Judiciary Committee- House

Very first thing we're going to do this morning and then we'll start in with all our introductions as we're going to pick our seats and so I'm going to S. barber and I'll introduce turn just a little bit but Bob is going to called the roll by seniority and you take your name plate from back in the back income put it in front of the seat you want and have a seat so Barbie you're recognized at this time to call the roll. Representative Milton Nicks. Representative Marcus Richmond. Representative Jimmy Gazaway. Representative Danny Watson. Representative Cindy Crawford. Representative Jamie Scott. Representative to call Clowney. Representative Cameron Cooper. The representative Jay Richardson. Representative Andrew Collins. Representative Tippi McCullough. Representative Ashley Hudson. Representative Jon Milligan. The Kendon Underwood. Representative Jeremiah more. Representative Matt do feel. Duffield. Should we listen we need to leave that one of the field down yes. Representative Phil we're gonna leave that seat open so if you don't mind sorry we didn't make that clear we usually leave those very last seats for witnesses. But you have your choice of all the choice seats over here on this side. Representative Steve under. Representative she shared peers. Can you go because the last one in his son that seat left. Represented representative on the. Thank you members I do want to welcome you to house Judiciary for those of you who are new welcome to fun and games we have a great time in here we do try very much we have of a big agenda that comes through this committee also we work very hard. In this committee and just so you'll know kind of how it how it works all the bills to get assigned us we'll be on our agenda and those of you who've been here before no that. To put on the house side I will work through that agenda and approach people on the House floor see if they're ready to run the bills run their bills and get him scheduled to run in that way and the reason why I do that is if we start at the top and people don't show up in and we're doing it that way what happens is we bottleneck in here and everything gets pushed way back to the back and then we bottle neck and then well really dislike judiciary because you'll be here for all hours of the night trying to get through everything toward the end of session so we do we do work it everybody that files bill does get a hearing in here that understand I just don't start and I think everybody out here and who's come to the house Judiciary knows that that we just don't start at the top and hearing go we try to schedule it so that we have things set and we don't come in here no one shows up to run a bill so we'll always have bills to read in here historically this this committee may have two to three hundred bills come through or more. But that's how we'll do it if we have something that's going to be controversial will set that for special order that will be the only thing that we heard that today that kind of gives you what we do we already have a number of bills that are on our agenda I on our calendar and come Tuesday we've already got a bill set to be heard on Tuesday that that'll kind of give you just the basics all right yes can this committee because of there are a lot of things that come up that can get on a promotional. People who come to our committee often of had very tragic things happen in their lives that committee and emotional testimony from them I just ask that we always be really very respectful to our guests that come and be respectful to each other and I promise you that that's what always is my goal for not only our gas but for each of you. Typically what we will do you will have one one question and a follow up if I have a lot of folks in the queue and you've got more questions will drop you down we'll come back to your question but we give everybody that opportunity that are in the queue and drop you down and bring it back up so don't worry about that you will get your questions and on up on that we do allow whoever signs up to speak for against the bill unless for some reason we've got a whole bunch of people that are saying the same thing over and over and over and then we'll ask them if they can consolidate their comments but those are some really very basic ground rules I think you all are familiar with that from your other meetings already this week that I do welcome the I'm looking forward to working with each of you we do have new members so we're going to introduce ourselves here in just a moment but I'm proud to have this the vice chair this year Stan Berry representing Stan Berry and represent their you have any comments you'd like to make. Will up. At a field in honor to be able to serve with the chairman to help me this is the third session and served on Judiciary first time vice chair but the the again of it's an honor to serve with you and your a very fair lady of always saying then the thing that I can do to help with anything that you have there so thank you the members listen represent berry will be the one who will be making announcements on the house floor so always listen cannot communicate on a regular basis listen here let you know we were going to meet again and I'll tell you right now we're gonna meet Thursday the seven whatever Thursday this coming Thursday is at ten AM so we will be meeting that day with that work. The state to state well I'm already off so whatever day we come back we're meeting so put it down Tuesday thank you Barbara we do have needs new staff members working with us this year Allison has retired from the bureau and then Judy retired from the bureau I'm not sure that we warm out but they retired but we're delighted to have Barbara brown who is our analyst and those of you who have served in past years and city county local you saying these two people Senator Stubblefield Stalin for judiciary and so if you see the city county local chair you might want to Dodge him he's already been in here this morning giving us a hard time that we stole his folks but Barbara has been around for a while she understands what those on and she's going to be a great asset I'm looking forward to working with her because she's the one who's going to put me on the arm and already say no we come back Tuesday not Thursday and then we have kindergarten through step here kindred keeps up with this in she will help you if you get out your pencil breaks or you need another note pad or something just let's get her attention she's the one who comes and sets a set and keep this going a few housekeeping details because it's been a long time since we got to meet in our our resume and not over big macs since that's where we were last session for those of you who may not know we have coffee and the refrigerator with the drinks at a sink right here behind this petition and the the restroom is right back through the store straight back there's a key to the I'm not a key key to the restaurant don't shut that door when you come out and we have to call in and get him to come down here and let us back in there's a note on there and I have found evidently we have a hard time reading some time so read the note but you feel free the you feel free if you first do you need to go to the restroom just get up and go M.. Because we're going to keep on rolling and with that I'm going to start by doing here with representative Nicks if y'all just because we do have a lot of people out here your name where you represent that type of thing thank you. Thank you madam chair representative Milton Nicks district thirty five I represent in Westminster Crittenden County Ms in my fifth term and my fourth term on the Judiciary Committee and I'm thankful to be here. Representative Marcus Richmond district fifty two. Representative Jimmy Gazaway represent district thirty one which is a small portion of Greene County essentially just the city of Paragould this is my fourth term to serve in the House I've been on the house Judiciary Committee each of those terms and I'm glad to be back for another look forward to all the good work that we're doing here. Representative Danny Watson fourth term first term Judiciary Hempstead Howard. Miller County to that which just takes Canada national hope well you don't have Texarkana mandible heart of medical suburb of Texas and I grew up in mental so I want you to make sure that I will. Background the law enforcement in as a director safety looking forward to serving on this committee. Hello representative Cindy Crawford this my third term of my third time to actually serve on judiciary looking forward to a great session hi I am from Fort Smith and serve the south and east parts of Fort Smith in that encompasses fort Chaffee which we have a new up and coming traffic crossing I would love for you all to come look at that if you would it is a diamond for Arkansas thank you. Nicole Clowney I represent district twenty one which is fail this is also my third term in the legislature and third term to sit on Judiciary excited to get to work. Jay Richardson serve District forty nine which is north Fort Smith this is my second a third term in the house and second term on Judiciary. Andrew Collins represent parts Little Rock the from Riverdale at the pinnacle north and west parts of the city third time in the House the term on Judiciary. Representative Jeremiah Moore I reside in Clarendon I represent District sixty one it covers the southeast thirty Jackson counting all the woods of counting the eastern third Prairie County little over half of Monroe County and most of Arkansas County this is my first term in the legislature and I look forward to serving with you all. I'm representative Matt Duffield District fifty three Russellville it's an honor to be here look forward to serving my district in the great people of the State of Arkansas thank you so much. Representative shared peers first term District forty which encompasses Independence County a small sliver of Claiborne small sliver of white it's a great honor to be here and I pray to you all to be fair and consistent throughout this and I'm ready to get started thank you. Madam Speaker I'm sorry I did issue but thank you for your five. Representative Steve under first term from Springdale in district nineteen District nineteen of south Spring Hill west Spring Hill All of Johnson and a sliver of a bill thank you. Can under would District sixteen wishes portions of Benton County this subsection house my second term on Judiciary I to be here. Jon Milligan I'm from District thirty three which is part of Craighead county in part of Mississippi County and I look I look forward to serving without bill. Ashley Hudson district seventy five which is most of us Little Rock this is my second time and my second time on Judiciary. Tippi McCullough state Rep for district seventy four of which is downtown little rock up through the middle of Little Rock just south of representative Collins area this is my third time and second time on Judiciary. I'm representative Jamie Scott I proudly represent North Little Rock and this is my third term and my third time also serving on the Judiciary Committee under chairwoman Dalby. Thank you members there's a piece of paper that's being passed down that has phone numbers on it please update your cell phone number I communicate with you by cell phone and what what I use your cell phone number for is when we know you you will get a text from me that will say I anticipate these are the bills were going to hit on Tuesday are here the bills ready made here on Thursday because we meet Tuesdays and Thursdays ten o'clock in this room and you will get that so that you have that opportunity to spend some time in in your evenings reading those bills looking Adam because I don't expect and I don't think anybody who's been on this committee would expect all of us to read every one of those bills before the the first meeting and it keeps you where you get your fresh on what's going to be heard and it's always been my plan at the end of every meeting as those of you have been here before know that I will call out bills that I'm anticipating to be heard the course that's often subject to change of somebody you know have something that they need to move around or maybe by Senator may come in wanting to run a bill because often don't know when they're coming in but and we kind of adjust but we try to give priority to the bills that we announce and out also that certain cast plan for what they're going to come they know not to if they don't have a bill that they're interested in they know that they don't necessarily have to be here that day and it kind of helps them out too so that's always my plan and that's why we need your cell phone number and you'll be hearing from me every either Sunday or Monday and every Tuesday or Wednesday you'll be hearing from me and for some reason you're not hearing from me let me know I may have keep your phone number in wrong or it's bouncing back or something like that just let me know if you hadn't heard from me and all it will do that we have a number of people here today. Hey from different agencies and in some of our frequent flyers the that show up on a regular basis in you all need to the I don't expect that you're going to learn all their names today by any means just like they may not know all your names but they'll be working out and I assure you that I frequent flyers come and we're always glad to have them home and glad to have the agency so I'm just gonna let the start. With Greg Kurstin if any people want to come to the end of the table introduce yourself with the start of that year and Scott worked this way and we'll just do that so he will come to the in the table you can introduce yourself tell us who you work for so that the new members will get an opportunity to get to know you grade you if you'd like to start off you're welcome just come to the end table press the button and you're free to go. Thank you madam chair I'm Greg parish I'm the executive director of the Arkansas public defender commission is about self for another representative of our agency will be here at every meeting I'm always available many of you already have my cell phone but if you need it please ask for don't give it to your ask another member who might have it thank you. Thank you Greg. Hello. We're going. I probably turned out only to I'm Scott Bradley I'm the director of the Arkansas shares association I know many of you and look forward to meeting the rest of you I'm the Director us as I said in the director this year association for five years was shared before that was elected eight terms in Van Buren County Clinton Arkansas on me you know where that's at number I know you disclose your place. I look forward to working for you like I said I work for seventy five shares that's who I work for hire bad basically whenever you come across with a bill I'm going to present that to them I want to get their input their vote on it. and then we'll go for go from there hopefully we can support most of everything some we don't always get along but I think we can respectfully disagree it time to time and move forward if you have a bill you want me to look at I'd love to see it might lead present tomb I'll give you my cell number again my name's Scott Bradley my cell number is five oh one. Two five three. Zero nine five one. So it's O. nine five ones last four to five three oh nine five one I look forward to working with you guys again just give me a call if you have something and I'll do the best I can for you thank you. Next. If you'd like to you may. If you want to remain incognito you may. You're not on. That work is up willing one with the Democrat is that I'll probably be covering a lot of the meetings so look for to meeting you all. I tease will roll with that and I said good I'm glad you're here so on the right door to student out of not seeing it so. Just teasing will. Anybody else on. This is my hired gun. We can say is bless you bless you. Yes my name's John Phillips chair of the parole board has been on the program for twenty five years now and chairman eleven been before this committee numerous times and have always enjoyed my interaction with you have any kind of constituent questions anything like that that I can help you with is forced parole is concerned just to let me know. Smith I know most everyone and have been coming here for eight years just have a different capacity I have a new member of the Arkansas parole board. Thank you we look forward to working with you. Good morning hi Mr Martin on the DHS deputy director as of yesterday prior to that I was and still am and the director of children and family services I brought my team from children and family services which most stuff that comes through here related to DHS is related to the children and family services but if you have other DHS matters feel free to reach out to me. And I'm sorry Rosston deputy chief counsel for the Department of Human Services and I am primary in house counsel for the Division of Children and Family Services adult protective services I manage the office of the public guardian and supervise the county legal operations attorneys across the state. Good morning Christopher brown assistant director with the Division of Children and Family Services and please don't hesitate to reach out I can help with anything. Thank you but. Thank you manager I'm Brad because or I'm the director the Arkansas crime information center with me Rick saling two is the administrative operations division for the new members who don't know what we do we have quite a lot we we maintain the entire state criminal history records sex offender database we've got over twenty other databases we maintain mostly for law enforcement which includes wanted persons missing persons a number of different stolen property files we'd keep the pseudo ephedrine Law the scrap metal log we do crime statistics victim notification we don't have any legislation we're sponsoring here but we'll be here every time because a lot of legislation any legislation basically defects what we do we'll come through here will be here to answer any questions and be happy to if anybody has any questions needs are assistants for anything feel free to contact us any time. But will be glad to help. Thank thank you. Folks on the back wall or background folks back there. Madam chairwoman and members my name is Joe professor he the newly appointed secretary of corrections we are here to represent the corrections and its impact in the commercial space within your communities in your county is in any way that we can inform you as to our work and provide you guidance and input with regards to any legislation that you may be pursuing or interested in or corrections how it impacts you this team is here to support and and be a force with which your committee. Secretary on behalf of the committee we want to welcome you to Arkansas and will teach you how to how to speak Arkansas soon. I look forward to that into the under been a privilege ma'am thank you so much. Welcome and we look forward to working with your team thank you for being here thank you. Thanks to paying on the Director of the Division of corrections as part of the Arkansas department corrections of been the direct for four years of looking forward to working with you forget any questions about our prison system please feel free to give me a call. Good morning everyone I'm Jerry Bratcher on the Director of the Division of Community correction for Arkansas apartment correction we're over a probation and parole throughout the state of Arkansas as well as the six community correction centers you have any questions to deal with our online work please let me know. Good morning everyone I'm Lindsey Wallace on the chief of staff for the department of corrections I've been here a few times I worked for the sentencing commission before that so it's over here for fiscal impacts handle constituent issues of y'all have any questions or need anything please feel free to reach out. Good morning I Tony Rao I'm the director of the sentencing commission we prepare the fiscal impact assessments that are going to accompany any bills that increase that cost for correctional resources if you have any questions about those I will do my absolute best to be here and if anything comes up when the bills are being presented otherwise you all can reach out if you have any questions about those impacts or just the general sentencing structure thank you. Thank you a. Yes Sir J. Robinson by behind you. A. Good morning madam chairman of members the committee Richard Bearden Christian Gonzalez a little make an introduction here in a minute we're here on behalf of the judicial council apologize for my code we spend too much time with inaugural festivities but we represent the judicial council which is the arm of the judiciary. That comes in interfaces with the legislature so it's all of the circuit judges and the service members the Supreme Court and understand they're gonna be over here Thursday Tuesday yeah the so the Chief Justice and I'll have all the staff so we'll let them give me some more information ballot question make an introduction as well look for to working with you yeah Christian Gonzales I've worked with a lot at all and and different roles before I met excited to work with you all and and and this role with the judicial council and if you only my number it's a four seven nine six eight five zero four nine nine and I'll be around if you have any questions or need anything I'll be here every Tuesday and Thursday. For. Thank you J.. Thank thank you madam chair hi my name's Jay Robbins with the Arkansas Bar Association we represent about five thousand attorneys and all across the state one thing I would like to mention is we have about thirty five different sections within the Bar Association ranging from just about every practice area that you can imagine so any time you will have a a bill or draft that you would like for us to send out to one of our sections we would be happy to do that thank you thank you manager thank you Mr Robbins up members that is a very helpful tool to use because what they'll do is they'll send your bills out to those attorneys that practice in that particular area so it's very helpful they don't they don't necessarily take a position but they'll tell you the pros and cons of those bills just like Mr Robinson I've already had a. Excellent conversation on the rule against perpetuities so. Wait for that exciting testimony say it's really gonna be. It will be TV will be on the rule against perpetuities. This is recognized thank you madam chair Stanley Health I'm with the Arkansas farm bureau federation and we are a general farm organization and yes farmers to have legal issues from time to time that even come before this committee so glad to be here thank you thank you senator. Thank you madam chair I'm Bob McMahon on the prosecutor coordinator we can have dual hats when we come out here as a prosecutor coordinator we have a state agency we've been around since nineteen seventy five and I'll as the director of that agency I will be out here on budgetary issues for both my office in the prosecuting attorneys mother had is the executive director of the prosecuting attorney's association so most the time and this committee you'll see me in that capacity in our socio Haitian will run a legislative package usually consists of anywhere from eight to twelve bills so we'll be out here but every day of this month at the lower computer solitaire introduce yourself just a second she's informed me that this is my eighteenth session I will tell you I didn't used to have a great here and I didn't need reading glasses so when I first started come out here but looking forward to working with you you will see elected prosecutors from time to time coming out here with us the president of our association this year's matter it from fate bill vice president is Jeff Phillips from Russellville in our legislative chairs Daniels you from the first batch in county so they'll be out here and again looking forward to working with everyone again. Madam chairman members of the committee involved said I'm Laurie comparison the deputy prosecutor coordinator it's good to see some familiar faces Bob mentioned it's his eighteen session it is my seventeenth session so if you multiply that times too I've been here thirty two years and he's been here longer than that so I tell people sometimes now we're getting old and cranky because we've been doing this so long but it is a pleasure to be over here again and working with all of you if you can't reach Bobby you can always reach me or you know we kind of have this team I guess we've been doing it so long now so we're always available one of us or both of us and and our president and our chairperson will be here almost every meeting and we may have other staff attorneys that we have that specialize in certain areas that you'll hear about like sexual assault family violence those kinds of things so if you have bills in that area please let us know and we will be happy to serve and prosecutors and let you know where we stand look forward to working with all of you. All rule perpetuity questions get directed toward. Thank you. Thank you madam chair Adam Jackson office the Attorney General I guess my official title is assistant Attorney General criminal division and thank you for giving me PTSD on the rule against purpose. It's been ten years but it still gets me. Those of us who have been through law school I understand the rule about no we don't we really don't understand the rule against perpetuities but we learned it for the bar exam for that brief short amount of time is only the only thing I remember about is you actually can't be held ineffective for not knowing that's right there you go thank you. Good morning. I'm Kelly Eichler deputy chief of staff for governor says Sanders and this is V. Richie's are cheap Council we have several members of our team that'll be here every day every time you meet and purses Catherine Griffin. And Catherine's had an accident her shoulder is damaged. So she has he's not gonna stand Kelsey Bateman. Colchester the Bill. And appellate porch. And appellate handles all the calamities the extradition so if you have any any issues that come up early around that shall be happy to help you you can reach me at any time at five oh one two four seven five three six SO my cell phone and so called me with anything that you might have could you repeat that one more time certainly one. Two four seven five three six SO and it's Kelly Eichler. reaching she will counsel for governor Sanders I'm happy to be here I will say this that if you need anything just give your cell phone number no but I. What we're happy to be here and one thing that governor Sanders as it has made very clear is that we're going to work in partnership with legislatures so March the legal office is sweet one twenty two on the first floor when the back room there and Kelsey handles the criminal I'm sorry the civil side and Cole is the deputy legal counsel and then we have another attorney courting Kennedy who is that currently prosecutor Faulkner County and shall be joining us next week. Thank you for being here we appreciate it thank you members are there any questions. Any questions from committee members. Mister Lindsey do you do you wish to come to the table or you just okay just ask thank you for the members we do need ten o'clock on Tuesdays and Thursdays it is always my go that route by noon because I don't want you to miss lunch and be cranky when you get to the house floor in center will we will be. Motoring pretty quick I do start on time those of you who have been here I know that right straight to the clock here will go so and I know that you're gonna be in and out and I understand that but I just want to let you know that that's kind of my goal is will work for two hours they will have time for a break let me know what let let me tell you what we're going to be doing to stay at two o'clock in this room we've got two guests who are going to be coming the Chief Justice Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Dan Kemp will be here and he's going to bring some of his staff will remember those individuals who show up all the time and so Chief Justice will be bringing his staff just for short introductions they're not presenting any bills or talking policy or anything but he just wants the opportunity so you can put a name to face and as you know the Chief Justice while not last session because we were in code but the session before that the chief often had a coffee with the chief in the mornings to give everybody an opportunity to visit with him and so the Chief Justice wanted to stop by were certainly granting him that privilege to come and then following the Chief Justice Tuesday morning we'll have Attorney General Tim Griffin will be here and he will be introducing his staff because staff members that obviously come each time and he wants that opportunity and and he he will also take five or ten minutes and then upon completion of that we will be hearing house bill ten eighteen house bill ten eighteen at this point in time that's the only bill I know because we know we've got those two individuals coming this is representative makes this bill has not been in conversation he's going to have two or three guest with him in presentation of his bill so over the weekend have an opportunity to look at that if I know of any other bills that will be heard on Tuesday I will let you know. With that is that any other questions comments did I get everybody in the audience that wanted to speak with that I think we adjourn would go to the house floor eleven o'clock look forward to working with you.