ALC-JBC Budget Hearings

They would start off reports with that are recognized representative Cavenaugh offers special language report. Thank you Mr chair the special language subcommittee met on Wednesday October the twenty six at one thirty PM and reports the following actions the subcommittee adopted legislative recommendations for agency language held over from the October nineteenth meeting those items are noted in the report the subcommittee adopted agency recommendation for language for the department of transportation the subcommittee adopted executive recommendations for agency language listed in the report the next best language meeting will take place Wednesday November the second at one thirty PM in the back bay building I move for adoption of the report. Proper motion or any discussion on the motion. See non drive second I have a second all those in favor say aye. I sat at any nose eyes have it. Board is adopted with that of members for we get started with legislative audit seventy first on our agenda there be a slight change in the agenda of instead of here number six in order we're going to hear these are under the state before we hear of the Office of the Courts it'll make more sense when you hear it but there's some ties between the two and I want to do the state auditor first so without objection we will taken up in that order so with that you are recognized to go through the Legislative audit and Roger if you guys wouldn't join us at the table. It members there's a letter attached in the packet of from the legislative audit. Thank you Mr chair Jennifer of your of Legislative Research we're gonna start with legislative audit it is in week four. Page one forty eight. Legislative audit only has one appropriation this is their operations appropriation you can find it on page one forty nine. It is funded from state Central Services ad valorem tax federal funds in lottery fees they're requesting about forty five million each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium are requested to continue into the next biennium. They also have a letter you look at attachment one. There and requesting additional requested changes to their budget request they are asking for an increase of three million in regular salaries six hundred ninety thousand personal services matching and this is so they can be competitive in their industry and due to the re classification of positions they are not creating any additional positions this concludes my per annum per presentation I'm sorry. You. Thank you any questions for legislative audit. President of wooden you're recognized for a question. I want to talk about your personnel the numbers are not adding up what I've got. on the report on the phone the page one forty nine. You show two hundred and eighty two employees. Actual budget two ninety five the bill on page one forty eight you showed two fifty eight. As the total number of employees and if you put forty on that would you say you are vacant. This two hundred ninety eight which is three over your authorized so how many people do you have. We're authorize it to ninety five were about forty short that's part of the issue right now that's what we're trying to to well that would use of three over. It shows two hundred eighty two actual footage one forty nine hello Page one forty eight show two fifty eight. Do not the two eighty two is when someone retires or someone we use our agency and we put another individual in there it counts them twice so although this is to eighty two that is not how many fill positions we currently have. I spoke to people in your in your. Or corporation apparently the the way that the the report. Works let's say we have somebody leave that they get counted twice okay so if you replace somebody during the year then. Four is my understanding from talking with with Jenna and and I think she's confirm this with the FNA sometimes I get picked up twice for the same because there's two people it but it's the same position we have two ninety five positions are they on own your a your letter request three million an increase is on top of the thirty point seven million is that three million more on that. The requesting in your budget. Agency thirty million seven hundred thirteen Morris is that it's one million more than that we originally requested to and then subsequent to what's in the your packet we are asking for under an additional million. Additional a. An additional million above the thirty. So your current actual salary for the two hundred ninety two which is not. Well you based based on that number two hundred ninety two and twenty five less than ninety thousand dollars a year average and on the under the on the new budget. It's thirty point seven two hundred ninety five of two hundred four thousand but you're saying that you've got three minutes another million on top of the thirty million yes Sir so the thirty one yes Sir yes Sir so they'll be about a hundred and seven or eight thousand dollars a year in other words are getting the average probably yes or if a I haven't done the math so the so the insular realizing about an eighteen thousand dollar raise no Sir not necessarily this Justin in the appropriation. Well how much road really going to get it well it it depends I mean the one of the big issues that we have right now is recruiting and retention and realize that but what I'm asking you is a how many are going to what are the what is the average pay increase call by the end is that due to market conditions it's due to market conditions there's fewer people going into accounting right now we're we have we've never had this to wear CPA firms are common recruiting our people away from us and and that's happened within the past couple years the pandemic the on the pandemic we had people retire with there's fewer people going into the accounting field that's one reason you're saying a lot of the CPA firms merge because there there's there's no individuals out there and so I tend to question I don't know how much of an increase but one of the things that we're doing under under the the state board rules right now you have to have a hundred fifty hours to sit for the CPA exam. Of you can you can take out to to be licensed you can see it when you have a hundred twenty hours and what we've done is required our people to be able to sit for the exam when we when we hire so we're going we're having to change that we're looking at hiring people with a hundred and twenty hours we're looking at giving incentives to people to sit for the exam to take the exam there's not just necessarily salaries but it's to keep our staff professional we haven't developed that yet because what the main thing we're trying to do is recruit people right now and to get people on staff of back when the the pay plan and I believe is two thousand seventeen was passed. Most of the state agencies they increase their accounting staff but ten or twenty percent we did not do that. And so what we're trying to do it used to be where we you know we're we're losing people to state agencies to colleges to school districts. R. S. is hiring right now you know so there there's a lot of of things that are pulling our people and you know you you've got the flexibility things work or you know people. The the workforce is different than it used to be and we're trying to adjust to that and we're trying to figure out how to give get the biggest bang for Bucks we have been slow to give salary increases in and have it to the extent that other state agencies have in the past but we're to the point now to where we are losing people and and to be able to do our jobs and to do special projects and things for the the General Assembly and provide you the information. We need that we're behind and we're getting further behind each and every day understand your labor problems yes Sir and my question was just how much of an increase do you think is going to take you've got to have some deal. In order to make the I don't know I would hope it would be less than ten percent. But but but it's it's it's like we we've had people hired to come to work force and and from a a different farms and and they come back and counter offer more than we can say we're we're just having a difficult time recruiting and and keeping people but it's you know I understand the dollars believe me I think that if you go back and look at our our budgets and what we've done over the years we've been very practical and and conservative in what we've done and and I hope to continue to do that but I just we just need to be competitive but we've got to have people to be able to provide the services thank you thank you Mr. Roger. Reminded Committee if someone came to you today was on water so she should in their districts how long would it take you today to be able to get that audit done our fire department or CD or any governmental agency our kuasa well well again it it it it we run into this last several years I know we've had some some talks about that in the past if we get new request those to go to our committee and and if they're not up to date generally we require. Those entities to try to get up to date before we take the mom we want to be there to provide the services for the public entities we feel like that that's our our service but we're being pushed from a time wise but with all this federal money that's coming down there's time limits on that as far as the schools are I do not know at this time in the past we've met the time limits for that which is is in in March as far as the federal single audits but I'm not for sure we're going to meet that this year there there's certainly you know billions more dollars that we're having to say grace over but to answer your question specifically if the committee approves it. It they have to kind of get in line so to speak because we've got more than what we can say right now so we would probably be and and most cases six months or so before we could even get started on that but generally it's it's it's like the water and and and sewer districts fire departments of volunteer fire departments we generally don't do this there's a lot of issues out there dealing with public funds that if we had the staff that I feel like that we could do and hopefully at some point in time we'll get to the point where we can address some of that through data analytics and and and other issues one of the things that we're looking at right now in the mean municipalities is trying to get so proposed legislation to require municipalities to be able to upload their financial data to a centralized database which would save us a lot of time of their a lot of small entities out there that that are important but they they're they're. They take a lot of time because the records aren't as good is like school districts and things like that so you have to go in and you spend your time pulling that together and it is probably disproportional the bang for the Buck again we're trying to to figure out better ways to get that done and to get that information where we can get in and get out sooner and and so with that we can use our resources in a more profitable better manner for the General Assembly. I see no further questions you have a motion. Representative gene. yes Mister chairman I'm I'm a motion that we adopt of agency rules of. Request within a add to the agency letter one of the three million on the total increase plus the six hundred ninety thousand for personal matching. As proper motion I have a second any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all those in favor say aye. All opposed ayes have it thank you guys thank you. So miss rock will go to the Supreme Court. Just. He. We have a representative from the Supreme Court. I miss rock you're recognized to continue. Thank you Mr chair. Really good Supreme Court is still in week four on page ten. The this is the department appropriation summary there are two appropriations they're requesting about twelve million for both years of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. On page eleven is their operations this is funded from state Central Services change levels are their salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium are requested to continue into the next biennium. On page twelve is the bar of Arkansas. It's funded from cash funds through attorney license fees. Salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium they are asking for an increase in conference and travel appropriation to attend committee meetings and an increase in professional fees due to an increase in services and this concludes my presentation. Any questions from members. Szentendre motion. A motion for agency record act. Dr second of second any discussion on the motion see non all those in favor say aye. All opposed Is habits with that we'll move on to the court of appeals. And. Mistrust you're recognized thank you Mr. Court of appeals you can find this on page forty five. Hey. They have won appropriation it is funded from state central services the agency is requesting about six million each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. They are asking for salary in match adjustments to be made in the current biennium are requested to continue into the next biennium and this concludes my presentation. Any questions for the court of appeals. See non drive a motion for agency record. I have a motion and a second all the discussion see none all those in favor say aye. All opposed I was having with that thank you guys with that we'll go on to the bureau Legislative Research miss rookie recognized again. Thank you Mr chair. Course this is the best agencies or indirect. You can find it on page one. On page three is the operations appropriation it is funded from state Central Services. Requesting about nineteen point five million for each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. Salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium are requested to continue into the next biennium also requesting an increase in the contingency line item to be able to meet the needs of the General Assembly. Also on page three eight you can see that there is a reappropriation in the amount of two million dollars and this is a contingency. Also before we do disbursing officer because we do have a letter. Attachment to. And it's requesting additional changes to the budget request. The bureau is asking for an increase of seven hundred and fifty thousand regular salaries and two hundred fifty thousand personal services matching this is due to re classifications one upgrade and one title change they are not creating any additional positions and they're also asking for a decrease in operating expenses of fifty thousand dollars and also there will be six current titles that will be made to the existing special language. I move on to the disbursing officer on page five. There are three appropriations. The requesting about two million dollars each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation and there are no change levels from the FY twenty three authorized this concludes my presentation. Any questions Sir Chesterfield I'm good with that motion do you want to include in that motion the letter to. Thank you. so that's a motion to include letter to in its entirety is second represent what a second any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all those in favor say aye All opposed Is have it with that will move on to the bureau of. so now we're going to the state auditor. And they have an audit finding so we will go to legislative audit first and then to the to miss for. Thank you Mr tumbling to legislative audit. What you have your packet is the funding for the auditor state for the FY twenty report that we prepared in this finding is that the order stated not record salary changes for two elected officials that occurred in January two thousand nineteen resulting in over payment to one official in a corresponding underpayment to the other for eighteen months totaling over nine thousand dollars your pay was discovered by the AC and a payment plan was implemented beginning in August two thousand twenty to recruit sixty five hundred dollars of the overpayment that concludes the fighting share. Any questions from committee members on the audit finding. C. N. nine miss rock if you would will recognize you to explain budget. Thank you Mr chair. Can find the auditors information on page forty six. And then on page forty seven is the department appropriation summary. They have ten or twelve appropriations. The agency is requesting about seventy million each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. Seven of these have changed levels and I'll go over those levels. The first one is the operations on page forty eight it is funded from state Central Services requesting about two point eight million each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the current mania requested to continue into the next biennium and they are asking for a decrease in capital outlay. On page forty nine is the constitutional officers it is funded from constitutional officers find the requesting eight hundred fifteen thousand for each year of the biennium. The increase is due to the travel expense reimbursement because expenses have increased. Next change is going to be on page fifty the unclaimed property. Suspended from state Central Services requesting about two point nine million each year of the biennium salary in my judgments made in the current biennium are requested to continue into the next biennium and they are asking for decreasing capital outlay. On page fifty three will be your next change. This is the deputy prosecuting attorneys appropriation. It is funded from state central Services requesting about twenty six million for each year of the biennium. Maju jasmine's made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium. The next is on page fifty six. And if you remember this is similar to what we saw in public defender. This is the extra health cash appropriation this is an appropriation that was added to the bill last session. Under state received one million from restricted reserve fund in March of twenty twenty two from the peer meeting this appropriations for forty five extra help positions to help with the backlog of cases the agency request is for four point five million and the executive recommendation provides for there's no executive I'm sorry it's just agency request our. And on page fifty seven is the extra help federal fines. This appropriation was added to the bill as a last session for the forty five extra help positions to help with the backlog of cases as well the agency is requesting about four point five million and it is I'm funded this is from our fines and we have special language set up through the FAA as to how to disburse these fines and the last change is going to be on page fifty nine. And this is the county coroner's Education find it is funded from special revenue they're requesting a hundred and twenty five thousand for each year of the biennium asking for an increase in this appropriation to be more in line with finding this concludes our presentation. Yes. Some members back during the summer we had a big discussion in here about how the audit. Office handles the court travel the backlog in cases and. It is kind of out online so they were there was an ask then to move some of the stuff to A. O. C. and get out of the audit office in into the courts where it should be and I think we have a motion couple motions out on the floor that are going to kind of straighten some of those things out and put things where they are to be and have their oversight so just what kind will lay that out there so you guys know that's common Sir Chesterfield you have a question for the agency. Yes Are actually and I started in the General Assembly together and she moved to at the twilight of her service I just want to say thank you thank you for being my friend and thank you for serving the people of Christ Arkansas you're truly appreciated by me. So representative makes do you have a question. You're recognized for a question Senator misli was one of my mentors in the General Assembly can't let it get away without least asking one question right so my my question has to do with these cases can you tell us a little bit more about this the backlog of these cases what kind of cases are these and maybe expound on representative Wardlaw the the plan to move these to where they evidently belong. No. There you go. And I'm not being funny there representative makes I I really can't we were not contacted when that bill was put on our our budget we knew nothing about it until after it happened so no I can answer any of those questions are okay. I would like to introduce my chief of staff excuse me Jessica Keith we didn't get a chance introducer. Thank you With that we'll go to representive eleven. Thank you Mr chair In regards to page forty nine of the constitutional officers appropriation I move for agency request on that with the exception of changing the disbursing officer from the auditor to the administrative office of the courts for you judicial related expenses. That's proper motion I have a second any discussion on the motion and members there will be a no other motion so this is not the complete of this budget so all those in favor say aye. Well opposed us have it so with that we'll go to representative Cavenaugh. Thank you Mr chair I also have a motion and the motion is to decrease the appropriation for extra help on page fifty six from four point five million dollars to one million dollars and to delete the extra help federal funds appropriation on page fifty seven. That's proper motion and a second. Yes I'm coming discussion so. Any discussion on the motion representative Chesterfield you're recognized I would do the chair to representative Cavenaugh could you please explain to me why those changes and necessary and have you work with the agency on this particular issue was a surprise to them. Hi this is referring to what representative of Wardlaw was speaking about earlier about the moving of the appropriations okay also about the need that we gave them a million dollars there wasn't a need for four point five million dollars the federal funds is not even it's not even if it's not a refunded so. Thank. All right thank you. See it see no further discussion all those in favor say aye. All opposed. Is have it Yes and to be clear agency request other than the two changes of moving that stuff the A. O. C. and that's the reason we took the auditor prior to take in a see so we'll take a O. C. up next Thank you guys and Andrea it's always good to see you. And get you out here by ten o'clock so. So with that miss rock will go back to the office administrator courts. Thank you Mr chair. Mystery of Office of the Courts this is and week four on page fourteen it's going to be there department appropriations summary. They have twenty eight appropriations thirteen of these have change levels the agency is requesting about fifty four million for each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. I'm gonna go over these change levels. The first one is going to be on page eighteen. This is the AOC access visitation may mediation. It is funded from federal revenue. The agency is requesting about a hundred and fifty three thousand for the first year of the biennium and about a hundred and fifty four thousand for the second year of the biennium. Salary imagine judgments made in the previous biennium requested to continue into this biennium. I'm Page nineteen is another change level is to dependency neglect representation. It is funded from state Central Services and the administration of justice find. Agencies requesting about eight point three million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the previous planing requested to continue into this biennium. They are asking for an increase in operating expenses doing it due to an increase in demand. The third changes going to be on page twenty this is the administrative office of the courts this is their operations it is funded from state Central Services and the stated mission ministration of justice agencies requesting about six million each year of the biennium. Salary imagine judgments made in the previous Bremer Chris requested to continue into the current biennium. They are asking for an increase in operating expenses so they will not have to come to peer to increase that in the interim because they do not have enough in appropriation. There is an increasing miscellaneous due to anticipating increased expenses for conferences. On page twenty two is going to be your next change this is the court security grants. It's funded from state Central Services and the admin Administration of Justice find their requesting about three hundred ninety thousand each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the previous biennium requested to continue into this biennium. Next change is on page twenty three dispute resolution commission. It is funded from state Central Services they're requesting about three hundred fifty six thousand for the first year the biennium and about three hundred fifty eight thousand for the second year of the biennium salary in my judgments made in the previous Bremer questions continue into this binding on. I promise we're getting there. Page twenty four court automation. Suspended from a fine balance. Agency or is requesting about seven million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the previous biennium requested continue into this biennium they are asking for an increase in operating expenses due to continuing automation of course systems and there is a decrease in capital outlay. The seventh is on page twenty eight court improvement program. It is funded from federal revenue. Agency is requesting about one million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the previous blame requests to continue into this biennium. The next change is going to be on page thirty two. This is the heirs the accountability court find it is funded from the fund balance. They are requesting a four hundred thousand for each year of the biennium this is a new appropriation that move from community corrections they came before peer during the interim to request appropriation and they would like to continue this appropriation. On page thirty four is the next change and this is the heirs the trial court administrators. It is funded from state Central Services and state administration of justice find. The agency is requesting about nine point two million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the previous biennium requested to continue into this biennium. Page thirty four. I see page thirty five is the court reporters I'm sorry but it from State Administration of Justice Fund in real estate transfer tax agency is requesting about eleven point two million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the previous biennium our requests to continue into this buying them. I N. at page thirty eight. Is the drug court juvenile probation intake officer preparation is funded from state Central Services agencies requesting about ninety nine hundred two thousand for the first year of the biennium and nine hundred eleven thousand for the second year of the biennium salary in my judgments made in the previous mining requested to continue into this biennium. And the last year I'm gonna put together because they were related it's Pitsch forty and Pitsch forty three. They are requesting to discontinued both of these appropriations. Also you just received a hand out. This is a letter from the agency. On the first one is if. Their first Page twenty. They are asking for an additional position for a Spanish language interpreter. On in the next one on the there was a clerical error when we were doing the budget request or when it was being completed and it was inadvertently left off the capital outlay for the one hundred sixty four five two page twenty and four eight hundred and one five ninety two page twenty four for capital outlay so they're requesting those be put back into their budget. And then they are asking for an additional appropriation this is from the Attorney General awarded them a million dollars to provide additional funding for Arkansas's adult drug court program. And this is a cash fund appropriation this concludes my. In case you Mr. Representative Cavenaugh you're recognized for a question in thank you Mr chair I'm going to start with page number we're going to find it now we're going to. The right page. Too many notes. It's going to be page number Let's look at page number forty two if you don't mind this is going to be the Drug Court enhancements. and my question is on the grants how can one didn't give out more grants and what we did. Hi my name is Kristen Clark I'm the director of the legal services division today C. the specialty court program falls within the legal division the supreme court's created Committee on port security and they award these grants every year they're limited by the appropriation that we received from the General Assembly and so if there's any other information you like about those grants will be happy to get that for you that's not the grant that I'm speaking about the grant that I'm speaking about is page forty two which is a drug court enhancement and that's a federal fund. So I don't have the budget materials in front of me and I don't want to speak out of turn we received the court accountability grants which may be what that one is specific to and. Do you want to comment on that Sam. Sure my name Sam Kaufman in the financing administration director of the A. a city at all I have to get that information for you but I am happy to do that and follow up with you okay I just. Yes I'm okay I wanna make sure y'all come to a budget hearing and you don't have your budget information. No we do I'm Marty Sullivan I'm the director of the administrative office of the courts the Janet Holly as are our specialty court person there is a you'll you'll come to see that the agency we don't have a lot of control over a lot of our budgets there's a Supreme Court committee that's a specialty court advisory committee that has legislative and executive members on that committee so they're the ones that are in charge with without granting any of the money out it's not the AOC it's the the Supreme Court advisory committee I think a representative Dalby is on that committee so they do a really good job of rolling that money out and I'm not exactly sure when they receive the the any particular funds that you have right now but they were all that money out fairly quickly so will certainly look into it and I could call you this afternoon. Okay. I guess I'm a little confused where the budget and you all are saying the people that do that they're not here to answer questions the the one. Jenna Holly is not here and and and we'll certainly look into that okay Mister chair I also have a question on page twenty eight which is their court improvement program and that is also one that it shows that there's been no grants given out on I'd like some information on that one. In on page thirty one which is the stop domestic violence research we've not had any spending in that since eighteen ninety seven eighteen the eighteenth two thousand eighteen nineteen and I guess I'm curious why we're not spending at least what are fund balances because this is a it's a big issue. Before you answer that. Representative Cavenaugh if you look at the schedule we have a meeting scheduled for week six. If you wanted to put this off to they could find the proper people to have here to answer questions at hand we could put them in that week's six of that is the week of thanksgiving and we can hold their budget until that time so they can get people here to answer I'm not allowed to move into the recess schedule because been set for months but we could put him on the very end. Okay I'll take that under consideration Mr. So representative Cavenaugh with regard to the stop grant funds those are grant funds that come from a federal grants and actually the administrative office of the courts has not receive those funds in a number of years because the. Grant cycle for those grants is not on our fiscal year and it's also not on our calendar year that remains as a line item in the budget in the event that we are ultimately able to receive those funds again. Okay well it shows that you have a fine balance of ten thousand two hundred eighty three dollars are you saying that you don't have that fund balance anymore I'm saying that we have not received the grant Mr coughing could probably speak to any fund balance the grant that we had received historically was around eighteen thousand dollars and that was broken down between professional services and also travel and then just operational expenses but again we have not received that grant and a number of years and it probably would be I would say since the twenty eighteen twenty nineteen that you show. Okay so can someone answer if you have a fund balance. Yes I believe I mean what the figures in front of you should be accurate it so but again as miss Clark shared it's really about when and if we receive that federal grant and. Because of the disconnection in a calendar that that that would explain that particular piece. If you have a fine balance can you not spend that fund balance. To help with this. This problem that we have in the state if it if it fits under the existing grant will have to go back and look at the grant from eighteen and see what the scope of that grant was so we can certainly look at that too and calling this afternoon yes if you can find out absolutely and it if not what we have to do with that fine balance absolutely and my final question is going to be dealing with Page thirty six. That's another one that you had no spending and then the specialty court since nineteen and twenty But you have a fine balance for eighty seven thousand dollars and that show that is coming from special revenue and I'm talking on page thirty six it's a specialty court program fund. What is that and what special revenue funds that. So it's my understanding that that also is the specialty court program advisory committee fund and that is again as Mister Sullivan had mentioned earlier it's a committee that is legislatively created and it is made up of representatives from all three of the branches of government we would have to check to see Why there is still a fine balance there and look back. As to what their plans are again that's not an AOC we don't have the authority to spend that money okay let me that information I do appreciate it yes ma'am Another question Mister chairman page thirty seven it is the juvenile probation intake officers it's page thirty seven. Can you just explain to me where is it when you go in and you look at your detail in the book I A. R. T. in your history it says where you all put juvenile probation and take office it says under it's called it refunds and reimbursements what is this. Hi I'm bursting I'm the director of the juvenile division at the AOC I'm so the wait what the statute says is that we can reimburse up to twenty thousand dollars or fifty percent in the lesser of the two and that county's actually pay the juvenile officers and we reimburse the counties so if the county pays a juvenile officer forty thousand dollars we reimburse than twenty thousand if they you know make thirty eight thousand we just pay them half of that so that is what's reimbursements it goes to the county and we have two hundred and fifty reimbursable spot in Arkansas and that's across all the counties okay thank you yes ma'am. Represent what you're recognized thank you Mr chairman. My question has to do it I will follow up on representative Cavenaugh question on page fourteen you have a line item for. Stop the domestic violence you've got a fifteen thousand dollar budget actually you spent nothing you've got another fifteen. Thousand requested is that the same is that the same phone that you. The. Okay I do believe that it is the way that that great works as a two year grant your have a grant award for the first year and then the second year if you qualify the funds is a continuing grant and so that is what that would be. But you had been fund it has not been funded since twenty who the federal government has funded or who so that's correct so the federal government sends the stock funds and actually they come to the department of finance and administration the Office of Internal I think it's inter governmental services which was actually here last Monday before peer review talked about this particular grant funding program at links that morning there has been a reduction in those funds and when they made a reduction in those funds they decided they didn't list you are a service provider providing direct services to victims that you were going to be cut because the administrative office of the courts does not provide direct services to victims are grant funds have been cut since twenty eighteen we have not received those. Follows Mr chairman of a may I notice here that you also have a dependency neglect a representation of stop the violence juvenile courts and that type thing my question is have you all. Impaired any contingency plans for for if issue four passes in the kalos those will be the taxpayers in the courts have you all done any work on a contingency budgets for that. It's my understanding that if there is a line item that if. Initiated act for passes that there would be a line I'm in the budget we would be receiving some of those funds specifically for specialty court's decision now say that again that if that particular referendum passes it's my understanding that there would be a line item in the budget for the administrative office of the courts to receive funds that go toward specialty court some from the. from whatever funds are generated from that particular I guess it would be easy you're waiting to see if you're gonna get marijuana money to run the program oh no Sir no Sir you saying I'm saying that perhaps I misunderstood your question I thought that you ask if the that past had we any kind of contingency plan and we're saying that we do have a line item in the event that we do but this program does continue to operate even without those funds is at or follow up. Are you saying is that to do with a million dollars if the Attorney General of giving you or is this is in addition to and how much are you how much are you anticipating putting in there so the million dollars from the Attorney General is again specialty court programs and then if. Creation of marijuana passes there would be additional funds that would also come to fort to find specialty court's in Arkansas it's my understanding that the specialty court program advisory committee but also be the committee that would determine how those funds get utilized now when you're talking about dependency neglect representation and that particular item misting would be the one to answer those particular questions. Thank you Mr chairman. That one represented Hodges coming. representative Crawford M. Hodges C. hello my question is Really I guess on page fourteen with all the line items I don't see anything in there for a mental health court do you know if that is something being looked at for the state of Arkansas. So mental health courts were approved and authorised for our circuit courts to establish those during the last legislative session the way that those are funded is predominantly by applications for grant funds there's also local funding that is available for those but the administrative office of the courts individually doesn't fund those the specialty court program advisory committee that you all heard a great deal about this morning I can distribute those funds there's local funds and then there's also federal funds. If an individual court wants to provide those and now that the accountability funds have come into our budget we'll have a little more. Ability to I will say control but to spend to spend those. Okay follow up so it would come out of that specialty court program is where those funds would come in our counties could come to you. And to a grant process. So through the grant process the judges who are operating a specialty court's have teams those team members include hi folks from different cross sections of behavioral health law enforcement prosecutors public defenders mental health providers and yes they can request those funds thank you. Representative back you're recognized. Thank you Mr so so you may have answered my question but. Going going back to represent Britain's question You I understand you have a contention fine there's a line item that's gonna fall some money in there where those funds kana flow from. Is this specific with regard to if. Hi there. I do not have the answer to that when I have looked at that amendment you know it looks like there's going to be a repeal of the tax that is currently on the the medical marijuana and replaced with this ten percent cap tax but again. Whether that's from sales again I don't have that information be happy to look at the amendment further again I don't have that information today typically how it goes is it flows to the DF and a indefinite-delivery to us if the legislature because with low from the funds collected due to issue for through the death and a to you current on thank you. The representative will you're recognized yeah I'd like to follow up so so you're you're telling your telling this committee. Can you tell the people of Arkansas your wedding look it was a seismic event is getting ready to occur should that measure passed you telling us that you can't sit here today and tell us what you think is cool because the state to administer the court program. As a result of the passing if it should pass as a seismic event. The director of corrections secretary corrections that here in your chair and said anytime you legalize something this illegal that you're gonna have a tremendous calls to your society and to the taxpayers now why can't you tell us a number today well you wait no. I mean the department of finance and administration of the bill. Your available budget. Look. I know what the amendment says and I know what it means. But you're telling me that your said no we're four of you and you can tell us is going because the state three million four million or four hundred million. You can give us a number today you haven't done your work on this budget. Mister chairman I'll have a motion at the appropriate time the problem is. That will run out of time. But I think the people of Arkansas need to know a number and I need to know it quickly and you're the minister who of the courts and you need to give us that number. I have a motion at the appropriate time or follow up with the representative Cavenaugh she makes everyone thank you. Okay we'll see no further questions we're at the appropriate time I don't have anybody in the queue for a motion. do you want to make a motion representative would. Motion the. If it's appropriate or if they want to respond if they come back as quickly as they can this week we want to make a motion they cannot respond do what Matt Matt Matt say one thing I will I will let you respond now but it will represent Wardlaw we're we're not policy makers we're not advocating for against roughly we we know that specialty court's cost about two hundred fifty thousand dollars to set up we're trying to get specialty court's out in every county that was the Chief Justice is primary goal we're we're actively trying to do that I know Perry County just set one up you know we're well how much is it going because it typically a costume or fifty that. Sali quart so as soon seventy five a we're we're trying to do seventy five I think there is a safety sensitive specifically to deal with rough for issue for or is it just personal thing where we're to the courts are operating whether or not amendment four passes or not we're we we're dealing with drug issues in the that's what the courts do on a daily basis their specialty court's there struck courts all across the states that are active I'm sure there's one in your community a representative with and so I mean we're not advocating for or against anything and we're trying what you will want to have okay because that's not the role of the court's role has not sent most of where we're are used in the board of corrections to it. Thank you to branch agency we have have so it wasn't the Arkansas Senate said no. We have specialty court's that are operating throughout the state already trying to address this issue. I mean societal problem and. Five the losing mail as I give up thank you Mr chairman thank you I'll make a motion thank. President Ferguson you're recognized. Thank you Mr move agency request plus what's in the adoption of items two and three in the agency letter number three. That's proper motion I have a second order any discussion on the motion said none all those in favor say aye. Oppose ayes have it. Is have it with that the agency of request to the doctor. Thank you mistrust will move on to number. Eight which is the prosecutor coordinator office. Thank you Mr. We're still weak four page sixty the office of the prosecutor coordinator. I'm page sixty one is their department appropriation summary. They have five appropriations three have changed levels. The agency is requesting about two million each year of the biennium the exact the executor provides for the agency request. The first change level is going to be on page sixty five this is the prosecutor coordinator operations it is funded from state Central Services. The agency's requesting one point four million each year of the biennium the executive provides for the agency request. Salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium. They are asking for an increase in operating expenses due to increasing rent cost agency internet and a web based legal research system law library plans replacement of outdated computer work stations and computers used for training and production and promotion of required C. Ellie and other training programs and materials. Number two change is gonna be on page sixty seven. The certified facility dog program. It is funded from federal revenue. The agency is requesting about two hundred sixty four thousand for the first year of the biennium and two hundred sixty six thousand for the second year of the biennium. The executive provides for the agency request. Is the preparation was established in the interim and the agency would like to continue this appropriation. The final change level is on page sixty nine it's the OPC project guardian it's a federal revenue is funded from federal right now Revenue I'm sorry the agency is requesting about a hundred and fifty five thousand for the first year the biennium and a hundred and fifty six thousand for the second year of the biennium the executive provides for the agency request. This is another appropriation that was established in the interim and the agency would like to continue this preparation as well and this concludes my presentation Mister chair. Thank you Mr the representative Cavenaugh you're recognized. Thank you Mr my question is going to be a page seventy one which is the loan repayment. I noticed that when I look back at your spending the last time you had any spending and this was two thousand seventeen to two thousand eighteen is this is still an ongoing program. Yes representative is an ongoing program of Iraq yes ma'am it is an ongoing program a we were designated years ago by the governor to be the state agency that handles that I do that distribution for both public defenders and the prosecuting attorneys it's an annual thing we get an award to the state of Arkansas so what we get the amount that comes in once a year and then we distribute that once a year so there should never be a fund balance it you know I get it comes in it's distributed and we've been doing that annually since sixteen or seventeen I'm not really sure about that but we were designated by the government to do that so the amount of money that we will get this coming years actually gonna be a bit higher than that but again we'll do the application process and then we will distribute that money it shows is a federal fund it's not from the state yes ma'am it's it's it's one hundred percent federal okay it also in Irvine went back if I'm is incorrect there hasn't been any spending since two thousand seventeen at two thousand eight eight. I mean I'm I'm I'm not sure with what that means because again that money comes any annually and is distributed annually so there there is I mean there is spending it every year on that we're we're we don't hold anything again if the amount is awarded to the state we distribute half of that amount to the public defenders and have to the prosecutors and then that Fund zeros out until we get the next year's award okay thank you. Have six twenty five. Well it is only. Thank you Mr chairman I was just trying to see this this budget reflect the. I guess the races that I saw were passed last week that might go in place no represent those those that came through the independent citizens commission does refer the elected prosecuting attorneys it has nothing to do with my budget or the Deputy prosecutors yes all the elected the the twenty eight elected prosecutors thank you. I remember saying no more questions I have a motion for. Is that correct. I have a motion for an second second all in favor aye. Posed J. correct passes thank you Mr McMahon for being here thank you. The next up we have a through the state if the bill will come on up and miss Ruth you're recognized president. Thank you Mr. Really looking at the treasure this is still in week four Page seventy two. There are department appropriation summary is on page seventy three. They have eleven appropriations the agency is requesting about three point eight million for each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation only one has changed levels and I will go over that one it is on page seventy four it's their operations it's funded from state Central Services agencies requesting about six point three million each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium and they have a decrease in capital outlay and this concludes my presentation. Representative Cavenaugh you're recognized thank you Mr Clark here to Iraq I'm going to ask about paid seventy five first how much debt and this is debt service do you know how much debt we're paying debt service on for this hi this is the city council tourist facility yes ma'am I do not have the number off the top of my head but I will get that to you quickly okay if you can and then my next question is going to be dealing with page seventy six this is the water waste disposal and pollution abatement fund it shows that you're have no refund since two thousand fourteen and fifteen and that was only forty thousand five hundred dollars why do we need such a large appropriation for forty million dollars Hey it represent the and that's in the refunds and reimbursements area yes ma'am the the history on this is that we have maintained that level you know it's going to very as rebates come in and go out but it's not something that we honestly had it we have allowed the legislature to set that amount that's not something that we have actually actively manage the amount of that appropriation would you be comfortable the reduced that to twenty five million because we're not we spent no where near that in the last ten years ma'am I'm always comfortable with that the legislature wants to. Well I don't know about that. Okay I appreciate that and my other question is is going to be similar on page eighty four. Which is going to be with the college of higher education savings bonds. On this that refunds highs was in two thousand thirteen fourteen and it was twenty three thousand we're asking for twenty million can that also be reduced state if your house is only been twenty three and this is only dealing with the refunds and reimbursements line item can we reduce that two ten million and I was I would believe so okay chair I would have a motion to property. Thank you let's go back to pay seventy four In twenty one twenty two you guys had for extra help your budget was only for one and you're asking for five going forward. Of can you walk me through why you needed for a while you had for this time around in your budget was only for one. For the extra help positions that should have always had five extra help positions so I'm a little bit confused somewhere though you're welcome to open that white binder and you go to pay seventy four under week four. In your bill to see what I'm. Talking about. Sir I really don't know why this is one because we've always been authorized to have five so I don't know if that was a drafting error or or what's going on there but we have always been able to have five see you guys put this book together right or send us the information for the book we work with D. F. and ADFA does prepare for us. Okay. Hello. Still no clue why that a yeah I I'm not sure why they would have put one there because again we've always been authorized to have five so you're really not asking for an increase on the five that's what you all right with that we're just leaving that level okay. All right representative Cavenaugh. I have a motion for the proper time okay see no further questions will take a motion a motion is to accept agency request with the exception on page seventy six on the line item on refunds and reimbursements reduce that to you fifteen million and on page eighty four on the line refunds and reimbursements reduced that to ten million. I miss proper motion of second. As a discussion on the motion. Seeing none all those in favor say aye. All opposed ayes have it thank you guys. Let's go to. County Aid miss rock you're recognized. Thank you Mr. In. Week four page eighty five. Page eighty six is their department appropriation summary. Therefore preparations the agency is requesting about five hundred and forty eight million each year of the biennium the executive provides for the agency request they are not requesting any changes from the current biennium this concludes my presentation. There's no one here from the association of counties. Members are let you guys decide. All. We started nine. They were. Mr Chris lines director at the association of Arkansas counties County Aid not that important to you guys I we were told to wait in the hallway and we be called in if we were needed also obviously we heard you and we're needed so we're here. Any questions from members. CNR a representative Cavenaugh thank you Mr my question is going to be on page ninety three which is dealing with the the mineral lease County Aid Fund. you're requesting twenty million dollars in appropriation but your highest ever spend this be an eight point seven million and that was in two thousand fourteen fifteen why do you feel you need the twenty million. CS one you know. I've got. You're you're probably you're probably accurate that going at a ten million number would be fine. So we can reduce that to ten and you think would be okay yes ma'am okay severs in the eight point seven I that's actually money that flows counties that is outside of our control if if I remember correctly it might be S. R. S. money but but I think we'll be fine. And my other question is going to be with Pitsch ninety five. Which is very similar this is the real estate tax reduction counties You're asking in four three hundred million I thank your high standards been the two forty eight that we had in twenty one twenty two are we needing fifty million do you expect that to be fifty million higher than what we had actually there's a potential of a representative that it might be here's that money is generated from the half cent and then flows back to counties to pay for the homestead credit that is given locally yes if there is movement on the homestead credit this year if it does go up we could see a need for an increase appropriation there okay thank you Mister chair I have a motion at the proper time. The you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman of. We have a lengthy discussion with the Secretary graves concerning the calls to the county. counties for housing state prisoners do you do you have to have a dollar amount that would be satisfactory to the galleys is it fifty fifty two isn't forty eight do you know or have you all eleven the all talk about I know you talked about okay yes Sir we've talked about it plenty of the problem is it's up we're getting to a point where it's all over the map we do an annual study and get fifteen counties to submit costs for that county for their particular county and if it can range anywhere from forty to fifty eight for those counties so Leggatt it then follows up goes back in double check those numbers to make sure they're accurate so I think that we would always appreciate more money the average is is in the high fifties or low sixties and marks and low sixties so we would always appreciate getting closer to that mark the the highs in the sixties now the averages averages and yes sixty calendar right now what we pay in right now forty two yes forty forty forty all right thank you Mr chairman thank you Mr thank you. Cavenaugh C. no other questions you're recognized for your motion thank you Mr I make a motion that we accept executive record with the exception on page ninety three that we reduce that to ten million dollars on grants and aids. That's proper motion I have a second any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all those in favor say aye. All opposed us have it so with that we will move on to miscible eight thank you all. And mistrust you're recognized. Thank you Mr. We are on page ninety six of week for. The Department appropriation summary is on page ninety seven they have three appropriations the agency is requesting about two hundred twenty one point four million in appropriation each year of the biennium and the executive provides for this they are not requesting any changes from the current finance appropriation levels this concludes my presentation. Seeing no questions do I have a motion. Our motion and a second all those in favor of a discussion on the motion. C. none all those in favor say aye. All opposed Is have it thank you guys of attorney general's office. Ms rock you're recognized. Okay Attorney General starts on page one oh five. Their department appropriations summary will be found on page one oh seven. They have eight appropriations four of them have changed levels. The agency is requesting about forty nine million for each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation and I'll go over those for change levels. The first you can find on page one oh eight as the Attorney General administration appropriation. It is funded from state Central Services their questions about twenty million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium. On page one nine is there an exchange. This is the Medicaid fraud federal. It's funded from federal revenue. They're requesting about two point seven million for each year of the biennium salary imagine judgments made in the current biennium requested to continue to the next biennium there is an increase in professional fees tutor entering into the contract with Deloitte for national Medicaid fraud data warehouse. I'm page one ten is the third change level the Medicaid fraud the state side of it. Suspended from state Central Services. There are questions about seven hundred seventy three thousand for the first year of the biennium and about seven hundred seventy six thousand for the second year of the biennium salary match judgments made in the current mania requests to continue to the next five PM and the final change is going to be on page one fifteen S. the cooperative disability investigation program is funded from federal federal revenue their requesting about four hundred and twenty thousand for the first year of the biennium and four hundred twenty two thousand for the second year of the biennium salary in my judgments made in the current biennium or requested to continue into the next biennium and there is an increase in operating expenses due to an increase in leases and fuel and this concludes my presentation Mister chair. President Cavenaugh you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman for to write my first question is going to be on page one oh eight which is your and ministration expenses just have a question on your regular salaries are actual stand in twenty one twenty two was ten point seven million what you're asking for well over two million more than what your actual spending is but it doesn't show that you're increasing in the physicians are we paying going to pay two million dollars over what we did in twenty one twenty two. Hi Debra how chief fiscal officer I no ma'am this is set up late body at the night and it goes to our salaries elect at a base level and many of our employees are paid low base so it just sets those hours it nice. Okay so you're we're we're we're increase in two million for base we don't really know what what we're going to be paying. Well you. Thank you represent capped off the question Brian Boeing chief of staff one of the things that that as our CFO said is that sets the base but it also gives us flexibility in order to retain our attorneys which we are in a very competitive market for. I understand that RK I'm going to go to page number one thirteen This Is Your cash funds line item on an. When you look at it you'll see that you're operating expense and twenty twenty one so to be one point four million dollars but then in twenty one twenty two it jumped to four point eight million dollars why was there such a jump an increase in operating expenses. I'm sorry representative kind of that just to make sure we're on the same page you said page one thirteen yes Sir. I'm sorry I have to go back and look at the actual expenses there is a quarterly report that goes out to the a legislative committee that shows all expenses on a quarterly basis and we do give out the donations to other agencies to help with their their programs and that may have been in I don't mind going back and a finding that for you okay because when you give us our our budget book you don't break down your expenses I had to go back and look into our history to be able to find out what your actual expenses are it would be nice if we know what your actual expenses were but also dealing with your professional phase in twenty one twenty two it was the highest was one point two million it looks and then twenty twenty one it also was like five ninety five it jumped up quite a bit if you could also check that out for me thank you yes yes ma'am I can answer that okay so are expenses for professional fees depends on what's going on with our office the majority of those will be expert witness fees I therefore rate rate increases at the public service commission which are public protection division handles or depending on the amount of litigation we have per year okay the miscellaneous transfers that you did of do you know who those working can you give us in that report does it show that also who did the miscellaneous transfers to. Yes ma'am it's in the executive report or the Legislative report but I'll be glad to get that for you okay and final question on this in the fund balance out there is sixteen point one million dollars and what can that fund balance actually be used for. The majority of that fund balances for our opioid master's element for the multi district litigation that we have we're currently receiving Monthly or almost monthly payments from the companies that have settled with our state what can we do with that fund Generally speaking it has restrictions on it that are reserved for opioid abatement are opiate use disorder reduction in the state there are some of the settlements that can also be utilized to help fund law enforcement officers as well to combat the opioid epidemic if you don't mind it when the information that you given this if you can get that information that fund balance how much might be able to use for whatever project to be used for I appreciate that yes ma'am thank you. Thank you represented Fulton you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman of. Question on page One oh nine and one ten you have a seventeen of positions. Medicaid fraud federal and then five is twenty two hello how much money did they collect last year in the last fiscal year. The representative I'm I'm sorry I don't have that information at my hand but I will tell you it was a very large amount I think you. Can we get back to you and I know we have done a press release on that recently I'm sorry I just I have that number five here to us with that yes Sir so you've got a lot of fund balances up in the millions of dollars I'm looking at the U. K. S. element of fleas fund balance of seventeen of eighteen million of you're looking at sixteen million do you do you keep the interest off of those funds in turn General's office. They're currently they're going to do or the it what what do you use that money for. This settlement dollars it depends on the type of lawsuit that it is some of the lawsuits that we settle will go back to consumers and constituents of the state others will be used for programs like opioid abatement and reduction I will talk about the interest of interest income. Interest income that you earn on fund balances. That is currently in a an account yes Sir we're we're do you show that you spend the money that interest. Well we've always got enough in there that we don't have to spend that interest. So you does been interest but it is an income source annually and you don't I don't see it shown anywhere where there's any. Income that's pretty good amount of money and yes Sir it's on the way out it's C. it's just cents on some that maybe a dollar or so and others that the larger funds we will get a couple hundred or so a month and that's also in the quarterly let report of a broken down every expenditure and everything. The where do you show it is income and your budget under funding sources thank you so cash fund miscellaneous and total funding yes I don't have a line item for interest in that you retain in your agency yes I would be helpful if you look at that okay I know that causes DFA consternation but it's contribution with there's a lot of money out there who's coming in and interest is not being shown as a funding source. Okay so would you like that on the quarterly report or how would you like that well right now in a report okay I wish you would look and look and including it in your funding sources we're we're to appropriate in your report yes Sir thank you thank you Mr chairman. I'm not saying any more questions. I have a motion for a. Sajan or agency wrecked. I have a motion the second second all in favor aye opposed. Passes thank you for being here today. The next up we've got lieutenant governor's office. Your come up missed roof you're recognized. Thank you Mr. Lieutenant governor's office I was on page one sixteen. One appropriation this is on page one seventeen is their operations appropriation. The agency is requesting about three hundred forty three thousand each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. Salaria match judgment salary adjustments made in the current biennium are requested to continue into the next biennium and they've decreased their match and conference and travel expenses to be more in line with spending and this concludes our presentation. Okay not saying any questions I have a motion for. Right this. This is a user request I have a motion the second on favor I your did a very good job thank you for being here to. The extent land commissioner. Good morning. Thank you gentlemen for being here If you do so sister quiet maybe only get ask questions were well it will go away at. All right we're gonna take a look at the link commissioners. Budget request starts on page one thirty three. And then on page one thirty four is their department appropriation summary. They have for appropriations their requesting about thirty seven million each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. Only three of these have a change levels and I'll explain those changes. The first is on page one thirty five is there operations appropriation is funded from state social services there are questions about four point one million each year of the biennium. Salaria match just as may in the current by any on our quest to continue into the next biennium. They are asking for a decrease in operating expenses and conference in chapter travel they're changing the way they do auctions and they beat I believe this will be representative of the first year savings. On page one thirty seven is the delinquent tax cash appropriation. It's funded from cash funds and fund balance the agency years requesting about thirty two million each year of the biennium. Salaria match judgments made in the current biennium or quest to continue into the next biennium there is an increase in refunds and reimbursements dated more auctions happening around the state there is a decrease in delinquent tax for middle. The last change is gonna be on page one thirty eight is the island submerged lands it's funded from cash funds in a fine balance agency is requesting two hundred fifty thousand for each year of the biennium. There is a decrease in the appropriation they do not use it that often but they do want to keep this amount just as a contingency and this concludes my presentation. Thank you Mr Rukum let your germ ridden introduce yourself we do have a question. Thank you Mr chairman I'm Kelly board deputy commissioner state lands. Thank you thanks same spelling the fiscal director for the Commissioner state lands very good representative Cavenaugh. Thank you Mr office right thank you I'm going to be the first dealing with page one thirty seven which is delinquent tax the cash. On hello you've got a line item that says investment what type investment is that. that is the investment of the escrow accounts that we hold for the counties for the a lot of time AS in CD's right now cities okay and on the The number on your interest is that shown into your funding anywhere yes it goes into operations okay but I mean for your funding that goes into your cash balances that work shows up on your cash fund. It's not broken out it's not included in your cash fund either. I'm getting yes from BLR. On your cash fund so it is interest is included in your cash fund amount okay and you have a a really large fund balance sixty four million point six. And what can be done with that fine balance or is that the cap so if you have to give it back to someone what is that for representative Cavenaugh that that is the money number one that we operate our we're self funded in many of our categories primarily with the exception sellers of everything else were self funded the other part of that is turned back that's money that we will be holding today of this fifty two million dollars in cash I believe tomorrow it might be forty seven million and the next hours it depends on as the money comes in as we write the checks going out okay so this is a pass through to a lot of the the different places okay and my other question is on page one thirty eight which is dealing with the I. when submerged lands. Your last be in was in two thousand nineteen and twenty and it was for two hundred ninety two dollars and we have a fine balance of two hundred twenty nine thousand which based on your stand is a very long years supply but you're requesting this to continue and I know you're reducing it from four hundred to two hundred fifty. Do we have that liability I mean do we have that out there that we. With representative Cavenaugh that's a very good question because in this instance we're asking for money it's almost like an insurance policy if you remember a few years back under commissioner Thurston they had the issue on the river up in northeast Arkansas where the character was sucked down through a never we were the ones that pay for that we hope that doesn't ever happen again but in the event that it does we have to have that money available right then and this. It actually covers for operations come from the other areas where you're showing it as a separate line item so that we can show it as a separate accounting activity in the event something happens so basically we're using this funding case there's an emergency that the counties or someone needs help with when there someone it is injured on the I would water ways or Allen said and. Members partners primarily waterways a few years before that there was a house vote broke loose over in my mail and then went back up the little Maumelle creek and sank and this is this agency was the agency that went over and had that remote okay thank hazards to navigation or. Danger to individuals using medical okay thank you. You're not seeing any more questions I have a motion for agency right. I have a motion the second column favor I posed thank you jim for being here. Office of the governor miss Ruth you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair. The governor can be page found on page one thirty nine. Their department appropriations summary can be found on page one forty they have three appropriations to have change levels the agency request is six point five million for each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. The first change level is on page one forty one as the operations appropriation is funded from state Central Services requesting about six million each year of the biennium match Justin's made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium. The second is on page one forty three this is the governor's office reapportionment. The agency is requesting to discontinue this appropriation and this concludes my presentation. Okay members we have any questions. If not I have a motion for agency correct I have a motion and second called favor I. Posed. Okay. Bases and we thank you for being here today. Unless you have something you want to say. Thank you. I think she's got a state governor's mansion rhetoric you're recognized thank you Mr chair some page one forty four as the governor's mansion. On page one forty five is the Department appropriations summary they do have to appropriations the agency is requesting about two million for each year of the biennium there is no executive recommendation. The first is their operations is on page one forty six. It's funded from state Central Services. Agencies requesting about one point five million for each year of the biennium match just minutes made in the current biennium requested to continue into the next biennium. And page one forty seven as their second appropriation is the grand hall mansion and grounds it's funded through cash funds from proceeds generated through the use of the grand hall requesting five hundred thousand each year of the biennium and this is no change from the current biennium and this concludes my presentation Mister chair. K. Singh no questions I have a motion for agency wrecked. Bye motion second. The home favourite. Post. H. the wrecked passes thank you for being here today members of my co chair at the thank you break we'll be back in a minute we show a lunch break we're not at lunch yet so we're going to move on I believe our agency is here on the department of public safety and our staff Dalton Coleman. He's come in and We'll pursue loan. Thank you for being here today we're going to try to. Be respectful your timing in center here use you hotel after lunch we'll see how far we can get. Mr Cohen you're recognized president. Thank you Mr chairman don come with your Legislative Research we're gonna start with administration answered services for public safety on page three hundred forty eight. Manuals. I'm sorry and that's that's volume two of your man there is a handout on your days to. Okay. All right so we'll start on page three forty eight looking at the agency requests for totals for nutrition certain services fiscal year twenty four it's just under fifty three million R. fifty four million dollars sorry fiscal year twenty five is a little less still just under. Fifty four million dollars executive. Thank you recommendations about two hundred thirty thousand dollars less than the agency requests for both years the biennium. I'm looking at individual appropriations will will go ahead and go to three fifty one. How does the crime that you're victim's reparation program general revenue appropriation. This preparation is funded by general revenue to the miscellaneous agencies fund account and that the agency is requesting just over two point one million dollars for both years of the biennium which is roughly two hundred thirty five thousand dollar decrease annually due to the anticipated use of revenues executive recordation provide for the agency request year. and it related related appropriation on page three hundred sixty one of your manuals is the crime victims reparation program That's Z. thirty six that's fun to do the crime that reparations revolving fund. The salaries and match or do it salary match changes here do the five positions previously listed on this appropriation had again moved to the G. R. preparation we just talked about the eight hundred sixty five thousand or decreasing claims is to better align with anticipated revenues executive recommendations provide for the agency request for these changes Oles. If you flew back to. Page three hundred fifty seven your manuals look at the law enforcement safety office appropriation. And I hear there is a change level but is simply salary match just months and executive. These guys recognition rights for the request appropriation only here. Move on page three sixty four we have the department of public safety paying account appropriation. So both agency an executive request include fifty five thousand dollars for extra help positions along with the additional four thousand dollars in personal services matching that comes with these positions at there's also an operating expenses increase of around six hundred thousand dollars in fiscal year twenty four and five hundred twenty five thousand dollars in fiscal year twenty five for various I. T. services including cloud licensing infrastructure upgrades and domain configuration. The increasing convert to travel is also IT related for IT personnel to be provided with advanced actually trainings lastly the capital outlay increase of one hundred thousand dollars for fiscal year twenty fourth for server licensing Jake you're recognized revise for the agency requests with the exception of position referred classifications and additions. And lastly on page two hundred sixty six Phoenicians ministration search services of the crime victims reparation Board federal appropriation. So this preparation comes from the federal grant to reimburse is forty percent of the state's expenditures regarding the crime victims reparation program at the preparation contains one change level which is an increase of just over a hundred fifty thousand dollars and that's for claims appropriation for nearly anticipated grant awards Mr check includes the process for administrations or services. Thank you. The representative makes you're recognized. Hi Mr Lehrer are far right. A question I had is on three sixty four hundred thousand dollars for thank you said for server and licensing can you kind of exponents some thing you're doing yourself or is that something you're doing with the I. S.. I am John Smith CFO for public safety that will be doing with the I. S. and it will cover all or part. Okay so that are you all your years servers located in with the I. S. and a server farm okay our that's what I was wondering thank you thank you Mr. I guess I'll move executive practice no one else has any questions we will come back to you representative Cavenaugh you're recognized thank you Mr chair I'm over to your right my question is gonna be on three fifty three talking about the public safety equipment grant program. Just want to talk about that so I noticed that in twenty to twenty three we're saying that we're got a you know federal revenue of twenty nine point nine million but down there for your funding that you're requesting that showing that is forty million and it just says other. What is that other funding. First of all that shouldn't be federal revenue. This the revenue that we have in this appropriation. it's special revenue the first year if you look at the first column of the funding of five hundred thousand that was given to us by the AG's office and we gave that out and funds to law enforcement agencies you will put your mind. What we have currently in FY twenty three is ten million dollars that the governor is given to us I say that in the restricted reserve funds that's right I don't know. The federal number I don't have federal funds in this okay. Do you what is the other fund do you know what it and we're they're asking and twenty one for your preparation twenty two twenty three and twenty four it's going to be anticipated funding we it can be from anybody okay and how can or how come you're thinking you're getting forty million when we have starkly have not gotten that I'm just curious this was a new appropriation that we got in the last biennial and it was Senate forty million I wouldn't have a problem with reducing it because we can always come back if we got additional funding right I can get it but since it was that there initially that's what we just left it at okay all right thank you. I'm not saying any more questions we're going to send one pop up. Wesbanco. Representative makes if you hit your but you're recognized just a motion executive director or. I have a motion and a second on favor I. Post. Questions thank you. Next to the crime information center. You you're recognized sorry thank you Mister chair. So the division appropriation summary for crime information center is on page three hundred seventy of your manuals. Agencies requesting fiscal year twenty four total of eight million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars are just above that and in fiscal year twenty five a total of eight point four million dollars roughly. Our first preparation to Devin two years on page three hundred seventy eight I started three hundred seventy two and that is the A. C. I. see operations appropriation. So both agency in exactly recommendation here include the addition of one extra help position requiring just over twenty three thousand dollars an appropriation along with the seventeen hundred dollars and personal services matching. Your data processing an update expand line items that are authorized in fiscal year twenty three have been reallocated to the operating expenses line item to both request along with an additional seven hundred are sorry six hundred seventy five thousand dollars for upgrades to than the national crime information center system the national law enforcement telecommunication system and the Arkansas crime information center mainframe system the exact recognition provides for these agency requests with the exception of personnel changes. Next we can look at page three hundred seventy six. And that is a scrap metal logbook appropriation I hear there's just an increase of forty thousand dollars and appropriation to the statutory requirement for scrap metal tracking to include catalytic converter tracking. Exactly recommendation provide for this increase. Next on page three hundred seventy eight we have the systems conference appropriation. At your we have a relatively small reallocation of seven hundred fifty dollars from operating expenses to conference and travel to better match anticipated expenses executive recommendation also provide for this. Next on page three eighty we have the federal operations appropriation. So all of this preparations being rate reallocated from the appropriation found on page three eighty two having previously been designated solely for the national criminal history I'm for the program at this agency the agency here is requesting an additional three hundred seventy five thousand dollars at a capital outlay for the development and implementation of a sex offender registry system. And I'm moving on to page three hundred eighty two as discussed in the previous preparation the remaining funding not reallocated to the center operations appropriations being discontinued for the upcoming biennium Mister chair that includes crime information center. The. Any questions for these. Not saying I have a motion for Jack wrecked. Per second. I have a motion the second on favor I. Post. General law have you there are I went past one I had a contact somebody couldn't be here today can you. Tell me on the of crime victims reparation how for. my hand investigations are on the phone that. Can you dress that. Yeah we can get somebody okay from the program. You will identify yourself. Its own now. I'm telling you that's what crime victims reparations program. And I think we were here in June where we testified about the. Given update about the backlog we are currently at about a little over a thousand Applications in our office we have hired someone to help with the backlog we you all approved the budget for hiring another position that person started on yesterday. And we have. We have implemented a plan to get the back law called up so that it can't be like it used to be within a thirty I'm not sorry at ninety day turnaround. But we are roughly where now out for a we are about eleven months. Thank you for that information and I do want to say we went from a staff of nine employees to five so we did not fill those positions with the transition of combining the services putting us to department of public safety so. Okay. He was coming you're recognized thank you Mr chair so we'll take a look crime lab in the division appropriation summary can be found on page three hundred eighty four of your manuals. Thanks years requesting just under twenty million dollars for fiscal year twenty four and around fifty thousand dollars more than that it's just pure twenty five. And the first individual preparation look at here is on page three eighty six of your manuals. And that is the only change for that appropriation on page three hundred eighty eight your manuals I will look at the equipment appropriation. Here is a decrease in equipment purchase and replacement appropriation of four hundred fifty thousand dollars in fiscal year twenty four and around four hundred ten dollars four hundred ten thousand dollars this year twenty five hi to better align with revenues exactly recognition provides for the requested appropriation. Page three ninety we have the crime lab the state appropriation from the miscellaneous agencies fund account here there's an increase of one hundred seventy five thousand dollars and operating expenses for new research equipment could ever transport and job board services capital outlay in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars is requested for fiscal year twenty four only. And that's for a firearms microscope resulting in a four hundred fifteen thousand dollar decrease in capital outlay from fiscal year twenty three authorized. But agency executive recommendation also provide for an new line item which is a new a fellowship program with you M. S. and the amount of one hundred twenty five thousand dollars for each year of the upcoming biennium exactly recommendation provides for the aids your question appropriation only with the exception of personnel changes. Moving on to page three ninety two if the DNA special appropriation and this is funded from fees of two hundred fifty dollars for those required to submit DNA samples. Appropriation levels fiscal year twenty three authorized with the exception of a two hundred fifty thousand dollar decrease in capital outlay. And on page three ninety four we have our last preparation for this section a state crime lab cash operations as an inspiration agency executive recognition provide for two hundred fifty four thousand dollars to support costs for the state crime lab cadaver transport Mr chairman that concludes crime lab. Mr Coleman I do have some questions. The representative with you're recognized. Thank you Your show sixteen vacant positions what what what are those. Currently we've got you will recognize that for the record my name's current channel on the director of state crime laboratory director wouldn't we've got so some of our positions or in DNA that were still lacking as far as feeling I've got two yet the others of to be filled I have I do have to that we're starting this month also well with our drug section I think that you know we're requesting a few more drug chemist we do have administrative support specialist that we have not filled yet and DNA technician that we have not filled yet. thank god so the bulk of those on fill positions okay is it the labor market is that. Primarily it is the problem we're running into specifically we are DNA positions because there are federal requirement educationally and so we're having a difficult time finding quality qualified applicants to fill those the other side we are finding you. A lot of applicants that do not have those federal requirements or haven't re advertised is loans up okay you have feel that forensic pathologists that was vacant you fill that position to you yes we have and the so now with as far as our principal thoughts were fully staffed okay one more follow up on your the last time we had this conversation you shared with us a new crime lab would cost about two hundred million do you know where you all are in the planning on that or are you moving forward with seeking those funds to build a new lab we we are basically you know that's obviously the top of our list of things we want to accomplish and we're hoping a during this next session will have the ability to do that I mean I think I've spoke to all of you guys and in detail on the need for that and I think it's going to keep up with technology we're gonna move forward we're going to have to invested into what state they are facility. I urge you to do that Mister chairman I have some questions of Mr Gerry with comes time thank you. Good. I'm sure representative Porter is that is that you represented very represent Fortner stir Reginald berry you're recognized. Thank you jim rice in director get general appreciate everything you do in your dedication for solving crimes in the state of Arkansas and I have some concerns as well as my colleagues about the ability to solve a lot of the crimes and so I want to make a few statements here and then at the end instead of asking a bunch of questions you just say if those are correct assessments or not so if you will so over the past forty one years the crime lab's been operating in a building that was not originally meant to be a crime lab. Currently the Arkansas crime lab is one the top crime labs in the nation operating out of some of the least desirable facilities in the building is at the end of its lifespan number of crime lab employees has tripled since nineteen eighty one and currently sits at approximately a hundred fifty three in twenty nineteen legislation was passed requiring the crime lab to process rape kits in a specific time frame however the current backlog of rape crypt kids have essentially doubled since that time to about five hundred and I do to the lack of resources and the loss of personnel currently issues plaguing the crime lab or including but not limited to overcrowding work space leaking ceilings lack of adequate evidence storage inadequate H. back lighting and ventilation being displaced from vehicle crime scene processing knowing closed more receiving facility more overcrowding because of causing delays of getting bodies back to the counties and displacement from toxicology repairs and maintenance impact the effectiveness of the lab the national crime lab accreditation could be affected and worse impact criminal proceedings in the state of Arkansas are you have a new feasibility study for a new crime lab in property to build a new crime lab now and that would get us into the year proximity twenty fifty if were you can get that through the legislature in the next administration and make that a reality and you have an open invitation all the members of the legislature come over visit the crime lab and see all these issues first hand or all those correct statements absolutely those are correct statements and and I know I've talked to you guys about this because it is a thing that keeps me up at night you know you know we have to make a decision as a state of we're gonna move forward I was in one of the hearings and I like I can talk to about being efficient all day long but the reality is in which was asking me and by the committee is are we effective an answer purely is no because our our turnaround times are not at. It would or staffing is not adequate but the only way we get there is to build the infrastructure on what the state needs on and what the citizens of Arkansas need so I think we're gonna make these advances are going to do a better job of what we're supposed to do then we have to have those kinds of facilities that allow us to do that. Thank you the director in the only way that we can that this is a correct statement the only way that we can be able to help our law enforcement professionals solve crimes is to be able to have a modern. Crime lab and that needs to be we need to take a serious consideration for the feasibility study that was conduct by your office absolutely I agree with all thank you Mr. Thank you representative berry Senator Ballinger you're recognized. Thank you Mister chair I I think that basically answers my question is that currently the backlog of rape kits you guys are trying to address this by by adding staff as much as you can but ultimately the the situation in your opinion is you probably need new and better facilities yeah absolutely and that's one of the problems that we're facing you know we ask for staff but the problem is we're gonna put on the and obviously with the technology requires infrastructure to support that and there's there's no room left at the end I mean we are we are we converted every closet to an office and and I do extend the invitation to anyone of you that want to see the facility to come out. Thank you. Representative Springer you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman make I believe my question relates to the young lady that came up I think miss hooks it may be about the previous program that we talked about so I can wait until after this is finished and I would like to ask for a couple of questions this sucks. Okay. We'll see what we can do. President Tosh you're recognized. Thank you Mr director I just of. Just like for you to help me to understand what happens to our investigations law enforcement investigations if for some reason the crime lab lost or national accreditation would you just kind of explain to my colleagues exactly exactly the effect that will have all these criminal investigations that are conducted around the state yes absolutely and if if the crime lab work to lose its accreditation both for the scientific sections as well as the medical examiner's office I think the integrity of what we do can be challenged that's one of the the cornerstones of of accreditation is to make sure that law enforcement or customers in general population I understand that that the things that we do in the laboratory or nationally accepted practices and I think that's the important piece of accreditation and I think when you lose that I think every case becomes in jeopardy so obviously once you lose that accreditation is very hard to to get that reputation we're back to where it should be and I think that's that's of paramount importance that we never lose accreditation. Thanks. Seeing no further questions from members we have a motion. I got a motion for agency rate and I have a second. All those in favor say aye. All opposed Is have it switched that. Okay. And who was if you want to bring to the table I believe her name was miss hooks you made the report regarding. Staffing in order to see her making her way to the table I will go ahead recognize you for your questions if you would introduce yourself for the record. Time you heck's thank you Mr chair did I understand you to say that your department still has over a thousand cases pending that need to be investigated that is correct and how many people on staff to address those cases we have five staff members it is that on the average how many cases do they have. Five persons I to sexual assault not have. I get between a hundred two hundred fifty a month. And. The crime victim investigators seven I believe they have between thirty to fifty I'm. So do you believe that you have sufficient staff to address that case load. And I know I'm putting you on the spot so you have a director there is in the next to you I but I think it's important that that be answered What I would say this. Once we complete the backlog we getting it caught. We can run efficiently there does not need to be one more than one investigated a sexual assault. I think we could probably use another investigator to help with crime victims but once we catch it up we could stay afloat would probably using maybe maybe possibly one more investigate. Mr director right did you wanna make a comment I look love to hear from you Sir yeah I I just wanted to you know state that we we have been looking at the process is even we went through a a process of looking at how they're handling the cases and I agree that that getting them caught up if we get a call it up I think they will be good they're really working hard in their but we're looking at some options to help them get caught up and that was how do you do that thank you Mr chair for the letter to how do you get a call. Extra John correct me if I'm wrong we're looking at possibilities makes for extra help for that. Or we could ask for extra help in their appropriation we have is not in this request. But we could ask for extra help appropriation that could be used to get them because. And I will say a. In the month of July we we discussed this in June and in the month of July we did have additional colleagues in other divisions that helped and I think we sent maybe three months worth of cases to the board to be approved so I think if we continue to have other divisions assist with us getting it called up it can't be called at. Thank you Mr chair I'm just concerned that you know we have a situation out here where there is a one thousand cases pending we can appropriate money for other things but this is very important I think we need to. Really consider addressing this problem thank you. Okay thank you for coming to the table so with that we'll move on to number twenty Mr Coleman you're recognized to new Emergency Management thank you Mr chair you can find the Division of preparation summary for Emergency Management on page three hundred ninety six of your manuals. So if you look at the fiscal year twenty four total for the agency request it is just under two hundred twenty five million dollars for fiscal year twenty five it's right about that same level with about a hundred thousand dollar increase executive recommendation for both years about a hundred fifty thousand dollars less than the agency request. But I first individual preparation is three hundred ninety nine all right sorry on page three hundred ninety nine your manuals and that's the state operations appropriation. This is funded through the miscellaneous agencies fund account and I here apart from regular salaries it imagine just months exactly recommendations the same as fiscal year twenty authorized executor recommendation provides for the agency requests with the exception of the reclassification of positions and agency request. Next on page four oh one we have the federal operations appropriation. This preparation contains one changeable apart from salary match adjustments and that is in capital outlay of agencies requesting just over one million dollars in this line item for replacement vehicles cargo trailer for hazmat training equipment and network storage devices and servers exactly recognition provides for the agency requests with the exception of personnel changes. Moving on to page four three we have the disaster relief grants appropriation and this is fully funded with federal federal money made available by FEMA. So there are salary match judgment here increasing the total amount of this appropriation by about thirty three thousand dollars for fiscal year twenty three operate authorized not executive recommendation provides for the agency requests apart from personal re classifications. Page four or five is the emergency operations center cash appropriation. Hi this is funded through it installment payments for sale of the old emergency operations center in Conway is additional twelve thousand two hundred eighty five dollars an appropriation each year requested due to anticipated revenues exactly recognized executive recommendation supports the agency request on page four of seven we have the Emergency Management federal surplus property program appropriation. Along with salary matching judgments there's a capital outlay requests here for each year the biennium nine hundred ninety nine thousand dollars for to replace vehicles and perimeter fencing three pay parking lots for rock and gravel and purchasing a storage barn is a recommendation provides for the agency requests with the exception of personnel changes for this preparation. On page four oh nine moving on to hazardous materials. So this is a fifty percent special revenue from storage fees of hazardous materials and the federal match fifty percent as well and here there's a capital outlay increase of forty thousand dollars for each year the upcoming biennium and that's to be used to replace the travel vehicle and hazmat truck used to haul equipment for training. That exaggerated the executive recommendation does provide for the agency request but without position re classifications here. On page four eleven we have disaster relief trust appropriation and the agency is requesting an increase of seventy thousand four hundred dollars in grants and aid to better align with anticipated funding exactly recommendation does provide for this change. Moving on to page four fifteen we have the nine one one role Hansen appropriation. Apart from salary matching judgments there's only one change level which is a capital outlay increase of sixty thousand dollars for each year of the biennium to purchase a vehicle to be used for in state travel. On page four twenty seven you can find your next change level which is the A. one appropriation. In this strange just adjustments a salary match. On page four twenty nine is our last preparation change and that's the levy mitigation cash appropriation and the agency is asking for one point eight million dollars to complete payment of grant awards originally approved by L. C. in two thousand nineteen Mister chair that includes emergency management. President makes you're recognized for a question language Terrence so my question is on the of the nine one one rule enhancement Fund back couple years ago course we passed a uh law that set up a nine one one board trying to look at nine one one systems across the state trying to consolidate and make things more more efficient and allow for more innovation to take place I think we're trying to get down the seventy seven for member nine one one centers across the state can you tell me kinda how were doing in that you know how many centers we have got down to and how we're doing on trying to get those centers modernized. Sure AJ carried out Secretary part of public safety and and rector Arkansas division of emergency management so the normal board is been working very hard over the last couple years we had a large study that was done that made the recommendation on the number of the staff we have a lot of our counties that are moving with that consolidation by January those counties are supposed to have a plan for us if they haven't already started on how they're going to do the consolidation I also have a with us today CJ reasonable so if you know we need to go deeper into those numbers and that I could call him up to ask and answer some of those states okay not that's not necessary that that would be for another committee meeting but I just want to see how that was going in if those Efforts were yelling anti. Changes are reductions to these budgets going for that they are and also with the US statewide yes I know that I think we are saving the the local live peace absent about I think right now overall about one thousand a month and that is increasing that has we continue out with getting off of the legacy systems thanks all right thank you thank you Mr. Representative would. Thank you Mr on Mr secretary on the Ninety six you show disaster relief grants of ninety nine million. Ninety nine point four million under actual and budgeted is sixty two. What. Why was that increase was a. For disasters that occurred in the year so so. Welcome to twenty one only appropriation. You budgeted we budgeted sixty two point eight. You authorize a hundred and four in actual was ninety nine million. So yes Sir the the the the one four is there We spent ninety ninety six or so previously so the one four is we we can't really anticipate what a disaster impacts going to be we also keep in mind that we're on the new madrick fault line so any we want to be able to to make sure that we have money or those appropriations readily available to respond to those disasters okay owned the under funding sources federal revenue you budgeted seventy eight million you got a hundred and nine million well. Where did that come from the additional thirty million. Page was signed by age the general appropriation under funding sources federal revenues shows the actual hundred nine million. And and then it shows seventy eight million budgeted. The rescue four hundred and twenty million. What what is that I mean. That's a calm. The page you're looking at is the is every appropriation this division I that's a combination of funding for all the appropriations okay that federal number you're looking at includes multiple appropriations within this okay we'll do. Under the budgeted amount for twenty twenty three eight seventy eight but the other usual hundred nine actual and twenty two. So we were a hundred and twenty million is is just revenue that. What will this makes up all the for all the federal funds from throughout your agency yes. Okay all right let me let me ask you will follow own well you're as it questions. You've got the. Under Arsenale you so. Of authorized of fourteen hundred and ninety three positions with your own and budgeting for now seven hundred and thirty. What what what were you getting that. From the department from the bureau Legislative Research solar report shows. Department department of public safety one thousand four hundred ninety three total employees seven hundred thirty budgeted that's the total as is yes. The budgeting for fifty percent of those I mean what are you what what a well as you showing fourteen hundred ninety three that's not accurate that's not accurate. More than that at State Police that's my biggest Division and I have more than eight hundred fifty well they've got they they they're showing a thousand and thirty seven. Position that's that's all it's the state police this list yes well I. Hi well clarify this with the after we get through the in thank you. See no further questions do I have a motion for executive wrecked hi motion of second any discussion see a non. All those in favor say aye All opposed as seven somebody lit up your discussion so as to make sure I didn't do that president Senator Leding of we would move on to law enforcement standards and training Mr Coleman you are recognized thank you Mr chair the Division summary for the Commission on Law Enforcement stands in training can be found on page four hundred and thirty two A. your manuals. executor questions. An agency request here are the exact same for both years the biennium with the five point one directly over five point one million dollars fifty or twenty four and about seven thousand dollars less than for fiscal year twenty five requested. First individual preparation we have is on page four hundred thirty four and that's the commission on law enforcement standards and training operations appropriation so here we have an increase of operating expenses of one hundred sixty three or one hundred thirty six thousand nine hundred dollars due to rising cost of fuel ammunition food and a new lawn care service of the northwest Arkansas law enforcement training academy just over forty six hundred dollars has been reallocated for professional fees here to operating expenses for instructor fees that you're recognized provides for this appropriation only. four hundred thirty six I'm sorry paid for under thirty six is where you can find a nine one one training and education the preparation hi this funded from the miscellaneous agencies fund account and here we have a reallocation forty five thousand dollars for professional fees to operating expenses for each year of the biennium in this for nine one one training instructor fees executive recommendation provide for this agency request. I feel turn me to page four hundred forty you'll find a law enforcement family relief trust fund appropriation I said this is created during the twenty one regular session this preparation awards grants to families of law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty or been diagnosed with terminal illnesses at NC was requesting a reallocation of the fifty thousand dollar preparation locate on page four hundred thirty eight. Of the manual that as authorized for fiscal year twenty three to be spent from the miscellaneous and disease fund account to be moved to the preparation of the pay from the law enforcement family relief trust fund account. At the agency and executive recommendation also provide for an additional four hundred fifty thousand dollars and nearly anticipated Grammy awards Executive rack provides for these agency requests. A movie on a page four forty four where the law enforcement training program appropriation and agency and executive recommendations both call for a reduction of eighty nine thousand dollars in fiscal year twenty four and a hundred thirty thousand dollars in fiscal year twenty five to better align with anticipated revenues. And lastly on page four hundred forty six we have the special training cash appropriation ninety eight C. request a reduction of ninety three thousand dollars in both yours the biennium to better align with anticipated revenues here an exact recognition provide for these changes Mr chairman that concludes commission on law enforcement standards and training. You know questions drive a motion for executive wrecked I have a motion the second. See notice question all those in favor say aye All opposed us have it with that let's move on to the state police we could get Colonel brought to the table and Mister Coleman you are recognized thank you Mr chair. Page four hundred forty eight you'll find the division appropriation summary for our state police. The NC requesting a total of just under a hundred forty four million dollars fifty or twenty four and just over a hundred forty four million dollars for fiscal year twenty five. Our first individual preparation look at is on page four hundred fifty one of your manual yeah this is the highway safety program state appropriation. So there's a two thousand dollar increase in operating expenses for each year of the upcoming biennium for an anticipated increase in the copier contract. Increase of about seven thousand dollars in grants and aid for and for the number of agencies receiving grants for child safety seats is also on this request executive recommendation provides for the agency requests here. On page four hundred fifty three will move on to the next one which is highway safety program federal. Hi this is funded through federal funds from the national highway traffic safety administration the sole change level this preparation is a salary match executor and it recommendation provides for the agency requests with the exception of personnel changes. Page four hundred fifty five will find a homeland security federal appropriation. And here's an increase of just over eleven thousand dollars in operating expenses for new anticipated grant funding and increases of around a hundred seventy thousand dollars in capital outlay for bomb suits swot night vision goggles surveillance products drones and other various equipment. Exactly recognition provides for the agency request year. On page four fifty seven we'll find the automated fingerprint ID system also has a fist appropriation. It is a reallocation of six hundred thirty thousand dollars from operating expenses to capital outlay for use your the biennium for live scan devices. And just under seventy thousand dollars also being reallocated from operating expenses to the Arkansas state police training equipment on for each year of the upcoming biennium executive rectified for this agency request. I'm gonna page four hundred sixty we have the Arkansas state police operations appropriation. So we have an increase of forty thousand dollars here for over time in just over fourteen thousand dollars and personal service matching to accommodate for trooper salary increases there's another increase in personal service matching as well this one for health insurance premiums in the amount of one point four million dollars the increase is around one point three million dollars for each year the biennium and operating expenses provide for fuel maintenance contracts in aircraft maintenance. State police is also requesting to reallocate just over eighty four thousand dollars from professional fees to capital outlay while adding an additional twenty five thousand dollars to that line item for an on call architect. Caporali increases shown for both years of the biennium or for improvements at the Arkansas state police training academy as well the exact recommendation provides for the agency request with the exception of position re classifications. On page four hundred sixty three moving on to veteris are sorry various federal programs appropriation. The agency is requesting a discontinuation of the salary and personal service matching line items due to close grant the discontinuation of just over two point one million dollars in grants and aid for both years of the upcoming biennium has also due to close grant in both the executive and agency request the remainder of the grant and granting a line item which is roughly three hundred ten thousand dollars for both years by name is being relocated among three line items those are operating expenses conference and travel in capital outlay exact recommendation provide for these changes. On page four sixty five we have confiscated funds transfer appropriation and reallocation of just under one hundred seventeen thousand dollars from operating expenses to personal services matching. At professional fees of fifty thousand dollars and capital outlay eight of forty nine thousand dollars for each year the biennium. But recommendations also provided for reallocation of fifty thousand dollars from conference and travel expenses to over time for both years the biennium. lastly we have a discontinuation about a hundred sixty five thousand dollars in operating expenses to better align with anticipated funding executive recommendation does provide for these changes well. Page four hundred sixty seven we have the criminal background checks appropriation. At the agency request and the exact recommendation there's a reallocation of five hundred thousand dollars from operating expenses to a capital outlay your project cost increases along with roughly seven hundred seventy thousand dollars being moved from operating expenses to the Arkansas state police training equipment funds. And lastly on page four hundred sixty nine we have the Arkansas state police training and equipment preparation as previously mentioned the funds from avis and the criminal background checks preparations. Have been reallocated this preparation in the operating expenses line item. Along with additional under sixty thousand dollar increase for driving track operations. Lastly the four hundred sixty seven thousand dollars in capital outlay in each year of the biennium will be used for drone replacements and driving track equipment. It's a recommendation provides for these agency requests Mister chair that concludes state police. quick question with the. By increases in some new vehicles and all tell us where you're at on recruitment how you're doing now we hear and other law enforcement agencies still having trouble of the state police to. Yes I'll talk about written CV bill bright red to the Arkansas state police all talk about recruiting retention right now no you know historically if you look it's we have some legislators used to be Arkansas state troopers and we would have people thousand twelve hundred people apply for the Arkansas state police last year we only had two hundred people but do the generosity of the the General Assembly in the governor the pay raises we had over four hundred people apply this time so we're making headway we us so we are next to schools planned for February and right now we have ninety six applicants are in background and polygraphs in about thirty five of those or certified officers depending on our budget salary savings would like this you know hopefully started class with forty to forty five again depending or funding I just recent came back from Dallas Texas the international association of chiefs of police conference where all the kernels in the United States where there in every agency is hurting in the recruiting aspect some of the the colonels SNX two were three hundred down four hundred down we're about forty six down right now in our agency it is tough times for law enforcement the perception law enforcers is tough to get the young people but it is a rewarding career of this my forty seventh year and doing it so you know we continue to NO with y'all giving us the raises a huge boost because part of our strategic plan was that we be the highest paid agency in the state the best equipped and you all enable us to do that so will you know is that is the AC moves fort you know I would like to see you know working with the General Assembly the agency maybe possibly start having to true schools a year instead of one but that's that's for the future as far as vehicles were really hurt on vehicles we you know you you'll give us the money in our vehicle acquisition fund and right now we recently about five months ago we ordered to fifty Tahoe's we only received two and might be April or may before we get those. Vehicles we've also recently and I can give you the numbers here. We just recently ordered. Forty Dodge Chargers and dodges in my understand is no longer will make the Dodge charger which has been a mainstay of our fleet for a long time so I think the future law enforcement to be issued these you know we have been bought by Chevrolet Tahoe's and now what we're going to try the Dodge Durango's we've ordered forty of those the used in highway patrol no Sir criminal investigation division executive protection division and also we're buying some pickup trucks for CID investigators just trying to get the vehicles we give us the chips and equipment in the shipping that's what we have summer balances are carrying over especially in the quip of funds to be able to get the items to hope the car so cars and people our struggle force right now but we are making headway with it due to the races for the men and women the Arkansas state police. Thank you for the update. Representative makes you're recognized plainest order far right colonel thank you for for being here my my first question is so. Sort of a personal interest of this last summer we did the star ASP program I appreciate all participating in that and I'm just wondering if that's been bearing any any fruit yet or if it's too early to tell as far as your great statistics we don't have any but I just tell you inability it's been a success thank you special investors come to our great state of Arkansas we can see on the highway if they have trouble and how to get hold of Arkansas State Police and also we talk to service clubs and service organisations we promote that so I think it's been a success for our state and it's a good example public and private corporations working together excellent thank you thank you for by being part of that that and that kind of leads to my second question in almost a follow up to a representative rice I I'd heard that following the pandemic there has been a huge uptick and Speeding in excess of a hundred miles an hour that that you all have been given like four times as many tickets as historically in the past this is morning on the way to little rock there was an accident on the highway and it's generally costs by speeding intention worry all at as far as being able to and it may not to be sole use on a highway patrol is also tasked with this working on. Traffic enforcement I guess kinda where I'm alternately going here to make sure the roads are safe for everybody we say in a kind of a multi faceted approach if you all remember of testify before before the State Police subcommittee we've we put purchased for highway safety twenty five Tahoe's to work for distracted driving and seat belt enforcement just saw the latest stats on all right what I call aggravated driving over a hundred plus we're down a little bit but not much in the years not over you know the last couple years we thought two thousand I think this year at our top speed as we got someone at a hundred fifty three I believe I'll we also do saturation and and through our highway safety program through step we pay over time for our people and also for state and other local and county agencies to work speed enforcement so that's a multi faceted approach but I am you know one thing I'm really proud of this year's we're about close to forty five counties down compared to last year and was really surprised for a look at the statistics most of our for tallies a current rule Arkansas two lane highways not the urban cities so that's wired or seat belts you know usage is very important because we're seeing a lot of people who crashed on these two lane roads are being ejected from the vehicle okay thank you thank you for your efforts and following that the meeting can you give me there's something else on his or the off line about to answer yes or be glad to I thank you thank you Mr. Representative Fortner you're recognized the general very the committee the bill thank you are chairman Wardlaw appreciated and just on a personal note I want to personally thank Colonel Bryant for his many years of dedicated service to fighting crime and and not only the state of Arkansas but but throughout the nation he and I took office on the same day that when the Hutchison ministration took over and over forty five years of dedicated service to law enforcement I appreciate everything that you've done for the Arkansas state police I know when you leave it's gonna be better than it was when when you got there and I thank you for that so my question is troops school. At which Europe losses in your projected losses I'd be interested in seeing in the future and to the Committee the number of losses that you project out and if there's going to be a need to have a second troops school you know typically I think you get about thirty five graduate Saudi you're your troop schools in your losses are far exceeding what you're putting in uniform. Is that correct yes Sir that is correct just kind of give you a general synopsis this year alone I think we had twenty seven retirements and then of course unfortunately you do have to terminate true person different at are you have some voluntary leave if we had looks only for private industry we've had some leave for other law enforcement agencies so it is all always an ongoing battle you know we've using our troops school starts we lose I think last troops school we probably lost twenty something from the beginning but you know the State Police takes a lot of pride that you wear that blue uniforms and that you can earn it and I think that's what we owe to the retirees and you know we're eighty seven years old state police and we owned them high quality people and and we're never gonna sacrifice that but again law enforcement nationwide young people and and I know military has the same issues that the people who you know are not going in that type of public service and then as far as a kind words I want to thank you for that but you know I've been the director for eight years and and all the chi Mr due to the men and women stay places not me or the command staff out here so as people every day put your life on the line you know I testify to the state police committee a recently since may of last year before we've been shot at seven times and that's just unheard of for the Arkansas state police in history the state police so they're out there every day put their life on the line but they deserve all the credit. Representative would. Thank you Mr chairman first of all current I wanna congratulate you and your command staff and. All the troopers for the efforts to joke with former house bill highways open data bases and in the criminal investigation division of fire safety division we appreciate you and I know the citizens of the constituents that I represent their appreciate you I want to ask you all to just to think I have a little bit and you and I discussed this in our conversation on the phone Tuesday or Thursday of last week. And your committee in this budget and then the department of public safety Mr secretary also in real money contingency planning as it relates to the passage of issue for should that pass do you know. Currently is it affected for tells to use increased twenty to twenty five percent states that have adopted legalization of marijuana. Of Rosen food and you know from from talking to people in Colorado within in the the information put out by the of Rocky Mount high to the fifth house to go up I think if if it's just like anything else in law enforcement you have to be prepared for change but I think it'll be a challenge for law enforcers can be charged change for a the challenge for you the the legislative body because you gonna have to look at how to change the laws is far as it comes to driving on the influence of per se limits different things if this does pass but you know as far as manpower you know we always. You know try to get as many as we can but again we're we're look at quality people to hire I wish I give you a number I can use you know thirty three percent to address the marijuana issue if it does pass but I I can't give you that exact number but however tells he's due in court yes Sir from the information that I've been advised of and and talk to your other law enforcement Colorado okay Mr secretary have you will you all look at exactly what is our come up with some kind of a number have you. Evaluated your budgets in the state police crime lab in other areas as a result of the potential passage of the legislation so we have had you know some discussions about what the impact would be you know as a girl said you're really don't know the total impact of that so rate your question we have not put anything into to this budget your particular to that but we're we're certainly looking at that and you know of value waiting what that impact would be and what we would need to do in the future is definitely is going to carry a cost to the taxpayers of the state budgetary. Financially thank you Mr chairman thank you thank you current. I have a motion representive Eubanks for executive Rick. I have a second. Seeing no discussion all those in favor say aye. No opposed hi seven. Members of seeing no further. Business on our agenda. we will meet again at nine AM in the morning. We stand adjourned.