House Convenes

By the member staff press and guests in the gallery. Please stand and be led in prayer by doctor leave me alone a First Baptist Church of Camden against a representative D. Hodges and for the pledge of allegiance to be led by represent. Would you vote for a. Our father in heaven as we gather in this lovely place make us aware of all that we bring to this place. The trimming of our lips the storing of our hearts. The emotions that reside within the borders of our so. Review for your gifts. That you might have to be a cover the. Rights that we declare the successes that we've Richey. With this report and all the days to come that we might live. And ways to honor you to give thanks to you. Grandal god we pray. Wisdom for these assembled here. You've to each your strength. Thanks renewed each day. Blessings to lead us and their families. They have sacrificed time and distance. The benefit of our state. By your grace love and mercy. John upon the husbands and wives upon parents and. Yes your lord that you bless our president Joe Biden. You give him wisdom from being on. He faces the tremendous challenges of each day. Was matters both far and near. Local and international. Likewise we pray for our governor Sarah Huckabee. And we pray also for our elected and appointed officials all of them. You have to which we pray the grace of your presence. We should be attentive to your will. That we shall walk in your way. Bless these leaders with gifts from above. You have to them in good health. Physical any motor. You those safety. As they travel to the very distance. A person though even now in the quiet of this moment. That as we are reaching up to use. That you are even now reaching out and that. We make our prayer. In the name of the woman who has lived forever. Eternal in the heavens and upon earth. Keep service every day Allen forever more. World without end. Members please indicate your presence by pushing Gillam present button prepared machine out of Clark. Cast a ballot madam Clerk with ninety eight members present chair sees a quorum any request for leave representative gene for what purpose Hey if you're recognized leave a representative Whitaker is leave granted represent Whitaker. Some noted representative painter for purpose leave you're recognized leave a representative Schultz is Lee Brandt represent Schultz noted. Represent Jeffrey Wardlaw moved to dispense the reading of the previous day's Journal without objection so ordered or the Reports from select committees read reports about a park this is Speaker your committee on public retirement social security programs to whom was referred house bill eleven eighty six house bill eleven eighty seven big league report that we have in the same consideration here to sign the same recommendation that a do pass as quickly submitted representative Warren co chair. The reports from standing committees is there any unfinished business are there any Executive communications. Members our doctor the day is Dr Chad D. Rogers pediatrician here in Little Rock guest of representive Andrew Collins and our nurses of the day I'm is Brenda queue it is Sheri Bernard. Arkansas state troopers with this today a corporal Kevin grounds and lieutenant Tiffany dockets. Purchase a. If you have some additional guests with this. We have represent counties daughter Eevee. Who is paging today. And. My youngest daughter Libby and her friend Claire came with me today to page. Representative Richardson moved that we place Senate bill fifty nine back on second reading for the purpose of amendment without objection read Amendment number one madam Clerk. Amendment number one to Senate bill fifty nine. Senate Richardson you're recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker get any colleagues this is just an amendment adding my name to it appreciate a good vote. Represent Richardson is explain the amendment would you would like to speak against it. Would anyone like to speak for it. President Richardson close for the amendment the question before the House is the the option amendment amendment number one to Senate bill fifty nine all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The amendments adopted. Morning hour is indeed. Members were to pass over house bill eleven twenty eight Maddox Clark please read house bill ten twenty one. House bill ten twenty one by representative Maddox to amend the law regarding a microbrewery restaurant license and to buy the rest third microbrewery restaurant licensees to self distribute represent Maddox you're recognized to explain the Bill. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues. This is actually a very simple bill but it does it does solve a real problem and I'd like to explain it briefly if I could this isn't this isn't alcohol bill but I don't want to think of in and out as an alcohol bill I would think of it more the free market capitalism bill because that. Because that's really what it is so let me tell you why this is necessary. Some of our microbreweries are in small or isolated places or they may be small and they don't sell a whole lot of product so what this bill will do is it will allow a micro brewery to distribute a limited number of barrels per year and there is a limit on the number of barrels and let me tell you what's important so right now a distributor it doesn't make economic sense for distributor to come a long way think of a very small load and then distribute it because the distributor can't make any money on it so to give an example of what's happening in my district right now we have a micro brewery Bruce's own product obviously and he has a there's a restaurant located less than a mile from him the restaurant would like to service product but he cannot get in this product because there's no distributor who will drive all the way to where we live and then distribute a small amount not make any money and drive back so we have a willing buyer willing seller and because of the. Government regulation they can't come together so all this bill does is it allows a micro brewery to distribute a very small an amount per year up to a certain amount and that amount was agreed upon by the distributors. So ABC is neutral on the bill distributors are not opposing the bill and I'll be glad to take any. Wardlaw for what purpose. Recognized. You stop yourself in your speech when you were gonna say very small amount I think it's the way that ended. Is there a reason for that or is that a large amount. Well that depends on how you define large or small So that the amount the amount agreed upon by the distributors is five thousand barrels per year and so that's per year so pretty small but again that's agreed upon language but thank you for that clarification. I'd be glad to take any further questions. Saying I appreciate a good vote. President Maddox is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. President Maddox is closed for the bill the question before the House is passage of house bill ten twenty one prepared machine madam Clerk. Everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast a ballot madam Clark by a vote of sixty five Yeas thirteen days and ten present. The bill is passed I'm Clark please read house bill eleven fifty three. Eleven fifty three by representative ought to increase youth voice and allowed juveniles preferences concerning foster care placements in family time to be considered regardless of age if he or she is a sufficient eighteen capacity to reason and to establishment of law. Per se Vaught you're recognized to explain the. Thank you Mr Speaker. I like to go in September and speak at all of my schools The representative five not a brand that piece of legislation I can't remember who it was that made September the month in which is let's bring your legislator to school Monday. While I was there I had was talking about a bill of the bill that we passed last session on the Holocaust and I was talking about it being brought to me by a kid or student here at Little Rock. And one of the little girls that day looked at me and said I have a bill I would like for you to run. She's a tenth grader and I civil what bill would that be what would it look like and she said I think after I'm taken out of my safe drive home a foster care. Why I'm getting fed and I'm being loved. And then put it back in my home or I'm watching my parents shoot up. It's something I should decide after so many times they should listen to my desire and I want to and for I would like to be and what I would like today. I have I have such a big heart for kids it brought tears to my eyes I was just. Over one eye on that she would even bring that up in front of her heard her schoolmates that she would talk about this in front of her schoolmates and that's what I said that sounds like a really good bill to may I know Arkansas is real big about unification they want you to go back to your parents that's what we would like to do and she said at some point though it's doing more damage putting me back in my home with my parents then it is by letting me stay and live with the foster parents who love may make sure that my clothes are claim make sure that my bed is ready and that I am fed. So that's what this bill is about is to begin to give that students a voice. A voice that they've never felt like they've had before they will still have an advice on what they do right now but they'll be able to tell that outlined on Hey I would like for you to consider the fact that I'm having to leave safe drive home or I'm fed to go to a home or a constantly see whatever they say and the things these kids see sometimes are awful this little girl her example was seeing my parents students. So and they've graciously let the bill out the other day whenever she was here I sent it back so that we could put it back in the best interest up because that's what the Adlai items and the judges ask more for me to put back in and that's what I did so I see represent. President Dalby for purpose question you're recognized I just have a quick question how are you going to define sufficient age and capacity to reason that the judges that is the judges and that gave me the word it said it would be like. For a divorce like when they're at a divorce age I think that's twelve if I remember correctly with the DHS persons that there beside me at the age of twelve. Follow up in and that's my understanding of the law that it is currently twelve so is this not changing the mandate because it's always changing is for foster children. Just the foster kids I'm not doing anything with divorces anything with this is for a child who is going through the foster program. One more follow up. It in and I appreciate that and I understand that but my question is is in your bill it says of sufficient agent capacity and there's no reference to with the current law is of the age twelve is not intentional that may be it's what the judges gave me to put in there so I wish I could answer that better for you it's just what the judges suggested that I put sorry ma'am. And they just told me it was like. A child is going through a divorce. Seeing other questions I'd appreciate a good vote represent vote is explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill representative bodies close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill. Eleven fifty three AM missing. Everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about madam Clerk by a vote of ninety four yeah zero nine one present. The bill is passed. Members we have some additional guests with this in the in the west gallery. We have Kristin Hargett asylum springs and Brian jailer of Ozark there the guests of represent Delia Haak there here today with there Daughter and granddaughter Rebecca Harkin who is paging for us today. Members were gonna pass over house bill fourteen twenty seven. Senate Springer for purpose. Okay okay you're recognized for your point of personal privilege. Thank you Mr Speaker good afternoon colleagues. Today I come before you in order for us to pay hommage to one of my constituents who lives in the Little Rock Central High School in neighborhood association which is in my district her name is Mrs helpful in Ambros and I'll just read you a few things about the same Bros. Miss Ambrose was the civic and neighborhood leader during the thirty one years she resided in the Central High School neighborhood of Little Rock she attended beret collagen three Kentucky the first such college in Kentucky to embrace the abolition of slavery and enroll black students her lifelong dedication to lifting up others in their communities started with organizing organized school libraries for poor children in the Appalachian Mountains also Mrs Ambros arrived in Arkansas in the Central High School neighborhood and she saw Leding for the neighborhood as president. She also championed countless projects such is reclaiming a gang ridden park planting trees along neighborhood streets the preservation of historic structures and strongly supporting the creation of the Little Rock Central High School historic site she also was president of the coalition of Little Rock maybe who's any city wide of alliance promoting quality of life in the city and they would please join me in remembering Business helpful in Ambros thank you. Represent in it for what purpose. Recognized yes. Thank you Mr Speaker I move that this house bill thirteen fifteen be re referred to committee that's a proper motion it is debatable. Sent in it you're recognized to explain your motion. Thank you Speaker good afternoon colleagues it has come to my attention that Representative Hodges has some concerns about my bill that's what I'm pulling it down to make some amendments and I appreciate a good vote thank you. Person entity is explained the motion we would like to speak against the motion. Would anyone like to speak for the most. President and it is close for the motion the question before the House is the re referral of house bill thirteen fifteen to committee all in favor say aye. Any opposed. Motion passes Senate bill back. I don't Clark please read house bill thirteen thirty six. House bill thirteen thirty seven by representative maybe to classify building or space used for public early childhood education program offers a space for students as an academic facility under the Arkansas public school academic facilities funding at. Person Mayberry you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker. Members this bill does essentially two things one we have to do it's not required that our school districts have safe rooms so we need to include that in this language so that a safe room if you don't know what that is to be like a tornado shelter just so we understand the terminology of safe room we there are school districts are now required to have that so that's a no brainer the other part of this in the past facility funding partnership funding has only been used for K. twelve education this would allow a school district if the school district wants to voluntary if they are seeing the need within their district this is a local control issue they know that they need help with early childhood education this allows them to tap into some of those funds to be able to build probably with their other school facilities pre K. facilities as it stands now they're not allowed to tap into that funding so how they've been building it is through grants or private donations or the school district has just use their current funding to be able to do it this is an opportunity that they can use they don't have to they do not have to offer pre K. this bill does not in any way require students to be in pre K.. Why is this bill important to me. We had a historical moment back in June. And we reversed Robi way. And I celebrated as well as many of you celebrated. We are now about seven eight months. From the time were Arkansas has said you can no longer have an abortion in this state. And because of that. We are just now starting to see some babies. That are going to be born that would not have been born had the advancing to not happens. We already have a child care crisis in the state of Arkansas. It is already an issue. And statistics show that there are about three thousand babies aborted every year in Arkansas. So what are we doing right now to plan for more babies to be born in Arkansas. Granted we don't know what those numbers are going to be because we have babies who unfortunately still won't make it into the world because their mom was will go out of state. Hopefully we will decrease the number of times that that act is done. with those unintended consequences maybe maybe not. What what are we doing to prepare for more children needing childcare. I was a stay at home mom I love the idea that I got to stay home it was a two parent household my husband and I started our own business. We made sacrifices financially in order to do that. A lot of single moms out there are going to find out that they're pregnant and before they knew in order to stay in school in order to keep their job an order saying high school or college to further their career they just boarded the baby they don't have that option anymore what are those single moms going to do. That's why this bill is important let me explain though that the funding for these pre K. facilities would not go into effect until the next funding cycle for construction facilities so it doesn't affect the here now it would be twenty five twenty seven school years so we have time to address and to figure out what that number is no one can tell us how many school districts might wanna make. Make this an option. And with that. I don't see any questions president Pilkington for purpose question you're recognized thank you Mr Speaker on page two you're striking out the not can you explain to me why when this policy originally came into being that we specifically did not allow for these pre K. and wire we completely reversing that policy You know what what I understand the reason for doing it but we're doing a complete reversal he kind of explained to me the reason the original intentions of the way we set up beforehand well I think the way that it was intended before was this was K. twelve education and. I I think that we need to look at the reality that we're going to need more childcare and that's why I am asking for this body to say that we agree we need more facilities this is a more fiscally responsible way of doing it because you already if you're already including it in your plans for your new elementary school you're sharing the engineer you're sharing the architect plans you're sharing a lot of the facilities and not coming up with new cost so I think it's a more effective way on down the road to provide that follow up. The Speaker so for menacing is correct we're taking K. through twelve funding and spending it on pre K. which originally was is not allowed to be used but with your bill we're extending the amount of things we can spend that money on without increasing that amount of money so basically spreading. our costs without increasing our revenue so again that part of it would not go into effect until twenty five twenty seven so on down the road so we have a hole at two years to work that out and to come up with that additional funding. So. Okay. The baby for what purpose question you're recognized. Looking over the fiscal impact statement there was there was a new kind of following up on representative Pilkington's questions at that there was only you know the amount of money or appropriation that was set for the facilities partnership funding. Off the top of my head I'd have to look that up by I apologize and it again does this mean that there will be more hands dipping into that pot of money absolutely as we talked about on the other bill it does mean that that money gets spread out more we have the option as legislators to address that and we have plenty of time to address that on down the road in the next funding cycle we need to be prepared and if we don't think there is an economic impact on this already let me remind you that by not having childcare or U. S. chamber of commerce foundation says that absences and employee turnover cost employers six hundred and sixty five million dollars per year an estimated two hundred million in tax revenue is lost annually due to childcare issues I think this is an issue that we can do and we're looking at the big picture this is a more fiscally responsible way of providing that thank you Paula your. President Mayberry is in the building. President Mayberry is close for the bill the question before the House is passive house bill thirteen thirty seven prepared. Is everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clerk. I don't Clark please read house bill thirteen twenty nine. House bill thirteen twenty nine by representative R. Scott Richardson to create a means by which public school students may substitute compatible elective course working career and technical education for required core academic classes represent. Thank you Mr Speaker house bill thirteen twenty nine is a. Thank you for that welcome as well it is a a a bill associated with a challenge that I was presented when when my ninth grade sign begin making his plan for his future he wanted to do wants to be a doctor which is a interesting path for a ninth grader to choose and he's got a lot of challenges ahead of him but the biggest problem with that is that how do you get from point a to point B. this challenge has some options for him right now with career and technical education in in the Rogers and Bentonville school districts right now we have a plan that works closely with that in whack university that's they're close to us to provide our students with passed for a career in technology skews me technical education this one being specifically for a nursing certificate by the time they graduate is a good plan and a good option for a lot of students unfortunately along with that comes a lot of other responsibilities when he made his plan brought it home I looked at it and uh there was a a requirement for him to take basic health along with those standard core classes that we often see for kids going through their standard education but in addition to that was a lot of other requirements associated with his health classes anatomy physiology things of that nature that he'd be taking to get his nursing certificate and again asking questions why does he have to take all the course I insist requirements which there's three of those in addition to that take all these other classes as well because some of them would be superseded and requirement FOR the the standard core classes so having that conversation working with the Roger school district we came about with a bill that would allow him and other students. Of course to be able to substitute these classes these more advanced a more technical classes for some of the less rigorous core classes therefore providing him an opportunity to not only finish that specific pathway a big and get his nursing but also probably completed his internship which a number of students are not able to do at this point is a good bill to provide a bunch of students opportunity to complete their career technical education and pathways and to get the the career ready skills that they want to come out of high school with and ghostly in our work force if they like. With that. And the flowers purpose question you're recognized I'd I'd I'd like this And then I'm also a little. Concerning to have a question about what this would mean in terms of Required required course work say for example to enter into a pre med so for the purpose of your analogy or. Program would a particular university or college have to take that even though you're saying this is for graduation with a with the with the college then have to take that substituted course to admit a student into a pretty rigorous program in which they would need to be adequately prepared based upon very specific courses does that make sense it does thank you to answer that question let me back up and make sure we understand the direction the substitution as our current for purposes of this bill we are allowing a path to substitute the more rigorous career and technical courses that are being provided through the university for our standard core classes right the substitution goes that direction currently there are some core classes that will substitute for career and technical education classes but not many and generally it's the other direction that we need. You're recognized for follow up thank you so just so I make some clear this would not affect universities that despite these that these courses will be taken occur. This would not affect a university or college is admission into a certain program in terms of what classes they would have to recognize you're talking about the courses to core courses meant to grab. Yes if I understand your question okay thank you. President will for what purpose question you're recognized can you can you share with us what courses you're talking about up to now the yes Sir actually this bill does not specifically named the courses and we did that on purpose what it does instead is it sets up a. Committee made up of a member from each of the cooperatives throughout our state to align those courses and to do the curriculum mapping as we know courses change over time we offered new courses that may have specific opportunity for substitution so this is an ongoing process that'll happen on a. No other questions I'd appreciate a good vote represent Richardson is. Close for the bill the question before the house passed house bill thirteen twenty nine. Asked about Clerk. Six present the bill is passed I'm Clark please read house bill thirteen. House bill thirteen sixty eight by representative Hodges to amend the law concerning contracts for work to be performed on state aid roads and to amend the aggregate cost maximum for contracts for work to be performed on state roads. President Hodges direct. Thank you Mr Speaker good afternoon that I am presenting house bill thirteen sixty eight concerning state aid roads. This bill. This bill increases the number of miles of designated state wide state aid roads from fifteen thousand to twenty thousand miles bringing all counties into compliance because of construction inflation there's also a need for an increase in the Senate which counties maybe their their own state aid projects from two hundred thousand to five hundred thousand. In recent years I've often our state bids have resulted in no bidders one bitter or waivers. Due to the did the beds being part excess of our dots estimates. In recent years the number in amounts of state funds used for overlays micro surfacing and pavement management has increased in far exceeds the arbitrary cap of twenty five percent this bill remove that cap as well any questions. President Wooten for what purpose question recognized. Let me be sure I understand what you're saying we're increasing the state covering fifteen thousand roads to twenty thousand. Additional miles my highway to maintain yes five thousand. How did you come up with that number well I'm I'm not sure how that number had come about I can I can find out for you on that. So. One of. We're asking the highway department or were changing the rules that they're operating under out there now. To increase their cost and this is expensive. To do work on state road with the asphalt paving and all that so we're asking them to increase the size and we have one of the largest mileages of highways in the United States today and we're asking them to increase their costs about five thousand miles. Right it's it's been agreed to with are not it's been agreed to the contractors of Arkansas asphalt pavers Association and are not all written on it thank you thank you. With that I'd appreciate a good vote. Represent Hodges has presented the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Representative Hodges are you close for the bill. I have represented Hodges close for the bill. Measure before the house's passage of house bill. Thirteen sixty eight. Where the machine Madam Clark. As everybody voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clerk. By a vote of ninety three eight zero nine eight and three present. Bill has passed. Madam Clark please read house bill thirteen eighty four thirteen eighty four by representative Joe a card to amend the law concerning the payment of a tool allows a certain employees of the Arkansas department of transportation. Representar Europe you're recognized to present the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker house bill thirteen eighty four addresses maintenance workers at the central office facility currently and this is been going on since nineteen ninety three the electricians the plumber and the mechanic all receive a five hundred forty dollar per annum for hand tools. The only one is left out in the trades is the carpenter. So this allows them to choose the type and quality that they're familiar with it's within the appropriation so it's not increasing any any monies just allow them to do that within the appropriation and that amendment will ultimate allow the employer to not have the risk that's associated with the ownership but they would benefit from the use thereof and I would just like to say I'm grateful for unanimous vote from the transportation committee on this. Any questions. Okay representive car has presented the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Are you close for represent cards close to the bill madam Clark. Question before the House is passage of house bill. Thirteen eighty four. Adam Clark please prepare the machine. Everybody voted. At. madam Clark please cast of ballots. Vote of ninety seventy eight zero nays and zero present the bill has passed. All right this time we're going to go back and pick up house bill fourteen twenty seven. Senate guess where you're recognized to present your bill. Madam hold on Adam Clark please read House Bill fourteen twenty seven fourteen twenty seven by representative Gazaway to amend provisions of Arkansas law relates to the co revise their and to declare an emergency. Now you're recognized present your bill. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues is another bill from the code revision commission. the bureau of legislative research employs a covered visor currently that's been Sanderson some of you may know him pence is set to retire at the end of March and the bureau needs to move forward quickly before we adjourn to hiring new code revisor the simply allows the bureau to act immediately to get the code revisor hired so that when we adjourned in the new laws going to place the bureau the covered visor can begin to work on those laws ensure compliance with our code. That's all it does happy to answer any questions Senate appreciate a good vote. All right representative Gazaway has explained the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Your clothes for your bill okay he's closed. Question before the House is passage of house bill. Fourteen twenty seven. Where the machine Mr Clarke madam Clark. You're voting on the bill and the emergency clause. As everyone voted. Asked about. By a vote of ninety seven U. A. zero nine eight and zero present. The bill has passed. We're going to pass over the Senate bills today. Representative makes you're recognized. Motion please. You're recognized for motion thank you Mr Speaker after the ounces for any of the bills transferring the bills placing the counters on the House members amending their own bills on Amendment members withdrawing their own bills finalizing resolutions reading communications and any remaining committee report I move we adjourn until one thirty tomorrow afternoon. That's proper motion is not debatable. All in favor say aye. Any oppose. Is habit. Are there any announcements. Representative gene for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized for an announcmenet joint budget will meet tomorrow morning at nine AM big mac a. All right. Representative very for what purpose sure you tomorrow ten AM room one forty nine and don't forget to come by and have breakfast and coffee with the our Chief Justice in the morning and cafeteria thank you representative. Representive waiting for what purpose it's an honor to be recognized by you Mr Speaker I have an announcmenet if that's okay with you. You may make your announcmenet House Management meets upon adjournment in room one thirty eight a very quick meeting thank you. Thank you representative waiting. Representative they use for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized for announcmenet revenue tax tomorrow one fifty one ten AM. Representive Tosh for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized for an announcmenet state agencies will meet room one fifty one fifteen minutes within fifteen minutes after adjournment room one fifty one. Representative Johnson for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized for an announcmenet public health committee meet tomorrow morning ten AM room one thirty. Representive eleven for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized for an announcmenet House education will meet tomorrow morning ten AM room one thirty eight. Are there any other announcements. This will remain open as needed for the reading of the bills and upon completion of the items named in the adjourned resolution the house would be adjourned until one thirty PM tomorrow.