Senate Convenes

And my Why is having a very. Senate will come to order I'm secretary please call the roll. The announcmenet announcements for leave any announcements. Senator Leding. Gentian anyone else. Senator Pitsch Senate sh recognized. Walls leave for summer walls without objection madam secretary please call the roll. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English. Lepo 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 stand including those in the gallery for a word of prayer to be led by Senator Eads. What about me please have a father god we thank you for this opportunity gather as we do the business of the people of Arkansas god we pray you just Grannis wisdom to make good decisions lord we pray that you would just protect us as we travel back and forth their families as we move forward in through this difficult time god just keep a safe and help us to keep our constituents in mind all time in Jesus name amen amen. I pledge. Yes right. Any announcements any announcements. Senator Eads has announced a member's you have a list on your desk that and provided or two months of appointments that will need to make an official confirmation of you should have already received calls or information on the boards and commissions department on the cities are not anything you've not seen before but we do need to make it official we got to people that are not here today so they will have a chance to see their to officially approve their ship but if you have no questions we need to go ahead and try to officially approve these confirmations today and then we can pick up the other two was later so if you have any questions asking and if not we can get this taken care of today I have a question how old are you today. Fifties something another. He said yeah. Happy birthday. Before getting you Senator Johnson there any items at the desk. Yes there Senate resolution to buy centers back coming Garner to command L. C. buckshot Smith on his long tenure as the Camden police officer Senate resolution to a calendar. Any other announcements senator Johnson. S. R. one. Thank you Mr president resolution one by Senator Mark Johnson you're recognized K. in Browning for earning the silver medal for women's trap shooting at the twenty twenty Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo so Johnson thank you Mr president members the Senate I would ask leave of the body for miss Kaylee Browning and her family to join us on the floor for the presentation of S. R. one. Without objection welcome. It is such an honor to present this resolution of we need heroes right now. Especially we need young people as heroes and we have all that in miss Kaylee ramming and she is my constituents she lives in Worcester as I was kidding with the mayor of booster yesterday that that she's put Worcester on the map and it's it's a wonderful community and Faulkner County just north of where I grew up in and we're just so thrilled that she's with us I will read the resolution or as Kaylee branding is an American sport shooter is also is a native our cans and who's been shooting since she was eight years old as during her whole life of going to the Olympics and were as beginning or target shooting career and sporting clays shooting Kelly Browning might open all American team at twelve years old it was alternate for team USA at the twenty twelve Olympic Games and we're as Kelly Browning took aim in the twenty twenty Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo for team USA where she she had nineteen straight shots after missing three or first four shots and we're as in the in the qualifying rounds that took place over two days of transfusion K. Browning earned a silver medal in women's trap shooting. Which makes her the first Arkansas and and the first American to win the silver medal in women's trap shooting and we're as Kaylee Browning showed or patriotism for this nation. By holding an American flag during the medal ceremony for the women's. The twenty twenty games in Tokyo now therefore be it resolved by the centre the ninety third General Assembly the State of Arkansas that the Senate recognized Kaylee ranting for earning the silver medal for women's trap shooting at the twenty twenty Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo be it further resolved that upon adoption a copy this resolution be present provided to miss Browning by the secretary of the Senate. Mr president I move the adoption resolution for the resolution all those of favour say aye. Follows Is haven't resolution adopted congratulates thank you. President may we stand in recess for five minutes to allow ms Browning to address the Senate for a moment and to allow some pictures but she's a really good shot I don't think anyone will have no one would. thank you for having me today at. This is beyond an honour I hope that through twenty starter okay I never would have imagined earning a medal would have led to all of this and the support I've had from not anybody everybody local but all my gosh at this level is invaluable and I'm so honored and I'm so thankful and I hope that I meet everybody here proud and American how Yeah. When I started this journey I've I could have never imagined it would lead to this but I am I am so thankful that it didn't I'm so thankful for everybody's support here in this this session honors thank you so much. My goodness yes my family with me today is. My dad who has been my coach my entire life I started when I was eight years old he's also a fellow shooter he did competitive shot and shooting my mom Tani Tani rounding Tami Lynn. My Montini who has been at the snack lady she always had snacks and refreshments at all the sheets. Which is important and then my boyfriend David who is also a competitive shooters well he's and competed on world levels and and got world titles too so and then my my photographer friend in action somewhere here too see there so I'd like to friends and family with me here today. The judge. We will. You recess five minute. One two percentage come down for a group picture. No we're going to keep. Senate. Sure and I will remain here. You. Well we got. Tucker. Bledsoe. Leding. Ballinger. To the front desk please to the front desk. Thank you. Yeah. Okay. I'm I have to leave my wife surgery any minute here. We will. We will be in tomorrow at eight thirty one thirty tomorrow morning. Only thirty tomorrow morning. And as much as I would love to stay with you I just wanna say that I'm my wife is having a in extremely minor extremely minor surgery or lag and so I've got to take her to the procedure so anyway I believe a and leave this in the hands of Senator Sturch but if I could be here I would I will miss you all so Sturch. Thank you. Senators morning hour has ended will now take up the business agenda. When I take up Senate bill one. Senate bill one by Senator Dismang to clarify the law concerning the state's participation in certain federally funded unemployment programs to terminate the state dissipation in certain federal unemployment programs and to declare an emergency Senate is saying you're recognized present your bill. Nineteen that the governor had in it a letter issued that terminated the agreement implementing the relief workers affected by coronavirus act that was to be effective on June twenty six for the majority of that program and some of the latter was I believe June thirtieth it was there that was challenged in court the the challenge was that he did not have the authority to do that I think all of this is in this room regardless of what you thought about that termination assume that that a forty did rest with the executive branch this just reaffirms that the exact branch does have the ability to terminate any this type of program here in the state with that I'd be happy to take any questions are there any questions Senator Dismang Senator Ingram you're recognized we talked about the center of in this legislation it is retroactive to that made the date of I've talked to some lawyers of than their concern that retroactive will end up with we would be in a lawsuit and that we will lose again. Does it not make sense to just make it effective as of this date and not have to fight not risk losing the lawsuit and not only paying out the additional money but paying out additional legal fees I mean in my opinion well overdue it is reasserting to the courts what we thought the where the forty already lied and so I think this is just to provide clarification in out and there's no doubt in my mind that will be challenged in some ways important particular the fact that it could be retroactive and in that at this point I mean I think that's something I'm one let the courts decide it'll be up the chamber if they agree thank you. Senator Elliot. Three years ago or Senate you're recognized. I'm I am a recognized yes this might Dismang do you know if anybody has all the folks who have not gone back to work yet and some of them do we know anything about why people are not. back at work so to speak as opposed as opposed to the assertion that I just don't want to go to work because they're getting I don't have any information on that that means such anecdotal I don't and I'm not going I don't think there's value to be providing you know testimony is not supported by yeah I don't want anything those and build what I just this is such a big step for people I thought maybe somebody we had some kind of basis for why people had not gone back to work yet we don't we don't thank you thank you senator garner you're recognized for a question thank you to resort here's me that the public policy for teachers during the school year dealing with COVID nineteen as if they have to quarantine for any reason the right to use their own personal sixty days nor the court is there any discussion at the unemployment office how we can take care of these vital teachers won't have to tap into their own unemployment in sick days in order to be able to be quarantine if that happens I haven't made that phone call but I encourage you to do that okay thank you as follows Mr chairman go ahead and there's nothing in the current law that has to deal with the same people at this point team because of their children being quarantine have to take off work for that if you temporary unemployment for that as well I would assume you're more well versed in Maine if you got some point you'd like to make a welcome take well thank you Sir thank you Mister. Any further questions Senator Dismang Sir Clark recognized for a question. Senator this going on in support your bill and was there yesterday of I was going to present a bill this morning and the didn't present because it lacked an hour and a half meeting the twenty four hour rule and since I was there I know the rules are suspended are you concerned about that that the we're hearing a bill that we didn't suspend the rules for the twenty four hour of rolling Committee. Suspend the rules in committee I mean I think after it made it to this level I mean it I think the eighteen votes that's needed here in this chamber is what actually matters. Any further questions Senator Dismang. Say no further questions is anyone who speak for or against the bill senator Chesterfield recognized speak against the bill. Thank you Mr ladies and gentlemen of the Senate at I know the train is rolling in I'm going to get run over by the blues but I would be remiss if I did not say it expires in September. The ability to get the three hundred dollars expires next month there are people who still need this money. And we have a tendency to believe that people are not going back to work because they're lazy or they're just interested but there are people who genuinely cannot go back to work and we are taking our fellow citizens of a program that will expire next month it does not make sense we're applying it retroactively or expose facto which is questionable as well I believe that we ought to let the program played out we're in the middle of August already why not let it play out at the end of September and let those citizens who are benefiting from it and also benefiting the economy by spending their money that they're getting. That's one of the reasons the economy is booming I would appreciate in about. Sir Chesterfield spoke against bills anyone wish to speak for the bill. Anyone who wish to speak for the bill. C. nine anyone else speak against senator Elliots recognized speak against. Thank you members I'm not worried about the boot caboose custom caboose protected I think by the signed I I I am against this because. Some of what the US senator Chesterfield said but it always seems to me one is about people who are struggling people who are poor or whatever. We will. To whatever we have to do seemingly so that they have to bend to the will of other people and this in this case it's business or. All. We don't know for example why person a is not back at work if indeed person a were you able to come back to work whatever the case may be but not talk to these people thanks we've not even bothered to know what their reasons are. Because if we did we might have a whole different response. And we're doing this in isolation based on assumptions we have about people who are getting the money. I don't recall that we ever come up here for the most part. And say we're going to take any kind of benefit away from a business. We do the opposite when it comes to a business we make sure they get all kind of benefits. It expires in September. There's likely a mother even the father who cannot go back to work now because that person does not have child care. Could be all kind of reasons but I just wanna point out we're doing this in total isolation. Without even talking to the people who are going to be affected by this we would never do this to our business. Maybe thank you wish they were corporate. Not person thank you. Senator Hammer you have a question. Okay speak five Senator Hammer you're recognized speak in favor that. The people that I spoke to are the people that are looking for people to work and the story upon story upon story from business owners that have called people to come to work. And the story that they get is why should I come to work I can make just as much sitting at home. And draw that three hundred dollars a week check I don't know about everybody else it's drawn those checks I have talked to a few those people but let the voice on the other side of the argument be her to and that is the employers who are begging people to come to work and consistently I hear that story that the reason people are want to come to work is because they continue to get that three hundred dollar check so why should they come to work when they can make the same amount of money saying home about you but I don't think that speaks to the society that we need to have we need to have a society that wants to work and if we enable them we have not done them any favors by telling them that's okay. For Senator Garner very nice speak for. Thank you Mr must dispel this myth about September and what's going to happen with this unemployment we know that the federal government and how they're operate right now is to extend every single benefit ask for is humanly possible we had a memorandum on evictions that ran out Congress did not authorize that memorandum to go forward in the CDC despite president Joe Biden saying that it's probably a legal put that memorandum back in place with the assumption that it would go to court B. four out for a few months of people continue to be active we know the expanded Medicaid right we're getting right now we can't exit that and that it will continue for months and months this idea that the unemployment assistance is going to end of September is in a factually correct they will continue and push this emergency out for as far as humanly possible and once they do it's up to the states to step in and act as a regulation against that overbearing federal government we have so many people in our state begging for employees to come back to work building any business in Arkansas and one out of three you're going to see a sign out front that says we will how are you today let's give those people the right to get back to work thank you. Senate are spoken for the bill anyone else to speak for against the bill. Anyone else speak for against the bill senators main recognized close serviceman's indicated he's close I'm sector would you please call the roll. Senators you are voting on the bill and it's emergency calls. We have to the desk. Senator Wallace yes Senator Leding nine. Senator Pitsch yes Senator flowers no. Ballinger. Packham. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. Eads. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flowers is no. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson Mark Johnson. Leding is no. Page is yes. Rapert. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. Tucker. Wallace is yes. Are there any senators who wish to vote or change their vote. Is there is reason to vote or change their vote not name secretary please cast a ballot vote of twenty ninety days six days the bill and it's emergency clause have passed. Transmitted house senator Beckham would like to present Senate resolution to Senate resolution two by Senator bekommen Senator Garner command L. C. back shot Smith on his long tenure as a Camden police officer. You don't need to spend the rules to hear this to. Yes I'd like to recklessly agreement. He would like to ask leave for Mr buckshot. The latest grand. Where is L. C. books of some of the Camden Arkansas is the oldest police officer in the state it is one of the oldest police officers in the country and we're as books I became sure seventy fifty six years ago and was deputy for forty six years before retiring for a few short months. After Germany quickly realize how much he enjoyed the work and subsequently joined the Camden police department where he served ever since and whereas buckshot loads the excitement of being a police officer and though he is ninety two years of age this year. He has no plans to retire. And we're is book shows below through Camden serving during annual festivals and then the courthouse of this church and for the neighborhood what and where is his dedication his work ethic in this from the friendliness has made him a chair's cherished member of the camera police department. Now therefore be it resolved that the Senate of the ninety third General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the Senate Committee on LC buckshot Smith on his dedication and service to the campus police department it furthers further resolved that upon adoption of dioxin adoption a copy of this resolution be provided to Mr Smith by the secretaries of the Senate. Centers you've heard the resolution all in favor of the resolution say aye. Imposed unanimous. Good morning. More for you all I know you. Okay some that shall not. And the representative. From my area. I work for. Camden police department. For the. Is my Chief. Kweisi. He's that. But he take care of me at this. You can feel free and does somebody would do the job. Any does that. He's a friend of mine he worked for me. At the jail. When he for it with the law enforcement. And now. What we. Dana. Well being. Is out of me. Cannot keep a job be is. Thank you. Quickly Mr I think Mr buckshot gave me a ticket and I was in high school to straight me out as you all well know it did not take. Madam secretary or their items to be read across the desk yes Sir house bill ten ten oh one by representative Wardlaw on Senator Dismang to clarify the law concerning the state's participation in certain federally funded unemployment programs to terminate the state's participation in certain federal unemployment programs and their emergency house bill ten oh one public health Senate resolution three by Senator garner to extend that first extraordinary session of the ninety third General Assembly to consider a bill by senator garner to predict that prohibit the promulgation of the device concepts of certain public entities Senate resolution three calendar. Senator anybody wish to be recognized this time for announcements any announcements anybody needs to be recognized. Senate you're recognized. I I just I want to thank them is just a bills for holding a meeting with some folks the other day about the rental assistance that's available that's available for people and I just want to make this announcmenet here because there seems not to be a lot of information out there are people understanding that it's available and so I just want to announce that if people are needing and wanting to get some assistance for for rent please check with your legislator or is in for all of us to the legislators we need to get on top of this as well because we're not able to get the money out to people who desperately need it just because we have a communications problem here so I'm just asking everybody to please get on that thank you and the other thing about it too is not just for renters there's something in this too obviously for those people who are who are landlords and we have a problem getting connection between landlords and the renters and everybody cooperating to make sure we help everybody who needs the assistance of thank you. Yeah yeah as as three DHS unless you're in if you're in Pulaski County we have our own funding but if you in Washington and Benton I think those three counties admit directly to the counties when the account is used up all of their funds and there are state funds left over then that will kick in then but right now it's those three counties otherwise the state through DHS. Any further announcements. Centers up please don't forget the appointments voters on your desk please turn those back into and when you can the appointments voters on your desk please turn them back in. The Senate will stand in German to eight thirty in the morning subject to clearing of this.