JBC-Special Language

meeting to order. Cochair capital you have anything. R. R. hello miss Hamilton will start with Adam D. one center Chesterfield are you here to present. If she is not we will see get over that and come back to it if she shows up and I guess I am second so handed over. Morning members Ron item due to in your packet this is house bill twelve nineteen this is amended by Senator Hester to department of labor and licensing for the boards and commissions. Senator Hester you're recognized to present. Thank you members with this amendment is is two years ago during pre budget hearings When we were starting to follow the different boards commissions and agencies that had significant surpluses and we were trying to ask them to lower their fees if they have surpluses to. To shrink to shrink down the amount of extra money they have there's no reason to have in less extra money I learned in the board of collections that they had a tremendous amount of extra funds and then some of those funds were going to particular hand chosen colleges. And so I started I may I filed this a very similar amendment last time or what was going to file ended up just instead of removing those colleges around there was able to get my college money so but I still don't think that's necessarily the right thing to do I think that if we're going to pick winners and losers as a legislature at all of the what we just shouldn't be picking winners and losers and higher and we have a funding formula that's how they should get their money it should not be that just because you've got a legislator that fought harder than other legislative your college you get you get extra funds so what this amendment does as opposed to picking certain schools to get funds it just says if you've got a nursing program those monies will be distributed based off the those that pass the nursing exam successfully. And I think it's the right thing to do and I'm happy to answer any questions. Whoever is sitting in. My C.. Yes Is that representative James. You're recognized for a question thank you better care Senator Hester only your amendment. You left the nursing school at UAMS held harmless. I don't think that's consistent with this amendment. And from my understanding on the the Of. How the money will flow all the schools will receive less. Thank you for C. was much. But in the formula it looks like. You of a faithful in that Arkansas state. In Jonesborough will receive more. Is that correct yeah it's it's it is you're correct on your M. S. I. I I remove them and let them hold harmless I don't know if any of you have tried to fight that machine but I've I've wised up to that so I I let them hold harmless but the but yes this is solely based on how many students are not only not graduate but how many students from past the nursing exam and if more those are from Jonesborough then they get more money. Well the fact that everybody is not treated equally your amendment I have a problem with and of I will be voting for this so if I if I made you aim as part of this you would go forth in. Everybody be treated equal and This amendment does that to nobody. Except you of a a issue and you A. M. S.. well I I feel like based on the number of students that you that you educating pass the test as it was you can get we're on rule areas we need nurses to. Thank you. Red sticker Shepherd do you have a question. Thank you madam chair at my question would be do you have a breakdown of of what that would look like currently in R. their schools that are not receiving funding that now would receive funding. Yeah I would say there's a there's a very few schools that are currently receiving funding and some receiving a tremendous amount I'll just roll if you off you see a gets a hundred thousand dollars a year a issue gets at least I'm at S. A. U. gets at least a hundred thousand a year tech it's a hundred thousand dollars a year Henderson gets two hundred thousand dollars a year and I bet your junior college gets zero dollars per year and and all the all the smaller schools most of the rule schools that are getting zero dollars we'll start getting dollars if this passes a vast majority of schools are getting nothing in a vast majorities will start getting money if this passes it's and so the four years and two years would all be grouped into this that's correct thank you. Any other questions. We hit your button Senator English. You're recognized Senator English so I guess at the end of the day what we're all hoping for is not just students going to college or entering a program but I think the proof of the pudding is whether or not they are able to graduate in whether or not they are able to pass a license if that's it whether to be a lawyer to be a nurse to be a doctor ought to be a survey or whatever the case may be so I'm sure there are two year colleges around the state that have nursing programs I know northeast has a really good nursing program they graduate people pass their tests and make good money I and I would hope that schools like that would be included in something like this but I think for all of us. It's performance it should be a lot of our things should be based on performance they're not. So I'm all for this. Thank you. Any other questions members. Can you to vote for me. Senator Eads can you get your **** former. There you go you're thank you madam chair up and have a question and I'm not they're not technically a two year or four year school but Northwest Arkansas tech an office technical institute in Springdale has a nursing programs based on the way this qualification is either way they don't qualify for any these dollars currently do the. I do not believe they do I don't know if somebody from higher at R. BLR happens to be here I have not requested any one. Okay no okay I don't know but I will I will get you an answer that question for like enough you know special languages in one. Any other questions members. No okay the answer is your answer is no NT I would not be eligible. Does anyone from higher ed want to come down and speak to this. And member members I will tell you this is this is at the behest of no one in fact my junior colleges getting fifty thousand and if this passes they will get significantly less money I think what I'm asking to do is just do the right thing and and then divide this up. Please recognize yourself for the record thank you madam chair Shane Broadway issue system and I don't know if you were wanting me to answer questions I can also speak to are concerned with the language I appreciate Senator Hester and the discussion of for the most part for the for the for the reason of raising the issue that we all need more dollars for nursing programs in our state I may not agree with Senator Hester on in regards to his amendment the Amendment was done I was not in the legislature to time but I was hired to rector in the amendment was done thinking eleven session there was significant shortage of nurses particularly in rural areas at a representative Jean talk about one of those is campus I represent a issue Mountain Home. They obviously if you look at the demographics Mountain Home Aging population. We needed a new nursing program and that's what these dollars created and continue to vote if this amendment passes that program will no longer exist and while I appreciate Senator Hester highlighting that issue Jonesborough would be number one in terms of who would be funded on this list of this amendment passed the other concern is because we would have to eliminate the program in a issue Mountain Home the number of students transferring to get their bachelor's of a issue Jonesborough would go down so they would actually end up probably lead probably losing money in in this exchange so I appreciate centers intent and understanding our concern is it would eliminate a program that we have in partnership with Baxter hospital in an area that has a great need of nurses especially in rule Arkansas and it would it would put those students out of a program so my hope is that this will spur a discussion about more funding more discussion about nursing and the need for it the challenge with with Mountain Home is a small community two hundred fifty thousand dollars to issue Mountain Home is a huge amount of money by CFO cringe when I see this is a different to MP two thousand if it were issued Jones to cringe. but it it to a issue Mountain Home that these that is a game changer and when would close the program so that is that is our concern with this amendment my hope is we could further to the discussion about increasing opportunities I will tell you for me just were nursing standpoint when the biggest challenges we face we would love to open more seats all of us would. The biggest challenge we face right now As rotations representative Jett knows for us in northeast Arkansas the can a hospital closed just north of him where a lot of our students were able to do rotations and that significantly impacted our program and so we need more opportunities for students to be able to do the rotation so we can add more students into nursing because there is a huge need to always be that. but this amendment would obviously have a significant impact on the issue mount home program in nursing in northeast Arkansas so I appreciate the opportunity thanks any questions members. See a no questions is there anyone to speak for the amendment the Bill. Anyone else to speak against the bill. What is the will Senator Hester did like to close yes thank you so members I you know I I don't know what the I've spoken to maybe one or two U. about this about this amendment and here here's what I've got to say. There's about six hundred thousand dollars being taken off the top here there's a lot more money in the board of collections so if this don't work for me you muscle filed amended to get your school some money while just let if you have it when when you could all take some money home your junior college thank you. What is the will of the committee. Si motion. What is the most motion to pass in the second. All in favor say aye. All opposed say nay. The noes have it sorry Senator Hester. Case Senator Dismang at sea are you here are you ready for Adam D. three. If you will are you. Members there's a hand out of staff is handing out. This is for senate bill fifty five department Human Services Division of Medical Services this involves the Arkansas Works language I believe the amendment looking at changes the name of the program only. Senate dismaying is here. Senator Dismang you're recognized thank you members this This Is cleans up any changes language from. That may. Well it cleans up language for where a in replaces works with health an opportunity for me. Seeing no questions from members. I have a motion. I have a motion to pass in the second all those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. Motion carries out of the four assembly members this is for house bill eleven eighty one department of health is on page twenty nine in your packet this is another amendment by Senator Dismang and this is an amendment to delete the Arkansas Works language. Senate this man you're recognized again this clean up based on the our home legislation that's making its way through. Are there any questions for the senator. Seeing none do I have a motion I have a motion and a second you pass all those in favor say aye opposed say no motion carries Adam D. six missile not. The fall The five yes this is Senate bill fifty four department of commerce for the state insurance department on page thirty four in your packet this is a similar amendment sponsored by Senator Dismang Senate is when you're recognized again the same same explanations previous in them. Seeing no questions to have a motion. I have a motion to pass in the second all those in favor say aye. Opposed say no motion carries now Adam D. six Sam thank you Mr chair Senate bill one ten Department of Education Division of higher education the amendment is on page thirty nine in your packet this again is an amendment deleting Arkansas Works language by Senator Dismang. Senate is man you're recognized same explanation as previous amendment. Seeing no questions I have a motion to pass and the second all those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. Motion carries moving on to Adam D. seven yes hello. Members this is house bill twelve twenty Department of Parks heritage and tourism. Sorry sorry Department of Parks heritage and tourism division of heritage this is an amendment on page forty five U. packet by representative Speaker Shepherd. The Amendment as a new line item for twenty thousand for grants and aid to the Washita river commission. This item is people from the conservation tax amendment appropriation within the department appropriation bill it also adds a new section of special language that mandates funding. Mr Speaker you're recognized. Thank you Mr thank you Mr chairman when I came in the legislature ten years ago the. Washita river commission had been talking with me and other legislators about of funding issues and actually in two thousand fifteen I'd run some special language and pulled it down based on a working on the green met with the Department of which ultimately. Never was continually fulfilled like it was supposed to so I I worked with the department on a new language that actually that they could support this is really a companion piece of legislation there's actually a substitute bill that will move the commission from the department of agriculture into the Department of Parks heritage and tourism division of heritage and this simply allows for funding to be provided to them this money would be used for grants which ultimately goes back into many state projects on a fifty fifty matching fact that was my original motivation the commission and actually provided funds that helps in the creation of cabins that Moro bay on the Washita river And so originally I was trying to obtain some funding off of those cabins that the commission help to help to provide bank stabilization funding and otherwise and so this simply is trying to resolve this issue once and for all. Are there any questions. Seeing no questions I have a motion to pass in the second all those in favor say aye aye opposed say no. Motion carries Adam D. eight shall. Members this is Senate bill four forty seven for the University of Arkansas division of agriculture this is an amendment on page fifty in your packet by Senator Caldwell. This amendment S. sixteen point five million in accounts preparation for you of a division of agriculture and there is some accompanying special language prohibiting the sale of the property commonly known as the pine tree research station to a private entity or individual that does however permit the sale of the property to a nonprofit and includes language regarding allowable uses through June thirtieth twenty twenty two. Circle well I think you got a hand out and make sure but it's got the hand out in this soon as you're comfortable that you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman madam chairman The Amendment on this bill The Amendment is agreed to language the language was provided for by the universe of Arkansas it's on page fifty. In that we made some technical corrections on the naming of the rice research station in a changed it to the division of agriculture so that the funding would go to the division of agriculture instead of specifically rush research station individual back could disburse that money is the needed so that was a technical corrections that we made from the original bill. The also on the handout. You see highlighted paragraphs there that the the the the sheet of paper is the last page of a deed in which universe of Arkansas acquired the little over eleven thousand acres of. Land in St Francis County Arkansas and it's known as a pantry research station the name for the community pantry this land was acquired from US for service US Forest Service actually acquired this land back in the depression there when they were moving subsistence farmers off the land and into communities where they can make a living that was done by USDA in the forces for recent was acquired with the intent of leaving that land in public domain. The university of office lan in nineteen seventy eight this deed was signed by the U. S. for service in USDA to the board trustees universe Arkansas in in the deed restriction very clear this is This landed Baltz should be to the for the condition that the above described land shall be used for public works and if any time said land ceases to be used so used the estate conveyed shall immediately report to income reinvested to the grant for and a grant for US for service universe of Arkansas has a contract with your selling sixty three hundred acres of this land to a private concern in what we're trying to do is to protect the taxpayers of Arkansas in keep this land in public domain and keep it open to the public number sixteen half million dollars a bucket we put out there hopefully that we can find sixteen happening dollars in by that the in in this fiscal year so with that being said This property is not like trying to build a stadium or bridge that if we fail to fund it this year that we can come back next year bill that stadium or bridge if this land is sold we never get back in public domain and what this will do is keep this land in the public domain as the deed State University bought it without restriction and it's all this the builders. Members are there any questions. Seeing no questions. Are you closing closed thank you all right to have a. I have a motion and a second do pass. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The motion fails. The three hands. I have three hands for a roll call. Please call. Call the House first. Representative Jon Eubanks. Representative Joe Jett. Representative Fredrick Love. Representative John Payton. Represented by Tosh. Representative Lane Jean. The representative Matthew Shepherd. Representative Jeff Wardlaw. Representative Francis Cavanaugh on. Or call the Senate next Senator Cecile Bledsoe. Senator Lance Eads. Senator Greg Leding. Senator Terry Rice. Senator. Senate race in the room. Okay senate bill sample. Senator Jonathan Dismang. Senator Jimmy Hickey. Senator Jane English. Senator bart Hester. Senator Caldwell needed eight and got eleven votes thank you marshaling which thank you pass moving on to the nine. Members this is on page fifty four in your packet this is an amendment to Senate bill one oh eight department of health licensing and regulation boards by representative Bentley. I do not see her in the room. Sure requests that we pass over this item in the event that she is absent if that's alright with the chair. Member center representative Bentleys not here so we're gonna skip over the nine and making sure Senator Chesterfield is not here. I believe unless someone else something else I believe that concludes our business. Yes. The budget. Yes. After the adopted minutes are released back to joint budget we are adjourned.