Joint Budget Committee

We're gonna call Joint Budget order. First item on the agenda is Adam B. one the special language subcommittee report representative Cavenaugh fuel light up identify if you're recognized ma'am thank you Mr chairman Mr chairman this special language subcommittee a joint budget committee met appointed chairman of joint budget on Wednesday March the second makes the following recommendations release of S. B. sixty seven department of commerce from the subcommittee back to the Joint Budget with that I'll make adoption of the report. Placed on the desk okay. I have a motion to adopt the report of a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed. Report is adopted. All right all right members we're going to go to see to this is the. The are are as safe for the Senate. Which is Senate bill one O. one of the house bill eleven seventeen. mistranslated brief description of it. It's all all the of. The Amendment is in the bill with and the bills are in front of both the all. If you have a chance to get down there to it is going to be. C. one C. two. Senate bill one O. one and house bill eleven seventeen the trainers. Thank you Mr chairman I I guess I have I'll tell committee by JBC rule eleven. the RSA has to be placed on the agenda JBC agent a one day prior to which it is considered and that is the action that we're taking at this point preconstruction Mr chairman there's no action necessary on this this is for this is just be placed on the agenda for the committee to see prior to the vote which will take place on Monday. Any questions about the. Revenue stabilization. We need to adopt the amendment. Okay yes right we laid on the deferred affect the rate of them will go to D.. Sir and is Senator Tucker here. Yes. You will go the tables or. So you want. Transdanubia collation then. Search talking identify himself with thank you Mr chairman questions this is a an amendment for the committee to consider is item D. one is by Senator Tucker deserve immense Senate bill one O. seven which is deputy prosecuting attorneys this is for the current fiscal year the supplemental peer bill for the year were in it adds to appropriation sections and one extra help section. Identify yourself senator you're recognized Senator Clarke Tucker for Senate district thirty two. I thank you Mr chairman I'm just really gonna go ahead and present all four Bills at one seventy five they that they're all together essentially the issue here is that the criminal case backlog in Arkansas is really at a crisis level one it's been brought on by the pandemic I want pandemic first arrived in March of twenty twenty there was a hold on jury trials and I know you'll be very surprised to hear this but lawyers can be procrastinator. And a lot of times only way cases get resolved is if there's a trial date because that's the one where there's a there's a deadline in the case and without a trial date there to start deadlines and when that happened there no trials for a year or more the criminal case backlog just kept building and building and building their national guidelines that a a a a prosecutor or public defender I'm really talking about both in these bills and and those agencies Mr McMahon and and Mr Perisher here are arm in arm on this issue because the case loads are too high for both of them but there are national guidelines that a prosecutor or public defender should handle between a hundred twenty and a hundred fifty federal felony cases per year and those numbers right now in Arkansas are really almost four times that a public defender in Pulaski County has about five hundred seventy four felony cases right now. it that that would be an average of three minutes and twenty seconds per felony case which is just just not sufficient. This issue was brought to a head because a public defender out of the state wrote the Arkansas supreme court's office of ethics council asking if you had an ethical obligation to continue to take new cases even with this case load and the that council the that office wrote to say you actually have an ethical obligation not to take that case or at a point where we know with the the prosecutors and public defenders know what their responsibilities are but from an ethical standpoint they cannot continue to take new cases but the new cases are still coming so we had to work together to come up with a solution and again the prosecutors in the public defenders are arm in arm on this they work collaboratively with a bipartisan group of legislators the governor's office I'm and everyone else to come up with the solution and the solution is on a temporary basis because this is a a temporary issue caused by covid but on a temporary basis to hire a number of additional lawyers on both the prosecutor side and the public defender side. And we don't know how long it's going to be what we'll start hopefully with a year on to hire these prosecutors and public defenders to help process these cases and then out the case load across the state and this is a statewide issue I mentioned a few number from Pulaski County but this issue is really pervasive statewide so this working group that we've had to address this issue of course our first priority because this is an issue caused by code and anticipate this question if I didn't mention this that we ought to be able to use federal COVID dollars in order to pay for this and that is of course our first priority to get our money to pay for these additional attorneys and we're we're working through that and I'm optimistic that we'll be able to get some our money so in in these bills there's a federal appropriation for relief plan money as well it may take a little bit of time to get there and we are quite frankly at a at a crisis point right now and we need to act very quickly so the state may need to be in a position where we infuse some money on a short term basis on unless and until we can get the opera money and and that's that's not a guarantee either so what these bills do there's four of them there's to freeze agency to for the prosecutors to for the public defenders one for fiscal twenty two and one for fiscal twenty three the numbers that we came up with that would be about three and a quarter or three and a half million dollars for a year's worth of these lawyers for for both agencies and then. The later down on the agenda there's gonna be some letters for a restricted reserve a request in the those would obviously be state dollars for each agency for a million each of the appropriations are for four and a half million just in case we get the three and a quarter three and a half million dollars in the same year that we. Invests one million state dollars and again as as you are well aware these are appropriation so they're authority only it's just giving us the ability to act as a state and also the to appropriate the federal dollars if they come through if and when that time comes so it's it's it's giving us the maximum amount of flexibility to deal with this issue which is very serious and that we have to address as a state so with that I'd be happy to answer any questions Senator good the Senator Irvin question you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair thank you senator I honestly just have to have a make a statement Senator Will Bond work so hard on this issue and so I hope is watching because you know this is absolutely needed I'm glad to hear the answer to the question about the covert money but I just I think we'd be remiss if we didn't mention you know him because he works really hard on this and was very passionate about it so I'm grateful for Senator bonds and leadership and also thank you also for I guess taken up the mantle and carrying it thank you thank you senator I I totally agrees he's a good man. My co chair Senator Dismang recognized yet in just because I think there were some you know comments or maybe questions and he did actually cover it but about you know being a higher preparation threshold for that first year when maybe you would only need to million and that is only if the feds do allow those Arkansans be utilized we will go ahead and capture those and in an intake those funds now but we begin with that's uncertain at this point and that's why you're going to see the million dollar dollar releases what we think would be needed for this you know to wrap up this current year the good news is those are all things you know if we do that prove all any additional money that we would take out a restricted preserver elsewhere would have to come before us for consideration they're gonna have gone a lot of where they are in this state you know in the in the game so how much of this was cleared up in this current year what what's left over as we move forward and that sort of thing but there is a crisis going on and and one thing I'll just say real quickly it's fortunate that Senator Clark file these appropriations because without those having these in place that we really didn't have a vehicle to be able to do what we needed to do for these folks but but with that I'd be happy to take any questions try to clarify anything else on the preparations. Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized. I see forty five employees the. Is that enough. Is I missed being on sounds like a. If your bill four million dollars you know that's the projection above you know usage. Why couldn't we. We put more in there. Well when we were talking through this and and represent Gazaway and represent McCullough and and others have worked hard on this as well when we're talking through this with the prosecutors and public defenders that number forty five was identified for lawyers so that when we were working through the legislation in order to give a little more flexibility we took out lawyers and just identified it as extra help we did that with input from DF Anand BLR to make sure from an employment standpoint we're approaching that properly but what that that number forty five is is really for lawyers on both sides and and the prosecutors in the public defender said that they think that can get the job done you know to your point. There may be needing some we may need some more assistance from a staffing standpoint and so that may be something that we need to address somewhere down the line but for right now what this is addressing is just the authority and the ability to hire forty five more prosecutors and forty five more public defender seven ninety total additional attorneys. Thank you. Representative Cavenaugh off you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair over here my understanding is this money will go throughout the whole state. Yes absolutely okay how will be distributed do you know how much will be given to each area. That's really going to be up to each office and of course the prosecuting coordinator's office has a board of elected prosecutors and they'll be the ones making those decisions and then the the the public defenders I has a commission and and they'll be making that decision as well I think it'll the distributions I don't wanna speak for them but I think they'll be made by judicial district rather than by county because that's the way the their offices are currently divided anyway and it'll be based on you know where the population is and where the need the need is but there is a need statewide but there may be some spots that have a little more of a need and others what assurance do we have that it won't just go to one area only because like you said there are needs throughout the whole state. I just think these agencies I have full faith in these agencies to to make because they're the ones who have brought to us and say we have needs all over the state and you know I'll just tell you represent Pulaski County I've been in communication with the Pulaski County public defenders and and prosecutors directly and and both of these gentlemen representing the states that we're not going to address this for Pulaski County only we have two addresses for the entire state we can approach it from a Pulaski County standpoint only and that's of course the way that it ought to be and and I have full faith that that's the way they're they're both going to approach it and I know for for example on the prosecutor said they're not elected prosecutors are from all over the state as well so that they'll be the ones making the decisions about where the staffer allocated okay thank you. Thank you representative Senator Hammer UN sixty yes Sir you're recognized thank you and I appreciate the slots appreciate your effort and the question I have though is when read the language the calls what got us to this place in the this to the first place. Is regarding the you know the the locking down of the ability to access the court room are you confident that where we are right now moving forward that you are going to be able to get access to the judges to get access to the court room of for where we are now and moving forward and and will giving more positions more money substantially help given the lockdown of the court rooms. I'm afraid I can probably answer that question to your satisfaction Senator because I I don't know what the future holds with COVID if there's going to be another variant and also can't make any statement on behalf of the judicial branch has to how they'll handle that if if that were to come about so. Yeah I know for sure for sure this money will only be spent if it's being used to address the backlog of cases so if there is a shutdown I feel confident that the money will be saved in reserve for a time when it will be productive to where you can send out the case backlog but as far as what the future holds us in terms of COVID or a variant or what the judicial branch will do I I can't speak to that okay well thank you for taking care of the side that you can't control and hopefully that'll influence the other side you can't and thank you thank you senator. Our Senator Hill you're recognized. Over here senator Dr. How many of these forty five that you mention we in Pulaski County. I don't know Senator my my guess is in one of the numbers that I've heard I feel a little hesitant saying this would know for sure the numbers that I've heard is it likely would be six on each side for Pulaski and that also covers Perry County because as I mentioned it's divided by the judicial district in and this judicial district consists of both Pulaski and Perry counties. That that's a pretty large percentage in it it is I think there's about ten percent of of the state's population and I think in that judicial district or maybe a little more and I think there's all as I mentioned. There are armed needs in some parts of the state they're a little more acute than other parts and I think there is a little bit more of an acute need here in Pulaski County thank you. Speaker Shepherd you're recognized this chair I think could be helpful to have Mr Parrish and Mr McMahon come to the table and maybe they can talk about how the funds would be utilized just to give some assurances to the fact that they would be used across the state. If that's if that's pro are they here today. Yes Mister I'll write your. Hide behind Allen moved that a. If both of you will identify yourselves if you want just have a kind of a you've heard the discussion opening statement kinda. Find out what the intent of these positions or for about make man prosecutor coordinator Gregg perished Arkansas public defender commission. Thank you I guess the answer questions from the prosecutor's standpoint we will handle this exactly how we handle the request that we bring to you all for new deputy prosecutors I've surveyed all the prosecution the state that's how I roughly arrived at the number that we needed when we actually would award these I would have the prosecutors come before I board and the board will actually make a decision in terms of allocation but I can assure you there's there's any throughout the state not every single judicial district has the same backlog so there are some that said one additional person would help others said they would need more than that so at this point like I said I think those numbers should be sufficient for right now but but they will make a presentation to to my board in my board will help me as we always do to an equitable distribution but there clearly will be bigger bigger judicial districts have bigger backlog so I would anticipate more individuals going to the bigger judicial districts require additional Mister we we have acquired together the backlog numbers for male C. the case numbers it is state wide and I can assure this body as a whole the positions of of this is approved will be distributed. To each judicial district from the vote for the commission. We got some questions the just sit tight. Senator sample. You're recognized thank you thank you Mr. My question is and I'm I'm all for hiring more prosecuting attorneys and more public defenders because we need to get to score these cases ever. Is the judicial system willing to work with us in and hold more of course I mean are they gonna take and spend a little overtime to take and hear these cases. Senator okay up from a public standpoint I can address that I spoke to many of the circuit judges throughout the state as you can expect there's a certain number that do just criminal cases and there's other judges that do other types throughout the entire state of the positive responses in very positive from the judges helping the criminal judges meaning the probate judges the divorce judges as well we'll take a look at it duties to help us to get these cases before the court and resolved if they're willing to do that I'm I'm I'm. Very willing to taking in given give everyone the money and resources to that I just don't want to take me ballot a lot of money in. In the end then we run up against a roadblock if we can't have the judges there to hear the cases. I feel very very good about conversations especially even with the Arkansas Supreme Court administrative officer of the court that the judges will do what they can to help us move this backlog of cases not just a criminal judges but the even the criminal judges at a public friend walking a court the other night at eight thirty that's common they are going from eight thirty in the morning until dark and beyond. Thank you and I appreciate that engine thank you Mr I'll come in briefly to Senator I know some retired judges are willing to take on cases as well and clearly the judges cooperation is it is a critical part of this it can't happen without the judges but there's another piece of that which is that we really just need trial dates and just to give you an example now judge widely mentioned that her first day in court was set to be March first and she had fourteen jury trials sketched sept FOR that day which is just an indication of of how serious the backlog is because you should never have fourteen jury trial set for one day of course they know they were gonna have fourteen jury trials that ain't there ended up being zero they all played out and we really just need trial dates even if you have fourteen you can have the same number of judges but you can put more trial dates down if you have the lawyers to work the cases up to get to that point and if you have a trial date a lot not all but a lot of cases will plead out and that will help in the backlog out as well thank you thank you for your interest thank you Mr chairman thank you senator. Senator Hammer you have a question thank you thank you Mr the the question I have is do you know of any court rooms are judges as of today that have limited access to the court room because of the pandemic or the requirements put on the pandemic are you of are you aware that that all of them are now open accessible because I know that was part of what contributed to the problem so are there any today they're limiting restriction to the prosecutors public defenders. Center I'm I'm not aware of any specific district it is limiting trials but I do know some jurisdiction reserve jurisdictions resume trying cases earlier than others there were different a courthouse that will close for lengthier periods of time but it's my understanding I'm not aware of any there specifically close right now to to having cases I know that we've had cases in church gymnasiums college auditoriums and different things like that all over the state not always as good as having a court room but what we have kind of may do that way but I'm not aware of anybody having to do that right now but it's it's certainly possible in the future but well and to that point is my final statement you can answer it if you want to is when it comes to I appreciate their some districts that have higher case load some of that's been created because of the individual choices while other areas of the state have been more flexible and open and receptive when it comes to the money being placed I would prefer the money be placed where there's a willingness to make sure that the system is open to everybody instead of that being placed in a court or District where it's more restrictive by choice of the judge or whoever it is making the decision so what I'd like are y'all is the commitment that is this money comes in as it flows that that be considered in the decision of where the money is placed to create a reduction in the back load by the courts and the judges and systems they're willing to be more open and flexible that's what I'd like a commitment out of you all for Senator Hammer you and you've been very helpful to us in the past I will give you my word and this body that that will be considered and taken those placements from the public defender commission. We will give you that commitment today I'll give that to you are thank you yes thank you thank you senator. Senator Chesterfield you have a question motion to property damage well I'm let you do all for the motions yes Sir I move to back and and we're going to want to tackle. Well then Mister chair I move that we don't want to all right I appreciate your support. Any other questions for a Mr I just haven't re briefly I I'm I'm not aware of any opposition any of this it's it's been a really a collaborative effort all the way through with the governor's office association of counties the support of the of these bills and and I'm only aware of support across the board okay we appreciate it thank you all for coming to the table thank you mark your member portal take we have a we have to adopt the amendment and then do pass as amended to we have to have one of them and we're gonna take them one at a time through four Sir just feel we we will save a little to adopt the amendment all right on Senate bill one O. seven on Senate bill we have a motion to adopt the amendment second we have a second any discussion all in favor say aye. All right now moved to adopt is amended. We need to do pass as amended with a motion by Senator Jeff bill we have a second any discussion this is on one oh seven all in favor say aye hi any opposed we're going to Senate bill one oh eight. Mister chair I move to adopt the amendment I have a motion to adopt the amendment and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed members adopted now do pass as amended Sir yes Sir I will do pass motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye aye it is it is adopted now we're going over to to a bill one O. one O. nine public defender the amendment. The Amendment a motion to approve and then a second any discussion all in favor say aye. The doctor is amended all right do pass as amended a one owner nine motion the second any discussion all in favor say aye. Alright everyone Senate bill one ten the amendment I move to adopt the amendment a motion to adopt the amendment and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed in your S. as amended do pass as amended on one on one oh nine no this one skews me and a second discussion all in favor say aye opposed all right members. We're now going like you senator senator Clark we appreciate your for your hard work on this. We're now going to the JBC peer. Of. Review bill anywhere yet are. Thank you Mr believe of legislative research all three questions just second yes Sir members we're going to do this because we were told this this study to get out March there will be no council meeting in March will be by April so that's why we're taking this up of but we're going to we're gonna go item one by one and we'll have plenty of time for questions I'm sorry go ahead thank you Sir all these requests for appropriation or for funds in this current fiscal year fiscal year twenty two so in section II the first US subsections E. a very separate appropriation quest these are request by agencies to increase our spending authority above what is authorized in the appropriation bill the first item is a letter from the department of labor licensing this is on page two it's request increase appropriation by twenty five thousand according to their letter there's been three hasn't spent down to less than five hundred dollars the news being thirty will either H. fact division to maintain daily operations. Next item is on page three this is for you M. S. it's a letter requesting one point seven million an appropriation The New Senator is needed to spend funding provided for expenses of the Arkansas breast milk bank the funding for this probation would come from restrict reserve transfer that's later in the agenda. Sure those are all the B. tier question it's not the approval items all right any questions will take items a one and two need a motion and a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed is adopted and approved we'll go to be. The chairman EBS is on page five these are American rescue plan request there are five requests on the agenda these are to us been worth me directly to them from a federal office no none of your questions from the R. P. steering committee of the first item B. one is on page six it's request to spend one point two million in a R. P. funds and and these funds will be used to support the division's emergency management performance grant and the use of IT equipment services such as replacing computers every three end of life and renewing software licenses against for division of emergency management next item is on page eight is request for UAMS it's for nine point eight million in A. R. P. funds of funds to be used to strengthen vaccine confidence provide further information education on vaccines improve rates of vaccinations and target populations most in need next item is on page eleven this is again you A. M. S. this is request for nine point seven million other funds to be used to make payments to providers and suppliers who serve world Medicaid children's health insurance program and roll Medicare beneficiaries next item is B. for this is on page thirteen for Phillips County community college this is a request a reality previously awarded appropriation so Chris we have days to transfer two hundred six thousand from salaries match topping senses and that's the Senate to capital outlay for the H. fact project into and other line items provide indirect cost recovery for administration of programs. Next item would be five this is page fourteen this is again Phillips County community college it's request for two hundred four thousand appropriation the funds come from the strengthening predominately black institutions program to pay for college expenses. And this year those are all the questions the agenda and these are provided. All right we've got some questions representative Cavenaugh you're recognized mine's FOR UAMS if I could have come down. Did you a mess here. Okay. You'll identify yourself Sir. Representative Cavenaugh also over to your right. Good morning Michael check with UAMS yes ma'am thank you for coming on and item three it says that we're gonna be using this money to pay for a providers. But on the actual request sixty six point eight percent of it is going for regular salaries are matching and then you've got to thirty three point eight two percent that's going for operating expenses where are the payments to the providers on this request. It. Let me make sure I've got the ride the C. three. This is yes ma'am this is the provider relief fund distribution that we receive through our post through for the person it is a distribution that has been made to hospitals and health care providers around the around the state of Arkansas and around the country and this was simply an allocation that was given to us to make up for lost revenue increased expenses related to cope. But the request says this is for payments to providers. I don't see where there's payments to providers I see where you're getting reimbursed for your regular salaries five point six million dollars and you have a personal matching the seven five five three and then you got operating expenses of three point two million yes ma'am those those would be providers within within you a M. S. within our organization. This says it's for rule Arkansas you from the the provider relief funds come through the tax identification number associated with the entity and so those would come to providers centers sociais with UAMS that are throughout the state you won't have a different provider relief fund going to different programs for different. Different positions that are located throughout the state there's one provide one relief that comes directly to us unanimous. And follow Mister chair. And then you disburse that money throughout rule Arkansas to those providers yes ma'am. Can we find out what providers got reimbursed for this that you got reimbursed for because nine point seven million dollars and it doesn't when you make this request it doesn't show where it's going to any providers it's just going back to you A. M. S. yes ma'am I will be happy to provide the specifics of within you a mess of of who receives those dollars if you could send it to the chairman so they can get it to the rest of the committee yes ma'am thank you. I'm assuming because we have a you a miss clinic in magnolia yes that though those people that are manning that that clinic it is are those the folks you're talking about yes Sir okay right. Of I'll be happy to provide I got another questions Senator Hammer who's your question for yes you're recognized Sir this is our version yes that. Senator Hammer is recognized for a question yes Sir Senator thank thank you the two quick questions on the same subject matter that well actually on its on number two about the nearly ten million dollars which can be used for strengthening faxing confidence. Is that do you have the budget there's four objectives is your money appropriated to each objective or is it just going to be one pot of money spread out over on or do you have a specific budget built out for you yes Sir for those of the overall objectives of the program the budget that's that's been established as is I believe in the following documentation for staffs for supplies that's necessary to work with community organizations throughout the state all right Mr chairman on ask questions rule out of order if you want to but was there when I ask questions okay go ahead thank you make a quick it be quick. Of the exemptions had been requested by the employees of U. M. S. do you know how many have been granted or of any employees been terminated because a receipt they refused to receive the vaccine because we're about to give you money to go out and educate people about the vaccine I think it's fair question to ask have all the exemptions been honored that have been requested by the employees of U. M. S. Sir I'm not aware at this point in time of anyone who has lost their job because of the vaccine mandate The Simpsons that had been requested have been granted if there is one that is in process it's because paperwork wasn't completed properly but no job action has been taken against anyone who is who is not in favour platform exemption it's been granted our thank you thank Mr thank you senator Senator Dismang you will help yeah just a little bit of clarification I want to go down to make sure everyone talk about providers this money went to various providers or hospitals or systems whatever across the state they're not you know state institutions so that income for us to receive those funds and that's what you're saying so it's not as if you M. S. is the only benefactor this program yes this is just the portion they received on their allocation that was distributed out what says providers concert they are providers also. If that makes sense makes sense. Our guest more questions Senator Irvin who's your question for. Have you a mask okay you're you're recognized and. Just on the vaccine reach and that communication plan and. I I would I would just like to see exactly how you're communicating not of my fear is and and you can take this back but my fear is we we say that it's one hundred percent effective and that that in itself makes people lose confidence because people who are vaccinated are still getting covid and so we just need to be very honest about that because I feel like you would reach more people with the vaccine and more people would take the vaccine if we were actually honest to say it's not one hundred percent effective and this is so I would just ask that your messaging and whoever you're spending your money on do a much better job at how they're communicating about the vaccine its effectiveness and then dealing with COVID itself because I feel like we emphasize the vaccine so much that we're not actually emphasizing anymore the preventive measures from Rick getting COVID or dealing with COVID and the steps to take when they actually do get covid so is there money that's more specific to the treatment side of covid and this is what you need to do when you get covid and and and and supporting the physicians in the state of Arkansas who have been on the front lines dealing with this in there when they did their own work and got pharmacology books out into their own science and decided what worked and save their patients lives over and over and over again Senator you're you're exactly you're exactly right I'll be happy to make the team viable to you to discuss the communication strategies for this and you are exactly right our rural physicians of done here Rohlik work for the last two years and and on the front lines eleven and I think this could be something that could further assist them and what they're doing but you're exactly right I think. We can get it correctly I think of the really good use of the money that we also emphasize treatment and care for patients and things that they can do for themselves to avoid being in the hospital because there's there's a lack of information and education on that end of this whole COVID discussion thank you thank you. Thank you senator. Hold on. Light up again searches feel it wrong would. Blade motion of the property Are you in a hurry yes Sir. If you've got a hair nail for Windsor. No. I am going to ignore the six. However I do believe that this body needs to act in an expeditious manner when we are wishes have been asked and answered I agree with you all right and any other questions. These are for approval so your motion is to approve items B. one through five correct it is I would have a second. Any discussion all in favor say aye aye any opposed these items stand review approved it will go to I don't see. You're up again. Thank you Mr chair or any E. C. this is on page Page nineteen these are restrictions are fund transfer request there are three three questions transferred three point seven million from them of the majority vote set aside account within the restrict reserve fund the first items on page twenty This Is UAMS its request to transfer one point seven million from the restrictions are fine to the Arkansas breast milk banks special fund spending forty for the sponsor was request earlier in the VTA section of the agenda. Next items page twelve of twenty one it's for the Office prosecutor coordinator it's a request to transfer one million funds to be used to employ additional deputy prosecutor needs to address the backlog of cases within the criminal justice system the next items on page twenty two this is C. three this is the public defender commission this is another million dollars from the restrictions are fun it's similar to the last request funds would be used to hire additional attorneys due to to reduce the backlog of cases sure those raw that researchers are transferred our members we have any questions. I need a motion to approve C. one two and three we have a motion and a second this is for approval any discussion. All in favor say aye. All opposed C. one two three stand approved nav we're going to items for review. We'll start with the D. referred thank you Mr chairman section the this is a fund transfer for the Division of information systems special language in the DNA disbursing officer bill allows a transfer from the innovation in project development fund to DIS to support two positions the state's chief data officer in the state's chief information security officer division as a cost recovery agency means the charge clients based on specific a specific services provided and therefore they have difficulty assigning costs for these two positions that perform functions for the state more broadly this request is transferred to engine twenty nine thousand a breakdown the next page shows how they determine the amount to transfer and this request needs review by LC or GBC. Searches for you're recognized yes since the chair is interested in dilatory a allow me to ask dilatory question what makes any of this special. In that it would go to special language. This is just peer item for review this not special language I did hear the. I was I was putting where the authority to make this transfer comes from they have special language in there bill that allows a transfer of they have to first get review from either else you're taking a what's special language that they include. The language to allow this transfer to pay for these two positions because they can't find the costs for these two positions to individual projects that's how the Division freight systems brings in revenue they do projects for clients for each department and that's how they bring in that revenue but these two positions for all for more broadly for the state and so they can assign their services to any individual project so they are requesting the transfer for this fund set up for them to get paid and what they say the amount of money would be that we would. give to each one of those in positions it's two hundred twenty nine thousand the total request on page twenty five it shows a breakdown of how that numbers have shows. Thirty three percent of it four percentage of time to go to the chief that officer this from the go of thirty seven thousand in the sea the number for Gary Vance's forty one thousand and initials friends and the other direct costs on that page I am too being dilatory we can move expeditiously ahead thank you. Thank you senator all right hi this is review Adam with on the one with the without objection the stand reviewed. Thank you Mr rose next section this is section II cash fund appropriation increase request these request agencies increases being three for line items that are supported by cash fund account first item is a letter from the department of corrections this is on page twenty eight it's request increase appropriation by one million the new spending thirty allow the department to provide mental health services to the population house at the East Arkansas regional unit. X. item page twenty nine it's letter from Arkansas state crime lab this for two hundred fifty four thousand preparation this is being thirty would allow the crime lab to utilize funding provided by the provided by the Attorney General for cadaver transport sure those are the cash requesting require review okay any questions from members. Without review without objection these items stand review. We have discretion thank you Mr chairman section F. now this or miscellaneous federal grant appropriation quest these request agencies to increase any of the already resulting from the unanticipated federal grant award first I'm the only items for the Office of Attorney General it's for three hundred eighty four thousand they have a grant from the office of inspector general to support a new data storage system for Medicaid provider fraud investigations and prosecutions this item does require a twenty five percent state match which will come from the consumer education and enforcement funds. Okay any questions on item F. one. Without objection to stand reviewed voted G.. Commission chair in the last six for peer this is performance PAYPLAN hold account transfer request there are several quests totaling two hundred seventy five thousand the definite request is needed to utilize special revenue fees concerning tobacco enforcement all other requests are due to performance increases or other salary adjustments. Any questions on any of these items on G.. Without objection the stand reviewed. Refresh I think that wraps you up in miss Kathy. Your call the table we're gonna start own method of finances own letter H.. You're recognized yourself. Thank you Mr chairman a Kathy Schmidt and I'll be presenting the review agenda items beginning in E. H. of your packet on page one these are methods of finance the letter from DFA is on the first page and then on the second page or the two methods of finance that they've sent over for review the first one is north Arkansas college this is for acquisition of property on main street and renovation of that property three hundred ninety three thousand fifty four dollars they had a hundred six unrestricted cash reserves to cover that expense and then the second one is you a fait it bill for completion of senior walk through twenty twenty five and that's three point nine million they and they know they have university reserves to accommodate that project in those with the methods of finance are you writing any questions or H. one or two. Without objection the stand reviewed. The next thing Mr chairman the under eye on page three our discretionary grants in the first one comes from the department of health this is one it's a new federal grant to be able to purchase and distribute PP to populations at high risk in under served and that's the only one for health department and then on page four you start some discretionary grants for DHS the first eight one through eight are all going to be the same they are Original grants to provide COVID services and then we'll go over to page six in the packet numbers nine and ten these are both going to be new grants that they are providing to do mobile crisis intervention services then on the next page by seven a number eleven they have an amendment to the existing grant that they have for teacher education and comprehensive compensation helps teach scholarship programs and then the next one is an amendment for grants that they have for it but and toddler foster care training and those are the grants on today's agenda okay member any questions or are. Seeing none without objection this item stand review which meant. The next group of our the calmest of contract services contracts and the first thing on page eight is the letter from O. S. PT then you begin the contracts with construction related contracts there's one on the agenda on page nine it is with you A. M. S. and it's amendment to existing contract that they have with an architectural firm for UAMS is orthopedics and sports medicine project that's the only construction related contracts well if you have questions. Okay all right. Any questions on items J.. Saying on this item stand review without objection. The next group of contracts on page ten these are inter governmental and it's a contract between DHS and UALR and this is for the staff education and training there is no money being added to this amendment but it requires legislative review because they're updating and changing the performance and caters for this contract that's the only inter governmental contract. Senator Wallace you're recognized for a question. I'm a little confused of what we're doing. Well the Michael closer to usually here I'm a little confused as to what we're doing with item Kate can you dig into that for me what were we doing there. Yeah. Haven't gotten there yet oh I'm sorry I thought I would get no my apologies. US senator Hammer what was your question on. Okay you're recognized thank you it may be for you I'll are the the department or do you know the the money that they're using for training that's after they're hired or prior to them being hired. That would be questions Senator for the agency I'm not corrected she's come forward if you. Okay. I thank Mr Clark why DHS Senator hammer my understands this for after they're hired. So so this is how much I'm I'm looking on page ten I'm on the right page. This this is all money we pay. After we hire them to train them for the position that they're going to take a secretary yes Sir for child welfare we bring the men we do extensive training to get them up to speed and ready to do the job. And and what's the total we pay I mean what I'm I'm trying to read all these numbers for quick how much are we actually paying out the forty million. Total of the contract is what we paid to train after they're hired the forty million that's the that's the total value for the contract the annual amount means looking this looks to be in the range around six billion okay all right thank you Mr any other questions. Thank rich white. Missionary droom to. Okay go ahead go ahead. Thank. The euro Mike's not on when you can hear me I can hear you. So these older people who is already. We're on page eleven these are the out of state contracts there are three the first three for DFA management services the first ones amendment to a contract that they have for new HR software payroll software number two is the amendment to the contract that they have for the time clock and number three is for the the FAA management services office a budget for a new budget solution software program number four begins contracts for DHS to the first one there is four EBD electronic benefits services number five is DHS and this one is for again in a contract that is not changing dollar amount not adding an additional dollar but they are changing the prior authorization and utilized utilization review far of performance indicators for the contract that's mentioned on page twelve number thirteen on page thirteen DHS an original contract with General Dynamics this is a new contract to develop evaluation metrics for the our home program number seven is information systems and this is an amendment to a contract to complete the data protection software program and number fourteen at the top of the page there's parks and tourism this is a new contract for them to be able to host an educational internship or students studying in various bills who can apply their classroom knowledge to real world situations and number nine U. a fateful for contract for on boarding services and those are the out of state contracts and the next will be in St any questions out of state contracts will move on then state in state contracts will begin on page fifteen of your packet and of the first four one through four these are all going to be for DHS and these again Contracts that are not adding any value any dollar amount to the contract but they had changes in the scope of work and these all have to do with Staffing nursing staffing and dealing with shortages that exist for the agency so one through four deal with that number five is for women substance abuse treatment services number six is also a scope change in the contract this is the nursing contract for the Arkansas State Hospital. Number seven at the top of page eighteen is for specialized women substance abuse treatment services number eight is for therapeutic counseling services number nine is an amendment for early childhood training number ten is the amendment for the dental services for the bill in full human development center number eleven on page nineteen as far as psychological services for the bimbo human development center that's an amendment to that contract on page twenty. There is an amendment to the contract for resident residential group home of this is for male juveniles in D. Y. S. and then there are two contracts for work for services the first one is an amendment for the summer brain gain program and the second one of which is on page twenty one the final contract is far seek your assistance services those are the in state contracts on today's agenda. Senator Hammer your question for us to let go back to page fourteen eight parks and tourism have we gone by that one. Page fourteen Page fourteen eight parks and tourism. It's not too late. It's probably gonna be for partial Turner owner way thank you. You'll identify you sales. Senator Hammer is old so you're left. Sure good morning Shea Lewis director of Arkansas state parks. Merry back then as superintendent of Crowley's ridge state park and internal director of this internship program Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you would you give me example of what real world experiences or situations you're going to be teaching a man yes so this program is funded through our license plate revenue that's created so each Arkansas school has the opportunity for students to apply for their interns so they will gifts concurrent credit for working with us working towards their school credit and they will be able to whatever field of interest they have whatever field of study that they're in our interests they have they will be able to work for Arkansas state parks and game that credit so it can be hospitality you can be a learning how to be a park superintendent park management or any of the opportunity any of the services that Arkansas state parks provide they can work in that section of our of our system shows can be sub is going to be subject to just the workings of the park not a thing philosophical or social or anything of that marriage you don't Rickly limited to just what it takes to work to run the run the system Sir that's correct directly related to to the functions of an Arkansas state park and their education of park management hospitality or whatever industry that connects to state parks in their field of study art thank you thank Mr you senator saying no more questions George used. And the rest the items on J. without objection will stand reviewed now will go to K.. K. Adam begins on page twenty two and this is a request for the department of corrections and they're requesting a cost deviation for the R. F. P. that they want to put out to procure comprehensive medical services and we have a letter from the Director of iOS P. at the time Mr Armstrong as well as on page twenty three and twenty four are the letter is the letter from the secretary's office for the request. Senator Wallace who's your question to. Man how you doing today good. This letter on page twenty two is a beautifully written letter. It doesn't tell me anything. What are we trying to do. Well the department of corrections what we passed a law a few years ago you're after the procurement study that set the Percentage at thirty percent for evaluating of the of. And the Department corrections in their contract that they're doing there are if people are medical services would like to waive that to twenty percent in evaluating that part of the R. F. P. when they're when they're open. That requires legislative review so they are bringing this forward OSP had to look at it offices state procurement had to look at it first in a and determine whether or not they agreed with their rationale in going from a thirty percent of valuation tool to a twenty percent so that's what that letter is and then on the the next part was the secretary's request with more detail about why they're needing to do it that way. Anybody here with the Department corrections. Follow up question Mr I just wanna get everybody here have been chewed question. Well you go ahead Senator. What kind of money we talking about here. Identify yourself. Good morning thank you Mr chairman committee members garnet senator Wallace we don't know yet so essentially what we want to do with this request I'm sorry I'm going to Wallace and the chief of staff of the department of corrections and what this does is allow us to place more emphasis on the content of the proposal the cost of care the vendor experience is more important at least in putting the R. F. P. out than just simply looking at the cost we don't know the dollar figure yet because we haven't put this proposal out but we did the same request with the last medical or if P. that we put out for bid so it's pretty standard S.. Follow up with. So would you know if it's ten dollars or a thousand dollars or a hundred million dollars no Sir it's it's so so so so what this is it's whenever we put the R. F. P. out and I'm not an expert on the the procurement process but the the the proposal is weighted the score is dependent upon all of the contents of the proposal and cost is one of those And so this is just waiting the cost a little bit less when you're reviewing the the proposal itself. I don't know that I'm answering your question I'm not sure that I'm the right person to no I understand I. A. added. Follow up with the I'm I'm not sure I understand this you may need to bring some crayons down to draw me a picture. It was a if you'll allow me to bring our procurement director or assistant director up she could probably give us the value of the current medical contract I don't have that job that number right in front of me though. They're coming down okay. Madam you identify yourself if you've got anything to add we senator Wallace sure would appreciate it if there good morning I am floored Johnson interim procurement minister. Yes Sir as chief of staff stated that this is just to. Give a better I guess a better cost. For the weight of different areas. That will be evaluated in the coming R. F. P.. So that the emphasis is more on the cost. The content thank you content then the cost and. Mr chairman I. It sounds to me I may be wrong like we're we're being asked to write a blank check and I'd like to know more about this I would ask the. Yeah I would like. Mr rouse. You identify yourself. The sun okay address the the OSP director now my predecessor approve this but let me try to back it up and see if I can help answer your questions so this is just an approval for them to go out with an RFP to bid this now typically in our law we have a formula for how they have to the how they select their vendors and typically is thirty percent cost right the the whatever the bid quote is and then seventy percent technical and that's how they generate the score to select a vendor so what they've done here is because it's medical services and they're more concerned about the technical aspect of it and delivering the medical services to the corrections population. They asked us to reduce that percentage so that the cost is only twenty percent of the total weight so going forward if this is approved this reviewed they're gonna go out for bid they're gonna get their cost then and when they developed the formula to select the vendor and review that twenty percent of that total score is just gonna be costs the other eighty percent is going to be how they perform healthcare was does that make sense. We're gonna be you got another question I got some of the people lined up no we come back to you yeah but okay. Of those Senator Dismang you're recognized certain just real quick I don't make sure that. I'm following along and I think that I am so we don't not all services are equal right and I'm assuming in it and I don't I always said it quite yet but there are a lot of factors that go into effect of healthcare decides how much you pay we go to that and pay a little bit less than we would probably a family practitioner you know but both are in the medical field but we're going to want to go ahead and go to the family you know practice doctor there's timing and there's you know efficiencies that are made and outcomes and I don't know what your formula looks like and I think that's would be helpful for the members to see but there are a lot of things that take priority in healthcare over cost. in in in so this is reducing that factor down by ten percent of cost so that maybe your accomplishing some of the other more high priority items which is again maybe the quality of the healthcare the outcomes are able to provide the timeliness of care you know whatever it may be said could you walk through maybe what or if I guess we don't know entirely because we're waiting on this approval to know but what are some of the other factors that you may be considering and wanting to wait of an absorbed with this ten percent sure M. S. so we are currently have a committee right now that is developing are iffy so it hasn't actually been finalized yet but there are other things if the content of the proposal we're talking about staffing we're talking about support services with the company profile is references all of those things are built into it and then this would just minimized I don't see minimize but lower that the focus on the cost and thank you Allen McVeigh he reminded me that obviously once we get finished with this secretary graves approves the R. F. P. that we put together you all will have another opportunity to review this before we actually contract with any company to for the medical services in the in just clarifies sense cost matters a whole lot sure I'm if I'm dying get a dog food in a bind same brand dog food I want to pay as little as possible I want that to be waited but I'm you know requesting a service especially one like healthcare then again cost maybe not have the hassle factor in folks worked on this maybe they thought through that and but again thanks for clarification Sir. Thank you senator Senator Hickey you're recognized thank you thank you Mr chair I have a real problem with this we literally is this legislature in this body spent a year working on all this procurement and whatever we say thirty percent it's not thirty percent on the prices that that will be the minimal there was a lot of people during that year long process that went only known unknown with a whole lot of complicated subjects a lot of legislation we put out actually doubt that the minimum should be forty forty five thirty five thirty seven. And we finally just came to the fact that thirty should be the absolute minimum it should be done and the reason we did that is exactly. Why we put that in there because what we were saying is that we weren't factor in price basically at all on a lot of these contracts so that's why we come up with that. And I understand you are having to bring this before us but the mere fact unless I'm written looking at this wrong you sitting down here and with us being live streamed whoever the vendor is is going to is going to be betting on this is now going to be saying well we don't we will have to just operate with thirty percent sharpener pencil but now we're going to go all the way down to twenty percent so we can actually raise our prices so I guess my first question is. Has this bill and I heard you ma'am say that we had actually put our of P. out. That's correct it hasn't it's scheduled to be posted I think in August. Okay so so anybody then is just what we're what we're doing then is we're going to make everyone focus on price is not as big a deal and I understand what you are trying to say but to say that a mere thirty percent. On a weighted average of however many things that are within that process. If you will I would think that that would be a good number and again this isn't something that I'm just sitting up there saying this is something that we researched that we dealt with I'm saying a year. Representative Wardlaw they're making correct me but I think we did that for a year back and forth so just just to bring this in here without out without some more detail there's no way I can support thank you. Thank you senator of the city we're going back to sixty is Senator Hammer you got a question yes Sir thank you Mr if if they are if he's not gonna be done until August what's the sense of urgency that we have to do it now whereas we could just hold us over to the next A. L. C. meeting so we could have a more open discussion what's driving the sense of urgency. I'm here go ahead let them answer questions I think we've automated termination that well I've got a motion it probably won't move this the April meeting of a a you'll see that give give some time because I I could tell that we're not gonna get a consensus on this well for my part with any other questions make a brief. Well go ahead answer the question and if you need emotional make motion rule cherry one but I'd like to hear the answer to the question you don't need a motion here thank you. What what is the sense of urgency if it's August why is it being brought before us now why can't it be held over till April thank you. my approach I will let my procurement. Thank you. Yes Sir it is because this has to be approved the waiver has to be approved before the B. it can be put out on the street. But what you're what you're not gonna have the R. P. ready to August so you will bill put it up to them right remember that we are in the planning process. Okay. If I can add to that part of it is it takes awhile to develop an RFP and I would assume something with a medical services may take a little bit longer to try to develop so the sooner they get this approved they can develop what those needs are before they go out in August so give them a little bit more time to get that together I'd like no current costs the contract please we'll be paying out now. I think it's between seventy and eighty million dollars a year and that's projected over ten year period is that how long the contract before. Yes at that's a lot of money to rush through here today thank you Mr. And if I can clarify on that we're not the money's not coming through here today really it's about changing the formula the formula in law is seventy percent technical thirty percent cost and what the department here is asking for and and what my predecessor approved was to put a little bit more less emphasis on the cost and increase the percentage emphasis that is on the technical aspect of it ultimately cost to still wait is still part of the R. F. P. process it's just when they generate those numbers to determine you know this vendor got the high score this vendor got the second highest score they're just giving less of a percentage weight to the cost and more percentage weight to the services they can deliver. Senator you're recognized thank you Mr chair of one of the considerations while you're taking us back and working through these issues that I think you've heard some concern about is the letter from Mr Armstrong refers to a surgeon and all of that. Let's be very clear about what this is and I think that I would ask if you're making this request this is a this is a company that's not actually providing the healthcare. This is a medical services company. To help find you the healthcare. That's actually working in your prison system. So what I do not want to do. Is to create a scenario where the company the medical services company is taking more money administratively and giving less money to the doctors and the nurses and everybody that's working inside the prison system. So I I want to make sure my colleagues are very aware of that these are two different things so I need to make sure your very clear about that in this letter really kind of muddies the water in that aspect and I and what I don't want to see and I although I agree that costs when it comes to medical care isn't. You know than most necessary. I already that you need to look at when you come to expertise and all that but the truth of the matter is in a situation like this with an RFP for a company that's trying to contract medical services with these that does not ever translate to getting you the best position sometimes to serve the people so that's very misleading and the way this is written so would just caution you that you're very clear about what you're asking for and what you're talking about and I do not want to create a scenario in our of P. where they can they can hold more of that administrative money and not actually deliver the money to the people that are actually providing the care to the prisoners thank you. Thank you senator senator just feel you're recognized thank you Mr chair Leslie beat a dead horse to death. I was around was representative Wardlaw and others when we continue to see companies take a bigger and bigger chunk. And so we settled on the seventy thirty because we thought it was reasonable. If companies don't want to deal with this as reasonable perhaps they don't need to do business in the state of Arkansas. Because it doesn't make sense with the money that we have banded about that seventy percent of the allocation is not enough it is not enough we need to start looking at other vendors that will meet the needs and obligations of the people of the State of Arkansas this was abused so horribly so long people getting contracts that we're charging forty percent and then we had companies over here which are doing something else just because we were friends with somebody. I don't believe in doing business that way and I would ask that we totally consider. If people don't want to do business at the rate we're don't we're asking that we are not to do business with. Thank you Mr. Senator Dismang you're recognized yeah and I think there's a. I think we're I'm I want to make sure the members know what we're actually talking about here we're not approving an RSP. What they're what they're asking is they want to make an adjustment to the R. if the for the scales and the way the way in and out of the different items can be waited we keep talking about somehow we're we're gonna release the RP for seven eight million dollars a year whatever so we're doing. But I understand there's a lot of confusion is going to be you know a lot of sand or whatever we're doing I guess my question you all if we delay till April what is the consequence going to be. Are you all able still to work through the process for you know we do we need to what we what are we looking at if their goal is August we should still be able to if it's delayed till may wishes they should still be able to get the RP developed S. P. on our and can help them plug into our formula and make it work so I don't think a delayed till may is going to be a death now. Right until the next bill see meeting thanks for the intended with that so with that I mean I I just would just pass over this and and hold over the next you know the committee meeting that we have if we need to meet center than that have a big discussion and chairman of those committees can come in and have that discussion we will. We will pass this over till of either the US special meeting or the next regular scheduled a LC meeting. One it will go to the first. All right members we've got the. It looks like. Four house bills and three Senate bills to finish up Mr Anderson. Okay thank you Mr chairman in the House packet with H. upper right hand corner. This on page two. Yes Sir house bill ten thirty for corrections corrections division. We got to do pass as amended. The second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed. Mr on page six house bill ten fifty nine DHS Medicaid tobacco settlement program if you do not have a do pass and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed is amended Sir on page eight house bill ten seventy DFA disbursing officer in seventy have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed it is adopted on page eleven house bill ten seventy nine health department operations two seventy nine I have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed it adopted we'll go to the Senate back at Rwanda page seven. Senate bill forty five transformation insured services operation Senate bill forty five have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye any opposes adopted. Page thirteen Senate bill sixty for Education Public School Fund Senate bill sixty four I have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed set up to the last one yes Sir Page thirteen Senate bill sixty seven commerce's or operations Senate bill six seven commerce have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed members of the force should dismayed got something they will say about the fine work that staff is done of we'll be back here. Monday morning at ten AM ten AM Monday morning Sir Dismang you're recognized thank you Mr chairman of eminent speak for both of us I think and hopefully a lot of you here but I mean I don't know if you all understand what we have put our staff through a fiscal staff in our budget clerks but we have really oppressed and pretty strong speed this these last few days we've worked through a lot with killed a lot of trees and I just wanna make sure that we really thank our staff for what they've done these folks stay later hit the and then we do and and and and I would say they work harder than we do and and without them we would not be running nearly spent is we have so with that was given round applause. So when you see them in your in your out there today say prayer forum let him know that we're going to leave Malone soon enough and but but again just make sure you say thanks on on a personal level thank you. Thank you senator all right we know with further business we are adjourned thank you for the good work.