Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC)
Video
Transcript
30 documents
Machine transcript
May contain errors. Verify important quotations against the official video.
About transcript accuracy
- Source
- SliQ live captions
- Model
- SliQ live ASR
- Processing date
- October 2, 2026
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
2:05
but she's so Our members if we can go ahead and take our seats Members let's go ahead and find our seats please. right
members gonna ask you to go ahead and find your seats
can you hear me Nobody's listening how about now? all right members I'm
calling ALc to order thank you very much. it was kind of hard to get your attention there for a second good morning good to see you all here right I'm gonna ask uhpresentative Rye if he would hit his button and he will be
recognized for the opening prayer and you are recognized
Representative Johnny Rye
Unverified
3:15
Dear God, thank you for this great country that we live in God we take a lot of things for granted dear father. but never ever let us forget about freedom and what it means to the people around this whole world
we asked you to look down upon all the situations here in the world that's going on we ask you for a loving peace if at all possible we ask all these things
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:56
in Christ's name amen. right, I will entertain a motion to adopt the December 19,2025 minutes. I have a motion. I have a second in discussion all in favor say aye ayes have it thank
you moving on to item d we have a presentation from Doctor Silva as
he makes his way to the table Doctor you may
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
4:19
introduce yourself for the record and you may proceed Thank Mr Chairman Carlos Silva Bureau of Legislative Research umm I'm your staff and I'm here to present the December 2025 monthly revenue report that is half of our fiscal year right now as we look into our gross collections we have4.02 billion dollars of collections that is around4.9
million dollars above this first six months of the last fiscal year around 1.2% higher than the last fiscal year today for those first six months as we start going down into the the bottom here on the first page we see a neck available for distribution at3.4 billion dollars that is73.4 million dollars above the last fiscal year today or 2.2% above if you're looking into some details on the first page there we see the bottom line each individual
income tax refunds as well as our corporate income tax refunds we see that decrease as we expected but as we move through page number 2 the ccumulative deviation from theFA net general revenue available for distribution forecast we'll see that the ne t available for distribution have been going down is slightly when compared to the last last month of around5.8 million dollars that is a decline based on
the corporate income taxes was slightly higher refunds than expected and and that's why there's the difference there again it's still above forecast but have is is slow down based on the this this month the FNA will provide updated forecast in the next few weeks so we we will have that for the next presentation. as we move to page number3 page number5 we have our general revenue collections we'll see in the top
decru receive taxxes still somewhat stronger at 2.9% for the month3.2%. for the year the income tax as you see the final payments for corporations and individual payments there that's portion of debts due to the extension right that we have until December3rd so some of that would be here that's why we have the increase as we move to page number6 and and so on we have this special revenue collections when you look into the state of Arkansas compared to the
adjacent states it it's following a similar trend as they have some strong collections there on on this month and on the fiscal year today CPI somewhat steady for for this for this month we're still looking through the next few months to to see exactly how that's gonna turn around after the update with the data sets unemployment we have seen a slightly increased there from39 to41 but we had that gap of one month so we're looking at the change between two months rather than one month but as we look into detail there we see that
the state had a workers around3,000 more workers a year over year for the November and and that is a positive
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
7:29
thing with that I'll take any further questions right thank you doctor Silva seeing whoop oh you almost got
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
7:35
away Representative Woootton you're recognized thank you doctor on the on the corporate income taxes that a result of the the throwback rule changing is that resulting in a in in that
drop in that income a portion of it it's it's part of the extension because we have until the December3rd so we we have seen that right
now and then that's kind of a portion of that one more question the trend started last this month or January of December being downward from what you had said you think that's going to continue or do you think that's just miss not a miscalculation but
but a do you see a trend that movements happen from month to month we have seen a decrease there for this month but just 11 data point doesn't really make a trend we'll we'll continue to follow closely and we also have some major changes coming in the beginning of this this calendar year in the in the middle
Speaker 23
8:38
of fiscal year which is gonna be positive changes so we we keeping
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
8:43
an eye on that as well it doesn't appear that it doesn't appear that the tariffs are are affecting inflation but have you have y'all ever been able to come up with how it
will affect the state income so some of the the the the tariffs have
passed through we still have some that have have yet to to move forward with the expectation is that they still have some should still be moving through this and when you think about the the tariff impact here we're probably gonna see most of it through our sales tax collections right so a price of things might increase we're gonna see that here which we'll be showing an increase of3.2%
that's how we'll be be looking
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
9:30
at right thank you you doctor thank you Mr Chairman. thank you representative any other questions seeing none thank you doctor all right members let's move to item E recognize oh excuse me I'm going to recognize Representative warren for some personal privilege I believe you
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
9:48
recognize thank you Mr chairir. it's my
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
9:51
privilege to have a group from
lakeside here with us the APS government and politics class if you guys would stand they came to see what we're all about today so please welcome them
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
10:12
thank you Mr chair thank you Representative and welcome. thank you for being here and for participating and learning right moving on to item E. I'll recognize my co-chair thank you
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
10:24
Mr chairirman. We executive committee subcommittee
of the Arkansas Legislative Council met Thursday January15th and big room B aigmic building house chairlessees called the meeting to order and saw a corn present.eves recognized Mrharold Jeffco, superintendent of the Van Buren School District to present a waiver request for cooperative cooperative purchasing construction services with no questions from members Senator Terry ice made a motion to approve the request for the van Buren school district motion was seconded and passed by a voice vote with no further business the meeting was adjourned
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
10:57
all right you heard the motion I have a second any discussion seeing none all in favor sayy a in your post ayes have it. thank you moving down to F1 uhpresentative shepherd you're recognized for the
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
11:15
review our rules report the administrative rules subcommittee met on January15,2026. the subcommittee held one agency's request for exclusion from the reporting requirements for rulemaking and denied one agency's request the
subcommittee accepted the recommendations of the division of higher Education concerning the extension and repeal of rules pursuant to Act781 of2017 and At65 of2021, the subcommittee received agency updates on outstanding rulemaking from the 2023 regular session and filed agencies monthly written updates on rulemaking from the 2025 regular session and all rules were reviewed and approved as noted in the report and I move adoption of the report thank you we have a motion to have a second any discussion
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
11:59
seeing none all in favor sayy aye any post ayes have it. right, moving down to item7 uhen English you're recognized for
Senator Jane English
Unverified
12:11
the hospital Medicaid the medicaid and developmental disabilities subcommittee met Monday morning to hear the testimony on the following items an update on the reimbursement rates under the Living Choices Assisted Living waiver by DHS an integrating the public workforce system
the subcommittee met again Monday afternoon to review the findings presented by the Georgia Center for Opportunity. I move adoption of this report all
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
12:38
right thank you senator members we have a motion to have a second I have a second. any discussion on the motion? see none all in favor sayy aye any opposed ayes have it all right let's move down to item number 10. this is the occupational
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
12:55
licensing review and senator flippo you're recognized thank you Mr Chairman The esteem and ever influential
occupational licensing review subcommittee met on Thursday and received reports from various occupational u authorization entities inroup One. I move adoption of the report. Thank you Senator. I have a motion on the
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
13:10
report. Do I have a second? I have a second. any discussion right see you know and all in favor sayy aye in your post eyes have it Senatorlippo, thank you for your service and serving as vice chair of that committee. all right senator Dismay you're recognized think it was
Speaker 41
13:27
chair of the peer subcommittee met on Tuesday
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
13:32
January13th subcommittee received reports reviewed requests and proved the following various temporary appropriation Americanrescue Plan Act appropriation reststricted reserve fund transfers one item in the report was marked as held for the full council G2 and MFg for the department of agriculture making a 1 or7 million dollars grant to central Arkansas waterter for acquisitions in the central Arkansas watershed the hold come came with a request for the department to revise and resubmit the request with the acquisition of properties in Perry County to be removed from consideration the department was unable to
resubmit a revised request with that I move for adoption of the report including review of item G2 in its original form. don't
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
14:13
everybody light up at once going to Senator hickey first. first of all, I need a second on the motion before discussion. Thank you. right now we're going to discussion. I have a substitute motion at the appropriate
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
14:27
time OK, Senator, do you mind if I come back to you and take some other sherbers in
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
14:33
the queues fine if you if you would just
get back in all right senator tucker you're recognized thank you Mrirr I'd like
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
14:40
to ask a few questions of ADE about the learns money if this is the appropriate time for that
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
14:46
it it would be the appropriate time Senator Dismay
would you get back in the queue for a thank you
all right senator justma do you mind if you withdraw your motion so we can hear discussion from the agency no I'll
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
15:13
withdraw my motion but I'd like to be first in the queue. will
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
15:16
I will put you back in then we'll go to Senator hickey thank you No I think he meant
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
15:28
later Senator hickey you mean later you're gonna come back to me I will thank you sir OK. we
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
15:34
had a request for the department. are they here to
take questions and members I'll remind you that we heard extensive discussion on this so I would ask that our questions be concise and brief and if the department would recognize themselves for the record you may proceed. Good morning Courtney Salis ford for the department.
Speaker 69
16:08
Darrellsmith, Arkansas Department of Education. Greg rogers department of Education right going for first to Senator Tucker for
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
16:16
a question thank you Mr and thank you thank
you Senator Desmay. just a few questions. I read in the newspaper that there's about43,000 students in Arkansas receiving EFAs this year. can you break that down for homeschool
Speaker 67
16:30
and private school for me yes sir there's approximately 28,000 private school students and around 17,500 homeschool students thank you
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
16:39
when it comes to expenses for schools a traditional public school a charter school and a private school I mean their primary expenses are going to
be facilities and personnel, right? if there's their their expenses aren't identical because traditional public schools have transportation and some other things that that those don't have but if they were vinn diagram there would be a lot of overlap between the expenses between if you compare traditional public schools charter schools and private schools. If there were a Venn diagram for homeschool students with those three there would be really virtually no
overlap. The expenses just aren't the same and maybe I'm you can educate me about that but I'm I'm just curious if the department has ever considered doing an analysis right now the the amount of money that a student gets from an EFA for a private school or a homeschool is identical down to the penny and the expenses are not identical down to the penny, right? And so I'm just curious if if y'all have
ever considered taking a look at evaluating home school expenses independently given the independent nature of the cost we we can certainly further
Speaker 67
17:42
that that evaluation and that analysis but I would say that there are a number of I guess overlap from like from our curriculum standpoint and educational supplies and instructional services that are very similar between charter schools local public schools and private schools and the home school audience and market can you give me some examples? never curriculum I think in all the supplies that make up a an educational environment for whether it's desk or white boards and you know some of the
the things that go within the classroom certainly there is transportation cost it's not a bus route but theres costs to go from maybe a provider to provider or therapy or to other things of that nature so there there are some similarities not exact I certainly to your point there there are some some things that are very unique to the homeschool population and also to your point I think that a further analysis might would be
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
18:39
warranted thank you. I suppose another distinction would be you know
more traditional school setting you don't keep the whiteboard for example, right? and so that's that's just another factor I think to look at. Just one other question. thank you for your indulgence, Mr Chair. I I wasn't at ier the other day but I I read in the newspaper about an exchange between Senator Love and Miss Alice Ford about, you know, basically families are on the honor system to some extent when it comes to accounting of the funds and my question is to parallel that to the academic accountability. I mean that how are we measuring academic
accountability for homeschool students who receive EFAs. so every student
Speaker 67
19:19
that participates in an EFA program is required to submit a norm referenced test a standardized test and so every year for you to to renew your application you have to submit a test a standardized recognized nationally recognized test where we can monitor performance in reading and in math so so we do take we do track academic progress OK all right thank
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
19:48
Going to Representative Woootten again I'll ask that we keep these questions concise and if they've already been asked find another
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
19:56
one please all right go to you sir you're recognizeman first of all I wanna thank you
for your assistance miss Bod with with the school readiness program. it was it was it accomplished a lot 1st 1st question I have is what percentage of the additional32 million that you're requesting
is going to a parents who already are enrolled in a private school.
Speaker 72
20:31
what to take what percentage of the th32 million is going to that I don't think we have we can I can tell you that obviously from the from our previous question that about 2/3 of them of those people of the students that are currently participating in the program our private school students and about a third of them are homeschooled so I guess we wanted to continue that that
proportion that I would say probably the32 million would probably be
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
20:54
split up appropriately42% of the people that are required that are getting the money already have their children in in private schools they were already paying is that correct the32 million is to
Speaker 79
21:04
account for students who are already in the program approved and participating and so they're all either in private school or homeschool. If I understand your question, I think you're asking about students who were in private school before they joined the program? do you have that number
Speaker 72
21:22
we don't have that exact number at this time so how many having started in the program or how many or are never were participated in the public school certainly as we grab more data and we have more students in the program we'll be able to
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
21:37
have a better answer to your question follow up question to that do y'all still maintain that this is not going to hurt the public schools by taking309 million dollars out of the tax revenues of the state of Arkansas what about the what
about the other460,000 children that we have the responsibility in the constitution of this state to fund and to take care of and the last time I looked at the RSA the amount of money for last fiscal year and for this fiscal year were the same and I asked the question are we putting any more money in the public education and the answer was well yes but they have to do it from funds that they already have on hand
so my my question of you if if 1.5% it was capped and then we raised it to3%. why would we have a cap if we weren't a critical to public schools
Speaker 79
22:41
will say that we ensure that all students in Arkansas are able to choose the best educational setting for them these
Speaker 84
22:48
funds are not coming from the public school fund we are not physically taking any money out of the public school fund and giving it into the EFA
program. this legislature, this general assembly sets the adequacy amount. They set what amount is appropriate for a public school to receive for to educate students. That has been fully funded that's always fully funded as far as I know you all have not decreased that amount or set that amount based on what's going into the EFA program. So to say that we're stealing or taking away or costing public schools, I would disagree with that. we are funding the program for
EFA's separate from public schools and we're doing that based on the law is written which right now is open to all students at the equal amount and and that is your decision whether to put that money in there. Yes, we came and we we we requested it and we appreciate that because we want to continue this program we want to make sure that all parents and students have the choice for their student that they feel is best but it's not taking money from public schools you all fully fund the public adequacy fund the public school fund that goes to public schools that you all have determined is the
amount that they need so it's if students leave because they have a choice that that's not something we've done. we've offered them a choice because we feel they should be able to make that choice for their
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
24:13
students but that's not us costing the public school money but the problem is the problem
is how do you address the federal court demand of adequacy which says we were not putting enough money into public education my recollection of Lakeview
Speaker 84
24:27
if that's what you're talking about is not that it wasn't enough
money it's that it wasn't an equal and adequate system. And again they put that responsibility back on the general assembly to say what does it take for an adequate educational system to be equal across the state you all go through the adequacy process and set that amount. You all do that every two years and as far as my experience increase that every two years. This last fiscal session it was increased by almost5%. You all de ter m ine the adequacy amount and what it takes which meets that federal court obligation.
The state having a separate system that offers educational freedom accounts for other students doesn't take away
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
25:09
from that rightpresentative Woootton, I've got others in the queue if you if you don't mind sir thank you have a motion at the appropriate time I think we're going to have multiple motions so if you'll hang on to that sir. I'll I'll recognize you at the appropriate time all right going to senator Davis you're recognized for questioning members just say you know I will go back to senator Dismaing for his motion and then a substitute by Senator hickey and then whatever other motion
our member needs to be recognized for that motion so
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
25:37
Senator Davis you're recognized thank you chairir. I'm just going to go over a set of facts that I have based on data I've pulled and my question at the end will be is this accurate? so from my understanding when we look all the way back to 2005 the highest percentage prelearns that we have committed per pupil to for public school for funding is
2.37%. that's the largest increase prelearns that we had made to the adequacy fund for students sense learns in 2023 1st of all learns put over $250 million into public schools which is the largest investment in public schools that our state has made in recent history in the last couple of decades and in 2023 we increased adequacy
by3.22% which from my understanding is the largest percentage increase that we have given since 2005 and for these next two years' inadequacy we've given 2.48% each year which is still larger than the largest percentage increase prelearns and what that 2.48% does over two years is protects schools if schools lost 2.5% of their
students every year just 2.5% saw a decrease the percentage increase that we're giving them per pupil at the 2.48% means that even though they would have a declining enrollment of 2.5% they would see no loss in funding. They would not see a drop in the money that they get from the state for their budget to fund their schools so when we talk about what we're doing to protect public schools to ensure that they're funded adequately we are doing the work
to do that and in the last three years we have put historic investment of funds into public schools to ensure that even if they're losing students they are not going to see a drop in funding to ensure that though they're educating fewer students they still have money to make the decisions because we have a funding formula not a spending formula so school boards and superintendents at home in their local communities can make the decisions that they need to make to ensure that
students are educated in the manner that best fits the community and the school district that they have that is my understanding though we continue to see Arkansas trend nationally increasing administration paying six figure salaries instead of maybe hiring more teachers or reading interventionists to make sure that kids can read by the time they're done with third grade but again we allow them to make those local decisions to determine how they're going to educate kids so
maybe we need to ask some questions of our local school districts and school boards and superintendents about the decisions they're making while they only have less than35% of kids that are reading by third grade and when you look at 10th grade scores you see that that same35% of kids are the ones that can read. No progress is made, no catching up is made we need to be asking questions of those public school districts what they're doing what changes they're making with
the money we are sending them though they may be educating less students because they may have an enrollment drop they are still getting the same amount of funds and we need to ask about the changes they're making to ensure those kids are leaving their schools reading at grade level so that they can go get a job or go to college or do whatever they want to do when they graduate from a public school so we from my understanding are doing the work to fund our
public schools at historic rates never seen in the state of Arkansas except for the last three years we are doing that work that's my understanding from these numbers would
you agree 100% thank you thank you senator Davis I think
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
29:56
that rivals the question asked by Senator Johnson which had the record for the longest question in peer this week so thank you right so we've got quite a few people in
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
30:11
the queue I'm gonna go first to Representative Collins you're recognized thank you Mr Chair. so to that point from Senator Davis it sounds like what she was saying and I guess I would also ask do you agree is that with this increase in adequacy that is an increase just to stay flat that's an increase to stay level because you're losing students from the public school system due to the EFs therefore this historic increase in adequacy per pupil as she said many times keeps them at about the same level and
so you do all this additional funding per pupil because you have fewer students in the school the school gets roughly or you know about the same amount of money of course it's not perfect but it's the backfill what's being lost because of what we're doing here with the vouchers so with all this additional money per pupil keeping things more or less flat you end up you know plugging more money per pupil about the same overall and then you have fewer students graduating or leaving you know being educated by the school that's the idea between the two
parallel systems that we're paying twice we're paying for the you know, per pupil adequacy at a higher rate roughly the same amount overall and then we're paying separately EFAs this32 million dollars is an additional investment in that that's why it's so much more expensive that's why it's such a budget buster would you agree I assume you wouldn't but would you agree? I would not and I will
Speaker 79
31:34
say I don't want to mischaracterize anything that Senator Davis said but I think she was saying that at a minimum they are held even because of the increase in foundation
funding each year that is account for more things that things are more expensive. every year we go along, things get more expensive and she was saying they get more per student and so even if they lose students we provide declining enrollment funding and we provide other sources of additional funding to ensure that but if schools are growing they definitely are getting more money each year because stu they get growth funding. They get all sorts of additional other pots of money that are not in the EFA program. The EFA amount is about 90%
of foundation funding. Public schools get full foundation funding plus categoricals plus federal funding they get more pers almost probably twice per student what is in the EFA program and so no I do not agree that that keeps it flat. I agree that you all determine what the adequate amount is to educate students in public schools and we ensure that they have that amount of money to educate those kids. Thank you and even without talking
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
32:40
about unmet need in in the overall public school system which we could talk about and I
think is pretty clearly documented can you tell me you said that if there enrollment is increasing then they're getting more money overall is the public school enrollment increasing in Arkansas or decreasing? I believe there was a decrease. I'm not sure that amount. do you have
Speaker 84
33:04
the numbers? Yeah there was a decrease overall in the public school enrollment this year
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
33:07
OK Representative Woootten, is this a question or is this a motion? OK, one question sir
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
33:19
you're recog thank you my question of you is this and and I want to make it perfectly clear to all the private schools that I am not against private schools I I love to drive a Cadillac. I use the I love to drive a Cadillac but I can't because I can't afford one so I drive agm aC truck all right all right now Senator Davis was critical
of the public schools. I hadn't heard a word of criticism regarding the private schools and their admission goes that they set and established through their board of directors of each private school is it not a fact that the that the private schools pick and choose who they want to be enrolled in their schools is that a fact I cannot say that that's a
Speaker 79
34:15
fact for every public private school. many of them do have admissions
criteria but I I can't say that every
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
34:25
private school out there picks and choosespresentative one follow up to that
you're recognized ok does that not impact their performance relative to comparing it to the public schools can't say
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
34:43
you don't want to say it for a fact because it's contrary to what the governor says and know Senator Davis is
coming from I know we're senator bart hester and
the others present but I'm telling you we are hurting public schools when we take3009 million for private schools and and Arizona is already up to600 million dollars and they started out below that and it may be a billion dollars now and I made this forecast at the time that
the bill was passed and introduced Representative I'm going to ask you to find to the end let me let me let me finish
up I made the projection then that the the money set aside by this body was not adequate to address what we were attempting to do and I know that it's public policy in the nation today but I'm telling you there's a difference between a private school and a public school and who they permit to come in to
their school the private schools so there is a difference a distinct difference. Public schools have to take all who come all who live in their rightfully so not all those
Speaker 79
36:08
who live in their district who they then assigned based on where those students live I
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
36:13
have other right I have others in the queue I'm I'm ending this thank youpresentative all right Senator Davis one question. ' d
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
36:22
like a point of personal privilege to respond to representative wooten
thank you very much. So I would I would arguepresentativeton that we're not hurting public schools we are helping kids we are giving kids and families a choice to decide where and how they want their child to be educated so that that child meets their learning potential my point is that we're talking about funds so that families and students can make that decision we're not and we're not talking
about failing public schools. I drive by one every day coming into littlettleRock that is a failing school and they have some of the nicest facilities I've ever seen and we need to be asking questions I'm not trying to be critical of all public schools my point is that we should be asking questions of superintendents and of school boards particularly of those that are failing about what they are doing different, what changes they are making to ensure that they're not failing the students in their four walls
that's my point they continue to not raise reading scores to let kids fail to pass them on and not make changes they continue to hire administration at a crazy pace that way outpaces the number of students that are in the classroom but the number of teachers they're hiring compared to student teacher ratio remains flat. and that's a problem. those are the questions that we need to be asking of public schools when we
look at literacy scores and math scores that's what I'm saying we're not hurting public schools by funding this program that we voted for by the way that fulfills the intent of the law to carry out a program that we overwhelmingly voted to pass. We are giving families and students freedom and a choice to decide how they want to be educated to meet their learning potential and I think it's fair for us to ask questions not critical of us but fair of us to ask questions
to superintendents and school board members across our state about what changes they're making to ensure that when kids walk out their door in 1elth grade that they can read and get a job and be successful in life and those are the questions I wish we were asking more of in here instead of pounding on a program that we overwhelmingly voted to approve and said that we
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
38:53
would fund thank you thank you senator all
right senator Petty for what purpose?ues you're recognized
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
39:01
thank you chair I want to ask a question but I want to push back just to a little bit on what Representative Woootten said from personal experience he made the statement that he felt like maybe this going to private school might have might affect their success or or otherwise in terms of their grades and and so forth and and I'm I'm just kind of speculating there but wouldn't it also be the same situation for example
in my situation have a a a family member that was struggling in public school and they took her out, put her in a homeschool for a few years and and then she went back into public school and was successful from that point on. would she not have been causing the the success or failure of the public school by virtue of the number of students not at level grade level or mathle
or reading level or whatever the same way as those that are coming out of privac I mean out of public school to private school might affect on the on the top
Speaker 107
40:14
end. you're looking at me like maybe I I didn't clarify
Speaker 79
40:18
that question. Yeah I'm not sure exactly if I'm gonna answer this correctly but I would say that school districts are required to educate all of the students that they have whether that's5 or500. If a student
leaving affects the education of the other students in that school.
Speaker 108
40:35
I'm not sure why that would like you said parents should be able to make that best choice for their student if they're not being successful in the local public school, maybe it's another public school, maybe it's a private school, maybe it's homeschool. The school is still responsible for educating all of the students there and one student leaving or5 students leaving should not impact that school district. I agree and just just to kind of clarify because
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
40:59
that was kind of a wordy question in a simple not real example if we had two
students in a public school and one of them was not reading at grade level and she left then and the other one was then they would be reading it 100% at grade level as opposed to50% at grade level. Yes,
Speaker 79
41:18
obviously the their scores are going to reflect the students that they have and so if a student is struggling that's going to reflect in their grade if a student is successful that's going to reflect in their grade. If the students who are struggling leave then yes that could make it look like the school is is more successful than they would be with that student there.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
41:36
thank you ok thank you members for sake of time I'm going back to Senator Desang who I think has to has another commitment to make the motion there'll be a substitute I presume by senator hickey and then we'll have further discussion. Senator Dim you're recognized thank you Mr chairman I
Speaker 41
41:54
move for adoption of the report including
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
41:57
the review of item G2 and its original form. right, I have a
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
42:03
motion in a second. I'm going to Senator hickey
Chair
Unverified
42:08
you're recognized thank you Mr Chair have a substitute motion let's
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
42:13
hear your substitute sir that motion is to review item C1 separately and adopt the remainder of the
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
42:19
report and I would like to have discussion on it all right so we have substitute motion do we have second? all right we have a second. let's hear discussion
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
42:29
who wants to be recognized who recognize members I understand that he the easy part may just be to lump this into the report may be easy
for some of you who really want to kind of ride the fence on it because it's a very controversial subject from my standpoint here we've got members in here that you hear that in here that you've already heard from they feel like that it affects their public schools that's their right to feel that way their constituents feel that way there are other members in here that know that an amount of of approximately of a third of a billion a year annually that it does have to affect the amount of tax cuts that we can do which
is also you know a big priority for a large part of this body and for however you feel and from what you've seen the structure of this is not correct there are I understand that parents and individuals want another option for education but the thing is is we've seen some of the items in the way that it's structured again that it is ripe for fraud and other things so there needs to be a lot of work done on that part so
again I would ask that you allow us that want to vote this separately to do so it's been very controversial been in the court systems you vote how you want and then you go back to your constituents and prove that up but I I'd like to vote it separately thank you all right
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
43:58
thank you senator uhpresentative wooten do you have discussion on the substitute motion Yes I do but
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
44:06
I won't pour a personal privilege to respond to Senator Davis will allow it briefly thank you sir
You speak in favor of public schools and then you criticize them talking about putting it back on the superintendents and the school boards and then you criticize the superintendents for the salaries that they make. then you criticize the schools for the outturning for not turning out people reading at grade level and and then and then you talk about how good private schools are and I have no criticism of
private schools but I'm telling you there's a lot more to this than the school board and a superintendent can so. It start s with the governor's office and I do not agree with the way they're set up and I agree with Senator hickey it's right for fraud and this is what you get when you unfetter they're not they're they're not feathered out to make the
responsibility and the expenditures that they've made in the home schools and I'm not against homeschooling and I'm not against private schools. I want to make that perfectly clear but we're a poor state and we can't afford situations and circumstances where money is misused by those who participate in a state program we won't tolerate that
in a public agency and we won't tolerate that or shouldn't tolerate that in private schools and the department of Education has done everything they can to delay the implementation of the
rules that would apply and then there's been an outpouring of sport from home schools and from private schools relative
to not imposing the rules and regulations on the money that goes we have to answer you make the point
senator Davis that public schools have to respond and we're doing the best that we can and I say we because my constituents love their public school system they they're in favor of the school board and the superintendents in the area that I represent and I take it as a personal affront when you sit there and criticize the public schools it's totally
uncalled for and it's unrealistic to expect us to take every person who comes to the door. I don't care what the department says every person that comes to the door is accepted in a public school and has to be and rightfully so but that's not the same situation in private schools now my my mother she is to take the th32 million dollars out for
further investigation and further look from the fraud standpoint and then also from the fact that we have a camp set at at uh3% of the schools and my point being in the motion that I make to extract this32 million dollars out is the fact that the public schools are being denied access to309 million and I don't care how you cut it and I was
director of DFfa for several years and I'm telling you any money we take out and divert away from the public schools is going to impact and we've had a 8% inflation and nothing in the butchers has ever reflected that nothing in the school of money and allocation so that's my motion to extract the32 million out Mr
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
48:23
Chairpresentative really quick and for our students in
the audience congratulations you're getting to watch parliamentary procedure and action sopresentative you just made a substitute to a substitute no more substitute motions are allowed at this time so I'm going to ask you to restate your substitute and then I'm going to ask if there is a second for that
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
48:44
substitute so would you restate that my motion is that we extract the32 million dollars out in a one and again in see C1. do we have a second?
Representative Howard M. Beaty, Jr.
Unverified
49:04
let's hear your point of order is the representative still under personal privilege or is he now back in the
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
49:09
regular meeting when he made his motion it became a live motion. right, thank you thank you do we have a second for the substitute to the substitute we have a second to the substitute we are now open for discussion on the substitute to the substitute you're recognized
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
49:26
senator Irvin. could we just get a clarification between what the two motions are because they seem to be the same but I I
think one I think Senator hickey's correct me if I'm wrong. Senator Hickey's motion was to just have a separate vote on those items is that correct but senate uhpresentative Wootton's motion was
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
49:48
to hold that's correct senator and they are different therefore they
are substitute motions so I would say that we're about to take up a vote onpresentative wooten's substitute to the substitute which would then revert back to the initial motion
we go back to senator hickey it goes back to the sorry it goes back to senator hickey all right so
Speaker 61
50:19
any discussion on this substitute? uhpresentative rose thank you as regards to the substitute substitute by
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
50:24
Representative wooten I'll be voting no on that substitute motion my belief is that we need to stop characterizing children and families who are making the best education decisions for themselves in a negative light
providing options for students and families to be in the best educational setting for them is a good thing for Arkansans it's a good thing for families. it's a good thing for kids and for us to characterize it as a bad thing I think is a mistake and so I'll be voting no on this and I encourage you to do the same. Thank
Chair
Unverified
50:58
you. right Representative beatty you're recognized for discussion thank you Mr Chair. I sit here and I guess a little scripture brought pops in mind Proverbs
Representative Howard M. Beaty, Jr.
Unverified
51:10
26:4 and5 if if you're familiar with that you know what that scripture is my my point is I'll be voting against the substitute substitute because I I think when we when we passed learns there was adequate discussion and and this is nothing maybe you've got a little bias remorse because the price tag's gonna be a little high but we owe it to the folks after we passed that legislation and we promised these EFAs and we promised the parental control to to our parents to educate students I just wish we could have as much of a lively discussion in this
body about the outcomes that our students face in public education as we do about the spending of a dollar so I'm more concerned about the outcome for those students and I know my colleagues are as wellspires remorse I'm not gonna relitigate something that that this body passed overwhelmingly just cost the price is going to be a little high so I'll be voting no on the substitute substitute and I encourage my colleagues
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
52:05
to do the same thank you Representative Senator Disang is this discussion on the substitute so we're going to
Representative Collins you're recognized for discussion on the substitute to the substitute and just
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
52:16
real briefly I I don't think we should look past the cost here. The cost
is really the thing we're talking about this is32 million additional dollars into this this is a money pit and with any welfare program once you start it's very hard to to put that genie back in the bottle and roll it back and that's exactly what this is the more we spend the harder it's going to be to ever cut in
the future so we can hold the line now or we can throw more money at it but if we throw more money at it we're not going to get a chance to roll
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
52:53
that back very easily so I mean yes on this motion all right thank you Senator flowers
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
52:58
you're recognized for discussion on the substitute to the substitute. thank you Mrir I'm in support of the substitute to the substitute and I'll try to briefly explain why you know in my district
we've had many schools districts that have not just one time been under state control but many times and we've lost some school districts after state control they've been consolidated to schools that have been under state control which has never made any sense to me but my 0.1 is that the
department ofducation seems to have a pretty good track record of failing public schools in the beginning and you can go back and look at the history of Arkansas even with the constitution providing for a certain types of schools and how they should be provided to whom they should be provided and the funding that goes with it that's set by the legislature and I always want to say
after this year serving on the education committee on the senate side and becoming a little bit more familiar with issues and and problems that are not just in my district but all over the state of Arkansas you can see the little pockets of of districts that are having some significant issues financially such as transportation costs when I discovered in the
education committee last this past year that some school districts were getting some type of enhanced transportation funding for having to drive buses to and fro a certain distance. then you go to other districts that are driving even further like the district we went up to and earlier this since the end of the session forgot the name of that the
place jetsonia or somewhere near there they're having problems I think it's white countunty school district having problems getting funding they're spending money that they are not appropriated for by the legislature for this transportation cost of their students getting to and from schools and then all the activities that go with school districts and and the events of school districts
my issue is this I had another superintendent to talk about resources for students that are underperforming and what are we doing with that we're not giving funding for persons who are assisting with individuals that might have disabilities or just mentors and that kind of thing then I have issues with the types of
programs recommended even by the department ofducation for school districts that are having problems with the student achievement it's an unbalanced it's an unfair system as I see it and looking back over the history of Arkansas and how they dealt with schools particularly school districts in my district and then the other day, I think it was last night or night before. I'm looking at the news
and see the commissioner of education on television talking about 2/3 of third graders in the state of Arkansas can't read on grade level but then I'm thinking about just a few weeks ago or a month ago what school districts are on the F list on the failing list and could all of the 2/3 could 2/3 of the student population in
Arkansas just being my district with the schools that are failing and these are predominantly minority districts you knows something's wrong here that I know that in my district since I've been in the legislature for a long time since 2005 there's always a big issue with failing students in these certain districts
that happened to be majority minority districts I got a problem with that but when I heard the commissioners response the other day on television about 2/3 of the kids can't read and in the third grade at grade level they can't be all in my district so they gotta be other places in Arkansas and across the state as I've traveled I've met students teachers
and it can't be so that all of them that are failing not meeting performance standards or just these minority school districts where's the money to bring in more teachers that are qualified we made a raise and with learns for all the teachers to be at a certain minimum salary but when you got districts that have high poverty
you get for lack of a
a better phrase blacklisted because you're from a minority community I've even had my constituents tell me some legislators talk about some of the areas of my district and asked the constituent why do you live there? Well I lived there because I know the potential of my district and the potential of all children and we're not treating them fairly and you want to run them all into a homeschool or a private
school that's all well and fine but the tax dollar
shouldn't have to be paying for it that's why I'm
Speaker 130
59:44
supporting thank you senator the motion thank you substitute to the substitute to the substitute thank you
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
59:51
senator you you get it. I appreciate it. right going to Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized for discussion and I hope it's brief, Senator Thank you
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
59:58
chairman I will not be supporting a substitute a substitute
there's been allegations of fraud and abuse of public funds s sit multiple times on the education committee in the senate and I've said on the educational institution audit committee and that's not an allegations those abuses of public funds happen every meeting on a list in that committee of fraud and abuse with our public funds in our public schools
this is a brand new program Arkansas is spending more on education private home and public than it ever has and I'm tired of being fortyeighth or forninth in education and we've done work in dyslexia whenever I was on that we we're putting money to literacy coaches and the children of Arkansas are in the future in this program and our public that we're responsible in
the constitution are going to be educated better than they ever have in the state of Arkansas and it's just now beginning and we've set aside these funds and we need to support this system because it's about the kids it's not about an institution of public education it's about the education of the students of the state of Arkansas thank you chairman all right thank you senator Senator dotson you were the last
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:01:33
one in the queue and I will not take any more after you. you're
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:01:39
recognized. Thank you Mr Chair. I just want before we vote wanted to clarify something that this is my understanding of it these these funds and this allocation as I understand it are for fully funding this school years's funness so if you choose not to support the program I understand I mean there's been a lot of debate back and forth about that if you want to run a bill in the next legislative session to abolish it'll
hear that inducation committee most likely I won't support it but I will have that argument that debate, that policy debate. what we're talking about here is funding existing promises that we have made to the students of Arkansas we're not talking about public schools we're not talking about private schools we're not talking about home schools we're talking about students the way the allocation of funds goes out the door the department sends out the allocation in four quarterly installments
so if if the total funding for this school year is a little over300 million, this represents about 10% so what we're talking about and I don't know how the department will try to figure this out if we don't fully fund these accounts but we're talking about that final quarterly installment for these funds may be going across the board a a a 10% of the total promise that this legislative body made to these students when we said sign up for this program we'll
fund these accounts for you to be able to pay for tuition, pay for for books, pay for curriculum, pay for all the things that are necessary for the education of that student so a vote against this is hurting students it's not funding public schools it's not defunding public schools theres not one penny less or more than a public school will receive based off this vote but if we do not fully fund this this will damage
the educational ability the ability of of parents to fund their students' education for the remainder of this school year. let's have the debate next year on whether or not you want to to fund the program we'll talk about funding it in the fiscal session fully for the next year but for this particular vote and this appropriation I would encourage you to vote for the appropriation when we get to it and against this substitute the substitute and that's all I have to say thank you
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:04:18
all right thank you senator so we're to the voting portion of the substitute to the substitute made by Representative Woootten I will ask all in favor say aye any opposed knows clearly have it thank you Representative Wooten going back to Senator hickey you're recognized yes you're just
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
1:04:37
clarification on my motion my motion is mere merely to vote it separately but I do want to make one clarification during the peer subcommittee there is a review item that we did not
reviewenator Disanging was including that in his report which is G2 as it relates to the agricultural funds my motion would be also to include that review so in other words we would be adopting everything in the report including that review item on the agriculture which was not but just pulling out and voting the EFA funds separately thank
you senator and I I think that was clear to the chair and thank you for clarifying to the
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:05:15
members all right so we have we already have a motion to second on this
substitute to Senator Disang's original motion are there any discussion is there any discussion on this motion all right seeing none all in favor sayy aye any opposed no s habit back to senator Dismay restate your motion sir. thank you Mr Chairman. I move
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
1:05:41
for adoption thep a report including review of item G2 and its original
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:05:45
form. I have a motion to have a second discussion on the motion I see Representative Bentley you're recognized
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:05:54
thank you chairman this is just a quick question for Senator Dismay. I had asked for that review and senator Branann Davis had asked for when we had that motion. I have not had any response from anyone on why we're not able to pull that so I would like you to explain to me why they cannot pullerryanny out from theirs since no one contacted me and let me know why we can't pull Perry County out. I'd as since I can't bring the department up here to you or anyone on here have an explanation of why they did not could not OK, senator dismang also
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:06:24
havepresentative Eubanks who may also be able to help answer that question
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
1:06:30
but I'll go to you first. I mean I was not part of that discussion my understanding was that
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:06:38
you were so I can't answer that question OK I'm going to
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
1:06:42
go to Rison ofeubanks for discussion you're recognized thank you Mr Chair. It these legacy federal grants are very competitive and I think it's my understanding that there was only 10 in the whole country that were awarded and they
scored the they score these different grants and it is my understanding when the department went to the department of agg that the the portion that is in Perry County is actually the reason it was scored so well is it connects that trail I can't recall the name of the trail but it connects that trail and that's why this particular grant was scored so high so by taking that portion out it would it would
it would diminish the opportunity to qualify for this grant. I I I
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:07:34
would just like one quick follow up and and I appreciate that response. I'll just say that this will be looking for future legislation to make sure any future grants like this that the department of agriculture does reach out to every county that's involved in this and that the corn court and the local people that are at least able to be aware of the situation and and have some input on it because I'm just this is the fourth grant out of Perry County and the only reason that we heard it here is because they didn't have
enough appropriation and the department of agricultural's fund to to go through without us being involved and think it's a very important and that this committee is a very important so I justu just would state that I'll make sure they have passed some legislation to make sure that we are more involved in the future as are the local governments so thank you
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:08:15
chairman I appreciate that thank youpresentative. I have no more people in the queue for discussion so I will call for a vote all in favor on the motion to review or to accept the report rather say aye any opposed ayes have it
all right thank you that was fun and informative I hope you are students enjoyed that moving along to F12. the review report I think we have Senator Johnson ready to give
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
1:08:49
that you're recognized Senator Johnson thank you chairman subcommittee met on Tuesday and reviewed the method of finance one alternative delivery method construction project discretionary grants and services grants and received
regular monthly reports and one emergency action report Mr Chair, I move the adoption of this report including a review of the methods of finance alternative delivery methods and construction project procurement discretionary grants and contracts as presented. right I have a
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:09:16
motion do I have a second? I have a second Senator Tucker, you were recognized for discussion thank you M Sher I'd just like
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
1:09:24
to ask theFNA a couple of questions on the BdO contract if I can.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:09:28
rightsenator we're in the discussion portion of this
I'm happy I'm sorry I lit up as soon as I could well I understand it was in the middle of a motion being made I I will ask senator Johnson if he would so wish to pull hisp his motion and then I will bring them up but Senator Tucker I will ask that we be very brief since we spent so much time on the previous Senator Johnson will you will you pull it for so Senatorucker right I will come to you first Senator Tucker who would you like at the table? Just whoever knows the most
about the BdO contract looks like we have Secretary Hudson and if you would sir recognize yourself for the record and you may proceed and answer the questions from Senator Tucker yes sir good
Speaker 145
1:10:16
morning committee Jimhudson, Secretary DFA good morning senator. Good morning Secretaryhudson thank you and thank
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
1:10:22
you Mr Chair. I'll be brief. I I just I was out of town at review
the other day and but this is such an important thing I think it would be beneficial for the membership to hear the answer to my question anyway can you just kind of explain what what their
plan is and I just never heard if the money that came down from the feds if it's earmarked for particular programs or if we're going to have discretion over how it's distributed. I just kind of
want to know the the general plan for what this group is going to do and how
Speaker 145
1:10:52
that money is going to be distributed in the state well those are actually really two different things you know the the horn or BdO contract is really administering the program it is to be the program management offices office for the rural health transformation
program itself and so they'll they'll stand up the program they'll establish websites they'll have grant submission systems for people who re applying for the grants they will run it on a day to day basis just outsourcing all the administration to them whoir'm sorry
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
1:11:21
thought you were finished who's going to make the decision about where the grants
Speaker 145
1:11:26
go? ultimate ultimately the funding will have to be consistent with the application that is submitted it was submitted by the state of Arkansas it will go through an appropriation process it'll
come here for the funds to be appropriated we'll explain to you the method for how we're going to distribute it you'll give us appropriation there'll be a group really within DFfa DHS Department of Health who will review those applications and and ultimately make the funding decisions ok that's very
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
1:11:54
helpful. so generally speaking, I mean the the I think the most important thing that you said is that the way the money will be spent has to be consistent with what was in the application and so when they when it came back did it say xxcent goes to
this program or not or basically just you have to be consistent
Speaker 145
1:12:14
with the manner in which you applied or we have to release the money consistent with what
Speaker 50
1:12:17
our plan is yes ok all right thanks that's all I got thank you
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:12:21
Mr Cha. Thank you Senator Tucker. Senator Johnson coming back to you
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
1:12:31
for your motion if you would since it was withdrawn s review subcommittee met on Tuesday and reviewed the method of finance one alternative delivery method of construction project discretionary grants and
services contracts and received regular monthly reports and one emergency action report Mr Chair, I move the adoption of this report including a review of methods of finance alternative delivery method construction project procurement discretionary grants and and contracts as presented. thank you senator.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:12:57
I've motioned I have a second. I have a second. any discussion on the motion see none all in favor say aye any opposed ayes have it thank you moving on to item 13 Senator Petty
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
1:13:15
you are recognized thank you Mr Chair. The state insurance programmes oversight subcommittee met on Wednesday subcommittee reviewed the office propertyrisk RFQ for financial audit services. I move for adoption of this lengthy report.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:13:27
Thank you sir. I have a motion. I have a second any discussion seeing none all in favor sayy aye any opposed ayes have it. moving on to item 14, Senator Davis if you would you're recognized thank you Mrir.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
1:13:43
The personnel subcommittee met on Wednesday
January14th and approved the requests listed in the report as items 1,2, and3. The committee also reviewed the listed reports. Happy to answer any questions and move to adopt
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:13:58
the report at the proper time. Thank you Senator. I have a motion. I have a second. any discussion see none all in favor say aye and your post eyes have it OK we are now moving to itemh and under itemh we have item
number one and a motion to file as reviewed the Arkansas Public Employee's retirement systemstem request to review investment summaries I entertain emotion I have a motion to have a second ciderhammer is there a discussion on this all right so I have a motion I have a second. no discussion all in favor say aye any post ayes have it all right moving down to item number3 we have a presentation of report Senator Hammer is this the one that you have questions on?
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:14:52
sir if sorry yes sir just a couple of quick
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:14:55
ones if you don't mind for the department was that would the department please come to the table and and again I would ask that we move expeditiously
Speaker 153
1:15:03
and be brief it'll be short and the insurance
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:15:07
and they're at the table if you would recognize yourself for the record you may proceed with answering whatever questions Senator
Speaker 156
1:15:13
Hammer has. good morning Daniel Hollandsurance department. Jimmy Harris insurance commissioner AID
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:15:24
On Act350, the payment for for timely payment was714 days and then there would be a 1el% per 1el% interest payment that would be due if it wasn't paid30 days if it's paper. Have y'all collected any interest payments from any late charges that you've been able to substantiate through your investigation no not at
Speaker 155
1:15:42
this point we're we're that's the rule draft that we're working on that's a pretty specific kind of statute
Speaker 158
1:15:48
and I think a lot of the the Pbms and the pharmacies frankly are
waiting on the rule draft but now we haven't collected any of
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:15:58
that what's the time frame on the rule draft that you're going to
Speaker 158
1:16:01
get it for us we should have our our final draft done I would say within the month of January and then at that point it'll it'll be up for review. so this month you ought to have it out to where
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:16:11
it could be in front of rules in February yeah I think so yes sir. OK. and then the second thing rule 128 just a quick snapshot where you t just real quick yes so we've got the next
Speaker 158
1:16:25
round of reporting coming in March. we're going to look at that specifically for those deficient plans that we've discussed see if there was any upward movement there and then that's gonna give us kind of a final idea now that everybody knows what's happening with the rule 128 and the corrective action plans have been done so hopefully we see some better numbers and less deficient planes than we did last time but we'll
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:16:48
find out in March. So you think February will show some real movement on the department's position on getting this moving
because it's it's been out there for about 16 months and know we've been waiting on reports and everything but you think it'd be fair to say next month when you come from us you're gonna be able to
Speaker 159
1:17:06
have enough data to make a significant move on enforcing it
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:17:10
probably not next month I would say the following
Speaker 158
1:17:13
month so so March we could bet on March we'll get the we'll get the data in on March yeah on March the first we will have to review it categorize it, figure out how many plans are deficient below NADA
a conservative estimate probably results of the march reports we'd probably be able to give that in april.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:17:32
OK well offline. thank you thank you for sharing thank you senator thank you gentlemen any follow up
Speaker 157
1:17:38
real quick. I'm sorry excuse me on the rule question
Speaker 162
1:17:40
that's gonna have to go through blr to that approval so it's probably not going to be this month. it's got to go through the approval processes before it comes before you for approval. Thank you gentlemen
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:17:57
all right seeing no other discussion we're gonna take a vote all in favor of accepting this report. well actually we don't need it it's a presentation so we're gonna move right along to item3B. do have a motion to approve the Arkansas Economic Development Commission ruralervices block grant funding, any discussion any questions I'll take a motion have a motion to have a second.
I have a second see no discussion on this all in favor say aye any op post eyes have it going on down to item number5 divisionnvironmentaluality I'll entertain a motion to file his review I have a motion to have a second. I have a second. Any discussion see none all in favor say aye any opposed ayes have it. moving on to item number 8B division ofarks entertain a
motion to file as reviewed. I have a motion. I have a second. I have a second any discussion seeing none all in favor say aye any opposed ayes have it members I appreciate that I think that brings us to the end of the meeting thank you very much have a good weekend we're adjourned
Agenda
A. Call to Order.
B. Roll Call.
C. Approval of the Minutes of the Last Meeting, December 19, 2025.
D. Presentation of the December 2025 Revenue Report – Dr. Carlos Silva, Legislative Economist
E. Report of the Executive Subcommittee — Sen. Ben Gilmore, Rep. Les D. Eaves, Co-Chairs
F. Reports of Standing Subcommittees:
G. Reports of Interim or Special Committees: (none)
H. Review of Communications:
I. New Business: (none)
J. New Interim Study Proposals and Interim Resolutions: (none)
K. Business Carried Over: (none)
L. Adjournment.
Documents
Speakers
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
Representative Johnny Rye
Unverified
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
Speaker 23
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
Senator Jane English
Unverified
Speaker 41
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
Speaker 69
Speaker 67
Speaker 72
Speaker 79
Speaker 84
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
Representative Andrew Collins
Unverified
Speaker 102
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
Speaker 107
Speaker 108
Chair
Unverified
Representative Howard M. Beaty, Jr.
Unverified
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
Speaker 61
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
Speaker 130
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
Speaker 145
Speaker 50
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
Speaker 153
Speaker 156
Speaker 155
Speaker 158
Speaker 159
Speaker 157
Speaker 162