Senate Convenes

The Senate will be called to order are there any request for leave at this time. The Senate is called to order any request for leave at this time. Madam secretary please call the roll Boyd Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Thank you madam secretary and everyone in the chamber in the galleries would please rise. For a prayer led by pastor Jimmy Wallace will be introduced by Senator Ricky Hill followed by the pledge of allegiance. Thank you governor so my honor and my privilege day to declare today pretty much Lonoke day at the capitol we have the preacher of the day and the doctor they both Lok Sabha proud to have them here have brother Jimmy Wallace from lone oak Baptist church you will have to prove who I had the privilege of having him to baptize both of my kids when they were younger as we attended that church being that he was retired now he was here twenty years and now currently he is the chaplain of the Arkansas state police the brother Jimmy. Good afternoon with the ballot please pray. Our god we come before you today and we stand in awe of you the creator of the universe the sovereign god the god who made us we thank you today for the many blessings of life that you give us the many opportunities thank you to allow us to do and just for today being of example that a new day a new sunrise this morning thank you for all those times got you bless us when we don't deserve it you're you're there with us when we need you so desperately in god today as we come to this place I just wanna thank you for these gathered in this room who make decisions that affect each one of the state got I pray that you give them wisdom that you give them clarity of thought that you give them discernment that all that they do might not only be a blessing and a help to the people in the great state of Arkansas but that it might please in honor you've got thank you for those who lead our nation we pray for all of our leaders prayed that you direct them and guide them and god always let us be mindful of the fact that you love us and you loved us enough that you gave your son to die on the cross for our sins thank you for being a forgiving god of merciful god and a lot of the god thank you again god for this day in these gathered here in Jesus name I pray amen. Thanks Wallace. Ladies and gentlemen and galleries welcome to the Arkansas. Senate it is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today's proceedings without objection the rules will be suspended and the Senate Senate will dispense with the reading of the Journal. The morning hour has now begun are there any announcements for introductions at this time Senator Gilmore you're recognized. Thank you madam chair members I have with me today ashen read is paging if actually come on down here and I think his mother and brother up in the gallery watching over to make sure that he and I both behave so glad to have them if you would welcome them. Ashton read this twelve years old in the sixth grade from Crossett Arkansas goes to the cross at middle school and he's he's pretty busy guys involved in football he's interested in going into engineering and he is also part of the gifted and talented class so we got a scholar here with us so with that I'm happy to have you with me here today Aston NO we'll give you that certificate. And if you would again what recognize and welcome mass and his parents. You're recognized. Yes I'd like to ask for leave today for my shadow Jeannie Langston back here in this alcove who from hot springs who is the president of the hot springs women's chamber of commerce in a realtor there. Senator Rice. Thank you madam president I'd like to introduce to you Laura Reynolds first lieutenant junior ROTC Air Force. We support our troops she is from the Greenwood area I don't agree with that I agree with her mom and dad jim Mr it's jim Reynolds up here and we appreciate them being down the issue service page in the House last time and and I as I told her and others. It encourages me to see these young people and I'm thankful for thank you for welcoming her thank. Johnson. Senator Johnson I'm going to share on this next when they're actually maps to used to be is going to. Senator Mark Johnson. Thank you madam senator rice said we're sharing these but I know so we all have familiar another call collect connections as well of Michael and Ashley Burgess are at the the son and daughter of Beth Burgess who is in the gallery along with her father their grandfather former Highway Commission chairman Herbie branscom my. Friend of years I almost hate to mention but I did tell him earlier that one year when I was about ten years old I was a page right here in this chamber The reading Clark at that time was Herbie and if you go up on the fourth floor you can find the composite has both of our pictures on it and then I was inspired so much by her within a few years later I got to be the reading Clark as well so you just can't get this place at your blood but Asher Michael are seniors at Perryville high school which used to be in my district I promised their grandfather I would let them pages in course covid curtailed our page activities but once the district for a doctor on I went to center ice and said can we share these two wonderful young people he said of course so they're here representing both of us and both of us and we sure appreciate the opportunity to get to bring these great young people and please give them a hand. Senator Tucker. Thank you madam president I am excited to welcome rise it will consent to to be a page in the Arkansas state Senate today he's an eighth grader at pinnacle view middle school out in west little rock and he's interested in an act and active in football field or basketball and the honor roll so our our compliments that we need we need you in this state also just want to mention quickly that if you've ever sat on city county local you undoubtedly know rising status up here in the chamber with this Mister John Wilkerson who works with a municipally does a great job on behalf of municipal league and I'm here to tell you that road ex mom is that John married well as if you like John then you like his wife even better the it comes from great stock so welcome road into the Arkansas state senator. Thank you Mr president today I have Ellis take over and be with me lies a call your and serious storms all three years straight a students at young elementary in Springdale so I'm pretty proud of that they also compete in competitive dance rhythm and choose dance studio in Springdale the three of move started their own business called the happy place which makes vinyl decals for other students and I'd like to ask leave for them today. Thank you. Any other announcements. Senator Hester. Members I did say last week that we removed one resolution for date just so you know the next two days we've got to but they've been scheduled for a very very long time in either number able to be moved just say no the next two days will be out wires to that process. Any other announcements introductions if not are there items at the desk. Yes where your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill one seventy eight by Senator Hammer. It's copper three John Feinstein correctly engrossed. Insurance and Commerce Committee on insurance of ingress bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen sixty by representing the group compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed Insurance and commerce committee on Judiciary to whom was referred Senate bill one forty five by Senator Hammer recommend to pass as amended number two. Calendar. Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred Senate bill two seventy by Senator pipe recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen fifty five represent actually recommend due pass counted. Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen seventy two by representative shall be recommend due pass counted. Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen ninety three by representative. Now this. Graham I recall recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen forty members agreement recommend due pass counted. Committee on Public Health to whom was referred Senate bill seventy nine by Senator Hammer recommend to pass as amended number one calendar Committee on Public Health time was first Senate bill ninety one by Senator Hammer recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health two is for senate bill one twelve by Senator bored recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred senate bill three twenty two by Senator Irvin recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred senate bill three forty four by Senator Hammer recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred senate bill three forty five by Senator hill recommend to pass as amended number one. Counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred house bill eleven twenty eight by representative Johnson recommend to pass as amended number one calendar Committee on Public Health term was referred house bill fourteen twenty by representative brown recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation to referred Senate bill three forty one by Senator bored recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation to whom was referred house bill twelve oh eight members down the recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation whose for house bill thirteen sixty five per cent of help from recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation whom was referred house bill thirteen eighty four by representative car recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation to whom was referred house bill fourteen thirty seven by representative Maddox recommend due pass counted Committee on transportation to whom was referred house bill fourteen ninety nine The representative Pilkington recommend to pass as amended number one calendar. Senate resolution twenty three by Senator Johnson to proclaim March as national speech and debate education month in Arkansas Senate resolution twenty three Ballinger. Senate bill three fifty eight by Senator. To prohibit industrial hemp that contains of certain delta of. Substances and to include delta eight delta nine delta ten. in the list of scheduled six controlled substance Senate bill three fifty eight agriculture. Senate bill three fifty nine by Senator Stubblefield concerning access to medical records for legal proceedings and concerning fees charged for duplication of electronically stored medical records Senate bill three fifty nine Judiciary. Any other business. To come before the body in the morning hour. If not the morning hour has expired we will now begin the business agenda. Senate resolution twenty two. Senate resolution twenty two by Senator Chesterfield to recognize the links incorporated for a service to the state of Arkansas. Senate Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you madam chair I would like to leave to allow the ways of links to come on the floor please. Please welcome the ways of links please. One. Is the recovery and. You may even know this space. Yes ninety five yeah there was any doubt to rail on fox news. A bunch of the resident and women yeah here we go that. In this Hollings worth. Whereas the links incorporated is an international not for profit corporation established in nineteen forty six by Margaret Rosa L. Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott and where is the links incorporated membership consist of seventeen thousand professional women of color in two hundred ninety nine chapters down in forty one states the district of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the United Kingdom and whereas the links incorporated is one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer services organization of women who are committed to enriching sustaining and ensuring the cultural and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry African ancestry and where's the links incorporated programs are implemented to five program facets services to you the arts national trends and services international trends and services the health and Human Services and where is the links incorporated members contribute over one million service hours annually and it donated one million. grants to six organizations including St Jude children's research hospital Smithsonian national museum of African American history and culture and the United Negro college fund and it goes on and on but I'm not going to read the totality of it and just say whereas the Arkansas Senate be it further resolved that upon adoption a copy of this resolution shall be provided by the Secretary of the Senate to the president of the Little Rock chapter missin it's later. President of the northwest Arkansas chapter miss your share at Davis miss Davis you. And the president of the pine bluff chapter miss to need a Shannon Gragg. Madam chair I appreciate a good vote. Thank you senator Chesterfield all of those in favor of Senate resolution twenty two to recognize the links incorporated report service to the state of Arkansas please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Manager I would ask for three main reasons for the purpose of taking pictures and as a senator flowers in the north and anybody else from that part in the northwest delegation would join us because we have representatives from all of those so we can take a group picture. Thank you Senator Chesterfield the Senate resolution twenty two was adopted we will be in recess for approximately three minutes. Senate will come back to order. Amendment five to Senate bill nine. Amendment five to Senate bill ninety. Senator hill. Senator Hill you're recognized. My bill my amendment. Thanks Centerville. All those in favor. Of the amendment five to Senate bill ninety signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Is haven't as adopted into engrossing. Amendment three to Senate bill two ninety five this man you're recognized all right members so this is a little bit more than a tweak it's really a twerk and there's several changes inside this this bill right here it must under substantial which I think is what gives you the the definition of for consent to a but up but again members that this is just try to accommodate some of the concerns that have been presented there's only a couple of policy changes I believe inside the amendment and again that if it does anything just make the bill better appreciate a good vote on the amendment. Thank you Senator Dismang. All those yes Senator Chesterfield. Thank you. Does this make this and agree to the. Well that's a really odd thing and that I found out lately it seems like sometimes when you have an agreement with people maybe they don't agree that they've agreed but yes with the A. EA I would speak for that organization on there's been a couple of amendments that been made which makes them agreeable to the bill took into account some of the considerations in really their their offerings is changes to the bill and that's what this is trying to incorporate I mean it's going to be on the first agreement that we have and make some other policy changes I believe again I think it helps a bill and it helps ease some concern that maybe the bill does something or or whatever this I think that's that's what we're doing here. Concerns of those individuals. Are concerned about losing their net metering strategy. Anybody that is great yeah in inside this bill if you're currently net metering your that is going to be preserved in effect we go prospectively and say that you can do this until September thirtieth two thousand twenty four and still be qualified as a net metering consumer as long as it's below five megawatt. I'm not supporting it. So I I will say I mean again This amendment does not address concerns been brought forward by the ECB and I'm gonna tell you what that means it's a it's a group of small industrials and and again I'm not sure that there is a way to satisfy their concerns inside the bill my recommendation in which file their own bill which I think there are in the process of doing we can debate it separately all thank you all matters here my apologies to the body. For the incident. No problem Senator Chesterfield any other questions if not under price. Senator Rice. Recognized to speak on the committee. I never thought I'd come down again. But to give the background of the amendment. There is a difference between tweaking and tore king. No less. For those of you who are the younger whipper snappers. If you will Google. T. W. E. I. R. K. E.. Not T. W. E. R. K.. In you may have to put in over definition. I don't know how far back that we went back to the eighteen twenties in overtime hours when. It was it was out of alignment it had to be fixed if you will look up the definition that's not a padi brain. Work the definition says to twist in pool. When they had a piece of equipment. That needed to be re aligned in fixed that's what they did Senator Chesterfield nodding thank you for if some of your generation. Remembers the old timers saying that too so I apologize if I offended anybody I'm happy to give you levity from the well of the Senate. But now you know the old true definition of D. B. I. RK. Senator Wallace you're recognized by Senator Blake Johnson followed by Senator Hill thank you ma'am center that was a little unclear would you be prepared to show the physical. It is twisting holding to really alive. Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized. I have a about a sixteen foot hydraulic cylinder that B. and. And I built a ramp and drove a black hole up on top of it would be a week or four I think that is definitely NET did B. I. R. K.. Thank. Centerville. Thank you thanks for that Senator Rice appreciate bill the movement you showed on. On that you chose the other movement. You will be able to speak right. In enough time on this but thank you for allowing me make the definition. Senate Chesterfield. Thank you senator Reid senator Chesterfield wanted to know that you have joined the school of history of the Senate along with Senator Clark. All those in favor. Amendment three Senate bill two ninety five please signify by saying aye. Opposed. Amendment is adopted please send. Amendment one Senate bill two ninety seven. Senator Dismang you're recognized thank you members these were a couple changes about four by the PSC appreciating. Questions. Any questions for Senator Dismang. Senator has closed all those in favor amendment one two SP two ninety seven please signify by saying aye. Any oppose ayes have it amendment is adopted Senator Ingram. Senate bill two sixty two. Senate bill two sixty two best Senator Pitsch. The man the public education reorganization act and remove the authority of the state board of education to require an administrative consolidation of certain school districts. Senator pain you're recognized thank you madam president colleagues don't know yet of any opposition to this bill I certainly appreciate the support that I got in the Education Committee but this is a. Pretty simple changes we've consolidated over the years many Arkansas rule school districts because they did not hold up to three hundred and fifty in Roman and I thank many of you that were here a few years ago remember the situation with the winner school being closed down. Several times over the years and in visiting with my rule school superintendents and principals and teachers they all others have been concerned for years about school choice may be cutting into their role meant in a way that would jeopardize them of being able to not be consolidated this bill eliminates that three fifty number and the list of schools that are under three hundred and fifty Roman just in case of what those rules schools drops below that number they will be threatened with consolidation it does preserve the voluntary consolidation if there under three fifty and they voluntarily want to consolidate my school in Wilburn was operating in the black and the great academic school when the when it was shut down. Throughout my district it's littered with schools or shut down the community's fizzle out when their school is shut down. And I just asked if we could eliminate this three fifty number there are still other reasons why school could be consolidated and it preserves the voluntary consolidation if there under three fifty I'll be happy to take any questions. It is for senate paid. Anyone wishing to speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close thank you members on closed. Any objection to rowing the boat. Man secretary please roll the vote Boyd Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senators wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot by voting thirty five yea and zero may Senate bill two sixty two passes transmit to the House Senate bill two sixty three Senate bill two sixty three by Senator Hester to amend the law concerning the procedure for the sale of property possessed by a certain lien holders. Senator Hester you're recognized thank you ma'am governor. Members of this bill seeking to address a problem that we currently have the state of Arkansas when and this is on regarding personal property so for instance if I take a tractor in to get repairs and someone does a services on and do the repairs may for the good and I don't come pay for those repairs how they get to the position where they can sell the property case or so long time ago I think starting in the forties we said that a J. P. would assign a value to that piece of equipment justice of the peace we go just fees they would they would sign a waiver so this is the value of that then the then the lien holder the shop owner would put up a bond for that amount of money then they can sell the piece of equipment to take care of that well we realized several years ago that just as the piece just for comfortable assigning values on equipment anymore because it's you know as we know that's vastly changed so just the pieces were wanting to sign those assign values so we said the judge would do it well what we are finding as of recently that judges are not wanting to spend their time effort energy assigning a value to something that's not on their docket they basically want someone to file a lawsuit that's not the intent here we're trying to find an easy simple way for our are a mechanics and people to get justification for leans so this does not deal with the day of the sale it does not deal with proceeds after the sale it only deals with how you get to a sale so what we what we've changed is going from a judge having to assign the value that the actual lien holder holder can assign a value then they go they posted with the circuit Clerk they posted at their office and so that the the process to get to the sale so that's just just the difference instead of having a J. P. or a judge signed value they are able to sign the value themselves and at the end of the day if they do something wrong they should not have done in the end there actually is a lawsuit it describes it did you no legal fees and an office. He's incurred can can be recouped by the original owner of that property not to exceed two times the value of the property that was sold. The question is for senate has centered Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you senator hatch senator and adjusting the fair market value. What are the latest car factories a blue book is there some standard mechanism in place that would help them determine the fair market value revenues. I'm OK fifty Bucks orders worth two or three hundred dollars or something of that sort what what we have in place that's every reasonable question we do not have a state standard to set in here other than the standard could be if a judge finds you acting inappropriately the consequences can be severe for that but when we when we say equipment can be everything from a chain saw to a big bulldozer and everything and there's just not necessarily a you a uniform way of determining value. Other questions Senator Hill you're recognized. Senator Hester any excess value after this is so that return to go to the one that anything or go back to the original owner so this does not address excess proceeds at all and I can tell you might make some of you comfortable before session even started I had the bankers association review this ask for a few small changes and I did those but they've been very aware of this bill for even since before session. Any other questions Senator Murdock. If you have questions. Thank you you're recognized. Thank you madam president of an email addresses when you said the bankers association is look at it my concern would be for the first or second lien holder that may have had a lien on the first. But the main question I have is could this affect automobiles or trailers for there's motor vehicles I thank there is just like heavy equipment you know that that's a good question I don't know specifically other than the I don't know that a car be considered equipment what we're doing is this only deals with this doesn't change any of the ways we currently do it it's only deals with how you assign the value of a bond that's the only change in the entire process so used to it like I said you know used to BJP that it was a judge and I was just as a side as dealing with assigning the value of the bond all the rest the process process is consistent thank you that answered my question. Any other questions for Senator Hester. Anyone wishing to speak against or for. Senate. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Ninety secretary please well the vote Boyd right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stein Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty five eighty eight N. zero named Senate bill two sixty three passes transmit to the House Senate bill two sixty seven Senate bill two sixty seven by Senator Blake Johnson to transfer of the criminal detention facility review committees and the office of criminal detention facilities review coordinator to the department of public safety and to declare an emergency Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized members this site many were kept was caught up in the transformation process and the share social ation brought this to me and I worked with the governor's the staff to to Taylor this bill and with their agreement this this brings the detention review over a public safety rather than department of corrections. Any questions for Senator Blake Johnson. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Blake Johnson has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well the vote Boyd Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator which to change his or her vote. Sanam please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty five eighty eight zero nine a Senate bill two sixty seven and the emergency clause pass. These transmit to the House. Senate bill two seventy five Senate bill two seventy five by Senator Hammer. Two men the law concerning electioneering to amend the law concerning polling sites and that centers and to amend the law concerning defamation of polling sites the County Board of election commissioners. Senator Hammer you're recognized. Thank you ma'am chair of the bill basically does two things number one if you we know that a hundred foot from the primary entrance is a sacred zone where you can't do any activity within that hundred foot zone but when you get outside the hundred foot zone up to the edge of the property the bill does two things it clarifies and it's to make sure that there is clarity as to what people can or cannot do based on some previous experiences number one if you're outside a hundred foot zone and you want to stand there and disseminate information if you look at the back page of the bill you obviously display signs wanna visibly display a tire you're permitted to do that. But what you can't do or what it gives the polling site that agrees to these terms what you can't do is beyond that hundred foot you can't say to one side yes you can put up the signs and the other side no you can't it's a fairness and a so quality bill that make sure that everybody's playing by the same set of rules that's the long and short of what the bill does not be glad to answer any questions. Questions for Senator Hammer. Senator Rapert you're recognized. Thank you senator would you not talk about this I thought to be good for the the body here because I had to have. The fine for sure what this state we had answers our local community churches the is not a big church we're we're out I will try to call my mates Arkansas. The for twenty the morning and evening Sunday services back in primary one party showed up in plaster. The churchyard was. Because we allowed as a polling place because it's only thing in the community that has read in the we live in fellowship hall to be used for the old fire station didn't have facilities. So when that happened. I made a call and we got that resolved but the church decided and I think a lot of size if you're going to. Do that and I remember some of the bill for previous some churches or not allow their facilities to be used at our church and will be one of the. We had already decided what this bill does And and I'm asking. Senator hammer to concur is as long as we don't take side and side to put up signs for issues or candidates which we're not going to allow we're just go with the this is exactly what that does is that correct as one of the things it does that if if in the case of your illustration church on use association so from the primary exterior entrance used by the voters that Page two line to from that point to the hundred foot nothing happens but let's say it's from a hundred foot to four hundred foot that your church owns maybe a long driveway your church could say no signage between a hundred and four hundred but if they say that they have to say for everybody on each side of the issue so if you're pro one side and you're into the other side you can't allow one without the other and it's a standard of fairness is what this is intended to do but it does give them that latitude when it comes to the fixing anything to the property rights appreciated thank you thank you any other questions. Anyone yes Senator Mark Johnson. Thank you Mr president Senator Hammer I think we talked about this a little bit before I look over to senator Clark. Two years ago I guess I went down to. A small city in SirClark district and was waving a sign with him and we seem to have a disagreement on what clause with the mayor and the police chief about the hundred foot set back. An individual is holding a sign advocating for a particular candidate they're outside of a hundred feet from the designated entrance this doesn't change any that it reinforces it does it not. It reinforces in that it allows what what could happen is whoever that site is that has agreed to be a polling site for that day could come out and say to issue and discussing marijuana they could come out and say to the pro marijuana folks you can't be here but they could say to the anti marijuana close you can be here so it it it brings clarity as far as the rules of the game if you would but it still allows for that to happen outside the hundred foot Jones. So that they could your illustration sake to the anti marijuana people you're okay but not the pro marijuana people so it's it's a neutrality within a hundred feet but they can reserve their freedom of speech between a hundred and four. Not let me bring let me restate it maybe I didn't state a call earlier we lost communication there outside the hundred foot zone anybody that's mentioned in a B. or C. on page two would be allowed to do that but it has to be that both sides would be allowed to do it you could prohibit one side or the other equal access equal access equal voice okay thank you Sir thank you Mr president. Any other questions for Senator Hammer. To speak against. Senate Brian. You're recognized. Thank you madam president I'm gonna speak against this because I like the intent of the bill where make sure that both sides get equal representation. the part that I have a problem with is is the property owner loses his rights to that property so whenever they make an agreement like the commission they're given access into their facility and access into certain areas of the facility. previous AG's opinions away from eighties said property owner rights do not distinguish with a polling place is simply just narrows a corridor of that so what this bill would seek to do is allow. Audibles the audible information visually display signs and a hand held manner or visual is flat tire and a polling place could not tell that person to get off their private property if it's outside the boundaries of the polling place so that a hundred foot buffer and the access in if it's a four acre lot that means for two weeks that business that shopping mall that church that convention center will have people that they cannot tell to get off their private property even if it's on the other side of the parking lot they can still access that property so the result of this will be private businesses saying I know we've had an agreement the past but I don't want to weeks of people that I can't tell to get off my private property because outside the bounds of what I my polling place these to be. So with with that take any questions because I I research the Attorney General McDaniels position he referenced it seems like every decade nineteen eighty six nineteen ninety three nineteen ninety six two thousand three two thousand eleven as a recent he said. Arkansas law says property rights are paramount and if you're going to enter into negotiation with Election Commission. They can use was defined inside their area but property rights still exists for the property owner has the right to tell them to get off the property address the bill I like if you're gonna allow somebody in that corridor you have to have both sides he could present you can't dismiss one I let one in but he's going to miss dismissed them both or allow them both he should be able to do that if it's outside outside the area of but what they designated as a polling place. Question. To speak for Senator Clark. Senator brought in agree on not only a great number of things most things. The I ran a very similar bill two years ago passed the Senate past House Committee failed on the house floor. They went a little further than this and we need to go further than the US but the US politics always works you take what you can get the move as far as you can move. Elections are paramount. Two. Our freedom and our way of life and our government. Only hold on election day or election week or election two weeks a polling place must be a polling place must be a polling place must be a polling place. I can not. In certain my values if I'm the polling place. In that election. Let me say that again R. five owned the property for the polling places could not answer my values and sway the election. Because I own the property. There is no nothing more important that can be done in a free society then be able to election near. At a polling place to be able to stand outside and say vote for my candidate vote against the other candidates vote for this issue vote against that issue nothing more important most people when they come to a polling place the studies are out there in those of us who do this on a regular basis not just for ourselves but for others no. Most people. No the top person on that ballot maybe the top two or three. And the inability of the court because one the things you do when you stop election airing as you stop grass roots you start reference completely only the people who have money and the people of money or the people supported by corporate. If you can't be out there if you can help volunteers out there grass roots is dead. We have to have freedom at the polls we have to help polling places if we have to build them. We have to help polling places where that you can have free elections that are not swayed by anybody if we haven't seen that in the last two years that are not swayed by anybody and where that people can election here and do what needs to whatever needs to be done outside that hundred foot it can't come back it with doesn't go far enough but at least it says because up to now they felt out that it was up to the property owner and if it's up to the property owner of the property owner can say will Senator Payton can put up signs with his opponent can't and I have said all along if that's not unconstitutional I don't know what is unconstitutional in this society. But that's the argument has been used with property rights. It just can't be sold I don't know there has not been an election that somebody that has been campaigning for me has not been asked to leave a property somewhere. And there's not been one of those that I have not called the secretary of state and the secretary stated said no they don't have to leave. Constitutionally they are protected to stay there and to campaign. Now the one thing that we should do further is it's a polling place it's not a church is not a fire department it's not a school and that we should know that going in when you lease that property for that period of time it's a polling place at the polling place at the polling place. And we're not gonna be a polling place don't be a polling place. So I commend senator Hammer for bringing this bill these are things that should have been fixed a long time ago if somebody actually took this position all the way home property rights and said Hey you could put up signs for this side but not the other side. Then we would be Screamin that we needed this bill and we have needed this bill I appreciate Senator Hammer bring. Anyone. L. speak against or for. Senator Hammer you're recognized closed. Man share what I'd like to do is I've had about three members and I appreciate Senator Clark what he said that will still be the argument tomorrow but what I'd like to do is pull this bill down I've got about three four members I'd like to bring clarity to their mind so that they can so that they can vote with that on a clear conscience and appreciate Sir Clark been able say same thing tomorrow so I'd like to ask for to be pull down to put on March calendar please. Thank you senator Hammer. Yes mark Johnson. I would like to ask leave for senator Caldwell. I thank you. Senate bill two ninety two. Senate bill ten ninety two by Senator Stein two men the compensation of a member of the County Board of election commissioners determine the duties of a member of the County Board of election commissioners. Seven five. Madam chair members this is Senate bill ten ninety two the purpose of this bill is to help attract new or retain current election commissioners by making their pay commensurate with with poll workers poll workers currently make more than the people in charge I. E. the election commissioners this bill caps the amount of compensated meetings to prevent abuse and happy to meet the meetings we work take a junction with us the and have the support of the Secretary of State the association of counties in the state board of elections. Any questions any questions for senator Stein. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you are free to close a close appreciate a good vote thanks any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please role both Boyd prime Caldwell Chesterfield Clark role Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot. By a vote thirty four Yankee zero may. Ninety two passes please transmit to the House Senate bill two ninety three seventeen ninety three by Senator Stein to amend the law concerning correction of errors on ballots to amend the law concerning election procedures and create a procedure for candidate review of ballots. Senate file you're recognized madam chairman thank you members currently there's no statutory process in the state of Arkansas correct ballot errors this bill establishes this process this bill is best defined by recent situation result in a lawsuit by candidates where once somebody named Jack about I may be deducted Jake on the ballot this bill creates a process for when the ballot has typographical errors and how to best correct those issues in a timely manner this bill also allows a candidate's review the ballot before the correct about a story bailable to the public the of the County Board. We work in conjunction with the Secretary of State the association counties and State Board of Election Commission State Board of Election state board of elections and have the support. Any questions. Any questions for centers. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you're free to close I'll close I just appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any object rowing the boat. Secretary please vote Boyd Bragg Caldwell Chesterfield Clark for awhile Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her. Senate passed up the ballot. By a vote of thirty four Yeas zero nine Senate bill two ninety three passes please transmit to the House. I will take up Senate bill three thirty five three thirty five by Senator Bryant to amend the law concerning the Arkansas capitol grounds monument and memorial preservation fund to amend the law concerning the maintenance repair and upkeep of monuments and memorials of our area on the State Capitol grounds. Senator Rapert you're recognized thank you madam president members. I'm bringing this bill forward this this looks kind of maybe like a secretary of state's bill but it's a it's an issue that I had there's several veterans associations throughout our state the advocate for just veterans whether it's the group that I belong to that tries to fill the gap with housing in between VA services and and and needing the services or the the various causes so when they came to us looking to raise funds for the for the Memorial Day here to honor veterans is kind of all I like I can give you money to help veterans or give you money to put a plaque what is the state this takes take care that and what I learned is the state can't take care of it based on our code is rope so whenever Commission is forms to build a monument a little bit of money set aside I think it's like ten percent is set aside and then that money is used for any type of maintenance but when that money is exhausted the commissions have to reform to raise money and they do it again so we got bricks missing in our medal of honor we've got maintenance that needs to be taken care of and other morals and we to me we want to be proud of that whenever people come visit our capital we want to celebrate that and and and and upkeep that so what this bill seeks to do is allow the the fund which is the Arkansas capitol grounds monument memorial preservation fund to not only except those those commission dollars or private donations but also except general revenue if we if this General Assembly chooses to move some over to be able to do the maintenance repair alterations additions reconstruction for upkeep of any kind on these monuments because it's I think Senator Chesterfield could it could address the it's very hard to make these monuments with that should be something we can be proud of and celebrate so that's the intent of the bill and I would like take any questions any questions Senator Rapert. Anyone wish to speak against. Senate bill you're recognized to speak for. Thank you madam chair ladies and gentlemen of the Senate I I thank senator Brian so much for bringing this legislation. Over the last six or seven months I have been trying to get in addition to the Vietnam memorial. I paid three over three hundred dollars to get a name added to that monument. It is yet to be added. At least two we had the Secretary of State over looking at somebody or fund to which we could directed to make sure that these things happened as a human then I wouldn't have to continue to worry about where my money is and whether or not we can get it back I gave it to the to a gentleman who was supposed to be working with the Vietnam memorial Committee it was to add the name of a veteran of all one of our fallen soldiers who died. But he did not going to the war into the war from Arkansas he went in in Washington state therefore his name was not added to the Vietnam memorial I have been trying for the last year or so to get his name added because he is a fallen hero and the first in my family did in our in my class to die in the Vietnam War this is a good bill I would appreciate a good vote thank you. Senate bill any other wish to speak against or for. And Brian as close to any objection to rowing the boat. And secretary please roll. Boyd rice Caldwell Chesterfield Clark coral Davis the Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love the key Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Same manner please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty forty eight zero may. Senate bill three thirty five passes please transmit to the House. Senate bill three forty three Senate bill three forty three by Senator Hammer propellor concerning a written report on calls state savings bank cabinet level departments. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you madam chair a couple sessions ago when we had transformation go through the question arose as to where that transformation was actually created a savings and it was centered around the definition of savings there was one idea that was being used to define savings but then there was a question is whether to be a better definition to define savings and so as a result of that discussion of past piece of legislation that put into law the definition what savings would be that audit would use to determine whether or not the transformation was actually a cost saver or not that is had two cycles now which is produced two reports and because we have transitioned where we are now Blake audit is able to do what we want to do to look at historical spending associate with transformation to determine if it is a cost saver or not and so that makes this piece of legislation now irrelevant because they have a chance to do it through the reports that are established so this'll lighten workload on legislative audit by removing the requirement of this report to be produced annually because now we contracted through other methods having gone from the process of before transformation to where we are now and so I ran the original legislation so I'm running this legislation to repeal that so that we can lighten the load on lake audit but we're not compromising transfer a transparency or the ability to track spending associated with transformation I'll be glad to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Hammer. Anyone wishing to speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close all right thank you appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Committee secretary please roll Boyd Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark cruel Davis these Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irving Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice done Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. St nine please cast a ballot. By the thirty four eighty eight zero nine Senate bill three forty three passes please transmitted to the house. House bill ten fine. Ten O. five by representative Pilkington section five of acts twenty twenty one number five sixty eight. Sanders Stubblefield you are recognized. Colleagues of Senate bill ten oh five simply repeals of section five ACT five twenty one number five sixty eight that we passed back to the last session two thousand twenty one both both joint committees of city county local in the house and the Senate. Waited two years we do this out of good faith just to do a study on it basically an interim study and we met again last October and unanimously voted to to repeal the sunset clause that was in the bill and to keep it two hundred fifty thousand dollars which helps a lot of small businesses because you know as well as I do that hundred thousand dollars in the last time that was raised was nineteen ninety three so a hundred thousand dollars didn't do a lot for small cities now so it's this bill simply raises the threshold to earn fifty thousand dollars glad to take a question. Any questions for Senator Stubblefield. Anyone wishing to speak against four four. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. And secretary please role that Boyd Bragg Caldwell Chesterfield Clark ruled Davis these Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love Me kidi Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice some Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker rice Wallace any Senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please ask the ballot. Five forty eight zero nine house bill ten oh five passes please return to the House. And before we moved to house bill ten oh eight I would recognize Senator Hill to introduce our doctor of the day. Thank you madam governor Dr the day's been busy day had an emergency or the capital Sabin had to step out like take the opportunity to introduce lone oak Dr Dr les Anderson is a family practitioner there in town he is a fifty years plus service in over forty years in lone oak but that being said he is the fourth generation. My family is under his care my kids toys he's he's taken care for generation with that I'd like to welcome Dr les Anderson as a doctor today. Thank you doctor Anderson. Now house bill ten eighty two house bill ten eighty two per cent Pilkington and Senator Flippo to established occupational therapy licensure compact in Arkansas. The Flippo you're recognized thank you governor members It is going to my attention that one of my colleagues so I will not name is last name rhymes with guild wars but I hit job on this bill and so before you make up your mind I ask you to listen summary marks and making it your own import opinion so. The compact licensure agreement for occupational therapist is brought to me by representative council for state governments and so with some of you already where we already have similar agreements here in Arkansas specifically with physical therapists nurses and the psychology inter jurisdictional compact these are voluntary so an occupational therapist is not for to join it is optional and then for occupational therapy assistant but what it does is it removes the need for them to get an additional license in each member state or the wish to practice every state that joins the compact appointed delegate in Arkansas case I'll be to the medical board remote state can't take action against the practitioners license only regarding the compact privileges a member state has the ability to withdraw from the compact that would need to be done through statute repealing the you know repealing the same statute which would put this into law members must abide by the state the state scope of practice agreements within each state they are practicing in and I did amend this bill in the Senate from a little bit from when it was sent to the House worked with Marty Garrity bill or to ensure that we weren't giving up any rule making authority during the interim we were not in session through L. C. and so that one was been enacted in here it starts on page seventeen so state we as a legislature retains its rulemaking it'll authority even now session. Any questions for Senator Flippo. Good bill pretty good vote. Anyone wishing to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rolling. My secretary please well that what Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote thirty forty eight zero nine house bill ten eighty two passes please return to the House. House bill eleven eighty one. Eleven eighty one by representative Hawker centre Boyd to establish the counseling compact in Arkansas. Boyd you're recognized. Thank you madam president colleagues this is a compact for licensed professional counselors it works similarly to the one that we just passed by us the Senator Flippo and other in the other two or three compacts the healthcare compacts that were in the state remains control of practice in our state this helps ensure continued of care with counseling especially college students and those with professions that require out of state travel that said I'd be happy to try to answer any questions any questions for Senator boy. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator. Appreciate a good vote Senator closed any objection to rowing the boat. And secretary please roll the bed bored right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark role Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot. But thirty forty eight zero nine house bill eleven eighty one passes please. To the house house bill twelve. House bill twelve thirty eight by representative Cozart Senator Hammer temen various provisions of the Arkansas code concerning enhance transportation funding announcmenet and declaring an emergency. Senator Hammer you're recognized. Thank you madam chair this is something we do each time we come down here and it is the what I would refer to as the balance in the transportation funding for the school systems and I'll be glad to answer any questions that aligns with historical data and adjust according to what was historically used in current and projected averages of student enrollment be glad to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Hammer. Anyone wishing to speak against or for. Close appreciate a good vote thank you senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. And secretary please roll the vote so it Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast up the ballot. By thirty forty eight zero nine house bill twelve thirty eighteen and the emergency clause pass please return to the House house bill twelve forty seven house bill twelve forty seven by representive off to amend the law concerning benefits paid to survivors and beneficiaries after the death of members and re tyrants of the State of police retirement system. Senate you're recognized thank you madam president members I guess I should start by saying this bill does not have a Senate sponsor it came through retirement committee and so I'm here to to explain the bill but if any member would like to sponsor this bill I'll be happy to pull it down and get your name amended on to it. If not all proceed That number one has no actuarial cost it's trying to clarify in code what is currently the practice this is dealing with the police retirement fund and probably for what we were told in committee may need to have a bill for the other three funds but It does it has to do with the of members. survivor beneficiary and the calculation of when those benefits start so currently if you it the language allows room to argue that if they don't make their application in a timely manner after death. Their benefits may not start based on the time of death but instead based on when they made the application and so this tries to clarify those benefits should start based on the time of death if it's a month or two or three down the road before the family the beneficiary or the survivor. Makes application then then we will pay those benefits retroactively it has been the practice that's why there's no actuarial cost but we're trying to make sure that the intent is clarified in code. If you have any questions I'll be happy to try to answer. Any questions for Senator Pitsch. Thank you. Anyone wishing to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Secretary please well that Boyd right Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love Me kidi Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice done Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot. But thirty forty eight zero nine house bill twelve forty seven passes please return to the House House Bill thirteen twenty nine hassle thirteen twenty nine by representative Scott Senator English to create a means for which public school students my substitute comparable elective coursework in career and technical education for required core academic class. Recognized thank you very much so the title basically says exactly what this will do it will allow students to be able to exchange coursework look at equally weighted and rigorous career technical education for core subjects of that are required for graduation. Any questions for Senator English Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized. Thank you Mr president Senator English as a first grade bill I was just curious was the genesis of this bill before or after the learn to act and how is this either affect positively or even negatively the dual diploma of this discussion to learn to I think he came along about the same time great minds one in some you know come along with some good things but I think this is it is goes right along with what the learns Act house for the of course work across course work in the diploma dual diploma is is is required to be a at Arkansas a public or like that of Community college type or critic also include coursework that's done it some kind of a of a private to say someone enrolled in private welding academy and received a certificate with this possibly allowed I don't think that's been discussed yet I think it's probably right now it's looking at at coral. English math science social studies and all those different kinds of core subjects that are being and and then sometimes there are some career education courses will be issues as as Scott Richardson did the other day example for his son who wants to be a doctor but there are some nursing courses that could not be accepted as a standard for graduation that need to be so that his son could be able to follow that career path and that's kinda what all this is about is how do we movies the course work so it follows career pathways so I'd I'd I'm not sure that the outside the colleges the private any of that really falls in any of this thank you senator thank you. Any other questions anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator you're pretty close I'm closed center has closed any objection to rowing the boat. And secretary please roll the vote Boyd Bragg Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty you have done Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker. Any senator wants to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty forty eight zero nine House Bill thirteen twenty nine passes please return to the House. House bill thirteen thirty six thirteen thirty six by representative Cozart senator Hammer to create an agricultural education pilot programs in public elementary schools. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you ma'am chair carrying this bill on behalf of farm bureau who requested this and actually this started last year at a conference down in hot springs to farm bureau had young lady stepped up and she made the comment that actually came in present and said I wish it would've been something in the elementary program that could have been used or incorporated into the classroom instruction that would have helped me begin earlier to enhance my career in agriculture we all understand how big of a role that agriculture plays in the State of Arkansas so what this bill does is is establishes a pilot program to provide agricultural education elementary schools the state of Arkansas it is a pilot program it is permissive but it does establish on the later in the bill what the guidelines would be to make sure that the there's a uniform approach throughout the elementary schools to choose to do this it would be a pilot program involving a selection of six schools and then should prove to be successful for reporting then it would would come back in and pick it up to continue on a permanent program the department that is agreeable to this program and we work closely with them farm your work closely with them I'll be glad to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Hammer. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Thank you appreciate a good vote Senator has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please Robert Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark crow Davis these Dismang Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvine Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise from Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator which the changes are her vote. Please cast a ballot. By the thirty forty eight zero nine House Bill thirteen thirty six passes please return to the House. House Bill thirteen forty seven thirteen forty seven by representative is back and center Johnson to create a financial aid appeals process in committee for the Division of higher education Senate off you're recognized. Thank you madam president members house bill thirteen forty seven it was discovered that there's not currently a financial appeals process for if someone lets their scholarship. If they don't check all the boxes it goes through and lose eligibility for whatever reason there's no appeal to that process so this would set up a and formalize an appeals process the department of higher education to allow for someone to you know tell what their specific circumstances are in in a determination to be made whether or not to to allow them to to to feel that decision or appeal and get their scholarship back for deny it so we're happy to answer any questions any questions for Senator dot com. Appreciate a good vote anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote. And secretary please roll the vote. Boyd Bragg Caldwell Chesterfield Clark role Davis these this morning Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rhinestone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty forty eight zero nine house bill thirteen forty seven passes please House. House Bill thirteen forty nine. Madam chair this this bill in need I have an amendment at the desk on this if I can make a motion to suspend the rules for purposes amendment. Motion to suspend the rules put on second reading. Second reading for purposes amendment for purposes of amendment all those in favor of suspending the rules for that purpose please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Motion passes. AS in this. House Bill thirteen forty nine. All right members after this bill came out of committee had more discussions with interested parties and have agreed to a couple line amendment need to get this engrossed and Senate back to committee to present so I appreciate a good vote. All those in favor. At the amendment please signify by saying aye. Many opposed. Amendment passes Centerton road rather amendment is adopted please something gross. House Bill thirteen eighty three. Thirteen eighty three by representative Shepherd center stand to amend the name of south Arkansas community college to south Arkansas college and declaring emergency. You're recognized madam president thank you members the members this is a bill that I've worked with Speaker Shepherd and also represent a marker and also doctor Bentley Wallace president of south Arkansas community college is located in L. Laredo the Solomon R. district this bill just simply changes the name from south Arkansas community college to south Arkansas college. And with that I'll I'll I'll take any questions any questions for center stone. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you're free to close I'll close I appreciate a good vote centers close to any objection of rolling The vote. Madam secretary please roll the vote. Boyd Bragg Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. Senate please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty forty eight zero nine. House bill thirteen eighty three passes and the emergency clause passes please return to the House. House Bill Fortino for. For fourteen oh four per cent of Hopkins center days term election procedures concerning ballot tabulators. Senator babies you're recognized thank you manager members this is a simple action integrity bill requires that ballot tabulators be sealed at the end of each night's it also that it also calls for about three stored in a central location governed by the election determined by the County Board of election commissioners and then it asks for tabulators be zeroed out if ever needed to be moved to a an early a different early voting location so that I appreciate a good vote. Any questions. Anyone wish to speak against her for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please well that Boyd Bragg Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Crowell Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice systems Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast the ballot. Five votes at thirty forty eight zero nine House Bill fourteen of four passes please return to the House. House Bill. House for fourteen nineteen centered under wooden center Dotson two parents insuring access for all Arkansans And voter protection act of twenty twenty three to amend the procedure for the filing of a ballot initiative and referendum petition and fire and emergency. Senate often you're recognized. Thank you madam president members House Bill fourteen nineteen. Really does one simple thing right now the requirement to collect signatures to get a petition to get something on the ballot. Requires signatures together from fifteen counties of the constitution says it has to be at least fifteen counties. This would make it to where it's at least fifty the the constitution sets the floor at least and so like we do with just about anything else we can. Clause regarding other requirements and things like that purpose of this would be to ensure that we're getting. Representation from all across the state not just large urban areas but rule counties as well and having a lot of input into the process when we're getting something that's going to go on our on our ballot for constitutional or or another measure to be voted on. More happy to try to answer any questions any questions for Senator about. Senator live you're recognized. Thank you senator Johnson. How will this affect the Senate appointed. Was it would not a ballot initiative. Regarding this very these the election cycle. No actually there is a different amendment this last cycle that that would have required sixty percent. Passage rate at the ballot box for a again and an amendment or come to initiated act to be passed by the people. Okay. And I believe that also required sixty percent passage by the legislative body to refer something out. Okay. Okay thank you. Any other questions. Senate. President so this is a. When you put referendums any top of citizens initiative at all would have to go to all fifty counties to get sick. Correct yes this would be Anything that they are trying to require signatures so for instance and I I don't have the most recent numbers as far as what the twenty two twenty two election was broken out but under the twenty eighteen election for governor's race to do a constitutional amendment required ten percent of the those cast for governor in that election which was around nine hundred thousand total votes cast about ninety thousand for a constitutional amendment. Out of each county right now as far as fifteen counties that are concerned Calhoun County that would require ninety signatures The Dallas County hundred six Benton County just under four thousand so. You have to make up at least that total ninety thousand in order to get on the ballot but fifteen of those counties have to meet their own individual requirements this would make it to where you have to go to a a broader set of counties in order to be able to get ballot access so I mean the question is raised because we Arkansas law we passed a lot of unconstitutional measures here and that had to be struck down in federal courts and different things Blake this needs to be a constitutional amendment elections for Pascal speech I think you will pass constitutional muster it has as I said before the constitution specifically says. In in it that it is a minimum or a at least fifteen counties. And so just like many other things that are silent in the constitution We by statute are able to then. Make changes in and put requirements and things in there beyond that all or I mean you're aware that we continuously passed unconstitutional. Accidents instruction about prosecutions judges all judges. And then the second question is so basically by expanding to fifty you feel like rules that the real county's baby need to be more inclusive in the you're trying to do that but if you look at the constitution amendment issue to that got past. one the reasons I suppose that was I'm not I wasn't against raising the vote threshold for constitutional amendments it was just like it need to mirror the United States constitution which includes so many County so did you support issue two I did so did you feel I mean if you look at our population I think in fifteen counties it's like. Fifty seven fifty eight sixty percent of the population is in the top fifteen counties so if issue two passed it would severely hamper the representation of rule can. So in one way you supported that that would basically turned over amending our constitution or denying things based on fifteen counties any whatever rule areas lifetime that's reason I posted but in this thing now you're saying that will counties matter. I'm saying when you're going out in your collecting signatures the petition gatherers they have to have a little bit more information that is easily accessible to the the. People they're trying to gather signatures from so petition gatherers they have to have the ballot title they have to have the popular name and they have to have the full text of the measure that's being proposed unfortunately when you get in the ballot boxes just a ballot title and popular name in the ballot box that people are making the decision off there so I think if we have a broader sense of broader set of people actually collecting signatures they'll be more vetting of these measures before they go on the ballot well I would say that if we passed the measures but she too did not. It was it would have severely. under representative real counties but so do you feel like that this is going to be moving in a way farther from grass roots and people like that didn't on the ballot make it harder to know about. I think if it's a true grassroots measure you're going to have folks from all across the state representing various interests from all across the state if it's truly grassroots measure it's going to have wide. Broad support for the issue if you think back to I believe it was. Two thousand four I want to say was Amendment seventy five I may be off on my numbers might have been eighty three I'm not sure but the marriage amendment it had seventy five percent of the vote across the state but you had churches from all over the entire states collecting signatures to try to get that type of measure on the ballot and so as you will note on the rule county it's going to be a lot easier to meet that requirement because there's not as much population Mike said Bradley County it's a hundred forty three Lake County two hundred seven. The. There's just not as much population so the the percentage required is a lot easier to achieve in those counties law remember those days I'm not a member but I can also say that I think this measure will do nothing more than. Stop anything from any grass roots in this or make it harder for only millionaires and billionaires are gonna be able for the extra to make the ballot. Anyway thanks restaurant question thank you. Good vote. Senator has left the well. I to speak against center Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you madam chair ladies and gentleman the Senate speaking in opposition the title of this thing says an act to create the ensuring access to all our Kansans and voter protection act of twenty twenty three we have had on the books that you have to have at least fifteen counties represented for a long time that is allowed for folks to get the signature was and get issues on the ballot that's how we got a minimum wage increase is how we got the right to life amendment on the ballot we continue to try to make it harder for the people to have an initiated act then we do away with what we what I think our basic goal should be and that's involving the people in what they want for their state. What they want for their state last time we had we were going to do forty five counties because we say these outside interests to running stuff the only outside interest I remember is the casino Amendment the other amendments that I remember as having came from people within the state of Arkansas. Most of those folks cannot make fifty counties which means we are gonna have anything. Those people are doing it voluntarily many of the people who are able to do fifty counties are those outside interests we say we're protecting people against keep the power in the people's hands and let's keep what we have on record here and allow the people of Arkansas to continue to have initiated acts thank you. Thank you for. You're recognized. Members thank you for give me just a moment the the intent of this bill is to keep it to keep our constitution protected away from billionaires in and out in the out of state rich wanna come by our constitution the reality is everyone of us know that if if our volunteer fire departments for police officers of our local church groups want something it's simple to get fifty counties across the state to agree to it if that's what the people want but if you want to come in Arkansas by our constitution it would be a challenge for them this bill is a very simple bill that continues and pushes back the power to the people and keeps it away from the out of state billionaires I appreciate a good vote. I think Senator Leding. Thank you Mr president of we did try this two years ago was issued three and twenty twenty and fifty five percent of our cans and said no to the idea and for thinking well it's been two years maybe they've forgotten they reminded us just this last November that they don't want us making it more difficult to get things on the ballot when they opposed issue to by about more than fifty nine percent I in fact I can get in my car right now drive home along interstate forty I. forty nine back at the faded bill and never crossed through a single county where opposition dipped below sixty percent except for Crawford County where opposition still fifty six percent only seven counties out of the seventy five supported issue to this last year I think the voters have made absolutely clear they do not want the legislature making it harder for them to get things on the ballot and I think we should listen to them thank you. Thank you for. Senator Pitsch. Thank you madam president colleagues this bill does not raise the number of signatures required to get anything on the ballot it does broaden the geographical area that those signatures need to come from and I'd say marginally is centred Dotson has stated some counties would be less than a hundred signatures required if you go back with me to eighteen seventy four. When the drafters of our constitution required at least fifteen counties they do not have Facebook social media cell phones automobiles. when they put the provision in there. Expecting at least fifteen counties to buy into the idea of changing the constitution or or initiating an act I think that was far more constraining them what fifty counties would be today we have seventy five counties in Arkansas this is just asking geographically that two thirds of the state by under the proposal and like I said it in many of those rural counties like I represent we're talking about. Just a hundred or two hundred names. and it does not raise the overall number of signatures needed to get on about it so I appreciate a good vote. Thank you yes Senator Tucker. Thank you madam president and I don't want to repeat. what some of the folks I've already said it regardless what do you think this might be the best policy in the world there's two excellent reasons the vote against this bill even if you like the policy the first is this is among the most blatantly unconstitutional bills that I've seen in my entire time in the legislature and that's even including bills that were inviting a constitutional challenge and they were intentionally unconstitutional and the reason is because the statute says excuse me to constitutional revision says at least fifteen counties how what that obviously means it's very plain is if you're gathering signatures you don't just have to stop at fifteen you can go to sixteen or seventeen or twenty or seventy five if you want you don't have to stop at fifteen you can go to at least fifteen. And the bill itself says at least fifty so it's the same thing does that mean since it sets the the floor that the secretary of state could require a number above fifty obviously not it means that if you're gathering signatures you can get it from more than just fifty counties which this bill is trying to do but the constitutional section says at least fifteen now senator Dotson says if things are silent on the constitution of the legislature can pass laws but the constitution's not silent it says fifteen. And there are other constitutional provisions in our state that say the state legislature can amend this with a two thirds vote that's not in this section. Not only that if there were any ambiguity at all which I don't believe there is but if there are any ambiguity at all in the constitutional section it's has another subsection that says on warranted restrictions prohibited which basically means the legislature is not allowed to pass any laws that prohibit or restrict the ability of people to get an issue on the ballot this is as plainly unconstitutional as any bill that I've ever seen. The second reason even if you think it's wonderful policy and this has already been mentioned is the fact that the people of Arkansas voted against this exact thing for three years ago and twenty twenty when was referred out in twenty nineteen Senator Leding mention that only seven council supported the issued last November only for supported the then the referendum was moved from fifteen counties forty five only four out of seventy five county supported that six hundred thirty eight thousand our Kansans voted against that Senator paid mention in committee all he has constituents who vote against all ballot issues if they don't understand one twenty nineteen the legislature referred out three amendments one to make a half cent sales tax permanent want to change the term limits and want to raise a number counties required to get about an issue on the ballot from fifteen forty five well the people of Arkansas understood the first two well enough to pass some by over fifty five percent. They understood this one just as well and they they ought rejected it by more than fifty five percent the same margin by which they rejected by which they adopted the other to so the people of Arkansas have spoken on this not just in twenty twenty but also in twenty twenty two and a I don't want to belabor that because it's been mentioned but to talk to the now the policy a little bit this was fleshed out in committee over the last twenty years of all of the issues that but on the ballot referendums citizen initiated General Assembly legislative bonds where the case might be fifty eight percent of the issues that have been on the ballot our legislatively referred constitutional amendments so the argument is our state constitution's been amended to much. Time to take a look in the mirror only seventeen percent of the issues that have been on the ballot had been citizen initiated constitutional amendments which means a legislatures trying to amend the state constitution over three times as much as the people are you know the other argument that we heard is about out of state money well and this last November they were for constitutional amendments on the ballot three that were referred out by the legislature and one that was citizen initiated the three that were first out by the legislature five percent of them of the funds supporting those were from out of state the one that was initiated by citizens zero point one percent of the dollars were from out of state so this notion that there are people coming in and trying to stay in injured state constitution is a fiction. It's a fiction and this would guarantee that only the richest people can get an issue on the ballot if they have to go to fifty different counties another point that I want to addresses there's two parts of getting an issue on the ballot that are being totally confused and conflated in this discussion. There's two it's a two step process one is to get an issue on the ballot and the second is for the people to vote and what we keep hearing about is so it needs to be grass roots more people need input to get an issue on the ballot. Nothing about getting an issue on the ballot changes the fact that every registered voter and all seventy five counties in Arkansas has an opportunity to have a say on every issue that's on the ballot on election day that's when everyone has their say whether it becomes law or not whether it gets on the ballot is a threshold question. And the crew so the question is how much of a threshold should there be and that set in this article five section one of the state constitution at least fifteen counties eight percent for a ballot for an initiated act ten percent for a constitutional amendment beyond that the people have their say and Senator Hester I thought may appoint a committee that shows how the current process works a group of rich people he said got in a constitutional amendment on the ballot last cycle that's true well the first point as they were Arkansas rich people okay they weren't out of state rich people a number to the people rejected it when they had an opportunity to vote it didn't matter that it got on the ballot with rich people funding it the people rejected it and that's when everyone has their say when it's on the ballot for everyone in Arkansas about six hundred thirty eight thousand Arkansans voted against this in twenty twenty so that the people have spoken this directly flouts the state constitution and the will of the people of Arkansas at the end of the day what this is really about is control. It's about control the state legislature wants to control all of the laws that are being passed in Arkansas and then one of the people have a say in that law the reason I brought this up here is because I want to read the open opening provision of article five section one of this it says the legislative power of the people of the state shall be vested in the General Assembly. Which shall consist of the Senate and the house of representatives but the people reserve to themselves the power to propose legislative measures laws and amendments to the constitution and to an act or reject the same at the polls independent of the General Assembly independent of us. So this bill dramatically changes the balance of power between the legislation the people legislation that taking power I should say we right we've taken power from the executive branch every rule has to go through a L. C. try to take power from the judicial branch in the explanation every time is we're the branch that's closest to the people what you know what's closer to the people in the legislature the people. The people and this is taking power away from them it's wrong as I said in committee if this bill passes which changes state model for pregnant populace which is Latin for the people rule to whatever is Latin for the legislature rules because that's going to be the case if this bill passes. Thank you for Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized. Thank you madam president I'm interested how much we're talking about who what the rich people want what for people want. let's look at some numbers for such a second we have seventy five counties in the state of Arkansas and if you have petition signatures from only fifteen counties that means that potentially I know this not really gonna happen that all potentially sixty counties are disenfranchised from the initiative process now by broadening that. Your only requiring that these questions the rich people are grass roots or whoever they are go and ask and tell the people in these other sixty counties that your pro rata share of that eight or ten percent we need we need you to sign petitions now if you're a. Domestic or foreign interest groups you still gonna be hiring the carnies to run around to get signatures is just means you have to go to less counties alert citizens in the other sixty counties don't have to alert this the people the other sixty counties about what you're doing and then oftentimes regardless of how much or little campaign is before the election their first going to see this when they step into a ballot box I mean you've got the University of Arkansas extension service even trying to explain this to voters now which I applaud and I think they've done a good job but to say that this somehow by saying that you got to go to fifty counties instead of fifteen. It somehow courage the initiative process I think you have to buy the consent turtles numbers inside out. The current situations you can ignore sixty counties and that's why I support this bill and I appreciate a good vote thank you members. Anyone else wish to speak against or for. Thank you for your free clothes. Thank you madam president so. Just to recap this is a simple bill that does one simple thing it It's been debated back and forth and I'm not going to beat a dead horse about it I think it's a good bill I think it's defensible I think it is constitutional and As a. Republic I think it's it's a. Worthy of consideration and your vote appreciate a good vote. The. Thank you senator. Madam secretary would you please call the roll. Boyd. Bryant. Right. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Kroll yeah Davis. These. Days. DISMANG. Dotson. English. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health. Health. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Love. Mickey. Murdock. Page. Penzo. Penzo. Petty. Petty. Rice. Price. Stratham. Stubblefield. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senators who did not vote you wish to vote or who wish to change your vote. I'm again on this side Senator dis yes. Anyone else on this side. Senate Briant NO. Senator Petty president. Anyone else on this side. Go to this side Senator English yes. Anyone else on this side. Senator Rice president. Senator Stubblefield president. Senator Flippo president. Senator Penzo president. Anyone else. Please cast a ballot. By a vote at twenty one eighty eight eight nine and five present the bill passes but the emergency clause fails Senator Hester you're recognized. I would like to expunge the vote by which the Emergency Clause on H. B. fourteen nineteen failed. Motions can matrix funds nurses the clause all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed. I have a. I would I would like to revote on just the emergency clause for house bill fourteen nineteen this time. Question. Senator Teague you're recognized. No timetable of citizen issues or anything like that why some support to have emergency clause. I can pull the bill it says it right there there's justifications emergency clause in the bill I can go back and get it and read it to you. Alright. Okay. Please call the roll. Boyd. Right. Bryant. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Kroll yeah. Davis hi these. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Health. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Leding. Love. Mickey. Murdock. Payton. Penzo. Penzo. Petty. Petty. Rice. Rice. Stern. Stubblefield. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senators did not vote wish to vote or to change your vote. Senate Bryant is a yes. Chesterfield no. Love no. Any other senators Stubblefield yes. Senator Pitsch press. Any other senators. Please cast a ballot by voting twenty forty eight seven eight two not voting and one president. Emergency clause add house bill fourteen nineteen passes. Please return H. B. fourteen nineteen and the emergency clause to the House. We will. Go through the budget calendar. Amendment one Senate bill nine members this is a Amendment from governor's letter it adds language to the extra help positions of eighteen hundred hours or changed eighteen hundred hours. Have you take any questions for any questions. All those in favor of the amendment signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Amendment is adopted center road. Amendment one Senate bill thirty three. A Senate The Amendment is from Senator English it's related to workforce services and change special language regarding the transfer of funds Division workforce services training trust fund to the office of skills development fund to read two point five million dollars. After taking questions any questions. All those in favor of the amendments to SP thirty three please signify by saying aye hi any opposed. Amendment one to Senate bill thirty three is adopted please enter an gross. Amendment one Senate bill one twenty four. This is a amendment by Senator called will Arkansas state university university creates a dean of veterinary medicine medicine position of the maximus out salary of three to two thousand and three medicine instructors with a maximum salary of a hundred thousand. Have to take it results in a net addition of thirty nine positions have been taking questions any questions all those in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed. I have one two SP one twenty four is adopted please send an gross. Amendment one Senate bill one forty seven. All right surprise surprise it's university of Monticello by representative Wardlaw Amendment lines you and personnel from a nine month position to twelve month positions and make some additional changes that change on the university's position is zero take any questions any questions. All those in favor signify by saying aye. The oppose. Amendment one to. One forty seven is adopted police integrates. Any announcements at this time Senator English you're recognized. Senate education will meet in room two oh seven at three forty. Any other announcements other items at the desk. Yes where your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill ninety by Senator hill compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate to ninety five by Senator Dismang compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed calendar for your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill two ninety seven by Senator Dismang compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed calendar. Three sixty by Senator Gilmore to provide a sales tax exemption for textbooks library books and other instrument and instructional materials are purchased by libraries senate three sixty revenue tax number three sixty one by Senator Mickey concerning participation of home school students are of scholastic activities Senate bill three sixty one education seven three sixty two by Senator Hester in the membership of the calling of meetings of and a quorum for the state parks recreation travel commission to eliminate commissioner America's physicians and amend the Mississippi River parkway Commission Senate bill three sixty two ACT four culture center three three sixty three by Senator Wallace to amend Arkansas law concerning reports of improper illegal transit bill three sixty three state agencies symbol three sixty four by Senator Tucker to establish the conditions under which a public school district shall be shall all be returned to local contracting or margin C. said bill three sixty four education seven three sixty five by Senator Irvin to raise the Arkansas state due process and protection act and to establish procedural protections for student conduct disciplinary proceedings at public two year and four year institutions of higher education senate three sixty five education center three sixty six by Senator Bryant. Amending the law concerning ballot felony offenses for purpose of Perot and to clarify the residential burglary is considered a violent felony for offenses committed on or after April one twenty fifteen Senate bill three sixty six Judiciary. Senator Hill you're recognized for the announcmenet. Insurance coming from the fifteen minutes after tomorrow session we will not meet at ten o'clock in the fifteen as actors this section all. Any further announcements. Senate will stand in the German subject to the clearing of the best and two one PM tomorrow March seventh two thousand twenty three.