Senate Convenes

The Senate will be called to order are there any request for leave at this time. Secretary please call the roll bowhead Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark cruel Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love Me kidi Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Thank you madam secretary of everyone in the chamber in the galleries would please rise and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance following a prayer led by pastor Duane Miller who will be introduced by Senator Ricky Hill. Collins if you would welcome under Wayne Miller from the H. charging Cabot the lands been a minister in the Little Rock Central Arkansas area for seven years he's been in cabin now for almost two years so if you would join me in welcoming him to their opening prayer today. Thank you senator let us pray heavenly father we thank you that we live in the greatest nation on the face of the earth that was your idea founded by you. Upon your words. And the Judeo Christian principles that our forefathers handed to us I thank you that you have heard of that sacred trust to the leaders of this nation in Washington DC and the leaders of this great state of Arkansas as a lifelong citizen of this state I pre blessing upon our new governor upon both houses I pray that the supernatural will of god would be done and that these people would do the work of your kingdom to bring your daughter to your name Jesus Christ we pray for protection health and safety and lord we pray most of all for our nation that we would truly be one nation under god. And come back to our foundations that you have placed a psalm the lord we pray for divine supernatural intervention in this state in our for your people in this country we pray this in the name of Jesus Amen. Ladies and gentlemen in the galleries welcome to your Arkansas state senator. It is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today's proceedings without objection the rules will be suspended and central dispense with the reading of the Journal. The morning hour has now begun are there any advancements or introductions at this time Senator Gilmore you're recognized. Members would acid you grant leave for my constituent in county judge from Cleveland County Jimmy Cummings who's with us today. Thank you. Thanks in a well judged it to see Sir. Senator flowers. Thank you governor. Members. Governor I'd like to introduce my pages for today I've asked that they come down I have five pages here they're all Dumas bobcats. They are ninety graders at the. Dumas public school district come on over here. So I have today. I have eyes a Haiti's. Fifteen fifteen years old. He plays baseball. And you see that little brace on his wrist he really plays baseball. He plays tennis. He's on the student council. The future business leaders of America club he's the class president. Is in the Spanish club. He's all eight honor roll. F. C. C. L. Eads and educators rising say hello to Isaiah Hey. And Isaiah. Being here. Thank you. And then the next we have Camden Jackson Camden is fifteen. She's on the student council. She's a member of the future business leaders of America. She's the class secretary. She's on the all A. honor roll. She's in the Spanish club the chess club and educators rising welcome Camden Jackson. And then we have. She. But that. She's fourteen years old. She's into gymnastics. She's a member of the future business leaders of America club she's on the all A. honor roll and educators rising club thank you right to. Next we have Elisabeth Health. And the list is fifteen years of age she's a cheerleader. She's into gymnastics. She's into her church youth group. And she is a member of the student council she's the class reporter. She's a member of the educators rising. And the future business leaders of America and she's on the a and be on a roll. Not only that she works on her family farm that helps the feeders all thank you Elisabet and last I have Haley Holly. Halle Halle Curtis she's fifteen. She's a cheerleader. She's also a dancer. She is in her church youth groups she's a member of the student council. Educators rising future business leaders of America. And she's only eight and be on a roll thank you Harry for being here. All right it's going. Thank you governor centreboard you're recognized. Thank you madam president I'm proud to have my first two pages here with me today first of all I have Jude hairy age twelve he's in sixth grade home town of Greenwood he attends east hills middle school and his extracurricular activities in interest are the ator quiz bowl in chess so please help me welcome geode hair here. All right and then we also have Jude's brother Sawyer he's age fourteen he's in the eighth grade and his hometown is green wood as well he attends green wood junior high extracurricular activities and interests include basketball and baseball and enjoying spending time with friends so help me welcome Salyer. The board center bill you're recognized. Thank you madam governor before I get started like to take the opportunity to introduce the local county treasurer who is up here in the the VIP gathering is Patty weather's Is personal friend of mine and on top of that this is our grandson this being a pace today I'm going to reduce this is Verizon weathers he's fifteen years old in the tenth grade Cabot high school. He is starting left tackle football team the six foot six two hundred sixty pounds at the age of fifteen. Coach statement you might wanna start looking toward Cavenaugh like say the age of fifteen the he enjoys hunting fishing and playing football so go would please welcome a Bryson of weather's to the to the gallery. Bills Leding you're recognized. Thank you Mr president colleagues I want to welcome twelve year old Harper foxes in the sixth grade old middle school up in Fayetteville he's into sports fishing guitar theater his favorite NFL team is a Cincinnati Bengals which as a fan of the Green Bay Packers kind of upsets me but at least as a of see saw let it slide he's also hoping to get into sports broadcasting when he grows up so if any of my friends and KNWA or the other stations back home or watching you're looking for some on air talent give Harper quality of representation or an agent yes okay we'll work on it okay all right please welcome our. Nine. Thank you madam president I'm honored to have two pages here with me today you can figure it out they are related to each other. Their names are Ethan Davenport and Blake Davenport they are both juniors at the greatest high school in the United States of America Little Rock Central High School they're both involved in congressional debate they're both boys Council life scouts working on their eagle scouts both involving future business leaders of America National Honor Society delay which I learned is a masonic fraternity and the beta club. Blake centrists are exploring new ideas listening to music and hiking Eaton's interests are cooking traveling to places and learning new things now if you don't recognize their last name just by me saying it if you've ever had a bill drafted this session last that's going to state agencies it will be drafted by the one and only Michelle Davenport who we all know does a phenomenal job for all members of the legislature and these are her twin boys so please join me and making them feel very welcome here today. While I'm here madam president I want to go ahead and welcome our doctor of the day with your permission and nurse of the day sherry Bernard of course our doctor of the day is doctor rich brown who is an ophthalmologist for the VA so he's serving our veterans so please join me in and welcoming doctor brown to the states. Senator Teague you're recognized enter the members have honored to present miss Ashton Miller she is a daughter Jeremy emeritus Miller dear friends of me and my wife and Jeremy works for farm bureau so he was part of the host group up here and Aston I have known for several years and she is a very special person she works on the farm that's the main thing one the main job she's also on the student council and she's in the officer in FF et and she plays basketball and softball okay. You're recognized. Members the hold. Take a Gander. Absorbents. This is what's at stake. Tonight at seven o'clock we will kick off again the hoops for kids challenge one of the greatest events maybe in our state maybe in our lifetime. Let me tell you I I need to make sure that it's clear when our founding fathers set up this system. They set up a balance of power they set a balance between the different branches between even inside against with the house and the Senate to have a balance I am here to tell you we don't believe in the balance when it comes to that we've won four straight times against the house and let's make it a. Okay. All right. Join would be friends family tonight seven o'clock show up at Central High School so we can defend our honor and win again for a fifth time thank you thank. You're recognized senator do you would you tell us who the coaches for for best we have thank you for the question we have highly esteemed highly sought after coach one that has been the behind the scenes and mentor. Stretcher. really friendly to the team and that is our own Misr Senator Jonathan Dismang that's right that's right. Thank you senator these and I hope that everyone stays safe tonight and bring some of the drug. Senator Mark Johnson you are recognized. Thank you madam president and I will remind everyone I was the first person to get to address you that way in this chamber I'm very proud of that and that has to do something I bring to your attention Governor Sanders today. Declared that March is women's history month. And I just stopped and paused and took note of course the fact that not only do we have the first woman governor of the state of Arkansas we also have the first woman lieutenant governor the state of Arkansas but also would be remiss if I didn't mention that fifty five years ago my mother became the very first woman to run for governor and it's my daughters are very proud of that not Tellem we're gonna have a woman governor some day I should have said and the woman lieutenant governor but I said your mom your grandmother will always have been the first so I'm very proud of that fact it was a whole different world and we had three women in the house and one in the Senate so it has changed very much for the better madam president but I wanted to. Congratulate our presiding officer. Lieutenant governor Rutledge and governor Sanders for the his to history of this and of course this proclamation we can all celebrate thank you ma'am. Thank you senator Johnson A. and at historical note that some of you all may not be aware of and lighted women's history month that in addition to the after mentioned first that governor Sanders might have made independently collectively we are the first female governor and first female lieutenant governor independently elected to ever served together in the history of the United States. You're recognized. Thank you madam president and I just like to Recognize the most important woman in my life I want for on the thirty six years in two days is join us today and she has been taking care of the family business is along with our two sons and doing such a great job that she thought she could take a day off and be down here with us today to capital so please welcome Rhonda my life. No further announcements madam secretary there items at the desk. President will your committee on Rhode Bills to whom was referred the following symbol to eighteen by joint budget Senate bill two nineteen by joint budget senate two twenty by joint budget Senate bill two twenty one by joint budget Senate bill two twenty two by joint budget senate two twenty three by joint budget Senate bill two twenty four by joint budget Senate bill two twenty five by joint budget Senate bill two twenty six by joint budget senate two twenty seven by joint budget Senate bill two twenty eight by joint budget senate two twenty nine by joint budget Senate bill two forty by joint budget Senate bill two forty one by joint budget senate two forty two by joint budget Senate bill two forty four by joint budget senate two forty five by joint budget have compared the enrolled copies with the original find same correctly enrolled in it eight of eight thirty five AM delivered to the government for approval Senator Mark Johnson. For 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. State agencies Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three twenty two by Senator Irvin the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed public health Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen oh seven by representative Wardlaw compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed state agencies for your committee on education to whom was referred Senate bill one ninety by Senator Murdoch recommend to pass. Calendar committee on education was referred Senate bill two hundred by Senator English recommend due pass counted Committee on Education was referred Senate bill two sixty two by Senator Peyton recommend to pass as amended number one calendar committee on education was referred Senate bill two seventy six by Senator Hammer recommend due pass counted Committee on Education was referred senate bill three oh four by Senator stone recommend due pass counted Committee on Education restored house bill twelve thirty eight by representative Cozart recommend due pass counted Committee on Education was referred house bill thirteen twenty nine Ferguson Richeson recommend due pass counted Committee on Education was referred house bill thirteen thirty six per cent Cozart recommend due pass counted Committee on Education was referred house bill thirteen forty seven by representative about recommend due pass counted Committee on Education was referred house bill thirteen eighty three by representative Shepherd recommend due pass counted. On Judiciary to whom was referred Senate bill two sixty three by Senator Hester recommend to pass as amended number one calendar Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred Senate bill two eighty two by Senator Irvin recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred Senate bill one eighty nine by Senator Irving recommend to pass to concur in house amendment number one calendar. Committee on Public Health time is referred senate bill three twenty one by Senator Irvin recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred senate bill three twenty three by Senator Irving recommend to pass calendar Committee on Public Health to whom was referred house bill ten eighty two by representative Pilkington recommend to pass as amended number one calendar Committee on Public Health to whom was referred house bill eleven eighty one member representative hawk recommend to pass as amended number one calendar Committee on Public Health team was referred house bill thirteen forty beverage centre Tosh recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health Service for house bill fourteen ten receive birds recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health ten was referred house bill fourteen thirty members and Lundstrum recommend due pass. Calendar committee on Public Health timers for house bill fourteen thirty three by Rick representative Lundstrum recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health to whom was referred house bill fourteen forty five the representative Eubanks recommend due pass counted Committee on Public Health Service for house bill fourteen fifty a person Cavenaugh recommend due pass counted. We are committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred house bill ten twenty seven members enterprise recommend due pass count. Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred house bill twelve ten by representative hopp recommend due pass counted Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred house bill thirteen seventy nine by representative Mackelden macalin recommend due pass counted. Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred house bill fourteen thirty five per cent of talk recommend due pass counted. Senate bill three forty five by Senator Hammer to create the position of dementia services coordinator within the Department of Human Services Senate bill three forty five public health zero three forty six by Senator Hester to provide a permanency and to strengthen kinship placements for children in foster care Senate bill three forty six. Some of three forty seven by Senator Hester. To promote child safety while reducing child welfare agency involvement in the lives Arkansas residents Senate bill three forty seven Judiciary. Are there any further business to come before the body in the morning hour it's not the morning hour has expired. We will now begin the business agenda. Senate resolution eleven. Senate resolution eleven by Senator Caldwell committing Arkansas farmers ranchers and foresters for the vital contributions to the security and economic well being of the state and the nation. Thank you Mr president one is. Our farmers and ranchers the senator Johnson been looking for you to come up here please. the we wouldn't have clothes on the back of food on the table if it weren't for these people. I'd like to read his proclamation. Senator is nearly twenty percent of Arkansas economy is based on food fiber and forestry we're is two thirds of Arkansas counties rely heavily on farming and forestry in their economic base. And we're is agriculture food related activities and industries provide more than two hundred forty thousand jobs in employee one out of every seven our Kansans. Where the agricultural pursuits in the State generate a value in excess of nineteen billion dollars to the Arkansas economy. The annually and contributes to Arkansas stable well balanced economy. And we're as Arkansas ranks in the top twenty states in the production of thirteen agriculture commodities commodities including a top five producer of rice broilers cotton care physician turkeys and we're is Arkansas has more than forty two thousand farms on fourteen million acres and more than nineteen million acres of forest land and we're is Arkansas ranks fifteenth in agriculture cash for cities in the nation where is Arkansas farmers ranchers and foresters feed and clothe people worldwide you were is farmers ranchers and foresters provide the bulk of the state wildlife habitat practice sound environmental stewardship and supply community leadership throughout rule Arkansas ingress agriculture community contributes a substantial portion of the revenues that finance state and local services to all of Arkansas citizens with Arkansas farmers ranchers foresters are deserving of a public commendation and appreciation now therefore be it resolved by the Senate of the ninety fourth General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the Senate expresses sincere appreciation Arkansas farmers ranchers foresters for their outstanding contributions to the economy of the state and the nation into the well being of the people and commend them for their dedication to what utilization of our resources. Thank you senator. And I moved for adoption. All those in favor of seven Senate resolution of eleven mending Arkansas farmers ranchers and foresters for their vital contributions to the security and economic well being of the state and nation please signify by saying aye. Many opposed. Resolution is adopted I would like to read. I would like recognized all reforms your interest in the gallery please they would have if your farmer rancher for completion in. Thank you senator and I would like to take a point of personal privilege that this group of farmers is very near and dear to me as many of you all know and a lot of it be an ex farmers made a capital I brought my own farm farm bureau and he's here this gallery my husband Boris Johnson. Senate resolution seventy. Senate resolution seventeen by Senator Clark to recognize the Greg Sullivan memorial regional state of lever action solo at championships. Senator Clark you're recognized thank you governor I would like to leave for a. Of the Susan soul and the would of of Greg Sullivan four of George correct the president the gun club in for former state representative that garners helped us put all this together in a member of the gun club of. Please. The come down. We also have members of the gun club in the gallery. Of. The. I am of I have the honor of having one of the a treasure in Arkansas we have so many treasures here in this state and so many that it's hard to know them all but we have the been garden club over insulin County sitting on two hundred acres has seven ranges of hope Plano having eight ranges by the end of this year. And of Greg so everyone had a lot of hobbies of but this became one of his passions and everyone else would call him to become more expert in the A. when you but from what I know little I know is when you really start competing of there's a lot to know especially about guns and how to set him up and and all those type of things. And of. The. If you get a chance of come visit us over and button and see this range and also especially if you can come and may elect president the resolution. Or as the Greg Sullivan memorial regional state lever action select championships will be held on may twentieth and twenty first two thousand twenty three at the been gun club and we're as metallic silhouette shooting as a group of target shooting disciplines that involved shooting owns at still targets representing chicken pigs turkeys and ram at varying distances seeking to knock the metal targets over and we're as the three lever action but telling so at this point shot in the stamping ship shall be small bore pistol cartridge and cal boy using and cowboy using rifles with iron sights fard freehand without support out to two hundred meters. And we're as the Greg Sullivan memorial regional state lever action so what championship is a national rifle association approved of it and will follow the national rifle association rules and scoring animal stop right here today so but I didn't tell you of for our knowledge this is the first state regional tournament certainly at been going club first one we know of this bill that's been held here for this this one or any this one of and so we're bringing in people from all were surrounding states in this sea Arkansas and what we have to offer but whereas marksmanship is important for the promotion responsible and safe gun ownership and where is the button gun club and it's seventeen hundred members have been working hard to prepare for the great Sullivan memorial regional state lever action so what championships and were as Greg Sullivan who passed away in August of two thousand twenty two was loved by his wife Susan and son selects and Daniel I was a professional land surveyor and manager of the survey Division of Crafton Tull in Little Rock was a scout master troop six and a baseball coach and we're as Greg Sullivan had a well known law for precision shooting competed locally and nationally in various shooting disciplines mentored many shooters in the state was an organizer amassed rector regional matches and was instrumental in the design and expansion of the bit and gun club now therefore be it resolved by the Senate of the ninety four General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the Senate recognize the Greg Sullivan memorial regional state lever action silhouette championships to be held may twentieth and twenty first two thousand twenty three be a further resolved that upon adoption a copy this resolution be provided to the family Mister Gregg Sullivan by the secretary of the Senate. Thank you senator Clark all those in favor of Senate resolution seventeen recognized The Great Sullivan memorial regional state lever action select championships please signify by saying aye. Does. Resolution is about thank you members. We have the members of the of the gun club in the gallery re please stand. In the gallery not the galley. Thank you all. Thank you senator. I now want to Senate bill two sixty seven. Member won the Senate bill two sixty seven. Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized. My bill my amendment and Whenever this gets engrossed I would like to re referred back to committee for further amendment. All those in favor of the. Many the signify by saying aye. The opposed. I have a. Amendment is adopted. Amendment one Senate bill two seventy three. Amendment one Senate bill two seventy three. You're recognized thank you Mr president my bill my amendment my one word that we're going to change or instead of. Thank you senator any questions. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Oppose ayes have it members adopted gross. Amendment one Senate bill two seventy five Amendment one Senate bill two seventy five. You're recognized. Thank you ma'am governor of my bill my amendment it was agreed upon any committee and so that's what the amendments all about. Any questions. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Is amendments adopted Senator Ingram. One to House Bill thirteen forty nine. One to House Bill thirteen forty nine The Boston you're recognized thank you my bill amendment. A good vote. Any questions. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. Many opposed. Senator. S. the ninth for. Senate bill ninety four by Senator Hammer to modify the Arkansas pharmacy benefits manager licensure act. Senator Hammer you're recognized. Thank you may have gathered what Senate bill ninety four does is that with regards to policies that are issued from outside state it requires the same things that we expected ensure companies on the inside of the state as well this is a a bill that is not going to affect PPM and lesser not to doing something right with for the most part PM's PBMs are doing the right thing but this is intended to bring those that are not into alignment by increasing some of the fees that can be issued against him will be glad to answer any questions. Questions for senator Hammer. Senator you're pretty close thank you closures no objection and committed to this and some of pharmacy spoke in favor of it and I appreciate a good vote thank you any objection rowing the boat. Secretary of the board Brian Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis the Dismang Dobson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice. Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote Senator Dotson president. Any other senators say nine please cast a ballot. By a vote of thirty forty eight zero nine and one present as the ninety four passes transmit to the House. Senate bill two fifty one. Senate bill two fifty one by Senator Kroll concerning the administrative office of the keep Arkansas beautiful commission and to amend the duties of the State Parks Division. The Kroger recognized this simply our realignment of who the reporting to keep America beautiful has three employees but a million dollar budget they currently report to the park's heritage tourism cabinet member they're gonna we're going to change that to the director of State Parks instead it'll keep the state parks and keep America beautiful line and everything that they do. Any questions for center Grove. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close good vote Senator has any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please Robert Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Proehl Davis vis dismaying Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stone Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. C. nine please cast a ballot. By a vote at thirty five eighty eight and zero nine eight C. two fifty one passes transmitted to the house. Senate bill two seventy. Senate bill two seventy by Senator Pitsch to amend the criminal offense of sexual indecency with a child. Senate you're recognized thank you madam president colleagues I know you know there's two sides to every issue and I'm from the country and and this may be dealing with a sensitive issue but I can promise you that from my side. It looks like this bill is a tremendous offer a compromise nine of the two sides of this issue may be so far apart that even a effort to compromise could be seen as extreme but of I was a little shocked by some of the things that I got in my email the bottom line is this bill does not make it illegal for somebody to use the wrong bathroom or the bathroom that does not match up with their sex unless there's a child present I mean I'd love to have a bill here it would. Protect my wife and my daughter. From being in the restroom and and and their privacy being violated by a man going in the bathroom but this bill doesn't do that it does protect my granddaughters and my grandsons I think it's a reasonable compromise to ask somebody if you're going to use the wrong bathroom or dressing room. That you make sure there's not a minor present. And that's all this bill does it says the if you. Insist on remaining in the bathroom with the miner present. You could be guilty of a misdemeanor the first two times and third strike it be a felony. back often let the opposition have their remarks and then I'll close in a few minutes if anybody has any questions of course I'd be happy to answer any questions for Senator Pitsch Senator live you. Thank you Mr president Senator paid what what a road for you to bring this bill what we tried to. Actually two well as yourself we've been down here for several years and news reports over that time frame I've had countless constituents come to me and say. Yeah we we need to stop. People from going in the wrong restroom wrong dressing room there's concerns over Many situations that that the people are hearing about and. Quite frankly We know that there are people who are demanding access to the to the facility that does not match their gender and that's not just trans people who are changing their gender but I mean my opinion is if we allow this to happen. There could be other sexual people that took advantage of access to the opposite sex facility so I'm just asking that we make as we take a little more serious when there are children present. And that if a minor is present the. You don't need to be in the restroom that's that does not align with your sex. Agenda. Thank you thank you any other. Anyone wishing to speak against Senator Tucker you're recognized to speak against. Thank you madam president. I've got a few things I need to say about this bill so I hope you will bear with me this afternoon you already know what the first comment is going to be. This bill. Is an unprecedented step toward criminalizing being transgender in America. When you boil it down what it does is makes it a crime to be a transgender adult in Arkansas. Now you can parse words with me and say oh it only applies if you go on a public restroom and then only if a child is present. Well we all know that adults have to use public restrooms if not every day than virtually every day and it's impossible to spend a week or two of your life much less years or your entire adult life and with being certain that the only time you go into a public restroom is when no children are present. So once again when you boil it down this bill makes it a crime to be a transgender adult in Arkansas. If passed it would be the most extreme anti trans law in America. Now you may not understand why a person would be transgender or be interested in the science around it. But at some point you have to recognize the basic humanity of a person. And there's nothing more human than having to go to the bathroom and this bill criminalizes that. And that's cruel. Now I don't believe it center paves intent to be cruel I'm confident that it's not but whether it's his intent or not this criminalizes going to the bathroom as a transgender adult in Arkansas and that's cruel when it presents a horrible image of our state to the world. Now I know many if not most of you all disagree with every word that I've just said. Well that may be personally disappointing for me I also recognize that so I'm gonna ask you to indulge me and said everything I said just now all to the side and paid pay attention only to what I'm gonna say from this point four because what I'm gonna say from this point forward has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a Democrat. They will not be based on any political philosophical or ideological difference that you and I may have with each other I want to talk about the language in the bill only okay so let's start with the easy stuff. On page seven line fourteen of this bill there's a missing line. There's a line missing in the bill. Now I have discussed this with senator Payton he's agreed to change that in the house but that didn't stop or even slow down this bill from passing out of committee when there's missing language in the bill. Beyond that as you all know this makes it a crime to go into the bathroom and remain there of the opposite sex and remain there if a child is present there's an exception. In the bill if it's your own child who six years old or younger. But there's no gender language in the exception. So the way the bill is written. An adult man can take is five or six year old son into a women's room and hang out there all day and under this bill it's not a crime. Now senator Payton setting committee that does not match his intent. But that's slow this bill down from coming out of committee. Not and not not even a bit beyond that and this centre Love got this in his questions I asked senator Payton in committee are you aware of a single instance in Arkansas of this happening someone going into a bathroom of the opposite sex Senate causing harm to a child and he said he's aware of some constituents who have a concern about it but he's not aware of a single instance of that ever happening that we know that's not going to slow the bill down because we pass bills out here all the time without any evidence of a problem whatsoever. But I want to talk for a minute I want to go a little deeper on the bill a little more into the meat as many of you all know crimes consist of elements these are the facts that prosecutors have to prove in order to obtain a conviction by and large elements consist of two categories a mental state and then behavior that we as a society want to prevent or criminalize there are some crimes like murder that depend on a result like the death of another person but by and large there are two types of elements for crimes a mental state and behavior that we want to prevent and criminalize in this bill there is a mental state knowingly which center Payton amended into the bill was not in there originally. The behavior that the bill seeks to prevent and criminalize is entering and remaining into a public changing facility which is basically a public bathroom and remaining there while the child is present. If you do that. You're guilty. Of. Indecent sexual conduct with a child sexual indecency with a child. I want to give you just a couple of examples of of what I mean when I talk about behaviors and mental state someone first use battery in the first degree a person commits battery in the first degree if with the purpose of causing serious physical injury to another person that's the mental state the person causes serious physical injury to any person by means of a deadly weapon there's the behavior that we want to prevent and criminalize another example theft of property. The position of a person commits theft of property if he or she knowingly there's the mental state takes or exercises on authorized control. Of the property of another person there's the behavior and then there's another mental state with the purpose of depriving the owner of the property. Of that property. We already have the crime of sexual indecency with a child on the books and there's three examples so again the the behavior here is being in a bathroom while the child is present. These are the examples of sexual indecency with a child of the crimes that we have on the books of the crime that we have on the books first being an adult eighteen years or older you solicit someone who's fourteen years or younger to engage in sexual intercourse deviate sexual activity or sexual contact. That's sexual indecency with a child. The second example with the purpose to arouse or gratify a sexual desire the person purposely exposes his or her sex organs to another person who is under fourteen or of any age if they have a position of influence over that child that sexual indecency with a child. The third example is. With the purpose to arouse or gratify a sexual desire the person being eighteen years of age or older causes or coerces a minor to expose his or her sex organs someone who's fourteen years of younger for any minor or a minor of any age if you have a position of influence over them that's a sexual indecency with a child and what we're proposing to add to that here is if you are in a bathroom with a child not if you're harming the child. Not if you're attempting or threatening to harm the child not if you're. Serving the child not if you're anywhere near the child if you're in the bathroom with a child under this law you're guilty of sexual indecency with a child and I wanna give a couple of examples of of what that means for how broad that is there might be a situation that a child could get hurt if there's a person in a bathroom with them just like a child might get hurt on an interstate highway. But we don't ban cars from being near other cars if there's a child present on interstate highways what we do ban people from speeding or driving while intoxicated because those are the behaviors that as a society we want to prevent and criminalize. But here. All we're saying we want to prevent criminalizes someone from being in a bathroom at all. So let's say a person has an emergency need to going to the bathroom to wash their hands they walk in there's a child that the next scene washing their hands you remain in the bathroom to wash your hands no one in the bathroom is using the bathroom you're guilty of sexual indecency with a child. I'll give you another example. You're in the bathroom it's embarrassing that I have to talk about this on the Senate floor you're in a bathroom and closed all the stall door is locked you're sitting on the toilet. You hear a child come in your in the middle of doing your business okay. You hear the child's voice you remain in the bathroom until the child leaves you are guilty of sexual indecency with a minor. Now that is the broad description of the behavior that we're trying to prevent and criminalize with this bill is not even the worst part of the bill. That is the fact that an element of this crime is that you have to go into a bathroom of the opposite sex. Sex is defined in the bill. According to the bill. It means a person's immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics as existing at the time of birth. It's hard for me to put into words how preposterous I believe that is but I'm going to try. As I mentioned there are two types of elements generally better and crimes mental states and behaviors this adds a physical trait of a person's body. To being an element of a crime. So what this means is if we believe it and agree with it that the only people who can harm a young boy in the men's room are those people who are born with ****. Or the only people who can harm a young girl. In a women's room are those who were born with **** that what does that have to do with whether you're harming a child or not I don't have anything more to do with whether you were born with brown hair OR one arm or green scanned that's why law prosecutors in states don't put physical traits of a person as an element of a crime for an offense. Beyond that. In order for a prosecutor to obtain a conviction under this crime as it's written. They will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. What a person's genitals were when they were born. Just let that sink in a prosecutor will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction what's a person's genitals were when they were born. Now. Your might ask me I'm I'm a stop talking about the bill now and you might ask me Tucker why are you down there so long. Beating up on a bill. That is so obviously flawed. And at the risk of answering a question with a question. My question to the membership is what is a bill that's in this kind of shape doing on the floor of the Arkansas state Senate. And even worse what is a stand such a high chance of passing. I was elected the state's internal member third twenty twenty the first event that I attended as a senator elect was a dinner on November fifth the night before organizational meeting at that dinner Senator Hickey who is the incoming president pro tem had a gift in a message for all of us the gift was a nice. The message was not for us to stab each other the message was that iron sharpens iron. Now I like to that. I knew coming into this body that they were gonna be laws that were passed that I disagree with from a philosophical standpoint and I accept that. What I thought that meant is that we as a membership would work hard to get bills in the best shape that they can be and before we passed or we don't pass the. Now stop me if you've heard this. We're in committee we have an amendment that wholly transforms a bill. With no notice to the members and no notice to the members of the public. But that didn't stop the committee but. Adopt the amendment passed out we have another bill that comes to to committee it's totally dependent its implementation is totally dependent on an appropriation being passed otherwise it's an unfunded mandate that will cause the state agency to be breaking the law if the appropriations not pass the appropriation process hasn't even begun we don't know if it's going to pass or not doesn't matter let's pass that bill out of committee. We have another bill that banning counties from doing something that no county in the state is doing. Done matter let's pass a bill out of committee and how many times have we heard this. Of this bill is flawed I is the bill sponsor agree but I promise I'll I'll get it fixed in the House. Now. I don't know but you Senator Hickey but I'm more to some folks have left there aren't at home. Because we need to see some more shopping around here. And this is the point I'm trying to drive home vetting bills is not partisan. Vetting bills is not part As. The requires good faith. Mutual respect and hard work and that's the. Vetting bills it should never be partisan but it should especially not be partisan when one party has over eighty percent of the seats in the legislative body. If betting becomes partisan in that circumstance they wind up with a whole lot of bad laws on the books. I don't want to suggest that there's no vetting taking place. Justin Senate state agencies yesterday senator Hammer and senator McKee pulled bills down based on questioning from senator Peyton senator Dotson myself and I want to compliment senator Payton and center Dotson for asking those questions and I want to especially compliment senator Hammer and senator McKee for being open to hearing those questions. But we can be do better excuse me we can do better than we've been doing and you all know that we can do better than we've been doing the people of Arkansas deserve better than we've been doing. We're down here not to make political statements for for our own egos or for social media posts. We're down here to make a loss. And if we pass laws like this one and somebody breaks it they're going to prison. The people of Arkansas deserve our best effort. And we can start. Right now with a vote on this bill we can say senator paid no matter how much we like you and I know we all do. Senator Pitsch no matter how much we respect you and I know we all do I know that I do. Senator paid no matter how much we like what you're trying to do here. Which I personally don't some of y'all may but no matter how much we like what you're trying to do here when a bill comes to the floor initiate. It's not passing the Arkansas state Senate. Let's see what happens. What. Senator Stubblefield you're recognized for a question and. I remember. Judiciary meeting that morning pointed out that there was a part of the code without. Remember me pulling that giving you the answer. That was from the alarmist your chair it's not in the bill and senator Payne is already told me he's going to put that on an amendment in the house that language was not available to the members. It says something like if it was a felony or if the crime was a felony. Correct thank you knew what the the the rest of the Cold War. Before we voted on how we can all guess but it's not in the bill or it's not in the law it's not in the law and we're now we're asking the Senate to pass a bill that has missing language. What to do You got one yes Sir. One seven. What page. Yes. Being eighteen years of age or older. The person knowingly. Enters. I would. Well we discuss that in committee Senator pains answer that question is that it's open to the. So I'll tell you if you'll give me a chance to finish. Senator pains answer that was it depends on. the discretion of the prosecutor my personal definition is staying in the bathroom it's unclear to me for how long but I ask senator Payton if you're using the bathroom install and someone comes in a child comes in and you stay in the stall until they leave are you remaining guilty of this crime and his answer was he believes so full. Twenty. Could be fifteen seconds. Being eighteen years of age or older the person knowingly enters into the public changing facility that is assigned to persons of the opposite sex. Well known a minor at the offices. And the Public changing facility. Yes that's what it says Sir question. No one to make sure that the Taliban knows what was in this bill that someone. I'm I'm aware to spend a whole lot of time talking about those exact words. Okay. Senator Bryan. I do I do I think about your example we're we've all been in situations where we go to. Public buildings and they all the folder out of order to prepare five and you got two choices either. that you're. Four to walk across the hall and knock on the door maybe nobody answers that you're gonna go into the office. You take care of your. Basically. If there is if there is some of the office and they say that a close call about quarter you look at the. This call when you see the maybe maybe it's the other way it is maybe it's not and you're choosing to go in there because it looks the only got a couple of choices is there any defense in your opinion in this bill. To justify. You go into no Sir. Thank you. Anyone wish to speak for. Senator Dismang was recognized to speak on the bill. It's really I just I just want you to answer questions I think the body of thought about just asking here but I don't think that's appropriate I mean if we knowingly no there's a main line missing in the bill. I guess I'm just curious why we didn't fix it in committee or why wouldn't fix on the floor or. You know what what we're going to why why we would not do that I mean I think in philosophy I mean in theory I think most this membership is going to agree with the bill I just don't know why. What what the rush road why we wouldn't fix that process in and to. In center Tucker's point I think that is a point at and so you can just address the reasoning behind that I would like to hear. Senator Leding is recognized to speak against. President. And colleagues if you're tired of hearing me talk just remember that I still got to listen to me even when I'm not speaking of. This bill is gonna protect anybody this is just another building to control and limit the lives of trans our Kansans and the way we know that there is no criminal intent in the legislation just simply existing in a public space is the crime. It's as though we're trying to make life just so burdensome for transfer Kansas to simply exist in public spaces that maybe they won't even try you know we we could we could add some criminal to to this bill but as Senator Tucker pointed out sexual indecency and assault are already crimes so again this bill is just about trying to control and limit people's lives because some people are uncomfortable and just because people are uncomfortable doesn't mean that we get to raise community by trying to make their life so difficult that they don't engage in public spaces I can't believe it has to be said the trans are cancers have every right to exist safely in public and this will put people at risk just as with the bill that's targeting locker rooms you have to think about what this is going to do if you have a trans woman somebody who presents as a woman having to walk into a men's restroom or trans man somebody who presents as a man having to walk into women's restroom you think about the destruction and the unnecessary alarm that's going to cause if this bill would become become law it's gonna put more people at risk just for no reason whatsoever it's just It's a shame that were here I know we we we want to keep people safe but this is not what this legislation is doing it is about trying to raise an entire community because we are uncomfortable and that's just not what we need to be doing here I just ask that you please vote no thank you. Senator Leding. Speaking for centre Petty you're recognized. Thank you madam president. And. I don't see Senator club anyway. This is not an attack on Senator Tucker or anyone that is spoke on behalf especially tonight when we need the depth on the basketball team so don't take it personally but I look at it from a different perspective to understand what to Senator Leding is talking about but I think I made very clear that I'm down here because Little Miss Penelope and my desire in my heart for the kids and what I don't want to happen is to sit idly and us not have the real reason and we can debate whether the real reason is to minimize a certain population or not but the reality is we do have laws and my thing sitting there right beside the Senator love and thinking about Penelope and Millie I don't want something to be on the books or not be on the books that allows an act that is unrelated to a a disenfranchised to population grew to be there for example we got I got a call from my prosecutor my child sexual detective there and and and Van Buren says that we had a case thirty two or thirty three year old man. Affectionately kissing a fourteen year old thirteen year old girl. They couldn't prosecuted because there was not anything on the books that fit that. Definition of a prosecutable offense so we're obviously we're working on something that is one example but I don't want to set aside I want to get into the you know whether or not we're we're eliminating a certain population or singling out of certain population I want to cover those that are near and dear to my heart like penalty like Millie we have a rule I'm as you know I'm a I'm a supporter and if a fan of the boys and girls clubs in the boys and girls club the space the safe space for kids safety is the number one issue that we have for the boys and girls club for these kids kids that have terrible home lives the number one issue a safety we have a rule we have kids bathroom we have adults bathrooms. Nobody's going to go in there with any kind of ill intent. But we have that just to take that off the table and if a volunteer happens to go over into the student bathroom. Once okay you didn't know twice too bad they're gonna have consequences now that's not a law what's our rule we're going to ask you to consider the kids and I'm asking you today not to think of necessarily about those that that feel like this might be disenfranchise and their rights but to think about the the Millie's and penalties that we want to protect thank you. Speak against. You're recognized. Thank you madam president you know I wasn't going to get up and speak you all but here's yes a couple things ran through my mind number one. I think this bill is made upon a bad assumption. First of all of the assumption is that someone this trance gender is going to harm it shall. That is a poor assumption. You know there's been a lot of. safety bills that have been passing the. They have been passed in the past. Used to be a safety bill that you know. Blacks couldn't use the same restroom since white. His passing a hospice of safety you all this bill is not going to protect anybody. It is not. It is there S. is is being pointed out to marginalized community. This is something that we have to stop doing when is enough enough the transgender community the suffering I mean. I would not. As soon as an individual. Who would want to choose the ridicule that ridicule. We need to begin to love. Everyone in our community. We need to begin to accept everyone in our community as a Christian it is our job to love. It's not our job to ostracized. In what we pass bills like this what we're doing is we're ostracized in a community that needs our love. And so therefore I would encourage you. To vote no. And I would encourage us to begin to start looking in the trash in the community and seeing how we can love them seeing how we can make things Things better for them thank you. For. Senator Hickey recognized to speak on the bill right not against this bill is going to vote against the bill that has sexual indecency with a child in it the first bill that I passed member I came down here was to eliminate the statute of limitations for the sexual predators you know so that the they could be proper. Prosecuted Allen to out to basically any age so the thing is is I will make the requests of cinder Payton if he would pull it down early on the basis that we need to get these right in committee that's what this committee process is about. It doesn't matter who comes up with the point because there is a problem right here that we need this we need this line corrected this is not the way we need to do it is not the way we need to do business so I'm will for me make that requested to pull it down to keep me from having to vote present on a bill that deals with sexual indecency of a child thank. Anyone else wish to speak against or for. Senator Rapert you're recognized. Thank you Mr president and I just wanna answer some of the questions whether fresh in our mind I do respect the fact that I don't want to put any of you on the spot of voting for a bill that is missing language so let's get that out of the way first it's on page seven. And it's the end of line fourteen. And you'll see and if there and if you drop down the line nineteen the same phrase was supposed to follow that if if the offense is a felony what it is. We're having to clean up some other sections of code because we're creating the possibility that sexual indecency with a child might be of a misdemeanor. Everywhere else it existed as Senator Tucker pointed out it's a felony is a serious offense this would only be a felony if you persisted and and were found guilty three times it would be a misdemeanor otherwise so the other sections of code that referred to sexual indecency with a minor had to be changed to include the possibility that it could be a misdemeanor or felony so several places in this bill you'll see where another section a code is amended with that language to say if the offense is a felony their own Page seven line fourteen it was a drafters error and it was supposed to be followed by if the offense is a felony so it was really to relatively simple to comprehend but Senator Hickey is right Senator Tucker is right it is something that's got to be fixed and we can send it back to committee or fit and fix it Or we can fix it on the house in. But the bottom line is it has to be fixed and so. I want to address a few of the other things that came up number one I did not draft this bill myself sitting in a bathroom stall. I went to the lawyers at BLR and there's a couple members of this body that no. We went to be L. R. with this idea. Five or six years ago. And I hadn't ever perfected it. Until now we're charges point outs not perfected but the bottom line is. There's been several lawyers in BLR there's been the Review Committee and BLR. Then I took the bill to the attorney general's office and to family council. Who vetted it. got input back from both groups. Amended it before it was ever filed. To fix their concerns. the language that Senator Tucker was point out about the definition of sex. It was something that I was told needed to be changed from its original form to what's in the bill now to. Be more like Arkansas Code to conform to the definitions that appear elsewhere in Arkansas Code that definition was not in the first draft that I was working with it was brought in on that that on the advice of some of those attorneys said it needs to line up with Arkansas Code. The argument that a man could take his five year old son to the ladies room and not be violated this is true but he can do that now I'm trying to eliminate some instances but I have to admit this bill does not eliminate all instances Whether or not there's any. Physical. Abuse or harm taking place. You know if somebody flies a drone outside your bedroom window to take pictures or whatever they're not assaulting you physically but they're violate your privacy. And if if my children or your children are in the right bathroom because they're not confused about who they are. And somebody of the opposite sex comes in their privacy is violated whether they're whether they're washing their hands or not when you enter into these places it's reasonable to expect that you're going to enter a state of undress if you're just going in there to wash your hands the other occupants are probably going to be entering a state of undress. And whether or not you're grabbing him around the neck per slam against the wall. Violating their problem privacy is a serious offense and. You know I've had those situations Senator Rapert where where I had to go the bathroom of barely make it to the next exit nine running a gas station and men's rooms occupied. I'm very careful to make sure there's a lady in the in the ladies room and if I enter in I have tried to get somebody outside the no I did and to guard the door. Well so so I can use that bathroom without violating the privacy of a lady or child. Of. One of the suggestions that was made by the attorneys. Was it this bill in its original state said enter or remain. And they said you need to change that to say enter and remain and here's why. If you enter and you discover that there is a child of the opposite sex in there and you do an about face you're not violating this bill. If you enter and there's no children present and you go to the stall and you're doing your business. And a child comes in you're not guilty of entering at that point. Your remaining because you got to finish your business and hopefully you'll remain until they're done with their as they get out. And I'm sorry to be blunt but dies I'm not an attorney and I can't stand here and and give you a Polish speech I can only talk to you in real world terminology what I've experienced. And if I was a prosecutor. And somebody was just honestly going in there to take care of their business why would I bring charges against him if I was another patron of that store why would I throw Senator complain or call the law this is not to try to. Criminalize normal behavior. Emergency situations we put a long list of exemptions in this bill everything we could dream up. To make sure it didn't cover somebody giving medical aid or even a janitor taking care of the of the place But. I do understand that there's a drafting error in the bill. And that in an effort to want to save the committee's time I made the decision this morning. It to promise to handle that on the house and and I guess this is too big of a topic. For us to not have to go back through the committee process so I will prepare an amendment I'll pull it down for now and I'll take it back to committee. So that we can Get those three four words in there at the end of that sentence thank you members Senate. To be clear motion to re referred to the Judiciary Committee thank you madam president yes all those in favor signify by saying aye. Me opposed. Yes. Send to the mission. Similar to eighty percent. I like to make a motion to suspend the rules place SP two eighty on the calendar for second reading for the purpose of amendment the seller I. Thank you senator. Suspend the rules. But on second reading. For many. All those in favor signify by saying aye. He opposed I've had a member won the Senate bill two eighty Senator Hester was gracious enough to run this out of committee for me would not have a house sponsor on it so this amendment is just to add a house balance sponsor and also add Senator Hester as a sponsor the bill. All those in favor of the amendment signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Your Chesterfield. What makes you madam chair. Can we turn the water off in here. I'm sorry can we turn winter often. What we voted for the amendment it did all those in favor amendments and I. Close as head passes and a grocery. Senate bill two eighty seven Senate bill two eighty seven by Senator Bryant to amend the law relating to recording subdivision plats the instrument of transfer and amend the law relating to recording certain documents prepared by a land surveyor Senator Rapert you're recognized thank you madam president members this is a bill that kind of cleans up our our language in our county code for deal with cladding of lands currently if you buy the property when a I haven't re platted in subdivision or just establish boundaries if it's in the county or in the jurisdiction of the city or in the city your surveyor will prepare that Platt and go take if the council for recording what's happening is it's it's unlawful for the recorder to accept that unless it is verified by that jurisdiction but the maker recorder of lawful they don't know different jurisdictions but the surveyors do so this puts the requirement on the surveyor to make sure all those boxes are checked before the recorder stamps that are put that in the system. Any questions for Senator Breanne. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rowing the boat. Ma'am secretary please rowboat Board Bryant 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. Saying please cast a ballot by voting thirty five eight and zero nine Senate bill two eighty seven passes transmit to the House Senate bill two nine seventeen ninety by Senator Penzo to provide for a temporary increase in the cost of living adjustment for elected county officers and justice of the peace. Senator Penzo you're recognized. Thank you Mr president the Senate bill two ninety establishes a one time adjustment the county salary scales and twenty twenty four currently at three percent code is made every year to the minimum and maximum salaries county elective offices are the only non state positions that have a range set by the legislature the bureau of labor statistics showing a spike in both private and government pay especially over the last two years larger largely a response to high inflation unfortunately this means a three percent increase annually and the seller salary cap is not kept up with inflation and few and for a few of our counties it means that the elected offices are not being paid competitively in relation to the private sector in some counties employees are making more than the elected officials they work for. In order to keep our wages competitive we're proposing a one time increase of. Ten percent the seller's skill to keep pace with inflation this will be effective in twenty twenty four only in the following years the cost of living increase in the ranges would fall back to the three percent that has in the past this change in salary range does not result in court records having to adjust salaries it simply adjust the range within which the salaries are set it is up to each quorum court to decide of a larger increase on a local level is warmed. Any questions for. Anyone wishing Senator Clark you're recognized. Yes of the suburban though there's no doubt that there's been a spike recently. The. Of. I have worked on adequacy of. For some time I know that our inflation rate for several years running was two percent or less more more and so during those years. If we will rise three percent to the middlemen the we were actually outpacing inflation correct. I could I could see that I don't know the exact. Growth rates of the previous years and have an accountant so if it allowed us to catch up or not but but but the three percent is designed to be an average of. That is correct it in it currently in Washington County for example our our sheriff is making less then the second command deputy sheriff because. The the pay scales for employees have far exceeded what they have so currently the sheriff is making less this will affect a few counties in the state that will want to increase the paid to be I mean the northwest Arkansas you know this is you know you're talking about growth rates over the entire state you know appreciation rates I know in real estate can. You know it's seven percent a year annually over like a certain period of time back in the past but the we were seeing fourteen percent wash the county twenty one percent growth rates in Benton County back in the day so I mean it's the that that region the state and probably some other regions they're having a hard time keeping pace with the the three percent co. The problem is described. Of doesn't seem to be an inflation problem it seems to be a growing problem it seems like maybe there needs to be in the pay scale a difference between our largest counties and the rest of our counties. I have before this baby that's what it sounds like it because where you have management of large groups of people versus management small group of people there's differences in what I believe that's why there's a pay range there's very few counties that are probably paint at the very bottom of the range you know this is the association of counties piece of legislation I don't know that any to my knowledge no counties have been in opposition to it I don't know if you're counties reached out and and in opposition or not but this is to to keep pace with inflation what I would expect them to be on a form a quorum court member of but we do expect Arkansas Association counties to bring is something that would lower that would take it down to one percent to three percent. The questioner yes what would you expect them to bring us something that would lower the the the the the about that we increases each year rather than race I mean if if they felt like the the scale you know for you had does several years of low inflation rates and they felt like to the bottom of the scale was encroaching on some of the smaller counties I would expect them to maybe maybe do that thank you thank you any other questions for Senator Penzo. Speaking against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rowing the boat. Please Robert Mohit Raina Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rise stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Senators who wish to change their vote I see Senator Clark president I see Senator Blake Johnson president I see Senator McKee. President. I see senator Chesterfield present any others on this side. On this side Senator Leding president Senator Davis I'm going back to this side where we Senator Davis president your testimony revealed vision. Senator flowers president. Anyone else Senate president please check the board. Please cast what. Senator days for you good. Centered Hey yes. Everyone's checkerboard. Please cast a ballot. Five twenty seven E. A. zero nine and a president. Senate bill two ninety passes please transmit to the House. Now Senate bill three oh seven Senate bill three oh seven by Senator Hammer to create a monument to the unborn to create a monument on state capitol grounds and to men amend the law concerning the duties of the secretary of state. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you and this bill is modeled after other monuments that we've placed on the capitol get to the point is a monument that is recognizing the two hundred thirty six thousand two hundred forty three plus babies that were never born as a result of roe versus Wade it is established that the Secretary spatial have final authority over the design working with the commission so can be tastefully done and I'll be glad to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Hammer. Senator Chesterfield. The commission pardon me while you to set your freezing I don't want to have to. Thank you. The commission. Would have to be created is that correct. No ma'am it's a current Commission I think it's commission looking for the property capital arching grounds commission or ten grams Commission yes ma'am thank you thank you mention thank you senator bill. Any other questions for Senator Hammer Senator Teague you're recognized for a question. Is this already have money towards others is for those things and we're just trying to see if you get money for. Hey it is. It will be paid for and there it is established that the secretary of state on page four. Line eighteen. The Secretary state may accept gifts grants and donations from individuals and organizations to be deposited as trust funds into the monument to the on board children display funds so it'll be private funded. Any other questions. Anyone wish to speak against four four. Senator Tucker you're recognized to speak against. Thank you madam president I'll be brief members yeah offered enough for me today somebody needs to stand up I thank for for women if we pass this. We're not doing it for the women who had abortions were doing it for ourselves The monuments that we build on the State Capitol grounds should be monuments that everyone believes and can get behind. Now where the you think every abortion is a sin are you think every woman is entitled to make their own decision about where they have an abortion or not is irrelevant to this question what's up incontrovertible is that that is a very contentious issue in the United States and has been for fifty years and not only in the United States but in the state of Arkansas every year the Arkansas poll conducts polling about the people of Arkansas as views on abortion. How every year of around fifty percent of our Kansans this is pre Hobbs or dies skews me about fifty percent of our Kansans every year say that there should be no change to the abortion law under roe or that abortion should be easier to get and every year under that poll about seventy percent of our Kansans say that abortion should be legal in at least some circumstances so this is not an issue that's. Sixty forty in Arkansas and that's not the standard we should be using for monument say on the State Capitol grounds my name is the on the State Capitol grounds should not be ninety under they should not be ninety five five they should be a hundred zero we all believe in the monuments for our veterans who passed away in works we all believe in the monuments for our first responders who lose their lives for the sacrifice they make for us this is injecting a contentious political issue to the grounds of the state capitol and it's doing so in a way that I would have to imagine is going to be very painful for a lot of women who have gotten abortions in the last fifty years for that reason I'll be voting. Anyone wish to speak for. Anyone else first to speak against or for. Senator Hammer you're free to close. Thank you manager first of all I'm thankful that was noted that only women can have babies in those comments number one number two the the the the the monument. Will be in my opinion and with eighteen plus and my involvement is allowed to be will be tastefully done because if we're going to make. Broad statements with broad brushes then we have to also understand that there are women out there. As have been testified over the years that we have had this battle that have regretted that they have had abortions. And so what I hope in this monument being passed is that anybody that looks upon it will remember chapter in our state history in U. S. history. All the time or so many babies. Who were boarded. And give us an opportunity to hopefully fight to make sure that that history is never repeated. And I'll close with the statement then I'll ask you for a good vote. I hope that you will stand with me by voting yes for this bill for the two hundred and thirty six thousand two hundred forty three plus babies that were allowed to take the poll. Senator has closed. Any objection role the voter. Jackson noted. Please call the roll Boeing. Bryant. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Kroll. Davis. These. DISMANG. Johnson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. King. Leding. Love. Love. Okay the key. Murdock. Hi. Penzo. Petty. Rice. Statham. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senator who wishes to change his or her vote. Please cast a ballot. But at twenty five eight seven eight two not voting and one president. Senate bill three of seven passes. Transmit to the House. House bill ten twenty one ten twenty one by representative Madison center board to amend the law regarding a microbrewery restaurant license and to authorize certain microbrewery restaurant licensees to self distribute. Senator Boyd you're recognized. Thank you madam president colleagues this bill allow sell and transport of up to five thousand barrels of beer malt beverage or hard cider manufactured by microbrewery restaurant upon application and payment of a two hundred fifty dollar fee by said microbrewery restaurant. Any questions for senator Boyd. Anyone would speak against or for. Senator you're pretty close closed appreciate a good vote. Any objection to roll that. And action noted minds secretary please call the roll Boyd. Ryan. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Kroll. Crawl. Davis. These. These. DISMANG. Dotson. English. Flippo. Flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hester. Hickey. Hickey. Hello. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Came. Leding. Love. Love. The key. The key. Murdock. Press. Yes hi. Penzo. Penzo. Petty. Yes. Rice. Staffan. Stubblefield. Sullivan. Tucker. Tucker. Wallace. Any senators who wish to vote. Four injured voted against Senator Clark president. Senator ladies. No. Senator Kroll. No. Senator girl yes Senator Gilmore no anyone else on this side. Senator Penzo yes. Senator Hester no. Anyone else please check board. Please cast a ballot. By a vote of twenty two yea or nay or not voting and five present HB ten twenty one passes returned to the house. H. B. twelve forty four twelve forty four by representative anchoring center board to amend the law concerning the issuance of an application for a digitized driver's license. Boy you're recognized. Thank you met madam president this bill updates are current law regarding digital driver's license it provides for implementation by February first two thousand twenty five several states around us have already implemented this or or very similar language law enforcement and DFA are good with this there's no known opposition to this this bill update at this bill update does provide clarity surrounding Fourth Amendment issues it also clarifies that you must have a hard copy of your ID on your person for the time being and just this is absolutely and not a mandate mandate it would only be an option for someone so chose to to purchase this. Any questions for Senator boy. Anyone wishing to speak against four four. Senator you're pretty close I'm close and appreciate a good vote thank you. Any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please for the vote Boyd Bryant Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Kroll Davis these dismaying Dotson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator who wishes to change his or her vote. Senator flowers president. Any other senators. Thank you please cast a ballot. But at thirty forty eight zero nine am one present house bill twelve forty four passes please return to the House. House Bill thirteen twenty thirteen twenty by representative writing center Payton to amend the law concerning initiated petitions and referendum petitions to require the Attorney General to review an initiative petition or referendum petition before circulation and fire and emergency center paid you're recognized thank you madam president colleagues a. I guess a few years ago we decided to try to move this responsibility of reviewing the titles of the of the amendments from the attorney general's office to the Election Commission the courts didn't like that so this bill just simply puts it back to the attorney general's office like it had been for fifty or sixty years and If you have any questions I'll try to answer some representive rated a much better job in committee that I could. Senate Chesterfield you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair in thank you for allowing me to sit Senate. can appreciate what. Is this the same meal that is going to require fifty signatures from fifty counties or is that the taking of the bill I don't think that was ever part of this part of this bill okay so I can be I don't know of any opposition to this bill yes Sir thank you thank you. Any other questions for Senator Pitsch. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Close to center has closed any objection to rowing the boat. Madam secretary please Robert Boyd Brown Caldwell Chesterfield Clark cruel Davis the Dismang Johnson English Flippo flowers Gilmore Hammer Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson King Leding Love McKee Murdock Payton Penzo Petty rice stem Stubblefield Sullivan Tucker Wallace any senator wish to change his or her vote. Please pass up the ballot. Five thirty five eight and zero name house bill thirteen twenty passes please return. To the house. House bill thirteen twenty and the corresponding emergency clause pass return the House. And we are passing over H. the fourteen oh four. Are there items at the desk. Yes ma'am present for your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill two sixty seven by Senator Blake Johnson the gross copy the original find same correctly engrossed state agencies Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate to seventy three by Senator Patty compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed state agencies Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill two seventy five by Senator Hammer compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed state agencies Committee on engrossed bills to whom is referred senate to eighty by Senator Dismang compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen forty nine by representative right compare the engrossed copy with the original. Right. The Senate will stand in a German subject to the queen of the desk and till eleven AM. March second twenty twenty.