Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development- House

Thank you madam chair can I as far beer to yes join me at the end of the table and it if you would just give me a. State state is a bit of time to get the bill pulled up or resolution pulled up yes Sir I would you please state your name and who you're with the for the record and then you'll have time after that a representative Eubanks to pull up your bill thank Matt king with Arkansas farm bureau all right. Just when you're ready representative be by. Staff would have a copy of the resolution within. Bevin. Farm bureau a copy. Members I want to have to apologize Senator Stubblefield last day to file this as long as as well as some dairy producers in that in that. In the state we passed the bill earlier that dealt with the pricing of milk and apparently there's there's some serious issues not only in Arkansas but in other parts of the country dealing with the the. Federal law dealing with milk prices and so at this time I would like Matt to try to explain best he can okay. And you guys you guys heard a number of our producers came in I think probably many of them gave you guys a call and talk to you about this there's a number of challenges associated with the day one of the things in this bill talk about transportation credit so right now bill coming in Arkansas those farmers that produce milk in Arkansas are helping pay the transportation to bring in there to bring in the competition into the state of Arkansas so this is talking about trying to or five year period reduce that back needing care with us transportation credits there's there's a host of other problems with the pulling and things like that and the I know the farmers of Arkansas dairy farmers of Arkansas are very excited bill what you guys passed earlier this year which goes a long way in trying to help make sure that they remain profitable and able to able to say on the farms. Are you ready for questions if there are any. Yes ma'am are there any questions. Seeing no questions is there anyone that wants to speak for the bill yes Sir representative berry I'm so sorry I didn't see you you're recognized well a little slow. madam chair thank you of additional questions where does the majority of the mill produced now that we've lost nearly all of our very form you get there's a lot of milk so pretty step in the Midwest and in Minnesota in those areas we've entrance we even pull milk information as all of the comes in Arkansas you have big dairies out there these ten thousand fifteen thousand Cadbury's out there and they're they're getting the transportation paid subsidized to bring milk into markets like ours. Yes Arkansas is not unique to a lot of other states I guess or losing their dairy correct operations correct and then and looking out the after you guys pass the bill out of here there's been a number of phone calls from other states asking what what what what we did and how we are able to do this okay thank you manager representative Hillman you're recognized for a question. Just a curious question done everything they with the bill but you brought up the they're producing states with the largest dairy producing state in the United States I don't know which one is larger is a California maybe so I sort of thought thank you. Are there any other questions. Seeing no other questions is there anyone here to speak for the bill or the resolution against the resolution represent you banks are you close for would you like to close your resolution I'm close for the resolution and I make a motion to pass the motion do pass from representative Eubanks are there is there any discussion on the motion all those in favor say aye against No congratulations your resolution has passed next we'll go to House Bill eighteen eighty three by representative Christiansen. Please state your name for the record and then you may begin. Thank you madam chair thank you committee could Christiansen District forty seven. This is house bill eighteen eighty three. It is a very simple bill that is permissive in language and something we need you know committee there are organizations whose mission in life it seems to be to shut down animal enterprises it's only a matter of time before Arkansas sees these again. This bill of farms the rights of animal owners and their animals to work in and supplies of support for lawful animal enterprise in the partnership between animals and their human counterparts it does not change any laws regarding animal cruelty or abuse does not change any laws regarding animal welfare or housing it does not change any criminal prosecution for bad actors who have animals it does not do those things does not change any laws or any municipal ordinances that may have restrictions on breeds or types of dogs or things like that what it does do is it recognized or animal activities as a lawful enterprise in the state of Arkansas thus protecting those whose legal and humane enterprises involved as in entertainment competition hunting and so forth this is really an affirmation of activities that run deep in our culture. So. I stayed direct you to the bill if you have not read it it states is used in this section a working animal means a non human animal used for the purpose of a performing a specific duty or function in commerce or animal enterprise including without limitation human service transportation education competition or exhibition notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary the right to use a working animal for the benefit and welfare of the working animal the individual animal service is guaranteed an ordinance resolution shall not be enacted by a municipality that terminates bands effectively bans or creates an undue hardship relating the jobber use of working animal or animal enterprise and commerce service legal hunting agriculture husbandry transportation ranching entertainment education or exhibition it does not alter to any state laws the regulator animal care public health or public safety it's permissible in language if you've seen a cutting horse that works even if the water falls off it'll continue to cut the cal till the end of the of its working time animals like people like to have a job they like to be able to work the jewel of the dogs trail horses et cetera so committee without I'll take any questions. Representative lance you're recognized for a question yes representative at the mayor of my town called me about this bill if I'm if I'm got their cattle. And I live in the city limits and currently is prohibited by ordinance to have will live cattle in my backyard list bill let me put those cattle my backyard since they're working animals this section does not alter state law rules that regulate animal care housing public health and public safety so the answer would be no. It but these laws are at the municipality level that's correct so this law would supersede that law would not it does not prohibit a municipality has a read for you to establish or alter an ordinance regarding animal care public health or public safety. Now what does say this section superseded municipal ordinance resolution rule conflict. This law is not intended to conflict with your municipal rule regarding dairy farming within the city limits that is not what it is designed to do this of farms the rights and it does not speak to dairy cattle per se within the city limits it's it's a right for an animal to work. Right so follow up you're recognized all it and I'm I'm really because. So what if it's coats and I'm L. am I gonna be allowed you have a city ordinance that restricts something within the community this law does not alter that or restricted because it specifically states it does not alter state laws or rules that regulate animal care public health or public safety and it does not prohibit a municipality from establishing or altering the same okay thank you. Any other questions. Saying no other questions we have Leding E. Richmond maybe to speak against the bill. Please state your name for the record yes my name is Lenny Richmond I'm with the Arkansas municipal league legal counsel there for five going on six years and here in the comments from representative Christiansen I'm going to review the bill more thoroughly for exactly what it does but currently our concern is that it does supersede some municipal ordinances regulating livestock and I will be very quick with this I know we've all had a long day we think that those decisions should be left at the local level you know it's home rules should be the home town that decides those things I had a conversation with me this morning in person the mayor of Clinton Arkansas and I showed him the bill or what do you think it's it's a terrible bill right now give livestock regulation right because now we we don't regulate livestock you know we've decided not to our citizens don't want because we don't like the loss of local control and I will not belabor the point but if there's any questions I'd be happy to answer them. Are there any questions. Saying no questions is there anybody here to speak for the bill against the bill would you like to close for your bill I will not like to dress Lanny's concerns of committee this bill is not designed to supersede a municipality this bill is designed to reform the rights that we can have four shows you can have carriage ride you can do things with your animals it specifically does not want to target anything regarding the local control online pretty big problem proponent of local control so. That that I hope that'll lays any concerns if we need to if the committee feels we need to change language on this I'd be happy to entertain that but I think right now we're pretty clear. What's the will of the committee. Motion to pass from such a representative Hillman almost called you senator Hillman is there any discussion on the motion. Seeing representative Blanchard recognized for discussion so I still have a concern about the local control I think the the the legal folks here from an escalade also have that same concern so I'll just leave it at that because when I read this bill. This removes the ability of the municipalities to to make some ordinances on local control so that's my concern. The representative would like you can't you can't you can't is there any other discussion on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed no. Motion your bill is passed. And Senate bill five thirty six by Senator Irvin. Does it anybody know anything about that bill. I see Representative Hillman could you go to the end of the table and let Secretary ward join you there please starring L. just a state your name for the record. The. Nothing like putting representative Hillman on the spot. Okay I'd I'd appreciate the promotion but also knows I got that the motion David Hillman state representative of. Hi Jack Fortner are you on this committee. Would you like to come in. A death I didn't say you I'm so sorry representative Porter would you rather take the place down there that's great okay. Senator was that is that what you'd like me to call you Senator Irvin. The representative Fortner please state your name for the record and then as secretary ward if you'll do the same and then you'll may present. Jack Fortner represent district ninety nine. West for from the Arkansas department of agriculture. Sorry represented board that I I mean set representative Fortner that I didn't see you. No problem this this committee has been working for over a year and what is it it is the buffalo river everybody knows about the buffalo river and what we have put together we have a group of people citizens the citizens are very active part of this and they have come in we have met with them in the different communities and we've made real progress We this committee is just a good working or the organization is led up to this is a good working thing and it is protecting the interests of everybody the landowners the businessmen and the state and the buffalo river and all it to. West. Yes Sir and I think represent Fortner headed it is exactly this is this is actually originally created through an executive order the governor I was actually the beautiful buffalo river beautiful buffalo river action committee two thousand sixteen two thousand nineteen the he updated that executive order to the buffalo river conservation committee there were some funding associated with that and it it's been a work of this the the committee and and the subgroups associated with it from a local lad decision making and and distribution of that funding that funding has been allocated service so really what this legislation does is just codifies the the B. or C. CA continues the the work of the committee so and there are Senator Irvin Senator Davis resent Fortner representative slated for all active on on a committee that's activity. And that I'll disclose real briefly this you would be proud of this organization the funds that we had were spent and spent wisely most of a and actually got project started and done. With the funds on hand and and the way that the I don't think there's there's people that have differences of opinion but there is Bend what we've got to. The green people. Landowners. Producers. Politicians it's just a good group and we sat down and we talk to each other we really just talk to each other and we come up with solutions and it's just a good thing to be proud of it and I would to ask for a good vote are there any questions. Saying the questions is there anyone here speak for the bill against the bill. Are you closed for your bill I would like to close for your bill no I'm done I'd make a motion to pass so we have a motion to pass from representative Fortner is there any discussion on the motion. Saying no discussion all those in favor say aye aye opposed no congradulations the Senate bill has passed thank you all for your time or adjourn.