Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee - Senate

advocacy day and so I've asked for them just to give us a little presentation about what they're here today to do and if you'll come to the table and I just I just he brought flowers and so I love flowers and I wanted him to speak about the flowers and just give us the ability to to recognize what they're trying to do today the feel state your name for the record you're recognized David cook senior problem public policy manager for the Alzheimer's association I did bring flowers will you accept this rose I guess is the phrase. I will. The This afternoon we are at eleven thirty in the rotunda we will be meeting for special ceremony to honor the sixty thousand our Kansans who are currently living with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia we do have several different flowers that we are asking lawmakers to come and hold depending on your connection to the disease so I wanted to share briefly what these flowers represent the purple flower is representative of of someone that you've lost Alzheimer's I lost my grandmother to Alzheimer's so this is one of the flowers I carry so if you have someone in your family or someone you know that you've lost Alzheimer's or another form of dementia the purple flowers is for you the blue flower represents individuals who are living with Alzheimer's or dementia diagnosis and so we have several my father who's actually here today who's living with vascular dementia we have several advocates who who have Alzheimer's and dementia. The yellow flower represents if you're a care giver of someone with Alzheimer's and dementia I'm here in Arkansas we have over ninety three thousand caregivers that provide unpaid care to individuals with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia the value of the care that they provide as a cost savings of close to two point one billion dollars to the state us our family care givers play a critical role in providing care for their family members and then the orange flowers last but not least is the fire we we hold if you're just a supporter of the cause and as you make your way into the rotunda on the right hand side there's a table stage with all these flowers so we encourage you to pick one up and join us for ceremony at eleven thirty and then our advocates will be on the Senate floor in the house for today as well in the gallery on the floor. Thank you thank you so much really appreciate what you do and and again welcome parents is great to see you but I appreciate what you do and and making sure that we have attention to that and if you'll stay at the end of the table Senator void if you'll run their bill for them that would be great members were just gonna skip around since that we're going to take care of this one right at the top of the agenda it is house bill eleven sixty six. Thank you madam chair so house bill eleven sixty six is an act to add an additional member of all Alzheimer's disease and it mentions battery counsel and I'm gonna turn it over to our our friend here thank you. Thank you senator Boyd into the twenty twenty one this body with unanimous approval established in Alzheimer's dementia Advisory Council the council has been working actively to update the Alzheimer's state plan Arkansas was one of the first states in the country to have Alzheimer's disease plan that they published in two thousand eleven unfortunately I mean the the nothing has several though the recommendations listed in the first state plan were implemented one of the recommendations was the so or other program which we have now here in the state but the state plan has not been updated since two thousand eleven so prior to having legislative authority we met independently to begin the process of that in the state plan in October of twenty twenty two this council updated the Alzheimer's state plans we have a an active state plan and we are working to implement pieces of that plan what we recognizes on the Council we we did not have representation from home care providers or assisted living organization so we are adding the Arkansas residential assisted living association who's that it refers to this bill and in the Arkansas home care services association to fill those gaps and they they work for home care providers both skilled and unskilled so this bill is just a little bill that doesn't do much just add those two members to the Council. Happy to take any questions. Members do you have any questions. Seeing no questions is there anyone here to speak for or against the bill. Scene nine you can close for your bill. Thank you madam chair I I'm a close for the bill and I appreciate a good vote and make a motion to pass motion to pass second all those in favor say aye and opposed ayes have it congratulations you've passed your bill thank you so much. All rights moving down Senator. Ben Gilmore. Come on down. You are here for house bill eleven ninety seven. I am thank you madam chair senator Gilmore district one this bill is I hate I hate to use it's a pretty easy senate bill but it really is a lot of it is it codifies some practices already in place with unemployment assistance this got wide support in the house it's a greed to bill we've actually made an amendment to to Calm some of the concerns from from private sector as well as work with a DWS so as you may or may not be aware there is a reporting system in place for those who were seeking or looking for work better on assistance that Getting United benefits and basically the goal is that they're looking for work or actively seeking work and that they're not leaving and potential employers in the lurch and so what we're seeing and in fact I think is a Washington post actually reported on this pre pandemic but it actually was made worse during the pandemic that people were just not showing up for interviews and other things so this is a bill to incentivize them showing up it allows the employer to report if they don't show up for that interview for that appointment or anything like that and so if they don't in the employer reports that they don't they're potentially loss of losing a week of unemployment and benefits so with that this bill is simply to incentivize work we need more people in the workforce and it codifies practice that's already in some some practices already in place with the reporting system and hopefully we will see people take advantage of the work opportunities out there and and build our workforce so with that I'm happy to take any questions from the committee as best I can. Okay. Senator live you're recognized for a question thank you committee chair and sit at the Gilmore so with with the dubious I guess. If you know the I guess the and. Person receiving U. I. benefits will contact them I guess within the people that they've been searching for jobs right now okay in the in I guess I'm trying to think about how this bill would actually how it actually works the mechanics of it sure well I I think it's it's it's pretty simple so if they or looking for work they have an interview the scheduled and they don't show up for that interview then the employer has the opportunity to report that and say Hey these these individuals did show up now within the bill and and also over it DWS there is there's language to make sure look if your child is sick or something comes up and you have a legitimate reason as to why you couldn't show up for that appointment then you have an exception there and so because we again we don't want people to lose their benefits that they actually may need just simply due to some technical issue and so those those protections are in place with with this bill and it did I think it's it clearly defines that with what DWS is doing and making sure that we're not being punitive when we don't need to be punitive okay so does it does indeed give yes what I'm what I'm what I'm trying to get it is does the W. as have I guess the staff when the when their staff is working the case. They're in contact with an employer yes hi my understanding yes absolutely that's a great question so absolutely right now the employer and the W. as this staff DO talk there is a portal in place so that they can report and then that is checked and so if one of the amendments that we made to the bill just to help calm some concerns from the industry side was that we changed a shall to a may so it is it is voluntary from the employer side therefore it's arguably voluntary from the DWS side because there there's no required punitive action because of that one word change from shall to may okay well I I think. I have mixed feelings of the bill but I do understand of the cause well as I read the bill and you use the word ghosting yeah I kind of like that of when I was when I was actually hired for the pandemic I had a few people go SMI I guess that's what that's what you kind of saw okay all right I just want to know that we can thank you thank you for the questions other any other questions from members of the committee. I do have a question actually the the term ghosting so I had to stand I've only heard it primarily you know when and. In a relationship if somebody goes to they just aren't interested in you anymore sure but I mean on a serious note is that term is defined and is it defined and state statutes that term is not it's in the title of the bill in okay what's just to help sort of identify what we're trying to do here if you talk to employers which I'm I'm sure many of you all have they've talked employers that it said Hey I've responded to people set up a time they respond back then they don't show up I text them or call them and I get no response obviously that's a form of ghosting the sentence since more than that the relationship since I would argue that that an employment opportunity is is sort of building a relationship serve with an employer so that the terms not defined and again it's it's not in the statute it's in the title and and close just sort of lending an idea of what we're doing okay Leding color Leding color if you will okay but I I just I wanted to just make sure that it wasn't necessary for us to define it and now okay the deadliest and think it was okay thank you that was my question all right any other questions from members of the committee anyone would be here wish to speak for or against this bill. C. nine eight U. close close all right what is a motion to pass second all those in favor say aye and opposed ayes have it congratulations you have passed your bill and we have not ghosted you. Okay yeah. Let's see. Pilkington is not here at. Senator Wallace to you want to run H. P. ten seventy six I have the first three bills that I will run but it's. I will defer to you senator Wallace. Yes. Mentor. Yes Sir. Senator Dave Wallace District nineteen this is pretty much a clean bill it covers for a clarifies the language that one vehicle is included in the annual permit fee it clarifies the then owners charge for each septic tank truck so as first drug is twenty five dollars second trucks in through twenty five and on and on so forth. There's no increase in the license fee. And the bill clarifies that the licenses for the individual and that the vehicles have a permit that's a twenty five dollars I was talking about. Pretty much not a fee increase it just clarifies what the standard practice is now in the industry. Proximity to hundred licensed septic tank cleaners in Arkansas. And again a business might have as many trucks as they wish most help wanted to. And with that I stand by for your questions are there any questions from members of the committee. C. nine is there anyone here to speak for against this bill. C. nine close for your bill and motion do pass second motion all those in favor say aye hi and opposed ayes have it congratulations you've passed your bill. Okay members I am going to run Senate bill one eighty six to thirteen and two twelve Senator Flippo will you take the chair please. Thank you senator initial introduce yourself and be recognized perceive your bill. Thank you senator Missy Irvin district twenty four I have with me mark Weidman DHS. we will start with Senate bill one eighty six which I believe it does have an amendment yes ma'am and I guess step as president of the members real quickly. The amendment the amendment addresses the main concern expressed by providers by changing language to remove remove confusion about drug testing requirements that already exist in the current law that's the purpose of the amendment. I make a motion to adopt the amendment are we gonna motion the second center board on favor say aye hi opposed regulations and Senate dot thank you. And members the purpose of this bill to clarify the requirements for background checks for workers to provide hands on direct care to clients with intellectual or developmental disabilities or you have access to those clients properties current law has a patchwork of background check requirements for different types of IDT direct care workers which creates some confusion and inconsistency and said this bill aims to address that so that it creates a single uniformed produce for the staff who work with IDT clients so specifically it requires of those workers and before worker is hired to work with and IDT client state must be compliant with a criminal history check sex offender registry check adult and child abuse registry checks and drug screen most of our providers in this and intellectual developmental disabilities providers are already performing these checks but what this bill does is just uniform brings uniformity to that process and kind of a an across the board approach there's no loop holes or gaps. Under any questions for members. Say no questions or advice and speak for or against this bill. Okay Senator Irvin you're recognized close your bill Clause from a bill thank you. All right members because motions are deployed. Second second Senator Irvin all in favor please say aye aye opposed regulation Senate bill passes thank you do pass as amended my apologies as amended thank you. And the next up you're gonna be running Senate bill two thirteen. At yes okay two thirds. Okay Senate bill two thirteen and the purpose of this bill is to ensure that a provider who employs a direct care worker and any agency that licenses the worker can be notified of a screened out allegation of adult maltreatment when these allegations are made and reported to the hotline that allegation can be screened out for a variety of reasons and I'm gonna let mark white actually speak more specifically about how the screened out process works. Thank you senator Clark quite DHS so what we receive a call five on the bill please outline we have to review that information and determine number one if if all the information they're giving us is true does that represent the adult maltreatment there's several situations in which they may give us information but with a screen that complained House because it doesn't meet the legal definition no one of the common reasons is it was an incident happens out of state in that case will refer it to that other states hotline the for our purposes we have to screen it out. March the and in the there are some cases where there is behavior that may be bad behavior it may be some paper that we don't like but it doesn't necessarily mean that legal definition of adult maltreatment and so the issue here is that employers if they have an allegation made against an employee for employers to deal with adults. They have to report that to the abuse hotline. When they report that to us and we screen it out under current law we can't tell them weeks created out and so that leaves the employ in limbo because they know they've given a report on the employee they may even know that is not true but they don't have no way of knowing is that gonna be investigated or not what is it just going to do with that as that's purpose built to last until the employer yes we have screen this out so the employer knows and they can take whatever actions they want to run that employs. All right members or any questions from the committee. I have seen the questions anybody signed up to speak for or against this bill all rights and body serving you're recognized close real close for the bill appreciate the work with the long term a long term care industry and DHS this is important for their systems to work in their employees. The motion sir void. Second Senator Irvin all in favor please say aye aye opposed regulation senator bill passes thank you and I guess the next up for you to be doing Senate bill two twelve yes okay Senate over twelve so this is just a simple it is for an eliminates the requirement for a notary these are moving to an online basis so notary is not required. Okay all right members are there any questions from committee. Senate body with any questions or advice on speak for or against the bill. All right saying nobody signed up Senator Irvin you're recognized close your bill clothes motion do pass got a motion second all in favor please I am by opposed resolution center your bill passes thank you thank you Senator Flippo for Terry thank you Mr thank you. Okay are there any other members that are we here to run bills or seeing nine okay members before we adjourn the meeting just to note I want to speak add to this for everybody to to hear and understand we are awaiting Medicaid impactful schools fiscal statements fiscal impact statements with Medicaid the reason why is because we are working to ensure that Medicaid is operating at a budget neutral okay so no that's that is going to be a tough thing for Medicaid to operate it budget neutral but we've got to understand the legislation and how it's going to affect Medicaid and it's important for us to be pragmatic and prudent and that approach so those bills are are held for that reason so that we understand to the complete impact of what an education bill is going to look like financially for the state of Arkansas the taxpayers as well as criminal justice bill that is we know that is in the works which is also going to cost a lot of money and tax cuts that are being proposed so with that it is important imprudent for us to do our due diligence on any legislation that's going to affect Medicaid and increase spending we have to understand that before we decide that we're going to vote for a piece of legislation that would do that and so we just need to know all the consequences of of what that physical impact statements will be so there are some that may just be a wash and neutral and there's some that may have a greater impact but we're just trying to treat them all the same do you have a question. I do but you know we put too much reliance is in these fiscal impacts in these things I'll go back to two thousand thirteen that the other bills is involved with Medicaid in here that we were going to save all this money and the complete opposite happen. We did not save money by passing Medicaid expansion I mean I'm not getting into debated doing away with the program all that but I'm just saying in we have I hated being down here so long that I've seen all these predictions and the one thing that is uniform about and I'm not question anything about who's doing this now is that number one the raw. So we don't when we put reliance on these things I'm just making a statement because I can back it up you know we're putting all these things and we were going to save money Medicaid expansion we did this Medicaid reform task force thing that came up with there was nothing Sabin those things we did not save any money in Medicaid and spend less so I just want to make the comment that you know all these things that come up and everything the reliance in them you know should be question I'll invite you to go and sit down with the folks at CMS and DHS and go through the numbers with them personally thank you will be assigned to them with the entity well that before in center I'm going. But before you go out may I make a disclosure to the committee yes okay so I just wanted to disclose to the committee in case anyone does not know that I'm an Arkansas licensed pharmacy yes I'm so sorry no no it's fine or not to do that and that I do have ownership in two pharmacies in the state of Arkansas and my wife is a. Audiologist licensed in the state of Arkansas and I just wanna make sure before we start hearing legislation that might impact any of that that I've disclosed to the committee that thank you thank you and and we will and I appreciate that and thank you for reminding me to do that at if anybody likes to make those disclosures we can do so now or at anytime in the future at a future meeting. All right. Other any other questions all right no other business come before the committee we are adjourned.