Education Committee- House

Two of president Senate amendment for H. B. seventeen hundred thank you chairman committee this is an amendment that you all awarded me I want to present HB seventeen hundred in this committee to working with department of it on some other bills that already passed so this is the bill to allow our students to know what careers open out there was intent to get that create how much money would cost is just an amendment that you guys work with me on this committee and I appreciate a good vote or any questions no question you have a motion of do pass on the amended version Kerr Amendment. Any questions all the men on the motion seeing none all in favor say aye. It opposed no graduations your pressure cooker thank you. All reciprocal. We do have a copy of her amendment that I believe since we ask for no less of financial statements for. Okay I think you still have no financial impact okay so it would you're recognized to explain your Conterminous seventeen seventy thank you Mr chair when I presented last time in here we wanted to make sure on the Senate end of that added Senator Irvin to the the sponsors to be a sponsor down there and also added that only those three hot lines that we talked about in here would be on there but kind of been our zeal to make sure that we had that clear we also amended anything else off of those student ID cards for the schools so we also amended to put make sure that they had the information that they already have and then mine would just be additional and only those three. What you did everything everybody wanted. All right any any questions. Roberson makes. I have a question and it may be for a representative from from higher red or the the Department so on these were you know we put the normal information were saying put this phone number for saying we can't put anything else I'm wondering is there anything else that maybe should be going on there that were now by doing this going on prevent from going on there you know obviously I don't I don't think we need to be putting the phone number to the local pizzeria on there but is there something legitimate that should be on there that were saying you can't do that. A shame roadway issue system thank you represent me trick question we did add on the bottom if you look at our at if the issue on or do you have a student ID there are campus numbers such for razorback transit are ours says on the back of an ID card at this is if you find this one please call this number so we added a land the I think it's or number four campus related contact information that way phone number or email that we can put on the back should that should cover anything that we would ever want to put our need to put on and that the. Thank you for any other questions. Seeing none. Would you I don't think there's anyone in the audience will speak for against would you like to close a close thank you are what's will committee. Represent speaks motion do pass on concur okay do pass on the concur since the discussion on the motion seeing none all in favor say aye. He opposed a resolution your past your thank you Mr thank you Committee. Seeing no more bills by. All right senator Johnson we got to give a little poke at you when we can. S. B. six oh nine the only other bill on the agenda today this will close out our year. You. Date of you're recognized to present SB six oh nine you and I thank you both of you all thank you Mr chairman and I'm mark Johnson district fifteen Sir I appreciate this opportunity to be the swansong of this great committee I'll just be real brief and every rep appreciate representative Bentley working with me on this of this arose as fact we had literally a spine admits we had espionage of the University of Arkansas from a communist China and this bill is more about transparency than stopping anything but it everything has to be transparent of my original bill set a lower threshold for the the transparency the reporting and at the behest of Mr Masson Ellie I mended it to make it consistent with the same language in the patriot act and the after that we now have concurrence with higher ed Mr Broadway's here if you need to ask you a question about but a issue you a system and you see a are all on board with this bill and it just basically you know if if foreigners coming one influence our higher ed that this has to be disclosed and I'll turn over representative Bentley for anything else you might. Because again this is just a happens more transparency I'm sure everyone is to be done on this subject but is a good start the right direction other Avenue for us to make a. Make it now what went what occurred there to keep us on our toes a little bit so with that I will take any questions at the members might have rips it be true personal. Thank you Mr mathematically support the or we're going to the only question I have is on the. The Bill page two for talks about an institution shall not opposed to says a Confuciusornis to two minutes says any entity with affiliation with the people's Republic of China Chinese Communist Party or the people's Liberation. Could this prevent one of the institutions from hosting a delegation from China say of students for you know what it's not uncommon for us to have you know Turkish sure of the Uganda we had a delegation from here earlier this year with this prevent prevent them from hosting these types of allegations that are not related with the activity there or concerned about short answer represent makes no Sir it would not and it would also not affect foreign students being come and be students who just to this is this is about the Confucius institute is an organization that we've been warned about last year some you may have seen the video with the Secretary Pompey of speaking to the national governors association warning them specifically about Confucius institute and infiltration on campus so now it would not affect any of that the representative makes thank you for the question and clarification thank you senator Bledsoe got for. Thank you Mr chair and my question is very similar to representative makes because the way I read it does state or so I understand your primary concern is about the Confucius institute but it does save or any entity with an affiliation with the people's Republic of China so I do share representative makes concerns about foreign students about study abroad programs about exchange programs and also hiring professors who are and non citizens of the United States and moving on a few lines and to that section of of not entering into a contract with a foreign supporters which include individuals that would include students would include professors and so I guess my first question is why do you say no when the bill to me and and perhaps a representative makes clearly says any entity or any individual. With an affiliation with China not just a confusion in city why do you say why are you confident that the answer would be no that that foreign students study abroad programs and foreign professors would not be affected by this bill. I think it's pretty clear representative that this is an individual's not entity if someone comes in a group or as an individual they're not necessarily one of the official entities of either China or their Communist Party or their Liberation Army this is just specifically limited to those and that's why we didn't have a problem with higher it on this follow I appreciate. Article it at I understand the intent but in the definition on page two of four and source it says under C. an individual who is not a citizen or a national of the United States or trust here Tory so it's not just the institute is individuals of foreign source means an individual and so moving on to that section bed institution shall not enter into a contract with a foreign disorders. That is an individual by definition in this bill so my concern is that it is impacting individuals not only students but also professors and so my second question instance in according to the language of this bill this is about individuals. How are institution supposed to know if those individuals who are non citizens or non nationals of the United States. How are they supposed to know that. Entering into a contract with these individuals would threaten the integrity or protection or safety of the institution the whole purpose of this bill represent Godfrey is to bring transparency okay we had an individual who was as pronounced at our at our campus here in Arkansas is the whole purpose of the bills to make bring more transparency is it going to end it no but without this is to bring more transparency to require more transparency when when funding as is available so I think if if you're an institutions would not be on board of higher it if this wasn't their concern so I don't I sit there support of the bill is not can we share your concerns thank you Mr Chad and I again I understand the intent of the miglior with the case that the of a with with the professor who you know had this issue I think the parts about that disclosure of gifts is really important but and maybe it would be helpful to have somebody from higher ed explain it you know we're representative makes Ireland but it's stuck here because to me it it does go beyond the intent that goes beyond the intent of transparency because we're talking about individuals and and being unable to enter into a contract with individuals which to me would include foreign students foreign professors that they could not. Be admitted or be hired if there is a belief that doing so would threaten. You know these listed out things and and I guess that's another question I have is where our institutions supposed to get this Intel. That these individuals that a professor would would threaten safety security and intellectual property of the institution because it does include any professor being hired and perhaps any foreign students being admitted the way I read the bill and so if you can answer that I find higher it can explain but again I understand your intent and agree wholeheartedly with that but this bill seems to go beyond the intent if you'll give me a minute I'll get our is your we have a bike market here besides that we okay yeah and I just want to quickly read the definition of contract represent Dr just starting page one of the bottom read the definition contractor that that'll help ensure your fears all that higher income talk I think my concerns about the definition of foreign source which is an individual let's get let's get into a type. Anybody. And I may not be the best Westerman shame roadway issue system are may I all I can say is our main concern from my legal folks was the reporting limit requirement and nothing in the language or representative god created is brought up it may be because federal law will supersede this because we can have students from China professors from China all those things would be superseded by existing federal law would be my best argument to you that that would supersede anything in this bill our only concern that we visited the centre Josh arson Bentley on was the reporting requirements that they fit what we already have to do under the patriot act so in the patriot act maybe the controlling document here. Your. Well I mean it. Your your I have a comment for you you're the only one I could ask a question longer than represent Walker. It was pretty low which you've got to log. Of my goodness Any other questions. Let me see body audits anyone the audience will speak against the bill or for the bill. It's like close reveal representative off up Senator John rid Bentley. Mr chairman I just I hope it to. Sir Broadway explain to their the fact that higher is okay with it I do reiterate what representative Bentley said about that the fact that that this language that representative Godfrey was home in El absolutely refers to a contract it's not a it's for bart lease purchase barter property services twenty four source and your institution so this is this is not about students this is about entities that are other than students and it's in the context of it shows that clearly but I think it good question good concerned but this would not even patriot act notwithstanding I don't believe it be a problem but certainly as as our higher ed representative center Broadway said It is should be okay in that regard simply because this is totally superseded by federal law. And we're good good to go I appreciate colleagues for listening for the building is a good a good message to send out that we're concerned about this and making sure we're doing what we can to prevent in the future and we're close they were Mr. I have a motion to past represent makes a discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor say aye by. Imposed. seven. Thank you Mr chairman for closing out our year. I'm highly honored to close out the great billing rate committee thank you all very much without any objections we are adjourned.