Education Committee - Senate

Is tired of playing secretary hand as so I'll decided just to go ahead Senator late in the session just to go ahead and place all bills on the agenda some of these bills that are placed on this agenda today are not going to run today and may be withdrawn or not running at all so but in order to give the public at the appropriate time and notice I felt it was necessary to go ahead and put every bill that's from and referred to the Senate Education Committee on the agenda so that the public would have the opportunity to have that notice and I also don't want us to get into a position where we have members coming before us asking us to suspend the rules to suspend the rules to place the bill on the agenda that we don't have in our packet or that didn't then does not give the public the appropriate amount of time to be here to testify on the bill so with that I know that Senate bill thirty three is not and I think I bills actually been withdrawn. And so Senate bill thirty three has been withdrawn Senate bill four seventy two is not running and Senate bill six forty nine is not running and Senate bill six sixty is not running. At this time those are the bills that I have that or not running and so we will start at the top and work down this as much as we can today is the day that we're going to be doing this from here on out will believe will remove the bills that have been withdrawn or that are not going to run for the next Education Committee meeting but we're coming to the end of our ability to run bills in the Senate or Senate bills I would say next Monday at two o'clock this Senate Education Committee meeting will be held in we will meet and the big mac room a. As where we will be meeting at two o'clock big mac Hey tomorrow I mean Monday at two o'clock immediately following the Senate Education Committee meeting at two o'clock in big back a we will then meet jointly with the House Committee on Education and at that time we will consider any bills that have an impact to the lottery revenues and so to my knowledge I think we only have three bills right now that will be impacted at or that will be heard during that joint meeting between the Senate and house those bills pursuant to legislation that was passed in this session and the structure that's been put in place to basically score any piece of legislation that has an impact on lottery revenues I will be dealt with in the matter that was prescribes pursuant to the legislation that's already been passed this session so we will do that starting on Monday that process on Monday afternoon. Jointly is that we will hear all three of those bills okay and then once you hear all three of those bills and you have a fiscal impact that you will be you will have on each of those bills then we will take a vote on those bills and as soon as we take a vote on one bill in that amount of money will then have to be subtracted before we consider another bill that would then come out so that's kind of the process that we have put in place so members study those bills and know what they are and make your decisions And and that's how we will I think that's the fairest way to do is here all three of the bills I understand with the fiscal impact is and then let the committee decide how it wants to proceed these are all three Senate bills and they're not House bills so I think the house is really going to defer to us as a Senate committee all right are there any questions about that on Monday from members of the committee. Okay C. nine I am going to turn the chair over to senator Elliots and I've got another amendments. Members this is Senate bill five oh one and we have an amendment for that's passed out. There's a motion to accept the amendment is there a second. All those in favor I. Those opposed no okay the amendment it is accepted and madam madam chair he thought we need to suspend the yes go ahead sexually I need to a make a motion to expunge the vote by which Senate bill five okay one will happen to her and I think I'm getting there a motion to expunge the vote by which five oh one past is past three yeah pass meant okay. one it's motion and a second all those in favor expunge the photos and say aye aye those opposed no okay it is expunged and now the amendment as an adopted we've heard this bill already and this is actually in response to the input from the members of the committee and I just appreciate all. Are there any. I'm just I'm sorry. This is the okay. The. Yeah I'm. Yes ma'am. Which the amendment okay wait we're getting thirty weeks finds the vote by which the amendment was adopted and we did that we did that and so now we need to do we need to explain to vote by which the the bill itself passed out of here. We just we didn't we're finished okay. To accept the amendment all right if we get a motion I was talking I'm sorry. We got a motion to accept amendment second all those in favor I. Those opposed no all right the memories is accepted thank you. Did you have anything else to say hello Mediterr now I think we've we've discussed this and again appreciate the impact and I just wanted to respond and to the members of the committee but then another amendment. Do pass let. Mmhm I will introduce must record Senator Missy Irvin district eight C. all right okay. Thank you all members for your input. All right reserved words a motion motion do pass as amended motion to pass in second on anybody audience want to speak for against the bill if not then if there are no further questions from members all those in favor I all those opposed no thank you the bill has passed. Okay thank you members of the committee all rights let's move on down our list to do we have here with us. Okay SB one ninety one. Is not running. SB three fourteen. Thank you. How do you okay okay I'm sorry Senator Hester. I'm sorry I did not see any people over there and Senator Ingram okay Senator Hester. So what they'll do you have with us as well five sixty nine. Fifty nine hold on let us find that. Okay if you're if you're and state your name for the record you're recognized to present Senate bill five sixty nine thank you members if you remember a couple years ago we allowed for nurses to treat teacher or to help train teachers to be able to help kids with diabetes maybe take a shot or something if they needed it this is kind of piggybacking off that even though it's very different diagnosis this is for kids with the adrenal insufficiency and there's not a ton but maybe as many as twenty kids in the public schools in Arkansas that have this and I would just give you a very rough example. With me are you get nervous maybe our adrenaline rises these kids plummet and to the point of possibly passing out and as they get older they could carry on themselves maybe a pill that that they could put under their tongue when they feel that coming on and it not disrupt class and I have to leave go to the nurse and so really this does a few things allows them if everybody involved understands why they've got that hello on that they need and to it also allows should a teacher want to be trained in the nurse comfortable training a teacher to help that they could they could do that so it's very permissive but not a mandate on a teacher or anyone but it it it is it would be a mandate to allow child everybody is in on the no to carry that will. Senator says for the recognized for a question. Thank you manager thank you Senator Hester for bringing the bill it made me go read about Addison's and I'd never infirmity with this before you're telling me them because one of the things we have to do is the intravenous our schools are equipped to do that is that what you're saying already well as a nurse would be equipped to do that but but not you know not not a not a teacher or someone else this would allow if the nurse was comfortable in the teacher was comfortable maybe maybe helping with that we made some amendments and I'm certainly not in the medical field I may I made the amendments that were requested of me to try to make this work for us I think a lot and I just wanted to make sure that the people who would be administering if it became rather than appeal the intravenous that we would have the capacity to do so yeah on only if they all choose to thank you thank you senator bless you're recognized so I guess my only concern is I know it it's almost illegal for anybody to give an aspirin. In school how are we gonna I mean if the child gets to carry this around themselves due date to in today's world though they get to carry an in house for around in there how we get around all this I think they're allowed to care and ask for I'm not certain but no that that is the whole crux of this these these children are not allowed to keep those pills on their person there they were allowed to keep it the nurse's desk but if I and if they need it they need it now if they need it they need it now and it could be something during maybe during a difficult time of the school year without having to go daily or weekly to the nurse it can become a very disrupted two on one if there's you know old enough for everybody agrees they can have they can just like the mom described to me they could just reach in their pocket fulfill under the tongue and not be destructive to so little basically have to have some kind of a campaign to let schools know about this well I don't I think it's I think it is a not not common at all but the this this bill describes it everybody would be in the know right to nurses the teachers everybody would understand this particular child has this issue an in need okay. Other other questions. Senator Ellis Island you have a question yes I I just I'll ask this question but I think it's a reading this bill this is when you said it's similar to what we did before we did sorry number running a bill from a local gun where students if there was not a nurse available we used to do that we had nurses at every school but that's long gone so this is kind of a substitute for that with parental. Consent correct for the students get to do this that is correct yeah okay all right thank you thank you are there other members and members with questions on this bill C. nine is there anyone here to speak for or against this bill Senate bill Five sixty nine. C. N. ninety of clothes for your bill motion to pass second all those in favor say aye and oppose ayes have it congratulations you've passed your bill right Senator Ingram. Senator Ingram you're recognized what bill do you have Senate bill one forty one forty six. Manager might I ask of Commissioner of key to join me at the. Debt this. Thank you. Six one four two. Senate bill one forty. It's in our suite yeah we don't financial impact on. Oh that's right I think if you here let me explain it would be so without objection I'm going to go ahead and let Senator Ingram president this bill I don't believe he's going to take action on it so therefore without objection will let the bill run without the fiscal impact of us there's an objection is there an objection from member of the committee okay CNN you're you're recognized thank you madam chair thank you committee of the necessity for this legislation early on was of declining enrollment that was made even worse obviously by the corona virus and the pandemic of I'm here to withdraw this legislation but before I did they were a number of people that were on this committee and a number of sponsors and I wanted a commissioner key to explain why that this is not necessary now because of of alternate of funding them take care of it. Johnny key department education when the senator filed this bill in when we first started talking about the need for this bill we were very unclear on what what we call answer three the school funding from the American rescue plan would be able to how it will be able to be used by school districts since the filing this bill we've learned from the department of education and Washington that there's gonna be great flexibility one of the uses that is different about S. R. three than I was previously in the other two relief packages is that schools can use this money to fill gaps in their budgets that are because of code related things obviously the declining enrollment of this during this current school year is a result of the COVID pandemic and so we have provided guidance to the school districts on how they can use those federal funds and we've communicated with senator that we believe that they are fully capable through this funding in addition to some of the other funding of the center on you you had does some districts of West Fork Elkins some of those districts that we're a little on the short end of the stick on some of the previous so with with all the ways we've been able to provide relief with these federal packages this funding is no longer meets. That's perfect. Are there any other questions Senator English so while we're on the same date I would like to make a request and at some point in time after we finish the session or whatever it is we have an opportunity for the Education Committee house and Senate both to kind of get an understanding of what this New World looks like with the S. of funding in and we're or those dollars are going what what kinds of things will be happening here you will be happy to provide any. I know that we're we're going to be planning to do that after the session will have meetings I just think it's important there's going to be so much money coming into the state it's one thing to read about it in the newspaper it's another I think legislators need to know what all is this going on so I appreciate that thank. I will be calling a meeting I'm not senator Chesterfield. To the secretary and thank you senator Ingram collect for your explanation as I was one of those was interested will we also know we know that we are pushing moneys for our certified teachers what are we doing for I classified folks as we have years of capital. So one of the challenges Sir when the concerns I should say that some of the school districts had in. One of the. Early versions of of our plan of how to fund the the teacher's salary equalisation was that we would opposing to reduce the amount of the call I will that the Cola has not been reduced the Cole is going to be the full two point three percent as recommended by the advocacy committees of that is of those funds that they can use to for salary increases other operating expenses of that they will encounter so we we don't issue any directives other than the state has the minimum wage law that's in effect in the many districts are still working to catch up on that but we we believe there is funding through the adequacy process that will help them offset those thank you thank you senator yes ma'am are there any other questions from members of the committee right we do appreciate you very much Senator Ingram and I think and and secretary Katie and and we're obviously very interested enough to want to be engaged. Happy that they're gonna have that funding thank you for your work on this. All right thank you other other members of that are here to run bills that I'm missing. Yes representative and it thank you. I mean she does have an amendments. Which just adds co sponsors of the bill so there a motion to adopt her amendments and seconds all those in favor say aye aye and then the amendment is adopted you are. Recognized to present house bill sixteen eleven as amended. Good afternoon madam chair and committee members. I am representative Denise Ennett district thirty six. The past year so I've been working with the Arkansas up here it poverty project collecting donations for feminine hygiene products for the Little Rock School District Pulaski County special school district and Philander Smith and other various nonprofits and district thirty six. Period poverty refers to the lack of access to sanitary products to manage manage minestrone Leding. One of five teens who ministry have reported struggling to afford a project sorry Patrick period products. Are not being able to per purchase them at all more than five four and five four and five students in the US have either missed class time or have known someone who missed class time because they do not have access to period products additionally two thirds of teens have felt stress due to the lack of access to period products. As of now California New York Illinois New Hampshire and Virginia are the only states to have passed legislation requiring schools schools to provide these products. The Arkansas period poverty project has heard from school officials from Fort Smith alma Little Rock Jesse bill humble of Conaway Mountain Home gravid guy Rogers in whole among others hundred percent of them emphasize the importance of having these products. Available to students sixty three percent of school officials surveyed in Arkansas said that they rely on donations from the community or have purchased these products of their own pockets. A principal in hope said my students struggle with period poverty and several female staff members provide items for them as their own pockets. We are in the title Hendren percentile one school district with a hundred percent poverty so this is a big issue for our girls. In closing this is the issue. This is an issue our school or students in schools face all over the state. H. B. sixteen eleven will help schools better understand the funding that already exists through our mac title one funds state foundation funds in McKinney vento funds I would like to thank my co sponsors the Arkansas Pirri party project and the department of education for the help and I'm. I'm up for questions thank you thank you representive and that other questions from members of the committee. Senator Sturch I'm sorry that amended to add just one ACT quickly ask representative it was or something already that prevented a school from find the products are taking up money for the price and the reason I ask is I have a small school in Izard County called calico rock and when I toward their school they were already doing this and so when you bought this bill I'm thinking well what funds are they using or if there was a restriction on using any kind of public funds or anything could you I tried to write that down real fast you're going on a one state foundation or our mac funds state funding funds of Makeni Centel funds this for homeless population so restrictions on it already no not all schools most some schools provide these products with no problem with their allies schools that don't know that they can access these products through the funding this already you are resistant to nice and consistent yes okay thank you the manager. Thank you senator back on. You you mentioned a letter from the president or principals I think hope. Yes where the teachers were using they were Buying this parts of their own pocket yes. If. Is it is the school doesn't know that the funding is available or. Well I guess I'm I'm missing the point of the bill of. There's not funding getting to the schools and is allowing schools to use the funds that are already available from my understanding some schools just don't know that they can use these funds to purchase these products okay so some schools are you using them already but there's a lot of schools that don't know that they can access these products through the funding this already exists for schools. Okay that makes sense. I'm not I'm not sure what we're doing legislation to send a letter to the school I don't know we have funding out there but I'm not opposed to the building to get that way. Are there any other questions from members of the committee. I see a nine is anyone here to speak for against house bill sixteen eleven. CNN you're recognized to close. I like to thank the committee for having me and I'm close thank you all right what is the motion. Motion do pass as amended. And there's a million seconds. All those in favor say aye. And oppose ayes have it congratulations thank you represented in it. And you look gorgeous by the way nearly six you're welcome. Okay next we have here. A representative. Womack. When I sit down at the table now ask for us to. it is in your members this would this is another one that is pending a fiscal impact statements II at representive Womack is here to ask for us to consider hearing this bill without the fiscal impact statement that It is house bill eighteen oh nine. Let us find it first. The inter. There is. Is there an objection to allowing us to hear this bill today without the fiscal impact I hear no objection from the members of the committee so without objection and you are allowed to present house bill eighteen oh nine without the fiscal impact statement if you'll state your name for the record you're recognized to present house bill eighteen oh nine thank you madam chair and committee Richard Womack Arkansas state representative representing district eighteen and if it pleases chair may I bring all expert to the table with me please at thank you. This. Yes thank you feel to state your name for the record please Channan prince nice to have you with us thank you of this miss prince is going to present this the the need for this bill it's a pretty simple bill on and there will be no fiscal impact to the. To the schools if should I be wrong about that and you get a different answer will make sure that the bill doesn't doesn't go any further but the miscreants which you for explaining I sure will so and in school we sometimes need to have the need to file offense which stands for families in need of services and we can file offends for attendance which is most of what our fans are for as students who are not attending school regularly we can file one to get help for and counseling we can file a fans to get help with just anything really that the family is needing that we feel like we're a better that child's an education their experiences school and so what we have found this is just my fourth year as principal but as starting my first year it really drove me crazy that we would get a student coming in from another county in Arkansas and we would have no idea that they had had a previous fans you know right before moving to our county and if it was for attendance you know they have thank it quite a few absences before a school files offense you try to work with the parent you communicate with the parents and letters home and such so that let's say they have received defense had offense filed on them in another county once that fans they're aware of the fans many times they will pick up and move to another county and let's just say for example they doing came to our county we would have no idea that they actually had offense in another county so they start messing with us and once it reaches that number that were like this is enough we're gonna have to file a Fiennes now they've accrued so many other days you know they may be up to forty days by this time so just a perfect example we have a student. And who I'm gonna call Macy it took three fans to finally get that family health now a lot of times they are pretty simple like just attendance but sometimes it opens up other issues and so this ended up being a very serious issue they had started with us accrued so many days of absences we filed a fans once they were called the court they move to another county after not even having the student anywhere for for a few weeks then move to another county they started missing days there and once they got to a certain point they filed a fans then they moved back to our County so we have a very good relationship with our district attorney in Clark County and I was in communication with him so it worked out by the time they need that we really have the opportunity because of him to get right on it but it took three fans because of them moving from county to county to actually get some help that that family needed so we where we really believe that that would be great if fans could transfer county to county and that there was a way to notify the school that they have offense now some school districts are really good about reaching out we just had one reach out to us this week letting us know that the student had attendance issues and we did then that they had filed the fans but most of the time we will spend hours trying to figure out because we just sent something's going on here and something's not right and we will and spend a lot of time investigating and trying to get on top of it so that we can get the family whatever help they need to get everyone on board with getting a good education and being present at school. Okay and there is a fiscal impact on this bill just fire and members of the committee for information I just like to add real briefly that we did work with our local prosecutor on language and also the prosecuting attorney prosecuting attorney's association of some of this language is reflective of of their input and to my knowledge there's no no opposition so I'm happy to take any questions are there any questions from members of the committee Senator Sturch the manager is the fiscal impact on the website or is it not been done or. No I I just got information from the department all that said that there is no fiscal impact on them so that there is no fiscal right okay department about her her job but my question was going to be because I got a text message when it didn't sound like you would have yes there is there is none that here is the last witness one quick questions please fence cases usually or after ten absences LOL eighty now it just depends we don't we start contacting parents so like our district follows in our policy it says after nine absences in a semester okay so that generally is what we go with different districts do have different varying rules but at that point you know we're sending letters and we're talking to the parents and trying to correct the behavior so I do not generally do it that way that I do start really you know we've the teachers are in great contact with their parents of their students and company on contacting them about the effect it's having on your student the class and then we start with the letters that it just depends on what the situation is if they keep getting at right to that mark and we have a history of that you know sometimes we will address at the end back many times things happen and we this year has been an unusual year and we have had even more cases of absenteeism this year and not being able to account for all of our students when their virtual show we've tried to be really really at. Clear on those expectations and and checking and watching for it thank you one thing that you just said that's another thing that we're going to have to have some meetings about is really the lack of attendance and absenteeism from the code from the pandemic so that's something that's Education Committee is really gonna have to do a kind of a deep dive into with the Department of that and our schools because that troubles is troubling as senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. Will this free this will this help to preclude a child who is a sixteen seventeen drive well that preclude that individual from losing his or her driving privileges. You're able to transfer the fans from place to place because a part of this EE's it's a penalty on excuse that revocation of driving privileges is amended to add an additional subdivision the school district shall notify prosecuting attorney at the school district receives information indicating student everyday located to a county another judicial district how does it impact the ability to drive all right for the students the teenagers who are able to drive themselves to and from that's a good question that's a good question you know I don't know and. Our I will say this when we go to truancy courts our prosecuting attorney does at we have findings that they invoke as well they can also order and community service things like that and in this case I don't know if that would be to the prosecuting attorney in that matter but I see exactly what you're saying on on on teenagers. S.. The department of it if they have any insight into this. This matter because it concerns me we know families in need of service and if you're in need of services you also need to probably have a job you can get one. but if this becomes a part of that preclude the individual there from having that license you know and then we're creating another thing that we did not anticipate. Nobody wants to take a question from you. And I really feel like the impetus at this the important most important part of it is that notification of the fans between county to county you know and not necessarily so much the driving privileges I know it's included in their own I'm not sure you want to speak to that. Storming Senator I've Johnny keep or medication I'm just here to say that this isn't really a side of the thing of the issue that we get involved this is something that would happen within the prosecutor offices of juvenile services I mean I don't think we would. The involved in the issue with licenses or anything of that nature so that it deals directly with whether or not Johnson school part it deals directly with whether or not chalice and school in this changes from school to school school. Thank god we know that that would have a deleterious impact on a child's ability to learn yes but we also know that you can have an unintended consequence of being able to preclude that challenge to work from working should be. I doubt that's that's my concern. The senator again I think from a legal standpoint that would be a question trespass the. The legal side of the issue all right okay so it I mean as a section one and I think yes so it's really section to. So where it's permissive center just feel that language to read about the river revocation of driving privileges is not new language. That's existing statutes this really deals more I mean really it is exclusively with the transfer of the case that had not previously been allowed so. I'm however it operates today is exactly how will operation this past. Driving privileges go this stands thing would not have any impact because it's directly under this section and section C. getting a new section to that area that deals with the revocation of traffic correct yes so whatever's basically for I just don't want to have in a consequence because each year and can have that council yeah I think that was a great great notice yeah the problem is we're missing AMD you know that that yeah yeah. For any other questions members of the committee. Right is there anyone here to speak for against this bill house bill eighteen oh nine. I do not have anybody signed up. All right you're recognized to close for the bill thank you committee for make an exception and here in this bill today up. This is an issue that I'm sure affects more school districts than mine across state and thank you for if we have an opportunity to follow these children and helping them then we ought to do that and I would sincerely appreciate a good vote. Thank you what's the question committee motion to pass is there a second second all those in favor say aye. And oppose ayes have it congratulations you've passed your bill thank you madam chair committee thank you. I represent a very. The other bills with us. House Bill eighteen thirty two. One second on the bill. Eighteen thirty two. Thirty two or thirty one well I have thirty one and thirty two total. Which one do you want to do for a thirty one okay we'll do thirty one first. Thank you madam chairman thank you committee for allow me to present this these two bills actually today to the Senate but and I want to share with you a lot of the comments that I shared in committee in the house of there's a serious decline ladies and gentleman the levels of patriotism with with our used today today are you simply don't have the same patriotic sentiments as their parents or their grandparents I honestly think that our children take their freedom for granted I think they take their education for granted. They're building just be able go to class football band practice or the cafeteria for lunch is being taken for granted. Colleagues ways the the playing of our national anthem and reciting of our pledge of allegiance in our schools of one way students can learn to express their patriotism. Patriotism is important and celebrating our national anthem and pledge to our flag is something everyone should do just as we do here in the legislature every single day. I think many just don't see how important it is. Even as we even we as adults as Americans do not think about our heritage our freedom our national anthem or flag or the price that many paid for the same. Children today do not even understand what allegiance is much less what their pledge when these recite the pledge. Many children do not know the words of our national anthem and many children do not understand nor the being taught the principles that made our country three. They've never heard the words life liberty or the pursuit of happiness they have not been taught the basic principles behind our national anthem or flag. That certain human aspirations are worthy of giving lives in pursuit of their defense throughout history outward symbols were needed to represent these human aspirations in these outward symbols are worthy of the same respect do those ideals for which they stand. We show that respect by honoring our country with our national anthem and pledge allegiance to this great country in committee assured two stories today I'm only going to sure one. But the one gut wrenching story that I shared with in committee in the House involved for our Kansans. The thirty ninth infantry brigade combat team that were killed in action the twenty fourth of April in two thousand four. I want to share their names with you captain both Felder from Little Rock. Chief warrant officer four chords are also Little Rock. Staff sergeant Stacey Brandon Hazen the staff sergeant B. J. Orton of Carlisle our Kansans who should never be forgotten. So let me take you to a moment just for a second. During the Korean War as illustration of what patriotism in our flag means the millions who have fought suffered and died for our country throughout history. And what is important that our children be educated on our country. Colonel Paul Barker. We had our American flag lowered and burned a cricket or before the Japanese could reach you capture it. Before having it destroyed the kind of very small piece from that flag and carefully tucked it into sure. Colonel bunker was in and out of committee prisoner of war camps but when he felt his patriotism put this test is principles challenged you take out that little piece of wire in that ragged piece of cloth he would see all the ideals in which she believed he had an outward symbol of patriotism to supporting. Colonel Barker died in a Philippine prisoner of war camp. Yet remain inspired into that very and by that very small piece of flag. During my four combat deployments in a year just south of the demilitarized zone South Korea I also carried a symbol of state in a country that I chose to support and defend. In a country that I put my trust in for forty five years. The small worn soiled flags are holding my hand today were kept in my uniform. Or in my pocket sold on the sleeve of my shoulder every single day and just as colonel Barker when I felt my patriotism put to the test when the principal my principles are challenged I had an outward symbol of state in the country that I pledge my allegiance to. So where does this education began ladies and gentleman. I submit to you that begins at a formative years of our children in school and I believe it is our responsibility as leaders as lawmakers to ensure this patriotic expression is mandated in our schools ladies and gentlemen is never forget the thousands and millions who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the many conflicts you can't be with us today however we can honor them by teaching our children the price that many paid for mandate by mandating that the national anthem be played in our schools and the president pledge of allegiance. Are recited every single day. And German I'll be happy to take any questions. Thank you members are there any questions. Centre back I'll. I love the bill that I just have a question on the the formatting I guess what we have section three and four on the bill. It seems to be duplicated of Monessen something on the. On page three. Senator bacon one is Division of secondary at once Division of higher ed okay yes Is was missing thank you senator. Other questions. Representative senator Leding. Will they be required to play the full version of the star spangled banner just the first stands as is traditionally just the traditions the firm yes how many stances whether forget. I don't know Sanders therefore stop stop the House. I only knew that they were for because participation in girl stating they sing before version every this is only one thing this is. Okay yes senator testified you're recognized for a question thank you thank you Sir on page two. It says. One line fifteen. I'm trying to figure out why that in the performance of the star spangled banner from original sheet music better here's two division rules and is performed by school St. What is the original sheet music are you what is the point here. It's just the of what we're all accustomed to that the regional star spangled banner I personally I thought there was only one version of the star spangled banner to be quite honest so the Marvin Gaye version would be accepted is that we are me Marvin Gaye's version would be acceptable no well I I think there's accommodations for that in this bill actually and I like Marvin Gaye's version okay just lighten up a little bit like Marvin Gaye. Lighten up and then it will be alright okay I'm pretty serious applicants that. They are cracking me up Senator Chesterfield thank you. I'm about to see if one of my committee members us honor enough to pull up the star spangled banner on their phones yet Senator Elliot you're recognized for a question I have you sign in yeah we representative very do you allow for students who have a of a religious practice that they don't pledge of don't don't pledge allegiance. Yes center I believe this is in this bill and the other it's in the it's in the the pledge of allegiance bill this one or this one reading this one on eighteen thirty two in the third to okay I'm so I was just looking at this bill okay that's in there later and we just talked to me about I know that there are people out there who. I believe and I are very patriotic Americans and on it was a school teacher when you're teaching elementary kids as one thing and I think this is probably something you've heard before your teaching high school kids it's it's it's awfully difficult to have requirements that to help them and not so much to help them understand but I'm going to spend on a lot of time I think trying to suggest to them that this is something that you you must do because I've been in situations where we've done it and we've not. And. And this is this I assume the best way to rather than embedding all this in our classes to do it like this did you consider both those options of just embedded in what we're doing every day as as a so it's a normal kind of things we know about rather than doing it like this if you just talk to me about that I bought a thank you Senator Elliot in and I think we had we addressed more so in the pledge of allegiance as a daily routine that we do with a moment of silence as well and we were trying to make this and and really it Atletico been sporting events and all that we're we're pretty good about playing the national anthem at that so the one time a week was just to make it a little easier on the on the schools and to not in I would absolutely I'm not opposed to playing it every day but we're just trying to get the national anthem back in the schools and and the thank you and also believe that you know we need to do more education and it was proposed was brought up in the in the in committee that that we propose legislation for teaching the national anthem and wind and everything about it but this was just basically to get the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance back in the schools. And it in and if a student if a student Does not want to do it because I'm looking at juniors and seniors With the assumption be that we would to whatever disciplinary methods we have we would apply that to a student who says this is not something I prefer to do but I think we addresses in here that the the you know as far as just not being disruptive they consist of just not do anything but you know the national anthem they don't have to this is not mandating that I believe they stand up and put their hands over their hearts or anything like that it's just mandating that we played the national anthem in our public schools I know I I I appreciate that because I'm I have gotten several letters about about the bill trying to respond to and I don't think I responded you know as as as I should have so I promised that I would ask these questions and so and so I appreciate that and and I appreciate your questions and and you also have to center Chesterfield mentioned to lighten up in I'm pretty serious person and and I'm I'm pretty serious about my patriotism and and I would hope that all Americans would feel the same way but I recognize also that that's probably not going to happen but my goal in the objective of these bills is to to bring some type patriotism back to our schools and to on our flag in the millions just like the for now and if a male I will sure a portion of the second story for a better understanding also in center you may even know that the the young man it was captain Anthony Smith. Captain Anthony Smith now is a motivate in into one the reason I bring up because I get kind of emotional I'm sorry. No go ahead yes I I get emotional to talk about it because this the type of patriotism that I believe in so when I was speaking of April fourth in two thousand four in a in Baghdad Iraq when that did seven millimeter rockets landed in right in the middle of a of this group that I name that that was killed in combat that were Arkansas soldiers are constituents it also I did some horrible damage to other. True American patriots and one of them was a young man by the name of by captain at the Smith. And captain Smith He came back he came home. Of with his arm amputated below his elbow. He lost a lot of his eye sight. He lost his ability to be mobile of his hip was shattered. Ladies and gentlemen he was laying in a body bag. And as amended we're going around. Collecting the dog tags from the dead. They noticed blood bubbling out of the corner of in this. Now. You know Anthony Smith it hasn't deterred he's a great American he's a motivational Speaker he works with the troubled youth. But that's the kind of American patriot that I believe. That we need to honor respect and we do that in part by trying to get patriotism back in a school in understanding our children understand. The major Anthony Smith that still love this country in pledges his allegiance to this country. Thank you senator certainly there is okay senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. Thank you representative please understand when I said I want you to lighten up I want you to feel comfortable in this committee. I'm in center my wife tells me that all the time it's just that I have I we're very tight shorts that night. Rather was a veteran. I thought that. I have relatives who are veterans I don't question your patriotism I'm here you wanted you to be more at ease and is not. Our president that thank you have a and I don't think we have to question each other state it is and I just like to know thirty three years we get star spangled banner at the junior high school has that changed or take your key is or something that precludes that I and we just got away from that because it was my understanding the plate star spangled banner. Every morning and I look down there and we had a moment of silence and have been put into law seventeen fifteen years ago and I I just wonder if all of that was repealed of what is happening that would necessitate. Thank you and I were both legislature when the moment of silence was. It in the law has gone away. Johnny keep part of education no Senator it hasn't it is still there I think the best way I can describe the. This bill and the others that are similar to it is is that Kind of ties some ties the events together a little bit stronger in a way that I think Written very as eloquently stated is the reasons why he thinks that is important but it still goes on today we still have an ominous silence in schools we we still. That is not something that we. There are many things that we can't be there every day to see that that happens every days the Department but for life but it yes someone already we you're you're correct it is there there is there are provisions of it in the law I think this takes it. Just one more detail in there and it does require that we establish rules for certain provisions that are in the bill or thank you thank you under other questions sorry go ahead thanks jim so in the center just built my the Senator question was not posed to me that what we've done is that the pledge of allegiance with the a moment of silence to make sure that because a lot of schools are not doing pledge of allegiance. Are there any questions other questions from members of the committee senator Elliots. Right to read to the court for a lot of people and and I understand this because I want people just to be one that one of the three I want us to have in America when the freedoms I want to have in America is. Not to have to be forced to be a patriot because people can show their patriotism in different ways why is this why is this not like forced patriotism as opposed to being free to express our patriotism as you see fit. I don't see it thank you questions Senator and I don't see it is forced patriotism I you know I guess it's been natural for me I was brought up that way I was raised in public schools and have even taught in in public universities and and it's just part of being American I guess we you know when our immigrants and everybody to come to United States and they they pledge allegiance to to to this country and in many countries do the same they may not subscribe to the same political aspirations as we do but I also see how I've been to so many other countries all around the world and I in I see and it's a shame everybody can't go see how other people live to understand that we take a lot for our for granted like I was speaking to earlier and. you know it's a free country we fight for freedom for everybody we don't take classes or races or anything I is an American patriot when I went off to serve I didn't ask who I was serving I I I chose to support depended constitution United States against all enemies foreign and domestic and and I never asked who am I who am what American what race what class and am in my protecting I'm there to protect Americans in the freedom that I have in and to be an American and I think that's part of the point of because you did that and so many of the others that as well I don't ever want it to be misconstrued that because somebody doesn't expressed patriotism the same way I do that they are less patriotic that's that's that's my concern because I think part of your sacrifice and other sacrifice what was for I just to have that freedom to express our patriotism in different ways you for example you know I think about what happened with the the Colin Kaepernick issue the fact that he was taking a knee was not it for a lot of people it representative he was not but for him he wants an even was following was even following the the suggestion of a veteran that the way you show your respect is to get on on a needy as opposed to I think he was just going to sit on the bench or whatever and so there was a veteran who sent this is fun this is a way to show it and then and so it's just those kind of things where I think I work in in many cases that I need to be really careful not to expect everybody in here for example to express their patriotism saying aye I would and that that that there are no less if they don't do that so I respect and and thank you and I respect your opinion and and and I I I I was an American patriot I'm still. All American patriot and I like I said I I just in all people but also take you back to some people also from my eyes I know a lot of soldiers that don't have in the the band on the. And so I'll leave it at that thank you for your comment. I'm not in a competition about you know get stand what I'm just talking about yes as all Americans we have a right to do and thank you thank you all right are there any ones here to speak for against this bill all right scene nine you're recognized close for your bill. I'm close my building K. but the pleasure of the Committee motion do pass as their second there's a second all those in favor say aye opposed Is have it congratulations you passed your bill and we're gonna go to House Bill eighteen thirty two and just members at I have to run and go to public health to run a bill someone that turned the chair at gavel over to add Senator Elliot and for those people that are here to testify I just wanted to let you know a few things house bill seventeen hundred house bill seventeen oh one and house bill seventeen forty nine are not going to run today so if you're here to testify for or against house bill seventeen forty nine house bill seventeen oh one or house bill seventeen hundred the sponsors not going to run this bills today okay so there's people here signed up on those bills but they're not gonna run today they will probably run I think on Monday from my understanding so I just in one waste anybody's time okay. At and I believe that Senate bill six thirty is in a different committee is that not correct. So if you're here on that bills while I'll write. Yes I know but I'm gonna send it that let him run house bill eighteen thirty two and I have to go on the bill. Represented representative very you're recognized for a teens a House bill eighteen thirty two thank you madam chair and out of respect for the chair for the a committee I will pretty much everything I covered with eighteen thirty one would be applicable to eighteen thirty two and I'll be happy to take any questions that the committee might have okay are there any questions committee. Senator Sturch. Mentor could I take a point of personal privilege sure enough for questions and somebody else on their soapbox. I thought I would you. January. And please don't take it is some cocky kid talking to a three star general but you're starting to creep up on my background to in career. And and I disagree with you on a few points. I have I do think the schools have a role to play and civics and teaching young people American history. But in ninety minutes every other day for one semester of civics are ninety minutes every other day for one year in American history the sole source of me teaching kids the importance of patriotism or the plates in the national anthem or taking moment signs is not on my shoulders it ought to be at the family and you know that's the problem I see is that we're raising a generation of young people who are historically illiterate but it's not their fault. It's their parents fault and the grandparents saw we don't have dinner at the dinner table anymore we now get it to go and have third parties to limit or whole since that you know that to me one of the biggest problems is that we we keep putting so much session after session it seems trying to legislate standards or trying to legislate more to be done in the civics class in American history class and that's one thing I keep saying is you know at some point we can't be the sole responsible ones as teachers for the on the page two and and and I know you didn't mean it that way or whatever and then you came back to say that your family talk to them and perhaps captains miss family taught him then to and you know so that with that says one thing I you know I think is George Marshall George C. Marshall went to Virginia military institute when they asked him you know will did you receive a good education and he said no he did not because they did not teaching history and so to me I just wanted to bring that out that I it's not that I'm against your bill but a couple of things that were said you know I just want to bring it out is not or so responsibilities teachers to an you know and still this and young people but there is some responsibility at home too so thank you ma'am to ask questions you're welcome committee members I have a question for right to the core. If not is there anybody audience who want to speak for or against the bill. That's it and you're recognized to close for your bill prints and thank you madam chairman I'm I'm close my bill all right. The motion to pass their second second all those in favor I. Those opposed no the motion carries congratulations you've got to bills out of here today thank you madam chairman thank you thank you. Right. So the next bill is going to be. The representative Larry do you have a billing here. Yes which is is there anybody else who does the billing here because we're going to get to member's bill it after that's of this one okay representative Lowery what number what my number is it. I mean I've got a list here but I've got some analyst I can't keep up. I did fifteen ninety two ninety two fifteen ninety two. You're recognized the state your name for the record thank you very much and thank you committee for allowing me to make this presentation I just one second has everybody found to give us a second Sir body this the Bill. If you're upset with your permission the permit permission the committee I'd like to ask Mr **** with family counselor that's me. Thank you madam chair my name is Gerry **** I'm executive director of family council all right thank you represented your representative can you recognized thank thank you very much of committee house bill fifty ninety two of. Recognizes and an issue that the the legislatures actually been involved with before which is a concern about specifically Planned Parenthood being involved in our schools we have limited to both of the there's been actions at the federal level there's also been actions by the state legislature of Arkansas to make sure the public funds or are not used to support a planned parenthood's ventures or work in the schools this particular bill goes one step further by defining transactions and says a school districts cannot conduct transactions with an abortion provider in transactions is also defined as accepting of volunteer work which would include teaching sex ed classes in the schools I'll be honest with you I I did ask Mr **** that the guy did not want to present a bill if frankly if we didn't have information that this was actually going on in the schools and so in FY request was made of three of Central Arkansas school districts to the school districts responded that there was not any finding any email or anything that represented the request of any information related to Planned Parenthood in them working with the schools but one school district did respond Pulaski County special school district responded with fourteen hundred pages referencing in a number of interactions so some of them including inviting Planned Parenthood to do sex ed classes for students in the schools to me the most troubling Information that we shared a request that was made was Planned Parenthood asking school nurses at the individual schools to provide of the first email I saw that would was that we would like fertility rates and didn't really quite know what that was talking about and then later as responses we're coming back to the emails that we received of the information was showing that schools school nurses we were actually sharing specific information not by name but how many students were currently pregnant in the status of their pregnancy to an outside entity that in and of itself is is concerning I know Senator English and I have worked on the issue of data privacy and and data sharing and there's been issues about whether that data should be shared across a certain thresholds of of our or barriers The the critical issue obviously is the student that the information not be identifiable but it still is very troubling that an outside entity would best be able to request that information so those those are the incidences that we're trying to deal with in this legislation and at this point I'm I'm going to go ahead and just a transition over to Mr **** and allow him to fill in any missing pieces. Thank you madam chair members of the committee represent Lowery did a really good job of summarizing what what's going on with this and I would just like to reiterate that the General Assembly has gone to great links since some very incriminating videos came out a few years ago regarding Planned Parenthood and the use of aborted fetal parts arms legs organs and so forth and so at that time a lot of government entities including here at this body went to great lengths to say you know we don't want to have any public funding going to an organized any organization who promotes abortion provides abortions induces abortions and so with that the governor issued his order not to do Medicaid reimbursements to abortion providers Senator Stubblefield had a bill that said no state grants would go to abortion providers and then just this session representative are Senator Ballinger sponsored a bill that I believe has already been signed into law that deals with any kind of monetary transactions with abortion providers and government entities and so this bill it just is in keeping with what we have already been doing to try to ensure that there won't be a relationship between publicly funded entities and a and abortion providers now you'll notice that this bill does not mention Planned Parenthood per se it's not targeting them per se it says any entity that that performs or induces abortions would be subject to this act and so let me point this out that here in Arkansas as far as we know there are only two only to abortion providers. And they're both right here in Little Rock that's Planned Parenthood. And little rock family planning services that does surgical abortions so this bill this bill is very very narrow in who it would apply to and quite frankly when we first started. Thinking about this bill I thought I don't know if there's anybody any schools in Arkansas that have any kind of arrangements going on within the abortion providers and so that's when we put out the freedom of information request and Little Rock said no we're not doing anything North Little Rock said no we're not doing anything and then Pulaski County said. Well it's going to take us awhile they said we need to redact all the information and I thought will okay they'll probably send you know fifty pages no they sent one thousand three hundred ninety five pages of information in response to this request when all the way back to two thousand and seven all the way up until the onset of coded in apparently that put a damper on some of the things that abortion providers were doing in the schools and so I was just floored by when when I saw it all and I read some of the material. And I realized I read a lot of it. That Planned Parenthood here in in central Arkansas apparently is have a school outreach person for quite some time and it's their job to try to get into the schools and what they do is they offer schools of free teacher to come in and teach human sexuality birth control other kinds of topics diligence Regis up I don't even know what some of this is this is off the title here. Condom negotiation. And then we have gender orientation sex in the digital age and sexual identity those are among some of the things that that are listed on here and you're welcome to seat if you like but it's very apparent that they are active in the schools in fact the schools that were that were listed in the freedom of information but still in hills high school fuller middle school mills high school Joseph T. Robinson high school and then some more communication we can't tell for sure what was done with Cloverdale and and I think McClellan was the other don't I'll strike that but Cloverdale NO was one and so it's very apparent to us that there's a lot going on between an abortion provider and by the way make no mistake Planned Parenthood. Is the nation's largest provider and promoter of abortion period they're the largest one. And so this bill is a very much in line with what we have already been doing in saying that are publicly funded entities will not. In this case do transactions with an abortion provider in transaction is deliberately very very broad. Transaction pretty much means any kind of an agreement any kind of arrangement certainly a contract. That you might have with one now you might say are there are opponents to this would be my guess that Planned Parenthood is opposed to this we worked with the Arkansas administrators association and others in the professional education realm and this bill has been amended to satisfy all of their concerns because they have some concerns about knowingly associating with that okay we'll put knowingly in there if you knowingly associate your school with an abortion provider then you're in violation and then we did some other changes in there that that needs to their concerns and so they as far as I know are totally good with this bill and I think it's a very responsible bill I think it's one that fits with what we've already been doing. Thank you Mr **** simply Chesterfield thank thank you madam chair you're welcome. Thank you for being here. Of. There are times when hospitals must perform abortions. Is that not true. In the State of Arkansas as far as we know there are no a hospitals that perform abortions other than for emergency purposes and so in this bill is very careful to identify and define abortion as being it's not including emergency situations and that that that's that's the consistent with the rest of Arkansas law and so Sir Chesterfield as far as we've been able to to do that I discern simple question. Hospitals perform abortions and we know why but any subsequent live the last bill that I saw is the six it says it cannot be done of four what is that instead they cannot be done is that in your to. This this particular bill to save the life of the mother and all of that but it's your motion. Not according to this bill I see not according to the with the definition you have to read all of the definition of abortion in this bill and so if it's for an emergency purposes and all that technically it's not an abortion in in this bill in this deliberately written that way so as to not run a file of the school having some kind of arrangement with a local clinic or whatever and does not do that why do you have an individual if what you are looking towards Planned Parenthood. Well individual it means entities it really is what it does make sense state individual or so they're not the same thing it's either for. Yes individual works at any and he or she wishes to participate in activities that relate to his or her child lying at that school the school cannot allow that person to participate so just well first of all this is the school has to knowingly do that I don't know of any schools and ask people what they do for a living before the volunteer so the school knowingly had a relationship but then here's the other safeguard in this. This has to rise to the level the commissioner Johnny key or his people would pick up the phone and call the school and say you are a file of this law you need to come and tell us what you're doing and if they do. They come before the state board and then the state board look at this it doesn't have a penalty at all it just says they want to know why this subchapter was violated and how to prevent the violation in the future you're just a Planned Parenthood that's what you mean well because we are there they're not the only abortion provider little rock family planning services here in Little Rock does that mean because when you say an individual well that could. Well I don't think it's the same time just finish my question okay when you say enter into a kind of transaction with an individual. You're saying that a parent who is an employee perhaps a Planned Parenthood. Once the bank a. For his or her family. That's precluded under this it seems to me of you just said entity I would understand it more but you're saying individuals now. And you're you're saying that if an individual works there in their tank it is laid out and therefore cannot knowing they cannot have any interaction or transaction with the school that uses combined it from your queue to do any of that and that's what's troubling to me the whole thing troubles me but that particular piece troubles me because of an individual who has a child and yeah she happens to work at this planning they. They can become a part of the booster club none of that. Just because of where they're employed and that's that is particularly troubling and maybe it isn't anybody else I certainly. But again that is senator. The school is not at I doubt the school is going to ask a person where they work if they by an ad or if they come and volunteer. If they did if they did know that then it has to rise to a pretty high level before the commissioner of education is going to pick up the phone and call the school and say we have a problem now do I think Pulaski County school district rises to that level when they have one thousand three hundred ninety five pages of information that they provided that connect them in some way with Planned Parenthood I believe so Mr **** I'm gonna move on to the next question I'll come back to this for clarification because I have a question on it as well have a Senator Leding you're recognized thank you senator Mr **** you referenced condom inclusion could you tell us a little bit more about what that is I wish you would tell me I mean I I I raise that with a member of the committee today we were out in the hall talking in. I don't know what that is well I I will because I think if we're going to be against something which understand what it is conversations actually pretty important it's promoting healthy conversations between partners about proper use of condoms particularly encouraging a partner who might be reluctant to use a condom young people are going to have sex when they do I think we should want them to do so as safely as possible in the proper use of a condom not only to protect people against as these but can also prevent unplanned pregnancies which would see seem to be in line with your goals I understand we don't. Like abortions the proper use of condoms can help reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and so conversations actually pretty important thank. M. if you're going to and I'm not really relating to that but I did want to go back on this this issue of whether we're talking about transactions within the individual the actual definition transaction does not say anything about individual the word individuals in the definition of an affiliate and then affiliate never appears anywhere else in the bill transaction is between the school or a public school or open enrollment public charter school and a private entity there the word individual is not in the definition of transaction. Okay so I just want to clarify that in in one of the things we also did to make sure that we didn't get to broad is that we took out any language it were for talked about abortion referrals because now let's get back on the topic okay getting off the topic center Chesterfield U. you had a clarification I think just want to look at that I want you look at page twenty two I mean Page two line twenty two. A public school open enrollment public charter shall not knowingly enter into any type of transaction with the individual. Or entity. At the forms abortions induces abortions of acts. So the word individual is their primary concern I'm sorry your you are correct that prohibited transactions my apologies all right Senator Sturch you're recognized. Thank you ma'am to represent I I want to be as honest with you as possible would you like this bill pass. Yes can you count yes I can would you can't pull it down until we have all members of the committee I I believe that that would be a wise course thank you Sir and thank you for the recommendations all right are there are there any other questions from committee members. And if not do you wish for your bill yes I I do and I appreciate the opportunity to at least make the presentation and then we come back later for okay a vote or any further discussions thank you very much I before you move I just have I have a question for for you Mr **** yes ma'am have you had a discussion with all the things you mentioned have you ever talked with planned parenthood's about those things that bother you to be sure for example you know what it means when when but the list of things use he said they were doing this destruction because of that condom negotiations and. So have you talked with the manager probably the the the the most in depth conversations I've had along these lines the short answer is I haven't talked to the Planned Parenthood people in quite some time okay that's that that's the short answer I have spent a lot of time do it all the way back to the days of Georgetown elders will change health direct that's all I need to know because we've got a lot of people not just want to get into the discussion thank you very much I appreciate it thank you madam chair not sure thank you members thank you will look to see or another time absolutely all right looking for too much all right out Senator English you have a you said you have a bill okay what number is it please. Six nineteen okay. Okay you want to six thirty eight first did you say six thirty eight and six nineteen. You do for six nineteen. Okay I you have an amendment for six nineteen. She will okay you're talking to her I'm sorry. Senate Chesterfield if if Senator Irvin is not backing and Senators to fill here make Senator Irvin is not back in when we finish with these two bills I'm going to ask you to take the chair so I can run my bill just give you a heads up okay I thank you the next by seniority on the. Okay. I heard you. I still have the two years. Take it back now all right sinicized Senator English you're recognized if you introduce yourself to present Senate bill six thirty eight thank you very much Senator Jane English district thirty four and I have at the table with me colonel retired on very who has been very instrumental in this military language for our military children his so basically six thirty eight creates the Arkansas military's child school transition act of twenty twenty one and it at events is the achievement of educational success on behalf of children of military families so just a little bit of the history but in I think two thousand eleven I passed some legislation at the request of the department of defense that would have the the state of Arkansas joined the military compact for children are that of a national thing and but since that time the Arkansas council for military children has been formed which is kinda works all together with the with the compact but you know we all like to think we have been with passing some great legislation but usually there are things that other people have been involved with for a very long time occurring very has been very involved in work very closely with the department of education and the folks over there so they are to be to me to be commended but what this is what this bill does is it takes all of the code from Elm all different areas and put it all into one place so it makes it much simpler for military families to be able to identify what the issues are out there what what the law is it also makes it very much easier for the department of defense to be able to look at these things in as a side issue. Of not too terribly long ago I was able to sit in on it department of defense kind of briefing on in Arkansas and our education system and and one of the things that they were very complimentary of is one of the things we have here with the Department I mean with the department of education is our school report card of all the schools but Through all of these activities and all the things we have done with the military children we are at the top of the list as far as the department of defense is concerned for how we are taking care of military children I'm an army brat my kids were army brats we all moved in change schools all the time and there was a time when it didn't make any difference where if you left Virginia to come to Arkansas your school records may never get there there was not this consistency of of taking care of making sure the kids were taking care of that they had an opportunity to move into and take classes they always got whatever was left over because they were moving but one of the things that has happened with all of that work that's been done is that we have I can't remember how many children across the United States now military children. Amendment. Bye bye about five thousand children so you should just think it was people at the Little Rock Air Force base but that's not true anymore that we have children all over both active duty and National Guard reservists as well as other military services this bill it bill culminates a number of years of work. And it also one of the things that it does is it consolidates the number of code sections together. And it makes it much easier for military families to understand. It also help students merge into a new curriculum without losing ground in their peers so there would be able to move from one place to another yes. Thank you that that senator Chesterfield Senator English is there any known opposition to this bill no okay we immediate consideration okay ACT and for everybody who got contacted about this bill you got all that worked out with the folks who were talking with you about it as well yeah I understand that we don't yeah so there's a motions are second. it's been moved and seconded that do pass the second all the answer and the are there any questions from the committee if not all those in favor I. All those. That. Yes it's that's what we're we're we're voting. On the bill I didn't hear you say immediate consideration I'd. Okay. I don't think and thank you so much for being here currently glad to see you again let's start over the voter version do pass got a second all those in favor of the bill I all those opposed okay The motion passes Senator Irvin we're on you have something manager I I did want to just expressed kinda where that we're very glad that is here and he did a great job I wish other witness. What. I would like to say this not just on this issue this really is give him credit because not only has he worked so hard over the years with the debate with the Department education you know we all take everything as I say for granted but we have a huge wonderful Military Affairs he is so responsible for the occupational licensing that would change that nationally we are recognized as a state you know it's all these things that come together and you had a lot of people like this who are behind the scenes and I was like you're recognized. Do it without folks. Now you're exactly right Mr berry and we do we we wanna just thank you so much for your constant constant advocacy for the military and for Yves works with me and other in as so many at with us on this on this committee and with those issues so yours your your dear to us and we appreciate you. Senator English at what what is your next bill six six nineteen and and I need of. Okay wait hold on six nineteen M. thank you didn't have a fiscal impact it does not have a fiscal impact as pending so is there an objection to hearing six nineteen no objection so at your you're recognized no objection to here Senate bill six nineteen so we will hear it you're recognized to present so basically what this does is it home. Okay sorry at six nineteen has an amendment there's a motion to adopt the amendment second all those in favor say aye and oppose ayes have it amendment is adopted. Thank you thank you very much so basically what this does is just an extension of what we've been doing over the last few years just trying to pull these up elections to primary days or a general election days so that we don't have things running every every year at a school board election or at a regular election so this does allow but doesn't requires school districts to hold school board elections in only even numbered years very permissive that allows for five year terms for ten percent or more minority districts. And it will be saving districts thousands of dollars I says they don't have to law won't have to bear the cost of putting on school board election if they choose to be during the primary general election. Are there any questions from members of the committee on the bill. Any questions is there anyone here to speak for or against this bill. Yes please come forward six nineteen. Yes please do thank you so much. Thank you for your committee in Jordan Arkansas school association. There you go I am sorry. I'm. I'm here to speak against the bill in its the form we have if we have not seen the amendment that prior to the amendment we believe that the bill in its current format as we we share with the sponsor is is unconstitutional actually due to the inability for districts holding only even your school elections school board elections excuse me I'm not able to meet the constitution requirement for an annual school election and for that reason we would oppose the bill and I have five. Lucas order with me is this one of our counsel at the FBI that discovered this with the bill. Be happy to allow him to answer questions if you allow. Yes we'd like to hear from everyone. If you'll just take your name for the record you're recognized look it's harder Arkansas school boards association. We have concerns article fourteen section three is specially in subsection C. and C. one can take multiple references to the annual school election. There is some. I believe that this is for the millage by at one particular spot and in multiple areas as well but it says that the. The board of directors shall present the millage at the annual school election or at such other time so does our interpretation that the annual school election is for the election of school board members and not for the millage. Otherwise it would be worded differently there's also other references in the code that refer to the annual school election ask for school board. Okay thank you. Senator Sturch you're recognized thank you ma'am to Dan Lucas that I know each city to get to see the amendment so the version that we have now is that they've completely deleted section two which had all that new language in it And now from what I gather what you're saying they have went back and have had made the same so the board of directors election any school board election or can be held on the last page section for the elections school board district of directors may be held they took out nonelected entirely but may be held in each public school district of this state during the preferential primary general election or an annual school election so I think that might have been taken care of at least that's the way I'm interpret. I think right. And it would depend the the the the fact is that the that article fourteen section three of the constitution says the annual school election. And this distinguishes between the millage election and the annual school election. So. This message without being able to read read the amendment I can't say for absolute certain but I would still have concerns on on that issue. Okay Senator Sturch so is it in the six fourteen one oh two code concerning the date of a special school election that's the one that refers to the millage you know it it's it's article fourteen section three of the Arkansas constitution that refers to the annual school election and then it it says that the the board of director shall present the the. Millage to the voters at the annual school election or at such other time as set by law okay so eight eight distinguish that the constitution distinguishes between the annual school election an election for the millage. Okay thank you okay Senator Chesterfield you're recognized. Senator English if she would court down until they can work this out. Yeah I think we've been working on it I I I I think the department of education has has pretty much said that this is not a constitutional issue. It it really it just hearing Monday afternoon gas shall receive thank you okay thank. I'm happy I'll have a constitutional lawyer here it's time to okay thank you. All rights freesheet that. Okay. Senator Elliots. Thank you can come. Senator Elliot you are. Senate bill three fourteen. It's. Okay Senator Tucker. Okay. Six eighteen Senator English. Okay you're recognized I thank you madam chair and members I I it's not necessary for me to go back through the whole history of what happened with the original bill but if it is in a different form now for one thing we've I remove the emergency clause and some of the other language for the bill now is it's not something that's just about the Little Rock School District Senator Elliot can I'm so sorry I just wanna make sure members in the committee and everybody understands I placed every bill that was referred to this committee on to today's agenda okay because I did not want to so. That is it's part of the project Praga event any member that has a bill on this agenda whether they're gonna run it or not but we're late in the session and I put every bill I am tired of tracking people down so I read bill that's on this agenda today you know is by the discretion of whoever's running the bill. Okay I just wanna make sure everybody's clear out there because there's a lot of confusion about. What's on the agenda and winds on the agenda it's because it's been referred to this committee and I have to give the public the ability to come and participate so thank you sorry what I guess necessities myself and we had didn't get introduced herself for the record please both of you at the table on let's start over your cell used state senator for district thirty one. Clarke Tucker state senator for district thirty two. I thank you out what this bill does now it it says that if any school district has is under state control and after five years the district the district has to be returned to the the it to the control of the school district itself and we want to be sure we clarify what we think is a problem now with the law there Hampus and in this position in so many ways between the last time we were at the time we were here last presenting this bill we had a meeting with the governor you know at our request and we met but what the governor to talk about this and we had a very cordial discussion and I asked if he would memorialize what he assumed he was saying to us you know in a letter which he did so I want you to be sure we're clear here this is a bill that could be about your school district it could be about any school district in this state because it certainly is possible that your school district could be the next one that is facing what we're talking about today is five years after five years the district goes back to the people and in the mean time everybody should know it should be clear that is five years so that we don't wait until the five year point to start getting ready to return the district to the people and I just wanted to the maybe you've had time to read the entire letter but I just wanted to just call your attention because some of this why so much about Little Rock to what the governor had to say here starting with that third paragraph That there was a concern that the Little Rock School District had not met the criteria to be released from state control. And I. Apparently at this time The Little Rock School District has met everything except for having submitted a budget that puts the district in a position that is it is a budget that is balanced. Well. That I can tell you is new information for us because we were not taken over I don't we just now we were not taken over or fiscal differ because the fiscal issues we were taken over for academic issues then call distress. So if indeed we are in a position now that we have fiscal issues. Not that this is the biggest thing in the world but it that happened when that we were under state control however we had a good conversation with the governor about the department of education is I have been but it worked with the little rock school district and and has said this is now a new a new thing they must meet and they are moving toward that position and he says he expects that in a month or two or so that that will be met I have talked with our school board president I've talked with or other school board members and that is the thing they're working on now I will you know do not try to make a big deal out of that and say that's a good thing. But the fact that they have not signed off on that at this point is not a reason to continue to have us under state control because according to that but the governor said to us and I guess is what with the with daisy as well we're moving toward that point they fees bills confident that in the on the back pages finishes on the back that they've worked out well with the district and he feels confident and then the next month or so that. He doesn't say we're going to do is just gonna be turned over but there's every reason to believe that that would be the case. So. That's all I want to say about this if you have any Senator Tucker if you want to have any remarks please go ahead. He's sitting there with yet thank you. I'll be very brief I just wanna emphasize in one point which is that the amendment does remove the emergency clause from the bill which means it won't go into effect until around August first so as you can see in the governor's letter the bottom paragraph he said that he anticipates making a recommendation to the state board as early as June for little rock to exit level five support of the state to me the that really removed the Little Rock situation from from the bill it's not if if any reason he had a vote against the bill was worried about interfering in Little Rock situation before it's fully resolved I think that concern is removed by taking out the emergency clause and with the information we've learned since the first time we present the bill from the governor saying he anticipates the district coming out of level five support and just a Senator Elliott said I also have visited with school board members I think it's everyone's expectation at the district level and from the governor's office that the the district will be fully removed from state support in the late spring early summer so what the bill not going into if the legislation not going to affect until August it removed the Little Rock situation so this is truly a bill just about clarifying that if the district is under state control it's for five years and that's it that's the limit on that's that's the purpose of the legislation and you know and be happy to answer any questions but appreciate a good vote. Are there any questions from members of the committee. Madam chair I do wanna make one really important point that's about that the parents and the patrons and and and and Little Rock School District of what could be in the school district people make up their minds right now but what they're going to do we are now in a position where you pass a position now where we need to be hiring staff so to give some certainty to the community would be really important for us but it would be important for any school district that is that is in this position. Some. Thank you I I I can obviously I think it's important to I mean I think yeah are you saying that the balance budgets was not a criteria I understood that it was a criteria isn't it but it became a criteria for exit it was it had nothing to do with what we were taken over. We were taken over because of academic districts okay what part of the exit criteria yeah the the the exit criteria what you would think would be about the same reason we were taken over right and it is not because the last thing that we have right now has to do with the fiscal issues and I'm not that upset over that except that I don't think it should be used as a reason you know not to not to pass this bill because like I said it could be your district next time you're taking over for academic distress and then we add things to it because I do think we ought to have a balanced budget and I'm really happy that you know the department education and the school board I working toward that that's why I talked or school board members. Okay thank you I have an. The questions and then I think the Department of Education wants to weigh in. So we're gonna allow that to occur as well Senator back on. This questions for use specifically for the little rock school district not. Yes my misery about the bill. The board of directors are elected in the November twenty twenty general election do they have any input on. The day to day operations that would. Keep the or because the the school district to get into financial distress. To get what they are now. At the time the department of education said that you're under you have the fiscal from a state fiscal distress this school board had nothing to do with the decisions that had led to that if that's what you're asking are they able to make decisions to get their sell out of that without the state yes they are now that you know because that's something that's been granted or and I did take over a word states it but that's been required now by the department of education and they have the ability to to do that that permission and and and that dictate. I try not to relitigate the underlying merits of the bill my comments senator but you point goes to the fact that the school district has been under state control since January two thousand fifteen so if there's not a balanced budget this point who's responsible for the and that's that's the whole point of the bill to statesman in charge of a district for five years who's responsible for the district at that point is that the state or the local folks in the state hasn't gotten back to where it should be after five years they should go back to local control. Okay other questions Senator test for you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair and thank you all for bringing the bill. It is my honor to represent a portion of all for the school districts in Pulaski County. All right North Little Rock Jacksonville and plaster county special school district. Of the Pulaski County special school district was taken over but the rules didn't change well they want to stay control. I think that's what's that's very very important to understand the rules didn't change and we keep if we keep moving the goal post. The possibility of staying under state control for even longer as little I K. as is very much there. I probably I think I probably know that John I'm going to vote for this bill but let me say this it could come to a community near you. And it does. You would want the certainty that the bill I had passed several years ago if you declare me in a form of distress you must tell me then what it is I need to do to extricate myself from that district. That's the law. We didn't find out what it took to extricate Little Rock from distress until I think earlier in this school year. That's not the way that's supposed to work. And it's also supposed to be applied equitably. Little Rock at six out of forty eight school in distress you have some districts that have as many as fifty percent of their schools and academic distress what they're not taking on. In the in the case of the applicability of this standard. Is particularly troubling. Because all of our school districts should be treated basically of the sign. And we're not doing it. We're simply not doing it at the time level had about fifty percent of its key is schools and district never taken over. Never taken up. My home state my home city of hope characterize schools in distress not taken over. About six percent in Little Rock schools were in distress and they were taken over and they would not let go not in five years not in six years we're moving into your seven this begins to be oversight over keel and so if you're gonna look at this you need to think in terms of not just of our districts. There's always something wrong with those Little Rock schools which seems to be what people think think about what happens if it comes to your area your area your area of yours North Little Rock has escaped it became very close. I would urge you to vote for this bill so that we know five years means five years. Thank you. I'm at a would you agree is that a question. It. Okay I agree Senator okay I I okay no other questions I'll recognize that secretary key. Johnny Kidd part of education of the Department would renew its opposition to the amended version of the bill you know I could get into and I've tried to explain many of these things before there's no academic distress anymore that that is classification that went away in twenty seventeen so that is not the issue. You all we work together to redefine what how the US accountability system worked and we created levels of support and yes will rock school district has been entities continues to be and level five support until it meets the exit criteria. Level five is not that the levels of support aren't simply dictated by test scores anymore there was an issue that was was debated and there was much opposition to that from no child left behind and the way the state and set up its accountability system then and so we we change that. At at the behest of many of you and certainly the educators in the state of Arkansas and we worked together to make that happen I understand what the senators and and the the co sponsor this bill I understand their frustration I think we also have to understand that we have a responsibility to make sure that when we release a district that it is truly ready in the budget is certainly an important part of that that's one I win the district did not exit within the five years it was released to local control through eight and elected board but under the twenty seventeen law provisions were in place to have a limited authority if the state board deems that that was necessary there are only three things that this board is limited Senate Beckham you asked about the their power they have power to do everything with respect to the data day to day operations except hiring firing of the superintendent recognizing the teachers union for a collective bargaining which legislation is passed this session has are removed that will remove that. And so in the state those are the only three limitations on their authority. I would submit that they are under local control under the authority of a of a board with the exception of those three things and those of the the ability to have a limited authority board where the state board can look to see what I'm limitations are necessary in order to finish this process of of existing level five would could should be in place if you put if you pass this legislation you remove that to. There's nothing magic about five years. Simply isn't. With that five years was there under the previous accountability system we retained. but there are provisions of the law that give more flexibility so that districts aren't allowed to just be released as has happened in the past with two districts we have now that are under state control that we're under previous state control and as soon as they went back to local control they began. Pursuing the the activities and habits that got them in state control in the first place we need the tools in the toolbox to to to be able to provide that soft landing if you will now I understand that the this bill is no longer about Little Rock so I'll just keep my the rest my comments to what this bill would do and it simply would take away an important tool for the state board has to make sure that the operations of the district as it's released to local control continues in the right down the right path. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question Senate. The Secretary king would you explain to me why. If you want a local control. But you don't have the authority to determine who will be the instructional leader of the district. Why was it taken away. Well again that was a a A decision by the state board. The department did not make that recommendation that was the state board members that it took that action as is there duty to to to do so if they see fit but I can tell you what the conversation had been in the conversation had been concerned that up prior to Twenty fifteen. The number of superintendents over a period of years had been some would say revolving door the superintendents the state board wanted to make sure there was stability in leadership at the top level of the district until the district could exit level five. As it ever been number. It is not been done before because the law did not allow it before the state board then can come in and say you are the same on a local control the person who has been in charge of this district some three years if he or she is not performing according to the standards of the local board it doesn't matter because only the state board and can say well you can hire a person that. I would characterize it as the the state board exercising its authority under the law to have authorized limited authority in certain areas for the local board. Are you done Senator Chesterfield. With me sir a lot of this for me already I think it's a government over reach I think you begin to just I think the state board and decide what the name of a high school is going to be and what the mascot of the schools going to be none of that's anywhere in the law that allows them to exclude a real contest face in the naming of their schools parental participation in the naming of the mascot. There is such a thing as government overreach and this is in get date this board has engaged in my view and governmental reach I don't expect the secretary to agree with that but at some point in time there are to be parameters set in place as to what the state board of education can get no where was it invasion that they would start naming schools that they was dining mascot and take all of that away from the individuals who pay the taxes to run the schools a senator would you agree yes. Any other questions members of the committee. Right C. nine is there anyone else here to speak for against this bill. Scene nine you're recognized to close for your bill I thank you madam chair committee on lights as a senator Chesterfield I would surely like not to believe that we are going to not pass this bill simply because the department education is not for the bill. Because we sit here so of in judgment of each other and what are school districts may be able to do and not be able to do and no matter what we do all we have to do as an executive branches has a as a as a legislative branches has some somebody come here from the executive branch and say no we're not ready for them to to have this this freedom. When this one if we're going to get into thinking about this in terms of something other than your school district and has a be just hours for example or might in this case I want us to be really clear when we passed that law in twenty seventeen this district had already been taken over for another reason that did not exist in twenty seventeen it was taken over in twenty fifteen and there was something called fiscal distress at that time there was something called academic distress. And so what I keep saying to you if it's your district. And the ball keeps moving for you for your district when we started out with five years. And we just have to keep the the the big foot of the Department of Education state board of education on a school district I don't care who it is. The rules that were the rules when it happened all to be the rules that apply. And it just had nothing to do if it's yours or mine. If I take over your school district four I don't know for facilities to stress we passed the law and and we're thinking this is what we're working toward. Your school district in my we just need to do something about facilities and make sure we get out of that distress then we changed the law and suddenly we have all these other things added to it and are you prepared to say that's okay. Are you really to continue to say that's okay. When you could be your district. It's up to us to decide what's right and fair and I am I am hard pressed to believe you think this is right and fair. So I'm going to ask you to please listen to yourself. And think about what it should mean to every every district in this state and asking for. A good vote thank you madam chair. Thank you all right what the pleasure of the Committee. Motion to pass and second all those in favor say aye. And opposed. Noes have it. Thank you. All right senator English. Senate bill. Nine six eighteen. Six eight six eight. Okay. Senate bill six eighteen four Senator Ballinger. This. Well I'm sorry. Yes okay sorry go ahead Senator English Senator Jane English district thirty four and this is basically a technical correction for accepting certain certain federal money it's Carl Perkins. Dollars. It's six eighteen Senate bill six eighteen it's a technical corrections bill are there any questions on the bill. Any questions Senate bill six eighteen. This is they require they will comply with all the requirements of the law. Okay are there any questions on six eighteen. Anyone here to speak for or against Senate bill six eighteen I don't see anybody signed up. No questions you're recognized a close for the bill I'm closed motion do pass motion to Bannister seconds. Second all those in favor say aye. And oppose ayes have it the bill passes. representative Lowery is here. I thank you we've or you've already heard this bill that I think. At while I was out. House Bill fifteen ninety two. He wanted to come back and I actually don't know if I can do that. What. Okay okay because I wasn't in the room but you just asked him to pull it down and bring it back. Okay represent of our. Well I I will do one thing correct the record I did not eat to identify myself long ago representative Mark Lowery House house bill ten ninety two yes is that the one we've already heard today I'm I'm sorry readings yes is the one that you heard in that and by the the excellent suggestion of Senator Sturch I pulled it down I've learned how to count since when you got are you going to bring it back since you've not yet both of those that were saying. It's part of it but I maybe know. Hey there's a motion for immediate consideration all those in favor say aye. As we. I thought I didn't have the floor I was not asking a question that was not okay. I thought you were done with your question well what I want because I want to as the when asked the committee a question because I what I'm thinking what I'm thinking madam chair is there were if there were people here to speak for against the bill I don't know if there were not they would have left so we just resolve that yes yes there is nobody signed up to speak for or against this bill okay according to the sign in sheet both from online or this one right here okay thank you I'm sorry yes. Okay immediate consideration on house bill fifteen ninety two what's the pleasure of the Committee. Motion do pass as their second second all those in favor say aye. And opposed no. Please call the roll. Senator Chesterfield. No Senator English yes yes senator. Yes Senator Leding. Senator Sturch. Yes Senator Beckham. Yes Senator Elliot no no. Senator Irvin I. Five days three nine three nice of the bill passes thank you very much maybe nine representative Dotson. House Bill eighteen thirty second wrecked. Yes madam chair. There is an amendment there's. I feel explain your amendments our patented out. Yes the representative jim Dotson for the record House Bill eighteen thirty The Amendment. On page two line three delete three words actual or perceived. And on page three if we have the correct amendment it should delete that last section item E. which is lines twenty through twenty six. The original amendment we sent over had a different line on I don't have a copy of the the updated amendment so. Just make sure that's. Correct. Is have it and uh the amendment is adopted you name present the bill as amended thank. Thank you madam chair members of the committee I'll try to be as brief as possible I know in the interest of time we're getting on later here in the day so house bill eighteen thirty is amended now. Is based off of a Texas law that was passed in two thousand seven. The primary purpose of which was to protect student religious expression what this bill does is it. Check the voluntary expression if any of a student's religious viewpoint Yeah on any otherwise for missile sub subject in the same manner that it would treat a students for a school district with its treat the students voluntary expression of a secular other viewpoint on any otherwise permissible subject This this at at Texas statute has been used to good effect over the last several years it's been to a fact to try to make sure that school districts are where that if they are in violation of state law they can stop those unlawful actions and avoid The state and the school district potential time money resources in getting in to costly litigation efforts often times if there is a violation of a student's religious viewpoint expression which is a constitutionally protected right the if someone challenges that we they can use the the Texas law and it's like I said it's been used successfully over the last dozen years or so to try to avoid those types of things the Arkansas statute is based off that. Having I apologize to committee for not having got over here on Monday we were still I think. Wrapping up may if looked at the time stamp and I may have been able to get here but I was unaware that it was going right at that moment and so I didn't get here in time But I did listen to the committee suggestions and that's what the amendment is for to try to address some the concerns that I heard and in the interests time I'll be quiet and try to answer any questions okay are there any questions from the members of the committee. Any questions Senator. Thank you for the department's okay if somebody from the department can come up please. Courting solace for counsel for the department of education. Thank you Menteng could have procedure coming up I just kind of want to ask when in first in general have we ever had complaints about this as far as I know you haven't been there you know time eternity that have you have had complaints against this from any school district Arkansas. Per student or. I can't speak to you know every complaint that's been filed we have an equity assistance unit that would handle complaints of this nature but they handle all complaints of bullying regardless of that the nature of the billing whether it be because of a disability rights discrimination of any kind and we don't necessarily track the reason for the bullying or the discrimination but then also harassment types of cases and so I I can't measure we'll and this may not be good then for counsel as may be more of a standard questions but as far as current curriculum and standards go is anything in this that. Because. Our server and one the reason I ask that is because maybe I'm naive or maybe just because I'm there that I've never seen a problem with this actually we're taught the exact opposite in teacher prep programs even school board policies and you know through school trainings impeded professional element everything else to do this I don't I don't really get then AS far standards go anything why it would ever become a problem as far as not treating religious viewpoints and secular viewpoints on the same level Senate Chester brought up on Monday I've had the same situation in teaching world history we were actually by standard supposed to address Hinduism Buddhism Jews Jewish you points to race religion Christianity you know and and that's part of the history part so we're supposed to give equal time equal credit you know whatever and then you know it's not necessarily pushing religion on students or anything like that is just giving a basic broad overview for information now in a classroom when you're taught is teacher you're taught to you know allow for open discussion you're taught for you know that type you know its as training I guess and so that that's kind of what I'm asking I guess as far as curriculum or standards go is it needed is that you know gonna harm anything as far as if we put this in there messed up standards or now we don't see any issue with standards I mean under the the first amendment and title nine of the Civil Rights Act these protections are already in place essentially so no student should be you know prohibited from expressing these views whether it be an artwork or an essay or expressing their opinions you know and so. I want to say that it's you know it's not going to an ad necessarily anything but it's not taking anything away hopefully teachers are already aware of these protections that are in place and should be sure I'm serving those rights that children are afforded. Thank you thank you mention. Thank you are there any other questions for yes Senator Leding you're recognized for a question that senator Chesterfield I have you for a question thank you senator this is for the sponsor I'm just trying to understand lines eight through ten on page two establishment of a limited public forum for public school students speakers at all public school events at which a public school student may speak publicly. I just wanna be like clear on what we're allowing with that so so basically what that means is if if students are gonna be allowed to speak at an event they can't be censored to say that you can't speak religiously your religious viewpoint can't be discriminated against or or or like you think of the graduation ceremony they can be told they can't. Say something if they were would be otherwise permitted to speak at that form they have to be allowed to speak to one of the religious viewpoint as without discrimination so that the the student could recite a prayer that right okay. With the exceptions down there under the The the procedures and that this is talking about a policy that would be adopted by the district so as procedures under the lines twenty three through. A twenty six there They obviously could censor them or say they can't say obscene vulgar offensively lewd or indecent language and the the district would be able to determine what what that entails so. Okay Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. Thank you thank you madam chair The white on the phone with your new here with use facial hair thank you bye so let me ask you this I'm I'm going back to lines eight nineteen. It does not say that it is something that's already there it says you are going to establish a limited public forum for public school students speakers at all public school events at which the public school's student may speak publicly. if I'm having student council making speeches and I have not included that individual on that agenda because we know specifically about which we're going to talk is that person in the right to speak. So I think you you read the language there and let me just. I don't know what the way I'm reading it anyway this is like said based on the Texas statute rich attorneys drafted to make it legally I guess flow correctly the way I'm reading it it says If there is that type of event so all public school events at which the public school district may may speak publicly so if they're going to be allowed to speak any of the students that are allowed to speak at that type of event it should be afforded the right to speak freely. Well that's what I got problem under. Because of that allow my students just be free we may have a real bad misunderstanding up and there is that why we have this even in the first place ninety eight thirty three years. Give me we are having a program I anticipate them sticking to. The program. Not deciding that because representative Dotson thanks I got free speech I guess say and do what I want to. Even based on religious intent. There's gotta be some discipline at school and you have discipline at school use the person that's in charge of that program get to dictate who is gonna say. What is going to be said because you're going to have the practices that go along with it and then to establish this one this is an old by the way even if you want on the program you get to come in and say something because if you're religious the appeal imperilled to do so orientale to do so that's that seems to be a bridge too far but that's just not. Thank you. Are there other questions members of the committee. I any questions for the apartment right stand nine is there anyone here to speak for or against this bill. House Bill eighteen thirty scene nine nobody has signed up on the list you're recognized close for your bill thank you manager members the committee One final thing in in twenty twelve this this says Texas statute was used successfully when a Some cheerleaders are banned from painting scripture verses on sure banners so the this this statute basically was used in Texas to make sure that their religious freedom and expression was upheld. Understates a state law so that's that's kind of the reason the purpose for this type of protection just to insure that it's in statute it's not Something that they have to go to federal court or or a go. Too far up the chain to to try to make sure that their their rights are protected and with that I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you what's the motion to pass is there a second. Seeing no seconds bill. Dies for lack of a second. All right. Moving to the next bill. Senator Johnson is anyone here to run senator Johnson's bill. Anyone here to run. Senator Davis is bill center Clarksville as the thirty forty eight. To the pull that one down. Senator Ingram. All units. All right members are there any bills on here that you know will be running on Monday. Senator Leding you have Senate bill six fifty five. We don't have the fiscal impact back that. Okay you want to just put that to Monday. Okay. All right okay members just a reminder on Monday afternoon this committee meets at two o'clock in the big mac a building and afterwards we will meet jointly and we will be considering those three bills that are listed on page three all right thank you for your long work we're adjourns.