Senate Convenes

White non and we'll get going shortly. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang he Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hello Ingram Irvin bike Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace. Everyone please stand closing those in the gallery. Senator Sturch. Our prayer. Kali says pray. You have followed with thanks for the state thank you many blessings in life that you give us we so often take for granted or thanks for the opportunity we have to serve in this body. We just ask a special blessing upon each one or you know our strengths and our weaknesses and where we stand in need of you we just ask that you granted joint according to you will. Arrested you with those that have recently lost loved ones we take this opportunity lower to lift up for calling Senator Stubblefield in his family lord you know they're needed we just ask that you granted. As they mourn the loss of his brother or message with those of also opens to the pandemic in those that are still battling illness when we just ask that you grant their health needs as you see fit. Northwest with our nation yes it's with their leaders the federal level and our troops in the frontline health workers lord as they do their work in years message you just give them strength of body and strength of mine once they do that were. Nobody can we thank you for all the many things we take for Jesus and lord we ask for forgiveness of sins in Jesus name I pray amen. I pledge allegiance. States of America. For which it stands one nation under god. Will this liberty and justice for all. Senator look for. It's not hear any announcements Senator Flippo. Not objection. That's any items to be read across the desk. Yes Sir will your committee on Iran Bills to whom was first Senate bill two thirty six by Senator Dismang Senate bill one sixty five by Senator Hendren Senate bill one forty eight by Senator Blake Johnson center Senate bill one thirty six by Senator Irving compare the engrossed copy with the original ban same correctly enrolled in delivered to the governor and nine thirty seven this morning for his approval respectfully submitted. Senate. Kuala. Well your committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill thirty by Senator English compare the engrossed copy with the original fans and correctly engrossed. Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill sixty one by Senator carving compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed dollar. Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill sixty two by Senator Irving compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed calendar. The on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill eighty six by senator garner the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed calendar Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill one seventy four by Senator cheek compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed John Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill one eighty by Senator Beckham compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed John Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill one ninety five by Senator Solomon compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed calendar Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill two oh eight by Senator Solomon compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed hello Committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill two thirty by Senator tapper compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed shall we are committee on grass Bills to whom was first Senate bill two ninety by Senator landing compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed hello. We are Committee on Judiciary to whom was first Senate bill one seventy by senator garner recommend to pass. Hello Committee on Judiciary to whom was first Senate bill three oh six by Senator Clark recommend to pass filter. Committee on Judiciary to whom was first Senate bill three eleven by Senator tracker recommend to pass out of committee on Judiciary to whom was referred house bill eleven fifty nine The Representative makes recommend to pass out of. Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred house bill eleven fifty eight by Representative great recommend to pass your committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred house bill thirteen sixty one by received ease recommend to pass. Announcer the girls that Senator English I move into the all. Senator English recognized. One to Senate bill one sixty three. Thank you. It's just that makes the changes in the Senate bill one. Three. Any questions all those in favor say aye. Close ties in this doctor's integration center Ballenger center Ballenger. Amendment one to House Bill thirteen fifty six. Survival thank you my bill my amendment all over say aye. Those guys have it Saddam did senator saying I heard somebody breve one I already know I. For the record or not senator each S. C. R.. Senate concurrent resolution five by Senator aids to encourage the governor to amend Arkansas's Medicaid eligibility rules to provide access to coverage for migrant men women and children from the compact of free association Allen's. Senator H. thank you Mr president colleagues this is a very important resolution I think it's specifically for those of us in Northwest Arkansas in addition for the rest of state as well for those you may not know this process in nineteen ninety six there was a change in federal law that made those the that we're able to come here you know I say from the association of free islands in eligible for Medicaid and then in two thousand seventeen we passed HCR one. Hello one two that allowed a pregnant women and children to be included on the our kids program well in December of twenty twenty Congress passed the president signed the crook coronavirus risk response and relief supplemental appropriations act twenty twenty one which will once again for the first time in over twenty five years make the citizens of the compact of free association islands who live in the United States eligible for Medicaid coverage so DHS is proposing to change the eligibility rules in Arkansas to reflect those that are change at the federal level now so the purpose of this resolution is the give the legislation up to to express our support for these rule changes and far Marshallese community and I would appreciate a good vote. Any questions. Centers close although the per se I. The. Senate concurrent resolution is adopted. Senator English. Senator English all of. I believe I'm going to have an amendment that about. Recognized this is this is that an amendment that is concurs. House amendment the questions on the amendment. All those members say aye. Follows Is haven't been to dropped it meant one Senate bill thirty two. The card in a role and. We're gonna have a roll call. I'm secretary please call the roll on the underlying amended bill. Senate bill thirty two by Senator English to authorize certain permit holders to deliver alcoholic beverages directly to a consumer please rolled out without objection. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe. Caldwell. What. Napo. Are you not. Call Caldwell Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Davis. Davis. DISMANG. This mine. Eighteens. Elliott. Allen. English. Five. Flippo flowers. Flowers. Garner. Garner. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Ingram. Irvine. Fite Johnson. Blake Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Page. Right. Right. Price. Price. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. Tucker. Wallace higher. The flowers of evil which the voter change your vote on the Senate flowers right now you're not voting you with that okay senator to fill those high. Senator Gilmore is not all senator. Is all anybody else over here. Senator Hester is not all. Senator Davis is by anybody else over here senator ready for. Is no. Anybody else. Senator hammer is no cast the ballot. Eighteen year is nine days six nonvoting one present one of the. Bill was passed. Transferral. Senator Irvin. Senate bills each. Thank you. The one eight five. Is not. You want to just go to a different. The Bill. That's okay. Senate bill one eighty five by senator Irving to repeal obsolete language concerning the administration of the Arkansas home inspector registration board centerman. Okay thanks thank you members and bills that it's really a true clean up bill that deals with obsolete language it does not have a financial impact. It does not have a that does not have a financial impact or any impact on the impact on the community the public or the board it's obsolete language because of the transformation and Bills I'll answer any questions any questions anyone wish to speak against or for centers closed any objection or on the vote. Please call the. Ballenger Beckham 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 Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan Teague Tucker Wallace you wish to change your vote. Cast a ballot thirty forty eight zero nine. Bill is passed transmitir the House. You senator Solomon. Governor. The one the one ninety four bass center solve them to amend the freedom of information act of nineteen sixty seven and to allow the photographing of public records social. Thank you Mr president members and I think it was may of twenty twenty we had a controversy ended up in court where Mr mortal more tall wanted to photograph records are public records and he was told he had to pay for that went to court the court decided that they did not you could not charge for someone taking pictures of records so this bill shorten bill just addresses that issue and if you look at it just kinda repeat the language of looking for. Including without limitation copping through image capture including still and moving photographs and videos and digital records the use of that language kind of forward looking if there are other ways coming up in the future to capture that without the agency after actually having to make a photocopy of a notice on page two we had a question yesterday committee Page two line thirty four it allows the divisions agencies to charge in line thirty four except as provided here so it doesn't allow the charge for taking photographs and using those those issues we also had a question from the clerk's talked about if they had older documents could they be protected from flashes and things that might destroy that and that's a custodian of records they have the ability to to protect those documents Your question has come up several times that. Individuals can kind of make this makes the quote easier to request documents and now we'll had a flood of people coming in to request it if this doesn't change that it doesn't address that issue people can request those documents to look at him I without copying and they just look at them so this bill really doesn't address that issue only to allow people to make copies as the court is said without being charged with that I'll take any questions what. Your Speaker for Senate closed injection on the bottom. These rules. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang H. 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 their vote. Cast a ballot thirty four your bills passed transmit the bill to the house Senator Bledsoe. Senate bill two fifty nine by Senator Bledsoe authorize the licensure of state and local government heating ventilation air conditioning and refrigeration inspectors and to correct references to the appropriate cabinet level the Department similar to thank you Mr president ladies and gentlemen of the Senate. This is that are all. Please per se. This is the same board bill that I brought yesterday and Senator Rice is fine with it and I can go through it again it's just clean up language of and the. The a the H. back board was doing things. In two thousand and four that day didn't have authority to do and after the call Boyd was review of the. Armament thought that this would be the best way to handle it to put it in a for legislative approval nothing changes it came out of the health health committee with the NO. No votes and the I appreciate I'll answer any questions and then I'd appreciate a good vote. Any questions for the center anyone wishing to pose they get fiber center centers close any objectionable in the vote I don't see any please roll the vote. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell has to feel Clark Davis Dismang aids 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 the vote. Senator Hester as anyone else cast a ballot. Thirty two days two days the bill is passed. Transmitir the House senator garner. Senate bill two eighty one by Senator Garner concerning representation of a corporate or business entity and a claim or action filed with the Arkansas state claims commission. Senator Garner thank you governor last session I pass the bill for the claims commission that a business corporation has to be have an attorney when they go in front of them others common sense rule that the majority of people in the house the Senate voted for what during the debate we had a issue come up with for certain small claims if they needed attorney or not we promised at the time of that became an issue would bring this law back to fix it it became a small issue on the cause a major one but true to our word claims commission myself brought this back to what this will do is for certain small claims under two thousand dollars they would not have to be represented by attorney that's how it used to be it's a better practice now to have the corporation have an attorney but similar to say a small claims court you don't need attorney to represent you in from the claims commission if you so choose your still allowed to bring one if you do but if you don't want to for say like your liquor license permit got revoked or some of the smaller things you'll have to hire an attorney to do that with that I'll take any questions any questions. I have a question. Okay is Senator Ingram and Senator flowers is right Senator Ingram. Senate would what is the limit in the state with small claims court that you can go to small claims court not use a lawyer is it is it still five thousand dollars I think so yeah I think it's five thousand dollars Sir yes Sir okay all right thank you thank you senator surplus. Yes I don't agree with that answer but I want to know from senator garner the end who on behalf of the corporation is going to be with the authority to go before the claims commission and ask for any of these things you walk under this bill and how is that verified by the claims commission. I typically be somebody who has an official title with the company whether to CEO or some other capacity or us you know their legal counsel they might have all staff could do it but typically this is for smaller businesses say like a liquor store who has their liquor license revoked then they want to go back to get that permit so not talk about the major corporations who would typically be able to hire turn anyway talk about smaller issues I said this used to be how it was before last session we change the law to make it so you had to have an attorney and this is basically carving out a little exception so that they don't have to eat that cost. Well as I understand Arkansas law corporation has to be represented by an attorney so in your bill would you necessarily have to have somebody designated to represent the corporation whether it's an attorney or not somebody even the person that you say is an official of the corporation that's not in your bill yes ma'am that's what what we change a lot last time it was a bit confusing on who would come and how it would actually work and I think overall it's a good concept to bring it up I think for this small exemption they found that there's no need to bring attorneys typically or you know quit claims that they do and that this move forward rather quickly so I think in this exemption is a good kind of clean up on the what did. Senate is. Thank you governor. I just what I was trying to kind of go on the same lines because I don't remember the history of it so at this point Community rate transaction the corporate card but even if your business entity you have to have an attorney represent you before the claims commission is what I'm reading is thank you just said we did that last year but I that it went past needed understand a guess but I have to re examine a law I cared for the claims commission and I believe that that is right before you didn't have to have that in center flowers issues and other issues came up because your organization like a court room and they would come in there without an attorney in just convoluted the process where they could do it we passed this last time I did examine that bill. Yes he said thank you Sir. The questions they always speak against four centers closed yes Sir. Any objection rolling the vote yes. Please call the roll out of sector Ballenger. Beckham. But. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Clark. Davis. Davis. DISMANG. He. Elliott. English. Lepo. Flowers no Garner. Garner. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Fite Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Page. Riper. Rice. Price. Thank sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. T.. Tucker. Wallace. Senator Clark Is find anyone else one of the editors of a senator Chesterfield is I. Senator Bledsoe design center Davis is on. Senator. From Crossett Gilmore is I'm sorry your more. Senator Hickey is a high. Nobody else. I will miss a lot. Cast ballots. Thirty three eighty one day bills passed transmitted to the house Senator Irvin S. B. two eight three. Senator. Senate bill two eighty three by Senator Irving. To amend the list of musicians included in the Arkansas music appreciation day. Server thank you members I want to thank the members of state agencies committee and Senator Rapert for and and get this bill out to the floor for me as you can imagine my phone from Mountain View Arkansas blew up and Stone County when this previous bill came through and did not include Jimmy driftwood so Jimmy driftwood yet was born into Arkansas he won Grammy song of the year award for the battle of New Orleans in nineteen sixty he also won Grammys for the Tennessee stud and was instrumental and actually Developing the Ozark folk center state park so he has a tremendous history of his life but this is for all my folks back home in my hometown of Mountain View and stone county and I just appreciate your good vote any questions Chesterfield on the questioner. Thank you Mr chairman thank you senator for taking my question I'm not going to question Jimmy driftwood just want else. Police are included. May we have a list of the musicians who are included. At another time not today please yes I'll get that for just shared with me later yeah I think that's a great idea and I think it needs to be highlighted. He's a special one and if we I got the opportunity to know him and I moved there and his wife and he was just a living legend for our state and so I appreciate a good vote any other questions you wish to speak against Jimmy driftwood for Jimmy driftwood center has closed. I see no opposition at all. Any objection role in the vote I see none please remove a Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang aid's Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Fite Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace it will or should you as the vote saying nine cast a ballot thirty forty eight zero nine is the bill as passed transmitted to the house they on to the House bills Senator Mark Johnson and a home instead of Senator Clark on H. B. one one one two. Eleven twelve by represented by our. To amend the law concerning voter identification to amend the law concerning for verification of provisional ballots into a man Amendment fifty one of the Arkansas constitution. Senators recognize. Thank you Mr president of I'm happy to carry a house bill eleven twelve four my friend represented Lowery and many other long list of co sponsors UC of. The only issue really dealt with this bill is that it removes the sworn statement as a substitute for presenting and a photo ID and and the reason for that is. There's no real standard of what is a verification of a signature there are people who are experts in signature verification there are used in different to legal settings but there is no way we can force that at the same level of accuracy on our our our Alexion official so Many people had concerns that that particular provision had been abused and that there been a sworn affidavits that were never attested to afterwards the we had a issue many of you know Gillespie county where we had voters that voted provisional ballots but never came in and Clarify those ballots with by providing their ID the the other situation was that to the corollary to that was election staffing Pulaski County accounted sum up provisional ballots that have been deemed to be invalid they were fed into the machine anyway there was no way to pull that out some of you all know about most of you all know about the results of that and I will not go down that road today. This basically brings our statute in line with Amendment ninety nine which was passed in twenty eighteen with eighty percent of the vote. there's polling data this is that uh seventy three percent of the non white support voter ID sixty three percent of Democrats support voter ID and ninety five percent of Republicans support voter ID the simple thing is that if someone of misrepresents who someone is either that their eligible or that they are that person then they are in effect stealing the vote from that person a there's been a lot of uh talk about it for years but it comes down to a simple thing some people like to scream you know voter suppression the fact of matter is the only thing this will suppress is someone who is trying to vote illegally a there if you remember when we passed the original legislation we authorized county clerks to have the opportunity to make ID's for people that didn't have the other many acceptable ID's they provide that's provided by the secretary of state's office I don't even have to go through the whole myriad of things that you have to have an ID to do first being of course you can't get on airplane without one most the time you can't to cash a check with that one unless you've presented earlier to that bank and that bank recognizes you my bank actually takes a picture of my driver's license and has it in their computer when it comes up of. This is really not about fraud so it's about an absolute standard of verification and there is no absolute standard there's nothing that to you can do is I said unless you have professional forensic investigators to compare two different signatures it is not about voter suppression or disenfranchisement what it is about is making sure that as many people and we we we hear this all across the state that we want to restore the can the integrity of the ballot and those people that feel that perhaps it's been abused that we want to read force with them that every step has been taken by the state of Arkansas to verify that the individual to cast that ballot is the individual that they're supposed to be there not someone from another state or another district or another county they are that person and remember that if someone shows up in and which tells them that they are you and they're not you. Then they effectively stole your vote we've had cases where senior citizens have shown up all right of voted this will sorry you've already voted our records show you already voted so this will clean that up. And I would lead answering questions I'm not guaranteeing I'm the best one answer but I will certainly try and I. And I'm great thank question. Senate Johnson's explain his billing questions senator. How many instances of. Of fraud and you found so far Sir as you review when Representative Lowery research these well in Pulaski County we know of at least three hundred thirty four instances Senator but I don't know the. Well when you say absolute fraud they were they were not proven to be for all but they were of ballots were counted that were not to verified after they had originally been set aside as as not verified and is not human error instead of the system itself I can't exactly answer that senator all I know is that. Arkansas is in last in building in this country. I did not tell your folks built in Arkansas than they do any other state in the nation well we're certainly encouraging everyone to vote what we want to vote legally not elect and let me say this and I'm not an expert on those types of statistics but I appreciate you pointing that out to me. Senator and. Thank you so couple questions were amending the constitution here is that right. It's it It is affected by the two thirds rule because it doesn't and Amendment so submitted the consultation. We are no Sir we're actually putting it back the way it Amendment that's a good question center in room because there's a question whether the twenty four vote rule would apply simply because what we're referring to in this bill takes us back to the original language in Amendment ninety nine. Well I mean it says Amendment fifty one and it changes that does in fact Amendment fifty one so to err on the side of caution we're treating it is if it takes twenty four about. So what did amendment fifty one when was it put on the ballot and do you know how much it passed by. Since this is this was this was approved by the voters right yes Sir it was approved by voters but I can't tell you the exact numbers that was even that was even before my time but it is the extremely long detailed voter registration amendment that is in the constitution if you it's it's probably at least a third of the pages of the constitution is amendment. Yeah I I read a little bit about it it does some interesting things like getting rid of your whole taxing idiot and some other things that were in the constitution and that again was what I saw was it was approved by seventy three percent I guess my other question is the way it is right now if I forget my ID and I go in to vote I have to sign an affidavit is not an affidavit back to sign a statement saying I am Jim Hendren and I am authorized to vote in this district right yes. And if I don't do that the way I read what we're taking out of there and probably I would say the poll workers would notify me that I'm guilty of perjury. Right. If you don't provide it by falsified that device if I do that and I'm really Jonathan Dismang I'm subject to perjury in connection right yes that's correct Hey Senator Irvin anybody charged with perjury for doing that I'm not sure center because I know that it's done by the individual prosecuting attorneys across the state I don't know that to just because something is perjury doesn't mean that their call to quit in the question for course you know this is not the only law that to. Is. Abused by people or people driving seventy miles an hour and six thirty right now but they're not all called into question for it but I will say that this makes it clear as opposed to it being foggy about what that is because it does not put the burden on art election judges and clerks to make such a determination but as the bill stands today yes you would come in you would be you would potentially if you said you were Jonathan Dismang and you you sign that then you would potentially you would be part perjuring yourself but to eat it. But it's not to the Bill just takes that completely out and it no longer has that affidavit or that form so of the three hundred that you mention in Pulaski County again we don't know of any of them been charged with perjury do we know if any of them were confirmed to be fraudulent somebody came in and said they were somebody else and sign an affidavit saying that I don't have personal regulation Rellik recollection of that I have had the. Two of the three election commissioners tell me there were problems one could is Senator Chesterfield looted to say that there might have been human error but the fact is there's significant number of ballots that were counted that were not supposed to be counted based on the law and the rules by the Election Commission. Senate Allen recognized for a question. The. You said that four Amendment ninety nine. This language that you are removing by this piece of legislation right right back that for me please Amendment ninety nine did not have. Uhhuh and the it was passed by the voters with eighty percent of the vote in twenty eighteen it was later added this was added as a compromise I believe it was in twenty nineteen I could be incorrect but to it may have been in twenty seventeen it was done by statute but the in the actual constitutional amendment it makes no reference to this this was this was a statutory change and we are changing it but as center Hendren alluded to because of the language in Amendment fifty one it probably does require an extraordinary majority for us to amend that because it has to do with the voter registration okay so when we added that language that we're not removing we must have been to somebody must've been trying to solve some problem what was that problem they were trying to stall because surely they did just put it in here well the problem was that there was no uniform standard of have you verify a signature and I know depending on how busy I am having a hurry I am or the gravity of a document that I signed I know my signature can look a little different there are experts out there that specialize in in discerning whether or not some signature is is verified but this is a burden that we've been putting on our local election officials at each polling place in there for this is that uh something that we're we're removing to use the simple expediency of an identification card which I venture to say everyone sitting in this chamber has one of some kind or another everything from from a student at a to a driver's license to a passport and a myriad of other things that you would be required to to show in many many cases in your daily lives yeah. Just a I have a question but I just want to be sure we understand all those things you mentioned are not some things that are guaranteed in the constitution now to my question I think you might have answered my question in regard to what's on the board now my question was when it was what we're removing. When it was added it was added to address some issue. What was the issue when it was originally added to help voters importation marks. Well I'm not a hundred percent sure Senator but my understanding was and I believe this happened in twenty seventeen I I could be wrong on that date but that there were some people that were opposed to the bill and it's a compromise this language was added in order to alleviate their concerns but to that's come back to show that it's in many cases on workable and puts a tremendous burden on our I'm not. three hundred don't you alluded to in July asking County I want to be clear that we don't have any way of knowing. Are even being suspicious do we that there was any fraud involved. I will feel like Senator but let me point out that I'm sorry did you say I will stipulate what you're saying let me say that there were these were provisional ballots that were held to be invalid and without if if this had been in place and those voters had shown their ID at the time they cast those ballots then they would not have been provisional they would have been counted legitimately there wouldn't be any question about the the liberty of those particular ballots if the if if they had follow the procedure in the law as this would spell it out for you answering my question as a stipulation and then make another reason to justify something that we just don't know the answer to. You could look at it inversely that why senator and I I your your wonderful debater and I love to talk to you about things like that but the fact is that you can turn it inside out and say we don't really know whether they were invalid or not that's true but we know that if the U. we'd simplify this for that that Clark at the voting place that would see an ID and they see an Arkansas driver's license that said Joyce Elliott and they look at the picture and they look at you and then they could check off that I've confirm that that's who this person is to the best of their individual knowledge okay thank you thank you for any other questions for senator Johnson any other questions. Say no questions anyone to speak for the bill or against the bill senator Chesterfield you're recognized speak against the bill. Thank you Mr chairman ladies and gentleman the Senate is troubling to me because in this state the majority of us filled at the same place all the time. We know the people working the polls and they know us. What we're saying now is that the words of the citizens of this state the word doesn't mean anything anymore. If I go in and I forget my license I can sign and say I am who I am. We take their word for it. And then we have an opportunity to cure that ballot later. We rank fiftieth. In citizens voting. And we do not need one more. One more obstacle to their being able to cast their vote. We know who our citizens are the people who work the polls have been there before the men for the most part but ever they know who these people are. Thank you bring up Pulaski County where somebody who was a who was counting ballots inadvertent account the mall we don't know if it affected the election one way or the other but it had nothing to do with the fact that there was a signatory on not a signatory that was valid or invalid. What do you think it's voter suppression are not putting an additional burden on seniors. We're gonna be adversely affected by this if they forget their ballot is not right. It simply is not right it is hard enough I work with so many seniors just trying to vote. Because most of them don't have something with their picture on it and we have required that they don't have their children who can take them downtown to even get the photo taken. And yet we're gonna say if you don't have that you don't get to vote I would ask that you vote no. Senate bill spoke against anybody speak for the bill Senator Rapert you're recognized speak for the. Thank you Mr president. I stand rise for this I remember when the first debate came through and I just after I have a simple question for everybody. Why is it that we don't think that voting is worthy of having security. Why is it that on this issue we seem to be told that this is something we don't want to have absolute security integrity of the vote. The reason in this state that people are turning out a loan low numbers is not because they have to have a folder photo ID if that were the case you would have better numbers right now wouldn't you. So I was just looking on here and I was thinking about our everyday lives and I wanted to make sure sure I didn't miss misspeak typical places that ask for a photo ID in the United States in our communities grocery stores if you're using a credit card gas stations when you're buying anything using a credit card even liquor stores even if you don't buy something and you happen to be in their company they want to know if you're of age to be in their dance clubs bars mail pick up from fed ex or UPS the public library when you go get a library card. Casinos. Thank card people. Thanks if you want to withdraw money or check balance I ask yesterday and the young man gave an absolute passionate speech and I appreciated the passion of the speech he brought up his grandmother. And I said Sir would you want somebody to be able to go into the bank today. In fill out a form and say that they are your grandmother and sign. Your grandmother. Start withdrawn funds no we would of course not don't have any problem with a photo ID for that at all here's the rest of them quickly airports any stores were your by using a credit card often do that fast food places restaurants corporate offices if you're visiting someone you need a photo ID. Reading anything for out for the outdoors if you want to go rent a boat go rent a jet ski somewhere a lot of times are going to ask you for that. And I could actually go on and on and this is what I can't square. Why in the world are we finding out. Requiring a photo idea that everyone abuse got one in your pocket. Every single one of you. Can I ask about the grandma again I said what if grandma goes to vote and she's the one that they tell I'm sorry grandma you already voted. Who's disenfranchise then. Would it be better to have a photo ID so that somebody didn't go up and vote and say their grand mall. I just wonder sometimes why we're finding about something that is required in society all day long everyday even things we use on these cellular devices in these phones they will ask you to take a picture of your photo ID and send it to them to prove who you are. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to do this the people of Arkansas voted for this sort of level before and I'm here asking you today to vote for the bill. Senator Rapert spoken for the bill Senator Ingram is recognized speak against the bill. To paraphrase the former governor of the State of Arkansas to distinguish United States senator. When they continue to say it ain't about voter suppression it's about voter suppression. This bill is one that is addressing a problem that doesn't exist. That's the basic truth we know from this last election. That. It was perpetuated the fraud took place. But you can prove that nobody will come forward this he said she said that my are of a grand mal head or somebody already voted for that's that's we hear that all the time we hear about all the time that dead people voted okay bring it forward show it to us that's the job of the prosecuting attorney to take that up but yet nothing is ever brought before us. That is a valid it's always your side. We have this discussion his turn completely about voter ID. But if you talk to your clerks the vast majority. Of people that file provisional ballots are those that go to the polls and there's not their name is not there or they're categorized in a wrong precinct or because of of the school district line it's complicated as we know in Arkansas to get the right machines and get the right database if you check with your Clark the vast majority of mistakes are or or the vast majority of of of balance that or provisional ballot center file or file because of a problem with the database now that person. That. Is trying to vote. Kate vote and your telephone because of this that they're going to have to come back and provide an ID to vote for something that wasn't their fault to start with simply because their name was not in the database. We should be encouraging making it easier for people to vote not making it more difficult under the guise that there is a tremendous fraud is being perpetuated by our elections that's what's discouraging people in this country from voting I ask you to vote against this legislation. Centering on my spoken against the bill senator garner recognized the. If you notice. First this idea that it's some. I'm just thank you were changing amendment fifty one our constitution. The people pass that back in nineteen sixty three. They specifically gave the General Assembly the power to modify and change that document if needed. This body has done it many different times over the years. Including in two thousand seventeen with the majority is body or to act put voter ID only in there in the first place. This isn't some unprecedented change or a constitutional system to change it. It's something that this body has done routinely. Seconded this idea. That people can't get a photo ID. I'm sorry I just completely rejected. This body in his wisdom created a process where the people of Arkansas you get a free ID to go one vote if needed every Clerk has of the sector state has a website dedicated to giving people free photo ID's if they need. They did a for your request in the city of little rock and Pulaski County last year how many of those ideas were actually used by the people of that county. Eleven times. Get thousands and thousands a provisional ballots were cast in Pulaski County. This is an issue of getting ID. This is an issue of other substances thanks. What this is about. Is putting into our collection system. Uncertainty. As we solve by three hundred plus ballots that should have been counted that were. Well as we saw from ballots here in Pulaski County were found two weeks after the election that need to be counted. To this provisional ballot process is more than just about voter ID. It's about the confusion and anarchy it adds to our pledge political election. This process. Thank rights issues moving forward. That's what we had multiple court cases multiple claims commission meetings about a certain Alexion were disqualified ballots were entered into. This system does allow somebody to go back and rectify if they don't have a ballot or have the ID you can go back up there and show it to him and have your ballot count. But right now we have a loophole in our voter ID system something we need to correct here in the state of Arkansas and that's that's the reason I will be voting for this bill. Senator Garner spoken for the bill senator Clarke Tucker would like to speak against. Senator you're recognized. Thank you Mr president and nine. Just want to start by saying thank you thank you to the to the chamber of the body for your patience and sincerity in in hearing us out and and me out when I come down here I really do appreciate from the bottom my heart I try to be very conscientious about when I come down I think I try to. A focus on issues where our values are aligned but maybe we have a difference of opinion about how to go about it and I think that's the case on this bill I think our values are aligned those values being that. Zero fraudulent votes should ever be counted in the State of Arkansas or anywhere else in the United States. that's one piece of it another piece of it is that a hundred percent of ballots that are lawfully cast by citizens of the State of Arkansas are counted. Now if a fraudulent vote is counted that threatens the integrity of the election system and we are in full agreement on that in my judgment also if you have a lawfully registered citizen of United States who attempts to vote and their vote is not counted that also threatens the integrity of the election system now the law as it's written now takes both pieces of that into account. it wants to make sure that no one can vote that's not supposed to vote that's why you have to show the voter ID and just to clarify we are not debating voter ID here today that's the law and that's not gonna change whether we passed this bill or not. We're debating is whether to remove the sworn statement as an alternative to have the voter ID and there's no polling on that there's only polling on voter ID there's no polling on just removing the sworn statement as the alternative. And so there's we have to look at both pieces and center Hendren raise some questions about this and I have the answers to your questions some data. From twenty twenty and from this century about what we know so we know what our goals are goals are not count fraudulent votes and to count the votes of everyone who's lawfully registered to be able to vote so in twenty twenty there is an organization that conducted a four year quest of all seventy five counties how many people voted by use of the sworn statement sixty four those counties responded and they said that there were two thousand six hundred and ninety nine ballots cast in twenty twenty by use of the sworn statement not only were there is zero cases of reported fraud in any of those zero zero allegations of fraud in any of those cases. Now we also know that in Arkansas on the century center Hendren that there have been three convictions of voter fraud in the last twenty years so on the one hand we got three convictions in the century we have zero reported cases of for see reported allegations of fraud from the twenty seven hundred voters that we know voted this way in twenty twenty we have twenty seven hundred real live our Kansans who voted this way in twenty twenty if we pass this legislation in my judgment we are disenfranchised and those voters and I take center senator Johnson and represent Lowery at their word sincerely I said this in committee yesterday I know the intent is not to disenfranchise people but that is absolutely what will happen if we pass this bill. And Senator Rapert made a point in committee yesterday which I is you know valid an address yesterday and I'll respond again today he said how do you know we're disenfranchised in those twenty seven hundred people in twenty twenty two when we haven't passed this law yet ensure we don't know what the outcome will be in twenty twenty two as a as compared to what was in twenty twenty but the reality is that if those folks needed that system in twenty twenty it's not going to change for them between twenty twenty and twenty twenty two nor will they know that we passed this law they're not gonna have any idea about that and I want to take just a moment to talk about the people that need the sworn statement yeah there are some people who don't have voter ID I know that may be hard to accept but the reality is yes all thirty five members of this chamber have a driver's license we all have cars we don't have credit cards we all have bank accounts but that doesn't mean that there aren't people in the state of Arkansas who don't have those things and that just because they don't have those things doesn't mean they're not entitled to cast their vote as an American citizen but it's not just people who don't have a driver's license it's it's what what we know here we're talking about the most vulnerable people in Arkansas the elderly and disabled maybe they have a driver's license they come to the polls to vote and they forgot to bring it with them that day they don't have the ability to make it back to the polls because they don't have a car they can drive to show their driver's license we also know there are people who are disabled or elderly voting absentee from home they don't have a way to photocopy their driver's license at their house in order to mail it in with her absentee ballot so we're not talking about a huge number of people admittedly but they are people they deserve to have their votes counted just the same as you and I do and if we passed this law we will be disenfranchised and their ability to vote and we need to make sure we don't have voter fraud we're not a hundred percent agreement on that we also need to make sure that everyone in this state who wants to cast their sacred right to vote has the ability to do so even if they don't have a driver's license but they're willing to say under oath that they are who they. Said they are there thousands of people who did that twenty twenty there'll be thousands of people who do that in the future and won't be able to vote if we pass this bill but courage on a vote against this bill thank you senator spoke against bill Senator Clark was to speak for. Thank you Mr. You know I was. Sure or I stood. On the no worse than on the issue wasn't sure we're still on the bill. And I'm listed as a sponsor. Of to my surprise. Of. But. I think it's been crystallizes of listen to this debate. Because we have we're listening to voter suppression and we listen to security. And. We we we keep hearing that no one's been convicted. Of voter fraud. However. In our libraries there are books. Written by the people who did it they were never convicted they were never even. Charged. What they have told what they did and how they did it and they did it for decades so the question of whether there is was or wasn't in this state is is not a question to be debated. I won't bore you with the story of my first election. But today but that's a. Question is very dear to my heart is voter security whether loaded or not and by that by the way welcome home was never convicted of murder was never convicted of anything but tax fraud. So the lack of convictions does not mean it's not happening. But back to this issue because as I have looked at it. I will tell you know I want everybody's vote to count I think all of us one everybody's vote account and I think we all want secure elections. But as Pete I had somebody come to me and they they they gave me some for instance as a senator Tucker talked about. And you know people call me and they have problems they've had a problem in the state that had a problem here and I get with our staff and sometimes we help people get a driver's license that haven't been able to get a driver's license and we have people that are been listed on a corporation by an employer and we get him off of it the when they product struggle for years they couldn't do it and I can assure you that if somebody can't get. A voter ID or some some kind of. Sure ID if they'll call. One of us I bet we can get it done. So the if the question comes down to. Are we gonna have voter ID or not. Then I'm on. We're going to have voter ID. Because we should not have a loophole that allows anybody to come help ballots. Without. Being absolutely sure that they ought to be counted. Of the don't suppress anybody's vote. in for that matter I have a I have a. Bill that actually asks that that doesn't ask it will demand that we that we take ever ever provisional ballot by county and show exactly what it was what the reason was it was provisional well that was counted when there wasn't counted center and reported to the circuit state that the sector state can report it so that we can no. exactly what's going on so that that we can know these issues but for today of I'm going to be a yes of and of. Because it comes down to security versus oppression our bodies vote to count but I'd rather three boats in cal then we have a big loophole of where we have a a case where dozens or hundreds could be counted that shouldn't be. Senator I'm sorry Centralia would you still like to speak against. You're recognized. Thank you but one of the things I always wish we could do what is this bill or not this bill is really actually truly know more about the people we represent. Because of all the things that have been said here about I guarantee you this can happen I guarantee you that can happen. And generally because all of us can do it and that's been mentioned. But I can tell you. When you haven't. What issues of other people. You haven't read about it you haven't had extended conversations about it but what do you mean to or not you've just dismissed it. You don't have any way of honoring what I say to you about my mother and my grandmother. This way you can order that you've decided before I open my mouth. That I must be lying to you. And I think it's difficult it's difficult for the people in our state to believe we really and truly care about what's happening with them when we don't bother to have the sympathy or the. Or even the inclination to understand that just because I believe it to be the case. It has to be true. You know what when when my mother. Blaster so. And people don't believe this story happened most of Johnson's element. But this story happened because of years and years and years of people helping her understand that what she believes it doesn't matter. And years of expectations what your daughter do what does not matter. In a borrowed car my mother drove me to college. We got everything out got it in the dorm. I'm not asking with the average mother say to the daughter she just dropped off in college I bet you can think of a lot of things and one of them met coming back without anything wrong with me you can imagine that. But what my mother sent to me. Was. Well I'll be back to pick you up in two or three weeks. That kind of experience are your parents took you to college. I had been so. Convinced that she was not worried that she could never go to college and if she did she would fail. I must say that to me because she didn't Love Me my mother said it to me precisely because she. Because she did and she didn't want me to be embarrassed should you want me to feel bad because my mother did not believe I was going to be successful in college. Like a story out of nowhere. The same thing with this issue. We just make up these things and say it's true because or not to because I did not experience it. This is true when voting to and the whole list of things that we say we have to use our ID's for. None of them in the constitution voting is. And I just wish we would stop solving problems that are not problems you don't have to believe it. But I do want you to know when you vote for this bill you are going to disenfranchise and people. You. I know you can't even imagine it but that's because you don't know the people you represent you know you. You know everybody like you. Not all of Arkansas is and is changing more and more every day. I'll just close on this year I remind you when we voted when we pass voter ID in twenty seventeen. Not a single person. Not one to give us an example of a voter ID at the poll not one. We're doing the same thing today and since the voting rights act passed of nineteen sixty five there's been this constant step by step call the southern strategy. As an attack on voting rights for people. Sit there and say you don't believe me. I will say one thing I agree with that with that but Senator Clark about. You can go read the books about that. You can borrow money. Two on my desk right now. Or this is we get to participate on which we and maybe on unwillingly and a strategy that's long been in place because it's easier to to. When you don't know folks on there just a number. I ask you not to vote for this bill. Senator Elliot I spoke against the bill anybody else which speak for against them senator Hendren. Okay. Yes we speak for against the bill. Senate Johnson you're recognized because we. Thank you Mr president. Hi in closing first I wanna say to senator Tucker don't ever apologize for coming down here in speaking your mind we appreciate your eloquence and your integrity and your friend mine before I was in this chamber you in this chamber so please don't apologize for coming down here you're welcome every time in my friend senator Chesterfield and Senator Elliott the same I value your your your. Conscience Hey even when we disagree we're not disagreeable and I shares are you both as friends. I do want to tell you that my friend Senator Clark though has it the gift of making things concise we know there's different pulling from different directions but the one air on the side of accuracy or do you want to err on the side of inaccuracy because a lot is riding on this People want this I get calls I get to emails about it because people are concerned about the integrity of their ballots and that's why this is a good bill I appreciate the server Garner clarifying question that center Hendren ask about Amendment fifty one an amendment nine nine yes this is clearly something was mandated to the General Assembly to tweak when I was a little kid you had an idea was a cardboard piece of paper. So does your close major member you have a photo on it and some unscrupulous young people would actually let the agent showing your year of birth get rubbed out so you can tap in one a little bit earlier and what Senator Wallace smile at that so for different reasons but we have the technology now pretty well show that you're you and all eleven people needed to go to the clerk's office in Pulaski County the last two years and actually get a voter ID ID that was put in the law specifically so we could go out of our way to make sure there's some kind of ID available to anyone that wants it that's worried about whether or not they'll be able to vote so this is a good bill it's a bill about integrity and I appreciate a good vote thank you all for your time thank you Mr president. Senate Johnson is closed please bill as a reminder this will take twenty four votes to pass them secretary please call the roll Ballenger. Back. But. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. This mine. Eight. Elliott. English. English. Flippo. Flowers. Flowers. No. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. To keep your. Thank Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Page. Riper. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield Sturch. Sturch Sullivan. T.. Tucker. Wallace. The. Any center wishes to vote or change your bill senator English I. Senator Sturch I. I. Any other units which the voter change as well. C. nine have sector cast a ballot. For twenty five days nine days the bill has passed. Returned to the house. Now take that house bill eleven twenty two senator garner recognize. House Bill eleven twenty two AM by represented Berrien center Garner to amend the law concerning the authority to award a medal ribbon or decoration to a member of the organized militia and organize to authorize the presentation of an award to certain persons and groups. Senate are thank you center this is brought from the National Guard base the right now there need to be a distinction between giving awards and and and ribbons to civilian population purposes those are actually in the National Guard or a little bit of discrepancy right now when the trying to ward those things to non master garden all military personnel is to get them at the wordy to have a delineation between those two awards but I'll take any questions. Any questions for senator garner. Saying that anybody who wish to speak for against the bill. Senate senator You because we've been closed centers close any objection to rolling the vote on this bill. Say no objection I'm center please bill Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang H. Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner isn't. Well this is present. Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Any senator who wishes to vote or change their vote. Say nine AM sector cast a ballot though thirty three ace zero nine S. the bill has passed returned to the house. Now take a House bill Levin twenty three. Hi eleven twenty three by represented Berrien senator garner to amend the law concerning the powers duties and immunities of the organized English Senate on a record thank you for by come down just because I'm running a bill by a crane organized militia doesn't mean it's a very bad bill I know my name on it could be very suspect thank you for the formal name for the Arkansas National Guard underneath our code what this is is we currently have allow them to act as law enforcement people but it's under aid over definition of a peace officer this would modernize it actually narrow the definition of what their powers or when they go in a supplement the Arkansas state police or other organizations that's all that bill does just the cleaning up the language to narrow it down and do what they're already doing just classifies them in a better light I'll take any questions. Any questions presented under senator tester recognized yes thank you Mister chairman thank you senator garner for clarifying militia. because it was worrying me select. Why would you not just part of the National Guard. The code throughout because technically is Arkansas is organized militia that were authorized so within the law currently yes ma'am that's my understanding of it that's the definition of it or broke with believe me whenever this got out that I was doing this there was a big uproar National Guard corrected before disinflation now says organized wishes to make it even clearer okay well there was there was great concern because your name was associated with. Yes ma'am we. The question. Senate. Surprise recognized for a question yes I believe senator garner if I'm not mistaken this is of the bill that also has a provision it gives some authority to the governor that was not already in that statute can you elaborate on that. No ma'am I don't think that's in there anywhere from my reading can you point out exactly where it's at. I don't have the bill pulled up. But I think it's somewhere on your second page is that is that a two page bill there yes ma'am well there's already I mean there's already a partner by the governor and and chief executive of the NASCAR that's our current exists a law only thing will change on that is the arms ammunition dynamite and other explosives part of it but that that's like I said that's or what they're doing it doesn't change anything just clarify the language from such articles to more defined terms on that part. There's no additional power to the government. Sandbar's anything further. I'll have to put the bill but. If you build a vote on it I'm voting present. Any other questions for senator garner. Say no questions anyone who wish to speak for or against the bill. C. nine a senator garner posed to them yes Sir I am Senators closed please fill any objection to rowing the boat. Say no objection Senator flowers we present. M. J. please role though. 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. Any senator who wish to vote or change the vote. C. nine AM secretary please cast a ballot. The thirty three ACT zero nine ACT one present bill has passed returned to the house. The nineteenth of house bill eleven twenty four eleven twenty four by represented very and Senator Garner to amend the punitive articles of the or the military code of Arkansas concerning sexual assault in sexual contact senator garner you're recognized Senator thank you right now the Arkansas National Guard to their Jack branch is allowed to go out for soldiers to perform sexual assaults or other things they've actually convicted nine different members I believe was the amount and the last few years what this does though is kind of clean up the language if you look in section three that's currently the criminal code they have the banks the prosecutor in this over doing is actually listen out the different elements which allows both the prosecutor and the defendant to know what the elements are so bitter better handle the court process it was a little bit confusing on exactly what is and isn't sexual assault we do is list out the elements here so both the defendant can know what they got the fan the prosecutor can prove though is more like a criminal code is kind of an updating of that thought process to allow those who you commit this terrible act to be able to be prosecuted as an after guards are you done with that I'll take any questions. Any questions for senator garner. Say no questions is anyone who speak for or against the bill. C. nine senator cause we've been closed centers close for his bill is there any objection rowing the boat. Say no objection madam secretary please will Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang T. Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner. Go hours. Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Any center wishes to voter change their vote. St nine AM secretary please cast a ballot. The voter thirty three A. zero Mason one present the bill is passed returned to the house. We are now taking eleven ninety. Houseful of the ninety seven by representatives down again Senator Wallace concerning law enforcement agency organizations staffing and personnel matters. A loss you're recognized thank you Mr president members. This bill as a result of the recommendations from the governor's task force to advance the state of law enforcement state of Arkansas. Some of it is language clean up there's a few key areas that we've done the first one of. We have a term called inactive law enforcement agency in the past if it the agency has been out of law enforcement a small town did not have a police officer police force for a year they became an active we have reduced that time with this bill to six months. The second part of that is in the past. The chief executive officer and we read the words administrative head now has to be Christian creation of a new law enforcement agency so is Merion we're change their. When the key changes and this applies to sober small towns sober tales I have one call Tyronza that had a police officer but he was not designated a police chief. If if you have a one officer. This force he is the chief this state is the chief. Another part of this we had some questions on the number of part time. Police officers law enforcement officers compared to relative to full time. We would like that in now we have a real loud to part time lafortune losses for everyone full time law enforcement officer we do have the ability for the local towns. Or other organizations to ask for a waiver and then they would make that waiver to the law enforcement agency appear. Which is called See let. The final part. Is in case of separation we had many things or of a few things that. We would consider would have to report and we've added two new ones to that in the law Sir lafortune also was separated for excessive use of force. Or if he was separated for dishonesty or untruthfulness that has to be reported this will in and that's the. Crux of the bill. Any questions presented Wallace. Say no questions anyone who wishes to speak for against the bill. CNN center in a closed meeting a closed centers close for his bill any objection rowing the boat. Say no objection and secretary please will Ballenger Beckham 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. Any senator who wishes to vote or change that though. Sanam secretary please cast ballots. With the voters thirty four yea zero names this past returned to the house. Now take a house bill twelve thirty six. Thirty sixth hour represented Berrien center Wallace concerning unified command of a law enforcement agencies in and around the state capitol in the event of a civil to spark to spur disturbance or crime in progress Senator also recognised sent thank you Mr president. United States military has nine principles of war. What we learned early on that is a lieutenant two years after them mosque mouse the U. and that stands for unity of command you always have to have one person one unit in command one organization man. What this does is it gives our governor the ability to decide in the case of crisis is that the case of a of a disturbance civil disturbance that he can determine who on the capitol grounds will be in charge. Do we go with the thirty. Officer capital police force or do we go with a five hundred plus Arkansas state police force seems like a small matter but it's nothing that you would decide. When the disasters occurring so we're just setting up something that with the governor can say very quickly Arkansas state police you're in charge or he could say games issuing charge or you can say capitol police you're in charge and that's a very simple bill. Any questions per Senator Wallace Senator Mark Johnson wishes to ask questions. Thank you Mr president Sir Wallace I recalled the. Protests in the capital last year one of my friends and constituents whose capital policeman told me it standing on the first floor and watching an individual with a large. Robert piece of concrete that he was about to throw through the glass door to title interest the capital he was staying there with a R. fifteen at the time and he had his colleagues behind them he did not know. At that moment whether he was going to have to use at a R. fifteen to defend himself and other capitol police were vastly outnumbered by and I'll use the word riders the riders that were they. And at the time that he was about to have to make that decision the capitol police or the state police swat team showed up immediately the rioters dispersed and my friend can state joint did not have to make that life or death decision. Would your bill. Perhaps. Because this to have a little slightly better measures safety in that three no question about the unified command and that in this case colonel Brian or whoever would be there to send in the cavalry so to speak to speak internal cavalry trooper I'm sure you appreciate that would that be correct yes Sir it would speed up the process a in in what happened I case was Arkansas state police eventually did take command. But there could have been that moment of indecisiveness this bill so that ahead of time it's a phone call from the the governor or governors to whatever recession Hey you're in charge take charge. Would this be the okay thank you. Question. One hours center Hammond was first Senate you're recognized. Thank you Mr president Sir Wallace I was wondering we just allocated in last year significant amount. Money and resources to the capitol police so that they could get trained in order to handle right situations here on the capitol grounds is this in any way going to interfere with that can you tell us how the two will coordinate together given the fact we gave a lot of resources to the capitol police to be trained to handle that situation it will not affect it the R. capital police force we all very problem they're also about thirty individuals. They're very easily outnumbered or as if the Arkansas state police mobilized you're talking about five hundred plus it's simply a matter in most cases of the larger organization with the most troops on the ground taking charge. And. The the capitol police will be put under the command will that also include little rock police department Pulaski County everybody's going to come under the command of the state police that that happens on the capitol grounds sure this the plaster just a Capitol grounds it could if and that is a good question if we had Little Rock police in that event on the Capitol grounds this the who have the governor designated as being in charge which the theory could be a little rock police department Would be in charge the key point here is that unity of command one unit one person one or six charge okay and and I appreciate that I just want that clarity that if this is implemented that all law enforcement will be under the command of the State Police when it comes to the protection of the Capitol grounds including little rock police department on the capitol grounds thank you. Senator flowers you have a question yes I do Senator. I will right now. I understand that the secretary of state. Is the person that has jurisdiction of providing security for the Capitol grounds and not wrong about that. The. Sicker Senator flowers I I am not sure I believe you're right but I am not sure and so this would make the governor in charge. So we had problems with the Secretary of State the the problem. The. What we've not really gone down that road but the problem you have again. Is. You need one person to make that decision and if it were comparing between the sector state and on this bill does not address him but you can have the deadly I believe it should be the governor. Well your bill saying that in the event of a civil disturbance all right a crime in progress that requires additional law enforcement resources. And is there some something that has happened that the secretary of state has not responded to in a way that is satisfactory not to my knowledge. Well then why are we changing this. Once again. Our chief executive needs to have the ability to make that decision and that's why this bill is written. Senator Gilmore you have a question. Thank you cylinder it it's been mentioned to me the can you hear me OK. It's been mentioned to me that given the significance of this building in the nature of this building that in times of crisis capitol police can at times be. Placed under the department of homeland security do you know if that is the case and would this have with this bill affect that. I don't know that that's the case I have not heard that is. If that was the case I'm not sure that is the spells out that are our chief executive our government makes a decision as to which agency is in charge from the get go. Senator garner that you have a question. Yes Sir so it's my understanding that the. Governor is in charge of the Arkansas state police via his appointment of the director and he is the chief in command of Arkansas after Port so it's seen that it be natural for him to be the main point person if there is a civil disobedience here at the capitol even though the secretary of state constitutional controls that during most other times seems like he'd be the natural choice to kind of be that unified command in those very rare but very dangerous situation would you agree Senator Wallace that's an outstanding point senator garner thank. Senator Blake Johnson you're recognized this for clarification Senator Wallace so if there was an instance like this as it stands you have the Secretary of State if if the capitol police was here if you called in the Little Rock police should have the the head of the Little Rock police would would also have a command the call in the National Guard National Guard would have have a command and if you go in the state police the state police would have come right so you would have for commands under four different controls and this would unify that under one control under under the executive branch is that right. Yes with with the executive branch to determine who would be in charge and that's a very good question because it points out you've got three four agencies thank you they may be in control and that's why you need to very quickly identify who is in control thank you center all Senator did you have a question. Thank you and thank you Senator Wallace bring the bill of Little Rock police continues to be called me and you the incident happened on the grounds. The capital in Little Rock would be under the is otherwise Little Rock is under its own commandment right around yes it is I sent a couple grounds Little Rock. Yes ma'am thank you. Any other questions for Senator Wallace. Sam nine anyone who wishes to speak for against the bill. Senate senator are you closing your bill. Miss present closed center has closed for his bill any objection to rolling this vote. Yes Jackson. Sentifi says objection madam secretary please call the roll Ballenger. Ballenger. Beckham. Back on. Let. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. DISMANG. Eight. Elliott. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flowers. The worst no Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Irvine. Blake Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Leading. Page. To her. Riper. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sturch. Sullivan. T.. T.. Tucker. Wallace. Any senator who wishes to voter change several Senator back in time Senate Chesterfield by. Senator Irvin. I. Senator Elliot I. Senator Sturch I. Any other Senator wish to vote or change the vote. Senate secretary please cast a ballot. With over thirty one days one day the bill has passed returned to the house. Well now taking his house bill twelve forty five. This is the thank you Mr president members senator laws of this state the Secretary. This is the we spent twelve forty five. Asked at twelve forty five. House bill twelve forty five best center find Senator Wallace to allow confidential juvenile records to be released department of corrections center once you're recognized. We we have a Issue now heads up a cliff when we have. juvenile offenders when they age out of the department of youth services in their transferred to department of correctional custody the records don't follow don't follow on. And this bill simply allows the department of corrections to. Obtain those. Records health records and administrative records from the department of you services. There's some oversight. Involved with that. And then specifically ALC rules and rags and the house and Senate youth and children Committees will all have a look at that. And that the stand by for questions. Any questions for Senator Wallace. Say no questions anyone who wish to speak for against this bill. Saying nine centers because we build. I am centers close was billion injection rowing the boat. Say no objection madam secretary please role of the 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 Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Any center wishes to vote or change their vote. Loures is no Senate flowers's NO. Hey Senator which tangible. Saying nine by Senator please cast at the ballot the voter thirty three a season one may ask for twelve forty five has passed please return to the House. When I take that house bill twelve sixty nine twelve sixty nine per rips into Payton and Senator Flippo to allow the county to authorize operations golf carts on certain county roads by ordinance and to declare an emergency. Senate we recognized thank you Mr president members a number of years ago the General Assembly gave cities the authority to designate by ordinance areas were golf course to beach road on the street this bill just does the same for counties. I'll be happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Flippo centre Garner and question thank you Mr president so would you have to install seat belts in order to drive in that county road nine golf courses that one thank you have to do. Is that not already Law Center garner. So I think you want to work in a little bit we take care of that moment I'll be taking care that here shortly thank you Sir. Any other questions for Senator Flippo Senate is fine. So there's an emergency clause on this bill correct okay and if so what's the emergency people wanna get this dress sooner rather than later center Dismang golf course golf carts on city on county road city roads that county's ready have an ordinance to allow for that we've you have counties well done thank. Any other questions percent. Anyone who wish to speak for against the bill. Senate close for his bill. Senator is closed any objection rowing on growing the vote on this bill in its emergency clause. Say no objection I'm Secretary plays a role in the. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Dismang. The Davis aids 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. Any senator wishes to vote or change that though Senator sample is no. Any other sandwich chains server. Sanam secretary please cast a ballot. With the voter thirty three ACT one day the bill has passed please return house bill twelve sixty nine the House. Not take up house bill thirteen thirty nine. Thirteen thirty nine The Representative Evans in center city to amend the law concerning unused sekali Sendiri to recognize thank you Mr president of colleagues I have to bills the first of two that are clean up bills from Arkansas teacher retirement the first one House Bill thirteen thirty nine is to clarify some language for the in the in the compensation for unused six sick leave is taxable salary so what this does is repealed language that prohibits the use of compensation for accumulated sick leave and the final average salary for some members is the practice that they've always done in teacher retirement but this just takes that language out of the car existing coal to the make sure that nobody tries to do that accidentally so that's what this one does and I appreciate a good vote taking questions any questions for senator eight. Say no questions any senator was speak for against the bill. Senate center close for his bill centers closed any objection willing to vote on this bill. Say no objection I'm secretary please reload 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 Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Any center wishes change their vote. Senate ma'am secretary please cast a ballot voter thirty four U. AC zero names the bill has passed returned to the house. Now take of house bill thirteen forty. Houseful thirteen forty by represented Evans and senator. The. To amend the law concerning member contributions service credit correction of errors in termination termination of membership under the Arkansas teacher retirement system and clarin a merger. Senator recognize thank you Mr president the second bill M. is it to correct two things the first thing is sometimes when there is an error they find on service records it's not found until they actually go towards retirement and it if you find that you know that could been years in the passing that goes past the five year look back period and so what this does is is it correct that that if there somebody has an error in the system that of no fault of their own you're able to correct that error in the retirement service record even if it's beyond the five year look back the second thing it does is allows if a member meets the into the agreement by providing education related related service that should at least get non contributory accreditation for that allows him to be able to access that even if the if they were working towards a contributory amount of service and they don't contribute then they can disallow them to bills which it over without having to try to go back and get more money out of that that member of the retirement system so I will take any questions appreciated the any questions percent senator I have a question. I thank you senator Edens that first part that you went through about. The five year look back period so that can be extended is to look back on behalf of the beneficiary for what a look look back mean there could be a negative that would that would affect the beneficiary on the. Maybe I need to understand better what the purpose of the look back is but I just want to understand who who's hurt who's helped well the purpose of this let me let me find the wording in it for here. Is to help those that they found an error that maybe was against the member but this would benefit them if they were to discover this of the go back beyond that five year look back in add that back into their service records that would benefit the member of the retirement system so what what the what happened at that member has accidentally been overpaid in this not defaulted support I'm asking. That may be another issue but the the the language in this part of the bill doesn't doesn't cover any of that this focuses on those that just aren't error they were in favor of the member okay only if it's only and only if there is an error that has hurt the beneficiary correct okay okay all right thank you. Any other questions for senator teens. Say no questions is anyone who wish to speak for against the bill. Senate senators lows was built. Any objection to rolling the vote on this bill. Say no objection I'm center because of 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. Any senator wish to change their vote. Seven nine nine six eight place cast a ballot the voter thirty four yeah As You amaze house bill thirteen forty and it's emergency clause has passed please return to the House. Members we'd filing out to the budget calendar Senate is saying is in for me we're on Passover Senate bill one sixty four senator recognized presented to that. To the Senate bill one sixty four and you know we're we're skipping over that. Group has over the. Yeah. Thank members to get the a budget the account or list of appropriations on your desk there if you can take a quick look at that let me know if there's anything about separate CD Center garner's gonna look around a little bit and I know you had a productive day yesterday so we're we're not going to consider that particular bill again on ADC for today but we will place it on the counter to be considered tomorrow with that. Colleville's amendment to the December one sixty four. Senate would still like to adopt the amendment today with a would you still like to adopt the amendment. The production okay senator displaying is moved for the adoption Amendment number two to Senate bill one sixty four on favor say aye. Any imposed. Motion is passed. Would you. Mitophagy Senator gross place. Okay. Senate bill three sixteen and that this Southeast Arkansas college supplemental appropriation Senate bill three seventeen anak for the University of Arkansas at Monticello supplemental appropriation Senate bill three eighteen an act for the southern US south Arkansas community college supplemental appropriation Senate bill three nineteen an act for the University of Arkansas System in various divisions supplemental appropriation similar three twenty an act for the University of Arkansas pine bluff supplemental appropriation symbol three twenty one an act for the University of Arkansas for medical sciences supplemental appropriation simple three twenty two an act for the Arkansas state university Newport supplemental appropriation symbol three twenty three an act for the University of Arkansas thankful supplemental appropriation symbol three twenty four an act for the university of Arkansas community college baseball supplemental appropriation symbol three twenty five an act for the Arkansas State University supplemental appropriation symbol three twenty six and I from university of central Arkansas supplemental appropriation symbol three twenty seven an act for the Arkansas state university Beebe supplemental appropriation zero three twenty eight an act for the it is a you taxable nonappropriation symbol three twenty nine an act for the Arkansas State University Three Rivers supplemental appropriation Senate bill three thirty an act for the university of Arkansas community college or malt and supplemental appropriation. Okay senators the Senate bills with the first batch anyone with one of the batch. A no objection we wrote these in a batch any objection to rolling the vote. C. nine AM second place for 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. Any senator who wishes to change their vote. Say nine AM secretary please cast a ballot. With over thirty forty eight zero names the bills and emergency clauses have passed. To the house. Senate dismaying second match. Thank members numbered were up to the the House bills you know if there's any these that you like pull out let us know she's going to read through the list thank. Ten ninety nine for the department of commerce Arkansas rehabilitation services the preparation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year. Twelve eighty four an act for the northwest Arkansas community college preparation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year. House of twelve eighty nine and I for the Arkansas state university Mountain Home appropriation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year houseful thirteen oh seven an act for the university of Arkansas Pulaski technical college preparation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year house bill thirteen hours eight an act for the Ozark Ozark a college appropriation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year. Houseful thirteen ninety three and acting department of energy environment division of environmental quality of reappropriation hassle thirteen ninety four an act for the department of corrections division of correction reappropriation. Houseful thirteen ninety five an act for the Department of Human Services secretary's office reappropriation hassle thirteen ninety six an act of the department of corrections division of community correction reappropriation house bill thirteen ninety seven an act for the Department of Parks heritage and tourism state parks and tourism divisions reappropriation house bill thirteen ninety eight an act for the office of the treasurer of state a pre appropriation house bill thirteen ninety nine an act for the sector state we appropriation house bill fourteen hundred an act for the department of Veterans Affairs we appropriation house bill fourteen oh one an act to the department of agriculture Arkansas natural resources commission reappropriation also fourteen ten an act of the Department of Education Division of higher education reappropriation hospital fourteen eleven and after the Department of Parks heritage tourism division of heritage reappropriation possible fourteen twelve an act for the department's public safety we appropriation house bill fourteen thirteen and I for the Department of Human Services division of developmental disabilities services procreation house for fourteen fourteen an act of the Department of Human Services division of aging adult and behavioral health services reappropriation house bill fourteen fifteen an act for the institutions of higher educational appropriation house bill fourteen nineteen and that for the office of the treasurer state refund of local taxes supplemental appropriation. Members who for the bash any member wish to pull one of these bills on the batch. Same night any objection rolling vote on these bills. Senate secretary please will 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. Any senator wish to vote or change their vote on these bills. Saying and I'm secretary please cast a ballot. Voted thirty forty eight zero names the bills have passed and their emergency clauses please return to the House. A senator who wishes to. So in a situation we recognize it's time and. Senate check you're recognized thank residents for recognized days doctor of the day Dr Reese Amendment cosmetic surgeon here in Little Rock and the nurse of the day Brenda Hewitt thank you for being here. Any other Senator wish to be recognized senator. Members will have education a upon adjournment in the old Supreme Court room. Senate calling. I will meet in the morning. And Senate which the recognized for announcements. The Joint Budget Committee tomorrow eight thirty a special language at seven thirty I think that's right concerns. Next Thursday okay. Thanks and please raise in Roseville reports. Your committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill one sixty three by Senator English as engrossed copy with the original find same correctly engrossed calendar Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen fifty six by represented Johnson compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed calendar. Senate bill three eighty three by Senator Tucker to to amend campaign contribution amounts to amend the law concerning campaign practices and declaring amend an emergency Senate bill three eighty three. Some of three ninety four by Senator Tucker to amend the Arkansas law concerning campaign contributions and to amend campaign practices Senate bill three eighty four. State agencies Senate three eighty five by Senator Clark to establish a gated residential community lot blocking permit and require an individual logging in a gated residential community to follow the Arkansas forestry commission best management practices Senate bill three eighty five. M. center would you hold on just a second. Member center Dismang asked me to correct the claims committee will be meeting at seven thirty in the morning fines will be at seven. Continue reading. Senate bill three eighty six for Clark to amend the law concerning retail water providers in related service zero three eighty six Senate. Senate three eighty seven by Senator hammer to authorize off label use of drug treatment straight Medicaid beneficiaries in pediatric acute onset recite psychotic syndrome in pediatric I'm Tom mills. He owes us. Sekani disorders associated with infection Senate bill three eighty seven public health. Three eighty eight by Senator Solomon modify laws concerning abortion clinics clinics and a three eighty eight. And I can't seem of three eighty nine by Senator Ballenger require a public school district to provide to parents and legal guardians prior written notification of and an opportunity to inspect materials related to sex education sexual orientation gender them okay I did it to Senate bill three eighty nine education summit three ninety by Senator Ballinger an act of the Arkansas Supreme Court board commission appropriations twenty twenty one twenty twenty two percent or three ninety Joint Budget Senate three ninety one by Senator Chesterfield require a high school students take a separate education course for two full semesters within fine academic year in order to graduate civil three ninety one education Senate bill three ninety two by Senator Chesterfield an act for the Department of Education Division of higher education historically black colleges and universities grants and expenses appropriation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year see the three ninety two Joint Budget symbol three ninety three. This. A messenger Chesterfield. And I for the department of Education Division of higher education start with that colleges and universities grant expenses preparation for the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two fiscal year Senate bill three ninety three. Joint Budget. Senate bill three ninety four by Senator Irving. An act to amend various provisions of the twenty fifteen school safety act and to establish the Arkansas center for school safety of the criminal justice institute advisory board Senate bill three ninety four Joint Budget. Senate any other business to come before this body. Saying that. Graham sixty when your committee on engrossed bills to whom was first Senate bill one sixty four by joint budget compare the engrossed copy with the original and same correctly engrossed Joint Budget.