Senate Convenes

Right. Okay. When you're in. Page center Flippo. To get. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner. No more. Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin bike Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Everyone please stand including those in the gallery senator deeds. Leave this in prayer. Well with me aggressively father god we thank you for this gorgeous weather you've given us today this chance to be here and to the work of the people lord we ask that you grant us wisdom to grant us peace and you get a safe travels we had back home to our families for this weekend god bless us as we do this work with people in Jesus name amen. A plus. Which is. You know Irvin wishes to be recognized for the announcement. Thank you members of the Senate I just want you to help me welcome my dad Dr Jerry Thomas he's here in the the I. P. gallery so does. I'm gonna try to get him to come back and doctor of the day thank you all. Senate should you wish to be recognized noble. You do wish to be recognized I do believe percent rate for objection. any other announcements the items to be read across the desk yes three your committee on Iran Bills to whom was first Senate bill six by Senator Rapert Senate bill one seventy four by Senator Teague symbol two oh five by Senator Hickey said bill to six percent Irving Senate bill three sixteen by joint budget Senate bill seventeen by joint three seventeen by joint budget Senate bill three eighteen by joint budget Senate bill three nineteen by joint budget Senate bill three twenty by joint budget Senate bill three twenty one by joint budget see about three twenty two by joint budget Senate bill twenty three twenty three by joint budget said bill three twenty four by joint budget Senate bill three twenty five by joint budget is about three twenty six by joint budget sent both three twenty seven by joint budget Senate bill three twenty eight by joint budget symbol three twenty nine by joint budget Senate bill thirty by joint budget compared the enrolled copies with the original and find the right one and delivered to the governor eleven AM this morning of. The governor for his approval she. Where your committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill one ninety one by Senator Solomon compare the engrossed copy with the original and same correctly engrossed Education Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill three forty one by Senator Ballenger compare the engrossed copy with the original plan same correctly engrossed public health committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill ten twenty one by balance if cloud computing gross copy with the original and same correctly engrossed education bus bills to whom was referred house bill eleven seventy six per cent of Johnson compare the engrossed copy with the original and same correctly engrossed public health Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill fourteen twenty six by represented Lundstrum per the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed agriculture committee on city county local to whom was first Senate bill four sixteen by Senator Ballinger recommend to pass. Committee on city county local to whom was referred house bill ten thirty six by represented Tosh recommend to pass out of committee on city county local to whom was referred house bill thirteen twenty eight by Senator Brent recommend to pass out of committee on city county local to whom was referred house bill thirty thirty one person to Millikan recommend to pass. Committee on joint budget to whom was first Senate bill forty by joint budget recommend to pass. Committee on joint budget to whom was first Senate bill one fifty fifty one by joint budget recommend to pass as amended number one caliph Committee on joint budget to whom was first Senate bill two nineteen by joint budget recommend to pass calendar Committee on joint budget to whom was first Senate bill three thirty one by Senator Rapert recommend to pass Calar Committee on joint budget about Committee on joint budget to whom was first Senate bill three ninety two by Senator Chesterville recommend to pass out of Committee on joint budget to whom was referred Senate bill three ninety six by Senator Irving recommend to pass Calar committee on transportation to whom was referred house bill fourteen oh six represent to speaks recommend to pass out of. Senate bill four sixty six by Senator Hester to clarify the regulations psychiatric residential treatment facilities Senate bill four sixty six okay center for sixty seven by senator garner permitting an emergency medical technician to possess and carry a concealed handgun without a license to carry a concealed handgun Senate bill four sixty seven the guy. Semaphore sixty eight by Senator Garner to create the prenatal nondiscrimination act of all of Arkansas state before sixty eight. Senate bill four sixty nine by Senator Garner to establish a process to review the actual executive orders to allow the Attorney General to review presidential executive orders and address imposed by men Tatian of presidential executive order under review Senate bill four sixty nine said symbol for seventy by Senator the Dismang to establish the online market place consumer and inform ACT three up to require the disclosure of information online market places to better inform consumers to regulate online market places to stop organized retail crime scene before seventy charge cards center for seventy one by Senator. To regulate the number composition and appointment process for the board of directors of the Arkansas development finance authority and to modify the manner in which is already distributes certain tax credit same before seventy one. Com. Senate bill four seventy two by Senator English German the term of office of a member of the school district board of directors and to amend the date on which an election of the school district board of director shall be held Senate bill four seventy two education. Moving the business agenda senator garner Senate resolution nine. Senate resolution nine by Senator Garner to encourage the Arkansas department of transportation to designate a portion of the US highway eighty two in Union County as the Jeremy winds and Benjamin last Memorial Highway. Senator garner recognize Germany in been wireless made Altman sacrifice for their nation their family to experience what few families in the country has. Losing two sons and services nation. Jeremy opinion along with their brother bro all traded in the comfort of civilian life to go serve their nation in the call of duty join the army in two thousand being the middle brother was the first of three doing last Jeremy the eldest joined the navy following nine eleven. And finally both the youngest brother and listen Marine seven years later between the three of them. They serve more than sixteen hundred days in Iraq and Afghanistan their parents Jean and Mary had raised three determined courageous and selfless young man. December two thousand nine Jeremy was serving part of a C. a a lead team schedule to meet a man who may lead to the capture of Osama bin laden. The meeting however was a set up after sensing something was wrong upon the sponsor rival Jeremy drew his weapon. Ordering the man to step out. The Jordanian man. Underneath his role at thirty pounds of explosives mix with various metals to create a claim or effect. Screaming Allah Akhbar being self up. It's one of the deadliest attacks in CIA history and claims Jeremy life just over two years later being volunteered for a dangerous mission in Afghanistan the capture Taliban Leding leader heightened in the rugged mountains he is still a green berets helped lead a team of Afghan commandos into a. Katie. After tools commandos injured and he in rendered aid he went inside the cave try to root out this person he took small arms fire. And eventually passed away from wounds. Throughout their lives Jeremy been found comfort Innkreis after their deaths so that apparently. Today we must find comfort in their legacy. I must honor them and teach future generations about the unwavering love for this country and what it means. Jeremy in B. and go up. Share in a king size comforter bed. Now they lay side by side each other. At the Albert G. Horton memorial veterans cemetery. Arkansas junior. What did not know Bennett Jeremy personally. We serve in the military when or brotherhood. I remember hearing their story of two brave Dotson south Arkansas who gave it all in service of this great country. Been was a green beret like I was. As we run a rating unit County you heard the story from people who knew these two brothers and what it meant to the people there. How we one day and I saw a sign you know some more to better is nine. And I sat there and thought about that how we honor those who served and died for us in more to. It made me think we need to show our appreciation for the men and women who passed away in services nation for our recognition. The highway department tell me to the highway that or don't know local government is going to place a sign it's a road I travel every day you know right. You know I hope I drop down to one of my board linking my daughter delta. And I hope they look up and they see that sign. And I hope they ask me dating the wives brothers. And I can take a minute and explained to him not just a sacrifice of the wise family. But what our men and women who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq has sacrificed for so. With that I would ask for a good vote on this resolution thank you. All those in favor say aye. Is haven't the resolution is adopted. Senator Irvin. We're gonna move on the Senate bill signed amendment Senator Irvin issues. Senator Irvin amendment bill twenty two. Yes my bill my amendment the questions all those in favor say aye. Those eyes member to adopt a gender grossing another or Senator Irvin and then amendment one that Senate Bill two ninety one. My bill my amendment. Questions all those in favor say aye. Posed image Dobson adopted there's emergency calls on that one Senator Ballenger. Amendment one. Thirty four about the was present my bill my amendment questions a little favor say aye. Is have a number to double senator saying another one from cement one the Senate bill three thirty five my bill my amendment. Follows a favor say aye. Close as have it set up its integration center hammer House Bill Senate amendments. Amendment one to House Bill twelve fifty nine. Thank you Mr president Adam is the Senate sponsor. Per se I. This Is have it set up to disintegration moving on to Senate bills The reading a passage Senator Irvin as P. sixty one Senate bill six one by Senator Irving to amend various provisions of the Arkansas code concerning the college and career coaches program. Thank you members of the Senate what this bill does is it expands our current Arkansas career coach program this was launched in two thousand and nine to assist middle and high school students in preparing for and successfully and persisting and post secondary education employment or military service we have met and exceeded college readiness metrics and improved our state level outcomes and but currently only half of the counties in the state of Arkansas about forty nine point three percent of them have access to this opportunity and for the program's intervention so we need to grow the access to the career coaches and that's exactly what this bill does And the goals to expand to all the seventy five counties and also to update the measures of success for students served by career coaches to include increases in college going rates increased ACT rates and scores decreases and review remediation rates increased applications for financial aid and a higher percentage of students participating in work for work based learning experiences and there are some technical corrections and clean up language also in the bill but overall this is an important program to help made students into their next level beyond high school but to begin that planning process in the eighth grade so that they know and are starting to look at what's out there and what's available to them where they live or within the state and really to hook them up with the best path forward for them to have the best success for themselves in the future and our future so I'll entertain any questions any questions you were speaking against or for Senator closed thank you of clothes from a bill please roll the vote Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang aids Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren. Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin bike Johnson mark Johnson leading cage Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan D. Wallace. In order to change the vote I was present. Senate flowers present. Cast of about thirty three H. zero days one present the bill is passed transmitted the House center Irvin SP sixty two Senate bill sixty two by Senator Irvin to amend provisions of the Arkansas code concerning the right to reject. Sir thank you members what this ad this legislation revision only extends the original timeline about two years for an educator to demonstrate proficiency or awareness and the knowledge and practices of scientific reading instruction this is a this is due to cope and because we weren't able to get all of the folks in and to do this in person and for them to be able to demonstrated proficiency so that's what the bill does it's only about extending the timeline and this is such a great program and I just want to personally say thank you to and Senator Alan Clark and do you really appreciate all the things that you've done in the arena of reading also Senator English has also done that and Senators Elliott and I'm so passionate about it I had a brother who is dyslexic and I just appreciate all the efforts that this whole entire and Senate body has done on really emphasizing reading and the importance of reading in improving that reading skill for those kids because that really does make that big big difference M. F. overall for their successes in life so I appreciate a good vote. Any questions. One wish to speak against for for service closed. Please role in Leicester's an objection Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang T. Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin like Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace you will wish to change the vote. Loures present. Senator flowers present. Cast of about thirty three days zero nine one press. The bill is passed. Transmissibility of the House center. Senate bill sixty four by Senator Irvin to amend for various provisions of the Arkansas code concerning public education. Members claim that bill for the department of education. Any questions or wish speak against and for the service closed in junction road vote please over Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Your wish to change the. Loures present Sir flour to be present cast of the ballot thirty three eight zero nine one present the bill is passed transmits bill to the house center eight as SP one fifty nine Senate bill one fifty nine by Senator aids to amend the law concerning law enforcement agencies for private colleges and universities and to allow private schools to establish an appoint an institutional law enforcement officer. Thank you Mr president in a two thousand nineteen calling remember Senator Davis completed acts six twenty nine that a lot or public schools to be able to start their own law enforcement organization within their school system what this bill does just expand that allows private schools in the state to do the same things they have to follow the same requirements they're able to send in to law enforcement cattery and they have to reimburse for any costs associated with that instruction training and that's pretty much will all this bill does give them the flexibility to do that as well I would be willing to take any questions the questions you wish to speak against or for. Centers closed please roll the voter's objection to his rule that. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester hill Hickey. Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page right for Christ sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace no we should change their vote. Ours present their flowers present anyone else cast of the ballot thirty three eight zero nine one present the bill is passed transmit to the House Senator Irvin similar to forty nine percent Irving to require earthquake safety drills in certain areas and to transfer the requirement that tornado safety drills from the Director of the Division of merchants the management to the Division of elementary and secondary education. thank you members at the bill does what the title says it requires earthquake safety drills in certain areas of our state and eyes are gonna be the areas where we are prone to having earthquakes Act we actually do experience some earthquakes in stone county and have the most more recent years and also transfers requirement to conduct these drills from the director of the division of emergency management to the Division of elementary and secondary education M. all of happy to answer any questions the question senator are. There was present how to determine which errors errors are successful or or likely to have purposely skews me is there a system to do that or his discretion of the department Division elementary and secondary education that's a great question is within it's going to be within the Department of that to work with the folks and that are able to determine where those areas are that's the answer that I was given so you know we have the name address falls up in the northeast part of the state and so there has been some increased activity. Thank you yes Sir. You wish to speak against for. You wish you're recognized for that centerman read a close yes I appreciate the good service closed. Lester's junction please role of a. Ballenger. Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang aids Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace you wish to change your vote. Loures present flowers president. Senator Clark is also present anyone else. Yes to the ballot thirty two days zero days to present the bill is passed and transmitted to the house to recognize senator hammer for an announcement and the bill first. Thank you Mr president members of members of the chamber like to ask if you would please recognize and welcome our doctor today Dr Melissa him which OBGYN and also our nurses today shared art up in the balcony shall we please give them. I think Senator hammers Center hampers recognized as B. two sixty three Senate bill two sixty three by Senator hammer to regulate the attachment of signs to utility because. Members this is not what I call cleanup bill this is what I call a catch up bill several months ago and are one of our cities that I represent been they one night all the sudden had about twenty flag show up on some power poles in town two three days later about twenty more showed up a few weeks another week later view more showed up they distortion up nobody really knew who was doing it but everybody loved it was impressed by it and then it was brought to the attention of myself and some others that this may not directly have legal authority to do it so what this bill does is it says that if you are a municipality that owns your own power poles in the municipality that you're allowed to put the flags on the pole there are three flags that are identified in the bill one is American flag one is a state flag and one is the official flag of the municipality that owns the power poles I worked with all the energy companies and all the people that were involved in this including the highway department because our federal laws that restricted from the flags being put on power poles or in state right away and so there you can't do it on poles are in the state highway right away so you pretty much talking about your main street downtown in your city street and that's what the bill does And so appreciate a good vote be glad take any questions any questions. You wish to speak against for anyone object to run the vote. These rules. Ballenger back on blood center Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eats Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace you wish to change your vote flowers present under flowers present anyone else cast of about thirty three eight zero days one present the bill is passed transmitted I'll Senator Irvin. Senate bill two sixty four best thing amending remind remind me the correctional school system operated by the Division of correction the Arkansas correctional school district. Thank you and Mister president this is and name change only in this legislation to sixty four and two sixty five go together and this is the bill that just reflects the change in the name that's going to be required to. The question is do we speak against or for the objection when the vote. Lease role. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading gauge Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace anyone wish to change their vote. Center city. Senate flowers. Okay cast up. Just about thirty forty eight zero days zero present the bill is passed transmitted to the house Senator Irvin again. Senate bill two sixty five by Senator Irvin to reorganize the riverside vocational technical school into the corrections school system. Service. Thank you and promises my last one for the day and members this is I love this bill this is the department of corrections came and to me and and this is really an honor to work with Solomon graves on this piece of legislation what this bill does is it allows for the integration of the river side vocational and technical school into the correctional correction school system and this will this legislation will expand the ability for the correctional school district to provide remediation instructions persons with high school diploma or general equivalency degree aligned the career and technical education for incarcerated persons with industry needs recognize the importance of coordination with the Division of career and technical at education and office of skills development and and also ensuring that every student in the state is really prepared for and the jobs that are out there for them for twenty first century workforce and also increases resources for instruction and instructional support through the elimination of duplicative operational structures I'm I think it's really critical and important that our inmates within the department of corrections are given all of the educational tools that they need in order to have a successful life upon upon their state in our prison system and so that's what this bill is directed to do it's also going to be able to utilize evidence based curriculum such as the science of reading and curriculum and integrate that into what they're able to provide to all of their inmates regardless of where they are in their education journey so it's a wonderful bill and really really at I think it's a great thing for the department of corrections and the right approach I'll be happy to take any questions. For injection really the vote. Please rule of. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan TV Tucker Wallace you wish to change. Lauer's NO. Senate flowers's NO anyone else. Cast up the ballot thirty three ACT one day. Bill is passed transmitted though to the house. Senate center for hours that I would just remind you that under the rules we we have to see it thank you. Senator Blake Johnson Senate bill three twelve by Senator Blake Johnson to amend the law concerning ownership and possession of real property. Members is bill is is simple it it limits the ability for two for foreign ownership for agricultural lands these away over five acres the the lands to in Arkansas that that feeding call this this is matter this is in my opinion as a matter of national security and it treats the resident alien as a citizen is our constitution provides and and as long as they're status don't change they don't have to divest and it allows for industrial development of these agricultural lands but it puts a ten year limit on on the permitting and development of agricultural land if if there if they put it into production while there while they're going to do this industrial development of agricultural land version question appreciate and I appreciate a good vote any question for the senator anyone wish to speak against or for Senators closed Junction rolling the vote these rules. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eights Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan E. Tucker Wallace in which to change your vote. Lauer's NO thank you senator flowers flowers NO anyone else. Cast of the ballot. Thirty three ACT one day bill is passed transmit the bill to the house Senator hammer I'm sorry Senator Ballenger is B. three fifty seven Senate bill three fifty seven by Senator Ballenger. Repealing statute prohibiting the possession of a firearm in certain locations in making technical corrections. Senator Bollinger has the floor. Several. Thank you thank you Mr president all right this bill is is a one of my favorite type of bills because it actually doesn't add any new language to the code it takes out a whole code section so with this code section applies to the person who is as possessing carrying a loaded center fire weapon it provides for a fine mechanism for them to be able to be fined if they're in the specific areas well this code section is probably unconstitutional because it is the very definition of of specific local legislation and it actually sets out the code sections I my guess is this is not being enforced anywhere I've not heard no opposition to this bill from anyone so I I I think it I really do think of it more of just clean up but I'm happy to answer any questions any questions on the three fifty seven. Thoroughly. Thank you. Allen Jr I'm. There's so much that's marked out and understood what you said I think pretty well that will be helpful to me if you will give me out if there's a way to give an example that would be good for. Are you saying that because it might be unconstitutional that is Johnson not be added I'm not clear so what example that is in here it prohibits you to defer my possessing the weapon in in the of Bellavista village well bill this bill which is now actually been incorporated this visibility doesn't exist anymore so that would be an example where it it's not utilized some of this section specifically references property that section on the army corps of engineer property which they hand that they have their own limitation restrictions on all firearms and actually allow license you know individuals go in at certain times and so all of this is covered by state law the specific legislation is is unnecessary probably unconstitutional and in frankly is not being enforced because somebody who's in forcing would almost have to carry a you know GPS and map to in order to know whether or not they're in one of those areas. It was stricken covered someplace else is most of it out someplace else or is it just mostly not necessary because it might not still be legal it's either covered somewhere else or it's on something that is private property thank you to be covered by covenants or or other restrictions or in a you know that has other ability to to make their own limitations which it I mean this like I said it's that I haven't heard any opposition to this at all from one Forsman or anyone else in this because this is really not being enforced yeah I progress. Thank you. And and that's because I don't usually carry bills a fly under the radar. Any other questions on three fifty seven. I wish to speak again asked for four centers close to breach a good vote is anybody object to rowing the boat. Bravo place. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin bike Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace anyone wish to change the vote. Flowers NO center flowers known thank you senator flowers anyone else. Is. Senate Chesterfield is saying that she is present the court that you are thank you very much anyone else cast up the ballot. Thirty two yeas one day one present the bill is passed transmitted the House senator hammer and there's emergency clause on this three seventy eight by Senator hammer to amend the Arkansas law concerning an anticipated discretionary federal funds relating to a statewide site state of disaster emergency related to such. Public health and to declare an emergency. Senate. Thank you Mr President this bill the bill that will follow are companion bills this one is the financial piece that goes along with three seventy nine more here in just a second one star often say built on this bill on the bill that will follow we work closely with the administrative branch and on particular with three seventy eight we work with Adam I'll give you the real life example when the one point two billion came down last year some of the complaints that came out legislative branches are place of involvement in the process of determining how that money was going to be spent what this does is in search us as legislative branch into the process when dealing with an dissipated discretionary federal funds as it relates to a statewide public health emergency so it only deals with those unanticipated discretionary funds that are socially with that statewide emergency so you're tornado money your flood money your ice storm money the ability for the governor to be nimble and of the catch phrase for the years pivot the able to pivot this allows him or her to be able to do what they need to do in order to respond to disasters but what this does is capture the big block money allows us is legislative branch to be involved requires defacement a plan for how they plan on spending it before anything can be spent and I'll be glad to answer any questions you court center Hammerson record Tucker has a question. Thank you to the microphone thank you thank you governor thank you center I'm I totally support the legislative branch of being involved in this you use the word nimble and I guess that was really my concern if there's money that has to be approved by a L. C. or budget for what whatever the circumstances dictate no that can take up to thirty days and if a L. C. your budget doesn't approve it and I got to go back to the drawing board and it could be another thirty days before it gets approved. And I'm just concerned about that lapse of time during what could be an emergency and if you all considered that or a different approach just requiring a LCD me quicker or something just to make sure we're not lagging during what could be a real critical time sure thanks for the question center Tucker we we debated that situation I will tell you how I resolved it my mind to leave it drafted the way it was if we're in a situation like we're in this time around or if it's a situation that rises to the level that it's a statewide state of emergency on the basis of public health issues only I think that we're going to find ourselves down here probably more often than thirty days what they K. O. C. all have the ability to be called in at any time and not not to be tongue in cheek but it didn't seem to be a problem having a lot of people show up on one point two billion started spent so if we get a big block of money like that I think will will be here as we need to be in order to get it get it through. L. as the so. Got a question to ask anybody else regarding questions are going to recognize record thank you Senator hammer board this is the process has to go through the federal delegation first before those funds are actually given to the states so there's going to be a time frame whenever the federal delegation has to act before we can act which should be enough time to anticipate us to have a meeting to coordinate before receiving that money is not a kind of a check to the the idea that we won't have time or the situation we can't get down here. I think. Having past experience which we now all this generation legislators have which we didn't have before we've got some experience and again let me say that's that's part of how this was modeled based on past experience we did no money was coming kind of like we know monies come and now possibly and so now's the time to engage in you know I think it's a legislative branch to we need to be sensitive to factors coming down to be proactive and get ahead of it so when it does get here we can be prepared to meet the needs as discussed and agreed thank you thank you thanks for the question any other questions. You will speak against four shares closed closed thank you gesture on the boat. These are all the. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace who wish to change your vote. Flowers president. Serve our present thank you Sir for hours anybody else cast up the ballot thirty three AZ zero days one present the bill is passed transmissibility to the house for two calls is adopted Senator hammer Senate bill three seventy nine by Senator hammer concerning the process for merchants declarations and directives addressing a state one of the State of disaster emergency related to public health and Klarna merchants C.. Thank you Mr president let me begin by saying I'm going to take the ten thousand two hundred thousand foot view of this bill if you want to go below the ten thousand foot level I'll be glad to do that but I think most folks have had a chance to look at this I want to make the opening statement that first of all that I appreciate the administrative branch we worked diligently with them but also appreciate each one of you because many of you have contributed thoughts have gone into this bill may not have everything that everybody wants but personally think it's a good point that we've arrived at all also make this statement that if this bill passes I have the assurance of the administration and the governor's office that if this bill is not amended its past in the form that it's in that he will sign it will not lay on his desk that he will sign it so with that in mind I just like to go through section by section the high points and then leave time for questions section one is just simply the legislative intent which is to provide appropriate checks and balances of the legislative branch and the executive branch in times of statewide stated disasters when you get into section two there's really two things and this bill Connors an accumulation of multiple moving parts we have the current situation that we're in right now we have the executive issued of state wide disaster but also what this bill does is right into how to deal with a statewide disaster that is declared for public health purposes in short creates that category that if a statewide disasters declared by the governor that if it's going to be for public health it has to be stated for that reason we've used the model of what we're accustomed to which is a LC as far as the flow chart to design it so that we are kind of accustomed to the structure on page two some of the issues that are dealt with there is online twenty nine through thirty three it's what I call the kill switch which simply means that anytime that the Legislative. H. wants to come in terminate an emergency a statewide emergency of any nature that we have the ability to do it through a concurrent resolution and also we have the ability for the pro tem Speaker of the house to call in the call center for dealing with that but in the event we have a Speaker pro tem he does not want to provide a job opportunity for us as legislators with a majority of the house in a majority the Senate submitting a letter to be called in to be able to deal with that this section kind of rights into the terms of our public health statewide disaster is laid out it also has in it the ability for us to be told the governor in the event that the governor chooses to override or concurrent resolution we had a lot of debate about the constitutionality we talked about calling us into a special session but after conferring with several attorneys that are much more knowledgeable than I the conclusion was that that would probably get off into the constitutionality and that's why we use the met that a concurrent resolution which is allowable as you go on to chapter or through section two we establish what constitutes a statewide emergency using a category of nineteen counties or twenty five percent of the population may wonder well how did we come up with that we took a look at the history of disasters in the state of Arkansas we cited things such as the ice storm we cited things such as the flood that began to move across the state and began to take on more population as it moved down we took a look at the tornado outbreak that we had several years ago and so we just kind of use this as a point of reference that when it rises to the level that nineteen counties are twenty five percent of the population that it's time for us to get involved the governor issues a statewide declaration emergency for public health only within eight days we will come in as a legislative branch and the responsibility will be for us to terminate the emergency if we feel it needs to be terminated failure to act will allow to go on. On the comments that were made by somebody all word that if the governor has to make tough decisions we ought to have to make tough decisions to and that's why it's written the way that it is but we do have the ability to terminate the override with regards to a state wide disaster center cleared by the for executive purposes or for a non public health emergencies those would all go before a LC and we have the opportunity to weigh in on them and then if it's declared for public health emergency those would go before subject matter committee with referral to a LC within thirty days both under the executive declaration emergency or the public health emergency they would have to have letter submitted to A. O. C. within ten days we've written it into the rules such as on page seven line seven and this is pretty much reflected throughout all the sections that we collected the Legislative Council to adopt rules because some of the debate was well what if it's one of those nuclear disasters and we just can't get here and so we've left the latitude to decide how to handle that to the Legislative Council but also a majority of a quorum present has to be there in section three on page seven this did not happen in this situation and and certainly would not have expected it to happen the situation but in other states we have seen where governors have locked the legislature out of the capital so that they could not conduct business we just put that in there so that would prevent the government from being able to deny us access to the seat of government when you get in this section for dealing with the executive orders and some of the clarifications on that some of which I've already referenced when you get over to There are on there also is in the bill their cheese meat there's also in the bill when the state board of health issues directors either under the governor's direction or underneath their own direction that all those will have to come before subject matter committee to be set and and the bottom line is that we will be able to systematically have discussion about each one of them one on one one of the things that was expressed or not given credit which is the Speaker of the house it is in their house on page nine versus twenty six thanks twenty six no twenty nine through thirty one on page eleven or thirty one is that each one of them have to be submitted individually so that you wouldn't have three or four directives from the department health group can we not have to make a decision to you know kill three in order to get rid of one and so they each have to be debated on their own individual merit of as you go through the bill you get over two section six and section seven this is dealing with where we are right now and there's a little bit of a timing factor involved in this and that's why that is not codified watch temporary language it gives us the I. understanding of what happens if this bill should happen get through get signed before the current emergency is over but if the current emergency is not renewed which is thank scheduled I think March thirty first if it is not renewed all this temporary stuff goes away but the temporary language it's written in the bill allows us to proceed as it's written and the rest of the bill when you get down to section eight the severability clause we had some real heavy debate about riding into the bill that if this bill was what's not signed or vetoed we didn't override it that the whole emergency powers act would be eliminated but we didn't feel that was the because we didn't think that's that's too high stake poker to play with the citizens of Arkansas and so we just left it where this would go away by itself. and then there's an emergency clause in there because or an emergency and this allows us to get involved as you know as soon as possible that's somewhere between the ten thousand a hundred thousand foot view and I'll be glad to go below ten thousand if you have questions I'll be glad to try to answer them any questions anyone. Saturday. The center of. Senator hammer don't see our don't remember seeing something about the bail sees not meeting the exacting Committee committee is that in here thank you I'm not a fan of the executive committee okay The mortgagee decisions right and and thank you for the question thank thanks for the question it is in there and I'll tell you why it's in there one of the things we didn't want to do is handcuffed the governor whoever it is so that they could be nimble and be able to respond to emergencies quickly however when it comes to the public health directives which is where that is inserted the illustration would be that if a a statewide public health disasters declared in the health department begins to issue directives that the executive committee would assemble within for day to approve the moving on of those and then they would come before A. L. C. full executive within thirty days and the reason we did that was just compensation develop so that there would be a checkpoint before got before the full AOC. So is the purpose always of the executive committee to be a safety valve and at the way I appreciate your answer thank you thank you because of Senator Elliot. Thank you governor. Senate. I'm trying to think of the circumstances and if it would wouldn't suit ten yards. In a situation where the governor wants to continue say state of emergency and they all seem denies it is on one side the governor on the other side Right now for example when we can't even all agree on the science hi how do you. Thank. The. We won't be able to justify to the people of the state one we're at all we have is in my estimation so many you know so many hands in the pot why would that not include some chaos. Well I think as a legislator I would like a seat at the table because having sat through multiple public health meetings and hearing testimonies of conflict I think it's important that we is legislative branch be inserted into the decision and whether we agree or disagree is one subject matter the fact that we have been blocked out of those decisions is what this bill is intended to do and if there is good science I would hope that the majority of those who are able to listen to it would agree but partly what this bill is intended to do is at least get us a seat at the table where we can be inserted into the conversation whereas now we're kind of limited. We get a seat at the table I was fine I was. Find enough not devoted the first one with this to the table about the money. Right now we're in a situation where you said you hoped we would agree the people would be first what about a good sign but that's not because some of us don't even agree on what good science it is and so I'm just I'm just flummoxed over here where you have to say the governor and I'm strictly want to get person I was out of it and I want to remove us from the present situation because I'm trying to think general year. The governor thinks there is a reason to continue this state of emergency. Let. We don't think so and so now we've just got a state that is and that that is because we have all of the governors in one saying the Legislative Council saying another. I'll probably. The Legislative Council won't even all be together and it just seems like to me that was just over center more chaos and we probably weren't we weren't there saying no yes or no in the first place I just kind of talking about what that would not be the case please. We're at the table when I would not be chaotic. I'll answer to three points on that question. Number one if we as a legislative branch want to surrender all the power. And that's what the majority of people in chain want to do so be it because what you're talking about is we're ultimately going to surrender all the power and that's what this is intended to do is to balance the power number one number two we can't even get legislators to agree sometimes. In the chamber or in our committee on certain bills but that's part of the process I think that we need to establish an environment where iron sharpens iron sharpens side of this sort is going to come out and if we're not going to do that then we might as well not even meeting here to have discussions about bills or anything else we might as well just say what you want and we'll just walk along with you and that's part of what this is intended to do is to in service and to decision because otherwise. We're. I don't know why I would even want to be down here yes it will be contentious put traps perhaps not but without a format without processes without a procedure in place then there's no reason for us to do anything especially when our constituents are calling to us and saying can't you do something well no right now we can't but this will give us an opportunity to do something because a lot of conversation is driven by constituents. I want to be I'm going to be really clear and I'm asking my question that you responded to something that I did not ask because the premise of my question had nothing to do with whether or not I believe we ought to I have a balance of power because I am clearly on record in last session I'm I'm having on the opposite position when it came to the way we were going to have power over the moneys that we allocated so that's not my point I'm just trying to give myself some solace that when we have an emergency when you have so many fingers in the fire I don't know how does not take into okay got it that's that's it if the if you think it's just going to be that way and that's that's fine maybe is not going to be chaotic that's just not just the way I'm looking at it and I just want to be sure if you had another way of looking at it I wanted to share that. Skews me but one thing may bring use amazes the way that the bill is written. The emergency continues on unless we go to terminated that's what I'm talking about. Which. That's where the debate will take place as to our ability to terminated and that's in my opinion that's part of the healthy discussion okay thank you thank you. Our system. Would you agree that during the entire year of two thousand twenty we received a lot of conflicting information concerning the bars about whether due from the CDC and the World Health Organization about whether to wear a mask not wear a mask. But where we can go how the how the virus have you can contract the virus services did we get a lot of conflicting information from those two organizations in the past year. In a simple answer yes. Thank. Yes Sir two gonna ask my question similar to what Senator Elliot said. Marina the bill is if we come together and we make that decision as a legislative body to ALC or through of some of the process there would be any chaos because that would be a definite action by us to be in the emergency and then be a definite step to say constitutionally the emergency is over so the chaos that could come from that would only be here to debate process which is a natural and and functional part of government but if we made a decision one way or the other that would be final as far as a mercy goes which would be a final statement to the people of Arkansas would you agree with that I agree with that not thank you for reading that up because I remember the governor asking us as a legislative branch please tell me what you think and we haven't done that yet this will provide that opportunity in a structured way for us to be able to do that. Thank you. The Senator hammer what if anything changes in the first sixty days the governor declares emergency. If you declares an emergency that is stated for public health reasons which is new language inserted into what he's able to do now because you would have to declare. I if you declared an emergency for the purposes of public health what would happen is within eight days we would come in for concurrent resolution to vote to terminate the emergency if the emergency was not terminated it would continue on and all of the directives that were given by the department of health would be sent to subject matter committee to be approved by a LC. If at the within eight days we voted to terminate the emergency to the concurrent resolution we could determine that it would end immediately or it could land at a time that was determined within the concurrent resolution. S. thank you for the answer as far as the all I can tell in my reading each step of this process of emergency emergency being extended. It requires that the legislature if they do not wish that they do not agree comes up with has to come up with the majority of votes to end. Of. Not approve except for a it in every case it's not that. That a lack of a majority to approve within that is that correct. And had a little trouble hearing you some under amount of state my answer for. If it if it doesn't align with your question just a legend well harder next time but if it would require that we have a majority of the quorum present to vote to terminate the emergency if we do not terminate the emergency it continues on however it cycles back around in front of a A. L. C. again because we always want to keep the format to where we can be involved in the discussion. But in every step it requires a majority to disapprove not a majority to approve correct thank you. Thank again wish to speak for any objection ruling of a now closed you may close thank you thank you Mr president. I just want to. Say that thank you to everybody that contributed to this I also want to thank the ministry branch and I want to thank the governor something and I'll just say it some think this is the governor's bill they're just misinformed and not knowledgeable but we had extensive meetings with them because here's the thing this isn't about the current situation. This is about the next situation and we're learning from this situation. God forbid that we ever experience anything that we've experienced in the last year but because we've been able to come together and let us reason together I think we've been able to produce a pathway forward and as I mentioned earlier as long as the bill is not altered in its form the governor's committed to sign it not to leave a Norman not to veto but to sign it I think that is a big step by both the legislative branch and administrative branch that's in the best interest of the citizens of Arkansas thank you Veriflow Senator L. and. Your. All right please call the roll Ballenger. Ballenger. Back. Let. Blake. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Davis. Davis. Dismang. He. Alliot. English. Flippo. Flowers. Flowers. Senate president Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Leading. Page. Riper. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch Sullivan. T.. T.. Tucker. Tucker. Wallace. You wish to vote or change the vote Senator Bledsoe hi Senator talker anyone else over here senator Clark. Anyone on this. Senate wedding NO. Anyone else the ballot. Twenty seventy eight foreign nation you're not voting one present. The bill is passed the Emergency Clause was adopted transmit to the House senator talk for. Senate bill three eighty four by Senator Tucker. To amend Arkansas law concerning campaign contributions to amend campaign practices and to amend portions of the law resulting from initiated act one of nineteen ninety initiated act one of nineteen ninety six. Senate. Thank you governor. This is bill has to do with contribution limits set up I really think it's the clarify the intent of what the legislature already once this bill came out of the discussion and Senate state agencies committee with the bill that Senator Dismang was run and and director of the ethics commission Graham Sloan was was sitting there and in the course of discussion we. Okay and our understanding in that discussion was that a candidate could raise a Max contribution from one donor and then switch to run for a different office in the same election and raise another Max contribution from the same donor during the same election and Senator Ballinger actually raise a point which I thought was well taken that but the only way that you could do that is if you spent the money in the first race before you switched offices and it gives you an incentive to raise that Max contribution from a number of donors spend at all to get your name ID and then switch to a different office and raise Max contributions from the same set of donors in the same election center Ballenger I've been trying to run a bill together down here for a long time and and I told him I thought this was the bill and I'm a part of me thought that if if both of our names are on the bill that everyone might see what good policy is good now and I'm standing here I realize it might make everybody in the chamber nervous but but anyway that's what the bill does you it's only one Max contribution per donor per candidate even if the candidate is running for more than one office in the same election just one other point to clarify. Just wanna be clear that we're not targeting any race in the twenty twenty to election cycle in order to demonstrate that in ten this is not effective until elections that take place after January first twenty twenty three so we're not trying to get in the middle of any current election or campaign but that's that's what the bill does a required sake any questions any any questions for the seller. Anyone would speak against and when we speak for all centers closed the objection on the vote. Please remote Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eves Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hello Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace in which change the vote. Loures present center flowers present thank you senator flowers anyone else. Senator Clark Is. The Senator design is now. I'm not. Senator this is not about anyone else. Cast of thirty one days zero days one not voting to present the bill is passed. Moving on to S. B. transmitter the House moving to SP three eighty three both of these required twenty four votes by the way because they are changing initiated act. Senate bill three eighty three by Senator Tucker to amend campaign contribution amounts to amend the law concerning campaign practices and require the Arkansas ethics commission to promulgate rules. Senator senator Jordan has. Thank you governor this bill really came out of the first bill because I noticed and you'll notice these bills are out of order new members numerically I want this bill to come second to basically amend the first bill but they have different effective dates which is well put into separate bills that you'll notice and and bill three eighty four that it has the Max contribution limit twenty seven hundred per election as we all know that's not actually what the Max contribution was in twenty twenty was twenty eight hundred so the code was inconsistent with the ethics commission rule as to what the Max contribution was in twenty twenty so originally this bill was set to amend the Max contribution will limit from twenty seven hundred twenty eight hundred with that one that was on file then director Sloan approached me and said that's all well and good but if you're gonna change it's twenty eight hundred you might as well change it to twenty nine hundred because that's fix and change next month but really the better approach is to go ahead and put the formula that the federal government uses and that the ethics commission uses in order to change the maximum contribution limit every election cycle so that the legislature doesn't have to come back every other year and keep changing the dollar amount so this will just have it be where it happens automatically in the code won't be inconsistent with what the Max contribution is and so this is this bill there's not an emergency clause on it but it will become effective this election cycle as opposed to the last bill because I take any questions questions Senator Clark. With your comments on the last bill can you tell me what Senator Ballinger detection as to this bill. I'm sorry so with your comments on the last bill can you tell me what Senator Ballenger's objections are to this to this bill hi I don't think Senator Ballinger has any object he's given me a thumbs up right now and if I remember correctly you may have made the motion and state agencies to pass this bill so I just found this before I cleared it with him and so that's why his name is not on there. Any other questions and always speak against or for any objectionable in the vote centers closed. Please roll. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson landing page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace you wish to change your vote. The ballot. Thirty forty eight zero nine is bill this past transmit to the house Senator Clark. Senate bill three eighty six by Senator Clark to amend the law concerning retail water providers in related service. Search for. Is recognized. Thank you governor. Colleagues. Of this sum may surprise you. The the water bill is on the agenda today. Forty fourth session. Of and you have not received lots of emails and phone calls. The That is because we do not know of any opposition to the water bill this time. And I appreciate your wisdom and passing this bill or another bill the past force sessions will past three sessions before now. The recent water supply problems during the cold weather highlighted our need to act. The legislature authorized water provider task force which I co chair. In which some upon which you served we discover greater problems than any of us imagined. According to the. Our American society of civil engineers. In nineteen ninety seven Arkansas had a three point seven billion dollar deficit in our water supply infrastructure. By two thousand seventeen twenty years later Arkansas was approaching a seven point four billion dollar deficit and our water supply infrastructure for twice as much. I noted that's noted in a report along with of the twenty six hundred fifty miles a water transmission and distribution lines which will require replacement or rehabilitation within the next twenty years fourteen percent of these projects are at a critical stage expressly in areas a rule Arkansas and many need attention now. Some areas we would like to rehabilitate or enhance economically may have a water supply infrastructure that is collapsing or will be soon. We discovered much of this problem has come about because there were loans when the systems were created that required that they be maintained. As these loans were paid off these requirements were no longer in place and they are too often run by well meaning folks that did not understand the long term maintenance required it's cost or the necessity to save for those needs. Other problems we discovered included a lack of consumer protection a lack of representation for residents outside of a municipality Sir by municipality a shortage of trained water system operators. A lack of skill for many small systems to employ these operators a way to identify systems that could be self sufficient into the future and those that are simply overwhelmed by cost shrinking populations except for. And finally but not least important we heard much testimony about political lines and political gamesmanship the lane and stopping economic growth. We could also see a need for an agency to have some authority to deal with these problems and make sure the sentences of Arkansas have an adequate water supply. This bill I'm all. Spot nine things that it does this does not address every one of those things but addresses most of them. And it does not solve the state water problems but it is a foundation for solving Arkansas's water problems. This bill first requires training for those it serves on the board of water providers we only requiring eight hours of many states require more we looked and we went to the lower side and it does not require that every board member. I have the training but requires a majority to. It requires an audit every five years of. By an accredited provider. We have of the rule of water association that's probably not their correct name does these for free so there is we are not creating any financial burden of for any small water system by requiring these. Water providers will be required to set rates that are not below their cost to provide water that's a huge part of the problem that we have going on now. Are they don't know what it cost and therefore they don't have rates that reflect what it's actually costing for long term long term maintenance of pop. Thanks thanks except for. We define fiscal distress. It gives the state the authority to act on a provider is in fiscal distress so that our citizens have water. Allow cities that do not wish to provide water outside their boundaries to continue that practice. For those cities that do provide water outside their boundaries they may have agreements that require future annexation if they do not have such agreements in place they cannot require future annexation to supply water in those areas before they have served without that requirement. Those cities with a twenty percent or more of their customers outside their boundaries must create a a water provider advisory board that consisted of at least two members outside the city in those areas served. That's the representation part if a citizen is an area. That is designated as belonging to a water provider who will not or cannot serve them that they may obtain water from another willing provider. This bill is not perfect the spot are working on it for four sessions there's parts of it that I would certainly like to be stronger there are parts that other people don't like nearly as much of the municipal well municipal association supported the water providers association supported appreciate all the work that has gone into it is very important that we passed this in order to create that foundation to fix water in Arkansas in the future of so that will have it and I know we take it for granted we just turn the spigot on and we'll have it but it doesn't work that way I'll be happy to take any questions. For speaking against or for centers close I'm close to appreciate a good vote injection one. Please. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace in which change of a. Loures present center for our presentation flowers senator hill no. Sir Beckham present. Anyone else. What else. The ballot. Thirty one year age one day to present the bill is passed transmit to the House moving house bill thirty passes so does my age one of or not House Bill ten forty nine The Representative Jett to allow the withholding of state income tax for from unemployment compensation benefits and unemployment insurance benefits Senate is one. Thank you governor membership you remember just last week maybe a week before Comiso things down the snow but we exempted from income taxes state unemployment benefits for the years twenty twenty twenty twenty one one of the things we found out of one the main reasons or one of the big reasons weeks into that income was because there is not an ability for the state to provide with holding or withholding mechanism for those recipients which at a New Day meant that instead of having things held out for them they were gonna have to come up with the money to pay the state income taxes at the end of the day this is not to say that we shouldn't have a discussion on whether or not we should tax unemployment benefits to begin with however at this point this would just allow that process to be put in place and be effective for January first twenty twenty two. Any questions for the center Sir just fill. Thank you your but it does work read the like teacher retirement something like that is voluntary as to whether or not you'll have it with you have a voluntary but there would be a place then just like so it I think the federal withholding is also voluntary right now there is federal withholding child support can be withheld I think some other items constants can be in in I think much like it's a flat rate withholding that you would like to have for state tax purposes ladies volunteer this moment yes thank you. Against the bill for the bill. Senator close is closed. Boring injection please role of a. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. If you wish to change your vote. Loures present flowers present thank you Sir for hours anyone else. The ballot thirty three eight zero nine eight one present the bill is passed return the bill to the house under hammer H. P. ten sixty two passport ten sixty two by represented Fite and Senator hammer to increase the look back period for prior convictions of boating or driving while intoxicated for the purpose of sentence enhancement. Senate. Thank you Mr president. Arkansas has currently a five year look back period for D. W. eyes if an individual is convicted of a DWI that conviction rolls off the individual record after just five years this law limits law enforcement's ability to punch habitual drunk drivers there's several individuals currently just whistling County ties alone where the states ability to punish them is impacted by the short look back period let me give you a few examples. Individual number one has at least ten prior DWI convictions and has one pending now the individual has been present for DWI and on this pending D. W. I. the mostly all of individuals eligible for is a misdemeanor and one year in jail because a short look back period is classified as first fence DWI percentage purposes this one probably shocked me the most individual number two has eighteen D. W. I. convictions in twenty years with one pending in another county that's going to be one of our counties in this chamber today individual to has been to prison for D. W. Y. with current D. W. I. because of the short look back period the most this individual is eligible for now is a misdemeanor with one year in jail it's classified as a first offense DWI for sentencing purposes. Individual number three has ninety W. ice individual number four as five D. W. eyes I could go on and on would give Jitesh what we're dealing with here. These examples from just the area that I serve R. one of two reasons changes law on the second big reason is that we are we can nationally when it comes to this area only for other states rank comparatively to ours Mississippi our neighbor to the south has a lifetime look back up for four years for four or more convictions much stronger than ours Missouri has a lifetime look back for four or more much stronger than ours it would take care of the examples mentioned above role and I one five year look back Maryland five year look back. What I'm asking you what we are asking you to do today is to double the look back period in our statute to move it from five to ten years on most D. W. eyes but for six more movie to twenty years this is still lower than lifetime look back periods in some states but will improve our law and I could go through and give you a long list but ten is what aligns with the majority of the states out there and so it is a step in the right direction but it doesn't go as far as some others and I'll be glad to answer any questions the very having questions Senator hammer. Anyone. He will speak for the bill against the bill. Anyone object drawing both real low. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester. Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Okay it is any member which the voter change over. Well it. By voting thirty forty eight zero nine eight the bill is passed police the return to the House. Okay we'll. Senator Sturch the mind coming to this I have something I have to take care of. But it does. One of the taking of House bills eleven seventeen senator You. House eleven seventeen per cent Wardlaw concerning the division of correction in my farm funds. Senator recognized thank you members this is a simple bill it basically it comes from the Department corrections it basically does what was intended to regionally and what they do with the department of corrections they'll now be able to do with partner communications and that is take any consumption of produce from the farm and applied to the inmate farm fund so with that I'll take any questions. Any questions presented him or saying no questions anyone to speak for against the bill. Saying that any objection rolling vote on the bill Senate Costas. Transaction please reload Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Fite Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice samples Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Any senator who wishes to change her vote. Loures present Senate powers be present any other Senator. Say nine times a day please cast a ballot. The voter thirty three ACT one present the bill has passed returned to the house. Now the taking of house bill twelve ten twelve ten by representing Hillman center here to amend the makeup of the State Plant Board and to require governor appointment and Senate confirmation of potential members senator hill you're recognized thank you Sir colleague but this does this bill it does three major aspects one is it make sure that our board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate which makes it legal with the supreme court's ruling against us from the last session that we had will be nine industry. individuals on the board and eight farmers may almost be confirmed by the Senate. After their appointed by the governor. What this does it combines a nursing means bill or the nursery men's group with the horticulturist in that position to be filled by another former which will increase their their number up in plus for adding one position which will be a farmer which will put them at the total number of eight. So with that said I any questions I'll be glad entertainment center Chesterfield you're recognized for a question yes thank you Mr is this a homogeneous group ethnically and gender was either all white acts on the bill I do not know insure that. I do not know the members the State Plant Board do what now. Do what you said I said I do not know the answer to that I do not know how means on I know that no one is on there I do not know any of them I could not tell you what they look like so you're just going to it's just it's just the makeup of the just for the make of the borders credit only reason I raise a concern is because there are a number of black farmers that have not been involved in any of this and so I was wondering what the current make up was the if you're not familiar with the answer I'm not but I would encourage the the farmers near the referring to to apply for for some these position when I come available. Also you have to apply yes through through their for the organization that internally. Okay what I've already sent to the farm bureau that it so thank you thank you. Any other questions center here I'm Stubblefield you're recognized for a question. Senator Hill is there anyone that will be sitting on this board that will represent the horticulture yes the eighty as the horticulturist and the nurserymen are combined into one they can build a point they will have a Representative they will have a Representative that is correct. Will okay we'll be appointed from either a nurse means association are the green Association on that. We are combination of the two of you that that is correct. Any other questions for senator hill. I'm very saying no questions anyone to speak for or against the bill. Anyone speak for against the bill saying nine center you close for your bill I'm close appreciate a good vote sends close for his bill any objection to rowing the boat. Object accented Garza jacket madam secretary please call the roll. Ballenger. Ballenger. Beckham. But. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Davis. Nine DISMANG. This line. Eight. Elliott. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flippo. Flowers. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hammer. Hendren. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Leading. Leading. Page. Riper. Price. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. Tucker. Wallace. Senate take where you I. He was. Senator hammer is hi Senator Elliott is online. Senate dismaying is on Senator letting his hi. Senator. Senate Chesterfield is I Senator Clark Is nine any dissenting voices change of. Senator Davis to nonvoting. What. Senator garner when she sang for. At any other Senator which is changeable. Any other center which is changeable saying nine AM secretary cast about voted twenty nine days one day and three present the bill has passed returned to the house. You will not take a house bill twelve sixty one. Twelve sixty one represented Ladyman in center city to amend the law concerning the state water pollution control agency authorized the agency to administer the section four oh four per permitting program of the federal clean water act in lieu of the United States Army corps of engineers Senator is recognized thank you Mr president colleagues currently if you for any but instead of doing work in part of the river system that's considered the waters of the US they go through a permitting process to the corps of engineers there for permitting zones across the state. Along the way the the environmental quality and the court decided they were they would be able to delegate this process to the states this this bill actually comes from a D. E. Q. this first step in this process is and is passing this enabling what legislation once they get this completed and ADQ takes over this process that we go to one permit throughout the entire state so it makes a lot simpler process for them as opposed to anybody trying to play with through the four different permit zones across the state and also then allows for some local practical rule making in the process and somebody ask in the in the committee what what's what's the part of this process could mean example this was able to get some information said activities include building structures roads or transmission lines construction of levees or installation of riprap along the rivers any those kind of things require this for current for for a permit that's get this done through the corps of engineers that were the bill for going forward may be moved to eighty Q. and I would answer be able to answer any questions so please. Any questions for senator needs Sanchez. Thank you because as I read about it I know that. The core of engineers is in charge they no longer want to be in charge they are shutting it off to this correct they would they would they would be they they said when they started this at some point they would probably passing it down to the states okay so this is not a usurpation this is just passing on correct thank you. Any other questions for senator eads. Saying that anyone who wish to speak for against the bill. Senate center closed centers close for his bill any objection rowing the boat. Say no injection I'm secretary please roll the Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eats Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Fite Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Cast a ballot. Thirty forty eight zero days the bill is passed return the bill. To the house. You're gonna pass over your Senator Sturch. Well I. Please be twelve seventy three. House Bill twelve seventy three by Representative Smith. To establish the on gas owners lean Act of twenty twenty one. Sure start. Thank you Mr president so I members we weren't sure who's coming back but to the bill before you today I'm running on behalf of citizens to Smith but if you recall several years ago we did something very similar to protect farmers when they were storing grain if an elevator took bankruptcy would allow the farmers to get their share and so this is very similar with oil and gas royalties and so up in our neck of the woods we have several companies coming in and out some are being bought out summer to claim bankruptcy and the landowners of the royalty owners get left holding the bag and the royalties are being paid so we took language that's very similar to a bill in Oklahoma law that was passed there and this is the new language that you see before you essentially what the bill does is it protects landowners and royalty owners in the event that a well operator owner should take bankruptcy or going to receivership if passed then the royalties would have to be then paid as part of the bankruptcy proceedings to those owners and so like I said there's no known opposition or marker Association or bank association there is no opposition present in the house or the Senate I appreciate a good vote any questions regarding your question. Okay no questions he will speak again for for. Centers close any objection run the vote. Please rollover Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice St Stubblefield. Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace anyone wish to change the. Cast a ballot. Thirty forty eight zero nine is a bill is passed from the bill to the house Senator hammer Hester thirteen forty five per person to person Senator hand to amend the law concerning the day taxes are due and payable to allow county county collectors to collect taxes before the first business day in March under certain circumstances and declare an emergency center at. Thank you Mr what this bill does is allow tax collectors begin collecting taxes but citizen wants to do it provided they get their books opened before March first this is not mandatory doesn't force anything creates an option that is currently wanted to be used and so this law just makes it permanent place be glad to answer any questions. Anyway we speak against for centers closed injection rolling the vote please roll about. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner you know more hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Cast up the ballot thirty forty eight zero nine is the bill is passed on the bill to the house Senator Flippo dusty Senator Flippo do not see Senator Flippo we're going to Passover Senator Flippo as bill hello someone wants to handle it for you know I'm Senator Stubblefield. House thirteen fifty eight by represented Barker in center Stubblefield to amend the law concerning certain disclosures of information permitted under the child welfare agency licensing at and concerning foster youth transitions Sir Stubblefield. Thank you governor our house bill fifty thirteen fifty eight mainly as a clean bill it to change the eligibility requirements for the extended foster care program language the lands language better with the federal law conditions under which you may return to extended foster care the agency to which referrals to be made for juveniles who do not have the capacity to transition to adulthood independently the office of public guardian rather than adult protective services also that are used in the customs department Human Services make sure information about his or her experience with the Department at his or her discretion after consultation with our attorney and lot of uh no no opposition at the Arkansas advocates for children Arkansas children's hospital you a mass Arkansas Commission of child abuse rape and domestic abuse Arkansas court approved program Arkansas state police crimes against children attorney ad litem program costs of child safety advocacy center DHS office of general counsel governor Hutchinson's office juvenile judges and pranks they're all in favor. The question the question. You always speak against her for centers closed. EdgeX run the vote. The Bill. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading Page right for rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace general questions about the. About thirty forty eight zero nice bill is passed one bill to the house and Stubblefield thirty to do not hassle thirteen fifty nine members are present for Stubblefield to amend the law concerning the release of confidential information entered the child welfare agency licensing act. Chesterville thank you this bill is due this bill will assist the Division of Children and Family Services and better sporting states foster care parents by allowing certain information to be released to foster cares regarding children who were previously placed in the home such as information needing needed for filing taxes. Sixty existing law only allows for the top release of information for children currently placed in the home this legislation will give the agency the ability to provide limited information foster parents who have legitimate need for such information as determined by the agency. Per share a good vote any questions your speak against for for centers close interjection role in the vote please roller. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang the Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading Page right riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace it always change of a flower snow Jennifer Lauer's NO thank you send flowers to anyone else. The ballot. Thirty three days one day the bill is passed return the bill to the house H. B. thirty seventy seven centre jobs house bill thirteen seventy seven by represented Cavan on center Johnson to amend the law concerning the tax levied on the sale of used motor vehicle or trailer or semi trailer back from saying. Senator John. Members is billed as to changes it if if you instead of trading in a vehicle you sell the vehicle this gives you forty it used to have forty five days is give you sixty days to pay that next net difference in tax I appreciate a good vote in question were speak against and for centers close injection on the vote please call vote man sector. Ballenger Beckham. All well Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang the Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T.. Tucker Wallace you know we should change of a. Cast at the ballot. Thirty forty eight zero days the bill is passed from the house or is. Thirteen eighty three per cent Hobson Center aids to amend the law concerning the prayer at the tax books electronic assessment of property taxes electronically production tax records. Thank was present members of this bill comes from the assessor's association does couple things couple pieces of clean up one it allows a certain documents be transmitted between county dot county officials electronically to the can be more efficient items in our copies the second thing it does if you notice if you look at this piece of code there's several places in there it mentions the words county Clerk and so should with tax information in the county will it make sense that the keeper these records should be the consulting of this to the tax records is often the county Clerk has nothing to do with those pieces of information so this changes that wording from county Clerk to What's the term the repair of the textbooks and there's also somebody the question for me committee because there's a very large table that's actually in the bill that entire tables already in code and all they were doing was changing the last line of it or change the signature from county Clerk to prepare of textbooks so there's no other changes to that particular piece of the legislation I'd be happy answering questions. There is close to the junction road the vote please over massacre Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gallimore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker while I was changing. The cast of the ballot thirty forty age you're nice bill is passed Turnersville to the house moved on to the Budget counter served as. Amendment one to Senate bills are sixty seven. Service. Thank governor members this is to add two point five billion dollars to unemployment benefits and expense cash preparation these are federally paid benefits and payments amendment to SB sixty seven that's the first one. Any questions all those in favor say aye. Is integration next amendments amendment one the Senate bill one ten at this moment comes from governor's letter it adds eleven thousand thirty dollars to the higher education programs preparation this is clean up as part of the transformation efforts efforts americorps is now ministered by the Division of higher education. Any questions all those in favor say aye. Close as this is not the Senate grocery next next month amendment one that Senate bill one eleven. Senate is thank governor this is also from the governor's letter it adds five hundred ninety four million in federal preparation to the Department education's federal programs preparation we've had pretty good debate or discussion is rhetoric but that the committee we will be asking for you to kind of follow these funds see which schools of recent receive funds we have not had their expending those that sort of thing. A good question. Let's say aye those eyes. And engrossing you know the bills to bills. No. Okay House ten ninety four by joint budget back to the Arkansas rice research and promotion boards preparation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year. Sir design I thank you be happy to take any questions. You questions more speak against for for. Injection on the vote. The whole. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang the Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace you always change your vote. Just about thirty forty eight zero nays the bill is passed transmit birds closed up to transmit to the return to the House centered is. Thirteen ninety two by joint budget an act for the department of education Arkansas school for the blind and the Arkansas school for the deaf reappropriation. So does. I'd be happy to take any questions any questions anymore we speak on the bill. Yes for injection on the vote please roll the. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eves Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace you always change of. Yes about thirty forty eight zero nice bill is passed on the bill to the house for two calls is adopted you know Sir back on. You to make a motion to withdraw bill Senate bill one eighty. Motion to withdraw Senate bill nine eighty. Follows. Yes. Hello. This Is have a motion carried Senate chose a. Thank you governor insurance and commerce to meet five minutes after upon adjournment we've got a big bill to start with the several small one. Five minutes after German that. Any other announcements before we go to the. Sir Garner state agencies is not being today. What is the status. Any other announcements. Senate is adjourned until one o'clock. Monday subject to the clearing