still a lot of education that needs to be done I would really appreciate your support in this bill thank you very much are there any questions from the committee. Thank you very much for your testimony thank you. David Shipley. Ninety three. Arkansas is was. Read the. It is a story read as of right of a okay wait two minutes. Thank you. If you identify yourself please. Tell us who you are my name is Lee Shipley. My name is Alicia please I am twelve years old I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was four years old. And in three K. my seizures started with just a few. In a home but they kept increasing by the time I was five I was having more than a hundred seizures a day. Because my teacher didn't know how to recognize my seizures she she thought I wasn't ignoring her and being disrespectful I guns of the day shots of the I was in this month because of my seizures. Cause me to miss information. Kate spent most of all day at school with teachers of Iran no House recognized different seizures they can help kids like me. Get diagnosed sooner. And. Treated earlier the faster we get. The faster you get control of that if. Okay. Some kids that I hope we never get to see you she shall control. We need to just turn our and just to track see yours what we need to rescue meds. We need to them to know what we want in our seizures. On making it hard to alone and the. Which one will you. Need a break. Those seizures on making our brains work over time. A teacher sure the. Knows about seizures. How to help me learn and how to keep me safe helps me be more normal kid. Teachers who will hope will. Who don't. Know what these things have made me feel really bad about myself. And made me not want to go to school. They've also. Put my health in life at this. A. Thank you. My name is Brandon Compton Shipley my brother Reese had has had epilepsy since I was a baby he has seizures every day at home and school I know what is desperate seizures look like I know how to use his VNS magnet I know when you need rescue meds I know how to keep them safe and situations that can be dangerous for him like parking lots and sidewalks I'm only eight years old and I do these things because my mom and dad can't be with me all the time I know how to do these things because my parents taught me watch out for use because he's my best friend and I love. Because reason our research and I are in different schools for the first time in because my parents can't go to school with him I think teachers should know about all the different types of seizures they should know stay safe side more than one person should know how and when to give him the medicine he needs teachers help my brother and other kids with epilepsy learned but they also need to know how to keep them safe when we can't cleans pass how to spell. Thirteen fifteen thank you very much for your testimony is excellent. That you have not won in. Yeah. So my wife and I have a the fifth number that's called. We live with it every day to pass all all of our decisions where we where we go how we travel where we travel we're we're limited by what can what we can do we know by being in hospitals throughout the country getting treatment for res that there are thousands of kids that don't get treated or treated well and early detection if it's at for a family member on school is is critical Reese's seizure activities absolves primarily it first went on under really diagnose four year to get a half four we started getting adequate care had we known that we may not be a vote that we're in today so the earlier people can recognize what it is the earlier the the the greater the likelihood that the property that can happen the kids will not be so severely kids are in school all day that's how we recognize it I can answer any questions about what it's like to have a parent on the front lines of epilepsy we we appreciate our time we encourage all to vote in favor of this number because I think it's a good forever so win win for everybody thank you very much for your testimony boy did a great job and obviously you all we all know how to read really. And competent. They've done a great job. Thank you very much. Let's see a gallon Brooks and Laurie wrote. You'll identify yourself give us your name. Good morning my name is Stan Brooks I'm a seventh grader in and it bill Amanda brother Sean has. before my brother got sick I had never heard epilepsy and he had his first seizure the Davis prepaid graduation and my grandma is taking care of us for the day when we got home he walked into the laundry room and he said staring off and wouldn't answer me and it was then he fell and hit his head on the washer it was released it was really scary and then instantly my brother has focal seizures and they're really hard to recognize sometimes he just stares off and you have to know what to watch for I have learned that to keep them safe and that again we can't hurt himself usually turning him on the site to make sure he doesn't choke or suffocate I start a timer so we know whether Gillam's emergency medication and if the steps are followed you'll be more comfortable with seizures this bill is important to me because it helps make sure my brother and other kids have seizures per se and I ask the vote yes for this bill thank you very much that was perfectly timed in two minutes yes go ahead and I'm Laurie Brooks and I'll make this brief first I just wanna say thank you for your time and consideration I am a parent of a child with seizures like the rest that you've heard I didn't know a lot about epilepsy until our son got sick his seizures are not the ones that you typically think of when you think of a seizure he stares off and they are very hard to recognize and we've had a really good experience in favor of the public schools both of our children a ten day of the public schools in our school nurse has a background in neurology so she has taken some of the steps that this bill will make happen in other schools because she was aware of how to recognize the seizure the importance of creating a process so it's not been burdensome to the school staff every year as those teachers come back before the students return she takes a moment to take all the school staff through here is our son what he looks like what is seizures like like what to do if he has one. In and then with our permission she goes into the classroom and she educates the students the teacher has twenty eight kids in the classroom it is hard she's got a lot of things pulling our time and attention and a lot of times the children are the ones who recognize the seizures first and time is critical one of the first things that happens is you start a timer and that dictates when you give the emergency medication and if she had not been informed and educated and the pro active and taking the steps the eighty seizures that our son has had in school may have gone unnoticed I appreciate ask for your support in this important legislation legislation you have some questions from the committee. Thank you very much thank you testimony. That is all we have to speak to the bill. Madam chair the individuals whom you've met today. I can't explain the bill far better than I and I would appreciate a good vote thank you make a motion yes. Okay of certain. I want thank the Senate committee and all the sponsor Senate and house member sponsors we all want our children protected while you're at school and so this is just one measure to make sure our kids come home safe and let's make Arkansas the twenty of state to adopt this and I will. Ask for a good vote thank you thank you very much. I'm. I think that is a discussion from the Committee. The. Senator. I just want to once again thank all the kids are coming they are all the excellent job wonderful. Preciado I will do pass and I also want to thank everyone who came I this is such an important issue and I thank the committee for your your attention to what they said and I would appreciate a good vote I have a second second from senator Dotson. Any discussion on the motion. All in favor aye All opposed thank you for your bill thank you thank you. Okay we have one last one and we we're going to make this very quick of that quarter till we're going to recess so centre Dotson. You have a Senate bill three sixty nine. Thank you madam chair members of the committee Senator jim Dotson district thirty four Senate bill three sixty nine. I have an amendment to to pass out. For the. For the bill. Thanks. I that first amendment if I can explain that real quickly. It's It adds representative Grant Hodges as a co sponsor of the bill it also takes on page three. The end of page three one star on line twenty seven through. Page four line three delete that and adds the paragraph language in there Regarding the platinum gold silver and bronze credential through that ACT work keys that shall be used by institution of higher education as transfer probable credit toward the attainment postsecondary tec technical degree so it kind of. Makes a little cleaner that the Department suggested some changes to that language for the weighted credit portion of the bill. So. A question then from there any questions but. I make a motion to adopt the amendment. The discussion on the motion. All in favor oppose thank you pastor Amendment. All right the Bill. So Senate bill three sixty nine Basically does a couple of different things it requires the Division of career and technical education three to review new and existing career technical pathways for credit that would. Obviously. Now it applies to the transcribe reddit. For the payment of post secondary degrees also requires that the work he's assessment involves achieved through college and career readiness readiness courses that utilize work he's curriculum B. Eligible for the same type of numeric grade that is awarded to honor type forces. And it places required computer science credit. All right career technical and. They can be included in a computer science pathway so giving kids more options trying to make sure that they're ready for The workforce as they're coming through this legislation Was brought to my attention and during schools that are working in this area a lot with students of the need for this type of flexibility specifically for CTE students in their career technical pathways course they can get the. Get the training and make sure their schedules work for them to go to get their certifications in their industries by the time they finish and complete high school I think I've. I don't want to ramble on here so try to answer any questions as other questions from the committee senator Hammer thank you how's this going to affect any funding streams that are attached to the career technical centers. At. I don't believe it will. Affect anything directly but the Department might actually be able to answer some of that little bit more specifically thank. Privilege. Ross what the director for the division of career and technical education so the way this bill is presented it does not affect anything I'm with the court our critic as secondary centers based off their funding because it is the looking at we're looking at that adjustment with the graduation requirement actually does help support the centers more I'm so you could see possible more Roman but it doesn't impact anything to their actual funding and these are technical centers that are run by K. twelve not not hire it right okay so we ran a program we ran a bill a couple sessions ago that that funding to the individual programs was on a tiered system how does this impact that would it would it could potentially save this is no longer a nice program and we're gonna take it out and we're gonna plug this one in and how's that going to all work together so with the adjustment to the graduation requirement is really again not impacting the centers because it's just looking other than a need one course to graduate high school in rather than that specific to computer science at its anything under career technical education which can still be a computer science course or could be any of our career and technical education cation programs like we currently have at the centers and at the K. twelve public schools okay thank you. Other other questions Committee. Senator Sturch this would just give the student the option of taking a class or not take it if they're going to pursue a career technical correct yes this this expands their options under the if they're going force occur in technical pathway program They're required to take that city course at least one through high school and so to expand their options of what what can they can actually take to fulfill that requirement thank you. The other questions. Is there anybody in the audience who wants to speak for against them. Anthony NO one. Thank you Senator English Antonio one co dot org president of the national advocacy coalition for CS and also senior director state government affairs I want to start just by saying We heard in the prior testimony about flexibility for students. Computer science I'm sorry. So I want to start by about some the to addressing statements prior about the flexibility that this bill a purports to bring I will also want to stress that in Arkansas there are six career focus credits which are already required for every student for graduation ACT pathway is three credits so I'll get into the reason that we are objecting to section for specifically we do not have any position on the rest the bill in fact personally I think the rest the bill is great and command read center Dotson fort but I want to I first talk about what is a yes to answer the question ACM. Has. Defined CS as a study of computers an algorithmic processes including the principles hardware software designs implementation impact on society I never like that definition so that's why lead this initiative we allow the Arkansas state standards to define what CSS for Arkansas students I just read some of the high level things because this is what we're saying every student Arkansas needs students will analyze and utilize problem solving strategies students will analyze and utilize connections between concepts of mathematics and computer science students will analyze and utilize data through the use of computing devices students will analyze and utilize concepts of cyber security students will create evaluate and modify algorithms students will create programs to solve problems students will analyze the utilization of computers within the industry students will analyze communication methods and systems used to transmit information among devices and still white students will utilize appropriate hardware and software and then to that we actually add an arm last revision was students will analyze the impacts of technology and professionalism within the computing community and students will demonstrate understanding of storytelling with data and appropriate communicate about technical information I think coming out the code pandemic and all the information floating around the last is very crucial for all Arkansas students so why is in important and why should remain a graduation requirement welp CS is everywhere is the number one source of all new wages in U. S. dozens of studies now show that learning computer science correlates with stronger reading and math scores and students who study CS excel at problem solving and students report like in computer science courses more than any other subject outside the arts and just for some national level contacts this is not just in Arkansas prior administrations at prod. It okay there are now six states that have a graduation requirements specific to CS there are several more nineteen that have expressed interest in adding it and we're looking at getting all fifty states by twenty thirty so why is Arkansas considered a leader still on this and why do we not going to roll that back after passing ACT four one four Senator English is act these are some things that. Tional positive attention to Arkansas education I'll say that again national positive attention to Arkansas education because that doesn't happen a whole lot of but we were featured by Brookings center for education how Arkansas implement is computer science education program and we were compared to other nations our state was the only state that was compared to other nations govtech road in article saying Arkansas's computer science program a model for other states and went on to say in six years since Arkansas mandated computer science and all of its high schools initiative has become a model for other states now Arkansas is making the subject to K. twelve graduation requirements. There are many more out there are met I recommend everyone in here do a web search and see that this is not just a local thing this is a national effort and this is not this is not just about getting good press though that is important for Arkansas. We have found that requiring CS as a graduation requirement is the only way to truly close both the gender gap issue that existence yes education CS builds and also the small rule schools issue there are several schools though ACT one eighty five of of our one eighty seven of twenty fifteen required ever high school in Arkansas offer CS course there were several schools over the past seven years never did. Okay the only way we can force the schools that have superintendents and principals that don't want to do this for whatever reason to do it is to mandated as a graduation requirement. in Arkansas we went from eleven hundred students to to to twenty thousand students twenty thousand three hundred the percentage of females across the nation has remained consistently about thirty percent enrollment however within this year's ninth grade class that the female student population has grown to I believe it's forty forty three percent in fact there are more ninth grade girls four thousand eighty six three taking computer science this year by the way I'm point out ninth grade because that's the first class this graduation requirement would apply to four thousand eight hundred sixty three that's more than ten to twelve grand combined for female students four thousand one hundred fifty five so this is about access may I continue just for look we're we're we're going about to recess for about twenty minutes okay and I know it's the last bill but that bill signing in the government so we're going to recess until twelve thirty okay thank you senator. A pardon. Yes the last bit of his bill. Thank you. Recess. Like any good bad to serve in the end and I'll make it a great at a certain keep those short so anyway I was I was commenting on the the rule schools in the small school issue before we broke and I just wanna drive that home early in this initiative for those you know who who didn't realize this because I got working as Senator Hammer did not know who I was but he kind of recognized me I built this initiative for Arkansas over the past eight years the CS initiative and I'm part of a national advocacy group called code dot org so early in the nation of I was contacted by one the superintendents and that person I want to say their name but they said why do my students need CS when they graduate they're just going to the fields. This is an attitude that we're trying to overcome and give students opportunities in the only way we can do that is making sure that every student has access and add our statistics show the only way that we can ensure every superintendent in principle is making sure that access is exist is whenever it's a graduation requirement I'm gonna finish with one last thing in this letter you can Google it call C. E. O.'s for CS to the governors and educational leaders of the United States of America I'm not gonna read the whole thing but in short they said every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science it's not only for careers in technology but for every career in today's world studies now show that students who learn computer science outperform our over perform in schools universities and beyond every industry is impacted by this remote work expands opportunities graduates no longer need to leave their state nearly two thirds of high skilled skilled immigration is for computer scientists in every state is an importer of the strategic talent USA has seven hundred thousand open computing jobs in only eighty thousand computer science graduates a year finally global cyberattacks that put a new spotlight on cybersecurity. They call further I read a few the names and then out and C. as a sign this John Stanky from eighteen anti Tim cook from apple so tell you Medallia from Microsoft Senator Pitsch are you from after alphabet or Google Intel Jeb bush from excel in it hi Jeff Bezos from Amazon Mike see beer from T. mobile rancor now from target Robert Isom for American Airlines Michael dell from dell technologies ed Bastian from delta airlines inmate chairman John may from John Deere if those are significant to you let me leave you with about four more by more Josh Smith from the Toba based out of Arkansas. Jackson George from apogee based out of Arkansas Lee Watson from Ford's Institute based out of Arkansas good and awesome lab scope based out of Arkansas in Doug McMillion from the five hundred pound gorilla in the room Walmart. Obviously based out of Arkansas. As I said earlier I do applaud the the portions of the bill that draw attention to workforce education and ensuring students have those opportunities I do think that there are opportunities knowing how the Arkansas education system works that this could be amended to still reach the pursuits of this bill and not take away this critical area of computer science there was one national report last comment that call the first national report that called for computer science for every student the nation. I'll just tell you when it was what it was called it was called a nation at risk and it was produced in nineteen eighty three we're forty years behind the mark on this please don't be the legislature that sets Arkansas further back. Thank you senator. Thank you madam chair and I'll be brief here in closing because I know I'm the only thing that stands between everybody and lunch and then session so just in in closing seems like the only opposition there has even come up is regarding a specific component of this bill and I just want to read something here that came from a local public school district that says that they fully support this This provision. Regarding the career and technical education credit for high school graduation This provision does not limit students from taking computer science courses rather it expands the options for students to enroll in computer science courses that align with many of the career and technical education programs of study while also expanding options for all students to explore career and technical education as a viable alternative for career. Training and preparations for entering the workforce following graduation that's the the goal of the bill is try to make sure that kids are ready prepared and have the the opportunities available to them when it comes to career and technical education when they graduate and and have opportunities for certifications and that sort of thing to go straight into the work force or into college and so with that I would appreciate a good vote and and close make a motion to pass. As amended. Senator Chesterfield in question. He. Temperamental things. I think the battery. The motion before we discussion okay. This act just get a quick question I agree with what you're doing I'm just trying to figure out why you have to delete the computer science part why could it just be computer science career and technical education and that would get us to I think a plea agreement on on the bill so why was that not. You know you try to get to a yes with all parties involved and it wouldn't take away from what your goal you know would take away from what he's concerning it so could you explain to me why we couldn't just you know put it back in and put the common in the career technical education. So one of the one of the big as I toured schools and what one of the reasons why this was up component of this particular piece of legislation was that particular course requirement for graduation is also stacked on top of. Math English every other course requirement to have in order to graduate so when you get into a career and technical pathway it it basically. Makes messes up the schedule in order for students to be able to complete the pathway if they don't have to have the the C. S. component of it as part of their pathway and so this just makes it they have to have that a career and technical pathway and the options for them to choose from include that so basically it's a it's an order you can have if you're doing this C. and D. E. pathway. That kind of a that makes it to where you don't necessarily have to have it if it's not included in your pathway. I guess that I guess that's what's concerning to me now because I remember the push back GAC we say these kids need to know in this day and time they have to have a knowledge of computers. And when we set that We knew that it was putting something on top of something else but it was one of those eight was one of those things it is like writing to me. Thank you don't know how to do it you're not going to be successful. And so to me the computer science part was kicking and screaming into the twenty first or twenty second century because there were a lot of folks if you want to do it and now we've got more folks and rolling every year we've got all of this mail now we're out here whatever the heck out of it in all these things that kids need to know and so many careers that come out of this I just need I'm I'm not comfortable with taking it away and maybe everybody else seizing L. understand it much better than I I like the career technical pathway because many of our children needs that so I'm not against that at all. But I don't understand why it has to be an either or rather than a but in and that's my concern with with with this piece and I'm the only one who shares that concern. Thank you. I'm so that you understand my concern. And a standard concern thank you. So let me ask this question and I'm a little confused so are we saying with this that we're we're we're computer science taking a computer science course is a requirement for graduation what we're saying is is that this is not going to be a requirement for graduation but there are computer I know there's six or seven different. courses in that computer science lane. I guess is that the what we're saying is that will not be required I mean are there other things like computer science the required. So if you look at the math or whatever that the end of the bill there it says without limitation. Which shall include without limitation at least one computer science course that's at the on line twenty five page for their so in reality as the department is designating the career and technical education courses that that That they can choose from that is one of the courses as part of the career and technical Course requirement that will now be under this bill but not this is only required if required to graduate from high school it would be a requirement to take it and on that one CTE course right. One of the one of those courses could be the the computer science if they're going to graduate but if they're going on a different career pathway that doesn't include that then that gives the students flexibility to be able to pursue the career and technical certifications that they might in order to pursue the career that they're going after. Okay. Senate bill. The. None of them will work. We got another one here thank you I guess I'm trying to figure out what today would not require. Computer science. I don't understand. If you want to teach English you gonna have to have some knowledge of computer science because that's how you getting stuff done I don't want to use that they were they write the essays. You know it's a part of what we're doing in today's society so I'm just I'm just trying to figure out. It will it be in. I worry about our children rules schools. We're it's easier to say I'm just overloaded with staff and they are in many instances over loaded with stuff. But that should not be a reason that their children should be relegated to the last century rather than able to compete in today's world which is just inundated with computer science yes my concern about about this well you can if you want to. But once we get out here in the world and we're ignorant and cannot compete our kids are ignoring it cannot compete it's just troubling to me that we would mandate that what what today's world requires is required of them before they leave high school and there in lies my my current concerning probably gonna be a vote against the matter but I would be remiss if I did not say that is particularly troubling to me because in today's world it is an assessing. And thank you thank you madam chair. Just just as a follow up at. I know we're in discussion we can't bring the department up here to answer it the specifics of what other courses might be available at I don't have them all memorized or even know what they all are off the top of my head but there may be a few that don't necessarily have that As a necessity for the career pathway in that certifications that they need but it does this allows them to take computer science I believe beginning in eighth grade. Yes. Students in eighth grade may take the high school credit so that's. Allows them to actually do that earlier it's not prohibiting them from from taking the course at all still will be allowed and available because. This is required there to be as computer science option for students in the school. In that we sometimes confuse. Computer science with digital literacy. At yeah I mean being. I think we're talking about the specific course verses the concept of but when we talk about when you're talking about because we do need it in the schools as in in is more than just learning how to code it is learning about the kind of digital literacy that would that we all need to have out there and it goes beyond it it's not the same as coding it's it's different. and I don't I don't know where this Anthony at the there were there were like six different computer science or seven different computer science courses that somebody could choose go yeah please for advanced the. Members only have about two more minutes and manager there's a motion on the table oh I'm sorry I don't know if we can hear from the public during a motion the file during discussion I'm not sure if we can hear from the public. Okay thanks seven courses I just can't remember what they all. I would like a twenty seven million yeah all different kinds of courses data analytics and someone so of course of you know my own mind I just think when you say computer science because I'm technology illiterate but when you talk about it sounds like it's coding is all it is it isn't it isn't just that it's. All different kinds of things that But statistics are our data analytics or all kinds of things that are in there and so it in my mind I just would hate to confuse. Our perception of the computer science as coding and that that may not be all needed for everybody it's all the other stuff that are possibilities is that makes sense. Absolutely. That that I sometimes get concerned about. But right. The. The questions from the committee. Senator Rapert discreet where discussion yes correct what I want to address center Chesterfield's concerning computer science like I've got a a nephew that is is not he's choosing to go into construction. And we twenty talks about his pathway to graduation. execute either science requirement that is the they got several great programs none of them will help him towards his career technical he doesn't go learn how to. Bill that or not however out of work sure anything that's that's available to him but what he does need to do is stay in the in the field of what he wants to go in but he sees limited yes the stop in middle of the day and go back to campus and take these courses so for somebody like him it is there is no benefits no fee he does want to go to the course and he could choose to do that if he's going to go into go to college or something like that he can do that but I remember in the early nineties keyboarding. Was a with the requirements of the school I went to. And. What the course I didn't really learn keyboarding AS one one semester one class let's touch screen and I know and I and I can't fight again and do that eight words a minute But I just I don't see where this is a hindrance to the skill set of an adult so thank you. just. It in my nephew is completing a course is completing his certification as a license Wilder it may not be an immediate part but so many of these companies now he probably plans on going into his own company. And so many of these companies now especially if he becomes a success and I'm sure he will. Our check by ransomware the attack by so many things that have to do with computers that. I assume that he will be able to hire someone. Because we're shutting down total industries. Because people who know more about them than we do. Are using them to hurt us and I know they just busted a a consortium from Russia. That it built billions of dollars out of this country so I'm just wondering. If we just look at it from a perspective of I'm going to be in construction therefore I don't need this. In today's world that's why that's why I'm I'm just really trouble because I just I just think in today's world the unexpected happens because of our lack of knowledge it in that's why I am concerned so Just that's the key thing in me and it's concerning because we don't anticipate things that I think are going to be so much a part of the totality of society as we go forward but in this that's just my opinion thank you. My own personal thing to me. But in in some instances and and Ross white back there could say yes or no but Just wanna say about individual literacy because given in construction there's a whole lot of new computer stuff that people is not coding. But it's a whole lot of of. No whole New World of apps and and and all that in the construction industry and That we want young people to know we want everybody know how to do that and use that be smart enough to have that I don't know where that falls into this to be honest with you I just. I hate for us to do away with our the course. But then. How does it relate to all the other things that are are out there in the world that we're doing I think that's what what Senator Chesterfield is thinking as well. Why go back to. Digital literacy and it's more than just can you fill out the app but. You operate in the world of computers yeah. Just one other thing the The department said that the computer science courses are approved CTE courses right so all those are our would be eligible underneath this this language in order to be up to fill the course requirement. For any student so. We have for the description. You have a motion. She. Do you have something a second okay. Second okay if there's a discussion on the motion. All right call for the question. On paper. All opposed. Hi seven thank you okay we'll quickly do give us Senator Hammer has a motion for amendment. Two. This. Major like to make a motion to expunge the vote of the amendment that passed on house bill twelve fifty four it would be to expunge vote on the amendment so I can have it removed I have a second second. Senator Hammer. The motion Senator Leding seconded that motion is there discussion on the motion. This call for the question all in favor hi all those opposed thank you thank you. Every other juror.