Senate Convenes

Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Everyone please stand putting those in the gallery. Senator Ballinger Senator Ballinger we December. That's right okay thank you so much god will privilege it is to come and serve and the people of Arkansas and serve you by doing so what would you prefer your wisdom your guidance your strength in your energy Lord help us to to to be at peace to show kindness and love to each other and and truly just be for personal foremost focused on undoing you your will lord and falling hard after you we love you pray for your guidance and hand strength through the rest of the session Jesus name amen. Fordul. Yes. Any announcmenet any announce before we start any items to be read senator mark Johnson got about. Sir John. Thank you Mr president of personal happy St Patrick's day to everyone especially those of Irish descent of like to welcome today our our doctor today or nurse doctor Shannon swiftest return medicine pediatric specialists from Clinton in my district Dr glad to have you in our nurse sherry and and please make them welcome today. You. It's to be read across this Madam Secretary yes Sir for your committee on Bills to whom was referred Senate bill three eighty two by Senator Chesterfield Senate bill four eleven by Senator Wallace Senate concurrent resolution eight by Senator Rapert compared the enrolled copies with the original find them correctly enrolled and delivered to the governor at ten oh six AM this morning for his approval. Follows. For your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill two ninety eight by Senator Stubblefield compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed city county local Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill three seventy six by Senator Chesterville compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed Judiciary Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill four oh nine by Senator Irving compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed Joint Budget Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill five thirty two by Senator English compared the engrossed copy with the original find same corrected vision Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill five forty seven by senator garner compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed public health you for your committee on Judiciary to whom was referred Senate bill two eighteen by Senator Hendren recommended pass calendar Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three oh seven by Senator tendon recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill three oh eight by Senator Hammer recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill four seventy four by Senator back and recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred senate bill four ninety four by Senator Hammer recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred Senate bill five set five fifty five by Senator Clark recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill ten O. four by representative Fortner recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill eleven fourteen by representative Wardlaw recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill twelve oh four by representative Tosh recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill twelve seventy six by representative under under would recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen forty nine The representative Hans recommend to pass calendar Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen seventy by representative Scott recommend due pass counted. Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fifteen fifty by representative out Dalby recommend due pass counted on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill sixteen oh four by representative Gazaway recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill sixteen forty five a representative shall be recommend due pass counted Committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill fourteen thirty seven by representative Collins recommend to pass as amended number one calendar. They're not really good good one thank you senator needs. Senator H.. Senator is. You can check on testament. Resolution of ten thirteen by representative Alan and Senator Eads to recognize the month of March is national colorectal cancer awareness month. Thank you Mr president colleagues this is a Resolution just in cooperation with the bill that Senator Irvin ran their day and read the whole thing but it says be it resolved that the house of representatives of ninety third General Assembly in the State of Arkansas the Senate concurring ethnologist profound impact of colorectal cancer on the lives of our Kansans supports the medical believe that colorectal cancer screening tests can prevent and cure this disease urges the citizens of the state to obtain screenings at the age of currently fifty hopefully change to forty five soon forty five age for African Americans and recognizes this month of March is national colorectal cancer awareness month I would appreciate a good vote. All of our. Highs resolution is adopted thank you senator ed senator Clark. Senate resolution seven by Senator Clark to protect the welfare of children by keeping this promise to Arkansas's children. Senator Clark. Thank you governor of. This is what it says to our state of Arkansas the political subdivision the state down here and they're poised protect the welfare of children by keeping this promised Arkansas's children it fits right along with the family of parents rights bills I have filed over the past two three sessions. Of. And I would appreciate your passage. Well as the resolution is adopted thank you senator Clark moving on to Senate bills and Senate Amendment Senator Hammer. Senate bill one fifty two amendment to. Senator Hammer thank you my bill my amendment thank you. Per the amendment question all those in favor say aye opposed ayes have it members adopted center grows you Senator Flippo. Senate bill two ninety five amendment one amendment to Baxter County. Thank you Mr president members this is the same bill that I brought before you three weeks ago regarding the the verification system for our welfare and social welfare programs including food stamps and Medicaid so I've worked with DHS the FNA we made several amendments on this a few of those we remove the language regarding presumptive eligibility for hospitals we increase the the the the time frame for them to conduct a full review of our Medicaid rolls after the federal incomes come off with the covert Medicaid restrictions which do not allow us to discern role in the members and enrollees so we've moved that from sixty to a hundred eighty days instead of putting a dollar amount to substantial winnings we just the you know we referred to federal guidelines and code and just tied it to that I think it's fair to say that DHS and the FNA or maybe not supported but the are in the neutral on this bill this bill does not change anything regarding eligibility. It just is it just make sure that people that are receiving these benefits are indeed eligible to receive them that is it. Questions for the senator. All in favor say aye. Posed Is have it members adopted center grossing Senator Irvin. Senate bill four seventy three amendment one service thank you members this is my bill my amendment and hurt per request of the committee members that made a good bill a great bills so I want to thank the members of city county local and the chair for their assistance on this bill thank you. The question of all the members. I have it members adopted center grossing Senator Rapert. Senate bill four ninety six Amendment one. Bill my amendment questions All the favor say aye. The bows arrows have it members adopted senator grossing House bills and Senate Amendment Senator Hester or. Haspel ten sixty three amendment to. Senator Hester my bill my amendment standing co sponsored. Any questions. All those of favour say aye. Well. Is have it members adopted senator sayings senator Hanson senator Hammer. House bill twelve fifty four amendment one. Thank you Mr president my bill my amendment it was agreed upon that's what's being at any questions all in favor say aye. Well. I have it members adopted to number six hundred ballots sorry Senator English. Thirteen fifty five amendment one. Senator. Hi bill my amendment the question is All those of favour say aye. Follows eyes have it members adopted integration and Senator Ballinger. Amendment one to House Bill fifteen ninety three my bill my amendment the question is All the favor say aye. that the jobs in a very separate bills for a third reading and passage Senator English. After Senator English will be Senator Rapert. Senate recognized. You have a. Thank you. Referral of the floor thank you so much miss your ladies and gentleman the Senate I moved to recall ACT three players intent on the. At the Senate bill three seventy six from Judiciary and put it in and around St. Three seventy six. Recall it from Judiciary and put an interim study any questions all those of favour say aye. Because. Is haven't. Motion carried her English and Senator Rapert Max other English Senate bill bill thirty by Senator English to amend the law concerning professional services contracts and outside vendors entering. Thank you very much this bill basically gives the Director of the Division of information systems the authority to enter into professional services contracts when they are unable to provide the information services. At the I. S. it also requires that the they have the approval of the Legislative Council before they make any movements. Questions from the server anyone wish to speak against him or speak for the senator has closed. Any objection role in The vote please hold Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace anyone wishing to change their vote. She casts up the ballot thirty five Yeas zero Nays the bill is passed transmit to the House Senator Rapert there is an emergency clause on this bill Senate bill ten ninety two by Senator Rapert establishing the public safety equipment grant program and to declare an emergency Senator Rapert thank you Mr president. Member Senate bill two ninety two is one of the back the blue bills that were discussed a few weeks ago this is also result of the law enforcement task force set up the governor Hutchinson last year here's the Bill points on what the bill is going to do set up a grant funded the department of public safety for non lethal equipment the goal of the task force was to improve transparency between law enforcement and the communities that they serve in a manner that help save lives towards that end the task force identified a critical need to the law enforcement community for grant funds to help secure nonlethal equipment such a state of the art body camera storage for the video footage from the body cameras tasers rubber bullets bullet proof vests virtual reality training and other forms of non lethal equipment is deemed necessary by the secretary of the department of public safety this particular bill does not actually receive any current funding would have to do that through an appropriation the hope is that some money from either the federal stimulus that is headed our way or potential future state surplus monies or even private sector money will be put into the fund once money is put into the fund depending on the amount of grants could even be made matching grants to stretch the calendar the rules of the fund would be created by the secretary of the department of public safety and approved by the legislature and that's a key feature there's any rules would have to come through the rule making a review process I'll be happy to entertain questions. Any questions for the senator anyone wish to speak yeah. Or or centers close thank you initiate rolling the vote. Please roll Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace anyone wish to change their vote. Cast a ballot thirty five Yeas zero nine is the bill is passed emergency clause adopted transmit to the House senator Elliots and then senator Bledsoe Senator Elliot and then senator Bledsoe Senate bill three eighty one by Senator Elliot creating a cause of action against a commercial website operator that past incorrect or inaccurate information about a person so really. Thank you governor members this bill is a response to an issue that we have in our state in particular I've seen a lot in my district where somebody is I commercial entity will do a background check on somebody and they will deliver that information and often times that some of that information is not correct but even if it were correct the first time around and things change they never corrected and is adversely affecting a lot of people in their ability to get a job or to maintain a job so I got with bread because award at the Arkansas crime information center and who verifies himself as well but this is a big problem and this bill is in response to that problem and what it does it gives a cause of action to somebody who's been adversely affected by a commercial entity who's not putting out correct information when they get it the first time for example you might get information up for me and maybe my record has been sealed and that's never changed and it's just left out there so that's the essence of the bill they have the the ability to ask an entity to remove information criminal information to remove it I make a correction and if that correction is not made within five days then the cause of action they have as as they can go to civil court and at this entity can be fined ten thousand dollars a day after five days every day they don't corrected so I ask for a good vote on this because I don't know if you know people like this but Mr because award at the crime information center came to the committee and verified what a problem it is that he's getting calls all the time where information has not been corrected. So I'll take any questions Mr Senator Garner. Thank you for that thank you procedural question but why did this go to insurance commerce is that Judiciary when a very similar bill run by Senator Tucker today that covered similar kind of issues seems like first amendment criminal background checks crane at four action is there a reason why what the insurance covers not that I'm not the committee yeah right I have sent I don't know for sure but what I'm guessing because it just went I just follow the bills where it went but I I think it has to do with the fact that there is a commercial entity involved here and this can only apply to those who operate in Arkansas so I'm guessing that went there because of the commercial side of it. One wish to speak against senator garner. Recognized. Thanks for is it you know wishes will come Judiciary because like I said. Senator Tucker had a similar bill today that was I believe barely written in a lot of from ways one the commercial business part of it is extremely broad. Compared to the other bill we heard today that was defined for people who sale these pictures to get off the website specifically for that purpose while this is to cover nearly any commercial website in the world is extremely broad definition and I do put that little catch office legitimate business are a legitimate news reason thank you concerns me is I think what senator Elliots trying to do is have the incorrect information removed but if you look at the way the bill is actually written if they send the request in that website has to comply whether it's incorrect or not by that action only to civil action after the fact once you can show that information has an adverse effect to home can you find that so it seems to me that if I ran a website I made money off of it and I put on there that there was a rapist in my neighborhood who were brave the child and put his legitimate true information on that if you sent that information to me this request I have to remove that. From the website within a certain amount of days is the initial rate I had now the second part the incorrect information comes later wrong but it seems section above it is long using that request to me I have to remove that background information like to see a whole host of reasons even though I believe the reason she brought it is legitimate and if you have something on that date is incorrect or inaccurate it seems like you can still catch up. True information on somebody's criminal background that I think should be out there for the public consumption and that's my big concern with that I'll take any questions. Well. One of the questions Senator. Senate recognized for the bill. Thank you Mr chair unfortunately we don't get to determine where our bills are sent. What was the other. just a bill of the pool thank you Mr chair ladies and gentleman unfortunately we don't get to decide where bills are sent they are sent predicated on how the bill is written and Steve has done a magnificent job of the years of doing it in an impartial manner predicated on the bill itself a lot of people are suffering I understand the issue if you are a rapist then that's true information and you don't have a cause of action. But if they're innocent people being hurt because their information is out that because we have seen **** nilly just the other day somebody put out something that the former president said that was incorrect. We've got to stop these people from just being three with information that's wrong just because we have all of these entities out here that have a public platform they need to be held accountable for what they do and that's what this bill will do and I would appreciate a good vote thank you. Thank you senator anyone would speak against four centers are closed. will close as well. I thank you members I filed this bill and let that out there at since February sixteenth of the twenty third I think it was because I knew this was something new or I wanted everybody to have an opportunity to see this bill no matter what committee it went to so that they could weigh in. Not one single person I spoke against this bill nobody has said anything negative about the bill and I work with a C. I. see to make sure that I was right correct in the harm that is being caused to beyond what I am experiencing I've seen this for about and and and I don't know about the last six to eight years that is a big problem and it's not changing so it's time to do something about it so I ask you to give this bill a good vote because people are being hurt by this bill if we have another one that we want to work on that is fine but this bill is not broad it is narrow. It has to do with those entities who were collected information criminal information about people and they are not going to have to worry about unless somebody says this is incorrect to do something about it thank you would be foolish to to ask somebody to move information about you that's correct and think that they have to do it they have to have the propound a preponderance of evidence on their side that this is incorrect information and it should be moved so I ask you for a good vote thank you. Thank you senator Arlen objection to roll in the vote so please call the roll. Ballinger. Ballinger. Beckham. Beckham. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. Eight. Elliott. I. English. English. Four five. Flippo. Flowers. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. L.. Ingram Irvin. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding. Page. Rapert. Rice. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. Teague. Teague. Our Tucker. Wallace. Anyone wish to vote or change of a. Senator English is present. Senator Ballinger resident. Sir Flippo president. Anyone else. Thank you Mr president cast up the ballot. Twenty eight zero Nays two not voting five present zero only the Bill pass transmitted out senator Bledsoe. Four forty six Senator Sturch is recognized mysteries and see where to go collection notes off our desk if the Passover temporarily pass okay. Passover Senator Dismang SP four seven the. Symbol for seventy by Senator Dismang to establish the online market place consumer inform act to require the disclosure of information by online marketplaces to better inform consumers to regulate online marketplaces to stop organized retail crime Senate is one thank you governor members this is going to provide three protections or leased and protections in three categories as first going to be for the consumer and also to make the consumer more knowledgeable what I mean by that is that this bill is going to allow you to know who you're buying from where they reside or where their company is located which I think all of us would agree that if we've got an option Senator Garner to buy a product from behind China were one from Arkansas we want to know we're we're those trucks were coming from we probably have a preference by from our folks here in St in Arkansas a second to that there's a fairness issue I believe and that's for our small business owner who the world is changing around them these market places are becoming more prominent and what's going allow is to even the playing field for them against those that are violating the law and selling products that are either counterfeit or have been stolen on the as third party sellers elsewhere in in third is on the enforcement side to give law enforcement a leg up to help track those folks down there selling counterfeit products or price gouging we saw recently due to COVID in those sorts of things again help R. twenty general state investigate and make sure that our consumers are actually protected and how that's going to be accomplished is by requiring the verification of very basic information from third party sellers to the market place facilitators on your desk we list those out that requires a list or at the the name to be verified the address to be verified the email phone number in the bank account information be there verified in by bank account if it's a PayPal account and that that's essentially would be verified not the actual checking account in further it allows just for some very basic information the data. Available to the consumer and so the third party or the market place is still tater would have to disclose the name of the business the address email and phone number for the seller again to to allow us to make better educated decisions as were out shopping shopping inside these marketplaces again I think this is a a good consumer bill one that helps our law enforcement agencies and also helps our local businesses be competitive in in the New World in these marketplaces with that I'd be happy to take any questions questions Senator English as a question and answer Garner you have a question and answer Chesterfield. To do this. This is all information that's already obtained and verified according to the marketplace sellers at that this is this is this is information if they have to do basic business anywhere and so the verification is the process that would be done at the marketplace still tater level in the disclosure information would just be part of their website. I guess I'm just kind of confused about who's who's who who's going to be in charge of this market place or is there already somebody out there for each one of the marketplace the chills facilitators who are you know in charge of their own platform and information is disseminated they're the ones that already verify this information with their third party sellers in in a lot of ways in what I'm told in conversations with some of those market places they already do all of this again this just requires that that it is done and then also that additional layer that some of the information is disclosed so that when we're making purchases we know we're making purchases from okay thank you. First question this isn't Facebook marketplace eBay those online transactional places where people businesses sale products that correct Walmart target yes all those all those entities that operate marketplaces that allow third party sellers to sell okay so we or requiring the businesses who do not meet the exception of a hobbyist or the other when you mention to provide that market place which is the company with the six pieces information in order to be verified and if not what's the consequences that you can't do that market place or there's some criminal civil liability something amiss on that part right I mean it's requirements they keep up with it and do it I mean I don't think there is what what I would call a penalty inside the bill but it but again it's something that they're they have to do in order to operate in state of Arkansas so we're gonna sell the state of Arkansas America can you Mr president is real quick. Yes Sir So they are doing this now that in my understanding is what they would tell you is that this is things that they're already doing under a new market places that pop up you know I think relatively often and this is going to require them to all be held to the same standard again the goal is to prevent so of you know train if you ever start senate garner if you had a widget in you you know on the patent on your widget the next thing you know you turn around in your widget that you have a patent on is being sold for a much lesser value at it through a third party seller well in a lot of ways there's no way to track down who that is to stop that selling or to ever make you whole odds are that that product is being manufactured and sold out of China counterfeit and again you have no retribution no ability to go back in and provide a claim or create a cause of action there you have a cause of action but no one to do it against in that case the calls actual against the against the market place because they fail to collect this data that would be part of the budget ultimately you're wanting to obtain the information if you want to go after and this is a requirement for the thank. Sir Clark. I respect for the senator Senator Ingram. Thank you senator Clark. This morning of one of this all Allach a bone bone plate of Facebook marketplace and others. The end result there's a lot to scammers there in and other things. But. Facebook for instance I have to. All market place have to operate as an individual even though I have a business page in all my head up put the business name and the phone number but Facebook is notoriously hard to work with. And so it is are you sure the. The that they're not going to come back eliminate. Folks accidentally through this bill there's actually an exception in the bill for indigent individuals as far as disclosure when things when make sure is that if you're operating as the individual in your warehouses in your backyard for instance that we're not disclosing that there may be a risk because even if your jewel or whatever maybe Rhys is closing your actual home address this would only requiring the bill speaks a little bit of what you're saying that the state and country that that individual seller would be dissipating in where they would be located as far as your point on how we works inside Facebook I'm not familiar enough with the Facebook product I'm assuming this is all information that you already have to give them they're going to if you're going to transact and they're going to broker you know the money for your disclosing your bank account information and that sort of thing I'm not if I'm being honest I'm not familiar with the Facebook platform other than listing something that have sold words completely independent transaction dollars are passed through on the Facebook level. All right thank you. I wish to speak. For. Centers close centers close any objection to rolling the vote. I hear not please all the. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Anyone wish to change their vote. The Senator Clark president anyone else. President. Cast a ballot. Thirty three eight zero nine to present the bill is passed transmitted the House will hear back now the senator Bledsoe S. B. four forty six Senate bill four forty six by Senator Bledsoe. To clarify the applicability of step therapy protocols and to amend the definition of health benefit plan to include individual qualified lock health insurance plans. So thank you Mr president ladies and gentlemen of the Senate just a few weeks ago you voted on Senate bill ninety nine which was the step therapy bill and at that time we did have one question about does this cover Arkansas Works and I said no and so going to the Senate first of all it came out of the house of came out of the Senate thirty five votes came out of the house ninety six votes and it's now at ninety seven and so while it was in the House several people as that same question does it cover Arkansas Works the old stepped therapy bill did in this amendment. Include of puts this Arkansas Works into the new stepped therapy bill and the if you look on the. Look on the second page at the time that the. Twenty three days twenty twenty three days sixty one days two thousand one it six means this subchapter is Arkan walk Arkansas Works acts as a whole and then if you go down the line twenty of twenty twenty one and twenty two that's the federal law and of a it just says that to this means excluding individual qualified health insurance plans under that is the federal law and then it says that it includes Arkansas works but they're gonna be changing the name so in the new bill Arkansas works that if passes Arkansas home will be included in a be glad to answer any questions or require. Thank you Jack get this confuses activity sorry I. I am just as confused as I can be thank you. But you could you help me understand what specifically is this the only all right you member names of our well so what if you know Arkansas Works now has become Arkansas home okay so when when an ill Arkansas home passes it won't be Arkansas Works in this bill it will be Arkansas homes all this bill does is to say we're going to include Arkansas Works are Arkansas home whatever the name is in in the step therapy protocols gadget thank you so thank you. Thank you they are required. Or for Senators close any objection Rolling via. Please roll out of surgery Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace anyone wish to change their vote. Because of the ballot thirty five Yeas zero days bill is passed transmitted House Senator Ballinger and then senator despite Senator Ballinger Senate bill four ninety three by Senator Ballenger to make technical corrections to axe of two thousand nineteen number ten eighty nine section nine dash thirty one dash five oh three Senator Ballinger thank you Mr president this bill came up when we were making all the other technical corrections bills the bills for the code revision commission the problem is that this came up after our last code revision commission meeting and so it didn't go through the code revision commission so Denning get included with those technical corrections bills but it really is just a technical correction. Is a language it's a necessary they're based basically relevant to a date and then changing the name of a of the agency because of the name change but. Any. Other questions. I hate to be the question going. Could you tell me what subchapter you're referring to with this technical corrections yes do you have the bill in front of you yes I do okay so if you look in this so the the code section is nine thirty one five oh three but as one a is being changed but is really be subsection B. and C. they're taken out and that one that we do in the first place that's what I'm trying to find I'm sorry do in the first place that would make it necessary by the change okay so it is it is basically requires these adoptions of rules which they did right so that your back and you know January was required to be done before January first of two thousand twenty that the to approve it under all this all the stuff got taken care of already so it doesn't need to sit in the code because that was implementation okay thank you any other questions anyone wish to speak against reform senators oppose any objection or the vote. Please roll. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang. Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace you were injured program. Yes of the ballot thirty five Yeas zero nays bills **** met two thousand it is mine Senate bill five eleven by Senator Dismang to amend the law concerning your broker of the savings and loan association Intermin the law concerning foreign savings savings and lance and long associations or design and just real quick members when it refers to foreign savings and loan association that is out of state is what that's referencing so right now there is only three individuals trading against in this area in the state of Arkansas there's a five hundred dollar fee that goes along with it they are to provide all this other information all the information to the security department so it's difficult of and it's just to strike that language and remove that requirement law securities is good with the bill we have to take any questions any questions for Senate bills. Any questions. No more speak against four centers close any objection on the vote. Roll Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace anyone was injured vote. The thirty five year age zero nineties bill is passed transmit to the House. When asked to vote or change your vote if you don't think you've been saying speak up. That important to you just say Hey you know get my attention. This thing in front of me here. Where the owner. Senator Davis house bill ten sixty nine by representative Pilkington and Senator Davis to amend the provisions of the Arkansas code concerning trying to safari Missy and to authorize pharmacists to provide access and to administer administration of oral contraceptives service. You Mr president. This bill allows pharmacists to dispense birth control for up to six months they also have to refer a patient to you at the C. P. M. or gynecologist and then there's also and a data reporting mechanism that they have to file with the department of health so we can see how many women are accessing birth control in this way and so it's a very good bill it's pretty simple but more importantly it's a pro life bill and several other states have been doing this and we've seen great results in this state. In two thousand fourteen which a couple months ago was the most recent data available in Arkansas. They're almost eighteen thousand pregnancies that were unwanted that's almost thirty six percent of pregnancies in the State of Arkansas where unwanted pregnancies. Based on the number of abortions that year I think we can conservatively say that twenty five percent of those unwanted pregnancies were terminated. Studies project and data shows that there will be twenty as that there will be seven between seven and twenty five percent fewer unwanted pregnancies because of this policy. That means there could be a reduction at three hundred to over eleven hundred abortions yearly in the state of Arkansas. We are the number one most pro life state the nation based on policy based on policies that we pass. But we have the highest birth rates among teenagers and specifically among eighteen and nineteen year olds in the nation. Our average. Is double the national average there's forty that the US averages forty pregnancies per every one thousand births in Arkansas it's seventy two at pregnancies for I'm sorry seventy two birds per every one thousand as citizens in Arkansas so we are about double the national average. So at some point at some point we have to ask ourselves do our policies align with our outcomes. And if they don't if our goal is to reduce the number of abortions in the state of Arkansas then we need to find new policies that help us meet those outcomes and this is exactly it it's been proven in other states we know that we could see anywhere between three hundred and eleven hundred abortions reduced in the state of Arkansas annually with that I ask forget that and have you take any questions any questions Senator. Thank you and. When it comes to the reporting part of the. And it says the pharmacist we know there's big tech companies and apps that want to and deliver oral contraception through an app would and does companies in those big tech companies that you know are pushing a lot of the are they also be subjected to reporting the information that you have listed on page three. If they're a pharmacist dispensing oral contraceptives and they do have to report. Okay and then and is there any way to verify whether like in this section part of your bill where it talks about that. If the at. If the patient has not been seen or. How is that can be verified if the patient has been seen by a primary care provider or not how how will that be verified or is it just a screening questionnaire and the patient can say yes or no but there is there any barricade verification between the pharmacists the primary care provider to see if they've actually gone and done that. Yeah that's something that I am I think any done through the rules process that they are supposed to screen but there's rulemaking authority in here and that's where some of those things can be put into place. The senator. Senator Rapert. You I just because I don't know Senator what is the Arkansas medical association what's the what is the position of our physician groups. I've not heard any opposition to this bill okay so you're saying no opposition was given to the bill at all not that I know of okay as of groups now of from the physician's groups and what about or so right to line if any of those groups should they wait in the bill family counsel is neutral and they actually help it's amendments in the in the bill to ensure that there was reporting going on in Arkansas right to life is neutral they do not take a position on birth control pills okay thank you any other questions anyone wish to speak against up for against service against then senator garner for. Yes thank you I just I was raised Catholic and to be fair Catholics do oppose this bill because for them they're opposed birth control because they believe that that's not a pro life stance and so I guess I would deferred that this is a pro life legislation because I know that there were pharmacist or pro life that did speak against the bill and so my I just want to say that because I know that the Catholic diesis has been opposed to this bill but I also wanted to say my concern is the safety of the woman and making sure that you are having the ability to get the screenings that you need for cervical cancers and a lot of times young ladies young women that's the time when they go to see their primary care doctor or provider or nurse or OB Jen that's when they actually get screenings for cervical cancers and their public exams and so to me that's a big concern I have which is why I would ask you not to vote for the bill thank you. Can I speak in favor. President. So me and my wife and welcome our second bundle of joy in this world Delta clin Garner she is very attractive because she looks absolutely nothing like me she looks like my wife. And we like we have done since we've been married more to go back get on birth control is something we choose a family we've done it ever since we've been married and got offered for the property time to have our children we wanted to we got to thank the gods and I can tell you it took us months of calling back and forth trying to get a doctor's appointment in order to get that birth control for her also it was our fault you know couldn't schedule this meeting that day she had to work the reality was it took months for us to get back this now we're married couple. We are going out there like teenagers and we just want to use a product we used for years to help. Control to help with our family and our decisions and so when I hear about a bill like this where you can go the pharmacist they can give you the list of information about what that drug will do and then within six months you do have to see a physician or have go to that requirement it seems like a no brainer plan for people who have a busy life who want to get out there wanna make the right decisions for their family so I am proud to be a sponsor and support this bill to ask you if you do the same. Yeah. For. Senator Reddy close. Senator Garner is absolutely right when I get it see my gynecologist I have to schedule my appointment when you're out to make sure I get to see him again in a year. It takes a long time think if you're a military spouse or your college student moving to a new town and maybe you don't have a doctor yet and it takes you a year to get in to see a doctor what do you suppose today. The truth is this bill will help provide access to birth control. For women across our state. We already have the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation. We are aborting babies by the hundreds because of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies our state. The right thing to do here is to provide expanded access to birth control for women. To make their own choices and when they cannot get into position give them the ability to find a way to get their hands on birth control. It's important. It's a pro life issue it will reduce the number of abortions in our state no group is opposed they are neutral a random pharmacist did speak against it and a member of the Catholic Church sent me a text on Sunday about it that's it. I hope you guys can vote for this bill as I said it's one of the best pro life bills will vote on the session because we will see immediately the results of people not terminating unplanned or unwanted pregnancies. Thank you. Thank you senator we have an objection rowing the votes of madam secretary please call the roll Ballinger. Back. But. But. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. Eads. Elliott. English. Flippo flowers. Thank. Garner yeah. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding. Page. Right. Right. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. Teague. Tucker. Wallace. If you wish to vote or change their vote. Senate president anyone else the records present anyone else. I don't see anyone else. Cast of about thirty eight two days one nonvoting to present not only the Bill pass to the house Senator Gilmore. But one of them. House bill eleven thirty four by representative board center Gilmore. The pharmacist prescribed it minister delivered distribute or dispense vaccines immunizations and medications treat adverse reactions to administered vaccines Sir Gilmore. Thank you governor members this bill I had the pleasure working with representative Boyd who is a pharmacist and COVID nineteen pandemic has brought to light how valuable or forms or and so what this bill does is basically mimics what is allowed under the federal prep Act and allows pharmacists to administer vaccines or immunizations down to age three I'll note that the pediatricians were consulted and are good with the bill so we had input there and again like I said it mimics what the federal print act allows with that I'm happy to take questions and also will point out the next bill I'm running as a companion bill to this as well that allows technicians under the supervision of pharmacists to administer but I'm going to add a second. Any questions for the senator Dr. Your speak against for Senators closed closed. We have an objection on the vote please call the roll Ballinger. Ballinger. Beckham. But. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. Davis. DISMANG. DISMANG. Eight. Elliott. English Flippo. Flowers all right. Garner. Garner. Gilmore hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leding. Leding. Page. Rapert. Right. Rice. Do herewith rice. Sample. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sturch. Sullivan. Teague. T.. Tucker. Wallace. Your wish to vote or change their vote Senator Bledsoe president anybody else over here. Senator Leding. Senator Ballinger is not anybody else. Well. Twenty nine. Yeas to date or not voting for president bills pastoral health center Gilmore. House bill eleven thirty five by representative board center Gilmore da authorized pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines and immunizations Senator more thank governor is the bill that I mentioned a second ago companion bill to first again had pleasure working with representative Boyd again This allows technicians who are working in close supervision with the pharmacist to administer the vaccines that you'll just voted on the earlier bill with that. I'll take any questions appreciate good vote any questions for the senator Senator Solomon. Let me let me get my hearing aid center my apologies Senate more time to be with you provision entails. Supervision entails When and I don't have all the details but basically they have to be in the same building okay is what representative Boyd testified to in public health so close close supervision I think is appropriate. Anyone wishing to speak against for. Centers close. We have an objection. Was. We have an objection. Please call the roll Ballinger Beckham. He said right now we have an objection to rolling the vote. Center and I'm Senator Irvin ject indican Ballinger. Beckham. But. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Davis. Dismaying. DISMANG. Eads. Elliott. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flippo flowers. Nope. So would you say. Garner yeah. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding I. Page. Rapert. Right. Rice. Rice. Sample. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. T.. Tucker. Tucker. Wallace. Anyone wish to vote or change their vote over here first senate Chesterfield is not voting. Senator Bledsoe is no anyone else over here over here. Senator Rapert is anybody else. Cast a ballot. Twenty three eighty six nice the bill is passed return to the House senator Wallace. Eleven ninety eight by representative Penzo and senator Wallace to amend the definition of practice of certified registered nurse and seizure by removing some of the provisional climates. Senator Wallace thank you governor members. General garner. Thank you governor current. Members. House bill eleven ninety eight most actually defines our relationship between the C. R. in a in a surgeon working together. Somebody cannot hear me. Okay I speak a bit louder. That's right. House bill eleven ninety eight most actually defines our relationship between the city or in a and the surgeon working together eleven ninety eight removes the term the medical term supervision and replaces it with in consultation. And for the Dow will define that. The current statue the with a written with the supervision requirement only surgeon our own a dentist. All or owner but I this. And the vast majority of these doctors. Have little or no training in in in the city. This language comes with a consequence. The ward supervision puts a perception of liability on some of our doctors. And what's happening in our rural areas in a rural hospitals is we're having. Surgical groups not morning to come to our small rural hospitals. Because they don't will be responsible legally for the actions of the Ince's allergist or the it's the C. are in a I'm sorry. So our small hospitals. Are drying up. We have people they can barely walk. Dr maybe ten miles to get to our area and they don't have the option of having surgery because they don't have a surgeon there. Who can perform the surgery because they don't want to deal with the legal ramifications of being responsible for somebody that I see in our that is delivering your NCWTS if you have lost that would my mind to put him to sleep I apologize. So that's the key word. Most importantly. March nineteen twenty when the pandemic started. CMS federal CMS removed. The requirement of supervision over our siRNAs. So the CRA's have been doing what I'm asking doing this bill. Ever since March twentieth twenty twenty. In a Wilson not fallen off. Nineteen other states are doing this already. For decades the state of Arkansas has finished number fifty number forty seven number forty nine. In almost all of our categories of. Medical health. The healthcare. Sometimes. Time to do something different. We need to step out like these other nineteen states. Be proactive. And make it easier for our. Real hospitals to get the care that they need. And with that I'm open to questions. It's been brought to my attention that Sabrina's also at some of those down here have a hard time hearing I don't know what's going on that the Speaker the name so I can work and so please give our bond market phones we can hear any questions for the senator or. Anyone wish to speak against. Anyone service. Is recognized against the bill. Server. Thank you members of the Senate I just want to address a couple things what this bill does And removing the car the language about supervision the supervision language of that. Is in place because the surgeon performing the surgery should be the ones supervising and that operating room everybody in that operation that's what this means. My dad is an orthopedic surgeon Dr Jerry Thomas in the nineteen seventies he went to Batesville Arkansas and grace hospital and perform surgeries with the R. and a in the nineteen eighties he went to Cleburne County Memorial Hospital and perform surgeries Act Cleburne County Memorial Hospital in rule Arkansas in the nineteen eighties with siRNAs. In Mountain View Arkansas where I lived for over twenty five years we've had orthopedic surgeons performing surgeries and rule Arkansas with siRNAs. This bill the purpose of this bill is not about rule Arkansas or access to surgeries in rural Arkansas it's about siRNAs wanting to do an independent pain management clinics. That's a very different scenario and this language allows for that to happen. So I would just appreciate if that's what we want to do is bring a bill for to do that but leave the surgery aspect alone because it's important that that surgeon who did go to medical school who did go to residency that that surgeon does have done extensive training in anesthesiology as well that surgeon has to be in supervising position of the secretary that is being performed and the comments about rule hospitals and rule areas is just not the case doctors and surgeons go there and have worked with siRNAs in surgery since the nineteen seventies that I personally know of. And so I I just. I am I am concerns that what we are doing is we are wiping away somebody's Education. And there are doctors out here physicians that have spent years of their lives years. Trying to earn the grades trying to pass the USMLE boards trying to get into medical school they spent four years of medical school then three years at the minimum of residency and all we're doing is re distribution of their education. We're basically saying all your hard work doesn't matter senator. Because if you're going to come down here and get enough votes. Then you can do the same thing for less money less debts and let's Education and at some point we have to value the education and we have to value somebody's hard work in the fact that they earned it the ability to do this so again this bill does not address what has been already the practice in rule Arkansas with surgeons for ever. Seen in doing thirty as we see our nice that has been working there's nothing that's change that and so the language about supervision to consultation with is really about pain management clinics to be able to operate them independently and to practice medicine as if they have done all the same level of work as a medical doctor house. So I I would appreciate a no vote I believe it is disheartening to those individuals who have gone to medical school have gone to residency. It's very disheartening that we basically have said to them your hard work doesn't mean anything I appreciate a no vote in order to speak for. Senator. Or at. Okay. You get a. For senator Wallace. We'll be back. We'll get to that. Senator Stubblefield for. Senator Stubblefield recognized. Centerville. Thank you president college four years ago are in the same building or Indian two years ago and sent one of the things we in fact we passed on this body two years ago one of the issues was a. And Senator Hickey I worked on this was a supervision requirement because of the medical community did not want to define supervision well that was eight feet well that was eighteen feet what was eighteen miles they they define it. But I produced by produced factual information two years ago in four years ago that showed every state that it passed this law had not only lowered their medical cost but they improve their medical care. It is three o'clock in the morning when you have an action and you have to be put under I can assure you it will be a C. R. NA that put you under because if any of you say my medical file and it's about that FCRA I've been put under a lot of times it's always been with the C. R. A. nine and I asked my last one which I've done last fall if there was an anesthesiologist in the hospital he said no. There's not so what is supervision. What is supervision Senator. Supervision can be eight miles away with eight siRNAs working in the hospital in this anesthesiologist is drawing certain amount of money off of each one of those while they're doing the work and he's eight miles away. It's a good bill. You wish to speak against the bill. Senator Wallace. So all you would be ready closed. But before you do. We're gonna make sure Senator held question and answer. Okay what is. Your. Okay we'll hang on one second I ask for people who want to speak against I didn't see an. I want to speak for I didn't see bill mass. All okay okay well I'm so nonprofit so what is the the senator senator hill has a question we'll make sure Vice question gets answered that was unintentional Centerville one of my favorite. Thank you. You senator Wallace I can okay you mentioned while ago that it was nineteen states already doing this yes Sir that is thirty eight percent correct yes Sir okay you made a comment while ago as well the set that up rule hospitals having the issue getting anesthesiologist or the secretary to oversee. The surgeries they are having problems having surgeons actually come to the hospital I doubt it because they don't want the responsibility of in some hospitals of supervising the city or an ace has there actually any surgeries cancelled because of the S.. Yes Sir I can tell you if I may continue yes my hospital and blah blah Arkansas you will talk about this hard I've got people in Blytheville Arkansas they can't get surgery because the surgical group will not come in because they don't want to be able to supervise see our an ace. But people say it's not about the money it's all about the money. We've got rural areas that are underserved. Because they don't have the ability. To get to the surgeon because I sort of don't come to Blytheville Arkansas most people come to Blytheville Arkansas. It's a great town because they don't have the services because the way this is written so that's that's my answer to that Sir thank you Sir thank you Sir okay senator garner. Thank you my questions Senator Wallace I am not in the medical field and so I'm just kind of looking at what this look this language says but it appears to me that the idea that they could open pain clinics would be prohibited by this bill because there's a script that amount of time they're actually able to prescribe those level two drugs that seems to be right before the surgery right afterwards identify later scope of practice so it seems that this would not allow these people to go out and start their own clinic but she would have to have within a prescribed amount of time which is medical terms I don't know but is that correct my re not correct I agree we sure answers to continue on there's nothing in this bill that says. I'm a C. or a I want to go out and open a pain clinic that's that's the sky is falling scenario that's what topics are Senator Bledsoe then Senator Solomon. Senator Wallace you didn't mean that surgeons don't want to go to blind people because of the money you meant that they didn't want to go because they had to supervise the ordinance is that correct I have a real world answer from my C. E. O. of mobile I will hospital is he was not able to get a surgical group to come to our to Blytheville Arkansas because they did not want to responsibility of supervising the C. RNase and that's what I base that on right thank you didn't. What you said was that they didn't want to go because of the money. So you didn't you didn't mean to say that right. What I don't recall seeing that but I may have. Thank you Senator Solomon. You senator Wallace did we not hear testimony you talked a lot about what's going on liable your testimony was just a repetition of what the CEO said so would if I recall the testimony right is that correct yes okay so we did have somebody affirm the things that you should. That is correct thank you thank you okay Senator Stubblefield. So Wallace. Do you really believe that any of the city are not even want to go and establish a pain clinic after what we went through with the. We had epidemic and and just recently our Attorney General just announced she's suing Walgreens for the distribution of the painkillers absolutely not I don't think so either. Absolutely not they just will be available to the full extent of their training. Blake Johnson. Senator Wallace this is this is this bill treat the C. RNA coming out of school. The same as some more that as C. R. entity that has five or ten years surgical experience. The key to this Senator Johnson. Is. Every facility every hospital has a right to choose how they want to do that the hospitals the hospital administrator has or the right to say I want to do the way we've done the past or I can allow the C. N. R. A. is to. Administer without supervision so that's the key and that's where it's controlled is by the hospital administration which is consists of a board of doctors and other individuals. But senator you have follows. Does this allow hospitals to treat. The first year siRNA without surgical experience the same as one would have five five to ten years well it does but that's no different with any other medical fields somebody you have to start out. Thank you senator Hammer. Thank you Mr president Senator Wallace regardless of whatever we decide in this room. If a facility wants to choose one of the four models that are out there the facility would be able to choose whatever model they wanted to in order to deal with their nurse anesthetist or and the anesthesiologist their hospital policy the show to policy can determine what level of trade what level they want to hire is that correct absolutely sure the control of this lies with the board and with the C. E. O. of these hospitals they have the ability to choose. Sure I'm done thank you. Senator Rapert. You senator Wallace running here my question is you know because I understand the plight of the rural hospitals. So listen to the debate and trying to to discern exactly where this all stands in terms of when you choose one of which mentioned it's about the money okay. Is it not true that all of those hospitals have the ability that they can hire an anesthesiologist if they would want to. They have the ability I'm not sure that they have the money to do that Sir okay so that's it so that's a concern really on their side of whether they're willing to spend the money to have an unnamed the anesthesiologist on staff if they can afford okay it's a really it seems to make sure I understand because I was sitting in the committee obviously. Then this this particular approach is simply an alternative. To having that anesthesiologist on staff to be in charge or to have the supervision of the other physicians or the C. R. NH is that what I'm hearing. I would say yes Sir okay. and so if this does not pass then the alternative is that they continue to have to be under the supervision or that or the hospital will have to hire an MD anesthesiologist is that true that or they don't have this is what's important Senator or they simply don't have the ability to do surgery. That's that's what's critical means. Little Rock said bill it's not a problem you get out of Senate bill amend level still some these other towns. People can't may not have a car or if the car goes it goes ten miles an hour. They just don't have the ability to get to these larger hospitals and without. The surgical group that will come there. In in real world real world in Blytheville Arkansas search groups that we don't want to come because we do not want to have the responsibility for the C. R. in a so that means that that group of people in that small town have no or church of to surgery. Thank you Sir senator Orrin. Just just a quick question so every time every locations they don't have an anesthesiologist there it's it is the RNA so that they're not this is there is no requirement I mean so I I just wanna make sure there's that it's clear that their surgeries that are happening in rule Arkansas under with physicians orthopedic surgeons or whatever with the RNA without an anesthesiologist hired by the hospital to be there presently so that happening. And and I I mean I just wanna make sure that the the answer the question is in some cases there are but in other cases it's not being done. Okay so. We'll check Jett. Everybody wants to speak on those been hard Senator Reddy close. I am. Please call a long time ago. I learned. And I've heard this over and over. One definition of insanity. Is doing the same thing over and over and over again and not just for years but for decades here in Arkansas. In our medical decisions we have done the same thing over and over and over again. It's time for change CMS has allowed us to do this for the last. What thirteen months now. Sky's not fallen Wilson not falling off. We need to move forward out of the fifties. In June the state that are going forward and doing things more proactively and with that I'm closed. We have an objection to wrong the vote madam secretary please call the roll. Ballinger. Beckham. But. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. Eight. Eight. Elliott. English hi. Flippo. Flowers. Flowers. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding. Page. Right. Right. Rice. Rice. Sample. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. Tucker. I have returned to the house. Senator Davis. House bill twelve twenty eight No representative Johnson Senator Davis top prize the establishment of is designated entertainment district in an area with entities authorized to sell alcoholic beverage. Sir David once. Senator Davis got the floor thank you Mr president. This bill and actually also very senate bill and what I like to refer to as a cleanup bill last session senator garner in a bill that would allow entertainment districts and across the state but private clubs are not included in that so it excluded dry counties. Senate. We have included private clubs in this bill to ensure that and communities across the state have the opportunity to create an artist into an entertainment district if the local government and people local to those communities choose to do so. This bill just allows an opportunity for restaurants that reside in dry areas to have a pathway to serve outside. Some of you probably got a lot of emails about this bill and saying a lot of things that just are not true about it. This bill does not create new alcohol sales. You can only purchase alcohol from a place that already has a permit to do so. This bill does not circumvent the process to getting a liquor license. If you have one you already have one if you don't this does not create a pathway for you to get one. This bill also does not circumvent local control. If you want it. Petition for an entertainment district in your community you have to petition to the city council and go through a process within local control is at the very heart of this bill. All it does is provide communities an opportunity where they already have private clubs where there's already liquor license to say we want to have the opportunity to designate this area as an entertainment district so you are still inside the restaurant to order a glass of wine if you're on a date with your spouse and maybe you wanna walk outside around downtown and shop local businesses we are all for supporting local small businesses in our community. So maybe you can take your glass of wine walk around outside with your spouse may be set at an outdoor amphitheater and listen to some music like we have an Russell sometimes so to be clear. This bill. Just creates an opportunity for people to petition their local government. And I know that's what we're for here in Arkansas Senate. We are for local government having control working with their citizens to do what they think is best and right for their local communities. Does not create new alcohol south cells does not. Circumvent the process of getting a liquor license and does not circumvent local control with that I'll take any questions any questions for the senator. The record. The old rule or sorry to hear. Senator Rapert Susan Davis this is actually as you say changing already existing law so will this retroactively affect. Some of these areas that have already taken action on entertainment districts. Knowing obviously that this was not a provision of that so this is an expansion so my question is will this action if if the Senate acts on this the legislature passes it how will this affect already existing entertainment districts that maybe did not include this provision ended in the first first round so my point is is that is that will this affect those areas that. Voted on an entertainment district in their community. And they made a decision and this was not part of it. Will this. Go back and automatically then allow this in all those areas and and not allow the people to exercise their will on this provision that's a good question thank you this does not mess with any entertainment districts because currently you can only have an entertainment district if you're a what County so all this does is include private clubs and with established entities authorized by ABC so all it does include dry counties to have the same ability as what counties. To have an entertainment district they follow the same process that does not mess with anything that has been done. Okay let's I'm glad you pointed that out again I'm trying to catch up to speed here on this. So actually this is an expansion. Allowing this to happen in dry counties because only the entertainment district could be and what counties correct that's correct so this is an expansion rights to include dry counties okay so this is an expansion into drive counties and so an expansion at the ability for communities to petition for an entertainment district okay so you're saying they're still going to have to go to a local city or whatever but this is a scenario could be she's my old home County Randolph County Arkansas where I grew up to dry County okay they have had some votes on liquor since I left there thirty years ago but if it's a dry county then. Though the County majority may have voted that it stayed dry if Pocahontas for instance wanted to have this provision. Pocahontas could then vote this and they have these districts now they're going to walk around town with open containers but yet the majority the council may not really like that is that is that a plausible scenario. If Pocahontas has any private clubs do they have private clubs they've gone up they probably do now thank you so it's been a long time course involvement counties a dry county that I represent now is it was Perry County and so there are private clubs they're in so you're saying that in those counties for instance the former County if you put this in the now. These people will be able to dangle around walk around town with their open containers from those private clubs and no they cannot just walk around town it's a very specific designated area that a community can designate as an entertainment district and it's only for places that already have private club like a place that already has a private club license and so you know one argument that I've heard yesterday in committee was sort of what you said like they've had votes they're dry county for a reason but my that my rebuttal to that is if there are an private club licensed in that community and those have stayed open that I would say that people are fine with that because there very clearly the local community is frequently frequenting those establishments and keeping them in business so this isn't that's why I say this is not a way to circumvent local control if those places are open if those restaurants are staying in business is because people are eating there and very likely people from the local community so this like I said it doesn't expand if you want to be walking around all over town or in neighborhoods or anything like that with alcohol it just says there's here's a specific area that our community has taken the time our local city council the people most local to their citizens to say we've taken the time we've done three readings you know whatever the processes to ensure before we vote on this that we wanted designate this area as entertainment district and if you're outside of that that's a violation you can't just walk wherever you want with a beer. Last question. You know I've been down here now for. Locking on to eleven years. What good public purpose. Is it for us to continue to do just open this up what what is in the public interest in public purposes of us having people walk around anywhere with open containers. They can drink anywhere they want to now on the private clubs that go in their own home they go to bars and do anything why is it that we're going to have we've got to have people walking around the streets of Arkansas what public purposes it Sir. Well I would I would argue that this this laws already been in place for two years for what counties and and some that immediately had and got forms an entertainment district and we've not seen negative outcomes from it it's been a positive in those communities and I would argue that it's an economic development issue you're talking about supporting local businesses in Russellville every quarter we have an art walk on Friday night and people can walk around all over downtown vendors and artists come in from all over and they set up shop in local businesses all over downtown so there we're getting to expose local artist people are making all kinds of cool things and then also people get to shopping businesses that maybe they normally wouldn't come to me there's definitely a benefit to it. I think it's wonderful for or in in all those economic development reasons but I think it's a fair question to say what public purposes it serves for us to create situations where we have more people walking around the streets with open containers of alcohol. Well there they won't just be walking around the streets again it's a very specific designated area and and it's a local economic issue you're talking about having a dense with small businesses around an area that has a private club people are already sitting at all bank in Russellville on a Friday night and if there is an entity one block over so maybe you have a banner someone which which we do that downtown Russellville we try to create an atmosphere where people want to come out and do something so it to me it's absolutely and economic impact issue for local small businesses to help grow the community and have a thriving area where we always talk about young thanks how do we get people to move then how do we get people to come Arkansas I mean look what they're doing in Northwest Arkansas let's provide opportunities and things to do for people and this is something people are already doing they're already able to go into a restaurant that has a private club in sit down and order a glass of wine. They don't get to order a bunch of staff and carry out a bunch of classes with them and walk all over the streets of Russellville. They have to stay in a designated area they purchased the drinks still in the restaurant the place that already has liquor license that is a private club. That doesn't change we've already allowed in what counties across the state and all we're doing is saying you know what this is going to benefit to what counties across state several have done it the ones I have chosen to do it but we've not afforded the same opportunity to dry counties and I'll tell you I've been represented Lee Johnson's District they have the county line runs down the road and on one side it's a wake county and they have a medical school and they've got Senator members. You don't want your own down here trying to call and no one is listening. Senate recognize an they have a medical school and a bunch of businesses and restaurants on one side of the street and on the other side of streets a dry county so what people do they also co across the street to the White County with the entertainment district and the businesses the restaurants on the other side of the street suffer because of it we are providing and economic opportunity at a disproportionate rate just to what counties not to dry counties places that already have private club license. Places that are still open still in business why because the local community frequent those places but they're all during the week in on the weekends we're not circumventing what the locals want they're the ones keeping those businesses in business so all work produced all we're doing is providing an equal opportunity for dry counties have the same opportunity to have a sense and create economic some economic development activities whatever for their community for young folks. As we already are allowing for what counties that's it this is an this is an opportunity to equalize what we've done for some counties across our state that have been a great economic impact a great I've got economic impact but that we refuse to do for our dry counties and all I'm saying is please. Help me equalize that. Help me create a pathway for dry counties to do the same thing they don't have to do it it's not an opt out thing it's an opt in thing you have to petition your local government and if they don't do it you don't have one and that's okay then you're respecting the will of the people of the government closest to the people they represent the city council that's all I'm asking. At any questions. And any other questions. Is there anything early preventing the dry counties from. Choosing to be wet and doing following the law now. Yet it's a very cumbersome process to be able to get that on the ballot which which was done decades ago. In our state constitution to be able to even get on the ballot to vote to get wet since I've lived in Arkansas the county I live and they have they have gone from dry county to wait County so you know it's it's something that's possible and if there's there's so much outpouring of local support would you agree to be a lot easier for them to change that and changes at the state level no I don't agree with that at all it's very very hard to get that signature now the ones that actually get on the ballot they go away but the requirements even get on the ballot they are extremely high and it is difficult to date once on the ballot they get wet. But why do we have to go through all of that And spent a ton of money trying to get something on the ballot like what if you don't want your county to go away I don't necessarily want that county to go out but I do think that it's important that we're provided an opportunity to have a pathway to request an entertainment district which is the same opportunity of what county is provided all I'm saying is just because you want an entertainment district in the local people petition for that that doesn't mean that they want the county to be wet just means a one opportunity to create a small area and say this is an entertainment district they're not the same thing they're two different things and I don't think we should say you can't have this because you should just do this it's not the same. Senator Davis thanks for answering the question. Senator Davis thanks for answering the questions and may remove this so you can hear me a little bit so this is a question from Lawrence County all right this is not what the people were County voted for when it was voted dry if the city or county wants an entertainment district it should be by a vote of the people I'm of the legislature making it possible for just a few in a city or county to make decisions that prompts more questions. you had a robust debate about which counties dry counties votes so that prompts the this act this prompts me to wonder. Passing this will not really allow all a city or county to get to vote on it it's a decision by the city council of the city is that correct correct they get their process with the city council so then the city council is going to have the ability to make this decision regardless of what the population not doing a vote is that true. Yes as far as an entertainment district into that it applies to this process to it applies to this process it for entertainment district yes and to that point this bill does not make a county more what. It is not make a county more what it does not increase the number of private clubs liquor licenses that are in the county. That doesn't change if there are no private clubs they don't magically have them this doesn't increase it this doesn't and change the pathway to get a liquor license to the ABC like this does not make this bill does not make the council more went. This bill allows a county a community rather to state we would like to designate designate this small area whatever it is as an entertainment district you can't just go buy a beer on the street because passes you still have to go into the place that already has a private club license. And if you want another drink you've gotta go you've got to be in that restaurant so this does not make counties more what all this does is provide an equal opportunity for dry counties to do the same thing we've allowed what county city for the past two years that's all it does and I think that's right and I think that's fair. Any other questions. They were do we speak against. Your wish to speak for senator Garner Washita county. Thank you there Columbia County so I ran this bill recently last down two thousand nineteen now remember it because one of my good bipartisan bills me in a we'll bond of for our center here read it together and I can tell you some the same concerns drug thinker very understandable came up during that debate. And Little Rock which won the first cities want to put this in law to have entertainment districts. And they brought out a full force that first weekend I had a teacher police people they had folks on the ground they had news reporters there. And guess what happened. Nothing. Please wait a notice a big difference next we can add a few more patrol cars there guess what happened. Nothing. As far as I can tell from the evidence I've seen from the districts and done this is been numerous there has not been increasing drunken disorderly conduct and public intoxication or any of the kind of concerns that were validly brought up by this body. And I'll say this to. Whenever this happens I usually get a call like Hey there pass entertainment district in X. Y. Z. what you think about it so that's great good for the people local control Camden's where I'm from originally they had a vigorous debate and they voted down the entertainment district of north for called me he asked me my opinion I said that's great they got a little control they made a decision. See the truck carries have already made a decision to have a private club there there is a process in order to have an establishment sale alcohol in the dry counties that's the requirement that if we put in this bill. So they've already made decision to have the liquor there only thing they're changing it to is extended a few blocks out the public via ordinance is in very under very strict controls with ABC regulations over the top of it to protect it. This is a good bill I don't think it takes away local control I think it gives people that option at the city do that and that I ask for a good vote anyone would. And your words her records speak against. Members are actually and I feel little bit lack Linda Chesterfield today. You know I have sit here for several years and I will tell you you all know I typically don't vote for any of these bills and and also different you senator Davis. It's about the policy to me there's been a lot of debate this session. Some people say that folks are lying when they're. Speaking further bills saying information I don't think that at all I just think we have differences of opinion. I'm sitting here right now today on this bill and. You know I really don't care from the only person that votes against this particular bill what I'm going to say what needs to be said. We have got. Alcohol rehabilitation centers. Around our state. That help people trying to put their lives back together because they simply can't handle alcohol and they become addicted. We have people that die on our roads. Drunk driving. And I'm just sitting here wondering. We're have we forgotten some of the public policy ramifications I'm all for economic development I'm all for those people if they if they want to apply and have a private club that's up to them but you know I just wonder what all the families and their children what they're gonna do. When they come in and make every downtown across Arkansas into an entertainment district what one of those folks going to do with their kids where they want to go and walk the streets and window shop and they don't want to have people stumbling around on with open containers on the street. And I know there's places look we all know list don't be ignorant about this we don't know the difference between walking on Beale street or Bourbon street and walking in downtown little rock there is a difference of that. But you know what. One of these days if we just keep opening this thing up you we were you gonna go where is the where is the opportunity to have some public policy concerns. When I go here from those guys at a place like renewal ranch's Senator Hendren Jett you has this come working his business and he's talked about that the only where where do we draw the line sometime. In addition to that I'm members of groups and you know what I I took I took a pledge not to vote for anything that is expanding more more access to any mind altering drugs. And I'm not at all and and I say this again this isn't about personalities this isn't about individuals here this is about the policy in dry counties. Dry counties are going to have areas where the only place for people to go shop is guess what one large city or town. If they then do this in that city council that's the only place they've got to go they don't have any choice in that I just wish we would stop just a little bit. And quit throwing everything on this bandwagon and just expanding this thing just more and more you know what I've got great friends and great that's fine I don't have a problem with you making a choice if you're going to drink or not drink. But we should have some policy in place that would speak up for what I think is good old fashioned common sense it's not smart to have people running around town drinking and open containers when we used to even have you know hold them accountable if they have an open container in a vehicle as well. I just I guess I'm just kind of had my Cup full so to speak so I appreciate you not vote for the bill thank you. Anyone wish to speak for against Senator rated close. Jason Rapert comments on not wanting to expand access to alcohol. And that's because this bill doesn't do that. This bill does not expand access to alcohol. If the community has a private club that already exist they can already go into that private club and order a drink. This is a create a different way for them to order drinks this doesn't create new private clubs across the state. This bill does not expand access to alcohol. This bill doesn't circumvent local control. It doesn't create a pathway for people to be able get private private club license if they want. You know down here we talk about fairness all the time. Talk about fairness and women sports there is an education how we educate kids funding transportation. Kid's read. How are we supporting role schools versus urban schools. Urness we talked about it today fairness and health care pharmacist verses doctors versus C. R. A.'s versus a PR ends. We talk about fairness all the time in this chamber. We works great Baroness in industries. On issues and subject matters. There is an economic development. People from South Arkansas or upset when money goes up to northwest Arkansas. People from the river valley like me we get screwed because money as a south Arkansas northwest Arkansas it's not fair. Right. This bill is about fairness for economic opportunity for dry counties. So they can have the same opportunity if they choose for themselves. As what counties. All S.. You guys want fairness in your community in your district where you live for your industries for your institutions or schools for your doctors and your nurses your teachers we all want fairness. We are you and every day in this well where I'm standing. We ask questions from seats like where Senator Gilmore sitting is this fair he does it impact is that right. And the truth is we've created a policy that was unfair it excluded dry counties. It allowed what counties have an opportunity. To have a sense of community. Do things that would bring in younger people. And we've not afforded that opportunity to dry counties. And it's not right it's not fair. All this bill does is me asking you. Will you train opportunity for fairness for dry counties so that we can make the choice for ourselves that's all I'm asking. Not asking to sell more alcohol. So this does. Please keep that in mind when you that I know it's going to be a close vote but this isn't about increasing access to alcohol. This is about fairness support economic opportunities for communities across our state with that I ask for it but thank you. I would objection rolling the vote please call the roll Ballinger. Ballinger. Beckham. Beckham. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark no. Just Davis. DISMANG. Yes bank. Aids. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flippo. Flowers. Flowers. Garner yeah. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding. Page. Rapert. Rice. A sample. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. Sullivan. Teague. Tucker. Wallace. Your wish to vote or change their vote. Beckham's NO anybody else over here. Over here she were sole no senator hill is by Senator Ballinger is no. Anybody else Senator Hester is no senator hill is is not. Are you sure. R. J. vote again. Senate. Well you just okay. Make sure the way you want to. Three two one. The ballot will be Asian I. Nineteen days for not voting the bill does not pass Mr president I make a motion we expunge the vote. You for the motion to fund all those of favour say aye. Those guys have a motion hearing Senator Hammer. Twelve fifty eight by representative Johnson Senator Hammer da authorized full independent price already for certified nurse practitioners who meet certain requirements and to create the full independent practice credentialing Committee. Senator Hammer. Thank you Mr president this is a bill that after of much discussion and much of working together this bill was unopposed or people remain neutral when it was presented in public health this is a bill that would remove the collaborative practice agreement for a PR ends if you wanna look through the bill when you get over to page two of the first thing it does is build in the criteria for the full independent practice committee committee to grant full practice authority this establishes a committee that is going to of evaluate whether not full practice authority would be given the one thing I want to point out to it also sets for two criteria under which full practice independent practice authority would be given there is a minimum of six two hundred forty hours that would be required in order to make sure that there's in field experience when you get into the second part which is on page two we find that it that the full independent practice credentialing committee is established within the department of health to oversee it there are three physicians that are appointed one from each one of the teaching institutions here in the state one position at large three certified nurse practitioners from selected from the teaching schools here in the state with one at large it goes through and gives the criteria under which the committee is to operate it also goes over when you go to page four about the powers that are invested in that committee when you get over section three is simply talks about the of prescriptive authority which they will not have anymore prescriptive authority than they have now so for those who may be concerned about opioids and with our current pending situation that is addressed in the bill and I'll be glad to take any questions. Let's give the tenants to the Speaker of the near me there are questions for those for the president Senator Bledsoe you're recognized. Senator Hammer this is an agreed to bill is it not yes ma'am this is an agreed to bill and thank you because have kind of got anxious and presented the bill and I want to point out that the lead sponsor on this is representative Dr Lee Johnson and he and I worked extensively with both sides of the line in order to get to this agreed upon bill and so thank you for the question. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. The region by home. This was agreed to by the nursing association also the medical society participated in the discussion and so doctor Lee Johnson was critical in bringing both sides together for this agreed upon bill. My concern is. The quality of care. And I worry about advanced practice nurses having the same. Saying. Authority as an EMT and are we are we saying that it's okay for those people live in rural areas to have less health care than other places that's my concern thank you thank you I would respond to that question by saying that part of what was worked out in the bill is that the nurse practitioners have a minimum requirement six two hundred forty hours of actual experience and that this was worked out to the satisfaction of those that would be also served in that area but you know of one thing it's been well established all these discussions is that the underserved areas which I think there's about fifty seven there designated underserved areas you know this this is good for those areas because it provides competent people who are operating up to their skill to the scope of practice to be able to meet the needs of our underserved areas. Thank you. Senator Teague you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr president. Senator Hammer when you think in the interest of a quality we should vote this bill down to. Since we voted Senator Davis out of a quorum should we just kill this would do. Thank you. No response require there's. My life has an expression less is more I'm going to apply it at this point. Are there any other questions in the chamber. Seeing none would anybody like to speak for this bill. Senator when you're recognized to speak for the bill I want to say that this is a great example of people that got into a room and they court they work together. And that is so important on when we're talking about policy and what they did in their approach and I want to thank you senator Hammer and representative Johnson because this is how I believe we're supposed to reach things and deliberate together and have dialogue together to understand the dynamics that are play because one size does not perhaps that all and so I just I I do believe this is the right approach and I just wanted to say that because I want to thank the people that worked on this thank you. Hi Senator Irvin would you accept a question. He's out of the well hi is there anybody else would like to speak against this bill. For the bill. Senator Elliot your record. They relate recognized to speak on the bill. When not senator Hammer or closes if you would explain to us what that was my question what's different in this bill from the ones we've had before that's what I'd like to know because those of us who were not a part of any negotiations are clueless about what happened. Anybody to speak for the bill. Against the bill Senator hammer like clothes for your bill. Yes and thank you for the questions Senator Elliot this is been a long journey to get to this point I think some of the key differences between this and the previous attempts to get to this point is number one the collaborative agreement between both sides that have negotiated to this point and the spirit of wanted to meet the needs of our Kansans and I think a whole lot of what we experienced in this bill is laying aside the differences in order to come together that we might meet the overall needs of our of our kitchens that that's one thing the second thing is one of the key components to this is that there sixty two hundred forty hours of which a nurse practitioner we'll have to have had in practical field experience in actual in the field experience and and that was a critical point that we were able to get to so that A. P. R. answer coming out of school will also have the real life experience and that brought a level of comfort I think everybody the other thing is that the committee that is going to be overseen the issuance of the full practice authority is made up of those that are experts in the field but yet they don't have a dog in the fight because they are they are from institutions that are involved in the instructional and that committee was which the establishment of that kid Committee in this bill I think was critical to give both sides a level of comfort so did if I may Mr president does that answer your question. Partially so conveyed the objections that people had the last time that we were going to allow a few RN's Act fully as doctors who are Indies Howell what's changed there that people of Allegri in that and that's really important to know sure well first of all I don't know that was ever with no disrespect anybody intended I don't know that was ever really a legitimate argument because nurse practitioners can only. Offer their services to the level of their scope of practice and an MD is higher than a nurse practitioner as far as what their scope of practice allows the one thing that I want to stress about this too is that although the collaborative agreement will not be required if your issue the ability to operate with full scope of practice. Authorized by this committee is they're still going to have to be working spirit among all medical components in order to bring about what's best for patient care and there will have to be that spirit of cooperation that exists between a P. R. ends and physicians but it's going to be more because of personal relationships that are built so I think that adding the extra six two hundred forty hours I come back again to that point provide that that level of comfort. Okay. Are you close for your bill I'll take Senator Johnson's question if the president will allow well in the in this guy's getting full plate is going to take one more question thank you close section one question they're not just in that line you'll. That six thousand. That is five hundred twenty. Twelve hour work days. That's a lot of experience in this practice. So I appreciate that in this bill and and you know as allows a pathway so thank you guys for doing. You're welcome and doctor representative Dr Lee Johnson deserves the lion's share credit on getting to this point it's been a real no pun intended collaborative agreements get everybody to this point we just want our Kansans to be fully served and everybody in all parts of the state to have access to good quality care Mister president I'll close with this with this thought it has been a long journey is been a challenging journey but yet at the same time it's a journey that has created good policy for the citizens of Arkansas and with that I would appreciate a good vote. You have any objection the center is closed on these builder every objection to rolling of a we have an objection to rolling a vote then secretary please call the roll Ballinger. Ballinger. Beckham. Yes. But. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. DISMANG. Eads. Elliott. English. English. Flippo. Flippo. Flowers. Flowers. Garner. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leding. Page. Page juror. Rapert. Right. Rice. A sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. Teague. Tucker. Wallace. Okay let's check this out of the room three senators wish to change or correct their vote. Seeing none I see Senator English for the eight about the size of the room. So nobody changing their vote Senator pension and chairs and I. Anybody regardless of their vote. This. Madam secretary cast up the ballot. With 20-78-902 your bill has passed returned to the house let's move on. Senator Tucker you're recognized president house bill fourteen forty eight House Bill fourteen forty eight by representative had Senate senator Tucker to amend certain a vacancy procedures for commissioners of suburban and urban districts. Thank you Mr Mr president this bill has the deals with filling a vacancy on a suburban improvement district commission right now everyone of vacancy occurs there are two meetings want to nominate a commissioner and then want to elect a commissioner when the meeting happens. The county judge sets the meeting the JP presides over the meeting and the commission has to send notice to every property owner in the suburban improvement district by first class mail of each meeting of the I'm not seeking to change any of those processes but the real the the reality is that they got a twist people's arms to even serve on the commission much less to show up to a meeting and vote and so all this bill does is it allows you the suburban improvement districts to nominate and two electric the the vacancy or to fill the vacancy through nomination election at the same meeting that's it and just lower the cost for the first class mail improve the efficiency of the process that's and I'm happy to take any questions. Are there any questions. Senator Sturch you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr president Senator correct I appreciate it I just wanna make sure I understand it we have one in Cherokee village up in north central Arkansas for years there's been this ongoing controversy and litigation about electing their own commissioners and so forth it is this kind of in achieving that same go if it's an election or if it's a selection I'll put it that way this meeting by the real estate owners then instead of the commissioners being appointed and then just appointing themselves and continuing on or something like that does the this is just to fill a vacancy doesn't change the overall process and when the vacancy is filled there still an election by all the qualified electors in the a qualified electors in suburban improvement district or the anyone who owns property in the improvement district all it does is in the current law there's gonna be one meeting for the nomination and one meeting for the election and all this does is say that can happen in the same meeting otherwise none of no other procedures change this bill. So you're recognized for all of thank you Mr president it I wanna make sure then I understand as far as With the vacancy at understand that point is. I guess my question should be. Whether or not the. Owners themselves are able to run as far as the commission goes and then vote on it right there at the same meeting or how that process would work yes okay yes so. No standards are change for anyone who can serve on the commission or you can vote to fill a vacancy none of that exchanged thank you Mr. Are there any other questions the sponsor. We would like to speak for this bill. Against this bill. Senator Tucker has indicated he's close for the bill are there any objections the rolling of a. Seeing none madam secretary please role of a. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. During the senator's desire to change or update their vote. Seeing none please cast the vote. Because the ballot. With thirty five Yeas zero nays house bill fourteen forty eight has passed return to the House Senator Ballinger. Yes bill fifteen twenty two by representative Ryan Senator Ballinger to amend the Arkansas election law to amend election law concerning misdemeanor offenses and to create a misdemeanor offense for false statements by candidates Senator Ballinger you're recognized to explain your bill thank you Mr president this bill is really good law but it's a terrible bill have you guys seen this bill by representative seven pages long you for two lines of law change I mean honestly if we kill this bill simply because the use seven pages the to put the bill that's only to under the laws great laws fired you know it makes it where if you sign something you filed for office that you're it's a misdemeanor if you lie that's that's good but the seven page bill it's terrible and I appreciate a good vote. Senator has indicated he's not going to accept any questions well would anyone like to speak for against the bill. Seeing none is there any objection wrong about going above. We say none madam secretary please role of a. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace many senators wish to change their vote. Seeing none Madam Secretary please cast up the ballot. Senator Ballinger is. With any other centers like to change their vote. The nun. Madam secretary Clause The. With thirty four days one very interesting nine your your bill as passed. All right please return to the House. Senator Sturch you're recognized Haspel sixteen thirty eight by representative Fortner to amend the law regarding professional development recognition payments for County assessor's employees and declare an emergency. Thank you Mr president colleagues this is on behalf of the county assessors currently right now we make professional development payments to them out of fund that currently exists that we have an update this law in several years and originally it was only to a designations that they could get their national organization has expanded to six we're just wanting to ask that instead of a two weeks spend it to all states that any of these employees could get their professional development recognitions from that's essentially what the bill does not entertain any questions. Are there any questions for Senator Sturch. Senator Stubblefield you're recognized for a question. Senator Sturch is or is there a written in cost to know soon there's no revenue impact to it like I said the fund already exist in the way the law reads it's on a pro rated basis up to a certain amount but the professional development is there a cost to. County. for the county to pay for the professional and I I don't know that answer so no I it may be a cost share between the individual in the county but I don't know that answer okay. Are there any other questions. Seeing none would anybody like to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Senator Sturch are you closing your bill is indicated he is. Any objection rolling the. Seeing none madam secretary please roll Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. DO any senators a desire to change their vote. Seeing none madam secretary please cast up the ballot. With thirty five yeah eight and zero nay. House Bill sixteen thirty eight his past return to the House our next bill with Senator Ballenger we have a letter that needs to be read of the disclosure I believe from Senator Rapert please provide near miss Cornwall I'm submitting this letter as a matter of complying with the Senate code of ethics and to comply with full disclosure pursuant to Senate rule twenty four. That a point oh six dash three A. B. C. the following disclosures provided. House Bill sixteen fifty four of twenty twenty one I am the founder and president of the American history and heritage foundation incorporated which is a nonprofit entity that is engaged in educating the public on the history and heritage of America this bill addresses national motto policy posters being posted in the state of Arkansas. Thank you H. A. H. F. has been a part of producing distributing and gifting approximately twenty thousand one hundred U. S. national motto posters to public schools government buildings and other entities in the state of Arkansas and other states please file this letter in the official Senate journal of the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly sincerely Senator Jason Rapert. Please let the record indicates the letter was read Senator Ballinger you are recognized to present your bill house bill sixteen fifty four by representative Dotson Senator Ballinger to amend Arkansas law the law concerning display of the national motto of the United States in god we trust. Thank you Mr President this actually has really one word change so it goes from from the state and funds to taxpayer funds the the modification would be basically with expanded city government funded operations so happy to answer any questions if not I would appreciate a good vote three have any questions Senator Ballinger. C. nine is very wanted like to speak for the bill or against the bill. The nine any objection to rolling the ballot. I don't think he's roll call roll the. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Any senators wish to change their vote or flowers will Senator flowers no. Anybody else rest wish to change their vote. Seeing none Madam Secretary cast of the ballot. With thirty forty A. and one day House Bill sixteen fifty four passes returned to the house. And Senator Stubblefield sixteen fifty six by representative Christiansen to clarify the native correct Brandt brandy Law. Senator Stubblefield you are recognized thank you Mr president house bill fifty sixteen fifty six just changes one word existing loss only. We have been taking questions I have a question for Senator Stubblefield. Seeing none you may like to speak for against this bill. Senator Stubblefield as indicated he's close for its bill any objection to rolling the ballot. Seeing none reasonable the bill. Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace you wish to change their vote. President of anybody else. Senator Sturch president Senator Bledsoe president Senator Gilmore president anybody else. Senator Chesterfield not voting. Senator Hester is no. Service. President Senator Hammer. President. Anybody else. Senator Blake Johnson president. Senate president cast up the ballot to. Twenty five Yeas two days eight present the bill is passed return. To the house Senator Eads has sixteen fifty seven by representative Christiansen and Senator Eads today that's correct the official stem steam locomotive as of the state of Arkansas. You left your mask appear Senate. Senator Eads please proceed. Thank you members and thank you governor the St Louis southwestern number eight nineteen was the last steam locomotive produced in the state of Arkansas engine eight ninety was built in the shop operated by the St Louis south western railway also known as the cotton belt in pine bluff and placed into service on February eighth nineteen forty three after serving over twelve years and over a hundred thousand miles it was retired in nineteen fifty five and given to the people pine bluff there it said in in display in Oakland park until nineteen eighty three when the cotton belt rail Historical Society restored this engine so to full operations are to be used again for just to drive around the state engine eight tight eight nineteen home now is in the Arkansas railroad museum which is located at the place of the engines birth the former cotton belt shop there in pine bluff and so section to this states that the St Louis southwestern number eight nineteen class L. one four eight four northern type steam locomotive is designated as the official steam locomotive of the State of Arkansas the cotton that was one of the major railroads advance the state's growth and economy at a time boasting the nation's fastest freight train in Arkansas at that time is part of the tradition of excellence of rail in Arkansas and I would appreciate a good vote. Any questions Senator of we take questions about whether several Sir Clark Johnson and Senator Clark. Senator Eads. How many operable steam locomotives do we have in the state of Arkansas. I'm I'm not familiar with that another state not very many well I think a lot of work came through spring to us while I was wondering but. If if this is the only one that would you groups appropriate it be the official well at the if it was the only one that I'm not sure so absolutely thank you I'd say the eight nineteen it's it's magnificent thank you brings. Sorry. The center is to even present this bill you would have to be unaware of the midnight ghost train their slaughter bridge between hot springs in one so I'm assuming. That would be correct. Any other questions they always speak Senator speak for centers close The objection on the vote. Roll Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Castable thirty four Page one. The bill is passed returned to the health center. David S.. Senator Breanne Davis. House Bill sixteen sixty two by representative Madison Senator Davis to amend the formula right review act and declare an emergency. Senator Davis. Thank you and Mister president. This bill. Is very technical in nature. And it can get complicated quickly. I want to provide a simple high level explanation of what this bill means star Kansans and how it can impact customers. This bill clarifies a law that was passed on he's almost unanimously in two thousand fifteen the intent of that original legislation was to provide consistent and predictable rates for customers this bill ensures the intent of that legislation is carried out. There are no changes to customer protections in current law. Four percent cap is maintained this will not hurt residential customers are small businesses and more importantly Senator Teague at what her grandma. This bill is the result of input in negotiation among numerous parties with a lot of points of view. There is no opposition to this bill. The public service commission chair Ted Thomas speaking on behalf of himself spoke in favor of this bill both in house and Senate Committee. Arkansas has the fourth lowest electric rates in the country over all for residential customers we have the fifth lowest rates overall for commercial customers we have the seventh rates lowest rates overall and for industrial customers we have the thirteenth lowest rates overall. This is an area where Arkansas is strong we are leading in the country this is what makes the passage of this bill so important. If we do nothing then it will bring a lot of issues and it will make things worse for customers. With that numbers I'll take any questions any questions anyone wish to speak against. Question was going. Thank you our service writers since Senator Davis. On this bill this bill sponsor only after the article came out of Randall this has nothing to do with the grand all over charges does it that's correct and the cost do not in that situation do not flow through this formula rate plan that's entirely separate. With that in can can you explain the reason for the retroactive calls. And because it says. Any agreement made on or before March fifteenth of twenty twenty one. Yeah I think that's just it because this bill originally passed in twenty fifteen so it's my understanding it's just to ensure that it goes back to that. Thank you. Any other questions no we're speaking yes for centers close service. One other thing in their background for the compliment. Right. Yes is senator I'm plans ask for again thank you Sir disclose any objection one vote. The roll Ballinger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang Eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey Hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Leding Pitsch Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace whom wish to change their vote. Senator Gilmore president Senator back from present anybody else over here. Over here. Cast up the ballot thirty two days one night to present the bill is passed receive calls dropped returned to the house senator Johnson. Thank you members I would like to see in Senate bill twenty three to interim study that is the deregulation bill for the coops and I'd like to study that in the interim any questions. All of the first. Twenty three twenty three. Follows the favor say aye. Bozell Is haven't motions carried members solutions. This is an announcmenet. Government announcmenet. The transportation will be meeting at ten thirty tomorrow we have a big agenda for transportation so thank you yes. Any other announcements we've got some matter secretary please proceed. Let's see what are the documents in the notice of retirement Senate bill seventy two as requested. All. Where your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill four ninety six by Senator Rapert compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed. Vote. Your roommate's counted. Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred senate bill four seventy three by Senator Irvin per the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill two ninety five by Senator Flippo as engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill one fifty two by Senator Hammer compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed. Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill ten sixty three by representative content further gross copper three John Feinstein correctly engrossed. The Bill. I'm curious. Thank. Thank you thank you for joining this can't be right that should be counted. House bill ten sixty three we just. Calendar. It's calendar. Ten sixty three. Can gross was referred house bill twelve fifty four by representative Wardlaw compared the engrossed copy the original find same correctly engrossed. Counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen fifty five by representative Johnson compare the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill on. Fifteen ninety three by representative Gazaway compared the engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed counted Senator Clark. Members all try to remember to make this announcmenet again tomorrow Due to the fact that we're not meeting later in the week Senate judiciary will be meeting Monday morning at ten thirty if you have a bill on the agenda next week that's when we'll be meeting if you don't have a bill on the agenda and will one on the agenda will be meeting Monday at ten thirty. Any other. Members friendly Nigel Constitutional amendments really needs it to contact us so that we can get him or if not we're going to reach a point where we can't so please reach out to any other.