Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee- House

In agenda yes if you look at your agenda we have the bills and rate will be added to the consent agenda. Okay and and I said we're skipping house bill fifteen sixty four today representative Johnson. Are you prepared to present house bill twelve forty six. Okay you're recognized. Can you hear me now okay. The committee members thank you thank you madam chair what you have before you today is is a very good compromise piece of legislation I want to begin again by thanking some of the colleagues that worked hard on this bill with me a personal representative Bragg I don't know is here today he had filed a bill early in the session that that I reference that that I referenced as part of this process and then of course represent Ghana Gonzales and also filed a bill earlier in the session and both of those gentlemen were happy enough to let me work with them and work with the parties on both sides to come up with the piece of legislation that you have before you today to incorporates parts of both of those pieces of legislation I wanna make sure and give them the credit that's due them for their hard work leading up to this bill ends and so what what this bill does it does two things eighty spans the scope of practice for pharmacists but simultaneously expert experience also for physicians with regard to dispensing so with regard to pharmacists it creates a pathway for pharmacists to treat certain conditions out of their clinic under approved medicate with the pre medications I worked on jointly by the pharmacy board in the medical board and under pre statewide protocols worked on jointly by the pharmacy board and approved by the medical board it allows them to treat influenza. Strep throat and additionally any other CLIA waived tests so if there's another test out there that could be performed that was on a clear way to Klay is a laboratory. Verify via of the laboratory is ation verifies labs these to be tested you would not have to be clear a certified lab to perform any of these things that were done would be done under statewide protocols developed by the pharmacy board in the medical board it also creates a it also allows pharmacist to ride over the counter prescriptions so currently if your insurance covers an over the counter medicine so say your insurance covers ibuprofen or Tylenol currently a physician has to write a prescription for that for your insurance company pay for that another great example is if you have diabetes Sam treating is the physician for diabetes and I write for your insulin but I forget to write your glucose strips the little strips of the check your sugar on those things over the counter there's no reason why you can't purchase those you don't need a prescription for those to buy them but if I don't remember to write your prescription both for insulin. And for the glucose strips then the pharmacist I stop what they're doing that call the physician the position I stop what they're doing yeah it's okay to write that prescription this is removing that barrier and obstacle so this would allow pharmacist to write prescriptions for over the counter medicines that they could prescribe out of their pharmacy it also that changes some language regarding substitution same class substitution so currently in the state of Arkansas if I write a prescription for a medication and and there's going to be a substitution allowed I have to explicitly say that in the prescriptive process so in other words the default mechanism right now in the state of Arkansas is pharmacist can only substitute certain Class drugs this would be a good example would be pepcid and zantac okay these are two H. two blockers used to treat you know that dyspepsia for instance okay so if one insurance company covered one. They didn't cover the other currently if I don't Clark on the box the substitution to allow the pharmacist has to stop what they're doing they have to call me out to stop what I'm doing get on the phone with the pharmacist the pharmacist Hey can I substitute district for this drug. I say yeah sure of course we're actually flipping that model now so the default now will be the pharmacist would be allowed to make the same drug class institutions provided they're of the same or lesser expense to the patient so they can't substitute out for more expensive drugs in less I as a physician explicitly mark that they can't to the control is still in the physician's hands I can still say look in in this particular disease state I think it's very important that this disease is treated with this drug and I have a preference for that because I think it's better than any other drug in that class if I mark that on the prescription then the substitution will be allowed so the control is still in the position it just changes the default position. With regard to physician dispensing. Currently in the state of Arkansas for physicians to dispense they have to apply to the medical board in order to dispense medications and shall we need. There that's that's the case for all medications except for three exemptions right now in the state of Arkansas that's nor can contraceptives in topical in this what we're doing this bill is for adding some exemptions to that list so we're adding medicines to treat acute infection so this would be like you know into antibiotics antifungals acute care medicines what we call in the state of the bill so This Is medicines treat infections medicines to treat nausea medicines treat a cough these would be allowed under this new law to be dispensed at a physician's office under the same standards that are applied to pharmacy so in other words the the physician's gonna have to apply the same standards to what they're doing that a pharmacist would apply under there practice the other thing it adds that allows for the the dispensing of what we're calling maintenance medicines for initial thirty day supply so these would be blood pressure medicine diabetes medicines cholesterol medicines so the medicine so that if a patient came into my clinic and I diagnose them with high blood pressure. I can go to the back and have a stock of medicines and dispense them but I would of course have to be doing that in the same manner the pharmacist would apply so it for to me this is a bill that has a lot of good for patients in Arkansas in the way of removing barriers to care and it's a bill that supported I'm happy to say about the pharmacy association in the medical association and with that I'd be happy to answer any questions the committee has. Okay representative Boyd you have a question yes. Thank you madam chair up representative Johnson I just wanted some clarity on the therapeutic substitution on where the pharmacist can therapeutically substitute NDS list that is made does that include the ability to to make things like flocks the teen or or generic Prozac comes in both tablet and capsule so with the medical board pharmacy board be able to write rules so that you could go from one dosage form to the other for what glad you made that point I believe the way we have a lot of the bill is there is a rule making process that would allow that to be discussed back and forth so that if I accidently route for forty milligrams one tablet that it you only stock in twenty you could substitute as always is the same message okay so but even like that just follow up just to clarify just select from a capsule to a tablet I mean technically those are different dosage forms even though therapeutically there's not going to be a different intended our negotiations was to allow that okay and I believe the bill allows for that thank you. Representive cloud you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair thank you representative Johnson a question about treatment pharyngitis caused by streptococcus yes so is that implied the and that the healthcare professional the pharmacist in this case will be doing a strip screen yes and in you know I think to understand what this bill does you have to understand current current state as well and currently in the state of Arkansas pharmacists are allowed to test for strep and they can even do a treatment protocols they have an agreement with the single physician this is creating a unified a unified universal Statewide protocol so that there's not a splintered approach how that happens but yes part of that protocol the building process would you would conceptually be today talk about okay what happens if the thing if the test is negative what's the next step in what is it what is some of the things that you would do in counseling a patient about false negative test for strep but yes it would be that they would be able to do a test if it's positive for strep there would be a protocol that would be developed under this bill between the medical board and and the the pharmacy board that would result in appropriate treatment program thank you. But it's saying no further questions and there's no one signed up to speak for against you want to close for your bill. If you're close to. What's the. Evan motion do pass all in favor say aye All opposed thank you your bills passed. Of the representative Bryant. House Bill fifteen fifty three. Yes madam chair with your permission there's a handle right I was just getting ready to say that there's a there's a handout about these apprenticeships okay let let me give them a minute to pass out. It to. Okay you're recognized starting thank. Ladies gentlemen the committee that the hand out is just it's a two page little print out of the apprenticeship dot gov website of some history on apprenticeships as the in two thousand five ACT eight ninety two governor I Hutchinson stood up the office to skills development which oversees in pressure program for a skilled workers in the state of Arkansas in nineteen thirty seven the United States Congress passed an act that stood up federal programs for the Department labor that included ship programs. A barrier to prince appropriations is is a licensing and so what this bill seeks to do is allow the state of Arkansas to allow it licensing boards to promulgate rules to give a path to a partnership programs to licenses no one the main concerns questions or what what what is that consistent what are the occupations that we licenses that we're just going to work toward licensing through apprenticeship programs well if you go to the Department labor's website which is part of twenty nine CFR twenty nine which could federal regulations there's list about twelve hundred occupations if you were to print that out small as you can see it it creates this big pamphlet and it's it's everything that you can think of that really does not include critically include professional degree programs so you're not gonna find doctors or nurses Four other four year degree programs if you did see one as a four year degree program that's excluded from this the purpose and intent of this bill so we're I'm not seeking to to allow an apprenticeship program to go towards the licensure that already has a requirement of a bachelor or higher degree. so the other part of this program is as you see your hand out this is not just a learn on the on the job and go take your test now some of the licensors have that if you want to be a real estate you can sign up to take a sixty hour course online and go take your test if you want to be a truck driver you can get your permit to conditionally learn and then go to the state troopers office and take a test. This is this is I appreciate program that has to has to have a willing learner a willing employer and a willing classroom instruction participant somebody that's that's approved by the licensure board to teach certain portions of that job that you cannot get from. On the job training such as there's business law or if there's health subjects that that really are better preferred or required in a classroom setting. With that again these rules are promulgated through the licensing board. So if the licensee board says I want to have so many instructional hours most of the deal well partnership programs if you choose to use that program require a minimum of two thousand hours and then they can they can add on top of that if they feel the need to do that deftly component that allowed onto is classroom instruction as you see your your. Will hand out it's a paid job work based learning which is your JT classroom learning which would be a partnership with the sponsored approved group credentialing if the licensee board feels like much like plumbers you're given a partnership license to be able to do the work under supervised journeymen that is on site to be able to do that work and then you work towards. That licensure you take the test and then you become a journeyman that's those programs are are the the options we seek to do on other professions that are occupational license in the state of Arkansas also gives you mentored mentorship as well. So again this is this bill is not not designed to Just you spend two thousand hours and think you're you know gold star any good take your test it has to have all the willing participants has to be approved by licensing board once those happen there's nothing that the licensing board should do to stop that person from taking the current required test pain recurred the certain fees for that test to get their license. And with that I will take questions. Representative Payton you're recognized. Thank you madam chair so your bill references federal code twenty nine point twenty nine and that's a list you said of twelve hundred. normally if if for our reference federal code in Arkansas law especially a list that could change over the years we would put a date with that. Is there a reason why you did not include the date in this bill. I believe because it it does it does change over time in fact I think there's the there's an act thirty five eighty one and the current Congress that does also change that that was discussed and I think just due to the age of the of the regulation would be changing quite a bit and we're going to use our own state of Arkansas through the Office skills development to kind of work with the different licensing board to to regulate that five a follow up. Go ahead so the problem is. If we if we just roof for to the federal code and we don't put as that list appears on this date. Then. The Federal. Delegation can change our law or they can change it listing make it significantly shorter so to make it significantly broader and and they're they're changing Arkansas law over time the injured list. As far as adding to it or taking away from either one because of we didn't nail it down to the list as it appeared on such and such date will ideally as that list grows we will grow there there's only forty six. In our statute forty six trades that require licensing of this nature and several of those are not are not even on this list there's probably about half a dozen to a dozen that are on this list but as that list grows and we require licensing we we would ideally like those those to merge those licensing board can approved apprenticeship programs as their standing those up okay thank you madam chair. Are there any other questions from the the representative great you're recognized. Thank you madam chair the question like so up to your colleges and I think they have some concerns about this and particularly how this apprenticeship program would almost replace some of their curriculum and can you give me tell me how this would work like for an LPN Page required to take so many hours and required to you know have clinicals a passing examination with his apprenticeship program apply to them it could if the licensing board. Promulgated rules to apply this program if you if you were to go on to Princeton dot gov or through the deals website there's several hospital systems close to us mercy of in Joplin where if you were to say I am a citizen seeking employment I want to be in a nursing PM And I live in Rogers Arkansas working I do and they were for you to a point of contact at mercy hospital in Joplin Missouri and you contact through them and they'll they will have a program in a partnership with the school that will connect you into this program to work toward you licensure that way you don't have to spend all your time trying to work towards that occupational license without the ability to support and earn a living while you do that. Okay. So it would take up the partnership between all all parties and the licensing board saying this is an acceptable rule to work towards a license okay thank you just one follow up madam chair. Thank you and I do agree with representatives Payton you've got to have an as updating this bill in order because it's not so much about adding to because you can the way you have it written we can add to it any time but it's the removal of so if you remove something in there that we've agreed as a state we can to the apprenticeship program those that are in it. When the feds change it they're they're out of luck for those that have already been license so you can get my opinion you've got to have an as of the date thank you. Representative Alan you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chairman thank you most of represent right can you explain to me why we need this bill first of what we already have well. Use the construction trades that require licensing if if I wanted to go earn earn a living but I had to get a degree a degree not a degree but I did get an occupational license to do it. There's really no sometimes no path if you have to go to school for two years to be able to get that to get the occupational license that is not a professional degree program so that what this would do is allow you to to get those jobs. Learn those skills you got your kind of learning the skills your boss is getting a chance to learn who you are if if he wants to keep you in the program keep you employed you're getting the right to to earn while you do it and then take the supplemental classes to work towards this license. Follow up with to agree what we have that's already working. It works if you don't have to earn a living to go get your degree program like a lot of these don't have they don't have scholarships they don't have a way to to bridge that gap between the funding source so you'll have a lot of professions that will work six months and try to take classes at night or they have to drop out to support their family and and continue to get towards a license so this will do is allow again allow the licensing board to Kerr to accept a program that they create the rules on to allow that employee to work towards that licensure. I'll get back to the queue. We don't have any other questions right now if you get another when you're recognized. But I'm I'm still not quite clear S. two. Why we need this so can you explain it. Yeah it's it's it's so you can earn a living so we we put a license in place as as as this our social structure puts a license to places as we want to license due to safety health security whatever our concerns are we stand up licensing boards to to put a minimum bar to to get there and then those entities promulgate the rules to what that takes they could say it takes a you know a a degree program plus three years residency or they can say it takes just go take this test produced by the state we'll in the middle is is a a group or class people that they want that licensure but they they can't do it they can't gain that success in life to get that license so or it takes six years I should took to because they're constantly having to rotate through the licenses on these if you're go through title seventeen look at the list a lot of those we have this program and it works phenomenally and what this bill would do is allow some of those other boards and bodies if they desire to do so To make the rules for the suppression program will be accepted and this bill will require them to do that. But they get to make the rules of how that looks like. Okay. President Ferguson you're recognized for a question does this bill require supervision at all times for the internship or mentorship in other words that the that the do they have to be in the presence of the mentor so but most bill regulations require that so if you want to go being elections you would have to you know like searching only have so many apprenticeships underneath him on a job site and then they were required to have a journeyman on the job site law that work is being performed so again that's that's part of the program so the answer question is yes. Representative Payton you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr so. I'm I'm lacking understanding here somewhere because several times you've made the statement that the regulating agency or board or whatever can decide whether or not to do this but throughout the bill it says they shall do it and Sullivan it tells them to to draft rules of some sort yeah I I corrected that this bill would would compel them to do it but they set the parameters so there is a willing willing agency that wanted to set up an internship program they can go to the deal will and register and use their platform the deal is got everyone of these jobs have where you're losing me is when you say if there's a willing agency what if they're unwilling I'm is still says they have to do it. What those bills still set up the the bill say Hey if you want to do this use the DOL's platform and let us know. So again if there's if there's they'll have the ability to do it and I'll make the rules saying you're going to use this platform to do it. But if there's nobody that pushes to do it. The program will never basically take all that's a willing participant not a willing agency. But if there's a willing participant wanting to do it the agency's compelled to do it yes Sir okay thank you thank you Mr. Representative ray you're recognized thank you Mr chair and that's I'm just following up on I think representative Payton's questions on page four line one it says all licensing entities as required under this act shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this act so essentially you're forcing every single licensing board to set the parameters and get it all set up is that correct. Yes that that is not meet the exceptions of this. So there's there's got to two litmus test one is the happy part of twenty nine CFR twenty nine date to be added so for twenty nineteen and then why twenty nineteen and then they can't if they already have a program that is currently using that that platform such as many of the construction industries are part of title seventeen they've already met that requirement there there'd be exempt if you will or if they are a Regular on that requires a four year degree. To go into that program they are exempt as well okay that's I don't think I can support it with the shall language I think we may language permissive language I could probably support this but thank you. K. Singh no further questions from the committee. we do have some people signed up to speak against the bill. Gwendolyn Middleton. Please come to the table. And introduce yourself and who you represent. Thank you everyone for your attention today my name is Glenn Middleton and I represent Arkansas College barbering here design in Arkansas beauty school in Arkansas technical school which are all industry covered by this bill I'm speaking in opposition of this bill today for three main reasons one of them is that this bill devalues the people that have already went through the process and been trained and actually gotten the license as the state of Arkansas has a set up we're concerned because in the classroom we allow our students to make mistakes and we can correct those mistakes one of those areas will be in sanitation and in public health risk so our students are required to do so many hours in sanitation before they can actually see it for state board licensure they have to prove to us that they can handle things like blood pathogens and anything that could cause the risk they need to be able to recognize these is if someone sits in the front of the with his some sort of skin disease and know what services they can and they cannot perform this bill would restrict our ability to be able to teach those students that and to know that they master it before they actually leave our classrooms set forth stated Sam and then have access to the public the other part that concerns me is that. Of the way the bill is written the student would only get so much training in the classroom it is not enough training that the student will qualify for federal funding this bill would essentially eliminate them being able to access the federal Pell grant which a number of our students in our school ninety nine percent of our students have to have Pilgram in order to pay for school this bill does not allow for them to have enough classroom training to be able to access those funds so they would essentially have to find another way to fund their education or to the state itself would have to create some avenues for them to pay for the classroom training that they need and then start from without. We also want to look at the fact that we are concerned that students would actually be taken advantage of as far as the earned it should pay because if a student is able to go into the workforce and not have the skills they need to meet the standards they can be paid a significantly less waste and what they would if they had actually went through training at this point so these are the three points that I wanted to point out to show opposition for the bill. Have any questions. We we do have a question representative Wardlaw you're recognized for a question thank you Mr madam I missed your name and I'm sorry for that but I don't a pretty much in beauty school now do you guys the the it in the last half for the last three quarters of the schools aren't you actually working and cutting people's hair there basically is a apprentice yes we do work but the students under the supervision of a licensed improviser of professional at all times they have to require a certain amount of hours before they're allowed to go to the clinic and they have to demonstrate through not only written exam a practical exam that they understand all the risks that are I'm all the education and training is needed before they actually have access to the public to perform those services thank you. Seeing no further questions thank you for your comments. Okay we have one two. Three four but we have six more people signed up to speak against the bill and if you would try not to repeat some of the things that have already been brought forward so next on the list is Ricky Bryant you would go to the table. And introduce yourself and who you represent. Good afternoon thank you for the opportunity I'm Ricky bright new talent barber college of not to repeat the things she said but I am against the bill we are. Number one a. School now only takes fifteen on the clock I was fifteen on the clock hours can be done and nine months if you doing the eight to four program they do have a lunch break in there so time is not gonna be any shorter is probably going to take longer because the school setting people on the rules and regulations and if you in the salon you're not going to be under those type of rules and regulations one other thing if you all have I'm sure all of you have been to the salon I don't think you see any time for a stylus or a barber to train someone I think they're all on the move and they're they're putting multiple hits in a one time of people are not going to want to take out time to do a taxes properly for individual and pay a individual most of us are in a competitive industry so the more he is I get the more I just like selling cars the more I his I do the more I make of so I'm not going to say it wouldn't work for maybe one individual but the average individual needs proper training as you said sterilization sanitation and so forth so most of things he said either I have the same so thank you for the opportunity thanks any questions committee. Thank you for your comments. Brian will high. Please come to the table and lose yourself in the represent. However I will I owner mission barber college in Conway I also own a construction company on will have custom homes for the last five years so I kind of got both fields of this with the electrical plumbing and all of that those journeyman work under a license person in their labors as they're growing into that right and they're getting paid to be those labors but they're only doing what their boss tells them to do. And this bill if it goes through and you allowed to go through in a passes since I own a college we teaches step by step bases on how to cut hair. So you you know you go to a barber shop. if it's a new student that's a prison ship are they gonna by law tell you that That their partisanship as a brand new person that day and they're gonna cut your hair and like Mr Bryant said they're very busy barber in that shop that supposed to be teaching them that's not gonna be able to teach about that moment and he or she is going to cut your hair. So you know I understand that they need to make money I'm all for students making money and providing their way through schooling at my school we are not a government school were all at ninety nine percent my students pay their way through barber school and they pay that their tuition. So but and also through like lexical in plumbing they could be journeymen and make money why they're doing it is just not barbering is not cutting hair so I'm not going to go over everything they said they've already said it but I see both sides of the Senate could hurt our industry on our education because I own a school it could hurt our industry on how we teach people how to do this you know on the process of cutting everyone in this hare's room you got to think of at your barber your stylus and all of that on how they would how you would want them to cut your hair style your hair bring your hair color your hair all that so if we open this up to partnership with this industry it could be could be pretty bad for everyone. I understand the other industries on plumbing electrical and stuff like that those are hired helps in their learning their process and that stuff but it's not putting someone else's hand you know head right there in front of them. So. I'm against it any questions. Thank you for your comments. Carla Jones. You would please come to the table entities for self and who you represent. Carla Jones I'm would argue should be college Jacksonville I just want to mere in a career with everyone else to say it I don't want to repeat anything and I just wanna make it known that I am against the bill because it will hurt on an industry to have apprentice students or apprentices individuals working toward a profession that needs a licensed and they need to be trained by licensed professionals and they need to be observed at all times. And I'm against it. Thank you. Benson joiner. Please enter seventy represent. My name is Vincent joiner I am the owner of legendary Institute barber college of. What is my my first one of the from does listen everybody I think that is it's kind of a convincing people that it's this actually teaching at the school because I'm not I'm I'm really not understanding of whether these people that you gonna bring into the set up of to actually instruct the staff the students on on Barbary that that's one that's one point the point is most people when they want a barbershop they usually on per for a professional and that's what we go to our president says kinda now it's kind of a gray area where you put in students in the same vicinity as a professional and that's and they can be detrimental as sometimes as far as. Home. Having students in in the in the same sense L. having barbers and like. Most clients don't don't want of. I'm but I can say I can say somebody's not trained on cutting hair on their head and I'm I know you guys here have professionals that take care you guys all the time so with that being said I would just was saying that. I'm sorry this law trend about which is this pretty much that you know is is this going to be damaging more to this industry as a whole outside of it just being one of two people that they that they can't survive in and school all of us me to school and we all made a way to get through school and we don't take care of families also mostly students go to go to my school just like these images stated are paying out of pocket one percent so that working jobs and on top of it going to school so this is not like an excuse I think of to have an apprenticeship and that's pretty much all I have to say and I'm against it. Thank you for your thank thanks for any questions committee saying that thank you for your comments thank you. Okay Donald tia. I apologize if I mispronounce your name introduce yourself and who you represent. How you doing my name is Donald eke of I'm represent good feels barber college good for the barbershops of not to oppose this bill I'm totally against it for our industry I understand what he's trying to do for the permission but is not for us you know I owned barbershops there's no way you can have somebody come into a barbershop into some how to cut here you don't have the time as they said I'm not going to reiterate a lot of things they said but I'm totally against the bill some may pass in some areas before barbering is is not you know you mess with the finances of the school it's just you're not you're not able to teach the hot does sanitation is just so much to do wrong let me in a partnership in our field and as I say he may take a judgment on something else but just not for profit. And I'm totally against the bill is any questions committee. Thank you for your comments. Brandon Johnson. Please introduce yourself and the representative. Yes I'm Brandon Johnson and I represent Goodfellas barber college in Goodfellas barber shops it takes fifteen hundred clock hours to get a barber's license takes extra six hundred clock hours to be it be an instructor to get a license okay but it takes a year to be in in actual feel to be able to teach now me being an instructor I understand I've seen students and some people get it in an amount time but it takes that fifteen hundred clack I was to learn everything that you have no causes everybody has a different set a different skin tones different here to all different ferocity in the air so with cutting any corners and it can be very detrimental to our health okay it's been a pandemic going on we all have Maskell right now can be six feet apart from each other so with this bill we still we we were breaking that that type of of of of law I will say law but it we break in that that rule in the sense and being able to even identify a type of pandemic our paths like that that comes inside did add that fifteen hundred clock hours of the teaching and and book work in this is a lot of things that we have to go unknown if you take that away is more hurt than harm in our industry I can't speak for everybody else is but I know our industry because we touching the the public everybody in here has a he has here and get a hair cut and you do not want me not being trained on pathogens and diseases and the proper way are any. Sort comments are closed because of cutting corners or any of that into and work on your head am I right. All right so this bill that is not work well for us does not work well for the public and I am to farm what left against this thing so any questions. Any questions committee. The city is a nine thank you for your comment thank you. Cool. All right that's the last person that we have signed up to speak against the bill and no one signed up to speak for the bill so you're ready to close for your bill representative. Hi I was well appreciate everyone that took time off their work to come out here and and and discuss you know concerns they have with the bill if this was a of of a bill is supported by a colleges and I know would be right out the window but this bill is is not aimed at supporting colleges is aimed AT and t's supporting workers what a good a good points brought brought up C. Bango three of US seven the. You know mistakes are made and I in all industries whenever you're learning but if you have a a sanction program over it you know you can realize what you know and try to anticipate those mistakes and move forward to it several things that they're saying they can only be taught in a classroom absolutely that's why this bill would not exclude classroom training you're not going to willingly you know cut up to speak to to learn how to manage you know pathogens of a of a hair cut so that would be done in a partnership with the school that would you know cover those those issues in a couple of the points that they be taken advantage of well that they might is not taking a major still minimum wage loss and they're still the ability for the licensure board to say you're you're not going to cut hair until you've had so many documented hours I took the liberty just audio as website to to print out with their. Apprenticeship program looks like if you took the if you are curious and just go through and select some of these programs just the barbershop program alone is six pages long and each of these. Our breakouts of the required learning that has to occur before the instant instructor or depression program partner can be signed off as knowing those just like an instructor would at school except this is done at a place of employment where that. That license Barbara that is approved partnership program with the state of Arkansas or attorney to deal a guidelines overseas that that work with they make minimum wage sure they will I mean that's but they're making minimum wage as they continue on the program I would I would venture to say some of these go beyond what schools currently teach technology skills the interaction of of client relationships I mean that's that's always a big one. yeah if the if the teaching you know I like. There's I think there's a. A school in near and no near where I live and you go in there on Tuesdays and Thursdays and get five dollar cuts I mean that's that's just part of the process this one would be actual employee of that store cover need their insurance if they want to do it making a living paying taxes if they want to you know if they would choose to do this program barber's schools are I'm sorry a lot of barber shops this may not work but for them if they are a high volume in and out you know get get clients in and out and make a lot of money I don't have time supervise they probably can't go through the program requirements that the licensing board would be setting up for any partnership programs and it be more for that you know old town barber that doesn't want to take a you know a a twenty five year old kid that just wants to come and go and make the next big Bucks he wants to be able to hire that long term maybe so is business to that be the relationship that probably be more like you to work on these. A few other. Amish's to make note on Bosses tell what to do the absolutely the the the gentleman or the lady that owns that barber shop will tell that a prince what to do. Barber's required just just like I said the minimum is a two thousand hours logs program two thousand hours is one year forty hours a week. Plus the addition of classroom instruction and this if I was maybe one to give you my barber license I have to weigh that don't want to spend nine months in the school and pay extra tuition don't apply for tuition and do it or do I want to just paid out of my pocket I can't bend my pocket don't want to say four and go well maybe my dream of being a barber is is not achievable because I I can't do any of those things again this this program would allow. That to happen because the licensee board would be required to accept a partial program learning the rules as safety is big Majority of our houses are wired by prince's first year second year third year of owning that journeyman can't go physically watch every house get wired in a manner which that they know every switch is done to the overall inspected yes the overall tested yes the same thing with with any permission Graham you're going to they're gonna be monitored to be watched the client's gonna be known to you know make it known Hey this individual cutting your hair is an apprenticeship program. Do you know do you want to do that you know maybe there's a discounted rate for the hair cut so anyway that's that's focusing on on one industry that has concerns and and changes hard but the overall good of the program will allow people to earn a living while they work. And with that I'm close to. Can I add one more thing just real quick this no sorry. Okay this is super far no I'm sorry I'm sorry that party is in the. I got that was the will of the committee. I have a motion do pass their discussion on the motion. Representative Payton. Thank you Mr and I mean this bill kinda tears me up because I love on the job training and I love removing barriers to licensure. But also of state sovereignty and this bill is tying us to the US department of labor and their standards and their apprentice program and it's compelling our state agencies to promulgate rules. To follow those guidelines and well I I fully support the premise that a lot of ways I can't support this bill. So. Representative Bentley you're recognized. one all the way it was going to nursing school I worked in the nursing home was excellent thanks opportunity for me to learn as I went so I'm a high percentage for this bill I think we can trust our state agencies to make the appropriate rules so with that I would definitely support a do pass. Representative Ferguson you're recognized. I guess I have some concerns particularly when we're looking at B. two schools of our schools that the people that are training those people in the schools don't just have a barber BT license they have additional training as teachers and I think it's important that additional training to become a teacher to teach these people instead of just maybe this would allow someone right out of beauty school or something to a print to someone after that's just my concern. Representative Alan you're recognized thank thank you Mr chairman I have some of the same concerns I think what you're doing this very affable but I believe this bill needs a little bit more work and for that reason I'm unclear on some of the things that we discussed today for that reason I will I will not be supported. Representative Gonzalez you're recognized. Thank Mister Jana I'm not wanted to support things just because federal government says that we can do it that's it's just not not me no or stand on things but when we as a state or more restrictive on these occupational licensing with the federal government is and what they allow and we have trouble recruiting people to the state or getting people to go into these occupations we need to take a serious look at what we're doing wrong and and how we can get more people working in the state I don't understand representative patients concerns about you know Leding federal government dictate but if if if we don't do this and there's there's a good plan outlined here I'd look at the standards of friendship training here and and I've been reading through this as I sit here And there's good I mean this is just good stuff in here that if we don't do this we at least need to do something modeled after this that is our state's own that we can we can have these people out working in the state earning a living and getting educated and getting these occupational licenses so I really appreciate what you're doing this and I've asked as for good vote thank you. Representative Pilkington you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman one things I think to just for us to keep in mind is you know when these professionals whether they're pretty sure they're going to schools I mean they're still getting hired and they're still having consumers I need to check out their own credentials so if you're someone who wants to choose on whether an apprenticeship or someone who went through a barber college or or whatever I think there's forty six other professions in here besides the one I think that's what we need to keep in mind that you know we can trust our consumers to make a decision about who we want whether somebody went through a traditional school like training or an apprenticeship and same with when we hire people if someone owns a salon and they want to hire someone who went there is school great they probably feel like they're getting better can is that way but if they wanted to choose on whether an apprenticeship they can go that way too so I feel like in many ways this gives business owners more options and also consumes more options as well thank you. The representative gray you're recognized thank you Mr chairman will take the tire with everybody else so I'm with representative Payton I like the premise of what you're trying to do I think maybe it's possible I don't understand what you're trying to do well enough to be comfortable with it but also that some tell you that up front maybe we can talk some more later but two things that I think you need to change it from shall to may and you've got to put in as of the date in the bill in my opinion that's just to at least to get me started and then I think maybe we can discuss it later so I'm telling I would be open to something but just not this version thank you. Okay committee any further discussion. Seeing none motion on the floor is do pass all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. The No seven. Thirty percent of your bill spent as failed. Okay we'll move on the on the agenda The the representative Lundstrum tech's mission to go to another bill so we'll skip over there for now representative Meeks are you ready to run your bill. H. B. fifteen eighty four. You're recognized run your bill. Thank you Mr chairman colleagues I know the days getting late long and you've seen a bill similar to this in the past and this is the outdoor lighting bill that I tend to bring every year and so I'm not gonna go into the the negative impacts that poor lighting has on human health I'm not gonna go into the costs the environmental impacts you all of been through that and for the most part understand the the impacts on this so what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna go into and talk about what the bill does open up to any questions at all well have a few closing remarks so unlike years past when I brought a twenty page bill to you and there's been good good discussion on that I think last session all but you'll be all passed out of here I actually have done away with all that what I've done is on on this bill it's down to seven pages and half of that is repealing the current law unfortunately the current laws outdated is ambiguous and it is quite frankly useless if anything's actually creating a liability for our municipalities and what I've done it with this new one is sad when you go to install a new lighting system and that's a parking lot or a street lighting system so it's not one fixture like it has been in the past this is you're going to install a new street lighting system you're gonna stall new parking lot of system that you bring it up to industry standards now who defines what those industry standards are those industry standards are are stab us by the illuminating engineering society and I want to give you just a little bit of background on them because you're probably not familiar with them they were established in nineteen oh six so actually very shortly after the light bulb was invented this society was Created and they are the recognized technical and educational forty on illumination for over a hundred years it's objective has been to communicate information on all aspects of good lighting practice to its members to the lighting community and to consumers who have have a programs publication and services the I. E. **** an accredited standards development organization under the American national standards institute also known as ANSI so in other words this is the organization that sets lighting standards basically throughout the world so the lighting standards that would have been used for this building for the the capitol building so they they're the they're the recognized authority on setting the standards so what I've done is I've said when you go to install or upgrade the systems that you install into the established standards either established by the international eliminating society the department of transportation or the American medical association so and that's all we're well all I'm asking for is when you're ready to replace a system or installing new system that you just install it to the standards of the established standards and with that I'll be happy to take any questions. Representative Boyd you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair representative makes I have two questions if the chair will allow number one are there any areas since you I begin in twenty fifteen there any areas in the state where the lighting has gotten worse you had this map and it showed the darker areas versus non I'm just curious if there's been any change in the map I. I have not researched it but I can almost guarantee has gotten worse not better because as the population grows is gonna be more lighting and generally it's not to there has been some progress I actually saw an article today about a new facility that's being built in Farmington and names are installing at the it's a private facility and they are installing night sky friendly lighting so there actually has been some positive movement but I don't know that I could say that it's gotten better over all overall it's probably actually gone the other way follow up Mr yes you're recognized could you just tell us of their any groups this time that are opposed to it like I know the chambers come out the university's and historically but I don't see them here today and I'm just curious if you know as far as I know no one has contacted me about any opposition I have softened talk spoke to actually spoke to energy a little bit earlier and US for understand they're neutral on the bill so far as I know there's no opposition this time. And I've actually also talk to the Municipal League about this and another bill Iran and they had no no concern that I know of. The president Bentley you're recognized for a question. Thank you representative weeks do you think this will improve things tell us what is going to do what is that going to happen with this with this bill so long term this will improve things so right now the sciences especially since I started back in twenty ten with this the science has become very well established that poor outdoor lighting negatively impacts human health negatively impacts the environment and also just cost us a lot of money just threw it through the ways to use of electricity and by. establishing the standards it will improve the negative impacts that we're currently set at the you know this is a win win it will lower the cost to the consumers in this case it's committee primarily the util or the municipalities it will improve human health and it will improve the outdoor lighting so you know if you're going down the highway when we have those old fixtures installed it's like flash flash flash but with these new flex to fixtures you're gonna be getting rid of a lot of the Claire that's because by having these poorly designed fixtures you don't other aspect that someone brought to me recently about this that we didn't really have an issue in years gone by as a lot of times these fixtures at night were basically dummy loads the heat of the utilities the amount of power they generate has to equal the amount of power that's being used and that's got to be ballots constantly and at night the low generally dropped off except for street lights of street lighting was used as a way to keep the load balance and so they didn't really mind if the electricity is being wasted what we're starting to see is we're starting to see the influx of electric vehicles and most of those electric vehicles are going to be charged in the overnight hours and right now the grid is not prepared to be able to handle a large influx of these vehicles and so by over time installing these more energy efficient fixtures will actually be in a better position to to to handle that the other aspect of of this act alluded to a little bit earlier is the original bill the law that we currently have in place as basically useless law but the one thing that it does do is I would submit to you that creates a liability for our cities and and here's why I mean that. The science is very well established that Blue Ridge flooding at night creates a human health impacts and if anyone's interested I'll be happy to explain what those human health impacts cancers is is one of the primary ones so if I'm a citizen and I'm in one of the cities and I'm sitting on and he's one of the street lights at night and I or my wife comes down with cancer and I've control for all the circumstances and I'm looking for somebody with deep pockets to sue that and I'm so in the city and the current law and Arkansas all states that the municipalities as of two thousand six had to be installing full cut off fixtures which has largely been ignored so. My lawsuit is is that you actually violated the law because you violated the law it led to this cancer risk whereas if we pass this law it creates liability protections for our cities because if and when these lawsuits start to occur and I have no doubt that eventually someone's going to UNIFIL one along these lines are cities would now have the defense that we've installed our street lighting systems to the standards that have been established by the elimination society and by the American medical association so beyond just the environmental impact we also create a liability protection for our cities. Representative Wardlaw you're recognized. So you eluded to. that you were repealing a lot of the old statute completely repealing the old statue yes it comes to my attention that some of the repeal you're doing could actually require some of the like companies to remove flood lights that are currently out is that the financial statement from. So how do they handle the flood lights that are there today. Of the utilities yes. So. Adele public help clarify your question for me a little bit so when you're when you're talking about flood like you talking about for street lights are you talking about for area like you're talking about a commercial properties residents the it looks like to me when I read bill aluminum requirements are lot more stringent. And we can't meet the you can't meet those requirements for like I live in the middle of nowhere okay so light my yards only light I have the street lights right date nine right so that light in my yard today if this bill passes they're going to come remove it because it doesn't meet these requirements and by revealing that statute that was already there you're taking that ability leave that like their long number private citizens or if I want that life is my right to have your life sure yes so can be taken away as we have written this okay so on that situation it's if the light is there an lights good to help the the life flight status if and when the time comes to if and when the time comes to replace the like then the light would need to be installed to the to the to the specifications I don't want to that point that you're making are like bills already went high we already had a brown outs or whatever and they're fit about that three weeks ago whenever it was four weeks ago. So if they have to go out in that area like mind wanders a House every five miles or six miles and I got replace all these lights because this new law I will have to pay for that is a ratepayer so my cost is going will as well. So how are we address and address and not in this bill so level we may be two different things so that that's one or fixture we need to be replaced so as not unless something dramatic happens every fixture in the valley where you live is not gonna go out all the same time. The fixtures that are required here are the ones that again meet the guidelines so especially in the residential areas those are the areas where people live and people sleep and especially if you're in a rural area the poor lighting has a greater impact on the local environment than say lighting here in the in the in the city does so we want to use the compliant lighting for not only the health of our citizens but also the health of the local environment that being said there's provisions in the bill that says that if you would if you as a property owner wants something else put up because I agree that you know if you want to let your guard up like the noon day sun you should have that right to to be able to do so this says that if you purchase a fixture from a third party that the utility can go ahead and install and and maintain it. For Mr so I'm going to go back in the queue okay fine or a representative Payton you're recognized. Thank you Mr so a lot of my concerns are similar to representative Wardlaw though about Miller country my night security light is the only thing within a half a mile in any direction I have a house to shops and a lot of equipment sitting there not one light is like not all of. Your bill says the limit of eighteen hundred all lumens right. Okay I expect out live that life I know my last a long time but I expect out live. And the other day I bought a fluorescent fixture for my wife's laundry room that was thirty two hundred lumens in any bright enough and a little ten by ten room so how can I expect eighteen hundred lumens to do the job that was done right I think you've got confusion what this says is fits over eighteen hundred lumens. So eighteen hundred lumens is as the caught also eighteen hundred lumens is equivalent to the old hundred seventy five watt light ball was what I didn't want to do is I didn't want to enter virtually catch like you know Christmas lights and decorative lights and things like that or saying is if the light is brighter than eighteen hundred then it needs to be at these proper color temperatures as as determined by the medical association so I mean you can say the electric utility shall not install. If it's over eighteen hundred lumens unless it meets those color temperature requirements yeah that's something I'm not familiar with so so that so and that is so the light can be any brightness that you need so there's no limit on the brightness so the one limit that's place there's a color temperature as the US thanks to the staff of science is showing us that blue light at night that's the dangerous life and it makes sense when humans and anybody are you know any of the creatures and environments we see blue day like scat sky and it affects hormones and things within the human body so at night you want to limit exposure to that blue light and that's why on your cell phone there's actually a blue light filter and I highly encourage you if you don't put to use that filter so what this is saying is we install that life make as bright as you want but make sure it is not a blue rich light so for example the lighting here is about four thousand Kelvin which is a normal day like types like a three thousand Calvin would be like a warm white to be kind of similar to that kind of the lighting on that wall there's kind of a yellowish color so what we're saying is you can install as bright as you want just make sure it's that color temperature or warmer that makes sense no represent the explanation. President Emmerson you're recognized for a question. Of course one of the concerns I hear is the cost to cities are there federal grants or partnerships with energy companies to help pay for this I do not know if there's anything like that available I've actually X. explored a tax credit to help trying to promote this within the state but as you all know there's a lot of great ideas for tax credit so I don't know that that that's going to go anywhere however that being said these fixtures are are generally fifty percent more energy efficient and last three times longer than the current ones that we've got out there so and the cost to purchase them is currently on par with the cost of the conventional fixtures so by making these investments the city's what will actually save money in the long term as a matter of fact municipalities that run their own electric companies for example Conway Corp in Conway they're already installing these fixtures because it makes financial sense to do so and but unfortunately with the utilities everybody else is basically at the their mercy for what they offer and utilities are driven by profit and so they're just gonna install the the cheapest thing out there. To get the biggest profit and not do of necessarily what's in the best interest of our from our citizens as a matter of fact I was sitting with the co ops last session as we talked about this bill and talk to them about the very well established link between cancer and for outdoor lighting and they refuse to acknowledge that that even Act existed and I'm by any of you that got your laptop open go to you know do a Google search of light pollution cancer and you'll see all sorts of research that comes up invalidates that that link is there and that link is strong. Representative glad you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman thank you representative makes you just touched on my question just could you give me a little education on what types of cancer this like pollution causes that sure sure so but obviously your medical professional so you probably understand this more than more than I do but what happens at night is when we sleep our brain produces melatonin but melatonin is only produced in the absence of life so if there's any likeness of the sciences become all status it's blue light in the environment at night it's suppresses the melatonin production and so the cancers that are typically driven by this are ones that are affected by melatonin so um hormone related breast cancer or prostate cancer or the two main ones that you typically see also because melatonin is suppressed it suppresses the the sleep cycle which leads to issues with everything from cardiac issues diabetes or weight gain And and a couple others you know insomnia all those have been related to this Blue Ridge lighting and I. you know most of us have probably seen the studies that talk about you know don't let your kids play with cell phone right before bed time because of the blue light issue and we have citizens that are living you know under the street lamps that are shining this blue light into their. At night and. It's not the. The light itself is not going to cause the cancer but it's going to create the conditions where night after night after night after night and night that will promote these cancers there been studies done with nurses that work night shifts at night and that they see large increases in the number of breast cancer again it's DO this exposure to blue rich light at night and so what I'm trying to do here is over time how do we move in a direction where we reduce that blue light at night using industry standard so I'm not asking for anything you know crazy I'm not trying to get rid of the lighting at night when trying to do is when it comes time to replace these fixtures why don't we put in the fixtures that are compliant with the industry standards to help promote a better night time environment and to reduce our risk of cancer on our citizens. Representative Wardlaw you're recognized. Representative Bentley you're recognized. Thank you chairman I know that is replace the light fixtures in my business in my plant was some up to twenty five thousand lumens a daylight phenomenal and there are a hundred twenty dollars apiece Payton statement a look for you you get those that represent Payton but anyway I I'm just really the is decreased by electricity and is a amazingly great difference so I thank god every night that's about I know you feel is the one in the start of this really important so that we can make this happen and economical way for cities and for our utilities I sure like to see it happen so I appreciate very much for that was my question but it's hard to say that I don't see a great improvement my business with anybody we have they're much much improved it wasn't that expensive thank you. Senate Perry you're recognized. There we have the chairman. Representative makes this is the standard you spoke about that allow for the lights to be pointed up or out for security purposes so would generally you're not going to have that on highways and parking lots so that normally should not be an issue however there are provisions within the bill that if you get into an excessive cost so and this goes back to the cost concern that that several you raise again I don't think it'll be an issue going forward because the lighting costs these days or or compare bill but if the cost to become compliant with this is more than a hundred and ten percent of going with the the the more polluting fixtures then as city has the opportunity to opt out of that project and just install whatever there's also Flexibility that says if the governing body sees compelling safety issue or concern that they also can opt out so those provisions are in there this the city just have to say it's you know to their cost there's either a cost factor or there's a safety factor the the current law already says that a municipality can opt out for a excessive cost issue. But the problem is when this was first passed back in two thousand six the City of Little Rock said it's too expensive we offer our selves out in perpetuity and they have basically. Thank nor the law ever since and because out of themselves out perpetuity And so there's no clarity on. Do they have to do this per project do they have to do it when they come up to a new you know the second time and so it creates a lot of confusion and the original intent of the first law was not to pass an ordinance and say you know we're good we don't need to abide by this from now throughout all eternity that wasn't the intent but that's what it what in effect is happening that's why this the current law is basically useless so what this bill does is it says that you can opt out of provisions but you have to specify you know the street and you have to specify you know that it's for this one project you know twenty years from now if you go to redo it then you would do the same cost analysis for that for that project so it helps better define those terms. Somewhat more lighting for safety and security others want less but we're talking about the illuminance requirements in this bill thank you was a figure of eighteen hundred that would require many of our co ops to just totally get rid of all their floodlights immediately. They would meet this requirement that's a significant investment that co ops were not profit driven of this representative makes mentioned earlier we're nonprofit co ops that are owned by our members we would have to pass those costs right on through our members so it's very complex there's a lot of things that go on with lighting some of these requirements here require custom fixtures significant investment Ali know that we could keep the supplies in the stock in to maintain all the illuminance requirements for all the lights that we have out there would be you almost have to add more overhead more people just to deal with that so it's sort of a mandate that coming unfunded mandate that we just don't think is an issue or problem I appreciate president makes is you know working on this but we just would oppose this bill. Representable you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair up Mister Thomas I just wanna clarify I mean this bill is come along in some form or fashion since at least twenty fifteen have you tried to work with representative makes in the interim to to try to come to terms so that we don't so that we we have a reserve board we we've assured him that when we when it's time to replace fixtures or lighting we do it to the standard we have one co op that. Does it to the night skies Association standards we met with representative makes and associate of his Bruce McMath they told that call up you're doing a good but it's still not good enough even though we're meeting the night sky standards we were told a few years ago that. They wanted to make the buffalo river the first national dark sky river we had to have this bill will that actually happen to year two ago a couple years ago they got that designation without the legislation so we're we're doing these things we have to do on you know as time goes we replace it with LED efficient lighting we have the appropriate fixtures on all but it seems like the more we do it's still not good enough to meet these stringent standards. Any other questions. Represent Wardlaw you're recognized thank you Mr the Mr Thomas do you see this is a is a taken freedom away from individuals like in rural areas and dictating what those people can have from the state level yes I do represent Wardlaw what we like to say it's a very complex issue it's hard to please everyone with lighting and we have some that the for instance want more lighting for safety and security. Thank you. Okay any other questions. Thank you Mr thank you Mr Thomas three comments. All right seeing no further cat questions is there anyone else here who will speak for the bill against the bill. Seeing none are you ready close for you will I am. So college on respond to a few things that Mr Kirkley said first off he per day has a misunderstanding of the bill that the bill doesn't say that you can only put up eighteen hundred lumens as I said earlier in my testimony the bill states that if it is brighter than eighteen hundred lumens and that's when it needs to come into compliance so that part was wrong as far as working with me on it we did have a visit very early on but generally just to be Frank what to and up happening with this is I sent out copies to them I get absolutely this last go around I got no feedback because they know what they can do they come in here and they're raising concerns to you all cry file and they can defeat the bill so they don't have to work with me to actually improve the situation as far as the you know having to pass this bill to get the bubble flow river that that's completely different different tying. I'm I'm gonna end by saying this back in two thousand six Sam Ledbetter was a senator he passed a bill with the laudable goal of trying to improve the night sky Alighting here in Arkansas or the outdoor lighting here in Arkansas. It was an overly simplistic bill that has since become outdated that has basically become a set almost worthless it creates a massive liability not only for our cities but also for our state government in the current legislation the way the claw currently reads there are zero exceptions for state agencies so perfect example over war Memorial Stadium because that is now a state funded deal is against the law for them to fix the lighting fixtures that will light up the football field at night using state funds it is against the law should the lights that light up the capitol dome and I go out it is currently against the law for the secretary of state to replace that using state funds now obviously we all know the laws being ignored not only here within the state but is also being ignored on city and county it creates a huge liability sold beginning my freshman year in two thousand ten because my interest in stargazing that you all know that I have I began a good faith effort to try to resolve the problem I have worked with all of our state agencies I've made a good faith effort to talk to the utilities as I said and I've talked with energy I've also tried to work with the utilities last time date and again Mr Kirkley just denied it was a problem again and obviously they're going to because if it does become a liability issue they don't want to admit any kind of fault so I guess and by by saying this is because I've made good faith efforts to try to resolve this issue as it stands right now the only reason to vote no on this is either because you don't think this is an issue or you think that the you know we need to protect our utilities. There are a lot of good reasons the vote for this though by voting for this we ensure that Arkansas does remain the natural state at night there is currently no where in the state of Arkansas forgets and actually dark at night. The closer you get to the city's the worst that gets if you're one of my fellow conservatives at night when you look over the City of Little Rock can you see that bright glow. That is tax dollars or that is the dollars of your constituents that is being used to produce that glow think of how much money it cost to generate that glow over our cities at night. Huge amount of money in that cost is not only in dollars but also cost us and health to the environment it also cost is and health to our fellow citizens so what I'm asking is help me better prepare Arkansas for the future by taking these steps is a reasonable step I'm not asking for anything outlandish here I'm saying that as we go forward install outdoor lighting systems to the industry standards and with that colleagues I'll. The sensually let you decide the the future of this issue for our state now appreciate a good vote. The representative makes is close for his bill was will of committee. Representative Bentley you're recognized. I appreciate your heart I'm gonna find vote do pass. Okay have a motion of do pass any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay also knows haven't. Thanks. Representative bills fail. Of. Next on the agenda is representative Lundstrum. H. B. fifteen seventy two. You're recognized to present your bill. Thank you colleagues H. B. fifteen seventy two is a informed consent on chemical abortions it does not impact a chemical abortion it just adds a seventy two hour waiting period and gives all the risk and alternatives to chemical abortions and also informs the woman that is reversible and give her all the information about that chemical abortion. That's pretty much the bill Sturch straightforward information does not stop the abortion. With that I'll entertain questions. Questions one thought on the reversible there have been six hundred approximately babies that women have chosen to reverse and they decided to keep the baby. Any questions from committee. Seeing none of we have no one signed up to speak for against the bill is there anyone. In the audience who wants to speak against the bill. Please come to the table is yourself. Please okay. Please enter lose yourself and who you represent. My name is Karen music I represent the Arkansas abortion support network. And I did sign up online I'm sorry I don't know where that confusion was. I've read each of these abortion restrictions as they've come before your body. Thank you for this opportunity to hear some other for voice. Words matter the words in this bill matter. Chemical abortion. Why. These words are purposefully misleading and lies no abortion can be reversed because some people have had certain things happen this is not the medically approved procedure. We know this. We also know that family counsel is crucial to so many of you holding your seat your elected seat. And Family council has decided that what's in my body belongs to the state of Arkansas. They have decided what belong what is in my body. Is an unborn child when I'm pregnant. Family council is also a tax exempt organization the same as my organization. But they have an evangelical zeal. This deal I'm speaking of here is not this deal to see sold in the kingdom of heaven. It's a zeal to pass laws that restrict my right to control my body. When a human being is pregnant and they know it. They also know the difference between a pregnancy and a child. The months it takes the seasons it takes to nurture. This pregnancy into a child. Does not come up with the vessel having her rights removed from her. A legal abortion is a medical procedure. Physicians are present nurses are present social workers are present and many more. But you would replace it with unsafe abortions. For the poorest people. I was present as a with the woman on a date and she was terminating her pregnancy for reasons most of us would understand I would challenge any of you to but I'm not going into her details. Was a hard day for this family she was there with her husband her parents. Grandparents were babysitting other children already at home. This family requested prayer inside of the medical facility and guidance from caring loving Christians. But is this family was leaving the safety of this medical clinic. On the street a woman with a shrieking loud voice said very loudly and I'm not going to do it is loud simply because my heart to cannot and do or its. You will always remember this mother's day as the day you murdered your baby. Someone thought it necessary to shout that at a stranger on one of the most difficult days of their lives. What kind of person goes out and shouts at strangers about their choice this woman thought she had no more tears left to cry. As they explained to me they were unaware of the weekends being mother's day simply because the last two weeks have been going back and forth traveling to doctor after doctor after doctor to try to find a solution. This was a very wanted child that could not live. But it seems to me like family counsel is selling us on a vengeful god. A god that will hold you to account for a choice that is different than their interpretation of scriptures. Most of us do not worship a vengeful god. Most of the issues that you stay on the bill please. I expect my legislature to please pass laws free from your religious beliefs. I believe you have a right to teach your children the way you want to you can hate as much as you want. But the right to add your interpretation of scripture and coated by it into law because family council says so. Is not right and you need to think of your role in that thank you for letting me speak thank you for your comments. US or anyone in the audience will speak for the bill yes you're recognized please come the table entities yourself and who you represent. Williams can you hang on the director of government affairs at Arkansas family council which was not going to speak of until our organization was mentioned I will speak on the bill I want to dress just couple things were five oh one C. three non partisan we don't we never have endorsed candidates all of these legislators or you'll do everything on your own fruition. I in our organisation of the zeal to save unborn babies and this bill is modeled on a twenty fifteen women's right to know act. Everyone always wants to you know talk about abortion not having abortions all paint a picture a real live picture for. If you're twenty fourteen you pass that bill. That bill to this day. Has saved over five to six hundred unborn babies each year and think about that in the terms of twenty twenty one and twenty fifteen and then law was in effect in twenty sixteen that's five to six hundred kindergarteners going to starting their first day of school. That's what you can take to the bank. Regards to chemical abortions in two Oct two thousand four fourteen percent of Mauritians were done chemically. Now over forty two percent are done chemically. Would love for you all to support this bill would be happy to answer any questions. Any questions from committee. Thank you for your comments thank you. anyone else here to speak against the bill. For the bill. Wardlaw you're recognized I have a motion do pass the proper time. He would oppose the bill. All right I have a motion do pass for a representative Wardlaw discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries congratulations your bill is passed. next item on the agenda is Senator Ballinger. is B. three forty one. Senator you're recognized to present your bill. Thank you Mr there's amendment that need to be adopted first offense okay with the committee. Committee that amendments coming around. If it's not too complicated you want to go and discuss your committee adds it is very very simple so it what it does is it actually includes the word physically instance of just obstructs there were some people in higher ed that had a little bit concerned that the bill the weights drafted would but in able to people who are just protesting decision of the of the higher it to to be disappointed because of the fact that they have disagreement publicly discreetly for I I don't think it would have been interpreted this way but by making this simple amendment it takes care of their concerns. Of us give the committee a few minutes to. Look at that and see if any questions. I have a motion to adopt any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay Motian carries the amendment as been adopted you're recognized to present your bill as amended thank you Mr I I'm happy I'll go over this pretty quickly kids fairly simple but I'm happy to answer any questions a person has so what this says is basically the state we're gonna adopt a policy that state actors tax payer entities in the state that we have control over that we're not going to do collective bargaining that we will discipline appointees who decide to strike who walk off the job and so forth you know that this isn't that's been adopted and in many states effect prior to about the nineteen sixties this was actually the most common practice until the nineteen sixties to use the public sector unions even in existence at all that there's famous quote by Franklin Delano Roosevelt says how basically it with the public sector union that they're they run completely afoul of the of the duties of the office for them to strike can take any kind of a violent actions hi you know this doesn't prohibit them from unionizing I've heard that quite a bit it doesn't prohibit that it just prohibit state actors from from negotiating with them through a collective bargaining agreement entered mandate state actors to to discipline individuals who walk off the job as part of a of labor activity. Happy to answer any questions so that there is a specific exemption for the for local so counties and and and cities will have the ability to still do it if they want to I think it's a bad idea bad policy but I also believe that cities and counties have their own policy makers if they wanna make bad choices then we'll let him do that and along the same lines the police and fire we exempted them out of it because they have their own ability to do that with local entities. Committee any questions. Seeing no questions from committee we do have three people that have signed up to speak against the bill. Clarence Elliott if you would go to the table and introduce yourself. And who you represent. said It refers to Little Rock I represent the union for the City of Little Rock. You're recognized. What we see the problem with this bill is you know is. People going in you saying that the bill is designed if you pretty much fired somebody for two people coming to office talking about to be talking about their jobs the problem that they finally job and we do see a big problem with that you know because this yes that should be our right we find a problem with the job we should be able to speak that problem to the management I mean mostly blue most employees say have open door policy so we see no why why is it a problem to bring we got two or three people as having the same problem coming in at the same time it happened it also now the Bill pass and now to go in they got the opportunity fireable for that state. We find that a proper. Any questions from committee. President Boyd you're recognized. I'm sorry I'm asking you the question but we might just have to follow up with Senator Ballinger understood you to say your friend employ the City of Little Rock but I understood Senator Ballinger to say cities or municipalities are excluded from this bill so I just want to make sure. I was understanding. I do see citizen was cool but also guide sisters teach as a teacher's teacher's aide I got other family members a in other parts does not part of the CD. So I'm speaking of their behalf just as well as the rest. Any further questions. Seeing none thank you for your comments. Regardless more. You would please go to the table. See in the waiting room. Okay. Tracy Nelson are you in the room if you would go to the table and lose yourself and who you represent. Good afternoon Mr chairman my name's Tracey Ann Nelson I'm the executive director of the Arkansas education association. You're recognized thank you Hey Senator could see you again. As a professional organization working for quality and equitable public schools in our state We are concerned with this bill and as we think already in our state we have limited access to bargaining but this bill directly targets are educators are educators who have shown up every single day at schools and in every possible way teaching students transporting them and serving their meals since the beginning of the pandemic knowing that they've put themselves and their families at risk. We believe educator should be respected not attacked. Arkansas as educators. Have been meeting what's been asked of them. For several years now and deserve to be treated as professionals they deserve the same rights as other esteem to public employees and the same opportunity to have their voices heard. Why is it okay for police officers and firefighters and transit workers to have access to engaging with their employer but not educators. This bill also attacks a work force that is made up mostly of women. I don't understand why that's okay. Educators know the names and faces of each child that hops on a bus. Walks into a school building and signs on signs and online don't they deserve to have the ability to talk to their employer about conditions about students. The public educational workforce should be should not be singled out and stripped of access to working with their employer to support the needs of students and to advocate for quality school environments Senator Ballinger said I forget what word he used just now. Discipline. In fact the bill calls for them to be fired page three and I haven't seen the updated version so I apologize if I'm referring to the wrong thing Page three line eleven states a public employee shall be terminated not disciplined and we I'm happy to talk about that if you want to this removes the employer's ability to make decisions about their workforce and pre amps of their knowledge of context to exercise their discretion in employment decisions Arkansas educators and know first hand the struggles that their students are experiencing not only during this pandemic but also beyond and before this bill would strip their right to advocate for students to help improve student learning conditions and student success. Students and student centered issues are at the heart of our advocacy efforts at the end of the day our calling is to support students and utilize our professional expertise to help students learn and grow as long as long time professionals devoted to public service our educators being singled out it seems that way with this legislation. This bill distracts legislators from working toward improving the lives our of our can Arkansas's families. And Arkansas is public sector workforce has and continues to work in the best interest of our state. The work that they do or have and have done and the things that have we have achieved through collective bargaining are on the foundations of what it what you as public sector workers yourselves benefit from your retirement with dignity health insurance provided by the people of Arkansas are just some of the examples that have been gained through collective bargaining Mister chair I'm going to close with this the truth is educators have a responsibility to Arkansas students that they readily embrace and carry out I urge you to stand with Arkansas as educators and protect their right to have a voice in our state's future and not to be diminished and devalued by this legislation. Committee any questions. Seeing none thank you for your comments thank you Mr. Regardless more if you would please. All right the is there anyone else here who would speak for the bill. Against the bill. Seeing none are you ready to close for your bill senator. Yes Mr thank you just cover a couple things one is the representative boards point the municipalities are not covered say little rock would be covered and and one thing that I kind of address but I wanna make sure it's really clear is that if a person has a grievance or whether it's with their the state agency or if it's a teacher they have the ability to address there's nothing in here that would prohibit that and that's one of the reasons why we included the clarification language they have to physically obstruct that the fit physically impede the operation of the of the entity and it. You know I'm a former public school teacher. I love to teach and guide for most people I worked with were wonderful people and I would even say that most problems with public education really falls more on the ministry of side you know started my superintendent friends that it is the classroom but most people choose to to go to a classroom that there because I love the kids. The problem is not the teacher at the problem is I think it's a culture that sometimes surrounds the union itself. At I mean I I agree the teacher should be treated with dignity but one thing I would say aye I remember video maybe you guys senator the kind of with a little bit viral here in Arkansas of last year when the when the Little Rock had teachers union decided to to have a job action which is what the supply to the job action labor action the little lady at I have a problem not nice super may be offended if I said that will say an older lady who's pulling a cart binder with books or something in the car who was just trying to get to her kids that she loves just trying to get to the class and she went up to the picket line people were laughing on the picket line smiling their standing there she went up the picket line came back the picket line she couldn't get through to her kids. You know she made the comment that the teachers show up every day. Ninety eight percent of them do most of them do on that date a lot of them didn't and not only did they not show up. Because of a. I mean really it was it was political wasn't it because we weren't paying enough wasn't because of of not having insurance it was because from a policy standpoint the the the the people in charge of Little Rock School District so they weren't going to do collective bargaining and so they showed up to have a job action had a sick out and and in doing so people who want to get to the kids and actually educate the kids who love didn't have passion for they also repeated from getting there this is not about targeting teachers like I said I love them and and and they do they they do yeoman's work but this is about targeting people who want to utilize their system utilize their power in such a manner that's against public policy and so every every so that I I'm it appreciate your time and I would ask for a good vote. Representantes you're recognized. Motion do pass as amended. I have a motion do pass as amended any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Congratulations your bill is passed center thank you Committee. Okay you of we're going to move into the consent agenda. SP three forty four we're going to pass so hopefully Missouri No representative cloud. Your represent you're recognized to present S. B. three forty four. I got the wrong Davis there sorry. You're recognized. Representative Joe clout thank you Mr chairman thank you committee with the chairs permission I'll bring up miss McKenzie for any legal questions yes please a introduce yourself and who you represent. Thank you Mr chair and committee my name is brandy McAllister I'm at the association of Arkansas counties and their oversee all of litigation the consent of the county jails in Arkansas. Thank you apologize I missed Mr Nash okay yes Committee Senate bill three forty four is brought to us by the Arkansas association of counties and the sheriff's association there are instances where some of our county's jails do not have contracted medical service and as we're aware the co morbidities in our society or just increasing so problems like hypertension obesity and diabetes as there as they get more prevalent in our society they get more prevalent in our jails and so if there's not someone there that has been trained to draw up the inmate's insulin or glucagon and in the unfortunate situation if the inmate is allowed to do that then they can they can fudge on their doses and they can create problems they can have to be transferred to the hospital and things like this so what this bill does it just allows a licensed nurse or a certified medical professional to train once a year the employee or employees designated by that facility to draw up those medications and then they are self administered by the inmate just like they would be at home and so with that all day for free comments. Did you have any comments at I'm available for questions and I think he covered that the gist of it but if there's any questions I'm happy to answer all right committee any questions. Yes representative Pilkington motion for immediate consideration. What's the we don't have a motion yep motion do pass. You have a motion to do pass. And then a motion of meetings that race. Okay the motion is do pass and the secondary motion is me consideration all in favor of immediate consideration say aye. All opposed nay moshing carries the motion as do pass all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay motion carries congratulations your bill is passed thank you chairman thank you Committee. Okay Committee H. B. fifteen forty five we're gonna pass over that. Then go down to S. B. one eighty nine. A representative Johnson you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair committee Senate bill one eighty nine simply adds non emergency transport to the already existing permit upper payment limit supplemental program that we have for the ambulances that excludes schedule DHS nonmandatory at transport in a non emergency transports that would be schedule by someone other than the ambulance gonna have to try to answer any questions on anything that has any. Any questions from committee. Seeing none we have is there anyone here in the audience to speak against the bill. For the bill. Seeing none ready clothes for your bill yes Mister chairman close from a bill. With the will of committee. I have a motion do pass by representative board any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay moshing carries congratulations bills passed thank you Mr. I think you're up next yes Senate bill twenty two U. S. B. twenty two you're recognized thank you Mr committee members this is a bill that updates and qualifications for folks that are doing at an orthodontic prosthetic assistant program so essentially the education is outpaced what our current qualifications are there's a master's program now that allows individuals to be dual certified in both orthopedic some prosthetics so this adds that language to recognize that that creation process it initially it it adds language recognizing a residency program and then the house in existence that has in the past it also has some qualifications regard to science courses this is an industry supported a piece of legislation and there's no known opposition having to try to answer any questions a committee any questions. The representative you're recognized. The second apprenticeship thing Mister is this like a partnership trending yes there's a there's there's a do as I understand it is a dual track I don't know Fund and diving in so that shouldn't be there they're currently. I would say I would say that's not exactly what this is like at all. The other questions. Seeing no further questions or anyone here to speak against the bill for the bill. Seeing that you're a closed reveals some of them Mr thank you have a motion do pass the representative board any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. Those opposed nay motion carries congratulations Mister chairman. Okay he or a representative Penzo you're recognized to present HB eleven ninety nine. Thank you Mr. House bill eleven ninety nine is designed all for reporting relief to pest control operators interleaved Arkansas department of agriculture from document storage right now of pest control companies have to load up complete files and boxes and deliver room to be stored this would provide to this bill changes reporting to a simple monthly summary page of new customers they can be dragged by the department of agriculture summary page will be sent to the reporting agency monthly as have been previously required to complete of complete documents so pretty much what we're doing is just making it to where pest control companies or store their own files and just given the summary page to the department of agriculture ms Mississippi and Louisiana currently do this Tennessee Missouri and Oklahoma don't even require reporting so it's pretty much just. Report page there is storage requirements are on the pest control company and if there's ever any issues they have to bring forth materials. Is there any any known opposition no. Committee any questions. You're recognized representative McGee thank you Mr. What are do you know what the requirements are for the pest control companies like how long they don't have to keep those records or anything like that or I don't I don't know how long they have to be stored it's is that my understanding it's as long as the contract is in place okay so I mean you know being in the real estate world I know that I've had not terminate policy with same company on some houses for years I mean so they they could be required to store the documents for up to twenty years okay I don't know I mean so so long will it be their liability I would follow and I would say would be their liability if there was ever a question that have to have the records right right okay thanks thank you Mr I know in real estate we have to save our our files and I know that the of course we've gone digital so that's also an option on you know is to per month driver some kind of digital format. Any other questions from committee. Seeing none anyone here to speak against the bill. For the bill. Seeing none really close for your bill close thank you. What if motion motion to pass I have a motion do pass any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries congratulations your bill is passed thank you Committee. K. E. representative Bryant is he here Sam. Representative Pilkington are you ready to present HB fourteen thirty nine. You're recognized thank you as many of you know representative Mary Bentley passed a great bill last session the volunteer healthcare of Ontario care program and so there's a list of people who can use this program and we're just wanting to add a therapists and addiction specialists and counselors they're able to volunteer and get CME credit hours for this methyl so there's no known opposition. Right any questions from committee. Seeing none anyone here to speak against the bill. For the bill. C. ninety eight close for your bill I'm close to make a motion to pass I have a motion do pass any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries in resolution the bill is passed. Okay representative Coleman are you ready to present as B. two forty. You're recognized to present your bill. Thank you Mr chairman and I'll as Mr Michael good faith to come to the table for any questions if you would please introduce yourself and he represents. Michael Gruppe department environment. Representive you're recognized to present the bill thank you in this Senate bill two forty is to amend the. The law concerning nonmunicipal domestic sewage treatment basically it is a public facility board and public water authority in there in one of the purpose of this is each year that these have to go back and be included especially language and that kind of find them whistle. Save time for the department as well as the committees and as Mr related it explain anything further did you have any comments he done a great job so far. All right committee any questions. Seeing none anyone who speak against the bill for the bill. Seeing none really close for your bill close of the bill moved do pass have a motion do pass any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries congratulations your bill is passed thank you Committee. Thank you will committee this might be a first we got through the whole agenda is not even. Five o'clock yet. Emails game thing do I can't until at this certainly. Thank you all for your attention and we are adjourned.