ALC-PEER

All beverage control it's a hundred thousand to equipped vehicles for ABC enforcement officers and now we're gonna go to the supplemental agenda this the first the Bill gender and eighty one it's a fiscal year twenty two appropriation request for the university of Arkansas community college at Batesville is three hundred and fifty thousand believes page four that's a personal agenda this is dispense our savings on personal services matching. I am sure those are all the fiscal year twenty two requests for various to preparation. Thank you members we have any questions any comments. Seeing none of that a motion to approve items one a and B. I'm gonna second all those in favor signify by saying aye All opposed motion carries. Thank you Mr chair in section B. two now these are the fiscal year twenty three various the preparation quest this is for the fiscal year starts in July B. two As letter from the ministry Office of the Courts is four hundred seventeen thousand to cover costs associated with the transfer of the accountability court to the administrative office of the courts next item is on page three B. two B. R. interstate fifteen thousand to cover increased travel costs of judges travel and so much the request reviewed with this year it's twenty two BTC department Veterans Affairs eighty thousand this is required military funeral honors entity over time to submit to center staff BTD is department commerce Arkansas insurance department fifteen million to add the U. of a system to the Arkansas multi agency insurance trust and pay for the resulting increase expenses Page six B. two E. department corrections division of community correction it's a million ninety one thousand two expand the intensive supervision program me these items were approved for fiscal year twenty two and these requests or for the next fiscal years the you may look to us similar because we just rip approve these maybe a month or two ago. B. two F. is department of correction Division community correction it's four point three million this is to construct renovate equipped new beds for the White River correctional the correctional facility B. two G. this is on page eight department of education is a school for the blind and visually impaired one point two five million ants to use Kerry for funds to pay for special maintenance construction renovations or repairs. B. two H. Department of Parks Division towards on two point seven million to help accelerate recovery of travel and tourism expand operational promotional and advertising abilities B. two R. A.'s public safety commission law enforcement standards and training five hundred thousand to award grants from the law enforcement family relief trust fund B. two J. this is page eleven is of public safety division Arkansas state police seven hundred forty thousand to purchase and utilize computer aided dispatch system. B. two K. on page twelve this is against the police this is one point four million seventeen of creating mapping systems for tactical air patrol aircraft B. two Bills page thirteen public safety needs the police three hundred eighty four thousand to purchase the bearcat armored vehicle be to the illness the against the police two point six billion to cover rising fuel costs legal represent legal representation fees operational needs and furnishings for the new driving track B. two in is perception towards on eleven sixteen thousand to accommodate shared service calls. B. two oh public safety This Is fifteen thousand to participate in the governor's internship program B. two P. transformations here services forty nine thousand this is to support extra help positions with Arkansas Public Service internship program Mr channels all the twenty three quests. Thank you members we have any questions on items B. two A. through. He I'll give you just a minute because I know we build the need for speed they're moving pretty quickly. All right representative Dotson you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair B. two H.. Okay it is Arkansas tourism in the two point seven million. With anyone here from heritage that could. Take a question on. B. two H.. You could just go and recognize yourself for the committee. Travels number director tourism under part due to due to. Leslie Fisk in Chief of legislative affairs represent Dotson and go ahead with your question. Thank you Mr chair over here right Leslie drums of so this two point seven million at and I don't have the your overall budget in front of me here but what. Don't we spend an awful lot on advertising already. At recollection is like. Over ten million a year what is this just for the rest of this fiscal year is it for the next fiscal year and if so why didn't we have support during the regular fiscal session this is for fiscal year twenty three the next fiscal year your contract is of fourteen million that covers advertising everything done or eight skews me with our agency specifically not not all that is direct advertising obviously but some of this we go for this but some of it you'll see is also under in the no grants as well to our regional tourism associations that we have around the state that cover every county in the state. as well as some we're trying to do some new incentives for to meetings incentive specially in the meetings area that helps those of locations around the state that were hurt worse during the pandemic and we recover well as a state but some of our individual. Eunice Ballinger cities as far as tourism are recovering slower because maybe because they're more urban and they had they rely more on that meeting convention business so we're trying to address is gonna be more targeted relief correct help listed will increase what we can do in our regions some of it is also addressing just some rising costs we had and also seeing where the two percent was recovering because we're dealing with some of that budgeting we're dealing with. What only problem was going to do an was that going to affect our numbers and thankfully that continue to be healthy and we we feel we're in a place to try to utilize some of the money we still have available we'd like to put it to work for our communities and for state. And this still leaves as a healthy cushion and for some reason you know COVID result we had again or inflation comes of major problem we do have healthy no help the amounts to be able to still sustaining future years so this is this is in your fund balance you just need the preparation right use it for this fiscal year correct thank you. All right thank you C. eighty seven. Senator Hammer thank you Mr I'd like to get a question for the Secretary of. Of of Veterans Affairs and then one for corrections please. Okay and it's not item B. two B. two first so Veterans Affairs thank you all very much are you finished representative. Good when recognize yourself for the committee and then Senator Hammer you'll be recognized for your question thank you Sir. Karen Watkins. Chief fiscal officer. I'm always over here to your left away over here to the left they go the the amount that you're requesting this is just for the staff for for those that are at the cemetery itself is just do anything to create additional funding. For those that are going out to the grave site to actually conduct the servicers is just at the cemetery itself. One request is for military funeral honor guards to perform. A honor services during burials to increase the amount of stipend that we paid to them currently is fifty dollars and we're requesting additional appropriations so we can increase it to one hundred dollars her burial and the other request is. For an. Existing staff in order to pay them overtime or having. Labor shortages at the North Little Rock cemetery. And having to augment with a lot of a contract labor okay and is this amount adequate to where if there's a request for honors at the graveside away from the cemetery in North Little Rock does this allow and this is adequate to cover those costs so that every such every serviceman would have that opportunity whether at the graveside out in the state or the graveside North Little Rock. Yes Sir okay thank you. Thank you for doing that. All right thank you what was your other items it would be B. two. B. two eight and F. E. N. S. O. correction. If you all could go ahead recognize yourself for the committee and then Senator Hammer you're recognized for a question thank you. Jerry Bradshaw director division of community correction. Lifan eleven accounting operations managers. Thank you the the intensive supervision program can just refresh my memory real quick of what that is and why we need to funded with additional funds. Yes Sir senator that was a great day money was given to us in FY twenty two it's being carried over twenty three that is to for us to address some of the ballot crime issues in central Arkansas it be putting six intensive supervision officers in Little Rock at two in Fortner two in lone oak two in Jefferson and two in Seling count. In and I'm sorry for these probation officers are or what time are they holding they are probation officers but they're more of a field operation that deals with high risk individuals that Have filing criminal injuries. Okay then on B. two F.. The. The new beds at the White River is that going to created additional beds I can't member you just read it is a new beds are just re purposing L. Bedser and what's the capacity going to expand as far from the more we can take up there yes Sir it is new beds it'll be an additional hundred fifty when it's built out this will be the ninety day revocations are being held in the county jails which okay one of the things that the sheriff said rest with us that they wanted us to help out with in the beds will turn over four times a year so it while annually at a minimum six hundred individuals okay one last question connecting the two together the fact that we're having to add more money to the intensive supervision program and now we're ready to the new beds would you anticipate that those that are under intensive supervision program would be able to be returned to incarceration because we would have passed the law come back up yes Sir all right that is thank you. Thank you chairmen Wardlaw I think that you and twenty seven. Watson who's twenty seven all right you're recognized for a Hoosier what what what item of item B. two eight good morning thank you Mr chair B. two H. yes okay be the. I guess the Department of. You are recognized yourself and so you're recognized for a question choice Springer good morning. I would just like to get example specifically of the appropriation for the grants and aids what kind of go what type of grants made or we speak up here the the majority of it would be going to our regional tourism associations which we have that we have twelve of those that cover the entire state and those are two third reimbursable matching grant we do with those and it's primarily for marketing for them and we help support their efforts to do that so we're increasing the amount they get and then we're also working on those sports in meetings incentive we had that will we're we would like to build new rules for that which would bring before you all as well and then some promotional advertising partnerships that would be for special events that that come up throughout the year that we can help support our that are more of kind of a one one time kind of events follow up Mr. what about I know that there are different communities I think you all do some assistance and funding for keep Arkansas beautiful board is that all one what area does that fall under with respect to your department it does not fall under tourism specifically stood and applauded this it VOL it's a separate Division under parks here Justin towards is that within your is not okay all right thank you yeah. All right thank you thank you all very much chairman Wardlaw you're recognized thank you Mister chair I don't guess I need anybody come table once one make something real clear going back to senator hammers first question on items B. two C. of talking about the burial in raising those fees for the military we've got a lot of trouble if being able to get these people to offsite funerals and I know we've asked the family numerous occasions I say we meeting Military Affairs to reschedule funerals as want to make sure this is not enough money to what we can cover these panels in a timely manner and we're not. Rescheduling funerals for people that have fought for our country and make sure these families get to have the peace that they deserve. So you may have to ask them to the table to make sure this is enough because like I said I just wanna make sure before we pass this along that we're doing it adequately. If we could just have someone Veterans Affairs make just follow up the staff to make sure that you know. Thank you Mr. And you're recognized you members that written comment on anything else for your good to go okay. So. You'll forgive me I've been back one month and trying to get up to speed There are this is it this used to be a joint program between Arkansas military department in the Arkansas department of Veterans Affairs. And I don't know that that's still the case but the what the program is is for independent honor guards that are. Authorized to perform military funeral honors to provide those services graveside. And. There are. Probably only ten honor guards remaining throughout the state so it's not. As much an issue of funding in my mind as it is an issue of. Getting the honor guards to getting additional honor guards to perform the services many of the people that perform the services the veterans to perform the services are quite elderly is my understanding so it may be that the additional funding could allow us jointly with the military department to recruit. The honor guard teams to provide these graveside honors services but I haven't done the research yet to know that. That's good thank you circle up on that six fifty one. Or is that. Okay sorry. Sir you're recognized at high right here can can ROTC programs participate in the. There's a certification program so that it is possible that they could but they would have to go through that certification program to do that. What I would think that that would be a really great thing if we can get all of the ROTC programs that are existing in the State of Arkansas to be certified to do that that would be an excellent service that they can provide for the state of Arkansas and for the veterans so if you could research that and specifically get back to me about that I'd like to know what that certification process is how much money it would cost and how we could actually give a grant to those high school ROTC programs to fill that role. Thank you will do thank you. All right thank you With that do we have any other questions. Thank you for your time so circle back to this is B. two a through the I've got a motion to approve I've got a second all those in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries a C. one. Thank you Mr chairman C. one these are the fiscal year twenty two requests for American rescue plan appropriation. At the first sign is on page two it's C. one eight this is university of Arkansas Monticello it's two point five million to reimburse for lost tuition housing and meal plan revenue next item is on page five this is the school for the deaf it's nineteen thousand to offer high quality some learning activities next item is on page six this is C. one C. department of finance administration disbursing officer this is a hundred eight million to distribute local fiscal recovery funds to cities with populations less than fifty thousand to meet local needs. the next items on page eight this is department commerce division of workforce services this is an A. R. T. steering committee award it's two point four million it is to improve unemployment insurance with strength in nineteen the season identity verification fraud detection data management cybersecurity an overpayment recovery Mr those are all the fiscal year twenty two requests for a RP. I thank you members twenty questions on item C. one eight. B.. All right see. D. okay any questions on C.. Okay. Brown one arm this time. Senate you're recognized and then if you can go ahead turn your mind off turn it back on and get you will get day of thank you Mr I would just like to ask whether or not they've identified the cities that this money would be distributed to the one hundred and eight dollars. Is there formula that works off of and if so can you comment come on up and just kind of make a few comments on it. Melanie Hey slow department of finance and administration I'm the million is the are pretending for the non entitlement units we got that same amount a year ago the fed's dictate how that a justice first it goes out to cities that are cities and towns that have a population of fifty thousand unless and so that's a lot of our cities and towns but it is based upon population and then the budget is authored the city's budget is also taking into account. Thank god this announcmenet last year as well and this is just the second trying to as the feds have referred to it there was to try to send their identical. Follows. So specific so I guess my question is have you to determine what the amount have you already determined the announcmenet that the city will receive yes ma'am yes ma'am okay this is based on a formula it is based upon a formula of population first and then budget submitted by the city's first specific time span that was required under the armpit addons for this bucket of money and have you already decided you have a list of the announcmenet yes yes ma'am is that something that you can share with us yes ma'am I do believe so thank you. I thank you. Senator Teague when it you might begin in this is on it with any other questions on. A. B. or C. C. number going to go to the center you're recognized. Thank you Mr this can be for. Division workforce services. If you could just go and recognize yourself for the committee and center then you'll be recognized for a question thank you. Jim Dotson chief of staff department commerce. Courting trailer division of workforce services Morning hallway over here to your left Bank during the legislation we passed piece of legislation that would allow for a percentage to be taken off I think of the unemployment fund in order to pay for a new program is that what this is. It said it is a different. no Sir that was for you modernization and we currently have about twelve million that we've accumulated for that purpose and that is that is not for a this is for fraud detection and prevention that was awarded by the department of labor to all the states they had to present an application for it and how they're going to spend it and so this these funds are specifically for that where is the money and that you're referring to is for the are you a modernization project okay and then it seems like a member about four years ago correct prior to the pandemic the department was actually going through an upgrade and doing some things to modernize at that time and if I remember right that project got put on hold is that is this the same would this have been the same project it was put on hold about four years ago or is that different or do you have a recollection of that. At the center I think that predates both of our times I don't think it's the same this is a new initiative that specifically coming out of the pandemic because of all of you are for all that to all the states experienced on that and what is our current dollar value of the fraud that we've experienced through that do you have that by chance I do not we can get that to you if you wouldn't mind please I'd like to get that thank you Mr. I thank you do we have any other questions all right seeing none of I need a motion to approve item seeing. C. one a through D. I've got a second all those in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries a C. two. Thank you Mr chairman C. two these are the fiscal year twenty three requests for American rescue plan first time is on page three this is C. to a southern Arkansas university six point eight million to cover payroll make improvements to H. VAQ roofing in network infrastructure and make emergency grants to students next item's page five C. to be universe Arkansas little rock one point four million to spend a grant from the US small business administration for a community navigator pilot program. The next item is on page. Page ten this is C. two C. universe Arkansas Monticello two point seven million to reimburse for lost revenue. Page thirteen C. two D. universe Arkansas pine bluff twenty one point eight million to make H. back upgrades improved facilities make grants to students and Constructability with health services. Next item is age sixteen this is C. two E. university of central Arkansas hundred sixty one thousand to make emergency grants to students and to make improvements to air quality next item is C. two F. this is page nineteen university of Arkansas community college at hope Texarkana a little over two million sixty thousand to make grants to students reimburse for lost revenues pay for technology incomplete H. FAQ upgrades next item is C. two G. this is page twenty two university or clocking college of Batesville one point eight billion to improve IT infrastructure make grants to students reimbursed for lost revenue C. two H. is on page twenty five as national park colleges for for a four point one million and to establish five positions is to pay for technology ventilation upgrades in the salaries and match for positions related covid related cover spots. Next item C. two I. page twenty nine this is for the next three C. to live through C. two case for Philips community college at the university of Arkansas for signs of the million seventeen thousand the nexus one point one million in the last ones tuition four thousand and these are to make grants to students for institutional funds for salaries are pretty expenses into strength in predominately black institutions. The next iPhone will be on page thirty six and this is for the next two items of C. two L. and see to its own Page thirty six and thirty seven it's University of Arkansas Fort Smith the first one is two point eight million the next one is nine point one million and this is to make grants to students support operations of great facilities and recover lost revenue. The next item is on page. Page forty four C. two E. N. Z. Department Education Division of elementary and secondary education it's five hundred million to safely reopen sustained operations schools and to address the impact of the end of the pandemic. These items into ozone page forty seven this is part of education school for the deaf it's two hundred five thousand and one position is to provide safe and healthy learning environments address lost instructional time in support educators and staff stability and well being. Next item. This is page fifty three C. two P. department finds initiation budget management services ninety five thousand two X. to spend expanding the public health workforce grant to advance opportunities for Arkansas for Kansans the intellectual and developmental disabilities CT cues paid fifty five as for department health one point eight million to expand home visiting activities for maternal infant early childhood disease grant recipients. C. two R. is pictured seven this is costs are community college university of Arkansas one point six million to pay expenses for PP student aid mental health wellness Caporali and technology. Next item the C. two S. this is department of commerce Arkansas Economic Development Commission it's a million dollars to identify sites for new projects into analysis conduct economic impact and do a manufacturing workforce needs assessment of the next item C. two C. was pulled basis request is been replaced if you will to supplement agenda this is supplemental agenda to. There's only one item on the agenda Senator a rescue plan request the department of commerce this is what replace the one that was pulled Agency request it's for five million for economic development it's to address the need for broadband service in the areas of Arkansas that are still unserved and underserved. This year those are all the twenty three quest for make rescue plan preparation. I thank you members thank you for that seat forty five. This you're recognized thank thank you Mr I have a question on the University of Arkansas at little rock and then at the proper time I also have one question for does he. I'm gonna do this one buy one get a good one other new Q. some ago one through one look at it that way we don't calling people back and forth so as your question is in which one the the first one is the navigator pilot program for university of Arkansas little rock thank you give me the I'm sorry that's a second okay second what was your other the other one was does the by. The department of education. In in. the. Yes okay our members to have any questions on to a. All right and then your up your question on to be which is university of Arkansas little rock with anybody here to answer questions. If you could go ahead recognize yourself you're recognized for a question Johnny Lee from University of Arkansas at little rock. Mexicana thank you so I'm just wonder if you could tell us what a community navigator pilot program is and the kind of follow up to that is it for creating a pilot program understanding this is one time funding what would be the plan going forward once these funds are exhausted. Sure and this is actually the second appropriation we got one last year for this so this is the second half of the the charge from the SBA to spend this so we started the project last year it was a covered specific or resiliency project that came out of SBA for states to to help small businesses that were still struggling with COVID problems and placement issues and things like that so what it does is is as group a number of community development organizations around the small businesses across the state so that in in in specific areas with their specific problems that the organizations in those areas can help those small businesses so you'll see in the information that we're partnering of part of the funding goes out to the state chamber of several other community organizations that are across the state cooperative extension is in another one of those and to work specifically with the small businesses in their and their areas across the state so it is a network a project it is a pilot and I think the idea is is that this works in this sort of a clustering effect to support the small businesses then additional funding would potentially be put out for of for this type of a project to to to continue I mean a lot of lessons learned from covert or how to do better in working in using resources so our small business development center is the key there the lead on this project they're very well known as you know across the state in the work they do so if this works then there could be a continue project where we continue to drawing community organizations to work with small businesses and it would be additional funding the money doesn't go to the businesses per se it goes through these coaches to help the business would that be correct correct primarily at yes and so there are as you know small business development center they have offices around the state already and so those are sort of the. The the conduits for permission out this new assistance and just working with a small business with new needs that they've now come here to have because of COVID related and struggles and and then finally on this will there be any kind of report come back two years yourself and us that tells us what the effectiveness whether this was an effective expense of owning we will be required to report back to the small business administration on how the impact of this I worked and I'm very glad to bring that back for you all to see as well right thank you thank you for any if you could just committee is just anecdotally maybe. Three six six you know success stories off of this project we were we went out there was business struggling these entities entertained and brought them back to life or whatever it may be I'm I'm assuming you've already done some reporting rule would be in the second I don't have that specifically in front of me I'm not the one that makes the record of but I know that you know a big issue was employee recruiting and so we've had some your successes in helping small businesses reach out to potential employees and new marketing ways that's one thing we've done with the fines there were a lot of small farm of problems with that small businesses and just helping the farmers access additional act money and things like that that they hadn't had before but if you want to specific businesses examples I can get that back with you to be great we come in on Friday and if maybe you can have a couple of examples what we're exactly doing because it seems pretty Yes Jessica circulation of three of how this thing actually plays out yes I'm sure they've they've been doing this since last year I apologize I just can't name a specific business today but we can very very glad to get that back before you don't have to name a specific business but if you're going to give examples of how you help the specific challenges meanwhile I'm not asking to name names submitted from the program but I would like to know how we actually reached out in a minute you know beyond helping the organizations that are supposed to be helping which it. That could be the out and get some examples on the numbers of employees or whatever acted okay. To the your record recognized thank you just a quick question as I'm looking at this in under the grants and aid category eight hundred fifty nine thousand is that money that's going directly to these businesses is there an application process no Yes there is and I don't I'll bring those details back Friday too so you can see exactly what a small businesses looking at their we are paying for staff and and work going on organizations at the state chamber in the committee vote corporation so they're they're all getting a subcontract with this to hire additional coaches and employees but some of them for that the money is going out to small businesses as well if you could could you bring us a list showing you know what moneys been awarded and then with that application process looks like so far yeah I am because I see the salaries I mean they're on as a separate line sure looks like that almost nine hundred thousands going directly to businesses let and let me point this out to that you know this is for the upcoming year this in this our this what you're looking at today so this is the intended announcmenet for that well you'll probably want to here's what we did last year so I try to bring some of that Ford I say you can see the actual because we did have an appropriation for the first part of this life and this and this past year that be great I'm assuming it looks similar to this with that grants and I think as I yeah I don't I don't have that pulled up for me but yes I think it's very similar amount correct thank you. Hi thank you any other questions on this item all right seeing none I'm gonna go through these represent Springer. In okay I'm gonna go through so we've got to on in I'm gonna go through the rest of them and then I'll call you if we get to we don't have one before then so be I'm sorry to see. D. E.. F.. G. H. I J. K. L. M.. And you're recognized representative you win. I can remember what number you have is not look. Thank you Mr and I guess this would be a question for the Department I would like to know these A. R. P. grants whether or not they've identified the school districts that would receive these grants. And the criteria that will be utilized to open or toward I'm pretty sure they're going to say federal but we wouldn't I would like to know specifically what that criteria aw so with that yes we have some with the department of education because I think you're gonna have that maybe a couple other questions. Is recognized yourself for the committee and you're recognized restate your question make sure onset of action okay so. Thanks to Greg Rogers department education good morning everyone okay so the grants have you identified have did you receive that you at I take it that you probably receive applications from different school districts have you and if so what the district I know you probably don't know right off hand but I occurs no the districts and then the criteria that's being utilized in and then I guess the final question is is there a deadline for the distribution of this money five hundred million dollars so yes ma'am so what this is is we have we had this is the answer funds what we had three rounds of the AS one as a two and then a R. P. funds those grant funds where are distributed under the title one allocations of federal funds so these are federal funds that are given out the S. R. one funds the deadline for them or is this this December December twenty had had obligated by September and expended by December twenty two there's about two million dollars left in that bucket so that expense not ninety eight school districts are expensive ninety percent of that the second round of S. or to funds have a the deadline for those is December of twenty twenty three and there's about a seventy eight percent remaining of that of twenty three percent remaining of that fun and then the A. R. P. funds the big the biggest one that was a billion dollar start out they have about twenty three percent spent on that one because those funds don't expire until December twenty twenty twenty four. Follows chair who with who within the department is monitoring that to keep up with all of this is there a specific person that has the responsibility to know what the balances are for each of the yes Sir Lawrence so who is that person and are public school accountability federal programs Department the district had to send in a budget someone that how their plan on using their COVID funds we have a a dashboard of transparency dashboard up on our website that shows by district by fund how much those districts this month spent and so part of the requirement was the ACA had to monitored L. Eads as they're spending these funds additionally as with all other federal funds this is a reimbursement for the school district so that to spend the funds that were reimbursements we check those and was monitor those expenses. Thank you. Thank you. All right seat forty five. Thank you Mr chairman the morning my question is is just a half a billion dollars is a lot of a lot of money can you get us of some examples and I think you already did a little bit of how that money is being spent on or kind of getting past the pandemic and So it it can be spent on anything it was reasonable and necessary for the COVID nineteen pandemic which could be a filtration could be new Bruce H. fax those type things it could be summer school after school anything that would address loss of learning incentive to keep teachers come back and just anything contract tracing cameras the separation that maybe expansion of classrooms to give further distance for students those are just some of the top and things if they can do with it so is there maximum amount or your formula that says the school district has this much this one gets as much this one gets this much or is it first come first serve whoever's got the best you know it was uses can get as much as they want yes Sir it was based author title one allocations so the the the fed said how much each district has has been allocated to them in all the districts know that allocation. Okay so that five hundred every district gets a cut essentially and they can spend it up to that a stop assuming they want to based off their poverty index yes Sir all right thank you thank you Mr so on that one of the things you said was for teacher retention instead of like was one of the options they have he said to keep teachers coming back or something along those lines that which you that some of them did some of their and when the pandemic was going on seventy eight offer incentives if you came back that they would give you a bonus to come back so that was one thing that they did try to to use for teacher retention with anything that would prevent a school district from using their share of this half a billion dollars for you know retention or recruitment of teachers. As long as they address it is reasonable and necessary for that cover nineteen pandemic it has to be tied to the pandemic so couldn't be an on going but a bonus type situation right because you'd be arguing I think we're already arguing teachers that No Code had a big impact on teachers we have you know teachers leaving the field because of what they went through with COVID and so would be a reasonable argument to say that you're going to have to offer some bows and bonuses to be able to maintain your level. Of teachers that you have at this point I understand can't be ongoing but you could do a one time if you chose to do that the district chose to that is a possibility for existing teachers maybe teachers recruitment they could as long as it was a trailer is recognized for covid okay. And then maybe important members we moved forward with some other discussions all right are we done with that CD thirty six and I apologize that's not sure where these are anymore The Daily L. hawk over here representative thank you Mr chairman thank you I just had a question on the ten percent that goes to eighty on their. Half of that money will be for Lost instructional time and then it says accepting proposals for other evidence based programs and interventions with that be something that the school district's will have here shortly to they can apply for those that part of the eighty E. funds yes around work we continue on see how dishes or spin and see how they any additional needs they have for for spending those funds that we will have applications for that okay and then one other question there's three percent of your ten percent which is a hundred twenty nine or twenty seven million would be out toward emergencies but also vaccine incentives what do you all see as vaccine incentives so that was on our regional budget that we had to wear if there was a need to have a vaccine clinic to can make sure that people are still getting vaccinated for COVID nineteen that we could help set up vaccine clinics to go on how that incentives work would be a case by case situation I guess so do you see that on going then I don't know right now that we have anything planned for that I have to check but I don't know of one thank you. I thank you with any other questions for the permits cation all right seeing none cinnamon recognized you for the kind of the overall question the higher it I think. You're recognized for your questions thank you same way with higher ed here they could answer questions. Yeah. If you could just go ahead recognize yourself for the committee and you're recognized for a question Nick fuller in system director for a division of higher education. Morning I've been flipping through the request from the higher ed institutions not singling them out but one of them made the statement that they will of exhausted all the remaining her three funds another one made the statement that the reason they're needing money is because they intend to distribute emergency grants to students during the fall spring and summer semesters of twenty two twenty three academic year from the American rescue plan which that if I'm not mistaken has even occurred yet but their intent is to distribute money on the justification that its emergency status so I have have a couple two full questions one is What what are you doing or what is the office of higher education to work with the higher ed institutions to prepare them that this money is going to be going away and if they're hedging money to future projected needs that we don't know for sure really there to they get there but that's what the plan and spend the money for how what is the department doing to work with them to make sure that when all this money goes way they're not going to come back to us expect us to shore up. So we we do have ongoing conversations with the the CFO's and me with the member every month having discussions on various. Things that go on throughout the course of business and in discussions on those one time funds and for the the explanation the in the emergency use of funds that's that's the classification of what the student grants or because that's it's the emergency student. Aid is that the title of that fund is not. Strictly for emergency the emergency was that the cover nineteen pandemic is what what those are called emergency student funds for but there are some that that it's just on a case by case basis depending on the institution how much that worded each of the students throughout the year so there are some that still have funds remaining because the first two years the use the her wanted her to fund so now they have that her three in the R. but preparations have funding from that to still distribute to students. Okay and similar to the the K. through twelve they have until the end of twenty twenty four to to distribute those funds N. one follow up Mr thanks. I guess the phrase that caught my attention is that they are already predicting that in twenty to twenty three academic year that there is a there's going to be up justification of merging sea status to be able to use that money on what basis are they predicting that there's going to be emergency needs given the fact that. We're not there yet and lesser predictors are showing something they give some justification what would those be but they feel strongly they could do that. I don't have that as a good explanation for you on that individual case for the the upcoming year that you know that that is the the year coming up beginning in August. They're planning for for the academic year but I would have to work with that institution to see what they're. What they're seeing but I've I've not heard anything on a plan for an emergency that would be coming up to happen in the in the upcoming academic year. Okay okay with health line thank you Mr. Thank you. And I believe that's all of our questions for C. two. All right I need a motion to approve the island see to a through S. I've got a motion about a second all those in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries and then when you pick up this one supplemental. All right members we're gonna go ahead and take up the second supplemental agenda that is the part number it was. So I need to okay so we need to have a separate vote to make a motor on it are there any questions on the supplemental supplemental to agenda. All right seeing nine I've got a motion to approve of it on a one I've got a second all those in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries. Just to double down to make sure I make a little bit keys on the first supplemental agenda at item eighty one we did cover that but I don't think I listed that in what we approved and so I need need a motion to approve supplemental agenda item a one I've got a motion to get a second all those in favor signify by saying aye All opposed motion carries all right to go. Are they mature in section D. now these are the fiscal year twenty three infrastructure investment and jobs act requests. The server in C. three. C. threes if this year twenty three mechanistically continuation requests. Of all items on the schedule were reviewed earlier this fiscal year agencies on this list requesting to continue projects since the new fiscal year that starts in July statute to make sure all continuation outs are at or below what was a request in fiscal year twenty two so all total agencies requesting over a hundred and seventy four million and spinning authority and seven positions they were originally increasing fiscal year twenty two to continue into fiscal year twenty three. Members many questions on C. three. All right seeing none of that a motion to approve the going to second all those in favor signify by saying aye All those opposed motion carries section D.. The foreign section the this is the fiscal year twenty three infrastructure investment jobs act D. one is for department energy environment this is Division pop if environmental quality is eight hundred nine thousand to make payments to the low income home energy assistance program next page is the two it's again Division cardinal quality is thirty two point eight million this is cover expenses of the weather is ation assistance program. And the three is public safety division Arkansas state police it's twenty four point four million ants to provide a coordinated national highway safety programs reduce traffic crashes deaths injuries and property damage Mr those are all the options request thank you members we have any questions on the R. D. one three three I think I do real quick with the Department energy and environment. If you could just recognize yourself for the committee. Good morning April golden chief of staff in a. Our spring chief administrator energy and environment in writing programs thank you Sir I just real quick so in particular due to the thirty one million dollars it's for grant in aid I mean it what is this program look like it has to be carried out and how we make our constituents aware of what you're doing in house or accept or what what is the what is the program. Williams is. It's whether safe if there's it's an existing program that any manages now. Energy Office it has been receiving. Five million dollars a year annually for the program to the ongoing long time. It's on our web page we work through the CA's at the local level. This funding as is to increase that current funding up to about six million year for the next five years what kind of the one with the same program we're doing just a large it what what is the requirements for qualification who qualifies for the program of their the error is a application process to go through is based on income okay and there's certain amount set for how much you can receiving your grant and what you can apply for thirty two million in this particular increase will actually expand the program to an additional service it was the weather Is homes of the weatherization stripping insulation the attic but if the home was not ready for that in the repairs roof leak something like that. In this program as additional a part of it. The weather's ation ready and so some of the funds will be used to I think it's up to eight thousand. Dollars per home. To prepare that home to receive the approval weather's ation so. What what is the income threshold just as a. I'm not sure off the top of my head with the with the guys to get some information for Friday on that and then also so then you're saying it it it's expanding to deal with the envelope the home to correct before weather station and there's regulations at the we is put out for all the application in all of this all the way to the qualification that's all the of the specific and we're just directly administering the program or correct we have reviewed any of the or do we have the ability to change any of the work program under the rules and all of its under their rules road if we don't take any latitudes one trying not sure I'm asking all right and then you know we're bumping it from a five million dollar program to a thirty one million that will thirty six million dollar program then well it'll be it's a five in our program annually it'll go to eleven million dollars annually thirty two means over five years over five years okay what what is our typical Spender we spending all of those funds remaining on the five mean we get now okay it you get so how does someone become aware they just have to know about the program and find it on I've never seen it I've seen energy advertise about their weather station programs or you know of you know a utility company but I've not ever seen. Advertising or act have you become aware of it most of this is is run through the community action groups witcher's of fifteen of thanked those in the in the state that's where I'm going okay pretty well reach out reach and if take care of the as a pick and choose who qualifies and who doesn't there's an application process you have had a from applicants the applicant basically are coming into them unless they do outreach on the road okay so you have a program or web page but the average is done by the CA I'm gonna just go on a limb and say that we probably need to at the wedding will take a look at the program you've got a substantial amount of money that's not going to go through it you're telling me there's fifteen organizations that administer it and it's up to them how they advertise which means there's no guarantee that there's even a a fair shake to the consumer who probably who may or may not know about it depending on what the relationship was with this organization. I think with the expansion I I would like to better understand how you all measure the outcomes for these programs okay because I if I'm hearing you correctly all kind of just put it off to the fifteen organizations divvied up the money somewhere another with them and then they do what they got see fit they advertise how they see fit and provide the services as they see fit is that fair because application process does need to go three. Well they have to comply with those organizations at the complied with you we regulation but I understand what you're saying that the additional outreach to ensure that does occur how much of those organizations allowed to key minute how much of it has to go through what you know true weather is ation versus their salaries and overhead being organization. I'm gonna be honest I'm not exactly sure the percentage but there is a percentage that is determined by the DOE with regard to administrative costs so they they're not allowed to take more than that that meant that maximum to those organizations have to contract with other entities to provide the services are they allowed to hire within their own organization to do weather is ation themselves they contract with that independent vendors to do the actual work but we don't know how those those mentors are selected or anything along those lines. I am not sure how that occurred yeah I think you understand where I'm going I understand we and I mean I I'm if I'm hearing things correctly we probably don't have a ton of oversight and now we bumped it up to a significant program not that it wasn't before but we're doubling it annually so if again we need some information for Friday I'd like to better understanding if we don't get enough information on Friday I probably ought to hold off so I could just see it and we need to issue here with the. Availability and favoritism in all kinds of things that make along with that but totally understand yep seek forty five I'm not even trying to call nine thank you Mr your eyes actually just pulled up the the webpage in its eligibility is two hundred percent party supporters order currently currently as a my questions actually for state police all right we'll come to that we have anymore four ACT you're recognized thank you and that's I think to Senator Dismang point you know I live in a completely different part of the state that he does can you tell me in north central northeast Arkansas what one of those C. A. A.'s who is it. I think we have to get the actual program staff okay the question okay then at that just to keep going with that I'd like to see for Friday a breakdown of those fifteen CA Sir and see what amount of money has been spent by each day so I can see where that money's been distributed across the state no problem okay thank you. You have anyone else with questions for them while they're at the table. What's the number you. All right. All right you're recognized thank you madam chair I just want to follow up on madam chairman to request that information be broken down by county. And provided on Friday. Thank you. All right C. twenty seven. Thank you thank you Mr I'll pass you all listen very good questions and thank you for your questions chairman and madam chairman thank you so much thank you and then. Senator hammer you on this one. You're on for three okay. All right do we have any other questions for energy and environment seeing none and I think we'll get to that when we get to the motions but I think we'll probably about my intent at this point is that we probably will receive a motion saying that we're going to go ahead and referred Adam D. to to committee but not with approval let that be taken up by the full ALC. With a. Yeah. All right Senator Hammer you're recognized for a question of state police. Thank you. Thank you. And if you could just go ahead recognize yourself for the committee and then you're recognized for your questions Senator thank you. Good morning I'm John Smith CFO for our public safety. I'm Bridget white I'm the administrator of the Holly safety office. Thank you this is a city five thousand nose down at the bottom of the sheet be utilized for program in a cost which includes salaries matching operating expenses is this creating a new position within the department or is just going to be folded into an already existing position at the department. What you're reading is documentation that was from last month's a request what's happened here is we've always had the highway safety program a state police and and it's always been federal we have the appropriation. We just found out that the funding had changed from highway safety funding to infrastructure so the seventy five thousand you're seeing is what we requested in Napier and we just didn't get it corrected on the June agenda which were asking for twenty four million. An appropriation to operate the program in FY twenty three. And the twenty four million what will get us or can you give us a brief description of what it's gonna look like and does it does it applied to the description of the purpose and goal is given to us on the she paper we've gotten our hand out. You should have a description of that describes our entire highway safety program which funds how we safety projects for public awareness of data collection I selective traffic enforcement projects and Training projects for law enforcement and for the public on installation of child safety seats the description I have before me I I can provide that to you but it was supposed to go with that package that is before you today I apologize for the error That is our entire how the safety program that we get appropriated every year is just transferring from fast Act funds to the new infrastructure funding. Okay so this is this is a just a continuation of what's already there yes about twenty four million our last question would be this I've got the I. thirty construction project down in my neighborhood and it is one this had a significant amount of accidents within the construction zone causes huge problems down our way and to the highway department we've had several meetings I appreciate that my question is how much of this is focused on construction zone safety versus safety outside of the construction zones and and how is it going to be used to help improve the situations that are occurring in the in the construction zone colluding the the death of highway department workers and just accidents in general. All right now we're working with our dot to fund their slow down down down campaign which started being ripped really active this month with advertising that is being paid for out of our house safety program. That is one thing that we're doing we're also increasing enforcement of through finding through how to highway patrol to do overtime enforcement in and around the work signs. I'd like to get a list of the number of tickets that have been issued in construction zones please and I'll get off line with you but I'd like to get that please thank you thank you Mr. I thank you senator you're recognized. No I we moved over to just gonna do number sorry you're recognized. Is there something that we get that shows the difference in prior years. Such is in what you're going into with the fans. when we read the bill the changes have. Our under line so we can tell what changed. Okay I would I could probably make heads or tails of a lot of what the whole package getting. But what I would like to see is when they're changing coming down and this time we're living in. From the federal government. I'd like to know of any major additions or changes is there somewhere I can go to the website or is there something I can request. To see because I have found out over the years some things that agreed to that may be a good idea but they've got some complications. That it causes and concerns that causes. that people agree to to get federal money. So my question is is there something we can see before we approve things in council. What has changed from previous. Grants. I could I could provide something to you I that shows if there were any changes from prior years to the current you're not changed you know with it. Pretty well there aren't any difficult changes are from fast Act two infrastructure other than there are a couple of new grant programs that are going to become available to us but we've not received implementing record regulations on those grant funds yet so we don't know what the requirements will be or how to apply for them yet and I think that some of the problem because sometimes we agreed to a program and it's not even defined. Some but I'm not saying in this instance but I think sometimes we find out more details later but I I some of this I get into and it's not again not this but in the ticketing requirements in in things that affect everyday consumers may be a good idea for safety but I sometimes I'd like to know in advance what we're supporting. And we don't find out of later that the public's putting up with certain things that may be overzealous are are are really. Heavy handed but it's required to get that public safety calendar to add that's my question I I just like an over G. major changes come up thank you. All right thank you. Members with any other questions for the one three three. I've seen none I've got a motion to approve items the one and three. And hold item D. to. We have a motion and a second all those in favor signify this. Your credit card it'll go out but yep the full a LC could bring it back up if we adopt the report as it is it'll be held that they have the ability to come and will be notified to come on Friday to answer any questions if we need to go ahead and. If we're able to go ahead and move that forward come full information. Right. Any other questions on the motion seeing them again motion the second all those in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries. Section any. Thank you Mr chairman section the these are the twenty three cares appropriation requests. The first item you want is department finance administration disbursing officer it's two hundred ninety two thousand to process payments for C. T. H. for fees associated with the grants management relation to the business interruption grants the next item was a letter from department public safety this is two different quests ones for division of Arkansas State Police the other was for the public safety department it's a hundred sixty thousand to update a criminal justice information system for state police and to obtain application work full system for the crimes victims reparations board at the department sure those roller quest. Members to any questions on items B. one through three. Seeing none of got a motion to approve I've got a second all those in favor signify by saying aye aye those opposed motion carry section F.. Thank you Mr section of our the reallocation of resources request for DHS of the first ones for fiscal year twenty two for flexibility special in which allows the department to make for you allocations in the fiscal year and this is the fourth one for fiscal year twenty two the first table this is on the fourth page that packet it shows appropriation transfers within divisions and totals approximately one point six million the only transfer from the division of aging adult beaver Health Services progression and that's for a drug or alcohol abuse prevention is to the administrative pain account property expenses they think this has used property expenses at the Arkansas state hospitals and health the Arkansas Health Center in for adults protective services the next transfers or on the positions it shows transfer of a positions between the divisions primarily to assist in providing services within the facilities or Marnie or monitoring facilities of the next request it's for fiscal year twenty three. And this is all in Page eight of that packages and that schedule shows the first tables of the proposed transfers within divisions and tells parks in nine point two million there are two transfers nearly six point two million for the division the council operations from there are for instance is line item to regular salaries and that's also personal services matching and that's to support personnel because of the implementation of the GS O. one zero five salary grid for the twenty seven and for the twenty seventeen to twenty three the other transfers three million for the Division of Youth Services and that's from the residential services preparation to the federal child and you services grants appropriation and that's for possible federal funds for an intensive in home program the next table shows transfers between divisions and there is a transfer a little over a hundred fifty thousand regular salaries from the division of aging and that's to the division the council up rations as a socio to nurse positions move to assist with long term care the last transfers show position for answers and it transfers thirty positions between divisions primarily to continue the requests were made in the three previous re allocations they were made clear twenty share those are all the real age. Thank you I Senator Hammer M. seven DHS all right to have someone from DHS here to answer a couple questions. You could just go and recognize yourself for the committee and then senator you're recognized for your question. Thank you Sir Clark one fourteen services. Misty Eubanks CFO for the department. Which the positions I try to catch up real quick the positions of the movement of the positions could you just explain that real quicker talk about that part of it was mentioned in this. Sure this is a tool that we use so we would need in the division for a particular grade level position of that division doesn't have it we can move it over for the Division and that way we don't have to create new positions to create needs as they develop divisions we just use what we have existing and just broken trust partnership just the cost of that position transfer from safe you move on from one division to the other it it moves over to the other position is that or the other Division right yes does that leave a vacant position at the Division which it just left or is it the numbers move with the numbers move with them okay and so are there any are there any positions that are filled that are budgeted across the agencies or is that issue within DHS we we do have a budget to positions in the agency yes Sir you know about how many of those you have. I don't know off the top of my head but I can certainly get that number for you and the and the dollar value and and and I guess my question also is maybe broken down by which division does fill but on budgeted positions are we can get that for I will tell you that the majority of them by members correct our with our facilities where they've got extra positions are available from budgeted but in the event that we do have those needs and the facilities that we quickly move me those like human development center or yes down there Haskell Arkansas House of those the institutions yes Sir okay our thank you thank Mr. Thank you to have any other questions. Seeing none of the motion to approve items F. one and two got a motion to get a second I was in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries section G.. The mission this is the fiscal year twenty three appropriation and or fund transfer request this is an approval item this is for the department of health Arkansas minority health commission its request to transfer twenty thousand an appropriation from are pretty expenses to promotional items specially would allow the transfer after approval by ailes the according to the letter the promotional items instances are necessary to attract members of the targeted communities health fairs public forums in awareness events. Thank you do I have any questions one item G.. All right seeing none not entertain a motion to approve item G. I've got a motion and a second all in favor aye All opposed nay Motian carries but one item age. Thank you madam chair inspection H. these are the twenty three restrict reserve fund transfer recommendations there's only one items for department public safety Arkansas state police its request to transfer three million in funding from the researchers are funds set aside that's for purchase of state police vehicles. Thank you do I have any questions on item H.. All right seeing none I've got a motion to approve in a second all in favor aye. Opposed nay the ads have a motion carries out of high thank you ma'am sure this is our last approval item this is the state Central Services deduction quest for fiscal twenty three it's a letter from the CFO in request maintaining the two point one percent deduction on general and special revenues to fund those agencies supported by the state Central Services Fund Arkansas Code requires a CFO to determine the appropriate percentage deduction that's between two and three percent and then obtain approval for male C. the letter notes the department will monitor revenues to determine if the deduction could be lowered to two percent sometime during the next fiscal year. All right thank you. I've got chair twenty seven. You're recognized thank you madam chair good morning I just know that this letter is not sign signature. I'm kind of a the evaluator and signed letters. Need to be need to have a signature thank you well let Mr author notes make sure you sign these moving forward Act are there any other questions on item I. All right seeing none I have a motion to approve and a second all in favor aye opposed nay the ads have a motion carries Adame J.. I'm sure we're now on the review section of the agenda this is another preparation transfer requests. This is for the public defender commission the Arkansas Commission for parent council it's request to transfer thirty thousand from extra help to legal to a legal services line item a special angel as a transfer after prior review by L. C. elects planes L. No longer add new extra help attorneys and will dedicate the extra preparation to contract reimbursements were funds are better utilized I thank you members of any questions on J. one. All right seeing none item J. one is reviewed without objection. Thank you Mr chair in section K. now these are cash fund preparation quest the first one K. one is the fiscal year twenty two requests and K. one et is south Arkansas community college the hundred twenty five thousand is to cover increased extra help expenses and now we're gonna go to the supplemental engine of this the last cash request on the supplemental agenda. This is B. one in the first agenda foreseeable diligent it's for such a salary. Southern Arkansas university is for two point one million it's to pay higher than normal insurance and operating expenses. Sure those are all the twenty two requests for yes. All right thank you members to have any questions on. K. one et or the supplemental the one. All right seeing none without objection both of those items review. Thank you sharing Katie no these are the fiscal twenty three cast progression increase request of the first one is a letter from the department of labor licensing This Is KTBS aids on page ten this is for the Arkansas athletics Commission it's two hundred eighty nine thousand to cover reduction funding caused by the pandemic KGB's page three is public health board of examiners and speech language pathology and audiology it's six thousand to pay for additional extra help due to grow the number of licenses he too sees page for the VA Veterans homes one point three million to cover operational costs related to staffing and residents needs Katie diesem page five it's Veterans Affairs this is twenty thousand to pay operating costs for the cemetery. Key to ease page six it's department correction and one point nine million to private to provide mental health services at the East Arkansas regional unit K. two F. is personagens towards on this is forty thousand to increase data availability in the Arkansas heritage database for the national heritage commission this is a key to Jesus Page eight of persuasion towards on natural heritage two hundred thousand to do habitat restoration management enhance access actually areas filled research equipment pretzels in land acquisition G. two H. page non heritage tourism natural heritage hundred eighty thousand to spend proceeds from timber harvests over several years and from non federal grant awards. On page ten is key to IT this is percentage towards again historic preservation program eighty seven thousand is to provide salary match for the program coordinator of the federal in Arkansas tax credit program the letter explains funny as provided by the recently enacted Arkansas historic rehabilitation income tax credit sure those are all of the fiscal year twenty three cash requests thank you. I representive you're recognized for a question. Yes thank you Mister chair I have a question for Katie to elf I'm not sure I understand what's meant by. The first here yes. Do we have anybody here from parterres answer questions. Because you're not to be around. He could just go ahead and recognize yourself again for the committee and you are welcome for a question since. Good morning I'm Leslie Fisk and she's of Legislative Affairs. And I'm sent the item of CFO for the parks and parks heritage and tourism thank you Mr chairman my question is on the K. two F. what is meant by the you have here these funds would be used for contract work to increase the amount of data on elements of concern howls in the Arkansas heritage database what are elements of concern. I'm not sure that I can give you specific information about what those elements are processed specific division in our department of heritage hi my understanding from what they have a database that they tracked to keep up with information concerning the natural areas that they manage and so I don't know with this specific elements are that they keep up with in that database but they are required because the managing those natural areas to keep up with certain information like the species that are there at the plant life and those types of things we can get more specific information if you would like I think I would miss her so you're able to answer that areas of concern what other I'm. And my answer would be the same as as Cynthia it's the areas that they're managing the the habitat areas dealing dealing with the species in that area but we can get specifics for you thank you I appreciate. Thank you members we have any other questions. All right seeing none any objections. Seeing none Adams Katie two eight through five will be reviewed without objection. K. three. Thank you Mr K. three or the continuation requests for conspiratorial similar to the other continuations all items in the schedule reviewed earlier this fiscal year agencies on this is requested to continue projects into the new fiscal year that starts in July staff check to make sure all amounts are at or below is requested in fiscal year twenty two and so all total agencies requesting six point one eight million in spending authority that was originally increase in fiscal year twenty two to continue into fiscal year twenty three. All right members to any questions on K. three. C. thirty six. Thank you Mr chairman I just wondered of where the women and children's first of the family peace center is being constructed. At it so it just under DFA disbursing officer doesn't have a. For the item number ten of the continuation is yes right of a tenant to defer that to the agency. Just if there could be an update on that anybody ever go. You can just recognize yourself again for the committee to think probably a we already have a question. Okay right. Honestly I don't have that information but I am sure we can get that information for you. And I'm Melanie a slip DFA perfect thank you I'd like to follow up on see where that's at yes ma'am. I am perfect thank you members have any any other questions on K. three. Where we. Okay. Can you come back please. I'm sorry I just wanna make sure that I heard that correctly you don't know where it's being built we're about to appropriate money no I don't know I'm sorry I personally do not know I will get that information Paul let frightening yes ma'am. I'll probably send an email this afternoon I just need to get back to my office okay thank you it's already being. Yes. I understand if you can grab that information Senate staffer that will make sure the members members receive and if we don't then. If on Friday okay. Right now we're not. All right so a K. three any other questions. All right seeing ninety objections the objections I'm Cape three is reviewed without objection. Thank you Mr chairman section L. now these are the fiscal year twenty three budget classification transfer request the first one L. one is part of health board of nursing it's seven thousand from my previous is to concentrate will is to accommodate the anticipated increasing conference attendance next one number two is beef council five thousand from confident travel operating expenses instead please preparation the correct line item for travel purposes as the council does not have staff to utilize the conference and travel line item number three is part of agricultural forestry it's a hundred thousand from professional fees are pretty expenses ants to cover increase operating costs. Number four is a transformation share services it's eighteen thousand from kept a professional fees to capital outlay it supports the van for pickup and deliveries of state property number five department of safety's the police five hundred seventy thousand from appurtenances Cappelli is to pay for the move Arkansas move our program that has the site he crash evolving you crime systems and the last one is number six part of agriculture it's a hundred thousand for professional fees are participants is to cover increased operating costs. Thank you representative fight you're recognized I thank you Mr chair I found what I was looking for okay not members to any other questions on the the items and items in section L.. Any objections seeing none all the items in section are reviewed six. Thank you Mr this subsection M. one or the fiscal year twenty two image your quest this is miss lane federal grants the first item number one is department corrections division of community corrections is to establish one positions and appropriations just the position it's a program specialist revive residential substance abuse treatment. And the next item which B. and one B. but standards to its department commerce Arkansas Economic Development shin it's eighteen thousand to implement the creer counselling of workforce training project to address workforce challenges in the state. Any questions. Any questions on in one et or be seen none no objections items in in one or a I'm sorry M. one are reviewed in two. Some members that centers being built in southwest little rock you I want to follow back up for any other questions on that okay all right. Very good thank you. Share in into this is fiscal year twenty three emoji request of the first one is for Department agriculturist three point one million to identify and protect environmentally important private forest lands threatened with conversion to non force users funds are needed to require a seven hundred thirty five acres in the hot springs recharge area. Next item number two is part of Commerce the insurance department hundred sixteen thousand it's your crew hired and trained public health workers response the pandemic number three is part of education's the library seven thousand to provide more hours for extra help they'll be needed for some for the a consumer. Department health is the next one number four six hundred thousand to carry out the national acute stroke program. number five is part of Education Division of higher education it's three hundred twenty one thousand and to establish one position is to carry out national service programs like MLK day of service grants community organizations. Number six is the M. two F. that's a part of Education Division of higher education it's forty seven thousand two spending increase in funding from the Perkins legislation that supports program improvements and professional development number seven is M. two G. depart of Education Division higher education three million to spend an increase in funding for the career pathways initiative program number eight is into H. department Human Services Division county office one point six billion to renovate rehabilitate or convert small buildings for emergency seltzer emergency shelters for the homeless number nine is department can services again vision care of rations one million to support self sufficiency through employment and through employment for able bodied snap recipients number ten is CHS Division can operations again two point four nine million is to accommodate changing the funding for the community services block grant number eleven is into Kate DHS vision care operations one point seven million to increase the likelihood persons eligible for Snapple make healthy food choices number twelve and the just again vision care operations thirty eight thousand two senior staff outreach for those over sixty number thirteen is the chess Division operations six nine thousand to continue mobile snap outreach efforts number fourteen again County operations nine hundred ten thousand is to cover materials million services for staff employment training activities. again Page fifteen this division can operations to sixty thousand is to provide services to help integrate refugees with cash medical assistance and other support services. Number sixteen commerce Economic Development Commission five engine three thousand to work with small and midsize U. S. manufacturers to help create and retain jobs increase profits and save time and money. Number seventeen is department of energy environment this is vinyl quality eight hundred and ninety seven thousand is to spend federal funds provided by the state energy program grant that could not be previously spent two to cover restrictions. number eighteen permit public safety Arkansas crime information center a hundred twenty thousand is to maintain the Arkansas sex offender managing tracking system into S. is number nineteen Department speaking general is ninety nine thousand and to establish one position this is to accommodate an attorney that has been dedicated to the fair housing commission and the M. two T. is the last one is number twenty set apart public safety is three hundred seventy thousand is to complete the upgrade of the sex offender registration system. All right thank you Senator Irvin. No Senator Rice of phone number one part of our culture on partially your legacy program. If you could just go and recognize yourself for the committee and then Senator you're recognized for a question. Joe fox state forester Arkansas department of agriculture forestry division. Induces a key fiscal officer. Thank you Orton gentleman just quick follow up on this is been a multi year. Effort for the area down there what what do you have on the future if you get long term for more and and let me tell you where I'm going with this I mean this has like a hundred thousand state money in it lot of twenty five percent federal are we shorting any other areas of such use There's that that need priorities to to focus on is and if it's that important can you give me just a short deal sure I said and in my opinion we're not shorting other areas we have two areas in the state that we're working on using the USDA far service farce legacy program which is a seventy five twenty five they put up three quarters we put up twenty five percent and that twenty five percent we're coming using monies from the natural cultural resources council we appreciate them quite a bit that's a state function The hot springs recharge area was identified by Geological Survey actually survey of D. O. T. when the extension of the hot springs bypass to the north up toward Jesse bill was a curry and that works going on now. And it was identified that about half of the actual recharge area for the hot springs was in private hands some of which has already been developed and for the for the hot springs to operate there's some fishers as I understand it in the granted in the geology of those ridges and the upper everything above the six hundred and sixty seven foot elevation above that elevation that water has to run through the features to the core of the earth and spew back out as hot springs it actually takes more than a thousand years if you take the head pressure off of the hot springs they could either cool off or stop all together so pavement development Could possibly heard the hot springs himself so we've been working for five years at least to acquire lands in garland county in that area as against about six thousand acres. This particular acquisition is a larger one seven hundred and thirty five acres and that should get us when we close later this year with this one and two others that come from last year as far as legacy that still need to be closed to about three thousand acres or half of our goal so as far as multi years this is willing seller willing buyer. And all of these and we will work aye aye tracks come available will keep on this until we do we acquire all the land we possibly can to protect the hot springs appreciated or taking more time what we're expecting more federal money made in the future yes Sir Danny this okay yes you you've got outline what I want to know that in years sure me there were not slacking on other things you know that that the other places point spring State Fars in from time to time we get an acquisition there thank you for the update. All right representative Johnson. Thank you Mr And the staff might bill answer this the. Number nineteen the department of inspector general for housing commission that attorney. It is that uh. Why is this position being added I guess is it because the. The shared services position was. Paid for a general revenue before. I don't know that a specific answers on this this attorney's been dedicated to fair housing commission I guess out of sheer services that I that the for that agency to get more specific. Is there someone here from the agency. Yes your by here that can help that question. Can we hold this until Friday. Okay that'll be fine what item was that I'm sorry that was the number nineteen. Well yeah. Yes okay. All right Russian hockey a question. Thank you Mr chairman I just wanted to congratulate R. Forster Joe fox and recognize isn't leadership on the national level as president of the national Forster's Association and all the work you've done and and I really think this is a very important conservation project for our state to protect our hot springs and I know you have been working very hard on this and appreciate your just bringing these forward that to see how we as a legislature can help and provide those matching funds for those federal grants to continue to preserve you know important areas of our state so congratulations thank you. Thank you for that do we have and I've got a question on I think it is going back right queue which is energy and environment. Who may left for managing environment. All right good deal. Okay and then. What's that area. And in just real quick so it says it's a continuation of the what is the call of. Yes state energy program grant because it was not able to be utilized during COVID That slowed down is this the anyway associated with what we're talking about earlier. As far as a programmer what's this program do. No this is not related to the weather's ation program. This is a program that the provides funds through energy contracting companies. to increase the energy efficiency. Of facilities and they pay that back with the energy savings to attenuation program for that so who who is the who who's the recipient is beneficiaries or how does that program or when the original the current program of the works with schools works with Institutions in yes but it has to be larger. Subjects the million dollar projects there's a lot of smaller projects that folks do these funds don't cover so that this additional monies will take care of those smaller projects at the finance company is the one deal with for the larger programs actually this money be transferred to F. which will run that the those small projects for. But it's for our governments to yes so it's it's for schools or public entity yes okay thank you. All right so it's just not a seat I'm sorry senator Hammer. It DHS please thank you. You could go ahead just recognize yourself for the committee since it's been a little while then Senator you're recognized for a question thank you thank you Mr Clark what programming services. Very Franklin Department of Human Services division of county operation good morning number fifty it's number fifteen. Currently can you tell us how many refugees that the department is helping. Senator I don't have the specific numbers today I know over the last year we resettled around two hundred but I can get you those specifics and the origin of the two hundred. Can you get that as well and are they legally documented refugees that have come into the state I know there's a concern about the number of folks coming across the border without any checks and balances or these individuals have been vetted that are in the state that were helping yes these are vetted through the state state department and the office of refugee resettlement within the administration for children and families. These have all gone through that process in our here in the country legally an eligible for this program and they are from various countries Senator I would just add to that there are really two groups refugees that we work with there are some refugees from Afghanistan and come over through the federal government facility through their actions that is not a group that we necessarily work with our control over most last week that we work with come from other countries but it's from countries around the world and and how are they referred to you to get the assistance that's offered to them I mean is it through a government agency that they are referred to you and then you pick it up and go from there to help them. So they they are a resettled of through Later in immigration resettlement Services canopy of northwest Arkansas is the Case managing resettlement agencies so that they do the main intake and at DHS we help coordinate services and we also provide if the family is eligible for the cash assistance and medical assistance okay thank you I just want drove the distinction the population you're helping have been that it and yes have been referred from a government institution and and process that way that correct yes Sir yes Sir thank you thank you Mr. Thank you representative Springer is this for this for DHS. I'll. You're recognized thank you I would just like to follow up on Senator Hammer. Question I am familiar with the canopy of Office Arkansas my sorority Beck works with the group so they are persons indefinite the sole thank you off of it so very much for supporting that organization thank you thank you. Are there any other questions for the H. as well we have them at the table. thank you thank you actually I do have not for you guys you're good the State Insurance Department calmer State Insurance Department I had a question on that one. if you could just please state your name for the record. Your last and I'm the director the senior health insurance information program thank you I guess if you could this is item to a or B. on your agenda could you just explain what that sixteen thousand will be used for extra figure how insurance department will be training public health employees. One of the things that we look at when you say that is this is a grant that was written for covered in Medicare. So what we will do is go out and find people that we can train and work with two hundred forty Medicare certified workers throughout the state right now this is the target specific to Medicare and covid one of things that we also look at is a Spanish speaking population. We've just partnered with UAMS and I do have some of the speak Spanish and request Arkansas so we're going to use her to blanket the state and then we're also trying to get in contact with Marshallese it's a very tight knit community and we've not been able to make their way through but we will do that also so when you say this we're gonna sit there and we're going to work hard to make sure people understand how Medicare works of code. Okay thank you are there any other questions while we have him at the table. All right thank you. Have any other questions on any of the items on number M. two. All right. All right one of but we're going to without objection will review items to you a through T. without S. we're gonna hold item is for now so are there any objections to that all right seeing none will mark those items as reviewed. Thank you madam chair on him three now these are the continuation class for twenty three four in its cheese Similar to the other situations all items on the schedule reviewed earlier this fiscal year agencies on this let's requesting to continue projects since the new fiscal year that starts in July statute to make sure all announcer at or below what was requested in fiscal year twenty two and also agencies requesting five hundred sixty six point five million in spending forty eight excuse me and forty positions that were originally increase in fiscal year twenty two to continue into fiscal year twenty. All right thank you members with any questions on in the items in section in any objections no objections items section interviewed. What. I'm mean M. three. The. It was got me. All right what can I go into all right you're recognized to present in. You Mr inspection in this is fiscal year twenty PAYPLAN hold contracts requests again these are items fiscal twenty two the first item for you they committee colleges basically is pulled by institution request the statement requests for cash preparation on the supplemental engine and so that items been pulled the only other items report that the ethics commission took in eighteen thousand or transfer from the transfer of funding from the performance fun due to performance increases in match just. All right thank you we're playing a copy data up here today and are there any questions or objections on item in two in one B.. All right saying none will mark that Adam is reviewed. Renown into these or the request for fiscal year twenty three there's only one division higher education for seventy thousand signatory for extra help for a paid internship program. Thank you are there any questions on item into. Any objections seeing none will mark this item is reviewed. We're now in overtime in fiscal year twenty three overtime this is section over the edge and the others one request for state police forty thousand from time to meet the needs in the crimes against children division. Are there any questions or objections on item of. All right signal mark that is review. Thank you Mr chairman on the report section each of the for support is emergency action board up here and we'll feature is approved an emergency request for twenty two thousand five hundred and pay plan and that was for the division of aeronautics on may thirty first the discovery shortfalls any three The cannot wait for Friday's LC for traditional request the next item is a queue it's report for higher education certification adequate funds an appropriation for Arkansas Code institutions of higher education required to provide an annual certification of adequate funds in appropriations ALC altercation agencies have been submitted to staff this report shows the to each institution was able to certify both adequate funds and spending forty we're in now are these begin the month reports the first one surplus income and distribution report and it shows sources of unobligated funds and then the distributions from the rainy day researchers are in long term reserve funds as of the end may rainy financials nine point five six million distributions in the balance of seven million three six reserve fund shows a hundred thirty three million in distributions an overall balance of eighty seven twenty million total catastrophic reserve fund balance one point two billion are to is the web's the position trust fund report and shows casual loans throughout the school year as being a major ten point eight million in outstanding loans and cash balances a hundred seven three point four million. R. three is tobacco settlement report and it shows summary of income fund balances investments actual payments to the state and on the second page or all expenses by fiscal year. R. four is the center services report and it shows the finance disbursements both expenditures of each agency supported by the fund. R. five the American rescue plan report the first three pages ship the request for approval of the Iraqi Syrian Committee the state has discretion in awarding. Accords the report's being committee has approved seven hundred thirty point six billion requests and remaining balance for preparations eight hundred sixty one million on the fourth page against task eight and that's report of the funds that were sent directly to state agencies from various federal agencies according to this report one point four three billion and appropriations in order for the funds. And the last five pages are tested B. that's report of funds that were sent directly to the institutions of higher education and shows three hundred twenty two point six billion appropriations been awarded so the remaining ballots for preparation for all state agencies and institutions that have direct funding is two point eight billion. And now we're in section as this is the other business this does require an action on June this is for year end adjustments this is a letter from the CFO requesting prior approval of the year in existence to close out the books on fiscal year twenty two without this prior approval Cheshire meals here would have to be on standby throughout the evening of June thirtieth to respond with emergency review should any city council discovered discovered you shorten the last hours the fiscal year according to the letter of the county cannot be cleared unanticipated issues could potentially delay payroll into payments may not process in the loading it's clear Twitter information into aces may be have all impacted operations there questions for prior approval to the budget classification transfers and provide up to one million in both energy in cash corporation any actions taken will be reported to the next meeting. We just. He or. As with this. Okay members any questions on S.. All right seeing none of got a motion to approve got a second all those in favor signify by saying aye All opposed motion carries any other business. Hi members ability did say that he would stick around with his mustache if you would like to get a picture after after today's meeting. I think it's coming off a tipped over enough today. You're recognized. We'll see. Sorry yeah S. got a phone call from miss Elizabeth Smith the inspector general she had a medical procedure this morning but she will be here Friday to answer questions on her she want to make sure that we were aware of that. All right members with any other questions or any other business seeing nine thank you for your time this morning we are Jr.