House Convenes

I am by the member staff and guests to stand to be led in prayer by Dr rex Horne house chaplain retired pastor of Emmanuel Baptist church in Little Rock and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to be led by representative Gary Deffenbaugh. Let's pray please. A father we come to you today thanking you for this day of life we thank you for the blessings that we enjoy and so often take for granted. I thank you lord for the women and men who were standing before me even more than that before you in this house in the chamber today. I pray especially as they come together for a more specific purpose that you would bless them that you would be with them that you would guide them. Thank you lord that you have given us opportunities to serve and that these have been elected to serve and to represent people in their areas but also to represent the people of our wonderful state. I pray that you will always help our house to be people who are principled who are people of conviction. But also father that always keep in mind the greater good. To be able to talk to find common ground. To have respect and civility and kindness. Toward one another and toward those that believe as they do or or don't happen to follow the same path. So we pray guidance bless our Speaker bless all who serve and have a part in these days at the end of the time help in the sense of the a accomplishment measure satisfaction. Lord thank you that we have opportunities to impact people so often what we do may seem to be somewhat common or Monday. But there are other times when it's but it's really does impact lives and health of people of our state our neighbors our friends our families bless them each one in Jesus name amen. Members please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button prepare the machine madam Clerk. Cast a ballot madam Clerk. With eighty seven members present the chair sees a quorum are there. Any request for leave represent McElroy for what purpose leave a representative McGee is leave granted for representing a. The noted represent Deffenbaugh for what purpose leave for Lane Jean is leave granted for representative Jean. So notice. President Hollowell for purpose of leave for representative Lynch. Leave grant represent Lynch so noted. Resent how well you're recognized read a leave representative Coleman. Isley brand represent Coleman. So noted. Represent Gonzales for what purpose leave recognized leave representative gray sleeve Grant represent gray. noted. President Ladyman for what purpose leave you're recognized leave a representative Lundstrum is leave grant represent once from the Senate represent Smith what purpose leave you're recognized leave for representative Richard McGrew leave granted for representative route. noted representative Mayberry for what purpose leave for representative Gazaway is leave granted for RepresentativeHouse way. So noted. President Watson for what purpose leave you're recognized leave a representative Charlene Fite. It's leave grant represent fight. So noted. Representative warrant what purpose leave. Recognized leave a representative Carol Dalby. It's leave grant grant represent Dalby the the note. Represent Vaught for what purpose leave you're recognized leave for representative Boyd is leave grant represent board. noted represent Vaught you're recognized. Leave for representative Eads representative beads. Represent eleven for what purpose. Leave a representative makes is leave grant represent Meeks. So noted. Adam Clark please read the proclamation from the governor. State of Arkansas executive department proclamation to who to all to whom these presents shall come greeting with an extraordinary occasion has arisen making it necessary to convene the ninety third General Assembly into extraordinary session and where as the Delta variant of COVID nineteen has infected thousands of our Kansans in recent months this very it has effected a higher rate of school age children and it is more contagious than previous variants of the virus and whereas a code nineteen vaccine is not yet available for children under the age of twelve years old and whereas the Arkansas public schools will begin in person instruction in August and the safety of children attending school is critical and we're as all efforts should be made to preserve the safety of these children while maintaining the ability for them to attend in person instruction and we're at school boards need the flexibility to require mask and congregate settings to protect the safety of children and we're as ACT one thousand two of twenty twenty one prohibits public school boards from utilizing mass to mitigate the spread of COVID nineteen therefore if there is an urgent need to an act exceptions to act one thousand two F. twenty twenty one so that public school boards have the flexibility necessary to utilize mass to mitigate the spread of COVID nineteen and twenty in schools and where as a full economic recovery from the impact of COVID nineteen requires a robust work force and we're and as a result of extraordinary federal unemployment benefit programs a relief programs Arkansas employers are unable to fill thousands of job vacancies in the state and we're as the unemployment rate in Arkansas is currently below the national unemployment rate and consistent with the historical unemployment level preceding the onset of COVID nineteen pandemic therefore there is no longer any within the state of Arkansas for extraordinary federal unemployment benefit programs provided under title nine subtitle a part one of the American rescue plan active twenty twenty one. Now therefore I Asa Hutchinson governor of the State of Arkansas by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by article six section nineteen of the Arkansas constitution do hereby call an extraordinary session of the General Assembly to convene in Little Rock on August fourth twenty twenty one at ten AM and I do hereby specify that the General Assembly is convened in such session. To consider and if so advised enact laws for the following purposes want to allow public school boards and open enrollment charter schools to implement masking protocols to protect children under the age of twelve and a school building school bus or other concrete educational setting during times dedicated for academic purposes purposes to to affirm the decision of the director of workforce services to terminate the state of Arkansas participation extraordinary federal unemployment benefit programs related to COVID nineteen three to affirm the reduction and prevention of an employment in Arkansas takes precedence over the receipt of any federal programs related to unemployment and the director of workforce services may exercise discretion in the decision to participate or cease participation in any voluntary optional special or emergency program benefits offered. By the federal government to address exceptional and employment conditions forced to confirm gubernatorial appointees as required by Arkansas code annotated ten dash to dash one thirteen and five to provide the payment of expenses and per diem of the House representatives and the Senate for the extraordinary session and testimony aware of I have here and to set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this second day of August in the year of the lord twenty twenty one Asa Hutchinson governor. In accordance with the provisions of article six section nineteen of the Arkansas constitution no business other than that which is germane to the items in the call of the governor will be considered until all items in the call of been disposed of. Represents late for what purpose motion let's hear your motion Mister Speaker I move to suspend for the duration of this special session House rule thirty eight P. through T. setting minimum lengths of time for circulation of fiscal impact statements related to specific types of legislation. That's a proper motion it's not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The ayes have it represents slate for what purpose motion let's hear your motion Mister Speaker I move that we suspend for the duration of this special session House rule forty one a requiring bills to be on the desk for at least twenty four hours before final passage and forty one B. prohibiting bills from being placed on committee agendas no sooner than the second calendar day following its filing. That's a proper motion it's not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The ayes have it. Absence late for what purpose motion let's hear motion Mister Speaker I move we suspend for the duration of this special session House rule sixty a setting minimum lengths of time for notice of committee meetings. Opper motion it's not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The motion is adopted. Madam Clark notify the Senate that the House is in session and ready for business. Madam Clerk notified governor Hutchinson that the House is in session and ready for business. Members we do have one guest with us in the gallery today in the north gallery we have doctor Glenn been venter superintended the Merion school district a guest of representative Deborah Ferguson. Read the bills man Clerk. House bill one thousand one. The objection read the bill a second time House Bill one thousand one. Public health. Read the bill matter Clark. House bill one thousand to that objection read the bill a second time as the one thousand to public health. Representive eleven for what purpose. Motion let's hear your motion the Speaker after the announcements reading of bills transferring the bill's place the calendars on the desk amending members their own bills with their own amendments members withdrawing their own bills finalizing resolutions reading communications any rain remaining committee reports I move we adjourn until ten AM tomorrow. That's a proper motion stock not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The ayes have it members of a few items. By way of announcmenet We just suspended several rules which is the common practice for a special session to allow us to meet in a more efficient manner there will be a public health meeting at one o'clock this afternoon and big mac Hey but additionally we've read to bills across the desk which both of which were assigned to public health but as if other bills are filed those can also be assigned immediately to committee as we were leaving the desk open so need to pay attention to the schedule the committee agendas because if other things were filed in those will be assigned to committee as soon as possible now obviously with regard to other committee met meetings that likely couldn't happen until after we meet in the morning. That. Likely that's likely correct but just monitor your email and communications from the House and the House website obviously if there if you have a committee meeting we're gonna get notice out to you. President wing for what purpose. Of the point of personal privilege upon gambling out please. Come back to that. Represent Ladyman. I've already covered but do you have anything to add to the announcmenet you're recognized public health meet at one PM and make a. Any other announced. The desk remain open and upon completion of the items named in the joint resolution house be adjourned until ten AM tomorrow.