Senate Convenes

Johnson. Okay. We'll come to order. Senator Irvin you wish to be recognized on the matter of leave. Leave for senator Bledsoe. The the action. Okay. Balance. Kateri Senator Irvin server you leading us for we got got I'm just make sure you get a. Okay by Senator please come. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Everyone please rise putting those in the gallery. Senator Irvin is gonna lead us in prayer let's continue to remember the Bledsoe family in prayer center or share thank you dear heavenly father we came to you humbly asking you for your divine presence asking you for blessings for those people that we love those people that are suffering through illnesses and through grief of different occasions with loved ones but we just ask that you would continue to guide us be in our hearts be in our minds and be on our lips and on our tongues let everything that we do sign your goodness shine your love through us for each other and for the citizens that we are elected to represent for our state lord we ask you in the words of St Francis of Assisi we ask you to make as instruments of your peace we ask that you. Help us be your instruments of love and where there is hatred let us sow love where there is injury let us pardon where there is doubt let us have face where there is despair let us bring hope where there is darkness let us be your light. Where there is sadness let us be your joy divine master grant that I may seek so much as to be sought. So that we can council those that need to be consoled to be understood as to understand and to be loved as to love with all of our soul it is in giving that we receive and it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Through the sacrifice of your son Jesus Christ. Be with us as we deliberate. Help us to be kind help us to be your light help us to be your love. To each other to our neighbors to our families to our friends and your precious name we pray amen. I pledge. America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible. It out. Senator Hickey. Of. Thank you. Sorry Sir John. You need to be recognized. Okay. Okay members of I was going to ask that we I make a motion to spent so spend Senate rule seven nine what this is is the intervening Day rule that we but you all are familiar with so I make that motion. The motion. I have a motion is adopted. Also in. Senator okay members also moved that the Senate lay on the table and disallow the calendar of calendaring of six the Senate resolution sixteen. Twelve and Senate resolution thirteen for the remainder of the fiscal session. Okay not a motion motion to lay on the table choirs eighty votes all those of favour say aye. All those in favor say aye. Get it. All those in favor say aye. The. One two three four five. Well. Please call. Ballinger. Beckham. Beckham. That's only Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flowers. Flowers. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hammer. Hendren. Hester the. Hickey. Health. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding. Page. Right. Rice sample Stubblefield. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. Teague. T.. Tucker. Teague. Tucker. Tucker. Wallace Wallace. Anyone wish to vote or change about over here over here. Senate Colwell is. Hi. Senator Hammer is no anyone else the cast of the ballot. Twenty eight eleven days two not voting the motion is carried. The resolution to lead type. Any items at the desk Senator. Sorry Sir John the wish to be recognized sorry thank you Mr president. Mr president I like to move to withdraw Senate resolution seventeen from further consideration. Thank you okay. Thank you Mr president members I have a letter on your desk regarding the forestry caucuses was emailed out to all of you and I appreciate the response from for many of you but I want to give one last chance before we. Announcing list to those members of the Forster caucus are so if you would get with me today text email whatever's easier for you just let me know your interest in wanting to be a part of that and I would greatly appreciate it courses is something that will before the interest of forestry and and the forestry sector in the state of Arkansas so would certainly appreciate your involvement thank you. Mr president a question. A question I don't know if you see it from the parliament tarian but obviously this moved to squelch silence the voice of members of this body when we agreed to there there would be no more resolutions filed. This move is unprecedented that I've ever seen in the body. Squelching the opportunity to bring forth resolutions is there any alternative for us under the rules to be able to handle legislation. Delay upon the table. Okay rules we we have that I see it is there an alternative you can say that all the time yeah it is so but with this body generally until the last couple of years has been pretty collegial that we allow members to bring forth their bills and simply vote up or down so since we have enacted this other agreed to rule that we won't have a new resolutions filed. I just wanted to ask chair or seek from parliamentarian Senate council is there any other alternative for us other than just pull pull it off the table. I'm here to talk about not being able to follow the resolution also heard to talk about the motion to lay on the table closer to a related issue so well I've got I've got plenty of questions but what I'm saying I just thought I would ask openly here if there was other alternatives other than a than a motion to pull it off the table okay let me let me say this. I've been here seven years. Collegial so does not. we had routinely we've had other you know so I don't think this is part of any particular thing under the rules that everybody in your group putting yourself. Blake is eighteen voters not debate. And if you're gonna pull the tape twenty four. And not. the moment. Thank you Mr president. Yeah that also requires twenty four so Ultimately this body can do whatever the heck it wants to do and Pursuant to the rules. Senator garner yes I'm actually from Apollo amassed on the on the floor that allow the. Ballinger. Sturch. Mr president can I ask for point of personal privilege. There's got for. Collins I want to come down here early. Thank you for. Wall Senators. Senator Sturch is recognized. Collins I want to take time while you're still paying attention. I don't. I have a way I should say it that way. To get a lot of concerns off my test. So today I want to take just a few minutes if you'll give me some grace to do that. I'm not wanting this to be a lecture I'm not trying to badger anybody. But I've only been here seven years as well. But in that seven years I've seen a lot of changes some good. Some not so that. So the question I have for you today after what we've seen not just this session but the last couple of sessions is what's happened to us. What's happened. What happened to senatorial courtesy. What happened to common respect among colleagues. I have seen more personal attacks here lately oaks colleagues whether it's in this chamber or outside this chamber that I've ever seen before. And I've never seen as much claims to moral superiority that I have recently. We're all the time criticizing Washington DC for the way they act yet it's becoming harder and harder to see the difference. Between the Arkansas legislature and Congress. Right. Is at the center of a lot of our problems. You know I'm a PK to. Anna PGK. And I'm the black sheep of my family because I went into politics. But I know the good vote. Proverbs six sixteen seven these are the six things that god hates. The first one is a proud look. A proud look quite a god put it first in priority. Because it will destroy everything else. Your testimony you witness your example. When I first got here. It was a badge of honor. For a legislator to actually work behind the scenes to build consensus. If you could get the Municipal League in the association of counties to agree on something you are doing some pretty good. Or if you can get two years and four year universities to agree to something you're doing pretty good. We used to strive for that. We used to strive between groups to build consensus and then bring policy or work to make the policy better. What happened to that what happened to that being a goal. Now it seems. We don't care to work with stakeholders to find the overall best policy. We would rather actually divide and conquer it seems. We're thinking now that the best way to get someone to you know come on our side is to try to discredit their fax or to not oblige their opinion. We accuse the other side of misleading other people. Are being ignorant or whatever it might be. Two lawyers don't agree big surprise. It happens all the time it happens in here. But I've never seen it to where people would actually personally attack or try to discredit the other side's opinion. What I hoped. Was that we could simply have different opinions and work from there. Understanding that we all have different opinions we all serve different constituencies but work from there. We should not claim moral superiority we should not try to discredit the other side. Also reminded about the what the lord said about Pharisees. We should first try to communicate. Communication breakdowns are also rampant around here. But if we would first try to communicate our own views our own opinions. Maybe that's a good first step. Then find consensus. Finally. Though by your convictions vote on behalf of your constituents we don't have to attack each other the other into this building or anybody else Boettcher conviction vote what your constituents asked it's not against anyone and it should not be politically charged. Maybe I'm in the minority. What I woke through those doors. Politics since their. Several you have endorsed by political opponents. Our help them. That here that doesn't matter. Because here I'm a policymaker. Here my job is trying to find the best job that I can do the best job that I can for my constituents. We should be more concerned about doing our job then we are keeping our child. I'll end with this. Couple sessions back. I was working. And I heard one of my colleagues bring a group of students in here. Sat down our chairs. And. I believe the words were said say this place is not special. These people who serve our grades are better than average. And that bothered me. Because I understand to an extent what he was trying to say. But I can't quite agree. This place is special it's where the people's business is supposed to get done. It is a privilege and an honor to serve in the legislature. My kids. If I'm ever blessed to have. I wanna see. They're dead service. But I will for ever be part of this institution because I did serve. And it was still be. The greatest honor of my life. To be an Arkansas state legislature. I hope that you'll agree as we move forward this next month. To keep the right things and focus. To try to get back to where it used to be as far as doing our job as a legislator as far as respecting each other's opinions and having that common courtesy that so often absent in today's political climate. I thank you thank you Mr president. Thank you. Tucker you wish to be recognized Senator Tucker the we're gonna go to. Secretary thank you governor. Since I have the well I just want to thank senator search for those brave words and I I hope they fall on my own heart and on on everybody's hard who serves in this body thank you senator starts that's a quiet stepped over her this chamber since I've been a part of this body so thank you. I just wanna due to a quick announcements want to recognize our doctor of the day Dr Gina drover whose apologist at UAMS and our nurse of the day Bernie Hewitt thank you doctor and a nurse for being here with us welcome to the states on. Just another moment of a privilege I don't see Senator Teague in the chamber at the moment I'm not gonna lead us but I just want to recognize Senator Blake Johnson and wish you Happy Birthday senator. For the purpose we waited for lease so we could get all the love song. It left those who is. Okay Gerry any items at the desk yes Sir will your committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate bill thirty six Senate bill sixty nine Senate bill seventy Senate bill seventy one Senate bill seventy two Senate bill seventy three Senate bill seventy four. Seventy five Senate bill seventy six Senate bill seventy seven Senate bill seventy eight Senate bill seventy nine Senate bill eighty Senate bill eighty one Senate bill eighty two Senate bill eighty three and Senate bill eighty four by joint budget recommend due pass. Calendar. I know this. Did did you want to re referred by. Okay. I make a motion to re refer Senate bill eighty four back to committee for purpose of amendment. The. For the motion All the favor say aye. Close as. Motion carried. Senate bill eighty nine by joint budget and I for the Department of Human Services division medical services supplemental appropriation Senate bill eighty nine right budget Senate bill ninety by joint budget and that the Department of Education Public School Fund supplemental appropriation Senate bill nine. Oh no we're not we're gonna go with this is Jennifer okay yeah. Thank you will give this a budget by Senator. But. So does my. Before you start the. Oaks in the gallery we appreciate your comments and. There's been some. Been some new rules posted up there just create you all welcome you here and presage all Be respectful thank you so much for that. Fite members just a real quick before she starts reading needs what we're going to do to be three parts house bill ten thirteen going to both separate and then we're going to pass all the Senate bills on page one AS one batch in the second batch would be page two so if you have a bill that you would like to pull out for separate consideration or or whatever it may be then go ahead and let us know that at this point and I'll just give you just a few seconds to kind of look through to see if there's something you want to pull out is that first wanna be on page one C. one not to pull out any of those bills for separate consideration are you okay with a batch of our total to the governor probably gonna pull SP three for separate vote. All right and then on page two there any that you like to pull out separate for those. Cassie NO one anything for okay that's great. They mention increasing speed for about the affair in a. Ten thirteen by joint budget the general appropriation act for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. We have to take any questions. Any questions. Those present a good vote. We will. Ballinger Beckham Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace in which the voter changes. The up the ballot. Thirty three eight zero nine is. The bill is passed. Products. Now back to one. All right. Instill NO one like to pull any bills out and then we're gonna go. Senate bill two. And that for the office of governor preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill three an act for the office of the lieutenant governor preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill for an act the Arkansas ethics commission preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill five an act for the department of corrections Arkansas sentencing commission of preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill six that Act for the department of corrections parole board appropriations for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill eight an act for the southeast Arkansas college preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill nine an active department of labor licensing workers compensation commission the preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill ten an act for the pure of Legislative Research and the Legislative Council preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill eleven an act for the auditor of state operations and unclaimed property program appropriation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill fourteen an act for the judicial discipline and disability commission the preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill nineteen an act for the office of the prosecutor to coordinator for Nader preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill twenty one and that for the Arkansas catfish promotion board preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year seven twenty two an act for the Arkansas beef council preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill twenty five ACT for the auditor of state continuing education of local officials the preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Senate bill twenty seven and that for the Arkansas public defender commission preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Several twenty eight an act for the department of Veterans Affairs appropriation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill twenty nine ACT for the department of commerce division of aeronautics appropriation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill thirty an act for the site south Arkansas community college preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Senate is. The questions Senator Garner yeah can we pull SB two hours too late do that a process. We ask for that earlier asked for twice. The minute. We pull it out for separate but that's fine but we just read it all across when we letter read through the entire thing basement but we're about to make. I mean I'm not sure what's going on or why but I do know is amended okay. Senate bill two will pull out for a separate vote. Okay members is going to be S. B. two three. The obligation to do that. Okay but some members were going to batch and I will will first vote SB two then we're gonna vote as the three four five six eight nine ten eleven fourteen nineteen twenty one twenty two twenty five twenty seven twenty eight twenty nine and thirty is it right okay with that. A question Sir are yes if it's appropriate is it time to ask questions on specific bills within that batch. It yes I wish we did on that back before but yeah you're you're welcome to ask questions on the. Before the war or say that. What. Okay on the twenty seven which is the deputy issue with the public defenders I don't want to discussion about their budget anything like that I would just like a simple update if that's possible since I've known Budget Committee Committee for a bill for my understanding is they're still working out with the fix needs to be and there may be a request some point future in this session that you know later in this session but as far as you know needed injured requested changes there were nine by the public defender's removing for the preparation of a thanks there may be a request to to try to sure of some things later on in the session but I don't have the details of those yet okay sorry means that by any other any other questions any objection on the vote. We're gonna vote SB two first because it's been pulled out of the batch. Just too low and then we'll do the rest. If sexual the vote please roll. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Bledsoe is on leave Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner. Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. You wish to vote or change. Ballot thirty two yeas one day the bill is passed transmit. To the house now we're doing the rest of that batch starting it as B. three going away the bottom of the page two U. S. B. thirty. Questions for the voter roll. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe enclave Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. You always change your vote. Cast a ballot thirty three ACT remains the bills are passed to transmit to the House. S. the second batch. Senate bill thirty one again before we read I want to make because I don't know I mean that's a a lot on you during that reading sports my biggest concern but that members is it does anyone want to pull out or have any questions on Senate bill thirty one. Thirty two. Thirty seven. Thirty nine forty two. Forty four fifty two. Fifty five fifty six sixty five or sixty eight. Senate bill thirty one an act for the Arkansas Supreme Court appropriation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill thirty two an act for the. I ASA you tax preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Senate bill thirty seven an act for the department of energy and environment Arkansas Geological Survey preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill thirty nine ACT for the university of central Arkansas preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year several forty two an act for the department of transport transformation insured services Arkansas geographic information system office in preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill forty four and I for the Department transformation shared services Building Authority Division of preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Senate bill fifty two an act for the department of commerce State Insurance Department of preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill fifty five an act for the Arkansas minority health initiative of the department of health Arkansas minority health commission corporation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate sixty five an act for the department of health Arkansas tobacco settlement commission for action by the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year Senate bill sixty eight an act for the department of health licensing and regulation board to preparation for the twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Fifty six Senate bill fifty six but I for the department of health Arkansas minority health commission preparation for twenty twenty to twenty twenty three fiscal year. Any objection on the vote please hold. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe lonely Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace was injured vote. Cast of about thirty three eight zero nays bills are passed. Transmitted to the house this into the budget County. About that. As far twenty one Senator Hickey good decisions they speak up in the gallery thanks for all the other night. Thank you for your work on the President Pro Temp dinner it was outstanding. Senate resolution twenty one by Senator Hickey to provide for an extension and sine die adjournment of the fiscal session of the ninety third General Assembly Senator Hickey members this is the the stand resolution that we always run that as you all know the fiscal sessions for thirty days we always give us an additional fifteen days ever part of me does not want to even get close to use in that I think I appreciate a good vote. The question is any objection on the vote. The role. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Wish to change vote cast a ballot. Three eight zero days the resolution is adopted now the next one by Senator Hickey unlike the S. R. twenty one required twenty seven votes SR twenty two required eighteen around to that the voice vote Senator Hickey Senate resolution twenty two by Senator Hickey authorized processes of each of either or both chambers for periods of for that four consecutive days are long. Thank you. Thank you Mr president of members this is exactly what it says this is the resolution that we always run we're that we can recess for a period of four or more consecutive days will actually be using this for this coming weekend because presidents day is Monday and is the intentions to take that all or take that day off. The question. All members say aye. Follows seven resolutions adopted Senator Ballinger. Senate resolution twenty three by Senator Ballinger to congratulate Mr Patrick world and the Department education reform at the college of education health professions of the University of Arkansas thank you for the many achievements Senator Ballinger. Thank you Mr president first I guess if you look in the gallery tear left my rights that we actually have that or will send some of his colleagues have come up they'll be at the Education Committee today so I we just want to commend them I'm not going to read through the the the whole resolution but I want to point out a few things and I know that Senator Irvin who is the chair of education have some things to say but it the department of education has been doing a lot of incredible work on a national level the ed reform department within the department education universe of Arkansas and and have been getting a lot of recognition of the fact that don't want to work for us and work for the for the governor's office department education several members of have them do some do some research and have their other print work a lot of times they are working behind the scenes and they aren't aren't really recognized but just to be the. Clear some of the things they've done is like they've had they do and various. Issue that they kind of take up to do research on several presses have different different expertise but they range from school choice to education policy teacher quality leadership accountability transparency they've published that over forty nine journal articles sixty different book chapters fifty one different working papers on various topics according to the database academic and let it so with that basically tracks the siding you know they are the fourth most cited institution you know collectively between the professors out of any of them within that database and prevents will fax a point out that the high ranking the best quality knows right now which is get. But the resolution goes on but the point is that they're doing incredible great work and and I just wanna make sure the institution gets gets recognized for doing that work and just appreciate so all politics in Irvine had to a thank you senator. Thank you members we are going to hear from them today that's what we've called in Education Committee meeting this afternoon it'll be actually after insurance and commerce meet so a little bit of a delay but we wanted to utilize this time for us while we're already here to go ahead and hear from these great reformers that we have at the University of Arkansas so we talk about the Razorbacks all the time but we can't ever forget professor center on the campus that are doing a lot of great work in a lot of different areas and so we're just happy to have you guys with us today and to be able to recognize you in this way. You any just real quick and I just I thank you guys for this and and it is an opportunity and they've worked really hard for a very long time and committed and really had an impact for an education reform very broadly and I just appreciate them in this kind of small way that we can show that appreciation I appreciate a good vote for the resolution all those of favour say aye. Is have it the resolution is adopted. Any other announcements. Senator. Hey he served five. Center Senate. Almost I don't have any money in my pocket so the first. Announcing Senate insurance and commerce to senator of an alluded to we've got to that are committee meeting right after. And room one seventy one but we're gonna go down there quickly insurance and commerce get organized get we've got four Bills the to analyze but then we'll get him to education right after remember we get Joint Budget nine AM tomorrow and we'll be back in session tomorrow one o'clock Senator Hickey. So. Well in the end this you all object a with buddy cheers and talking to the House I think that we could probably coming eleven if you all are okay with that. Hi eleven. It's at nine in its members own so just be prepared if you've got something you're looking right. Okay. And they'll be continuation of the rules Committee meeting that'll be at eight o'clock tomorrow. Okay. The Journal.