House Convenes

And by the member staff press and guests in the gallery standing we led in prayer by the house chaplain Dr rex Horne retired pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church Little Rock remained standing for the pledge of allegiance be led by representative lane. Let's pray. Father were thankful for the day and reminded of the words of the psalmist that you've created as you've made us we're wonderfully and marvelously made the scripture says thank you that in the creation that you placed on each one unique traits. Made no two alike. Gifted in different ways but sharing the commonalities of the need for relationships. The desire to make a difference. The willingness to work they give themselves for the public good I pray for the women and men and this chamber today that you would bless them and father as they near the end of the work week I pray that as they do whatever responsibilities they have over the weekend that you would give them joy in the journey help us to take time to laugh and to share with friends and to recognize the goodness of life itself for this we pray in Jesus name amen. All. Members please indicate your presence by pushing yellow present button prepared machine Mr Clerk. Cast up the ballot Mr Clark. there ninety eight members present actually ninety nine representatives just doesn't have his keys with ninety nine members present the chair sees a quorum. Are there any request for leave. Bragg for what purpose please. You're recognized a representative Holcomb. Is leave granted represent Holcomb. So noted. Representative Fredrick Love moves we dispense the reading of previous day's Journal. And without objection so ordered. Are there Reports from select committees read the reports Mr Clark. Mr Speaker we are committee on joint budget to whom was referred house bill ten thirty six house bill ten fifty house bill ten eighty one house bill ten eighty two house bill ten eighty three house bill ten eighty four house bill ten eighty five house bill ten eighty six house bill ten eighty seven house bill two eighty eight house bill ten eighty nine Haskell ten ninety house bill ten ninety one helpful ten ninety two house bill ten ninety three helpful ten ninety four beg leave to report that we had the same under consideration and he was trying to sing the recognition they do pass respectfully submitted Lane Jean chair. Other Reports from standing committees. There any unfinished business are there any executive communications. Members the doctor today's doctor Gina Dromana of little rock and the nurse today is misprinted Hewitt. And in the north gallery. We have is the guest of represent you banks the Logan County leaders. Mr Clark please read House resolution ten twenty seven. House resolution ten twenty seven by representative shepherd to provide for an extension and sunny die adjournment of the fiscal session of the ninety third General Assembly. Represent when you're recognized explained resolution. Colleagues House resolution ten twenty seven it's the same thing that we do at the beginning of each of these sessions as we give ourselves the option to extend should we need to and this just does so to extend for the potential for forty five days. Procedural deal appreciate a good vote. President wing is explain the resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution. We would like to speak for the resolution. Represent wing is closed for the resolution. I should before the House is pastor House resolution ten twenty seven prepared machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast a ballot Mr Clark by a vote of ninety three days one day and to present the resolution is adopted. Mr Clark please read house resolution one thousand two. House resolution one thousand two by representative Shepherd to authorize recesses of either or both chambers for periods of four consecutive days or longer represent wing you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker Speaker once again this is what we do to enable us when the case like for is is coming up with a holiday on Monday to allow us to adjourn for four days or more should we need so. Represent Payton for what purpose question recognized thank you so the language in this resolution says four days or longer with no limitation on the longer some things have happened in the past year where the Senate. Decided to shut down and if we didn't seem to have any authority over that this grants the Senate. The authority. Openet is afforded to go longer. Is there any way that we could change that language to just limit it to the four days. Well what we are also trying to do is just in case of another external event that would prevent us from being able to come here for four days or more such as a weather event or something like that so this is this the standard language that we've done and all of the previous sessions and I just I appreciate that it is standard language I'd ask some questions before hand and body has answered that he also gave me another perspective which is when representative makes makes the motion that we recess he sets a date certain at that point so if a weather event came up during that three four days he's already set the date certain in the recess motion how is that handled in a weather event. Carefully. Would we not have an opportunity. Even if we take the language out that says or longer would we not have an opportunity to deal with the weather or some other way yeah in a weather event yes but as we saw with COVID there were other events that would even come up that would prevent us from meeting and so this is the standard language has been done before we have a problem with the Senate we can discuss things with the Senate. Thank you and Mister Speaker if I can have a question to you are the parliamentarian. You're recognized. What process what I need to follow to present an amendment to strike that language. Thank you were Speaker of representative Payton the process would be the same process to amend any other document before the body bill or resolution is that would be to present the resolution to ask the body to allow you to put it back on second reading for the purpose of amendment president the amendment I mean get that step adopted then present the amendment have been adopted in the bill would go to or resolution will go to engrossing and processed as we would any anything else so Mister Speaker I move that we place it on the second reading for the purpose of amendment. That's not a proper motion because there's no. I think the rules allow for a floor amend. Parlementaire. Our lemon tarian tells me they do not okay thank you. Ed and I can I can also say in response in response. Since you asked the question to me in the parliamentarian as represent wing indicated this is the standard resolution it's been past many times in the past in fact we broke it into two resolutions because normally the extension and the four day or more resolution is in one historically myself and Senator Hickey decided to divide that into so that the issues could be specific you raise this issue just a little while ago I've talked to Senator Hickey aye you know what we can only speak for ourselves personally we have no intention of trying to recess beyond four days without the membership knowing but we were to you you know committed to trying to pass the resolution that we always pass particularly in light of the fact that that we understood the membership was hoping to have a four day break going into this weekend. For what purpose. The parliamentarian is it correct or not correct that in order for one chamber to be out more than the standard three days according to the constitution they have to have the permission of the other chamber so that would maybe address the concerns that The representative has is that correct or no or is this. You race that. Thank you Mr Speaker of representative makes that is correct and that's the purpose of this language. Our president wing is explain the resolution when you would like to speak against resolution represent Payton you're recognized speak against resolution. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues several of us have resolutions that would give us permission to file non appropriation bills. That covers a range of topics. There is a bill filing deadline that is set fifteen days from the start of a session. So regardless of the intent what's possible is that either chamber could recess beyond that fifteen days and therefore prevent the. Maybe not prevent the passing of the resolution but it would prevent the bill filing that the resolution provides so I just want you to know before you vote on this that we are surrendering authority the representative Meeks alerted to. It would. The authority over the Senate being in recess for more than four more than three days I totally support the objective of being able to have a recess of four days and I think we could. If we defeat this resolution we can definitely get is amended and eliminate that language that says or longer and just get the four days in their. We would still have the power at any time to come back in here and pass a resolution for five days or ten days if we so desire but once we pass this resolution. We no longer have the constitutional authority that granted to us to prevent the Senate from being a recess for as long as they want. And the constitution does set a deadline for the. Session which is thirty days unless we extended and forty five days if we extend so we would be tying our own hands and I would appreciate your vote in this down so we can get an amended. And I get rid of that language it says or longer. Thank you. Represent Payton spoke against the resolution we would like to speak for the resolution. Would anyone like to speak against resolution absent wing is close for the resolution the question before the House is the passage of house resolution one thousand two all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The ayes have it. Mr Clark please read House resolution ten seventeen. House resolution ten seventeen. Representing you're recognized. I apologize for my tardiness down here but normally the Speaker says will now move to the budget calendar. If you had figured out I'm a traditionalist I'm not a new wave may and. All right. We got to resolutions they're identical ten seventeen at ten eighteen want to batch these the simple allow us to at the end of the session put RSA. Of bill before which will be our budget for the year there's no difference and I'm any questions on these two resolutions. Once again we'll hear House resolution ten seventeen and ten eighteen I appreciate a good vote. Senate gene is explained resolutions would anyone like to pull either of these from the batch. I guess he pulled one there would be no batch. Your one vote will be recorded on each resolution each emergency clause after they've been read for the third time. But please read the bills for the third time House resolution ten seventeen House resolution ten eight. Per machine Mr Clerk. As has everyone voted. As everyone voted. Asked about Mr Clark. With ninety seven yeas zero nine zero present the resolutions have passed. Morning hours ended. Represent Jean you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker. Calling I think we have. Forty three appropriations. These are not of the high profile that we have holds on they have no substantial changes other than minor. Pay raises an adjustment to insurance and retirement money. Of the bill through the Joint Budget without opposition. And I want to give you a chance to look at him because if somebody may have relatives that work for. Our family member that works for these institutions will certainly pull them out for separate vote. We have been requested. To pull out house bill ten thirty five. Of the member needs to talk to somebody who member of the commission is non controversial and we're gonna put it on to Mars calendar been assured by that member. Of so we will pull house bill ten thirty five and we'll put it on the calendar to more. But I'll give you a minute to look at it. But I think that leases forty two bills that we're going to be going to batch. Represent Wardlaw for purpose question you're recognized not sure is relate related to these bills or not but I want to make a request of the budget chair can you hold the department of education budget please and it I don't I look through here real quick I didn't see it you have to worry about that is are being held you will you add your name to it at the correct for purpose of amendment for purposes of amendment yes Sir all right. Represent Lowery for what purpose. Session you're recognized if we have a question about a specific appropriation bill with this be the appropriate time or we sure or would we have to pull it from the batch no you here I'll I'll have to we look through it with your okay which one is it ten forty six the Henderson state university appropriation. I understand that that's already gone through the pre fiscal session budget hearings but there have been of some significant changes in what's taking place in Henderson state since then the question I have the last fiscal session two thousand nineteen special language was put into Henderson state university's appropriation that put off to twenty twenty five of the wind they would be able when they would be paying back to the state the six million dollar advance with a twenty twenty five or twenty twenty six it may have been longer than that thank you twenty twenty made it worse than what I was saying because I that had been really discussed ad nauseam in A. L. C. that we were not going to put it off and then it got slipped into a special language what what to the circumstances that are going on right now with employees faculty being furloughed. What does that do for this extension out to twenty twenty six is it still in place what are our and this is a multiple part question so thank you for bearing with me what are our. What can we do is under we understand that there's over seventy million dollars in bond indebtedness with Henderson what happens for the state of Arkansas to be able to recoup that six million dollars well it's it's for five million seven hundred fifty thousand okay they have paid twenty five two hundred K. thank you so get the numbers right of. I'll try. You know we still have that deadline we have we have no nothing in writing that says they have to make a payment every year it is a concern that has a deadline approach which they got a few more years of that you know how are they going to repay this money now I haven't been privy I'm not on education I have been created by the Arkansas state which Henderson state is now part of of of what their plan is so detailed tell you what their plan is how to pay it back I don't know I just know they have a a firm deadline. And you know I'm not gonna worry about this hearing twenty twenty two of on a budget of Henderson state they still have faculty students I know some number one maybe furlough in a day a week to try to help his budget and I'm really not in tune with the everyday of what the problem at Henderson state obviously there's been some fiscal mismanagement there right okay just a quick follow up. If the debtor start lining up for whatever reason this state of Arkansas have number one position in terms of getting the five million seven hundred whatever I think I would think I would think the General Assembly would have the number one position is it being a state institution to get his money back all right thank you and I and I have a request to pull two from the batches at the appropriate time. Just for separate vote. Go ahead and go and tell us what they are okay of a would be House bill ten thirty. And. House bill ten seventy three. You said ten thirty ten thirty and ten seventy three. And you use for a separate vote to separate out okay we'll do that thank you represent Collins for what purpose. Well let's hear your request could you please pull ten fifty seven from the bench. Fifty seven you want to separate vote never vote okay. Represent Payton for purpose quite request here to pull ten thirty one AM for a separate vote. Okay. You represent Dotson what purpose a request pulled recognized HB one or not one thousand nine ten eleven ten twelve. And. Ten forty six. Separate vote for separate. Ten forty six. All right let me go over this again. You ready so we're pulling out. Thousand nine house bill thousand eleven House Bill thousand twelve. House bill ten thirty house bill ten thirty one house bill ten forty six. House bill ten fifty seven and house bill ten seventy three four separate vote. What you got did you see. I must of missed ten thirty five. No thirty thirty five a passion for the day what we're passing over for the day. We were passing over ten thirty five for the day. Represent prime for what purpose. You're recognized. Also. Also full house bill ten seventy seven separate vote yes ten for ten. Seventy seven. All right any other. Your one vote is for the the Bill emergency calls. Miss Baker had the Clerk read the set of bills for the third time. Mr Clark please read the bills for the third time House Bill tended to house bill ten oh three house bill ten for house bill ten oh five house bill ten of six house bill ten oh seven house bill ten oh eight. House bill ten fourteen house bill ten fifteen house bill ten sixteen house bill ten seventeen house bill ten nineteen house bill ten twenty house bill ten twenty one house bill ten twenty two house bill ten twenty three house bill ten twenty four house bill ten twenty five house bill ten twenty nine house bill ten thirty two house bill ten thirty eight helpful ten thirty nine house bill ten forty ten forty one house bill ten forty two house bill ten forty four household ten forty seven helpful ten forty eight helpful ten forty nine house bill ten fifty one house bill ten fifty two house bill ten fifty three helpful ten seventy eight. Repair the machines. As everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of ninety seventy eight zero nine zero present the bills have pass. The president Jean you're recognized thank you Mr Speaker first one up that we were passed over for a separate vote will be house bill ten oh nine Arkansas we promotion board any questions. Appreciate a good vote your vote for the bill Burch call for Speaker the Clerk read bill third time. represent Jean is explain the bill we would like to speak against the bill or the bill Mr Clark read the bill for the third house bill ten oh nine. Per machine Mr Clark. As everyone voted. Is everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of ninety three As. Re nays and one present the bill is passed. President Jane you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker our next bill is house bill ten eleven. Arkansas rice research board any questions. President McKenzie for what purpose. A question you're recognized. My question is for probably out of order if the people that are pulling these I'm always curious why so my question is if you have something that you know that we may be might. benefit from I've always appreciate that. Well I don't know why because I'm I got this first hand just like you did but a lot of time sometimes they may have relative working and they just don't identify that sometimes they just don't like. Anyway all right. Your one voted for the bill emergency clause mystique read the Clerk read the bill third. Represent Jean has explained the bill. We would like to speak against the bill we would like to speak for the bill Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill ten eleven. Per machine Mr Clark. Has everyone voted. Is everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark by a vote of ninety three eight four nine zero present the bill is passed represent. Thank you Mr Speaker house bill ten twelve is the Arkansas soybean promotion board. Any questions. The one voted for the bill emergency calls the Speaker please had the Clerk read the bill third time. President gene explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill we would like to speak for the bill. Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill ten twelve. The machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Is everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of ninety two yeas three days and to present. The bill is passed represent gene you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker we're going to go to House Bill ten thirty also the treasurer this is our general obligation bond of phone. Any questions on that. Remember your one voted for the bill number two calls respect at the Clerk read the bill third time representing is explain the building would like to speak against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill ten thirty. Where the machine Mr Clerk. Has everyone voted. As everyone voted. Asked about Mr Clark. About ninety five Yeas one nine zero present the bill is passed represent gene you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker. Next one is on the list is house bill ten thirty one which is the eighteen in. Public television. Any questions. Remember your one vote is for the bill number two calls Mister Speaker the Clerk read the bill third time. Absent Jean is explain the building would like to speak against the bill represent Payton you're recognized speak against the bill. I didn't plan on coming that thank you Mr Speaker I didn't finally come down here about take McKinsey's challenge I ask for this to be pulled so I would have to vote against the whole batch I just want to vote against this one bill because I don't support the public funding of indoctrination and lobbying efforts thank you. President Payton spoke against the bill we would like to speak for the bill. Senate Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time. House bill ten thirty one per machine Mr Clerk. Everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast about Mister Clerk. With forty ninety eight forty five nays and one present the bill failed. President Jean you're recognized. I thank the Speaker our next bill that were taken out. Is of house bill ten forty six Henderson state university appropriation any questions. Remember your one voted for the bill emergency clause missed required the Clerk read the bill third time. President Jean is explain the building would like to speak against the bill. We would like to speak for the bill. Mr Clark please read bill for the third time house bill ten forty six per machine Mr Clerk. Is everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. The vote of eighty eight yeas three nays and for present the bill is past president Jean you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker we got three more we got the house bill ten fifty seven of the Arkansas rehabilitation services appropriation got any questions. Remember your one vote for the bill Mercer calls for Speaker at the Clerk read the bill the third time. Representing is explained bill anyone like to speak against the bill. We would like to speak for the bill. Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill ten fifty seven repaired machines to Clark. Is everyone voted. Everyone voted cast about Mr Clark by a vote of ninety five Yeas zero nine one present the bill is past president Jean you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker. Our next bill is house bill ten seventy three this is the treasure the state appropriation treasure's office any questions. Everyone voted for the bill emergency clause which because the Clerk read the bill third time. President genes explain the building would like to speak against the bill. When you would like to speak for the bill. Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill ten seventy three the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark by a vote of ninety five Yeas one name one present the bill is passed represent gene you're recognized. My word to our last one. House bill ten seventy seven this is the part of health this is just the tobacco settlement sensation has nothing do with the department of health issues the sensation back us settlement program any questions. Everyone voted for the bill members across the Speaker of the Clerk read the bill third time. In jeans explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Mr Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill ten seventy seven sheen Mr Clark. Everyone voted. Everyone voted. Asked about Mr Clark. By a vote of sixty nine Yeas twenty four Nays three present the bill failed. Members in the. Ease. Gallery. We have with this the leadership class from the Arkansas optometric association there the guests of represent Karilyn Brown. Mr Clark please read house bill ten ninety five. House Bill ten ninety five by House Management and that's to the Arkansas house of representatives staff appropriation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year resembling you're recognized explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker yesterday we passed the house appropriation for the fiscal session this bill is the House appropriation for the entire fiscal year of twenty two twenty three just a couple items of note in the last several years we have been able to decrease our appropriations fifteen percent ten percent ten percent today were proposing another five percent decrease were still able to find everything that is needed for the house of representatives to operate smoothly. I appreciate a good vote. Resembling is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent wing is closed for the bill the question before the House is passage of house bill ten ninety five prepare the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. About ninety sixty eight zero nine one present the bill is passed. President makes for what purpose motion place your motion and colleagues is gonna be a slight adjustment on the time when I do this so heads up after the announcmenet trading of the bill transferring the bill's place in the calendars on the desk members amending their own bills their own amendments members withdrawing their own bills finalizing resolutions reading communications and any remaining committee reports I move that we adjourn until eleven o'clock tomorrow morning. That's proper motions not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The ayes have it. Any announcements represent Jean for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized tomorrow morning nine AM big mac a joint budget. Represent Cozart for purpose announcmenet you're recognized at two announcements so education will meet this afternoon at four o'clock in room one thirty eight to take up one bill and also please remember tomorrow is a day to day alternative learning education for twenty nine and twelve in the rotunda. Representive each what purpose admit you're recognized House rules will meet at two o'clock today in big mac B. we've got about five items on the agenda. Representive Tosh for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized state agencies will meet at three o'clock today room one fifty one to take up one bill that's three o'clock today state agencies represent Johnson what for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized at JBC administrative rules review subcommittee will meet at o'clock in the morning and big mac Act. Any other announcements. The desk for main open is needed for the reading of the bills upon completion The Addams named in the adjourn resolution house would be adjourned until eleven AM tomorrow.