City, County & Local Affairs Committee - Senate

Thank you there. First run it. Sure say the corpsman to call this meeting to order Uh we're going to hold off on the. Senate bills four fifty six for just a second let Senator Garner. President. Senate bill one seventy one but he's not going to run it is just going to talk a few minutes and. Well what later some senator garner you're recognized thank you chairman so I filed this bill about a month ago and work or state police to figure out the number I know they reached out to take the lead and and that department see defined number J. cream to me this morning and said that he kind of miss that they were supposed to do it I fiscal impact on this because Special Revenue so honestly I put this on the agenda because second find out how much money the so called soccer trying to fix that before reading amazingly I put on the agenda I got the number this morning so in that respect the state police in this body not actually having a number of report down talking figure out like if make it revenue neutral there's some other means to run again there's going to go up. Of. Our. So senator senator garner. When when you expect brings back I'd like to do it next week assuming I can find the money C. is it the number Jake said this more is about eighty five eighty six thousand if I correct yeah hello side of that little bit more and I have a bill about the file that should be a revenue stream and is some of that dedicated specifically to Arkansas state police so I I want to find out how much I owe him on this before filed other bill to try to make sure how the money works out make sure I'm covered and I think it will but that's why did it part this part so we went on the fiscal impact next week put it back on the agenda that shall that's the plan right now Sir you know things could change more but that's my plan thank thank you senator garner Senator Rice if you want to come up chair. Search for you are recognized to present this four five six. Thank you Mr chairman thank you Committee Senate bill one seventy one the does really one main thing it raises the threshold is from any usage Senate bill one seventy one. You will Senate bill four five six. Okay. It. Thank you Mr chairman. Senate bill four fifty six Senate bill four fifty six are those a couple things to the main thing it does it raises the threshold for competitors competitive bidding and counties from twenty to thirty five thousand hi of. I think the last time a correct me if I'm wrong the last time this is been raised back in two thousand seven and based on the consumer price index that is inflation is one up a. A lot since then I talk to all for my county judges in my district all form tell me basically the same thing and the they had not talked to one another they just said that the price of goods and and other things have one up so much that they were having a bit basically on everything they do. So this would this would certainly help them in fact Franklin County judge to review Bowman told me that they had took a bit for some cameras do on their new jail. And a bit that you they had to wait for a long time just to get one B. and it was thirty four thousand so. Thank you saw they'll tell me this this would help them to get things done because of the price of goods and commodities and one up just astronomical so. Other than that judge. Do we have any questions from the committee for Senator Stubblefield. Judge you for the ninety questions give you a bit about yourself you're recognized. yes Sir Mr chairman Dugger went on the local county judge the legislative chair for all the county judges association. And here today on behalf of support of this bill we feel like the is chairman Stubblefield said it's been since two thousand seven senses have been addressed. And we feel Act not only has everything went up in price but the we would be more efficient you know he he mentioned one example I can think of another one friend since we're a phone system. You know that used to you get about for probably ten thousand dollars. You know could cost two thirty today perfect we're in the process of of doing that now of. That protectorate example does not create an emergency but the the efficiency having to the time frame that you have to bid this stuff out we're all aware of the fact that you know things are certainly a lot. Cost a lot more today than they did fourteen years ago so the main thing was to just try to bring this up to times in in being more efficient with with tax dollars. The thank you degree we're we're not just factored in inflation we're right now and and if I don't think anybody expected I'll go back the other way we or seeing jump across the board and roll product and material so it's putting pressure on everyone of questions from Senator Clark you're recognized. Also. Of the judge this also be questions for Arkansas Association county because I'm assuming this is an AC bill Centerville yes. Why is it that when we raised these that we always raise all by more than the inflation rate. The of two thousand seven two thousand twenty one twenty six point two percent inflation rate would take us to twenty five thousand versus thirty five thousand why do we keep raising the amount again not because inflation I certainly understand but why do we keep raising the amounts under what that we. The. Good for. Well let me read let me just read to you what city I went from two thousand seven the consumer price index is well known gauge of inflation in the United States other threshold CPI's based on the cost of living point eighteen of nineteen eighty to nineteen eighty four. In two thousand three the C. P. was one eighty four. When the Arkansas change the threshold in two thousand seven the CPI was two oh seven three four two increase of twenty three three four two. And that two thousand nineteen the CPI was two hundred fifty five six five seven which is an increase of forty eight three one five all states are raising there's the threshold. because of this in a Beijing on the CPI this hasn't been changed in fourteen years. So it. You know in for inflation is one up so much in what some of these judges were telling me it's not just inflation all the judges told me the same thing they're having trouble getting bids because there's not that people to do the jobs. There's a like Tricia's not plumbers there's not a lot of these individuals that you they just don't especially rural counties this is more of. True in rural counties and it is in a larger County but the inning Jenna this adult is not a permanent thing or the temporary thing because we're having lots of problems right now and in funding labor and funny material but. But laws permanent and those situations are not necessarily permanent. There's a reason why we say you have to get bills in government. Unless it's all under a certain amount. And again I've originally assume two percent a year and compounded it and came up to twenty seven five but then I went back and actually looked it up and looks at the CBS twenty six point two from two thousand seven to two thousand twenty one which comes to write it twenty five the taxes from twenty thousand twenty five thousand. and but. It's not picking on this bill but it's every time that we that we ask for a raise it's always. Well more than inflation I'm not picking you Senator don't build your car in their bill And I'm one of what it's always that we need to raise that amount. Is there a particular problem and I'm this is a. The real question is a particular problem in the bid process. If I may. A yes Sir shins Clark if I may I want to address the fact that the CPI's to be exact number is twenty five thousand eighty Bucks that's what it would have been if you calculated that from the time of from two thousand seven to date. Or actually to the end of twenty not today. twenty twenty skews me now in that CPI what it does it takes every product in consideration so that's really not a fair assessment to what we do. it's it's every thing from a can of beans to. Two of. Call a paper trail to whatever so that number is kind of skewed a little bit for the county's actually. Because we don't. We don't participate in a lot of those products. Of the county judges of you know for instance You know lumber if you're repairing a bridge or something you know it went up like fifty two percent I think you probably more familiar that anybody or ring of metal. A mental coverage. if you have a wash out somewhere in it took you. Five six thousand dollar covers. To replace that in in it's an emergency situation with yet took time to build that out it could take you of. Three weeks four weeks I would say there's no way you can do it less than three weeks I mean that would just be a minimal and then there's incidences and and I realize that there's a lot of exclusions and in this state were exempt from. But. That the numbers that you're referring to is twenty five thousand I think that gives us a true picture of what we're talking about here today that actually affects us. I'm not sure how the materials accounted purchaser or higher than the CPI use lumber and again not since I've been a lot of our the biggest boat Parmalat we don't expect lumber. To stay where it's at sure by any means flooring on the other hand is way below that twenty five percent over the last of fourteen years of. The cars are way higher of the so that that would be one of those things that you would purchase it would be hard but you also have do have an exemption for emergency purchases right. Yes Sir and in some instances. Because if there's something we need to do their I just but again ten thousand dollars is a big jump from inflation I mean we've got five thousand which is inflation and then we have triple that basically of this what we've done but I appreciate your answer was one will let me just add one more thing Senator Clark and we've all noticed this in the last several months fuel is almost doubled in some cases diesel fuel and in fact I talked to a when the judge you today said they couldn't even they couldn't guarantee them to get a lot of fuel. So there's a lot more involved in the in the city I didn't really reflect all of these things that happen in a short period of time and sometimes they level out sometimes they don't. But I think this would give the judges more flexibility in order to get projects done and and and make them more efficient so. Do you have. I had I had one more thought and comment that I would like to express you know I respect a limit on on bittrex shells. As much as anybody and I understand why they're in place and certainly they need to be. But. If if it's to control of an individual on how much the leverage early way they may have there's one thing you can't do and that's legislative morals. So it really didn't wouldn't matter if this number was ten thousand or fifty thousand if somebody was in the. The intent to be the process so to speak or or circumvent that the bid process so I just want to share that also thanks reimbursement we we will understand you can't legislate morals there are. Some things get tripped up if if there's more. Transparency. Sometimes on certain figured things or do we have other members in the center Johnson you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chairman because Senator Stubblefield if you know I have a bill on the list that we're getting to and do with similar situation for a municipal sewer systems. And it. Refers to it doesn't put a dollar matic first two twenty two nine two oh three and twenty two nine two oh three has to do with the major repairs alteration rec tion of building and other distractions and permittee improvements and it sets of figure at thirty five thousand and I'm seeing your bill and kind of my bill is to kind of come consistent with that figure now I'm not saying it's magical and I certainly understand everything Senator Clark said about it but would you agree that it's probably to the best interest of every procuring. Entity in the state that we at least have some level of consistency rather than kind of been all over the landscape. Okay well I'm I'm I'm for you bill for that reason I'm I don't again I'm not wedded to a particular number like thirty five thousand but I think whatever it is I think people out there and business kind of need to know where that is so thank you Mr chairman thank you Senator Stubblefield I'm not saying any more members with questions for this witness we have I signed up to speak to Serra four to speak against the doctor come to the end of the table on. do you stay there Senator Stubblefield you just let her sit on the side there be fine that way with. This approach but their record for your mac band you will recognize yourself you're recognized to present. Hello my name is Serra more can you hear me with my math fun. You can't hear okay sorry we try again can you hear me now okay my name is Sarah Moore I'm with Arkansas Justice Reform coalition out of northwest Arkansas we're actually on the on the co founder of that organization or actually a justice and social justice organization but we find that government transparency for the people of Arkansas is a justice issue and so as one of the things that I'd like to point out is that there is mentioned that other states you know have different levels of bids that can be done nine competitively and I would tell you that the state of Arkansas has some of the strongest for yet laws on the books other states actually envious of that and so I would say that it's a good thing for the people of Arkansas that's a good protection that's in place that we have the threshold that we have today that's why I'm asking for you to vote against raising this not only are we raising the debt ceiling on this from twenty to thirty five thousand or ASU adding an additional goods and services that can be non competitively bid and some smaller places across the state this would basically mean what their budget said very few items whatever you actually need to be competitively bid which is concerning and they brought up a point on the testimony earlier in regard to the rising prices on certain materials I think that that lends itself to Y. for the people of Arkansas it makes sense to make sure that we're competitively bidding on these items so that we're saving as much money as possible I'm in Washington County have withdrawn the closely with my quorum court the last couple of years I've budget conversations have been incredibly contentious there on a a lot of extra dollars floating around available on for a study special projects and so you one of the things we recently did with we had a bed open for software we had five organizations from across the nation that actually and paid for that and it's still saying aye taxpayers you know money by doing that some of the areas that we had concerned specifically is on the renewal and extensions. on page four line thirty six of existing contracts that basically says once one vendor gets in place it's going to be really hard for anybody else to ever and have a possible entry into that particular service or good on page five line one it talks about employee insurance not having to get bets we think that it's a good thing to go out and get that sense if there other folks that want to provide that service I'm on page five line thirteen and goods and services from a single supplier I know that there are certain things in the city if they have live and in regard to the singer and that there are certain Thompson RT only with certain single sources but in the language of this bill I have concerns about him as the person that deems that that is only available from one single supplier and depending on your viewpoint of it is it within the scope of Arkansas is it and is in the scope of the nation where we deem that and so that we could potentially you know give our our friend down the road our business for those reasons and concerns as well as some of the things that were stating stated earlier about the price index actually being you know what I read in this thirty five thousand I would ask for your consideration that for the people of Arkansas for our best interests that we make sure that we are competitively building betting on in as many goods and services as possible while also keeping it in mind that we do want to make sure there are the efficiencies and our government process we think it makes us all better whatever or wearable to look and have a more add five G. versus being so narrow on who can provide those goods and services thank you. Thank you for the question thank you for your testimony other questions from the committee. Question have questions Senator Stubblefield you recognize them On line eighteen fifty three if you will let you muck up on line eighteen thank you to addresses what you mentioned up in the same force. On page. Procurement Page. Five page five okay says a written proclamation from chief executives file with the Clerk or recorder that sets forth the basis for single source procurement. Correct our concern was just just that yes they can get on record to say that they're the single supplier but just being concerned about again with their expertise and knowledge level and the concerned that depending on what they're scope of that industry is the concern that potentially they would overlook that there is someone within the nation that can maybe provide that service because when we do put those bets online you know we we allow anybody in the nation to bet on it you have no idea who's gonna potentially have the ability to add on that is our concern is that does limit that. I understand that a I'm just send it goes through a process of formal process of you know this is for the basis of those single source procurement so. Mr. Are there any other questions. If not we thank you for your testimony thank you you're recognized. Okay saying no other questions Senator toe for you you're recognized close for you bill. Mr McMahon closed. Okay what committee wishes committee. And I do moved for do pass do questions Senator Stubblefield second from Senator Sullivan all in favor aye. Opposed. Senator Stubblefield you have passed Senate bill four five six. That rate in the. This. Senator Johnson you have a bill. Okay. We're gonna we're gonna hold off on twelve twenty eight just a minute see what's going on. If you want to go ahead and go to the on the table present. Senate bill four fifty two. You're recognized center Johnson. Thank you Mr chairman a mark Johnson centre District fifteen Senate bill four fifty two. Is to come up with some consistency and how we draw lines in in city wards of. Every entity elected by a district in this state from the congressman down to J. P.'s they can draw their own lines we the General Assembly draw lines for the congressional district of the state board apportionment which is made up the governor the secretary of state in trying to general draw the lines for us the General Assembly the County Board of election commissioners draws a line four justices of the peace this extends that to city ward boundaries of what we've had to have had some discussions with some local officials and pointed out to him that there's nothing that would prohibit their suggestions either officially or unofficially to the county boards often times these are pretty well non controversial and the war traditional ward boundaries follow some natural geographic could a blinds in the in the community especially one that hasn't had significant changes in their their population so all this does is once again let someone that is arm's length from the Conflict of interest of of how that is drawn actually drawing it. I'll be glad to answer any questions but in this again this is to put some consistency in I did to have some discussions against us said with local officials I had a great visit with the city administrator in Fort Smith Hussein comfortable with at least the direction that we were going even though he was. He was at first a little bit concerned but I'm hoping that this should be noncontroversial and so I would be happy to answer questions our committee for the next bunch of the bill any questions. Senator Hendren. Thank you Mr chairman who draws lines now the individual cities city council city boards of city board directors actually draw their own lines. So like for instance in Benton county every city draws its own lines but now we're going to have the Election Commission drawn for every city yes Sir except as I said Senator Hendren there's nothing to keep that was individual cities from saying Hey Election Commission here's a suggestion here's our map here's the population there if you think this is okay you can ratify that so to speak but it would still be the ultimate responsibility would be to the Election Commission which is not made up of elected officials is made up of the people who are not don't have a conflict of interest such as and I will give an example of what say the city but we had a case where a local official wanted a particular. The city facility in his ward and he had his colleagues. Convince them to basically what we would call pipe stem go down the street and take in this particular thing because he wanted it in there and I'm not saying that's per se bad I'm just saying that you can show that there can be some political parochial interests that are not necessarily fair in the apportionment process He a course you remember senator the fateful finger that was discussed between ten years ago and this would basically show that those that were involved in it. are not the ones that that. Are the words a As we do at every other level of government you don't get to draw your own lives someone else draws a line so with some hopefully level of objectivity right so the Election Commission it's appointed. Refresh me on is it it's it's part of Senate Majority Leader or majority party gets more how does that work against each each county of. Committee's Republican and Democrat or majority minority now the Republicans are the majority when in the Democrats majority they they received two appointments The minority party receives one appointment so that's how it's set up now the but again these are three. Non elected officials they can't serve in any other capacity years ago they were the chairs of their individual party council committees but we changed the law on that there now while they're elected or appointed by the individual council committees of the two parties there they cannot also be the county chairmen and their prohibited from participating in an electoral politics in many manners including to my best of my knowledge including donations to candidates and things like that so again the majority party appoints to the minority party appoints one yes I think or they can serve themself is that is that right the chair I'm sorry they could Watson thinking appoint himself or certain self is that right I thought I saw that no Sir so they have to appoint somebody yes Sir and then these three in the seventy five counties are going to draw the lines for all the cities. Just like they do for the JP's under current law and how how often are they going to do that is in fact every ten years would be after the decennial census and if a municipality of ask for a special senses say they've had a lot of growth and certainly in your neck of the woods you seen this they can if they do that then they can also ask that it be re drawn to correspond with the the situation created by that population growth okay thank you thank you. Any other questions by committee members. To the surprise you're recognized. Thank you Mister senator Johnson Leding contact you about. Those it to. Okay concerned only assume did not will take on the. The city responsibility they felt you said you were checking on something If you had contacted you dress well put Senator writes the best way I can answer that is they if there are those that don't want to get into the shall we say get in the G. I. S. maps and start going through all that problem there would be nothing the in this bill that prohibits would prohibit a local. Government a small city even from sending a Barbie even by officially by a resolution recommending to the Election Commission that certain boundaries be either maintained or changed slightly they could basically say Hey Election Commission we recommend this map and to the based on the twenty. Twenty census that hopefully will have that data sometime this year these are substantially the same and I hesitate to use the word rubber stamp but the option of the commission could be to say you've looked at it we agree with your analysis that this is these are reasonable ward boundaries and would be proper and then they could. Kind of put their seal of approval on and that would be the the batteries what this would do is it puts the commission in a position where is some locality should do some extensive gerrymandering or otherwise abuse that recommendation process they would be able to stop that so I'm I don't think it'll be as onerous as some you know a course anytime you're changing things I know that that mayors and and and city council members you know they they they their their ears perk up when they're looking at but we're not talking about forcing some wholesale major change we're talking about as these population patterns shift and change that the proper place to redraw those last just Senate is for for the JP's and all seventy five counties would be vested in the Election Commission that does not serve in those particular wards. Thank you. Thank you Sir Clark any other any other questions from committee members. Senator Clark you're recognized. Senator Johnson. If we pass this. The. If the balance. If you continue to have to help. Lots and lots of ballots because city lines county lines and school lunch don't want up there would be no one to blame but the Election Commission itself with their I think that's correct senator thank you and and some of the ask about wards and precincts and and all that this doesn't address that maybe we need to address that as separate legislation but I for example live in a split precinct part of my precinct is in my Senate district and part of it is in center hammers Senate district so I know that that is confusing I hope that the fact that the Election Commission that is drawing it would be able to show some consistency Quinn whenever possible and so people don't have all these overlapping boundaries. any other questions from committee members. We have signed up to speak against the bill. Of. Mr Wilkerson from the Municipal League. Texture and identify yourself for the record you're recognized. John Wilkerson general counsel the Arkansas Municipal League. Start with we don't see a problem I don't know what issue in the around the state has prompted this I don't know of any city that had an issue with the redistricting and a law right now allow cities to read disturbing they when they feel that there's a need to do so for the betterment of our citizens and a key difference between that every other example is that cities ninety nine point nine percent of all cities are non partisan so we're always very cautious women owned saying if the league that there's not a Democrat or Republican way to fill a pothole and we're very we're worried that when we give the authority to read district over to an Election Commission whose part is an we we we lose the ability to to do what's best for our citizens and so that's that's our main this or always very mindful that I think that this is a major change in our ability to read district city decide what's best for the city and we like to keep it that way as far as the the the additional responsibilities is also voting rights problems may there's federal voting rights laws that will come into play and we're we're subject to you know if we violate that were subject to it this adds five hundred potentially what we five as five hundred cities and towns there's hundreds of cities that we need to be re distributed distracted if they did of course about whether I have the exact number who actually does not wards that's a whole new round of liability that that we worry that the Election Commission have to then be under we want to. We get the idea if there is a need to make sure our boundaries are aligned with for GIS we certainly understand that need and that's a real need we're certainly open to it to determining that but we don't believe that allowing the Election Commission to be you even even if it's just a rubber stamp to be involved in partisan Commission to be involved in these sorts of decisions of the sea level is best for the city we run this way for a long time and we don't see the need to to make this happen and I'll add to that citizens have the ability right now to you know at either have an initiative or referendum to overturn our decision on redistricting so we are accountable to our citizens every day with everything that we do and and so dissed no different than a redistricting so we like to keep this this authority disability in the hands of the city where it's worked for. Forever. Are we have any questions Senator. Yeah do you have any idea I mean usually there's something that has caused something like this to occur is there an issue or maybe Center Johnson speak to that about why we are making this change I guess the reason I ask that is in Benton county in Washington County it's a little bit different than Pulaski County and that we have lots of small cities and and communities and I'm I'm I guess I'm just trying to understand why we're going to take that from them to the Election Commission is or something that's precipitated this I have not heard anything at all. Good I. acid of center Johnson. Senate Johnson is there some problem we're trying to get out here is there an issue that you mentioned there is one case where city government wanted to something in his district I mean is that from many many cases as you know Senator Hendren we we see that I will call it bad actors but the potential problems in one area in which we change it to do this is why I mentioned that to there's nothing that would stop the the many many small towns and been in Washington County from a buy out as I said officially or unofficially telling their Election Commission that we think this is the batteries that would would work best in our community and the election the Election Commission could approve that just like we can have citizens across the state that would would come to us and say we think our county ought to be in that congressional district and we collectively the General Assembly do that we don't have Senator we don't have congressman Health and congressman Westerman and and congressman Womack and congressman Crawford sit down and dividing up the state amongst themselves it's done by a third party the the the the initiation of this was simply because I looked at how this was being done at every other level including the digesters of the peace and that it was done by a separate entity and not those that that choose where their own district boundaries are and I appreciate to the comments of Mr Wilson said about election law but all that still applies if the city draws their own boundaries and it violates a federal law then there's liable that but I don't necessarily think I can go along with his argument on that the citizens could initiate something I believe there's if they do this by ordinance I believe that have point thirty days to get a how many signatures on petition is a mystery because it's pretty high bar and it probably should be OB or what is that is fifty fifty percent from last matters which I believe is a fifteen per. Senate of those that voted in the last mayor selections pretty high bar people would have to be there it would have probably been egregious redistricting by the city for anyone to do that and let's face it most citizens don't get that far down in the weeds except for more contentious issues but again this is for us to be consistent and to have someone other than the entity that to is going to serve get to to pick where they're district is. I hope I answered your questions Senator thank. Or any other members have questions. Are saying none thank you destruction. We also have a Lindsey. French. French. Your company table then for yourself for the record. You're recognized. Thank you Mr chair Lindsay French with the association of Arkansas counties. I would like to say that we have had talks with senator Johnson and I do appreciate him talking to is and I see a lot of merit in his bill I want I want to start with saying that I'm not of the the county Clerk says who am I'm speaking for today and they're not philosophically opposed to this bill I agree with what he says that no one else draws their own lines that's true and I do see some benefits that could come from this as far as uniformity in lines you know we we typically wait for the state lines to come back before the council draws the JP district lines because we want those lines to be as uniform as possible to prevent small splits and I can see the County Board having some oversight over that eliminating some more splits between the J. P. lines the General Assembly lines and the city or the lines so I do see some potential benefit to this bill We had had discussions about a potential amendment to actually put into the bill what senator Johnson mention which is the city proposing a plan crafting and proposing a plan to the County Board of election commissioners and then the County Board of election commissioners reviewing it for legality for gerrymandering those kind of purposes and if it looked okay a approving it if not then the County Board could step in and re draw that and I don't think the counties would be opposed to that bill however that's not what is in the bill in its current form right now all the cities that Mr Wilkerson mention could just come to the County Board and say we need our lines redrawn we haven't done this and fifteen twenty years right now not all cities are doing this every ten years and and it would be on the County Board to do that. which might be okay if this was going into effect after the next census but as you know the census has already taken place party on a very stringent timeline with the feds and not giving us our numbers until late September. The county budgets were passed last November and December and the majority of counties contract to do their J. P. redistricting those contracts have already been signed those contractors aren't going to do more work to redistricting cities for what they've already been paid to do J. P. lines only so. These are just some. Technical and practical Hendren says that I. see if this was passed as it is to take effect immediately and I hope that we can work with senator Johnson to to come to the main amendment that we can all agree on and the that would benefit the state. Thank you. Mr chairman it was my opinion that the issues that is French brought up and even to some extent those that Mister Wilson brought it could be handled in an informal manner as I said there's nothing in the legislation that would prohibit the individual cities or towns by even either informally or by a resolution to state their general ideas it would just be could be done in an informal manner but I could see that there's concerns enough that perhaps we need to to codify that particular language into the bill itself so with your approval the committee I would like to pull this down and work out an agreeable Amendment with the municipal league Association counties that would would do that I'm I'm still a believer in the concept is Election Commission should do this but certainly they would like to hear. Good advice from there may be for example center in brought up how many of of small towns are Northwest Arkansas and there could be some geographic Boundaries I know how with the creek runs through asylum springs or something Senator Hendren and things that are probably have a reason for that to be a natural boundary and in the cities could make such recommendations to that so with the permission of the committee I will pull this bill down it will work out and management to codify those particular concerns into the bill itself before bring it back thanks Johnson Senator Clark you still have you want to ask questions of the do. The. Because it sounds like the amendment ends up making getting the bill to me of the the Election Commission would end up. Rubber stamping whatever the city's did and I'm not sure how that cleans up the ballot issue in any way whatsoever And that's one of the things at the county clerk's complain about is that not every time that we that we mess with the elections as you know what we're going to we can't have all these elections at one time because we've got all the schools and all these cities all these counties in the lineup and this looks like an excellent way to line those up am I wrong. Okay is that a question for me or this from day there's. I'm going to sound a lot like Senator Johnson when I say this here. But there's nothing that would keep the County Board from reaching out to the city to say Hey let's work on on getting these lines together but for instance we talked a lot about the city of Fort Smith the city of Fort Smith only has four wards in the whole city and it's basically just. Cut like a you know in the quarters so from what I understand and I think you've been told this as well a lot of them aren't. You know piecemeal wards and districts and things like that that we think of when you think of your your mapping for example so I don't think most cities are going to change boundaries significantly. From one census to the next but in in the ones where it does I think there will still be an opportunity for them to work together and to make those uniform with this amendment. Opportunity but there's nothing there that really cleans everything up. There's because it is a nightmare is it not the I mean the the number of ballots we have to have an accounting when we start looking at the city lines and we look at the the city quarter lines in the county JP lines in this and the school lines when in fact. if one entity was doing that. A lot of that could be cleaned up and we could have a lot less balance a lot less confusion and my role. I think this gets us closer to where we need to be. But am I wrong that one entity was doing it. That is we could get it cleaned up. I'll I'll defer to to the senator on that sentences bit. I think you're absolutely right Sir Clark and that was a peripheral reason why I did this bill but I remember when and again this was probably after the nineteen eighty census we divided we the state divided Pulaski County in two five Senate districts and within each of those senate district for three state representative so I thought it would have been perfect to take those state representative district and and that would be the J. P. districts because again there were fifteen L. same logic that you're you're pointing it out in your question I would appreciate it and I know you've got a full plate and even overflowing plate but I'd certainly welcome any input that you have as we work with the association of counties millions like it is. Of the but I will be reminding the clerks and saw Arkansas Association council the return they bring this issue up in the future that they are the reason that it and get fixed thank you thank you Sir. centrist Johnson you are going to pull this bill down I will pull this bill down for now Mister chairman but I do have I have another one if you want me to stay down here there is of Senate bill forty. Four fifty four yes Sir Clark you're recognized president Senate bill forty two four K. thank you Mr chairman of Senate bill four fifty four is a similar to the bill that you brought Mr chairman has to do with the contracts for labor materials on projects for municipal sewer committees it is specifically limited to that and it to. Thanks changes the twenty thousand dollar level to that level in code section twenty two nine two oh three which currently is thirty five thousand dollars so as I mentioned when I ask you questions about your bill this would create some consistency appetite again I will I will not comment on how the two bills affect each other I'll let someone else a lot smarter figure that out but but this would would bring that to that current thirty five thousand figure that is in already in twenty two nine two oh three. That's simple thing I've tried answering questions for our any but I think it's pretty straightforward. Any any questions from committee. Three nine is anyone here that would like to speak for against this bill. All right saying none. To pass we have a motion to pass all those in favor. Hi I wish I could just send a Senator Solomon second all those in favor say aye opposed. Thank you Mr resolution recounts. All right. Scene or the bills on the agenda. We have we had some that didn't show up so we're going to go ahead and adjourn.