House Convenes

I'm by the member staff press and guests in the galleries to stand to be led in prayer by the house chaplain Dr rex Horne retired pastor Emmanuel Baptist church in Little Rock and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to be led by representative Lane Jean. Let's pray. Follow thankful that one of the last statements and all the Bible. Is behold I make all things new. Father thankful for new days and new beginnings. But we're also thankful that you continue our work within all of us. Making us do in some ways renewing us in other ways changing us in some ways confirming deferred matters in other ways help us all to realize that as long as we have a life. There's opportunities to grow. There's opportunities for new starts and new beginnings. Lord we're just thankful that of all that goes on in the world. And all that this body has before it in all the decisions and affectionately that you care about that you care about the masses of people but you care about us individually and for that we give thanks today in Jesus name amen. Members please indicate your presence by pushing pushing yellow present button. Prepare the machine Mr Clerk. Cast about Mr Clark. With ninety nine members present the chair sees a quorum are there any request for leave representative Boyd for what purpose leave you're recognized leave a representative at the eaves it's leave granted represented by eve's. So noted representative Fredrick Love moves we dispense the reading of the previous day's Journal without objection so ordered are the Reports from select committees read reports Mister Clark Mister Speaker we are Committee on Advanced Communications to whom was referred Senate bill five twenty six beg leave to report we've had the same under consideration here with turn the same the recognition do pass respectfully submitted Spencer Hawks vice chair Mister Speaker we are can Committee on Advanced Communications and was referred house bill fifteen fourteen beg leave to report we had the same under consideration here with trying to sing the recognition that do pass and concurrence in a member number one respectfully submitted Spencer Hawks vice chair Mister Speaker we are committee on joint budget to whom was referred house bill ten seventy two house bill eleven oh five house bill twelve nineteen house bill twelve twenty one beg leave to report we for the same under consideration and here with the terms and recognition do pass especially submitted Lane Jean chair Mister Speaker we are committee on joint budget to whom was referred house bill twelve oh six beg leave to report we've had the same under consideration here with trying to sing the recognition do pass as amended number three respect was middling Jean chair Mister speak we Committee on joint budget to whom was referred house bill twelve oh seven beg leave to report with the same under consideration here with trying the same recognition do pass as amended number five respectfully submitted Lane Jean chair. Are the reports of standing committees reports Mr Clark. Mr Speaker we are committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill sixteen ninety three house bill seventeen ninety two house bill eighteen ninety eight Senate bill fifty nine Senate bill two eighty nine to ninety eight beg leave to report we had the same manner consideration here return the same recognition do pass respectfully submitted Carol Dalby chair Mister Speaker we're Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill eighteen twenty nine Senate bill three thirty four beg leave to report that we have the same under consideration here with trying to sing the recognition do pass as amended number one respectfully submitted Carol Dalby chair Mister speak we're Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill thirteen eighty six beg leave to provide the same expiration he returns and recognition do pass as amended number to respect with the minute Carol Dalby chair Mister Speaker we Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill thirteen twenty seven beg leave to report with the same under consideration here with trying to sing the recognition do pass in concurrence with Senate Amendment number one respectfully submitted Carol Dalby chair Mister Speaker your committee on education to whom was referred house bill seventeen eighty three Housefull eighteen seventy nine house bill eighteen ninety one house for eighteen ninety five Senate bill eighty nine Senate bill one thirty nine to the one forty senate to fifty one Senate bill five thirty two beg leave to report with the same under consideration here with the terms and the recognition do pass but was members because our chair Mr Speaker we committee on education was first Senate bill five ninety nine beg leave to report we've had the same consideration here turn same the recognition do pass as amended number one respect as members because our chair Mr Speaker your committee on public transportation to whom was referred house bill seventeen sixty seven house placing forty nine house by eighteen fifty eight Senate bill five thirty seven Senate bill five three seven five seventy nine beg leave to report that we had the same consideration here return the same the recognition do pass respectfully submitted Mike Holcomb chair. April thirteenth twenty twenty one dear Mr stacks according to code ten dash to dash one sixteen house bill fifteen seventy was assigned act number six twenty six sincerely Leslie Bellamy director of elections office of John Thurston secretary of state. Read letter from the government Clark April eighth twenty twenty one to the Speaker of the house you Mr Speaker this is to inform you that on April eighth twenty twenty one I reviewed and approved the following measures from the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly house bill seventeen seventy five ACT six thirteen house bill sixteen seventy seven ACT six fourteen house bill sixteen fifty one ACT six fifteen helpful sixteen twenty three six X. sixteen possible sixteen twenty two of Act six seventeen house bill sixteen oh two ACT six eighteen helpful fifteen sixty two was at six nineteen houseful fifteen forty nine six X. twenty helpful fifteen forty one is X. X. twenty one has bill fifteen ten is X. X. twenty two has a fourteen twenty nine as X. six twenty three house bill eleven seventy six ACT six twenty four house bill eleven fourteen is X. X. twenty five sincerely Asa Hutchinson April eighth twenty twenty one to the Speaker of the house Mr Speaker this is to inform you that on April eighth twenty twenty one I've reviewed and approved as to form the following measure from the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly house concurrent resolution ten twelve sincerely Asa Hutchinson April eighth twenty twenty one to the Speaker of the house dear Mister Speaker this is to inform you that on April eighth twenty twenty one I am allowing the following measure from the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly to going to law without my signature house bill sixteen thirty seven ACT six oh eight sincerely Asa Hutchinson April twelfth twenty twenty one to the Speaker of the house you Mr Speaker this is to inform you that on April twelfth twenty twenty one I approved and reviewed and approved the following measure for the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly house bill sixteen fourteen ACT six eighty sincerely Asa Hutchinson April twelfth twenty twenty one to the Speaker of the house there Mister Speaker this is to inform you that on April twelfth twenty twenty one I've reviewed and approved the following as to form the measure following measure from the regular session the ninety third General Assembly house concurrent resolution ten fourteen sincerely Asa Hutchinson April twelfth twenty twenty one to the Speaker of the house you Mr Speaker this is to inform you that on April twelfth twenty twenty one I've reviewed and approved the following measures from the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly house bill seventeen sixty six ACT six fifty four house bill seventeen seventeenth at six fifty five hassle fifteen forty five at six fifty six Haskell sixteen seventy eight is that six fifty seven house bill sixteen twenty six that six fifty eight House bills fourteen C.. It seems like six fifty nine house bill eleven eighty eight as X. six sixty. House bill seventeen fifty three six six sixty one house bill seventeen fifty six six sixty two has a fourteen fifty one ACT six sixty three house bill eighteen oh six ACT six is before House what eighteen oh four six six sixty five seventy seventy four six six sixty six house bill seventeen sixty five that six sixty seven house bill seventeen fifty five ACT six six sixty eight house bill ten eighty eight is like six sixty nine house bill ten seven seven six six seventy house bill fifty fifty nine six six seventy one house bill twelve forty six six seventy two house bill seventeen ninety seven ACT six seventy three house bill sixty fifty nine six six seventy four house bill thirteen seventy five ACT six seventy five house bill seventeen forty five six six seventy seven house bill sixteen eighty eight is that six seventy seven house bill eleven seventy two of Act six seventy eight zero Asa Hutchinson. President Richmond moves we place Senate bill five forty four back on second reading for the purpose of amendment without objection read a member number one Mr Clark Amendment one Senate bill five forty four. President Richmond you're recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues all the amendment does is add language to the bill that was suggested by corrections and as my name is the sponsor I appreciate a good vote thank you president of Richmond is explain the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. Represent Richmond is closed for the amendment the question before the House is the adoption of amendment number one to Senate bill five forty four all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The amendments adopted. Represent under would mostly place Senate bill five seventy three back on second reading for the purpose of amendment without objection read Amendment number one Mr Clark Amendment one Senate bill five seventy three percent under what you're recognized explain the bill the amendment rather thank you Mr Speaker this bill passed the Senate and we discover that needed amendment to exclude allocations that regularly served alcohol has not been to committee at seven percent a good vote so I can run the same committee thank you. Represent Underwood has explained the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. President under what is close to the amendment question before the House is the adoption of amendment over one to Senate bill five seventy three all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The amendment is adopted. Mr Clark reed House resolution ten twenty eight House resolution ten twenty eight by representative Shepherd to recognize the tenth anniversary of the glans program president Speaker separate you're recognized explained resolution. Thank you Mr chair with the chairs permission I'd like for representative Parker to join me in the well. Members. this is my honor to date to have a number of friends from back home in old rated Union County we have with this Jean Hadley with the Union County community foundation Sylvia Thompson with Eldred promise Christy Wilson with the south Arkansas community college Chris Watson with energy. Caroline Smith who is the science chair with Eldred school district and Alice Mahoney with the elder or aid to education foundation and thought it would be appropriate to present a resolution today honoring their work in the work of so many others in putting together the girls learning about math and science program now most are very familiar with the elder and a promise program a scholarship program that provides college scholarships to graduates of Eldred schools and is the father of a senior in high school and having two other children following quickly behind my son Eli I very much appreciate the old rate of promise but there are many other great educational programs in the old rated schools and this is one of them and this program as you can read as the girls learning about math and science it's a daylong interactive program that reaches girls from eighth grade through at all all the way on up and actually covers not distilled rated but all of south Arkansas. We all know that in math and science programs in particular that there we have a shortage of graduates in those areas and so whatever we can do to encourage students to enter these programs and particularly our our young girls to enter those programs is something that's positive step for our community and with that I would invite the Clerk to read the resolution in its entirety. Whereas the claims program for girls learning about math and science is a daylong interactive event that reaches eighth grade girls from rural counties in south Arkansas and has impacted over two thousand girls over the last ten years and we're as the grants program connects girls with female professionals in stem professions from all over the United States plus for foreign countries to provide a model and guidelines for young girls to pursue careers in the fields of science technology engineering and math and whereas for participants including the claims program may have significant importance increasing their college enrollment and graduation with majors and degrees in stem fields and whereas former claims participants have returned to take part in the event as speakers and volunteers for paying for their interest in stem fields to other girls in rural counties in south Arkansas and whereas the plans programs in partnership with the Union County community foundation all rent a school district at a rate of education foundation and south Arkansas community college and whereas community stakeholders helping to provide claims with access to stem field includes inter Jean Aerojet Rocketdyne Albemarle Arkansas state game and fish commission campfire elder radome delek US other at a Union County chamber of commerce Lexus Lockheed Martin main street elder radome mayor Veronica Smith career Medical Center for south Arkansas Murphy arts district Pafford air one permit ambulance south Arkansas medical associates south point medical Martha McCarty wells and Lawrence and Paul Weiss come now therefore be it resolved by the house of representatives of the ninety third General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the house of representatives recognize and applaud the efforts of the claims program on its tenth anniversary of the program. And with the chairs permission I'd like to have my fellow representative from Union County have said say few words you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker don't have a lot to add to what Speaker shepherd said except that I have had the privilege to personally be involved and be a sponsor or take a few girls around and the excitement among these teams is just amazing and so I I just wanted to say a personal thank you for let me be involved in part of the lands also I don't know he's probably too dignified to say glam's but we actually use the acronym glam's I'm not that dignified so I will say it but I would like to thank you also because I always learn something every time of their thank you. We would appreciate a good vote yes. Shepherd is explained resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution. For the resolution Speaker Shepherd is close for the resolution the question before the House is the adoption of house resolution ten twenty eight all in favor say aye. Opposed nay the resolution is adopted. Mr Clark reed House resolution ten thirty. House resolution ten thirty by represent Christians and to think the spouses families and friends of the members of the house of representatives for ongoing support and to proclaim the twenty twenty one house of representatives family day. Represent Christiansen you're recognized explained resolution. Thank you Mr chairman. Members. We have come to this August place year after year this year's been different look at the plexiglass that we have in front of us. The mass we've been wearing. The difficulties that were presented to us with COVID nineteen and yet we have endured and in fact we have flourished. We do that because of our people back home. They make it possible for us to be here they handle our farms they handle our families they take care of our business they make it possible for us to be here and do the work of the great state of Arkansas. Without their support we would not be able to be here and conduct ourselves to further the advancement of this great state. With that I present House resolution ten thirty. Mr Speaker please have the Clerk read the resolution in its entirety. Mr Clark please read the resolution. Whereas membership of the house of representatives require support and sacrifice from the spouses families and friends of the members especially during this exceptionally difficult time we have faced in the state through the COVID nineteen pandemic and whereas the pandemic has created a situation in which uncharted waters have been traversed requiring not only all new procedures for the house of representatives that has affected the public the members and the families and friends of the members but also requiring the handling of multiple crises at once with sickness and some of our homes and other extreme hardships related to the pandemic and we're a spouse's families and friends of members have supported decisions to run for office encourage them throughout their campaigns and continue to cheer on their work. And we're as members are in regular session session each odd numbered year from the beginning of January until sometimes as late as may and whereas many members live at a distance away from the capital which necessitates staying overnight in Little Rock for multiple days on in living spouse's families and friends back home to run households and businesses and whereas the long hours days and months in which the members are away from home require them spouses families and friends to take their new or additional responsibilities manage time strategically and adjust personal professional priorities and without the support and help of these individuals and much of the work of the members of the house of representatives cannot be accomplished and whereas the sacrifices and contributions to the state made by spouses and families and friends are often not publicly recognized now therefore be it resolved by the house of representatives of the ninety third General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the individual members of the house of representatives publicly and deeply thank our spouses families and friends and to the ethically proclaimed this day as house of representatives family day. Ladies and gentlemen please join me then in saluting and recognizing our family our spouses or friends who at home have willingly taken on the sacrifices and the hard work behind the scenes to allow us to perform in the public arena ladies and gentleman join me then insulating our families. Thank you. Represent Christiansen as explained resolution would anyone like to speak against the resolution. For the resolution represent Christiansen is close for the resolution the question before the House is the adoption of house resolution ten thirty all in favor say aye. Opposed nay. Lucien is adopted. Morning hours and it. Members were gonna. First three bills Mr Clark read house bill eighteen forty three. House Bill eighteen forty three by representative Tosh concerning voice stress examiners. Representantes you're recognized explained bill. Thank you Mr Speaker colleagues this is a bill for the department of corrections all we're doing with this bill is already in state law for law enforcement officers to do the voice analysis stands all we're doing is adding the department of corrections were also putting a safeguarded their for the employees and for the prisoners that they must be notified want to test is being used for how to be used and that's all this bill does And I would appreciate a good vote of a lead to take any questions. Thank you very much. Representantes has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representantes just close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill eighteen forty three per machine Mr Clerk. Is everyone voted. That's about Mr Clark. With ninety eight one nine zero present the bill is passed. Mr Clark read house bill seventeen oh nine house bill seventy do not by representative paid to provide guidelines on how rebates are offered by a pharmaceutical manufacturer that sells in someone in this state president Payton you're recognized explained the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker members you may remember a couple weeks ago I had a bill to try to help on the insulin prices and this is the new form of that bill and I'll do my best to explain it I guess it could be considered a big scary bill but hopefully I can explain it away we're won't be so Insulin prices are really high because the middle men need the need the retail price to be high to create margin for themselves and those middlemen are usually PBMs and as such. We follow the first bill just simply saying that. If you're insulin manufacturer you must sell your insulin inside the state of Arkansas for your lowest wholesale price. And it as as we expected it brought a lot of players out of the woodwork. That we needed to speak with and learn and explore options on how we can address the problem with the with the with the pricing. I went through a learning process and. You know if you cut me I believe gasoline because I'm in the car business but actually I'm pretty familiar with rebates and rebate schemes because of the car business and so what we have going on right now on the slim world and and some other drugs is a rebate shell game. That creates what an artificial asking price appear and a fair market value that's hidden. And so the the people in the middle can maximize their profits so basically what this bill does in its current form is it says that any rebates coupons kickbacks that the manufacturer is offering to the middle man will now flow through to the end pair the consumer or the consumers insurance plan is the end payer here saw. It'll bring transparency into the into the pricing. In a way. Where you can't monopolize the demand and that's basically what the PBMs do as they monopolize the demand. So with that I will take questions of we did have a meeting with many of the stakeholders when the first bill came out and if you remember are referred it back to the committee for the purpose of amendment and we had a meeting with those stakeholders and ask them to bring us their suggestion this suggestion is basically coming from the the pharmaceutical the pharmacist association the others did not bring us suggestions but we do have some other ideas that we want to put in the interim study and I'm ready to take questions do the best I can represent Dotson for what purpose question you're recognized for a question thank you Mr Speaker representative Payton Do you know what the fiscal impact of this is actually going to be I thank you for bring in see a statement on here so I failed to mention that the bill in its current form cast the net over something we did not intend to cast a net over and that is the met then Medicare Medicaid portion of it we already have an amendment being drafted for the Senate and that would exempt the Medicare and Medicaid out of it. But you can see by that price tag how big this middle ground is so currently Medicare Medicaid has a rule. That if you're a manufacturer of insulin and you sell it anywhere in the United States at a lower price than what you charged here. That they've got a rebate that to you at the end of the quarter. So just the Medicare Medicaid package is two hundred and thirty seven million I think Worth of kickbacks well when we drafted this bill we fail to exempt the Medicare and Medicaid out so it would appear to have a two hundred and thirty seven million dollar impact on the Medicare and Medicaid because that's how much they're expecting to get in the kick back rebate scheme. Now that's great the way Medicare Medicaid handles it I wish we could draft a bill that did that for everybody else which was my first attempt at drafting a bill which said they would give us the lowest wholesale price. That's what Medicare Medicaid enjoy and because the fed at the federal level that's what they've done but yes we will thank you representative Dotson we're amending that if it gets out of here today on the Senate in two exempt Medicare and Medicaid and they can still enjoy they are the entire they that they get the they get the rebates in the kickbacks and coupons. Any other questions all right thank you I appreciate a good vote. Representative Payton is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Represent Payton is close for the bill question before the House is the passage of house bill seventeen oh nine where the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Yes up the ballot Mr Clark. With eighty eight four nine zero present the bill is passed. Mr Clark read house bill fifteen forty six. House Bill fifteen forty six by representative Lanny Fite to phase out the soft drink tax and to provide for additional amounts to be distributed to offset the revenue reduction resulting from the phase out of the soft drink tax representative fight you're recognized explained a bill. Thank you Mr Speaker. I'll try to be brief on this I think everyone's heard about this So let me tell you had the is phasing out of the of the soft drink tax and here's how it would work. We're going to be replacing the tax with general revenue it'll be done over a three year period and possibly longer. What we've done we work with do you happen a and and bill are to implement triggers in this. The the tax cut will only happen if there's sufficient growth in this in use and sales tax. The first trigger was using two thousand twenty two numbers. As the base the first trigger will have to reach two thousand six hundred and eighty one million dollars before the first twenty five percent is cut from the set and re cut and replaced with a general revenue. The second trigger the the the sales and use tax will have to reach two thousand seven hundred fifty four million. And fifty percent of the remaining will be cut at that time. The third the third trigger is two thousand eight hundred and thirty million and that'll be the final phase out in July of two thousand twenty five thirty nine thousand four hundred thirty seven and nine hundred forty four dollars will move over. From general revenue. There must be at least one year between each. A wrecker Invid fails to reach at that year you'll move to the next year so it possibly could be more than just three years the phase out. In some of you were concerned about. The the economic uncertainty that were coming up against and may I remind you that the. We will never cut the income tax three times would never cut of the grocery tax or capital gains if if we were not looking to the future. Many states have implemented the soft drink tax over the years and all but two states have done away with that Arkansas and West Virginia are the only two states that have a the excise tax on soft drinks and we're three times higher than West Virginia our tax is. The business community and the tax groups organizations recognizes as not being a good tax policy. The state chamber supports this bill. The rule of the the removal of this tax would provide consumers. With the tax relief also the hospitality industry so especially the restaurant industry which receive relate retailers which all have suffered during the covenant of Kanemi. The Medicaid trust fund has several revenue streams. But soft drink taxes the only one that's not related to health care and the only one that does not benefit from the. The trust fund the others they profit from the trust fund. You know we knew industry comes at our community we offer incentives local and stuff we have a business here in our community that we tax we double tax we put excise tax in the bill it pay a sales tax. There's been a misconception among I know some of you all have got phone calls from the same we're gonna lose money if we do this we're replacing money we don't lose money Medicaid does not work on. Of if we get if we have five billion dollars we don't get twenty billion dollars is only willing match what we're built. Is what it amounts to and that number goes up and down each year and that's why we have that trust fund. And another thing I don't think people are telling you we we now have legislation so at the end of every year they can sweep from DHS all revenue that's left not used since we got into the trust fund. Last year that was ninety three point three million dollars that went into the trust fund. Right now the trust fund has two hundred forty million dollars and insert plus Senate right now. I would be happy to answer any questions at this point. Represent Ferguson for what purpose. You're recognized you're recognized for a question yeah I'm up here Lanny to your left. Sorry sorry plexiglass throws me off yes of the it It we're is so let me understand this we're taking guaranteed money from soda tax that consumers will never see any change in the cost of drinks and we're taking it not just at a general revenue there's no guarantee it'll come at a general revenue it only gets paid if we have revenue growth is that not right no that's not right for the I do think that when you see this I think the consumer we'll see we'll see the results in the US and as far as guaranteed money right now one point four billion dollars come out of general revenue right now and I'll be talking to D. F. and nine talking to bill are they simply say. Medicaid will always be funded the store like schools it will be funded we will match or match well but this is it comes at a revenue growth not G. R. right yeah this is coming out revenue growth yes we will not cut it unless the revenue growth is there and and when we cut it before it end up in is Charlie Collins like to state bucket D. which means it probably will never be appropriated well it will be appropriated you're talking about the military they dropped it in the category due this year they were expecting COVID we thought the world might come to an end you know and they dropped it there and it will be funded their six hundred million dollars surplus right now I didn't funded somebody needs to investigate this okay thank you. Seeing no other questions. Represent vise explained bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Represent Mayberry you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you Mr chairman thank you members and first I've got to tell you I love representative Lanny Fite we have a history well before ever coming up to this capital. This is not a reflection to him I just have a disagreement on this bill. It is really hard to vote no on a tax cut I understand that. But I'm asking you to vote no on this tax cut because we can bring forth some other really great ideas that you many of you right here have sitting in Revenue and Tax that are ready to go that are fantastic ideas I have really enjoyed being on Revenue and Tax this year to see the ideas that you have. And when we pass this we're gonna be limited in what we're able to do with those other tax cuts. That are going to spur the economy and that will actually accomplish so much more for this state. This one is just too risky. Some will say that it's just kind of a wash between the two. The first year it's estimated to be that the general revenue transfer of about nine million dollars and I realize that in our large budget that may not sound like a whole lot but as I mentioned we have some tax cut ideas and Revenue and Tax that we probably won't be able to do now because of this. Do you have been a estimates that by twenty twenty five the general revenue transfer is nearly forty million dollars that's a really good chunk and as a matter of fact you may remember that this legislative body passed a gas tax last session that promise to raise forty million dollars for highways. Why do we pass that tax if we already had money in general revenue. You might say well we've got the funds now we didn't in our state is doing well financially that's a good thing. But it's because we have an influx of a lot of federal dollars right now and that's not sustainable. And I think if we can agree on anything in this chamber it's that twenty twenty showed us that you cannot predict the future. Things happen. So let's talk about why we have the syrup tax to begin with in nineteen ninety two there is a special session that was called because of an emergency and you know what that merchants C. wise it was because we needed to save Medicaid. There was a severe recession in Arkansas did not have sufficient funds to provide the state share of the matching Medicaid dollars then in nineteen ninety four the voters of Arkansas. Said yes we want to keep this going. Because they liked the security that it provided they wanted to make sure that the weakest and most vulnerable in our state in our population will be taking care of. So we don't have to worry about this in the future. I've heard said well don't worry we're gonna take care of those on Medicaid and and I I trust that. But for how long not everyone of us in this chamber is guaranteed to be back next term. And our governor will not be here so whatever promises we may. We can't necessarily guarantee. When this fully kicks in and twenty twenty five there is a forty million dollar hole. I've also heard that it's an unfair tax on one industry. We currently tax several different industries that provide items of consumption that cause negative health consequences cigarettes alcohol marijuana. So it is not exactly a health benefit or a health food obesity diabetes heart disease tooth decay they all have links back to the consumption of soda it only makes sense. And honestly the tax savings will not be felt by the consumer. I have heard a restaurant owner say that they offer free refills in the restaurant because the syrup is so cheap. Do you really think that the restaurant is going to offer free refills if the syrup the tax on it is so expensive right now. The consumers are not going to see the difference in their life because of this bill. In twenty fifteen the governor and this legislative body also asked the health care industry the hospitals long term care facilities developmental disability providers behavior health providers except truck to cut eight hundred and thirty five million dollars over a five year period to save Medicaid so that we could offer. Whatever it was called at that time Arkansas Works private option whatever you wanna call it. We have already asked them to make drastic cuts. And we just heard recently on this floor just a few weeks ago that Arkansas has the lowest Medicaid reimbursement rates people with special needs are struggling to find a doctor who will see them right now because the rates are too low. We've also made huge steps in thank you members huge steps and making sure that we are providing more in our Medicaid developmental disabilities Medicaid waiver waiting list we have gotten some people off of that Medicaid waiver waiting list because of bills that have been passed here but we still have thirty three hundred people on a developmental disabilities waiting list waiting for care. Right now. That need is not going to be met by doing away with this Medicaid trust fund. For me this is just too risky and I really believe that there are some better ideas. That are a much higher price priority and I urge you to vote no thank you. Mayberry spoke against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill representative Jett you're recognized speak for the bill. Thank the speakers one thing a college this has nothing to do with the impact Revenue and Tax. Leadership is certified set aside twenty five million dollars of the tax cuts with the vote this out or not does not have anything to do with that so I just want to clear that up and I'm I'm sporting a representative fight on the bill it's scored a source or representative because this offer revenue growth with triggers so I just wanna make sure body understands with the voters out or not we don't anybody doubt we're still capped at twenty five million coming of river the taxes will clear that up thank you Jedi's pope FOR the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Representative fight you're recognized to close for your bill. Thank you Mr Speaker. Let me say this is revenue neutral for this biennium right here is a three year phase out could be longer. And let me say this I know a lot of y'all got calls saying that they were going to be fun programs and in your community and that is not true I would not run a bill here today and I would not presented to you if that was the case and I want to know that and I appreciate a good vote thank you. Representative fight is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen forty six per the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Guess about Mister Clerk. Sixty forty eight twenty six days and three present the bill failed. The threshold sixty seven on this bill members. Mr Clark read house bill seventeen twenty six. Also seventeen twenty six by representative Shepherd to transfer the Ouachita River commission from the department of agriculture to the Department parks heritage tourism and to declare an emergency. Speaker Shepherd you're recognized explained the bill. Thank you Mr chair member's house bill seventeen twenty six is a follow up bill to a act actually there was an appropriation earlier that that move some funding on the washer river commission and we need to go ahead and move Ouachita River commission from the department of agriculture over to the Department parks heritage and tourism it basically better aligns with parks heritage tourism and we work with Secretary Hearst to make sure that this would work for them this is just kind of a follow up clean up to what occurred during transformation the last go around and so with that you can see there that it supported as by co sponsors who were all the senators and representatives who have. Are there district cover the wash to river which for the washer river commission their tortillas from Malvern down Louisiana border glad take any questions. Not appreciate a good vote Speaker Shepherd is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. Speaker Shepherd is close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill seventeen twenty six the machine Mr Clerk. You voting on the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted. Gas up the ballot Mr Clark. Ninety seven yeah zero Nays zero present the bill and the emergency clauses pass. Mr Clark please read house bill seventy ninety three. House Bill seventeen ninety three by representative Scott requiring a correctional or detention facility operated by the department of corrections to establish a policy to offer mammograms and physical consultations to female inmates and detainees of certain ages person Scott you're recognized explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker good afternoon colleagues Senator Ballenger and I recently ballot house bill seventeen ninety three and let me start by saying this I probably got a little too excited because we've been trying to find something all session to work on together and we landed on this issue and so let me just read what the bill does but it's already in practice we're just trying to put it in code I thought we were actually lowering the age for the mammograms but I was incorrect so I just wanted to make sure that I cleared that up today so this bill will require correctional and detention facilities operated by the department of corrections to establish a policy to offer mammograms to female inmates and detainees of certain ages mammograms will be offered to the female inmates ages fifty to seventy five every two years and two female inmates ages forty to fifty upon the positions request in these facilities why receiving these services to inmates will be given information focus on the importance of preventive care. Preventive healthcare measures that also include breast care self examination studies have shown that women in jail have an increased risk to early and to take the signs of breast cancer rates of cervical and breast cancer are higher among incarcerated women likely related to under screening both before incarceration in while in custody there is no known opposition to this bill we work closely with the department of corrections when we tracked it and once again I thought we were doing something by lowering the age but that was my misunderstanding after talking to secretary grace last night we are simply just putting into code their best practices already. President Wardlaw for a purpose you're recognized. The Committee we talked about including a male inmates and as for prostate cancer exams. And I think it's very important that we provide equal opportunity for the female inmates as we do the male inmates and in the male side we have the highest rates prostate cancer are you willing to take care of the male inmates as well so yesterday after you all gave me that be back in committee I talked to secretary grapes last night they are also already providing prostate screening for males so we Senator Ballenger and I already had that drafted because I thought that would come up today and if that's okay we would like to add an amendment on the Senate and we just got it literally drafted this morning and in our hands but we want to make sure that there's equity for both our men and women inmates in our prisons. Being no questions I would appreciate a good vote. President Scott explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. President Scott is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill seventeen ninety three per machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark by a vote of ninety six C. A. zero nine zero present the bill is passed Mr Clark please read house bill eighteen sixty six. House Bill eighteen sixty six by representative back concerning election expenses for the County Board of election commissioners in the state board of election commissioners and prohibit the acceptance of funds grants and gifts. Representative back you're recognized explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker calling seven U. of house bill eighteen sixty six this bill is very simple and what it does it just outlines that our County Board of election commissioners and R. state board of election commissioners can only accept funds from a city or incorporated town a governing authority of the council US the State of Arkansas or the US government. See no question appreciate a good vote president back is explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent back is closed for the bill the question before the House the passage of house bill eighteen sixty six per machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Asked about Mr Clark. Five of ninety three a zero nine to present the bill is passed Mr Clark please read house bill seventeen eighty nine. Also seventeen ninety nine representative Payton to provide the jurisdictional cooperation regarding arrests searches and seizures by federal employees. Representive Payton. You're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker members Chris Brown I can hardly see up there he's a share for Cleburne County and is married to mendeecees here today this bill would solidify that the sheriff is in charge okay and I saw qualify that with this the U. S. constitution recognizes the sheriff as the highest law enforcement authority in in a county okay not in the not in the nation but in a county. For a federal agency to come in and serve warrants and seized seizures and searches and things I think it's much safer and and prudent to. get some local knowledge involved so what this bill seeks to do. As if a federal agency is going to conduct see this searches and seizures and warrants in a county they they need to notify the share. It started off saying that they had to get permission is still says I have to get permission but we amended it. To say that they can have a memo of understanding with the sheriff's and so that memo of understanding would expire at the end of the sheriff's term and a new sheriff would have to have to redo it but that gets around having to have the sheriff's signed a letter and and it makes it much easier to operate under the memo of understanding if there's a federal law claims like in my district we have the night National Forest and the national parks and things like that within the of course the federal authorities still have full authority to operate there. This does not affect the city's and the chiefs of police I mean or the state police so crime in Arkansas will continue to be fought by the sheriff's in by the chiefs of police and by the state police and everything we're just saying that if you're coming in from federal forces you need that local knowledge and we want to have cooperation between the federal forces and though the locale so what happens if the sheriff is the bad guy or that they think that they might need to avoid notifying the sheriff because the sheriff will tip off the bad guys well it gives a work around that they go through the Attorney General in that case also what happens if a federal officer sees a crime in process in progress it has a work if they see a crime in progress thank you they can jump on it okay they can handle it perfectly this is just talking about one there's a pre planned. Raised so to speak or they're going to go knock somebody's door down and they're going to search their house and issue a warrant. We want to make sure they're not down the right door we want to make sure that Hey this person has three little kids in the house with them and we might not want to knock down the door to a fault morning and because that big dangers seen when we can catch him at the restaurant they eat breakfast over here at McDonald's every morning you know that local knowledge can save as the bill puts it misadventure so if you just read the top three paragraphs in the bill it gives Legislative intent I think we've narrowed it. To make sure to honor that intent and I'll be happy to take any questions. Represent flowers for purpose. Question you're recognized thank you Mr Speaker of reserve Payton. Yes. How do I fresh okay I'm gonna put this in this in this question framework. As I look at this and think about How. Federal crimes and federal issues are investigated. And enforced by federal agencies. How would this be different. If. If the federal government said Hey sheriffs you. Can't conduct your raids in or near a federal body without. Getting our permission first and adding another loophole. Outside of an existing imho you like isn't this a little bit of an over reach in going in the other direction. So fortunately we have the U. S. constitution which recognises the sheriff is being the leading law enforcement in the county right. The US constitution though we don't honored anymore also says that the federal government would not have I'm from a certain portion the federal government does not have a standing army obviously we have standing armies now our founders were very careful to make sure that we maintain state rights and local authority and so I don't think it's an over reach at all to expect those federal authorities to cooperate with the local authorities the federal bureau of investigation was called the F. B. I. way back when it was formed because they were to not have police powers not nowadays they do have police powers. But I mean. I trust our state police and I trust or local law enforcement to do the job of of policing and handling our crime in our situations I don't mistrust the federal authorities but I they lack local knowledge and. So I don't want to see citizens. in danger because of somebody's careless. Acts of knocking down the wrong door going to the wrong address because they lack local knowledge and so I don't see it as an over reach I think I think the constitution gives us a lot of room. Beyond way beyond what this bill goes. Follow up Mister Speaker. But wouldn't our federal authorities law enforcement authorities be privy to the same. Information as it relates to addresses social security numbers places of employment I mean what what kind of information would they not have so that they can do their job without adding another layer of bureaucracy. I appreciate that that's why we amended to add the memos of understanding so that it's not another layer that is cumbersome we're not trying to make it cumbersome but to give you an example I live out in the country and. After I got my I. phone up until three years ago or more time I'll long period of time the mass had a totally wrong. Designation for my address I live at six oh nine nine center ridge road and it was called that will buy you what road or something like that no we are number so I I mean especially when you get outside the city limits it's important that you have some local knowledge people that patrol those streets in and the county deputies are out there all the time. I think they would have. Knowledge It is very important to make sure we don't make mistakes. Represent Springer for purpose. You're recognized okay thank you Mr Speaker is this concern arises only in Cleburne county or is this something that's being that spirits all over the state of Arkansas as to the reason for you emphasizing in bringing this forth as a bill. Thank you for that I introduced it in twenty thirteen when I was a freshman and I it has nothing to do with Cleburne County I have been I'd seen a video on you too of of the I think it was in Harrison where there was a rate down on a business at about two o'clock in the afternoon there was six or seven black suburbans rolled up there was like a hundred employees in that business that were surrounded not allowed to go home couldn't pick up their kids from daycare couldn't Called all their phones were rounded up and all this was because the owner of the business was being accused of not paying his income tax I don't know what the outcome was whether he was innocent or guilty and only enough as a male or female or or a group of people but. As they were conducting this raid those are Kansans were being mishandled and they were not even being accused of anything all the employees if the local sheriff had been in charge I'm quite sure that those people could have went home picked up their kids on time from daycare school and things like that and then I look back at the situation in Waco Texas that happen the local law enforcement after the after the fact hindsight's twenty twenty but the local law enforcement said Hey we could have arrested that man anytime without the bloodbath that happened by the federal authorities surrounding the compound and handed down as you know the women and children all ended up dead in that situation. I thank you I think we need workarounds. If there's reason to suspect that the sheriff can't be trusted and we try to be careful to put those workarounds in in the bill. But you know you have to balance the risk and reward here and and there's just too much for us if we don't employs some local knowledge if we're going to no knock warrants and middle of the night raids and things like that. Follow up the Speaker so I appreciate you telling me that you file your bill back in twenty thirteen so can you give me some more data with respect to what has transpired in Arkansas in the areas of Arkansas that we're talking about and not out of state for the first example I gave was in Arkansas it's from I it's from my memory doesn't run that long it's from eight years ago when I saw that video and I think it was Harrison about of and more Northwest Arkansas but yeah there's there's other examples I just don't have been catalogued all right so. One last question so I'm trying to understand what was the I'm not understand the problem so are you saying that the of federal. Investigators come in across the state of Arkansas and they're it not knowing what they're doing when they come in different counties of the state I'm just trying to. My grandmother said Anil to prevention's worth a pound of cure. Thank you. President Payton is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent million you're recognized speak for the bill. There is a big enough thank you Mr Speaker being mayor for ten years I've seen as a timer to an integrated portents and have been your local police officers involved we had a situation they come into town was looking at new the address but just thank involved my police department. and if they had no this is what they was going to do is go not the Dorian whether this certain family had several little kids that was home. And the local police knew the people under the situation he said we don't have to do that he knocked on the door got the people out said. The kids was not devastated didn't see any of this so I believe it's very important have everybody involved in this situation. Represent Springer for what purpose you're recognized. Question thank you Mr Speaker so what kind of crimes are we talking about I'm not sure that I would review that information but they come looking for this gentleman and and that's how they was going to handle it and we don't as a mayor as a police department who try to set a server protect the citizens they don't want there's citizens treated that way if it can be prevented specially with the little kids involved I'm just trying to understand the bill and with what it put purposes going to serve by not allowing other agencies to come in and assist with the investigation of certain things are going on so I would like to know what kind of crime so we talked about that they don't know what they're doing I mean it may be something that that's federal in nature like drug trafficking and that sort of thing and the people are coming from across the state across state lines and that sort of thing so I guess this that's what I'm trying to understand if that's the kind of case that we're talking about a we talk about local things that are happening within the particular city right yeah but like I said I guess we'll be all kind of crimes but I believe the more you can involve them and they can work together because the local people know the local residents so it worked better for us that way so. Person million spoken for the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. We would like to speak for the bill. Absent what you're recognized speak for the bill. As a former state police sergeant I can share with you the importance. I'm notifying it just a professional courtesy of federal agencies most of the time. They will do it. Some of the time. You get a hot shot agent that knows everything is really done. They'll come in there help us down those doors and create havoc in the family situation where it could have been handled better had they just notify the local police department or the share. The sheriff is the ranking law enforcement officer in the county. In the county. That the only person they got arrested sheriff is a state trooper. But the we don't do that. But if they if they can trust that the agency they need to spend more time working on finding out what's wrong with that agency then they do some of the other crimes that are committed. But this is a good bill is just being fair and this is just showing a curtesy if you will to the local law enforcement agencies thank you. President wouldn't spoken for the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill represent Payton is closed for the bill the question before the House is a passive house bill seventeen eighty nine per machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast up the ballot Mr Clark. By a vote of seventy two yeas thirteen days and three present the bill is passed. Members we have a few guests with us today first the doctor the day is former representative Dr gene shall be of hot springs and the nurse the days miss Brenda Hewitt. Additionally I don't think we've made this announcmenet this week but our state troopers with this our trooper Jeffrey Lee loveless of trippy of pine bluff and tripper Diego a roll of troop H. in Fort Smith. And then additionally we have in the west gallery share of Chris brown of Cleveland County guests of represent Payton and representative Miller. President Hillman for part. Let's hear your motion. That work okay Mr Speaker have voted on the prevailing side in consideration of House Bill fifteen forty six I moved for reconsideration represent Hillman how did you vote I voted nay. That's a proper motion is debatable represent Hillman you're recognized to explain The motion. Thank you Mr Speaker a lot of work has gone into this bill in my seat mate has been very gracious and polite in the way that he has accomplish this and since the vote was as close as it was I thought perhaps that some of us in here might want to vote a different than I had before so that was reason I moved for reconsideration. Represent him as explained the motion would anyone like to speak against the motion. Would anyone like to speak for the motion represent Hillman is close for the motion the question before the House. The motion to reconsider. House Bill fifteen forty six all in favor say aye. Those opposed. The ayes have it. The question before the House is the passage of house bill fifteen forty six prepare the machine. As everyone voted. Has everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By voters sixty six yeas and twenty seven days and to present. The bill is failed. Mr Clark please read. Represent Christiansen moves we place house bill eighteen eighty three back on second reading for the purpose of amendment without objection remember number one Mr Clark a member number one to House Bill eighteen eighty three. President Christiansen you're recognized to explain the amendment. Thank you Mr Speaker calling this is my bill on my amendment. And I ask your indulgence and let me take a good bill back to committee so I can bring you back an excellent bill all I ask for a good vote. Represent Christiansen explained the amendment would anyone like to speak against the amendment. Would anyone like to speak for the amendment. President Christiansen is close for the amendment the question before the House is the. Amendment. The concurrence would. The adoption Amendment number one House Bill eighteen eighty three all in favor say aye. Any opposed. The amendment is adopted. Mr Clark read the letter from the Senate. April thirteenth twenty twenty one to the our military stacks determines that the Senate respectfully requests the return to the Senate of Senate bill four seventy five respectfully submitted an Cornwell. Leave granted to send the bill back to the Senate. Send the bill to the Senate. Represent Jett for what purpose. Let's hear your motion. Speaker I might make a motion to expunge of the vote to House Bill fifteen forty six. That's a proper motion. It's debatable representative. Jett you're recognized explain The motion. Once again I know everybody's tired everybody's ready to go home The Senate respectfully calling for rizin fight but he was just one more sites are like everybody make most or to accept a motion to expunge this vote and represent five may or may not want to run a bill again but at least equal opportunity I appreciate a good vote. We would like to speak against the motion. We would like to speak for the motion. Represent Jett is close for the motion. Question before the House before the House is the expungement of the vote by which house bill fifteen forty six failed all in favor say aye. Those opposed. The ayes have it. Mr Clark please read house bill eighteen eighty four. House Bill eighteen eighty four by representative is to amend the law governing the county's obligations regarding the production of electronic public record in bulk on request. Gonna pass over house bill eighteen eighty four. We go the other budget calendar represent gene you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker college we're going to take all for these bills and separate votes today. House bill ten seventy one this is Department transformation shared services this has a. No increase in general revenue any questions on this. Your one vote for the bill number to call Smith Speaker the Clerk read the bill for third time please read the bill for the third time House Bill ten seventy one. And Jean is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent Jean is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of house bill ten seventy one per machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. Five or seventy two yeas to nays and fourteen president. The Bill failed president Jean you're recognized. Thank you Mr Speaker. We'll see if you all like this one. House bill eleven eighty one Department of Health procreation of. Coursers eighty two million in general revenue budget is flat is in the governor's balanced budget any questions. Appreciate a good vote on the of corporation miss Baker had the Clerk read the bill third time Clark please read the bill for the third time house bill eleven eighty one. Represent genes explain the building would like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent Jean is closed for the bill the question before the House is passage of house bill eleven eighty one per machine Mr Clark. As everyone voted. Is everyone voted. Voting on the bill emergency clause. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of seven nine yeas to nays and five present the bill is passed Mr Clark please read Senate bill sixty nine. Representing you're recognized. All right members we're going to run the Senate bill sixty nine this the assessment coordinator this the one that didn't garner enough mustard last week. Of this is mainly from real estate transfer fees. no general revenue impact. Any questions concerns. Remember your one voted for the bill emergency clause misspeak or the Clerk read the bill for third time please read the bill for the third time Senate bill sixty nine. President Jean is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Represent Jean is close for the bill the question before the House is pastor Senate bill sixty nine per machines Mr Clark. As everyone voted. As voting on the bill in the emergency clauses everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of seventy nine Yeas eight Nays three present the bill is passed. President Payton for what purpose. The motion let's hear your motion Mister Speaker I move we place Senate bill fifty five back on second reading for the purpose of amendment. That's a proper motion is debatable represent paid you're recognized explain your motion. Thank you Mr Speaker. Members this is the DHS budget that includes the Medicaid expansion. We've been promised in years past not recently that that we could vote on the expansion separately so this time I ask the procedure for doing that and I filed an amendment which would. Separate the expansion from the DHS budget and allow us to vote on it separately so this is a if we get it back on second reading here that I will be presenting the amendment that would allow us to pass the amendment and have separate legislation to address the expansion. President Payton has explained his motion would anyone like to speak against the the motion. Would anyone like to speak for the motion. Represent Payton is close for the motion. The question before the House is. Motion. For the House is to place Senate bill fifty five back on second reading for the purpose of amendment all in favor say aye. Those opposed. The nose happened. Representative gene you're recognized. Members last bill today this is Senate bill fifty five it's the Medicaid. Appropriation is cat traditional. And nontraditional now I'm not you're going to. And I'm not savvy enough and I'm not smart enough to build these text but there's a text going around that if we pass this the RSA will be laid on the table and we will go home that is false okay we're gonna be here at least till next Friday and if the Senate has anything to do with it we're gonna be here till the other Friday so just enjoy yourself and get hunkered down and don't get in any hurry all right so that's what's been put out and and the the thing I pride myself in I'm will be factual and I will tell the truth okay but that is not going to happen now I will tell you the good and bad of the Medicaid okay. The Medicaid trust fund which is mainly what this is made up. Is a. Projected eight billion dollar budget. Okay. Of a little over two billion is state funds that's that's our match. Traditional Medicaid. And this is the end of two thousand and nineteen is our last audited times there's nine hundred. And thirty five thousand at the end of the year two thousand nineteen. That is on Medicaid and whatever you wanna call it private option Arkansas Works Arkansas home I'm just kinda losing track of what they call it but that's that's that's the Ten percent amount of matching. that nine hundred thirty five thousand people. Six hundred and seventy six thousand at the end of two thousand nineteen once again that's the last audited numbers we have we're on traditional and two hundred fifty nine thousand people were own Arkansas home Arkansas Works. What it calls to general revenue. If we're going to break it out and I will go with the two thousand twenty figures and these had been audited but they're they're pretty close and I don't have the year that we're in right now because we're not we're not through with it. But the year that we're in right now. General revenue at a traditional Medicaid costs the state one point two four five billion dollars. Okay. The Arkansas works with two hundred nine million that's the call at the end of twenty twenty fiscal year. Right now. We started off our first year of Arkansas Works our first full year within the first year fourteen a six month to full year was zero percent we have to put any matching in we now in the last two but just as have been up to the ten percent amount so that's where the two hundred nine million is. Of. I don't expect this to pass it rarely ever passes on the first vote but I just asked and we're talking about it let's be factual because you need your budget to have some type of truth to it okay any questions represent I could take on their similar for what purpose. You're recognized thank you Mr Speaker representative messenger Jean. Can you give us the total amount that we the the total amount that we are appropriating that we're voting on now for both the traditional Medicaid as well as the. Arkansas home works option privates. Okay the hold on we get to the bill. All right. Owned. The Arkansas Works. You will the state portion no Sir I want the entire amount of tax dollars okay total total state dollars. State dollars everything federal and state about this right at eight billion dollars. Okay on the traditional on the traditional. It's a little over its six billion. Of the nineteen million. I have a follow up this week thank you. So since we're being truthful. Would you agree that it is true that we are spending. About two billion dollars more of tax dollars on the Arkansas Works program that is set up for able bodied working age adults as opposed to what we are spending on more people who are our most vulnerable I will tell you this we're spending one point nine billion dollars of federal funds on the Arkansas Works and around two hundred million on the Arkansas Works of state funds. Okay. Any other questions. All right. You one vote is for the bill emergency clause Mister Speaker the Clerk read the bill third time. Please read the bill for the third time Senate bill fifty five. President Jean is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Jean is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of Senate bill fifty five per machine Mr Clerk. Members and for the benefit of those online obviously we're having some technical difficulties so hopefully we can get the voting machine up and running here shortly. Question before the House is the passage of Senate bill fifty five the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Cast a ballot Mr Clark. Fifty four yeas thirty one nation one president Bill failed. Representative council moves we re referred senate bill three eighty one to committee that's proper motion representative council recognized explain your motion. Members this is a bill that passed out of committee with no real opposition and then after it passed out some concerns came to light so I'd like the opportunity to take it back to committee and work on some of those please thanks. Represent counties explained the motion would anyone like to speak against. The motion. Representative counties close for the motion question before the House is to re refer Senate bill three eighty one to committee all in favor say aye. Opposed nay. Motion passes. Mr perk re referred senate bill back to committee. We're gonna skip over. Senate bill two ninety six Mr Clerk read senate bill four eighty eight. Senate bill forty eight by representative Lowery to amend the freedom of information act of nineteen sixty seven to create an exemption to the exemption to the examination and copying of public records and to amend the law concerning the freedom of information act of nineteen sixty seven and voted ballots. Representative Larry recognized explained the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker. This bill clarifies that ballots live ballots cannot be access during the election period current law states that following the end of an election ballots cannot be copied. This would add further clarification that ballots cannot be access during the election period without a court order or with or order of the state board of election commissioners. These ballots were this was done in one county they were part of a live tabulation and so This exemption would say that unless there's a court order those ballots could not be copied it's an exemption to F. O. Y. and my understanding is that the FY task force has no objection to this appreciate a good vote. Representive Lowery is explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Representative McCullough you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you madam Speaker so I just take questions about this so from what I understand right now you can bring a for you action to see ballot materials before filing a challenge and under this bill citizens will have to file a court action to get these materials from what I understand so this bill will require a citizen to make a what could be a really expensive decision on and perhaps an uninformed hunch before he or she can decide to challenge someone to know if that's correct and also want this bill increase back a skepticism about election integrity up because this filing of lawsuits is aye instead of being able to request the info it would be better and try to avoid all these court challenges so I'm I'm I have those questions and I have to say but I think I'm asking for your vote against his thank you. Representative McCullough has spoken against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Representative Lowery you're recognized a close for the bill. Thank you madam Speaker all this bill really does is maintain what we think should be which is the secrecy of the ballot during the live election period the ballot should remain secret and that's what we're doing with this is making sure that those ballots this does not include sample ballots sample ballots can be copied so that you could let people know what's on the ballot but these ballots would that or this bill would maintain the privacy and secrecy of the ballot which is something that is sacked we're saying in our Republic democracy appreciate a good vote. Represent Lowery is closed for the bill the question before the House is pastor Senate bill four eighty eight prepared machine Mr. Everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of seventy one Yeas twenty one days and three present the bill is passed Mr Clark please read senate bill four. Eighty seven. The bill for eighty seven by representative when concerning the establishment and alteration of precinct boundaries polling sites in both centers and to amend Arkansas election law representative wing you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker what we're doing this is really a technical corrections bill in clarifying who has responsibility over a couple of key items with regards to elections current state statute dictates the County Board of election commissioners does in most areas but there was an aunt there's some ambiguity in one spot where it says the County Board or the election or the or the county Clerk has final authority over vote centers and so this gets rid of the war obviously if the two drivers in the same car it makes a little bit difficult this brings it in conformity with the rest of state code part two of this also brings the same clarification with regards to the security and integrity at the polling site. And that's all of us. Create a good vote thank you. President wing is explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representive wing is closed for the bill the question before the House is passage of Senate bill forty seven prepared machine Mr Clerk. Everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark by a vote of eighty seven yeas to nays and five present the bill is passed. Clark please read senate bill four thirty six. Or Senate bill four eighty six. Senate bill forty six a representative brown ten in the law concerning electioneering and to amend the law concerning penalties for misdemeanor offenses related to voting. Brown you're recognized explain the bill. Calling this is a very simple bill it just simply prohibits any. People from you know the one hundred feet that we all have to stay back and I will actually nearing allowed there were several instances were voters called to complain that there were people crowding around the entrance where they were entering and you know handing out water and I think they were saying which is being handed out but you know this they were wearing their T. shirts to. For their organization that was doing this Considering the complaints and considering the fact that there's to be no electioneering within one hundred feet of the voting location this language had to be crafted considering the people were not respecting that so a person shall not enter or remain in an area within one hundred feet of the primary exterior entrance to a building where voting is taking place except for a person entering or leaving a building or voting is taking place for lawful purposes so if it's a church and church members need to go in and out they can do that if it's library of people entering and leaving a library can do that. Represent flowers for what purpose. Question you're recognized. I'm. Brown I'm wondering. You know often times when we hear complaints and issues and concerns of our constituents that manifest into bills to address a problem and you know a lot of people complain about a lot of things but if you had non profits in an area to assist people while waiting an extended lines to vote and. What they were doing is passing out water sandwiches how does that amount to election hearing and and you know what is the problem. Well the problem is that quite easily could be electioneering and the the people working in the polls they've got their hands full just taking care of the people coming in and out and trying to enforce this one hundred foot margin so um I know the. I have to stay beyond the one hundred foot margin and I've. This was not a problem my particular area but it was a problem in some other areas follow up. It is so for four areas where there might have been actual election nearing. Isn't that something that could and should be handled by The local election officials or even you know we have a state elections body versus changing the law for everyone implying that there is a problem because for me in my area you know the end of laci P. is extremely active in ensuring that people get access to the ballot that people don't have to wait in long lines without being taken care of that seniors know that they have they they can get to the front of the line for example those kinds of things which obviously is not electioneering that's not a problem in Jefferson County and this would bar them from doing I think what I would hope we all want and that's ensuring that for anyone who is eligible to vote. Can access the ballot can vote using whatever tools be it absentee be it live voting what have you so can you talk to us about how this bill might in fact create a problem rather than resolve a problem for different areas with different issues well now you're asking me to defeat my own bill well late dates your bill then maybe then maybe it shouldn't you know I'm not going to tell you anything negative about this bill because I supported and if the people want to hand out water they can stay beyond the one hundred feet I mean it's not that far and if somebody wants to track back and get a bottle of water they could do that or they can grab one essay had passed then you do acknowledge that that is something that is negative no I don't I I think people should just stay I mean I've never known of anybody who to would I consider hanging out and that one hundred foot area I hadn't heard of that it's not in my area had never seen that happen but apparently it did happen in our state and P. and voters complained but it's not actually nearing its not election year that's your that's your judgment you were no air not a judgment giving water is not ours represent flowers. You're you're recognized for follow up represent Springer for what purpose question. You're recognized thank you Mr Speaker I just have a question and I've I think I'm a broken record on this I have to go through five elections and I had people stand in line and I personally to water to them am I going to be charged with a crime if I if my grandmother's at the door and she calls me up and tells me she's in order to you all am I going to be corrupt charged with a crime for taking or some water and you don't have your campaign T. shirt on I don't think it would matter if you just walked up there and handed somebody a bottle of water but you don't need to be hanging out that hundred camping out that one hundred foot perimeter that is considered sacrosanct on election day follow up yes you're recognized for follow up thank you Mr Speaker so I'm I'm trying to understand so. Within one hundred feet so is. To me seems like this is something that is already in in in in practice already so I'm I'm I'm trying to understand the part about being charged with a crime I see that in the B.. Well people weren't obeying that there were paid and so just to be perfectly clear. What we bad at this but the you don't. You don't enter that one hundred but I'm never known of people just to come in and camp out and that one hundred foot area represent once from for what purpose. Representative brown when you go to vote recognized for a question thank you Sir. Everyone knows when they go to vote correct. They can take a bottle of water with them certainly thank you. President Brown has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. President flowers you're recognized speak against the bill. Colleagues clearly this is something I feel very passionate about and and would hope that we would all be. And feel passionate about ensuring that people who are eligible to vote our Kansans who are eligible and registered to vote. Should be able to go and vote. Without barriers. At a very ugly time in our history. There were laws. That were created. Service barriers. Many people don't know. That way back in the. In in the nineteenth century. African Americans. Who had been barred from voting. We're granted the right to vote to the very first. Civil rights legislation and voting rights legislation. And it was bills like this that on its face seemed very. Harmless innocuous. Maybe even bills it seemed to make sense. That were created exactly to create a barrier for people from being able to vote. And what seems to us like something super simple. To be able to carry a bottle of water with you. Some people go to their polling place. And have no idea that they're going to encounter a line to vote. That spans around the courthouse. But there there. And especially if it's someone. Like my mother. Who has a Walker and you would have to stand in that line on her Walker. For one hour for two hours. Even thirty minutes. Which would be a struggle for her. Why in the world. What we create legislation. Barring a volunteer. Without any campaign information electioneering on behalf of one party or another. On behalf of one candidate or another just a nonprofit. To provide water. Or sandwiches. And where does it stop that is not election nearing. Not within five feet a hundred feet a thousand feet it's simply not electioneering. Now a lot of us were very concerned. About how our state appears. So that we pass legislation. To ensure the people are protected from hate crimes. I want you to think very carefully. About what our state looks like. We pass legislation. That creates barriers however small. That creates barriers to keep people. From the polls in whatever way and for those reason I ask you B. C. Q. to please vote against this bill thank you represent Miller for purpose. Two residents left represent flowers left the well represent flowers has spoken against the building would like to speak for the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. President brown you're recognized to close for the bill. Colleagues I think. there's nothing there's absolutely nothing hateful about this bill this is about protecting our vote and not allowing people to come and congregate and hang out around the door we're. Nobody supposed to be hanging out and I would just a. I would just ask for a good vote thank you. Purpose of brown is closed for the bill the question before the House is a passive Senate bill. Four eighty six repair the machine Mr call. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Asked about Mr Clerk by a vote of seventy four yeas twenty three nine zero present the bill is passed. Mr Clark please reasonable for fifteen. Senate bill four fifteen by representative Beatty to amend the law concerning relocation assistance payments. Represent baby recognized explained a bill. Mister Speaker colleagues Senate bill four fifteen is a clean up bill from are not simply adds the proper US code section as it existed on January one of twenty twenty one to the bill with that I'd appreciate a good vote. President Beatty as explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Or the bill. Represent Beatty is close for the bill the question before the House is the passage of Senate bill four fifteen the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. Ninety eight zero nine zero present the bill is passed. Mr Clark read Senate bill six oh three. Senate bill six oh three by representative Boyd to clarify the law concerning healthcare insurers contracting with temporary hospital facility interest regulate healthcare contracts to require good faith cooperation. Representative Boyd you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr Speaker so during the pandemic certain ambulatory surgery surgery centers were asked as by our government to convert to temporary hospitals and assist with COVID patient flow this bill here it helps ensure fair treatment of those facilities by insurers as they transition back and forth between temporary hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers I appreciate a good vote thank you. Representative Boyd is explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill. President Boyd is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of Senate bill six oh three the machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. Casts up the ballot Mr Clark. Ninety five Yeas zero Nays zero present the bill is passed Mr Clark read Senate bill two ninety six. Senate bill two ninety six by representative you Bates to prohibit videotaping or sharing photographs or video of residents of long term care facilities without their consent to the internet. Represent Dotson you're recognized explained bill. Thank you Mr Speaker members your call a couple days ago or week or so ago we move this bill back to committee for an amendment basically what this bill does is make sure that if someone's in a nursing home long term long term care facility and takes a photograph of somebody without their consent that they can't publish that out there there's a little bit concerned at that time that as someone who is maybe had a birthday party or some if someone walks through that Picture that video that They didn't have the consent could they get in trouble for that that's why we send it back to committee now the bill has that in there that you can't post this on social media but if someone accidentally walks through accidental photographing and videotaping a resident occurs unintentionally of that residence then there exempted from this more than happy to try to answer any questions. Not represent Gazaway for what purpose. Question you're recognized for a question okay I and I just heard about this bill that I and I apologize that I didn't talk with you about it ahead of time but let's just imagine a scenario where there's a person in a nursing home who can't consent because they're up. you know they've suffered a stroke and they're no longer in a position where they can consent. the family realizes that that their family member has a huge bed sore on their back because they're not being turned properly they're being neglected. And the family wants to alert the community by posting it on social media that this has occurred that patient can't consent because they've had a stroke in they're not capable of consenting with this bill prevent the family from exposing that kind of abuse and neglect. I don't believe so I think if you if you take in here the taking of photographs look on page two lines twenty two through twenty eight so the taking a photograph or video by an individual to document abuse or neglect of a resident and provided to government authority with the power to investigate abuse or neglect What including without limitation the HHS office Medicaid inspector general the United States Department of Health Human Services or a law enforcement agency the that exemptions put in there so I think I think you're covered with that and that was also I believe I believe that was part of the amendment that we added when was in committee as well per cent percent rye for what purpose. You're recognized for a question Speaker of representative jim if there's a birthday party and what we have that a lot we're over there just your folks up. Do you think we just need that maybe asked the administrator if it's okay to take pictures or something. Well it this would be specific to the consent of the resident so yes if you having a birthday party say grandma's there all the kids are there and and they want to do a Facebook live say and someone accidentally or not accidentally but some residents who is not you don't have the consent for an intentionally walks through that video feed. There are exempted from this from having that unintentional videotaping of somebody during a Facebook live social media posts that that's what this is for we still want to have birthday parties or Graham on and everything so. Appreciate a good vote. Dotson explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would. We would like to speak for the bill representative Collins you're recognized speak for the bill. Sarginson representative as I just wanted to say in reference to represent Gazaway that was a concern I have I think representative paid resident committee DHS amended it and took care of that in a way that was I think very good so I appreciate it. Collins has spoken for the building would like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. President Dotson is closed for the bill the question before the House is the passage of Senate bill two ninety six per machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark. By a vote of eighty five Yeas four Nays and three present bills pass. The public backlash. Mr Clark please read house bill seventeen twenty four. House bill seventeen twenty four by representative Gazaway to amend the law concerning domestic violence orders of protection and concerning course of control person Gazaway you're recognized to explain the bill thank you Mr Speaker colleagues this bill simply adds a couple of types of conduct that would allow for a person to seek an order of protection that is of a person engages in a course of control over another person which is a pattern of behavior it can't be a one time incident where they're trying to isolate that person from family members and and alienate them which is a form of what we call course of control that would be one way that they can do it the others what's called disturbing the peace that's also defined in the bill the judge can enter orders to keep a person from molesting harassing stalking another person so just adds types of conduct that will allow a person to seek an order of protection I'm I'm not aware of any official opposition to this bill but I will say that I had a few members why we've skipped over it had a few members contact me and and raise some issues about some language I've promised that that's going to be amended on the Senate and you have my word that that's going to happen so if this passes day's gonna come back to us with a few little tweaks to the language which I think will make it even better I thought the points are well taken and so with that I'm happy to answer any questions. Senate appreciate a good vote thank you represent gas was explain the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill. Representive Gazaway is closed for the bill the question before the House is passed house bill seventeen twenty four per machine Mr Clerk. As everyone voted. As everyone voted. Cast about Mr Clark by a vote of ninety five Yeas zero nine zero present the bill is passed representative makes for what purpose motion place what's your motion after the announcmenet trading of the bills transferring the bill's place in the calendars on the desk members amending their own bills the own amendments members withdrawing their own bills finalizing resolutions reading communications and any remaining committee report I move that we adjourn until one o'clock tomorrow afternoon that's a proper motion is not debatable all in favor say aye. Any opposed. Motion carries are there any announcements. Actually I do have an announcmenet members representative Jean touched on some of the rumors that are flying around out there. And I would just say that I know that I heard earlier there was there were some word going around the to Senate to stop to stop hearing House bills I immediately called Senate leadership they say that's absolutely not true we're continuing to work to work on both ends obviously we're moving towards the conclusion this session as you know the thirtieth is the last day If we could if we could wrap up a few days in advance that that would be great but we're gonna we're gonna work and work as efficiently as possible I would say obviously House bills that are still in the house in need to start you need to get those moved out but just want to tell you that there's there's no there's no. The Senate is still hearing bills we're gonna continue to hear here their bills we're working with them to move towards a conclusion there's still some things that I know people members are very interested in trying to get resolved and done so I just want to tell you that if there's any issue or concern please feel free to to get with me and we're gonna work hard here as we move towards resolution this session all right reserved Fortner for purpose now you're recognized representative the chairman Jett cordially invites the members of Revenue and Tax to join he and I for a pleasant evening in Revenue and Tax room one fifty one in fifteen minutes. Represent slate for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized House rules will meet tomorrow at noon the big mac B.. Cavenaugh for purpose now spent you're recognized special language meets eight AM tomorrow big mac K. Ferguson Ladyman for purpose announcmenet you're recognized a public health will be meeting in ten minutes over in mac a we will be giving House bills priority so if you have a house bill on that agenda please try to be there we may not be as cordial as taxing room represent Lowery for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized House insurance and commerce is meeting tomorrow morning at nine thirty in conference room C. represent Dalby for purpose announcmenet recognized judiciary will meet in ten minutes big mac eight percent off what purpose announcmenet you're recognized I cordially invite you all to prayer caucus in the morning at seven AM in the old Supreme Court ring that's down there by the Senate if you hadn't been down there come have per with us we have a really good time. If Tosh for what purpose announcmenet you're recognized state agencies in the morning at nine thirty room one fifty one we we we hear and Constitutional amendments any other announcements. The desk remain open as needed for the reading of bills upon completion The Addams named in the joint resolution house would be adjourned until one PM tomorrow.