City, County & Local Affairs Committee - Senate

All right members since this is a corpsman call this meeting to order first of all we're going to start a believer start with senator diss SerDes any rains house bill twelve fifty eight Zacharek. All right you're recognized perceive your bill senator. Thank you members this house bill twelve fifty eight this is a constituent lead bill which are always great Bills when you can represent your people well directly really this is a bill about giving local control power which is what we always want to do and so this bill does that it helps repeal a a an issue that we had with sky lanterns so sky lanterns are a hundred percent biodegradable they are fire retardant the the technologies advance on those and so what we want to do is give the ability for cities to build it to say if they want to allow them or not these are used a lot of times with with festivals and weddings and ceremonies and some people like to fight committees for their hobbies and some people like to go out and and have Skylanders so we want to be able to make that a possibility it's really a it's really good bill this to give give power back to cities be involved in that process and so this constituent of mine is passionate about this and wants will celebrate like other states do today so we would be able to do that some of the leading causes of fires are nowhere near these items those would be fireworks cigarettes barbecues of lightning all other things that these are not a hazard these these are safely done and we want to the power back into city's hands so that. Any questions happy to talk about all right members or any questions services committee. All right seen as anybody signed up to speak for against this bill. Right. Senator these are you closing your bill closed all right the motion Senator Solomon second Senator McGee all in favor signify by saying aye opposed recreation center your bill by sister. All right members next up renew representative Pilkington with house bill. Two oh five. And representative will introduce yourself they'll be recognized proceed. Thank you chairman Flippo of representative Aaron Pilkington district forty five Johnson in Polk County. today president you house bill ten oh five which is to repeal some sunset language that we put and if you recall two years ago we pass a small town Economic Development Act which raise threshold for the need of an architect from hundred thousand up to ten fifty thousand which is just in line with what inflation would put that number today we. We pass this law two years ago we persons in that language C. thirty adverse effects we have none reported the city county local committees met last November they recommended that we keep the lawn place and remove the sons that language so that's what this bills doing it receive unanimous support on the House for the ninety nine yea votes zero no votes so I just ask that we we passes along and with that as for good vote thank you there are members or any questions from members the committee Senator Rapert you're recognized for a question. So so projects that fall below two or fifty thousand dollars that may be. Impair the structural integrity of the building what will avenues or methods can cities have to counter that concern so it's up code enforcement officers there's the fire marshal there's there's still all the other safety Bragg still in place this is just whether or not you need to get an architect to sign off on it thank you. NO questions remembers. All right see no questions is anybody signed up to speak for against this bill. I'll see anybody with that represent opportunity closure will. I'm close right or thank you members at a motion sensor Sullivan second Senator Ricky all in favor signify signify by saying aye. Posed congratulations bill passes thank. All right. Here. And. Senator English are you here Senator English. Centerville introduce yourself and. It is yourself and then have your yes introduce themselves as well they'll be recognized proceed thank you Senator Jane English district thirteen and I'm here to present Senate bill two O. one so everybody who's been around for awhile knows that I have presented a lot of alcohol bills this is not an alcohol bill and I have with me Mr Josh Alexander who is the economic development person for the city of sure what and I have the mayor very Joe Hey which the mayor of sure what here to visit. C.. What made you want to quickly introduce yourself. Yes Mary Jo hi Council marriage sure would. I cannot express how important this is for sure what's future how important of an issue this is to our citizens and terms of equity and economic development on behalf of thirty three plus thousand residents I. I'm asking for your support in this bill. Thank you I'm Josh Alexander I am the economic development director for the city of sure would for the past year I have been working diligently to market this area that is falls in the defunct territory of the great township nineteen fifty six too many what we call anchor retailers those are big box think Lowe's home depot. Grocery stores in this particular area the only big box that fits is a grocery store and this is prohibiting them from coming into what is that the phone great township is one hundred percent an economic development issue for us I cannot develop that area in the manner in which it deserves to be developed without this issue being resolved thank you thank you all right Senator English you're recognized proceed. Thank you for your senate. All right are there any questions for members the committee. Senator Rice you're recognized for a question Sir. Thank you thank you. What there is with this bill. A jurisdiction in. Yes Sir this bill as it's currently written will only go to the exact ending borders of sure what are portion of how this bill will impact will only take us to the borders of sure what as it exists currently today that will be portions of gray nineteen fifty six and portions of gray nineteen fifty four but only in what are currently today's existing shall reporters. Thank you. All right are there any other questions from members. All right scene over questions we do have some people signed up to speak for against this bill when I start with. Is. I can't get the last name is afforded here. Thank you for that come on up here pastor. If you'll just have a seat and introduce yourself and you be recognized receive your remarks. Floyd flowers records flowers you're here to speak against this bill and you're recognized for C. thank you just a simple request to allow this to go to a local phone. So that it just permeates our community and let the community have a say in this matter okay that's my simple request all right you have to take any questions remembers the committee. Okay members or any questions for four Senator Solomon you're recognized for a question so if you have meetings with the to our economic development folks and the mayor and city council to no. They reached out to you at all to have that conversation of other groups. Not that I'm aware of I speak for myself. How long has this been on the table this project and The evidently they've done a lot of background research and. A lot of work on it so how long as their final determination been public. I have most of my knowledge I am a member of a local club. And several of the. Sure would council members are in the glove and there in times past this is come up in discussions over hearing just picking things up. I do recall the former development coordinator for the city sure would I think she's moved on now she wants presented some of these. issues to the club yes that's the extent. The euro hopefully they'll address some of this in the closing comments whether or not there's been opportunity for citizens to weigh in thank you for the opportunity thank you Senator Solomon. All right thank you for your excuse thank you Sir all right next we're gonna hear from Dr Joyce. I'll let you give your last able to get up there coming up here doctor well. Not hang on here not here to speak but at this the wrong our years ago this bill okay thank has just all that okay my apologies my apologies members. Mr. All right we've heard from strong Xander and mayor council we've got John crow Senate speak against Mr crow. If you introduce yourself you are recognized by the remarks hello my name's John crow one of seven liquor in. Hello my name's John crow home with one of seven liquor insurer would hi this bill will have a negative impact on my business we're pushing a lot of stuff online for unfortunately we're on opposite sides of this one totally in support of economic development And I've been in business the family has for over forty years insurer would based on the current set up I'm OK if things change but I believe it needs to happen with the vote this doesn't feel fair to me and that's really my position on it I don't want to stand in the way of progress but I don't think it should happen this way this sets a bad precedent hurts me today but it could hurt a lot other people down the road if we take away people's local option. Right pro thank you members or any questions for me to grow. Senator Solomon recognized for a question same question so if you had an opportunity to have input or been hearings on this I'd like to talk to me it's it's this is been one of those issues were you agree to disagree they have approached me and I have let them know that I'm not in favor of it that I would like to see a vote and that's been my condition my question is a bit different okay so we have have there been hearings on this open to people to come and discuss in a public forum not that I know of okay thank you. All right thank you senator all right scroll Senator questions and you're recognized you're free to leave the house or. All right Senator English also anymore signed up to speak for against this we have a more on the sin. In the. Sign all of the. Contact all excuse at this time come on up. We all know who you are provide notice yourself they'll be recognized receive your remarks yes Sir Senator Flippo and members of the committee Steve good represent Arkansas grocers and retail merchants association as grocers again we agree with Senator English is not an alcohol bill we think this is an economic development bill food desert's are big topic right now and a lot of times food desert's are recognized as being an urban areas in city Little Rock there there are several food desert's but really right now there's a food desert in this area when you lease kill one one oh seven you don't encounter grocery store going north and to you get to the city limits of along and that's about thirty five miles you can go east and get wanted Jacksonville several supermarkets the Jacksonville but that's about ten to fifteen miles an is it it's not an easy path so there's a pretty big food desert in that area today and most of the supermarket of most of the supermarket folks you know what this is an economic development opportunity again it's not an alcohol issue for them but it is something that they would you know would consider if this is opened up and they're able to do that. Okay. Thank you Mr the members or any questions for Mister the. Senate you're excused thanks. All right now senator was not think we have anybody else signed up to speak on this bill so what. Okay Sir Brian. You're going back to centers sold in this topic if they were going to have a vote of the people have how would that look like in the fund township the. Yes Sir to answer that question currently if we were wanting to have a vote in that area we would have to cross out of the municipal borders of the city of sure would proceed all the way up into the northeast Pulaski County cross all the way over into Jacksonville all the way out to the cabinet city limit line that has us pursuing a local option issued that is outside of the scope and borders of the city of sure what. There is no mechanism for the city of sure what it to have a local option vote inside the city limits of the city we are bound by this the phone township the state legislature has given us no mechanism for just pursuant annexations to await municipality. In that regard to hold just that portion local option if that existed we would have already done it. Can I speak to the whether or not there have been hearings our discussions and so This was this is widely discussed in the city of sure what that says a hundred percent of the city council's backing this is been talked at city council meetings this was in the mayoral debate this is This Is talked about throughout the entirety of sure with this is highly supported by our community as we understand that this is once again as Senator English said this is not an alcohol issue this is truly about economic development and this is about the food desert situation that we have going on in our city and the opportunities for us going forward. Thank you mayor. All right Sir Petty you're recognized for a question Senator English so This would we spoken specifically about sure would but this would apply across the state correct this gesture would okay is and then maybe I just missed. I think. Sir based on my research I could not. Based on my research I could not find another the fall down ship that has been and has annexed into what went and this is how the that this would impact in that manner to allow that area to automatically go with the annexation I can't find the space or okay but if there was a way of life yes so is this township already been in an extensor would and and now the issue is the township's drive but the city is where the. Dr yes. And next week we begin annexation for or an accident fortunes of this house. You eighty eight nineteen ninety two and two thousand eight we have continued to grow an accident territory during that time frame and that's we can extend her for it is all the part of the public image of a three nineteen fifty six nineteen fifty four and has come into our city try not playing in the same rules as the rest. Right and this is sounds like a large tract of land and it is currently fifty five percent of our city one okay and and so. It's about. A grocery store now but obviously if there were liquor stores or other restaurants or or whatever it would include those as well yes Sir currently as you know Pulaski County does not have the available workers for permits to get out we've we've been told over or so. Getting a liquor store pushed out there is not our intent we want a grocery store this is one hundred percent about getting an anchor into that area that will then get like to tell all the restaurants minor leakage in the community is currently eighty percent of every disposable dollar falls out of my community and goes to North Little Rock or little rock west little rock because those are the places that have the options I have been stacked on economic growth The commercial growth in the northern portion of my city at sea one of the highest residential rates in the state. Thank you. All right members of the more questions Senator Rapert you're recognized for a question. What what manner of annexation. Was that was this plan required. several pieces of this land were annexed by direct vote specifically gravel region two thousand and eighteen came into the city if there would be a. Vote other parts of come in and buy owner annexation declaring that they wanted to be annexed into the city of sure would and some was actually I believe. Awarded to the city of sure would and redistricting the different events the last council throughout the years but the the primary portion of the territory was annexed and be advised. All right members anymore questions. All right C. nineteen during which are you closing your bill close of the bill our. The server speak against okay. What was your name Sir Charles. Charles you are not just completely overlooked you Sir and I apologize for that Sir you please come up here and and my apologies. And if you introduce yourself and tell us here with the be recognized receipts. I'm Charles singleton attorney from in west little rock and I'm here to represent the Arkansas retail beverage association known as air brush. Group has at least three liquor stores and operate in northern Pulaski County who will be impacted but this bill. First of all I have to disagree with Senator English a little bit about this not being out of the bill obviously it's an alcohol bill at the they want to pass so they can sell alcohol in this of different districts. My clients a vote and invested in their business over the years relying on the results of which drive elections in this area and errors rounded. The invested in their businesses knowing that there was always a risk of another worker election but they never thought about the risk of the legislative act that could wind up areas without a vote. They'll evaluate the business rules for making their investments and for many the invested everything they had everything they could borrow to get their stores open. These are small businesses that I represent I've heard a lot of talk the political rain that lately about small business and. Protecting small business supporting small business or. This bill does option that this not a protection for small business is going to hurt small businesses in the area. All right Sir I guess they're telling you that it's impossible to have an election into the fund district that I don't believe that to be true in fact the Senator English sponsor the bill and the the. Twenty seventeen the legislative session it was the man to set up elections and on the phone townships and other the same general area and North Little Rock. The bill is a house bill eleven sixty five became ACT one forty four twenty seventeen and it sets up a. Comprehensive the procedure for having elections in these Vaught townships. It would be a simple measure to amend that bill and provide for all out at all I think the bill only provided for on premises consumption but the sense of bills enacted a federal election over in that area and voted in on premises consumption in one of these default township so I'm not that goes in your would I go to North Little Rock sign. Saying the situation. The point is this deprives people of due process. I'm sure that some of you live in dry areas and the you know think about what your home folks would say if you came to little rock and pass the bill in. Overnight we're going to keep the keep their drag County Leding. That's a I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate that very much people in this area you know they're not the. They're not looking forward to that is that the flower shop on the corner it's been there for ten years is going to be a liquor store you know a year from now or two years now. The statement about liquor permits is true there can be no new liquor permits but there could be transfers of liquor permits within the county so you could expect pretty quickly if you pass this bill there be two people trying to transfer of liquor stores liquor permits out that same area. and that's that's what is going to open up to the. But the bottom line is. If you pass this bill every person who lives out there enjoying living in a dry area you know some of record for the whole lifetimes are going to be deprived of due process you're going to you're going to screw up the Legislative pan put them in a wet area when they lived in and appreciated living in a dry area sine wave like I said with the drug Candice's tuition same process for for because it would be a local option election Hendren initiated act one of nineteen forty two which sets up the procedure for for these elections so. There's nothing wrong with areas going with you I have a cell time in Arkansas nor more here recently in every election somebody else's is known from driver with the it's always vote vote vote of the people people have a right to have votes in these situations and it would be a sample process. Two like I said and meant Act. One forty four twenty seventeen which is been kind of it is Arkansas Code three eight six oh one and six two simple member to that bill would do what they want to do but it would require an election in an order with the that we just ask you to vote against this bill. All right thank you Mr singleton members or any questions for Mr Senator Solomon you're recognized for a question. And I appreciate your comment about small business what about the small businesses that don't get to open. The only business that I've heard mentioned here's a big box store that they want to an area of big I guess a grocery store and the. They can they can win at that area for own print for a off premise beer and wine which I guess is what what they're actually doing after by amending the existing law and required election you mentioned the small business opening up you mention the flower shop turning into a liquor store so that would possible there may be yeah I'm so you're the one that mentioned it so if we are when we uh they were for small business friendly and I would agree with that you know the opportunity for our businesses small businesses to open up is there also there's no impediment for business so that that they're impediment is opening that sell alcohol which is what this is all the okay thank you thank you Mr. You senator Patty your question you're recognized you may not be able to answer this so we may have to defer to the city but when senator Bryan talked about the annexation process through the years do we have any idea how many people were included in those annexations and was sure would wear at at that point time board during some of those annexations. Are we talking about a thousand people we talking about ten thousand people. I don't know the answer the answer. So to answer your question in nineteen fifty four in the great township there were one thousand one total votes cast. In nineteen fifty six the total votes for gray nineteen fifty six was six hundred and forty during that time that area has exploded. the city of sure what annexing and gravel ridge we took in approximately nine thousand additional new residents only and extend gravel ridge. So that that area has seen growth over the years. But I have always been dry because of the phone townships upgrading nineteen fifty four nineteen fifty six to speak to his point about the twenty seventeen act that act allow the city councils to call by majority city council vote to have three by the glass offered in this the phone carrier to township what's the requirement to get the thirty percent threshold vote by that law it was allowed to by city council right they brought it. The city council. And at the am I am I wrong in a thank you roaming that affect the law clearly says yes to circulate petitions and gather fifteen percent of the yes Sir it was it was not the third or using the route. There's there's one other thing I want to clear up he said earlier that this is this exists only insurer would wear a which city and extract townships it happens all over the state I personally know the same thing happened until the raiders and and then Fort Smith to that I knew about him was a you are correct Sir and there were specific laws that were passed to help build a radio and specific also for help the. I mean I know now I. There's a lot of that the the census is not between you all entry Mr questions from members of the committee. Our mission to excused Sir English because the bill yes all right members our motion. Center I'm not seeing a motion the committee thank you senator. All right next to do Presented in the year to. Represent because here to do house bill thirteen forty four. ACT gratefulness yourself to be recognized as the rebel representative for McKenzie representing the seventh district of northwest Arkansas. At the pleasure of the committee I appreciate you you're in this bill today. This is a non controversial I call bill start by saying that this bill is in reference to the minimum minimum container size of spears beverages sold in off premises liquor stores I've been referring to this bill is kind of the Haley's comet of liquor bills in the state legislature every sixty seven years or so we can expect where this does not affect and localities municipalities does not offend distributors retailers manufacturers or from those who have hard fast positions in terms of moderation this is a moderation bill currently the state of Arkansas our law requires that spears beverages sold it off premises liquor stores to to be sold at a hundred milliliters most commonly small format packaging is in what's called a fifty milliliter or clinically as a airplane bottles so that is requiring retailers to either package two of these bottles together and sell them for consumer for customer purchase or distributors and manufacturers to package these in larger formats again this is a moderation bill it is it is simply changing our code to allow consumers to purchase less alcohol when they go to an off premises liquor store to purchase so with that I have to take any questions thank you Sir members or any questions for representative can sing. Senate recognized for a question so just to be clear this is actually asking to sell less alcohol correct okay. Anymore questions members. C. none. Seattle CL have a my Senate speak for against this bill representative can you close your bill I'm closed all right members. The commotion. Second from Sir Brian all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed resolutions represent can you help. Right. Senator bright you got a couple bills you plan on running. Going to go down to in the table when you start with Senate or house bill thirteen eighteen. If there is you saw senator if you're recognized perceive your bill thank you Mr house bill thirteen eighteen. This bill will allow cities to factor in other issues and just purchase price to their acquiring of goods for the city currently if the city wants to purchase anything over thirty five thousand please put out for competitive bid when the cost comes in the lowest cost is is the one they have to take this rule this bill would allow them to factor in life cycle cost how much is the for maintenance so even though you might purchase something that's a low cost it may require you know yearly fees to have maintenance versus something that if you pay a little more up front you'll have less maintenance over the future so it's to me it's it's a good government bill give a flexibility to the cities to factor those issues and. All right members. Any questions for Senator Bryant. Senator Solomon you're recognized for a question Sir so how they calculate that is formula or the what what process is used to calculate what those ongoing expenses on the that would be part of the RFP process so they when they go out ask for those you know overall this is now if this bill passes it would be considered and they can asset as part of life cycle cost to the government okay thank you. Members are enter questions. All right see now we do have somebody signed up to speak for this bill. Doctor do a come on at this time what they got the right number. If you please introduce yourself and tell us here with the be recognized perceive your remarks. Thank you Mr chairman my name is Dr Joyce H. I. E. with the Arkansas center for research in economics also known as a cop we are we such bees sensor based at the university of central Arkansas as you college of business we conduct to or regional academic research and policy analysis on issues that relate to taxes and spending barriers to employment and government transparency Fite help continue to a cause walk on government transparency for the state of Arkansas I'm yet to speak in support of this bill because it's beneficial to government transparency as it has been said what this bill essentially done this is to require contractors to least Lewis the beat price for the entire life of sets and purchases and contracts as opposed to just the initial be price there's several reasons this will be beneficial for city governments and the I'm just going to ILECs three reasons the the first would be to reduce the chances for corruption and to enhance transparency we have we at a come we've conducted research over the as in this area and all the best practices research also revealed that public procurement of goods is considered to be one of the most for durable to corruption activities and that's just because of the nature aw all of of contracts because of the money involved because of the number of supplies involved and I've been this approach we help reduce corruption I can refer you to two publications on that the first to be because but I know. Local government transparency part authored backed up to my food took and myself and another report refer you to is the one published by the organization for economic cooperation and development on preventing corruption in public procurement I've been a local business for government contracts reduces corruption and chances for government officials to accept kickbacks all the next June for awarding contracts and the second reason is full of competition for the surprise this approach we allow all beating pot two thousand commit an equal understanding all the criteria for evaluating this beats all be does I beating on the same time that by promoting fairness also city governments gets the best value for their money a supplies out for us to offer the best quality and the best price NO that's with the contract the final reason that I'm going to be I license for cost certainty this approach provides full consent to to the US to put its total cost over the life of the contract is known up front and will not change throughout the contract life this will allow for better project planning and an incentive to control costs suppliers will also have the incentive to conduct our due diligence and control costs throughout the life of the contract because the profit margins of fixed it to also help reduce the risk of cost overruns all under funding and does LPN parties out void disputes that are common in procurements due to cost increases and changes in the scope of work so it shall be no law it will be easy sponsored. And contracts we help city Clerk city governments to conduct the eye procurement processes in a transparent Farah cost effective legally compliant by now while prevention and squandering of taxpayer funds and protect to look up local governments contracts against abuses such as fraud waste and favoritism and that's all I have. Very compelling testimony Dr members or any questions. All right soon you're excused thank you for being here thank you. All right senator Bryant you're recognized close your bill. Thank you members I am close for my bill into motion per do pass all right the motion sensor McKinney all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed resolution senator Bryce your bill passes. And the next you're gonna you're gonna run of house bill into the five. Yes Mister chair house bill one seventy five. You're recognized for C.. Thank you members this this bill is a little bit of a a correction from an issue we we created when we passed tax seven fourteen of twenty twenty one. In that measure we struck some language for the for the establishment of a city police department to organize it under the general superintendent of the mayor and to be describe its duties and find its powers in such a manner so we struck that language kind of created a void in law so what what house bill eleven seventy five does is is redefining and places back and statutory language with those duties and powers are of the city so. I've got to Mister Walker sentiments believe there's any any any reason to go into the weeds on it but we're just putting language back into code all right members or any questions Senator pending. I have a heard from a police chief that the police chiefs association was against this do you have you heard any of that do you know what to the reservation would be on that. Senator buddy I have this for ourselves to the. counsel for for miss releases they're good with it now yes no I did hear that the Municipal League was good with it before but the police chiefs association was against it but now they are. Yeah jagua compared to support you and. Thank you yes that the police she said Johnson do within a reasonable concern I'm sorry workers and general counsel a municipally they consume concerns with it when I laid out what it happened to be understood what what it was trying to do it did it doesn't change law adjustment clarifies what we took out and it doesn't change the way we did things clarifies or just carry on for to the chiefs are now in support of a doctor Chief sites about this. Thank you John thank you senator Patty members or any other questions for Senator Sir Brian Mitchell person. D'arcy nine mispricing recognized for close your bill thank you committee I am close for the bill and motion to pass. Not a motion the second Senator Ricky all in favor say aye. Opposed congratulate senator bill passes. Representive fox I see what the patient over there you are up on deck. Thirty the representative are you doing. Hi bill thirteen thirty five yes Sir thank you Mister chairman thank you members representive RJ hawk District eighty one covering Bryant Alexander and Benton I bring to you today H. B. thirteen thirty five which is essentially the same the same bill that was passed last session we just changed some language on it so with the bill that was passed in the last session was for towns ten thousand and below to be able to create an ordinance within their city to allow to a point to a city attorney so they would take it from the elected city attorney to an appointed once it's all done it's going to be approved by the city council so what we're doing with this bill is taking it from ten thousand to fifty thousand what I found and this was brought to me by the way by council members in the city of Bryant just want to be able to have choice within the city to say whether they want to appoint their city attorney to have say over their city attorneys that's what this bill is brought forth and with that I'll take any questions. All right members or any questions from the committee Senator Rice. You stated to contact to the morning it did you have any citizens contact you saying they wanted no Sir no this was members of the Bryan city council with brought this to me this is government and government do what government wants to do well I wouldn't I wouldn't necessarily say that this was just allowing for because so many times there's nobody runs for a city attorney position and so they're saying right now with the way it states with an elected city attorney you have to have somebody within your city limits be it and be an attorney to run and often times we don't have that many city or attorneys in the city of Fite willing to do that so what they're doing they're saying you know what we want to be able to appoint somebody whether they're and then whether they're in Alexander have that option to create an ordinance and be able to appoint somebody a qualified person for that city yes I can't think anything in my district that this is going to affect what I I find it odd that and the branch of the anything this. Populated Central Arkansas there's not that many well there's a lot and Benton there is there's not so much a bright right now we because we do we tried real hard and there's there's not a lot of a lot of attorneys and and Brian but is this find out later that sometimes the citizens feel like they've been left out yeah that's a reasonable question yes Sir and I'll say this that this is one when I introduce this there was no opposition to this bill whatsoever I mean I haven't put it out amongst the citizens in Bryant's the city council behind it a lot of the members put on their social media pages and I've not had any reaction from any citizens about this I appreciate your news on social media thanks. Sir Clark you're recognized for a question Sir just to clarify this only affects cities with mayor city council or mayor councils yes Sir thank. All right members or they are questions for. All right see none you're recognized close your bill I just appreciate a good vote all right members. Get a motion for committee. motion senator Bryant second zero key all in favor please out skews me to write this what we have a little discussion on the motion. Amongst us sure of this as far as I can recall cities have the have the authority to pull duties away from their elected city attorney's. So I know I got the city I represent pulled some of the duties of elected attorney in underneath the folder the mayor by the vote of the city council so effectively made our city attorney you handle court cases and district courts and other minor duties as assigned by city councils in the. The body in getting blank stares as anybody have any. You're familiar with that and so you know I'm a. Well I'm sensitive to to what this people are voting for a I also understand that making these duties can fluctuate from that the will of the committee of the council regardless so. AS one president that the reason that I'm support of this bill. Seventy first season center Petty also following up to the the the size of communities I know Van Buren has had limited the availability of qualified attorneys and they've had some issues in the past where we had to deal with it the the very issue documented pulling those duties back and so I think from a small community in my district has a lot of small communities I think it probably is helpful. Thank you senator. All right your comments members. All right saying that and we have a motion. The motion from senator Bryant. Seconds later okay okay all in favor say aye. Opposed congratulations represent hawking bill passes state committee. Right is there anybody in here to. All right to say no water bills we are not. To see senator senator Johnson's over here just you know being quite blend in with the law. Senator Johnson and members of the we need a without objection Sir John's gonna be running house bill ten eighteen but that is on the deferred list so I'd like to add that the agenda without objection okay thank you. We do have an amendment so and I've stepped out set out real quickly so we can do to adopt that. Members give it just a matter to look over this. And the. Search also if you want to introduce yourself and explain the minute to members. Senator Blake Johnson The Amendment and to me is a co sponsor that it takes off the rest of the ready on the bomb squads that that we'll get to all the shares the association and in agreement with the bill. And in the state of Arkansas there are approximately twenty in total that are the bomb squad members and. That's what the amendment is. All right members Sir Petty. So the sheriffs were against it but haven't have they now come the sheriff's association come around to support it. With the amendment. Sir John's is anybody as opposed to it with this new movement. You're aware of not that I know of okay. All right members. Senator Rapert you're recognized for a question. You senator Johnson Preciado the Amendment. My concern and I did not realize this was on the deferred. I think this will. Give a lot of people these and I don't have a problem with with bomb squad being. Armed I did have a lot of concern in quite a bit of discussion. Previous. My concern is were pulling this. Offered for which we can do. But we the people sometimes out of process to understand. Fully what is doing so I understand you know that you're stating that for public fact the concerns. This probably does meet those but to. Thank you. I appreciate that and and the the it has to go back to the house bill will have to you know if if this is good with the committee and you know go to the you know getting gross income go to the floor and I had to go back to the house because it's been amended so. The managed it's a process from here out. I think Senator Johnson all right members so we are in a motion to adopt the amendment. Our motion Senator Solomon second. Bryant all in favor please say aye. Opposed all right. In this but opted Sir Johnson you're recognized proceed. With. What a house bill ten eighteen as amended thank you members of the The Amendment to get it to go away great deal of concern about the rest of the ready still yet in those counties that have those bomb squads they can be deputized and and have that authority but it'll be up to the to the local sheriff to allow that process but this will not be us in inject injecting ourselves into that process so the no other questions at a create a good vote. All right members or any questions Senator Rapert recognized for a question I maybe maybe we'll know or not but does to fire marshals have arrest authority in the state of Arkansas an investigator I think I think fire marshals do okay I think they do but this is different. Mickey thank you Mr chairman. Every discussion I had with Share socialization issues association there concern was with the rest of the already but also the idea that we're basically creating another law enforcement agency within these. Bombs because I have not had a chance to had any have any discussions with any of those. Groups. I'd I'd I trust when you say that they. The signed on I just haven't had a chance to have any conversations with any of there was a compromise. But all shares didn't agree with the compromise so we take away the arrest authority and the shares can deputize and in this situation but it'll be up to them to do that this this takes away all the concerns with the shares. All right members or the inner questions. Senator Rapert. I guess if you. Recap once again. The effects of this of this measure. Thank you carry a weapon. I think Senator Rapert. I see no further questions Senator Johnson you're recognized closure bill. I am close to appreciate a good vote all right members we have a motion. A motion the second all in favor please say aye. Opposed. Gradually Senator Johnson bill passes as amended. All right see that. Nobody else in the room that there's no purpose conference committee we are adjourned.