State Agencies & Govt'l Affairs- House

Ballinger. The representative Grier you and run. Thank you will run the bill. Senate bill four six representing greater you gonna run that presenter Ballinger yes Sir Monday bye best okay you're recognized to run senate bill four four sixty. Hey. Thank you Mr chair I had asked us Senator Ballinger to come down here but I don't think he's made it down here yet essentially this is a bill to you amend the law regulating private investigators and private security agencies I know there's a lot of new language in here I don't know if there's anyone here to speak against or for I have was told originally yesterday that Most everyone was in agreement on the bill. Don't know if that's the case or not for sure no. Okay it is not okay. Well how about we do this how bout we hear the force in against let me read the bill real good while we're doing that I will come back and close. You're recognized thank you. Are you ready for questions I'm ready from yeah okay ET Committee. Any questions from committee members. The rate. I'm ready for this bill and I'm familiar with private investigators and and I guess my question would be as. What's the benefits to this bill for a For a group that's already heavily heavily regulated I mean the to get your private investigators license or to get your security licensee's extremely regulated nail and you know obviously with the state police and and they don't really understand it either as to why this is necessary and I guess my question is what's the benefits to it but all we're doing is adding more regulations shall already well regulated group. I cannot answer that for you right now Mr chairman. I understand so anyways and what I'm going to follow up I've got another question to. I ended up in the bill in its gets calls in these private investigators instructors be required to take two hundred and ten hours. Of the extremely training in courses And do you have many companies in Arkansas are set up to be able to administer that training and they're not willing how many one and shall we what I'm afraid of is this kind of drives back anybody else that may want to come compete in that field because is so narrowly scope just to this to the requirements and that extremely concerned you may and like I said I guess what I was looking for was an answer as to how to how does the department how do we gain from the US from something that's already heavily regulated nothing should it be difficult to answer any further questions from committee members. Same none no one signed up to speak for against the bill representive cloudy a gray you're recognized to close with the bill now thank you Mr chair and I just I just know that that had a private investigator reach out to me yesterday submit I'd work with in the past and they were very much in favor of the bill and so Senator Ballinger couldn't be here I just offered at least put it before the committee for a vote we appreciate you doing that and anyways what's the what's to represent the value because of the bill that close I make a motion to pass represent you guys got a motion do pass any discussion on the motion. Shame none all in favor say aye. All opposed say no. She has failed thank you representative to correct. The committee members the I think this probably should be the final bill for this section for state agencies I think I said that this morning but we're going to take care of like should take care of a little more business this afternoon so of we have back on the agenda senate bill four eighty five as you know failed this morning roll call so I think You senator Hammer common representative Gonzalez are you going to present the bill. You're going to present it okay. Representative Gonzalez you're recognized president. Senate bill four eighty five thank you Mr thank you committee I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to to come in and present this bill again I know you heard earlier I was unfortunately not able to make it here this morning. So I wanted the opportunity to vote on seven of this this but had failed by on a roll call vote by one vote I didn't hear the testimony this morning wasn't able to to to listen to that student if you have some questions at all. I want to ask for. All a conclude my presentation and go to go to for against a few. Sorry yeah okay hold on any questions from committee members. Say no question for committee member representative because we do have. Two people signed up to speak against the bill I think a recognized the names they spoke against the. This bill this morning but will give the number of another opportunity ten to the table so if you just make room for the employees Now Matthews miss Matthews. We were just by yourself to the Committee and you're recognized speak against the bill. Thank you my name is now Mathews I'm with I am the spokesperson for legal legislative issues with the league of women voters of Arkansas and I spoke this morning and told you how of early voting has been something that's been in place for twenty four years I think you know fifty seven thousand people voted early in the last election on fifty seven thousand people voted on Monday in the last election in some counties it apparently was as few as one person but in other counties it was six thousand or thirteen thousand I think in Pulaski County it's going to cause confusion it's going to affect your constituents it's not going to help one party or the other it's going to affect everybody and it's going to make your constituents I'm happy when they go there to vote and they can't vote there's no reason for it the county clerks have not asked for it they say they can handle it the there's already rules in place to limit the size the number of. Early voting sites if it becomes difficult it's just not I needed bill and I would appreciate you all just. I said earlier let's put a stake in it. It's hard I would like you to take now a big all Malegaon that state down hard thank you. Members any questions for Mrs Matthews. Seeing none miss Matthews thank you so much. Presaged testimony before the committee also signed up to speak against the bill is Laurie eleven ms eleven. Who would have stayed down the table data by yourself to the committee and then you're recognized against the bill. I'm not sure how I can follow that that try my name is Laurie Evans I'm with indivisible thank you again for the opportunity again to speak yeah I I already kind of covered it this morning but so again I guess what I just simply like to say right now is this morning five our Kansans representing a large number of groups state of state of Arkansas and across the state testified against SB four eighty five. No one came to testify for at one person testified against it wise a county Clerk no county clerks testified for this bill the county Clerk traveled from baton that time portent what's to her and and gave heartfelt testimony on behalf of her voters she. And now I assume of course it's probably headed back up to to Benton and to then you know the process here as we turn around now and re vote on a bill once you know she's not. House doesn't have an opportunity here to speak against though so the process seems like it's maybe not a process that is actually incorporating citizen input. and then the second thing I just like to quickly address is that the bill sponsor noted in the Senate and state agencies Committee that he did have five votes the entire time and that's why it but but people are present so that's why it kept failing I was there and did note take note of votes and I did noted various times that for Senators and that committee at least at one time or another either voted against the bill or chose not to vote even though they were present so that's four people which means that there was bipartisan opposition to SB eight forty five in the Senate state agency agencies Committee and we would ask that there continue to be bipartisan opposition to this bill here because I do think indeed that this is not a partisan issue voting it's for all Arkansans and it shouldn't be partisan thank you so much for your help for listening thank you thank you ms eleven any questions from committee. J. nine thank you for your testimony. Representative Gonzalez that's the only ones I have signed up to speak. For against the bill. Representative Gonzalez you're recognized to closing your bill thank you Mr Committee I'll just remind you we have some of the most early voting days and and the nation here in Arkansas we have plenty opportunity get out early vote this just give your poll workers a chance for four break before election day that's always a big day should be a big day my personal opinion everybody all vote on on election day. Not the with that being said let me do that I do take advantage early voting but I don't think it's it's a necessary thing to have voting is important for me that I would show up on election day and vote or if I if I had to get an absentee ballot and and do it that way which will still be an option even if it passes so I'd appreciate a good vote make a motion to pass. Representing under house is close with the bill is made a motion of a do pass any discussion on the motion. Seeing none. All in favor say aye. All opposed say no. Does have a to bill is passed C. two hands for a roll call madam Clark call the roll. Representative Meeks I representative gene. I representative love. Representative love. Representative Deffenbaugh No representative Wardlaw. Representative Wardlaw. Representative Cozart I represented Dotson. No representative Miller. Representative Miller. So now representative Whitaker. No representative Payton. I represented Ladyman. I representative gray. Representative gray. I representative back. I representative speaks. I represented Richmond yes I representative McCollum. I representative Johnson. The representative Johnson. Representative hawks. Representative hawks. Representative Gonzalez. I. Regulates the bill is passed. Committee this meeting committee members as the committee meeting is adjourned thanks so much.