House Convenes

I am by the member staff pressing guests in the gallery to stand to be led in prayer by the chaplain of the day Jeremy Pierce from the union central church of Christ in Marmaduke Arkansas who is the chap. Reverent four Jeremy will rage representative Jeremy will rage. And remain standing committee led in the pledge by representative Lane Jean. That's correct. Our creator our god our father. I come before you on the solemn occasion to first extended you to present your most deserving we fell to communicate with absolute accuracy and in light. Your god that it holds all power all knowledge and its present all of creation your soldering and we humble ourselves as we approach your throne this afternoon we start to give you praise for all the ways that you bless each of us are great state in our great nation we praise you for the forgiveness that you for us from all iniquity still your son Jesus Christ we pray for the healing that you bring those for trouble by disease or attacks against the flesh we praise you for the redemption from the pits of despair we praise you for the crowning of all humanity was steadfast love and mercy we praise you for your never ending race that satisfies us with all that is good holy and just we praise you for being slow to anger and patient with us as we struggle through life and all of these challenges together. Praise you for your righteousness that was so perfectly displayed to your sign that gives us a sense of direction instruction and hope to move forward. On this tremendous occasionally calls to give you thanks for the sacrifices your son makes all things possible we give you thanks for your faithfulness we give you thanks for your words and still so powerful and relevant superior we give you thanks for our leaders both state and national who hear your word to respond favorably to it we give you thanks for leaders who shall have your ways and senior greatness and glory in all things we thank you that though you're being high above all grants special regards and compassion on the lowly we thank you that though we may be walking through time the political and social and economic unrest that you aim for preservation for those who will be penitent before you we thank you that you choose to stretch out your powerful hand against all enemies of your people we thank you for this wonderful state in which we live for her people her resources and her provisions we thank you for national leaders and pray that you leave them and protect them we thank you for our president ask a special blessing be upon him may you lead him down the path of righteousness of their nation can follow we thank you for these leading men and women who serve here's our state representatives and the sacrifices that they make in hopes of bettering the way that we live in this great state. We stopped in prayer special blessing be upon their families and the separations and stresses that this position brings them. We pray that you will provide strength to both representatives and their families to rise above and and your I just criticisms of grace. For all things understood a mis understood we say thank you. As we continue this prayer pray that each leader represented here today belongs to your people that they were approaching today with humility openness and desire to fulfill your purpose for each of them I pray that you grant them with wisdom the wisdom to king Solomon petition do you you for and lead with early in his life I pray that each representative recognizes that their first your serving in the servant to the people of Arkansas health these leading men and women to understand if they are not a position or status or privilege but this is a position of stewardship for the people I pray that each representative seek first the kingdom and and your priorities appraise each representative will seek to serve your agenda not be led astray by selfish ambition. Hey that each representative will vote towards laws and decisions that are in perfect harmony with the law of Christ to restore Christian virtues and practices. I pray that each representative will fill the hearts of the powerless and marginalized and stand as a powerful voice on their behalf I pray that the decisions reached by this house broke piecing godliness and holiness within all Arkansans operated as a people we will live in submission to this leadership decisions of our representatives I pray that each representative approaches such decisions that you will grant them power discernment providing them with strength and direction the result in the thriving people I pray their representatives will excel in handling these discussions and potential disagreements with high levels of civility that they may express themselves passionately but without rage and hostility I pray that you give each representative the courage of jostle Moses to be concerned for all our Kansans and not just a select few help these leading men and women understand their vault in your work today and every day they serve in this capacity I pray that is these representatives come together they will do so with integrity grace and mutual respect for one another that they can rise against above partisanship and listen and learn from one another may they all be quick to listen slow to speak slow to anger I pray that their decisions or will reflect how moral ethics based upon your will and your word appraiser decisions will be in favor of all people and provide protection liberty provisions for all human life. Fathers these representatives enter into the session today I pray that you'll bless them with humility Morning meekness hunger for righteousness merciful miss purity of heart peacemaking and resolve I pray that you'll fill each member of this house with your Holy Spirit. Hey may reflect love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self control as they approach the session and every session to follow but they're not become conceited provoking one another envying one another but rather enable them to live by your spirit walk by your spirit and lead by your spirit I pray that Christ may dwell in the hearts of these leading men and women by faith that they may be rooted and grounded in love that they may comprehend the true needs both physical and spiritual of all our Kansans that they may lead to residents of this great state to know the powerful of Jesus surpasses all knowledge and be filled with all the fullness of goodness but only you can provide me too far more abundantly than these leading men and women could ever think or imagine according to your power and work through their service made these decisions bring and promote true unity in fellowship throughout our state leaving example for all other states to follow me this House work in unity towards progression with or you governor governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders as well as our federal government god please bless them all but above all father as mere sheep help us to be submissive and dependent upon the Good Shepherd for instruction direction guidance protection provisions thank you father for listening to our prayers are providing us with direction wisdom and comfort and hope as we enter into the session to you be all glory and honor and power for ever and ever the precious name of Jesus we pray with a powerful intercession of your Holy Spirit with day in and. Members please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button prepared machine Mr Clerk. Cast a ballot Mandler. With ninety seven members present chair sees a quorum are there any requests for leave. We're. Representative Fortner for what purpose. You're recognized leave for representative Deborah Ferguson leave granted for representative Deborah Ferguson. Representative lunch from twelve purpose if I let. Leave a representative Ladyman is leave granted for representative Lehtinen. Revenue represent of rye for purpose if. Our representative Jon Milligan is leave granted for representative Milligan. Representative Jeffrey Wardlaw moved we dispense with the reading of the previous day's Journal no objections so ordered. Are there any Reports from select committees. Are there Reports from standing committees is there any unfinished business. Are there any executive. Members we have a few guests with this today first in the east gallery the doctor Corey DeAngelis of San Antonio Texas a senior fellow at the American federation for children he received his PhD actually from the University of Arkansas. We'll send with this the legacy academy from locks Berg and their founders Chad and Jessica Gallagher there the guests of represent the involved there in the east gallery. And we also have with this league winning the guest of representative Carlton wing also in the east gallery. An Arkansas state troopers the this week or corporal Kevin grounds and corporal Callie day kiss both with the training division. The morning hour has ended. Madam Clark please read house bill eleven oh one. House bill eleven oh one by representative Collins and I'm. To amend the law concerning the issuance of a special license plate for disabled veterans. President Collins you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker so this bill was brought to me by a veteran lives in my district pointed out to me that the disabled veteran license plate is only available to people at thirty percent or greater disability and he asked is someone at ten or twenty percent disability somehow less deserving of the honor of this place it's side seem to him like an arbitrary standard and it seems like it is an arbitrary standard the first thing I did of course I'm not a veteran's five I ask veterans you know what do you all think about this talk to the veterans coalition all the feedback was positive or neutral there's no one who prefer keeping it up to thirty percent level rather than going down including people at ten twenty I spoke with senator Wallace he was excited about the bill sponsor in the Senate also spoke with general Barry who raised some good points about parking privileges in out of that came the bill that you all passed last week we passed last week saying that just because you have this able veteran plate doesn't mean you necessarily get the park proposed because there are some people who don't have the mobility disabilities some people who do at thirty percent above a three percent or five or thirty percent below so with the two bills together they really do work in tandem we will have a situation where disabled veterans all the way up from ten to a hundred we'll be able to get the plate have the honor of the plate but won't necessarily get to park in the handicapped parking spot spot which is probably where we need to be and why I brought the bill so with that I'd appreciate a good vote see no questions thank you. President Collins explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. We would like to speak for the bill. President Collins is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill eleven no one prepared machine Madam. Has everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clark. With ninety sixty eight zero nine zero present the bill is passed. Man Clark please read house bill eleven forty five. House bill eleven forty five by representative Scott to create lupus awareness day president Scott you're recognized to explain the bill. Good afternoon colleagues today I bring house bill eleven forty five which would designate April twenty third as lupus stay in Arkansas if you don't know lupus is an autoimmune disease that attacks the healthy tissue of your body that can lead to a more serious health conditions such as heart attacks strokes seizures and organ failure. Look this is present in all communities and if actually impacts women of color when symptoms become serious this disease can traffic Lee affect the livelihood of those that it pains the pain and fatigue of the city of this disease make it difficult to hold a job or sometime even perform a job even perform task at work annually the cost of this disease could cost up to tens of thousands of dollars this bill was brought to me by Lubis advocacy group in my district I also had a very dear friend who's not with us anymore and left behind two beautiful young boys and she fought lupus for much of her adult life. My goal is to continue to raise awareness around look big in the symptoms of this disease which often go undetected so communities can have better health outcomes I'm happy to try to answer any questions you may have today. Seeing no questions probably for yeah I'm a get out the well I appreciate a good vote. Purpose of Scott is explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent Scott is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill eleven forty five prepared machine madam Clerk. Everyone voted. Has everyone voted. Cast about madam Clark with ninety four yeah zero nine zero present the bill is passed members were pass over house bill ten eighty two. Represent Bentley. For what purpose. Let's hear your motion. I'd like to re refer bill eleven fifty five batch committee for some amendments please. That's a proper motion it is debatable represent Bentley you're recognized to explain your motion. Collins says you were nice enough to pass that bill out of committee of the day I found after committee that represented Mayberry and are we working on something to make this bill better bills of I'd like referred back to committee at her members to make this bill even a better bill with that I appreciate a good vote thank you. Represent Bentley's explain her motion when he would like to speak against the motion. We would like to speak for the motion. President Bentley is close for motion. Question before the House is the re referral house bill eleven fifty five back to committee all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The motion passes man Clark send the bill back to committee. Madam Clark please read house bill eleven thirty seven. House bill eleven thirty seven by representative Cavenaugh to amend the Arkansas water and air pollution control act and to create exception for vegetation disposal burning by certain entities. President Cavenaugh you're recognized explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker when people come down to the well I say I have a simple little bill it doesn't do much I lately have a simple little bill that adds to words to an existing statute but this two words will allow the locals communities Mr palette is to be able to burn their own debris so it does do a lot for our communities and with that I would ask for a good vote thank you. Purpose of Kavanagh's explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Cavenaugh is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill eleven thirty seven compare the machine madam Clark. As everyone voted. Has everyone voted. Cast about madam Clark. With ninety five Yeas zero nine one present the bill is passed madam Clark please read house bill ten seventeen. House bill ten seventeen by representative very to amend the law concerning. The last to amend the law allowing for employees to take a leave of absence for emergency and rescue services represent very you're recognized explain the bill thank you Mr Speaker colleagues this is an extraordinary piece of legislation that is actually pretty simple but it's just adding a school district to be able to allow employees a leave of absence for training four Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol attorneys brought this to me and when emergencies come up for emergency disaster training school and school to school districts need to be able to have time off to do the training for to protest Payton merchant services so with that being said I appreciate a good vote represent berries explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent various close for the bill the question before the House is passed house bill ten seventeen prepared machine man Clark. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast a ballot madam Clark with ninety six Yeas zero nine zero present the bill is passed members we do have a few other guests with us today in the east gallery we have the aero academy from Greene County they are guests of represent Wooldridge. Madam Clark please read house bill eleven twenty two. As of eleven twenty two by representative ought to amend the law concerning the dates for the beginning and end of the site of the school year and to declare an emergency represent Vaught you're recognized explained bill. Thank you Mr Speaker last session we passed a bill that change the dates when schools could start it ended up being detrimental because they can't get their service or test testing in and kids actually go to school till June so we're just making it back how it used to be in with that I would appreciate a good vote. President Baltz explain the bill we would like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. President Vaught is close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill eleven twenty two per the machine madam Clerk. You're voting on the bill and the emergency clause has everyone voted. Has everyone voted. Cast up the ballot madam Clark. With ninety five Yeas zero nine zero present the bill emergency clause half past. President makes for what purpose motion place that's your motion after the announcmenet reading the bills transferring the bill's place in the counters on the desk members amending their own bills own amendments members withdrawing their own bills finalized resolution ready communications and any remaining committee reports I move we adjourn until one thirty tomorrow afternoon that's a proper motion is not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed the motion passes. Are there any announcements represent gene for what purpose you're recognized joint budget will be nine AM big mac a in the morning representative Stan Berry for what purpose. Of the now what makes breaker you're recognized judiciary will meet in the morning at ten AM and room one forty nine. Represent Wardlaw for what purpose now you're recognized sportsman caucus is still on for Wednesday the twenty fifth at six I haven't heard many members that want to be taken off the road but if there's any members that do not want to be included on the road Wednesday morning eight o'clock is the deadline to get off thank you guys. President Holcomb for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized the public transportation meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled so translationally members were cast on meeting for tomorrow thank you represent and warrant for what purpose. You're recognized just a reminder all retirement bills have to be filed by this Friday no exceptions. Per cent wing for purpose now Smith you're recognized House Management Committee was scheduled to meet upon adjournment today we are moving it to tomorrow so House Management Committee no meeting today tomorrow upon adjournment. Representive hawk for what purpose. You're recognized if you would like to purchase your Legislative basketball Jersey I am the the person constructing all the names and everything so come by and see me I'll put you down it'll be twenty dollars you don't have to pay today will pay by the game so all that money goes the big brothers big sisters so if you want to come get a teacher we're gonna do numbers based on your districts based on your district so there we go. Representative Johnson for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized public health immediate ten o'clock in room one thirty thank you represent eleven for what purpose. Announcmenet you're recognized House education meets tomorrow morning room one thirty eight at ten AM any other announcements. All right if not the desk remain open as needed for the reading of the bills upon completion that is named in the joint resolution the house to be