Senate Convenes

Senate will come to order by Senator please call the roll. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang ADC Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore Hendren Hester Hickey hello Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper writes sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace everyone please stay in clean the those a gallery. Senator Bledsoe. You Senator Ingram Hickey Senator is recognized to listen Award for which pray with me aggressively father god we thank you for this opportunity gather and do the people's business lord we pray that you would give us wisdom and direction we thank you for safety as we traveled back here and for the time we had with our families and for helping us to this winter storm god we pray that you just give us direction and we look to you and everything we do you say that for those that have been given much much is required to help us to always remember that Jesus name we pray amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag. which a state. One. You will. Aw. S.. The items to be read across the desk. I do Mr President this is to inform you that on February tenth twenty twenty one I've received in a and approved and on the form of the following measure for the regular session ninety third General Assembly Senate concurrent resolution for sincerely a suggestion governor. You must present this is to inform you that on February tenth twenty twenty one I approved the following measures from the regular session of the nicer General Assembly. Senate bill eighty three ACT ninety five Senate bill seventy one ACT ninety six Senate bill ninety nine ACT ninety seven Senate bill forty two ACT ninety eight Senate bill forty three ACT ninety nine Senate bill one oh nine ACT one hundred Senate to a one ACT one oh one Senate bill to the two ACT one oh two Senate bill two own nine ACT one oh three Senate bill two ten ACT one oh four Senate bill two fourteen ACT one of five seven oh two twenty two ACT one of six seven oh two twenty three ACT one of seven sincerely a suggestion government policy. We are committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill fifty nine by Senator Ballenger compare the engrossed copy with the original ban same correctly engrossed. City County. We committee on west Bills to whom was first Senate bill two fifty three by Senator Beckham compare the engrossed copy with the original and same correctly engrossed related to Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred Senate bill three oh one by Senator Solomon compare the engrossed copy with the original and same correctly engrossed public health committee on west Bills to whom was referred house bill eleven fifteen represented Wardlaw compare the engrossed copy with the original and same correctly engrossed transportation Committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred house bill thirteen thirty two by represented board compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed state agencies. Senator Wallace. Resolution S. R. six. Senate resolution six by Senator Wallace to recognize the need to designate the museum located on the former encourage more space the national Cold War center. Senator Wallace thank you Mr president. Members. This is a request or actual resolution to recognize the need to designate a museum on the over Blough airforce base knows it care for space and rather than go through a bunch of whereas someone to just a short story. Sack. Which was formed towards the end of World War two and became our our strong right arm during the Cold War. Pretty much protected us from nineteen forty six through the. Late eighties even into ninety ninety one from the Soviet Union and in their allies. And during that time frame as a young lieutenant and captain hi I served on it East West German border and we will cross the border and we knew that the Soviet Union. That number is on the ground about a minimum of six to one in our plan was to spot and delay and delay and delay in the thing that saved us from that in my opinion infirmity lawful works was a teacher Air Command. M.. The federal parks agency came to our group of folks a lot of Arkansas and asked that they recommend or that the. become of the Cold War museum and we're working on that now we actually have an alert had. In this is where the crews would stay would keep aircraft ready to go the space series of aircraft in the crews were locked in. State in a Little small Berwick's and they had literally. A couple of minutes if that to get to the aircraft meant to launch into a role and I've been on those alert passes but not other places and it's it's pretty nerve wracking and safely bounces people all the time just check. In the the last thing I want to talk about. Is what. To your command those B. fifty two pilots and we call those aircraft. But in the you can check talk with me later on I'll play to what both stood for. But in December of nineteen seventy two at the end of the. Warren Vietnam for us. All the American forces with all the combat municipal gone except for five year camp troops and I was able to know more of those. the north Vietnamese out numbers and we were pretty much getting just slowly slowly beat down the path to that I was in start out with the captain and commandments thirty pilots and at the end I was in command I had nine pilots so that was kind of the tradition that we're going through. In just before Christmas president Nixon. And I'll always be offended him just for this one reason is that it was time in the war and he launched the B. fifty twos we had a hundred twenty nine B. fifty twos the story of bombing Hanoi and upon. And over series of a few days the war out the north Vietnamese the first. Three days they did it they lost nine aircraft that's literally ten percent of the force. In three days. Now when you in combination all those lieutenants and captains can add pretty good. If you lose a ten percent every three days after thirty days you're going to be pretty much treated. But they kept pounding the north Vietnamese in the north Vietnamese actually ran out of surface to air missiles. these guys paid a tremendous price that's what one that. Our portion of the war for us but not. And so we would like to recognize those folks and we've already done a good job of it already in the law we have a small section that we've actually renovated we've renovated for the crew quarters in in those quarters place there's a chalkboard and that chalkboard still has the call signs. Welcome fifty two us to remember that in the frequency signal operate off of so there's history there and we're trying to reach preserve poor that history at the acre lot where for space and so with that. I am saying now therefore be it resolved by the Senate of the nine through June soon as the State of Arkansas that the Senate recognizes the need to disconnect the museum located in the former ECR force base as a national Cold War center. Thank you. Any questions on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Close Is haven't resolution is adopted. S. the six so right for. Senate bill six right to create the Arkansas unborn child protection act to abolish abortion in Arkansas and protect the lives of unborn children and to protect all human life. Senator right thank you Mr president. Members laughing death is one of the most important topics that we will ever debate or considered as a legislative body. Between nineteen hundred and two thousand for perspective it's estimated that ninety four million people perished due to communist regimes those deaths in China the Soviet Union North Korea Afghanistan and Eastern Europe easily and tragically truck the twenty eight million that died under fascist regimes during the same period in the twentieth century during the same century more people died as a result of communism than even from homicide which was fifty eight million. Genocide thirty million in the combined debts of WW one which was thirty seven million in World War two which was sixty six million exceed communism's total by only nine million. These are staggering numbers but even more depressing and sobering is the fact that millions of innocent babies have died here in the United States under our law as defined by the United States Supreme Court in the nineteen seventy three roe V. Wade decision. Since nineteen seventy three if you haven't heard the numbers lately over sixty two million abortions have ended the lives of unborn children here in the United States. The department of health here in Arkansas reports that two thousand nine hundred and sixty three abortions took place in Arkansas during twenty nineteen it's the same year in which we passed the six same bill as a trigger bill. It is time to end when I believe would you consider the number is a crime against humanity. S. B. six is been found so that the Arkansas Arkansas may research are right under the tenth amendment to protect the lives of innocent unborn children who deserve the equal protection we all have under the law according to the Fourteenth Amendment. It's time for the United States Supreme Court to redressing correct the grave injustice and crime against humanity which is being perpetuated by us decisions in roe V. Wade Dovi Bolton and Planned Parenthood versus Casey. With the sixty two million deaths through abortion in our nation it's past time for us to abolish abortion the Supreme Court is overturned its own precedent is key I did not know this to researching it again. But the United States Supreme Court is actually overturned its own precedent two hundred times. Since they began. As part of the moral out current position if you were here on February the tenth when this was presented in the public health committee we rolled out two hundred and fifty thousand signatures from American citizens including Arkansas having over forty thousand of those that were rolled out from the steps of this Senate all the way down to the middle of the rotunda. That tension is now claimed in addition to what was on that scroll that was rolled out. Three a total of three hundred fifty thousand signatures. As of this morning in a separate additional eSignature campaign for people saying they want to abolish abortion in Arkansas there another two thousand eight hundred and thirty nine collected separately just in our own state. I want to publicly thank the people that have stood up to say it's time for us to take this stance. You have an offer valid for you for your own reference you many of their letters but I appreciate Arkansas right to life who is endorsed the bill without amendment Arkansas family council the Catholic Church of Arkansas now specifically thank bishop Taylor for his own personal words that you have before you. Arkansas faith and ethics counsel Arkansas per Congress the justice foundation the national association of Christian lawmakers an American speech students for life faith action governor Huckabee. In the leave life legal defense foundation. The US Supreme Court is I've laid out in the bill committed a grave injustice in a crime against humanity in the Dred Scott decision denying personhood to a class of human beings our fellow Americans African Americans the US Supreme Court also committed a grave injustice in a crime against humanity by upholding the separate but equal doctrine Plessy versus Ferguson. Which withdrew legal protection from a class of human beings you were persons under the US constitution. A crime against humanity occurs when the government withdrawals legal protection from a class of human beings resulting in severe deprivation of their rights up to and including death. Brown versus board of education the US Supreme Court corrected its own grave injustice and crime against humanity by overturning and abolishing what was then a fifty eight year old president. The three abortion cases that are mentioned in SB six using the doctor started to ceases they meet the test for one occasion be overturned by the US Supreme Court. So Arkansas is asking and pleading that the U. S. Supreme Court take a look at this and make a decision that once again allow the states to protect human life. There are five and two beach first to know what what gives us the right to do this and this is been stated in even of currently been written about by justice Cavenaugh and justice Gorsuch in their own book on the same subject. They say. Limitations without the following when the cases have not been accepted by scholars judges in the American people as witnessed by the fact that these cases are still the most intensely controversial cases in American history and at the present time. The new scientific advances of demonstrated since nineteen seventy three that life begins at the moment of conception in the child in a woman's womb is a human being C. scientific evidence of personal testimonies document the massive harm that abortion causes to women in the public health committee Mister Alan Parker submitted to the committee over four thousand testimonies of post abortive women the talked about what it'd done to them. And then that included one hundred and eight different Arkansas women. D. the laws in all fifty states have now changed through safe haven laws to eliminate all burden of Czech child care for women who do not want to care for a child Arkansas has safe haven laws in place as well as the safe haven baby box law as well Senator Bledsoe as a champion for that and we have now seen a baby saves through those efforts in not only that this legislative body taking a stand when we were told we shouldn't and twenty thirteen we were the first to pass the heartbeat bill and I have personally met a young man that was safe because of the informed consent provisions that are still all today here in Arkansas. So when you say why should we take action why should we stand for life. We have a young man in Faulkner County who is evidence enough of why we should take a stand even when people said that we have no right to do so. Public attitudes last on that list favoring adoption have created a culture of adoption the United States many of many of you here today have adopted family members. Many of our families wait long periods. I'm told that nearly two million people in the United States of America today waiting to adopt a child. Lastly in the Arkansas constitution amendment sixty eight states that the policy of Arkansas is to protect the life of every unborn child from conception until birth in that public funds shall not be used to pay for any abortion except to save the life of the mother there are no exceptions stated in that for rape or incest in that amendment or in the trigger bill which was signed into law in twenty nineteen in which this bill is based and it was signed by governor Aissa Hutchinson. SB one forty nine of twenty nineteen which is now one one ACT one eighty passed the legislature with one hundred and one out of a hundred and thirty five legislators voting yes twenty nine out of thirty five senators in this body voted yes you have that in the information before you. Arkansas's imagine also his stated very strongly that were pro life state our people vote for people and put us in the seats that say that will stand up for the life of the unborn children. In twenty thirteen we passed the heartbeat bill but we going on a twenty fifteen twenty seventeen and twenty nineteen to pass I'm told now over thirty different prolapse bills and Americans United for life came here personally just a few weeks ago when many of you still with them when they said that Arkansas become the most pro life state in the nation. Some people stated now is not the time to directly challenge roe V. Wade. I share with you an excerpt from my friend Janet Porter who was the inspiration behind the original heartbeat bill and by the way South Carolina just passed a heartbeat bill that was just like what you're trying to pass here in Arkansas in twenty thirteen there the eleventh state to do it here's what she said until the Arkansas heartbeat Law and twenty thirteen Americans had been regulating abortion for forty eight years with a failed incremental strategy which left us with a body count of more than sixty two million Americans in another million children who continue to be brutal brutally killed each year Arkansas boldly led the charge to change that this time for Arkansas to lead again right to life leaders. Have stood with us not one pro life group. And said they don't support this bill. Of any voice that is stated that they did not support the bill it was an individual person many of you got a letter from that person that person traveled the country please understand this this is the fact that person travel the country finding heartbeat bills everywhere he went. I have to wonder question somebody that says they're pro life but they find every pro life bill that actually will save more more lines. National right to life founder Dr Jack Wilkie testified for the how heart beat bill in both the house and Senate hearings and he said this and it's key for us today. Where the road was affirmed or not the results of the same. Unborn babies are killed for any reason virtually anytime until there Burch. I could tell you a lot more. I think you know the issue very well. What I'm asking you today. Is to take a stand for life. You know what's great this is one of the easiest votes that many of you will ever make because you already voted in twenty nineteen and said you support the Bill. And that's what I'm asking you to do today is be consistent and support this what's different is we're saying right now but I'm gonna ask you. After forty eight years and sixty two million lives. When is the right time is eighty million is a hundred million. Many of us in this chamber we won't get to vote on a bill like this ever again. So today it's our opportunity. It's your opportunity and I ask you to vote for SB six must take a stand for life thank you Mister president I'll take questions and questions. You will speak against the bill. Senator hundreds recognized. Well these are strange times indeed if you told me I'd be speaking against though what to a bill supported by pro life organizations I would've told you that's absolutely impossible and anybody who knows my record would agree with that. But I think it's important to give a little context to this and you know many of you know I had an amendment prepared. And I was in the process of the decision and I told Senator Rapert this about whether or not I would run the amendment. When it went out to not just my colleagues but also to right to life organizations. With a bunch of of blatantly false information. so I think on I think it's important I come and tell you the truth because if you're going to vote on a bill is monumental this I think you ought at least have the facts. And what I mean by that I mean obviously it was alleged that somehow I was doing is the behest of of the governor. That is absolutely false and for. Alex to be sent that and for right to life organizations to duplicate that all throughout the state is very disappointing to me. I have worked with the right to life organization since nineteen ninety seven. And some of the hardest battles of ever been fought in the capital. And to see them now turn on people and call them weak kneed Republicans doing pro abortion doing the work of the governor. In an effort to pass a piece of legislation it's disappointing to say the least. So let me just tell you I have a problem with this bill and why I was going to propose an amendment and why I'm not proposing that in. I want you to know this bill is different than any a pro life bill I went back and checked every pro life bill that we have passed since the first. Which was in nineteen ninety seven by Senator fe Bozeman and myself to ban partial birth abortions this one is different than all of the. Senator Rapert said comments that you've already voted for this because of Senate bill one forty nine. I would take issue with Senate bill one forty nine did nothing. It had AC said it had a trigger and almost all of this we saw the fact that that bill would not do anything unless the Supreme Court overturn roe versus Wade realized it would have no impact on the law between then. And where we are today as it has not that's why it's not been challenged there has been nothing in Arkansas changed because of Senate bill one forty nine. Let me tell you about another bill two thousand nineteen. that Senate that's house bill fourteen thirty nine. That bill didn't do something. That will change the time when you can have an abortion to eighteen weeks. That bill was sponsored by represent Lundstrum Senator Rapert. And you will be you me tell you why this bill is so important to understand what we're doing here is different. That bill came out of the house very similar to Senate bill one forty nine with no exception for rape or incest. I visit with senator Irvin obviously Senator Rapert not visible to other members of the public health committee and I said you need to understand. That's a problem for me and serve all who have for decades. AS pro life legislation with those exceptions. And you know what happened. An amendment was put on house bill fourteen thirty nine in the public health committee. The Amendment the exact same one. Exact same one that I was trying to attach this bill today because it reflects a policy that we've had for decades and you know who put that in here is a copy of the amendment. You know who put that a minute on the bill. Senator Rapert. And I just don't understand how we go from a place. Where that was the right thing to do two years ago. But now you're we need pro choice Republican. To the best of the governor if you're doing in twenty two years later. Let me give you a little bit more history. Because again. to to to be in in the middle of this at this time and this bill he per trade is nothing different is is missing the entire context we're Arkansas is. Let me tell you the history of where Arkansas is do you know when I when we passed by with the as I was taken to the some of the things were amazing to me as I went back and looked at the bills were passed in ninety seven and ninety nine in two thousand one two thousand fifteen seventeen nineteen. Up until just recently most of a more bipartisan and had bipartisan support. I want to tell you about the first bill because I think it's very important you don't stand how much this place is changed. That first bill that we had passed a pro life bills since roe versus Wade up here and I was here in nineteen ninety seven and the news began to come out what was going on with partial birth abortions. I read a description of what that was when I was at home in my hotel. And I had no idea I sent an email to be a large sit still fight trying to bill to make sure that never happens in Arkansas not banning abortion abetting that procedure. And the biggest fight that I have been involved in politics broke out here's just give a context of what was that bill passed. The house of representatives and at that time there were about eighteen of those Republicans it was my first. It came to the Senate. A guy named Nick Wilson do many of you probably remember was on public health. I didn't listen any the testimony the bill sent back after we presented hours of testimony about why this is important how egregious this procedure was Nick came out and made a motion do not pass all in favor say I need to do not pass bill how many of you had to do not pass put on your bill. That's where we were again even though the house to pass that we went back and forth and I will tell you we filed a bill to the Senate in after they got our bill and send it back. The proudest moments of one of the things that stick stuck in my mind the most was I to use her to review some of you have heard me talk about Charlie Stewart. But conservative Democrats Northwest Arkansas when the Senate pull that Staten and sent us back a good bill Charlie Stewart he did he didn't go to the well much went to the well. And he said we're not going to let that happen to one of our colleagues we need to fix this bill and send it back to the Senate. We had Senate bill six twelve and we ended up passing it was an African American Democrat bill Walker who went down came to this well and argue to help pass. And that was the beginning of where we started pro life to where we are now as the number one which I'm just I'm so proud to see the number one most pro life state in the country. But to say that we're not evolving is denying reality. As I said the last pro life bill that we passed this was after that the Senate bill one forty nine the Senator Rapert with the trigger bill the last bill we passed was the eighteen week bill that we put the amendment on. In two thousand nineteen two thousand seventeen there was the put a protection from dismemberment sponsored by resentment Andy Mayberry is David Sanders it included the Reverend sex incest exception passivhaus seventy eight ten twenty five six. All of you people who have voted for bills like this with the rate princess provision in the past that is the way we've done it until today two thousand thirteen that the bill that senator Rapert sponsored in the and I was proud to vote for their heart the Bill. At a rate or incest exception and. This one is different. In two thousand fifteen I was a sponsor would represent Lundstrum the informed consent bill that tough enough for the two thousand one bill. It included an exemption for rape or incest. I can go on and on. But here's what I will tell you. What we're doing here today. Causes me a lot of trouble because it is a departure from what we've done for twenty five years since I've been involved in the pro life moved. This bill should have a right princess protection because if we're going to debate that that that that issue it should not be used it should not be passed by leveraging people's will under fear of not voting for prolactin which is exactly what's doing what we're doing here. And that is exactly why I'm not proposing the amendment today because I'm not going to do to you. What is being done to you by making you vote on this bill and that is having to make you go back and explain why you were crossways with pro life organizations. Pro life organizations that have supported every year up until now. Let me tell you another problem I have with this bill and I have Senate Senator Rapert as I said in the phone call he put me on the on the line as his attorney. That had a lot of legal expertise about this issue. And I asked him in this bill as I read through it there is an exception this isn't a complete ban. There is an exception for up to the time that a woman can determine that she's pregnant they can do chemical abortions. And I said how does that square I said if you believe that life begins at conception and you're banning all abortions how do you how do you reconcile the reality that you're allowing that to happen up until a woman can which he told me would be four to five weeks. Anne's response baffles he said she doesn't know she's pregnant. I said well the baby knows if he's there or not that's some of the poorest logic I've ever seen in that so here we have a bill. That does two things. It says you can you can do a chemical abortion time and time again. But if your twelve year old rape victim. Or an insensitive. You're out of luck. There's no exception for you the motion happen to get that chemical abortion done in the time before you know you're pregnant. I do not see the logic or the fairness in that type of approach in let me just close with this. You know when I when I pass that there are some things in your legislative career and I've been doing for a while the stick in your mind. But when I presented that ban on partial birth abortion bill down the other end of the house there was some pretty intense debate and one of my fellow Democrats went to the well and made a statement that I've never forgotten. Instead I wish you pro life people cared as much about babies after they were born as before the. And I I was outraged by that. And I went. I said I work with you to church I volunteer I care about people I care about kids. But for twenty five years now I've been hearing that in my mind. Is that the kind of policy positions that were taken. And as I look at this bill and I look at some of the bills and the situation we find ourselves in today I ask ourselves why is this. Value of life. So much different than what we put on other issues for for example. This year in Arkansas from what I've read about to be about three thousand abortions. We lost over fifty five hundred people to the pandemic. And you say what is the what here's what it has to do with it in this bill we're gonna tell a twelve year old rape victim. The because we believe so strongly in the right to life she's going to have to carry that baby to term regardless of the consequences it does on her or her family. And many of the same people advocating for that. Are the same ones saying how dare the government tell me I have to wear a mask. When the science tells us it's going to save lives. I don't see how this thing square. We have the second worst infant mortality rate in the nation. And many times those of us that pro life is I have been and continue to be are some of the biggest resistors to making those improvements. That we need to make the change that number. And there's other pieces of legislation you read the paper today and you can see about one that studies tell us is going to increase the number of homicides. As I look back on that statement. It begins to ring true or true to. I am still alive. I still believe that we need to do everything we can to protect the on board. But all of us have to decide where we're going to draw lines and how far that issues going to go to me and for twenty four twenty years. It has stopped rape and incest for all of us in the pro life movement. So you want to say and again I have nothing but respect for people who want to move forward my best friend who was with that battle with me Senator Bledsoe whose past probably more pro slot like legislation we're going to look different on this and it could have no bearing on my respect or appreciation for her. But it does bother. People are going to say because we draw that line. A little bit further down the road on something others didn't we're not truly pro life we don't care about it will pro abortion. I just wish we could stop that kind of rhetoric so I'm gonna go present for the bill. Because again if this were a bill with the rate princess protection and I would I would support. But I'm not gonna vote for a bill that goes contrary to what my position is been. For over twenty years thank. Senator Stubblefield recognized. Government US senator to question yes I want incentives under weather or whatever to any question of. What is the difference child that results. that is born conceive as a result of right are in service. And shall rule on this is results from a. Consenting relationships what is the difference in those two children. Biologics also. One percent of all birth abortions are the result of children that are. As a result of bribery but what is the difference in those two children the in here or those two children. There is no difference in again I've often wondered how I would deal with that situation with my daughter with my wife with somebody in my family I can't imagine having to make that decision although I have had to make some similar decisions that are very difficult about am I going to put. One person's life at risk to save some other people's lives I've had to make those kind of decisions and the idea that we're going to make those. One size fits all from here in the situation so tragic. Is something again that I can understand why people would disagree on it but realize Senator Stubblefield you voted for it for this exception every time up until now. Does center not far is it to the value of a child is the value of a child but also I have to think about the value of the victim and the children or work the sign is that what you're saying I thank all children are a blessing from god they're all they're all the work the same in the eyes of god right. I think that's probably theologically that we. We have one percent of the children that are that are afforded as a result of rape or incest we have thousands of people waiting to adopt children. Well that are worth just as much of the ward their borders result. And the consent relationship or work just as much well. Let me just again I got a text from my daughter is some of those statistics is a social worker. We don't have thousands of people waiting to pull these kids out of foster care that's what we have thousands of kids in foster care that's why have legislation to try to help us figure out how to fix it the fact is we've got a lot of people the dental adopted certain circumstances we've got a lot of children without a home right now but as far as your you and I do not disagree about pro life in the the value of life. But what I'm saying is as hard as that decision is. It's not just us almost every other state in the union. Has said we should consider those actions difference for what for what I mean by that is this it's one thing for me to tell my daughter you've got to be responsible for your actions. If your actions result in a baby being conceived then your account for that. And I absolutely believe that. But that is a different proposition and that's why I wish this rape and incest thing would be considered separately it said that were pulling it out it's a different proposition to say Molly my daughter who ever you've got to be responsible for the criminal violent actions of somebody else. Those are different. Problems and they should not be addressed with the same solution. Anyone wishing to speak in forever. Senator Rapert you're recognized close for serving as recognized speak in favor. I'm speaking on the bill. I'm speaking on this bill and. I'm going to Talk about the history I think that senator Hendren laid out. I was convinced I was not going to speak on this bill but I do think it's really really important that a woman speak on this bill. Senator Hendren in nineteen ninety seven I was six years old. And I came up here with my mother. And she was a champion for pro life legislation my mother raised me to be. Solid pro life women ends she works her tail and off. On the pro life movement and she was super instrumental in helping to pass those bills there's a lot of people outside of this chamber that are affected by the policy and they help they help with what we do up here we think it's all us it's not it's of people out side of this capital. Like my mom. I was part of the public health committee and I was chairing that committee when we put that amendment on that bill and here's why I support that amendment and here's why I think raping and says do you need to be included as exceptions into this bill. When I was in college Randolph Macon women's college we had the president of national right to life come in debate with the president of Planned Parenthood and I'll never forget that day in that debate. the woman who was the president national right to life came in with a pro choice button on her lapel. And I thought that was pretty bold. And what she said is you have a choice. If you have that you know the consequences of it. The someone else right. Like friends of mine like people I love. That choice taken away from them. It got taken away from them. If they were a virgin. And they had pledge to god that they were going to be a virgin until they got married and they got raped at the age of sixteen guess what. That's without taking away from them because they were rates. You know how many young girls on suicide watch. Because they were rate. Because they were a victim of incest. You know me families thank god that didn't result in a pregnancy and they had to make that choice the name that you had to have made that decision about what what's going to happen with their little girl. You know I I have been a champion of pro life legislation that since I've been elected it with my platform I ran on it and it just burns my hide that there are people outside of this capital question the my pro life stance are you kidding me. We're becoming. Seriously. That's not right. That is not right I'm sorry but I just cannot see here and be silent on this issue when hi am disenfranchised Jean people that are pro life I believe that rape and incest should be a part of this bill because their loved ones. There's me and it breaks my heart. Okay with this conversation and this dialogue I have no idea why we cannot reason together I've asked that why can't we that are pro life people get to redeem and reason together. Maybe my personal views are different than yours want to disenfranchise. People that are pro life in this movement I want to build that circle I want to make it bigger I want people to come in and realize that it's the baby's life and yes we need to have a policy for when that baby is born in pre prenatal policy which is why I've been working so hard with the H.. I'm prenatal policy. But the disenfranchised people that I care about people that I love and people that were rates and people that were victims of incest. I can't do that and I don't want to do that and I don't want to think that we should want to do that so I respectfully ask you Senator Rapert to pull the bill down and to include the amendments to include rape and incest as exceptions I respectfully ask you to pull the bill down and I ask you to include the cement amendments there are people in there are women in this state they feel very strongly about that. I have stood in those shoes and I shared with y'all two years ago. How I stood in the shoes of someone who had an unplanned pregnancy. And my daughter every single day because I made that choice I know how that feels Senator Rapert you don't know how that feels. I do. And I thank god every single day for my daughter in for that choice and I respect the hell out of my daughter because she gave me the permission to tell everybody and to tell the world. And I love her so much. But I also know the years of therapy that a young girl has to go through and I also know. The suicides and the problems and I spoke to friends of mine who were the founding directors of the pregnancy crisis center here in Little Rock you feel the exact same way as I do and she was the director of the pregnancy crisis center here in Little Rock she's not Catholic best friend to the world from the ages of six and seven years old she's been in this fight with me and she believes exactly how I believe I spoke to a lot of women are pro life that believe that these exceptions to be in the bill and so I'm speaking for them I'm speaking on behalf of the and I respectfully ask that you pull the bill down and include those and to the bill thank you. Anyone who wish to speak in favor okay we're gonna go to senator allocated against what one one quick second central if they were going to go. Anybody or for okay then we're gonna go to center Tucker and then then then we're gonna go to center Chesterfield is Senator leading up before we do our center Senator Rapert would you entertain a question from Senator Breanne Davis. What that. You have you have permission if you'll do it I can't make it thank you for your second question Senator Davis House one before we go to you wish. Okay Senator Elliott is is recognized. Thank you governor and members. You know I'm not here because I'm going to vote for this bill what is amended I'm not amended. That's just because we have a difference of opinion. About what we feel about this issue. That's fine. But it does not mean. At any one of us. Cares more about the life of a child then the other. It does not mean that. At some point I think we have to seriously interject. More than half of the people in this state. We are acting as if maybe they are not a part of the constitution and rights and that's the women in this state. What is amended are not amended one of the reasons were agonizing so much here is because we are legislating something that is difficult something that is the most personal. Kind of thing that can happen to a woman. To her family to her daughter. That's what it wrenches every one of us to have this conversation because perhaps. It's a little too personal. For me to stand here today I think that. When it. Some woman some girl somewhere well not this bill is amended. That we thirty five people in this body. Can sit here on this state. And now And know what a person should do because we are so omniscient. We can no right here now today what the law should be. We talk all the time about not being in people's private lives. For me not to get into your private life does not mean I don't care about a child. For you to respect women enough. To allow them to be full autonomous human beings is important to this discussion. And I will not sit for somebody as one person did at one point come to me and say one day comte is going to change your heart. And your quit killing babies. Hi. Would stop being for killing babies. I've never said to anybody I'm for killing babies. And for you to a segment. It's been need anything you should never do to another human being. It is wrong. You know who is going to keep having abortions if it even if the Supreme Court. Reverses itself. The same people who have abortions before roe V. Wade you know who they are. They're going to be the people with power and ability. To know what doctor who's going to simply call it something else and they're going to get that abortion. No matter what. Thank you get to still make a choice has it all you want they the privilege still will get to make the traverse. It is the other people. The marginalise ones that you're going to force and to back to Alice and two butchers and don't we wish nobody ever had to make that choice and one of the things we consistently will not do. So they don't have to make that choice. In our schools. Reproductive education that will teach our kids about not getting pregnant and about making sure if they aren't going to engage in sexual activity which we hope they won't that they don't become pregnant. This is hard. I can't think of a nother issue. That should save us more than anything else. When government over reaches. It can destroy lives. You can come right back and say what about that they disliked him shooting in. That's what's hard about this. We should not be the people making this decision. Women. Families. But the doctors. What they're not. I want to be making this decision. And we refer our selves apart trying to be that person we know we're not. So I ask you not. Not to pass this bill. It's bad enough. But it is far worse. If you want but the amendment on the bill. As a woman or a girl. He's already been humiliated until the submission of rape or incest. And you'd Care of thank you can sit here today. Undetermined for her. She should not have to carry that child. I know this is not a discussion about the birth of a child. But this does become a really big discussion in these situations about the worth of a woman or a girl. I hope your vote no. For. Again senator Tucker is recognized to speak against the list there's someone who shows a hand for next week center just Tucker. Your next. So doctors. Thank you governor and I appreciate your taking the time to listen to us today I just want to start by saying I recognize how important and how hard this issue is and I know everybody in this chamber. It's coming from a good place no matter what you believe and I have total respect for that I want to make that point and I don't wanna. Repeat anything that Senator Elliott said. I really just wanted to make one point today. Senator Elliot did reference that as did senator Hendren and that is that. Roe V. Wade. Did not wave a magic wand and create a portion the United States before roe V. Wade abortion was legal in twenty states and there were a hundred and thirty thousand legal abortions in the United States there's no way to know for sure how many of those were in Arkansas but I've run rough numbers and I personally don't think the abortion rate in Arkansas in nineteen seventy two the year before roe versus Wade was that different than it was in two thousand eighteen which is the last year we have data available for. If this bill passes which are expected to and becomes law goes to the Supreme Court Supreme Court overturns roe versus Wade. That's not going to wave a magic wand in in force in the United States or in Arkansas either. And so the point that I want to emphasize is. I would love to I think probably all hundred thirty five members of the legislature agreed that we want to reduce the number of abortions in the state to the maximum extent that we can. And the number one cause for abortions is unplanned pregnancies now that can happen in a variety of ways but unplanned pregnancies all together is the number one cause medical issues or the is this is the second costs. And so the point that I want to make is. Going forward from this whatever the outcome is even if it goes to the Supreme Court United States and roe versus Wade is overturned is let's stand together on policies that we can universally agree with that she that empower women and show them the respect and trust that they deserve that reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and reduce the number of medical concerns that people have that lead to abortions by tackling really intergenerational poverty and education starting with pre K. and early childhood education all the way through as senator Elliott said because I think if we do that the no matter what the outcome of this bill is that we will do what we all want to see happen which is to reduce the number of abortions in Arkansas so moving forward that's that's my request is that we work together on poverty education and healthcare because if we do that I think we can stand together for our collective goal which is to reduce the number of abortions in the state. I'll be glad to take questions. Is recognized. Thank. Tucker Leding you said something about twenty states when roe versus Wade was passed twenty states that abortion laws on the books. It was. Three after the Supreme Court ruled in roe versus Wade they had to change this the law the anti abortion laws in forty six states. So there cannot be twenty states that have more channels on the books that had to go in and change the entire forty six states have anti abortion laws already in place in the state. That's. I understand that senator and and I'm I don't argue with you about that. But I do know that in in some way they may have to if they maybe they probably changed it differently in different states and I'm not an expert on what each state laws and I'm not gonna pretend to be but I know that in some way abortion was legal in twenty states in the United States the year before roe versus what was passed. One more question. You know of any other species on the planet that killed this young mother of two and one. Past and sit down governor I came here yeah he is having a hard time if you can just sit down close to the mark the. Did you know of any other species on the planet that kills John while they're still in one. I'm not an expert on that senator and again I'm not advocating for that Senator Elliot said no one no one is an advocate for that What I I sit up here just to make the point of we can be effective in reducing the number of abortions in Arkansas and my opinion more so than than laws that affect the regulation of abortion actually think we can be more effective reducing the number of abortions if we reduce poverty and improve education that's that's the point I came down here to make. Thank you senator Sir Stubblefield you indicating that education speaking in favor of the bill Senator Stubblefield will speak and then we'll go to senator Chesterfield opposing. Senator Stubblefield. Calling we've been debating this bill. In the United States is about a hundred fifty but he's been killed since we've been sitting here debating this it's been ripped apart. Some sold for the parts others discarded like a piece of trash. One percent one percent of all abortions are done because of rape and incest one percent because of fetal abnormalities two percent. Because the doctor tells the woman if she keeps her pregnancy that it could maybe cause harm fifty fifty percent say they didn't want to be a single parent sixty six percent say say they could not afford a child seventy five percent so it said that the child would interfere with their lives so in other words we got ninety persons ninety six percent. Of women who are having abortions. They're doing it for reasons of convenience. That fact. In US around the world there's a hundred seventy five thousand babies killed every day. Seven thousand men and it's a hundred twenty babies a second. The killed every day around the world in the United States one million seven hundred thousand killed every year forty five hundred today. Hundred and eighty three now. Three per minute. So we've been debating this bill. It's been almost two hundred babies. There's been ripped out of their mothers wombs. At the organs taken out Seoul. The others been discarded like a piece of. Sir Chesterfield recognized against the bill. And then anyone wish to speak thanks for it's not going to go to center leading Senate bill is recognized. Thank you Mr chair lays in German of the Senate. Nobody wants to see baby skilled. No one. Not I. Know anyone in this room. But I also don't want to see babies lives destroyed. Because every time I hear people talking about babies getting pregnant I hear the ages of twelve or sixteen. Kids get their messaging and. In many instances. I know. I was one of them. My niece. It's ten. She just began her means which means the entity with a victim of rape or incest should be a ten year old walking around with the child. Williams is repealed. They're individuals Leo. With the thought of doing harm to children sexually. We read about it all the time. They cross state. For the sole purpose of having sex with children. So purpose. It's a sickness. It's a sickness that affects children. Yes we would advocate that a general. Who is a child in personnel. The Seattle with the child. Because someone. Was a separate from pedophile you decided to make them pregnant. Robi weight is already been sent did not calls abortion. It may save. Whether we agree with that or not. When I was growing up we always read the stories about the closing lines and the Clorox. Because that was what was used. To induce abortion. And so what we're advocating now is going back to close minds in Clorox. Because abortion is been around since time immemorial. Let us be clear. Babies. Eighteen years of age. Can get pregnant. I know. Thank. Favor Senate Ballenger and instead of letting. Senate bill recognized thank you Mr thank you Mr president I will speak of the frankly I thought it was unnecessary. You know as as a guy a lot of times it's a you know what you know about it but I am a guy who has five baby girls right in a wise what I love. Dearly and I and I thought about I would wrestle with the idea of like. You know what is gonna happen to them. It would be hard to be emotionally really really difficult the challenge and and something that I I do think it's is profoundly person. But I don't think I think that even doing with that we're we're we're wrestling with absolutely the wrong issue the wrong question. The question really is is it a baby or not it's a little person or not. If you will give them the right to do whatever they want with their bodies if it's there but it's not in my stinking business. But if it is a separate person. It is a human being and we agree with that. It doesn't matter how they were created. I grew up with friends and they had a I had a cousin. Give to much detail but he's a product of incest. Senate killed. Because that was a creep. Because that was what what if you want to increase penalties for local push the constitutional boundaries and physical castration for people who rape kids for that do whatever to them they deserve it the babies don't. If their babies they don't like. It's horror. To go to that. Only one percent the for those one percent is the worst thing that ever went through the line. But the reality is it's a live person in a government is created to protect life. No purpose at all not even a little bit. The card first purpose the only thing the thing that we're most legitimate doing is protecting life and if the twice in which jump up and do it. Otherwise. The server business. Surmodics recognize against anyone would speak up to the. Serletic. Thank you Mr president. Those license issues before the drive down this morning I looked up this frame print that we had hanging in our house it's by local artist at the water cooler all these little birds in a tree and that even though the print it was still quite an investment for my wife and I to make as a young couple but it was something we wanted because we decided it was gonna be a physical representation of the child we thought we were going to have. it shall we were excited to have that we were intentionally setting out to have. We have told our parents and siblings we were going. I still remember the few days where my wife began to sense that something might be wrong in that growing sense of dread. And I will never forget the night when we knew something was wrong. The abject terror. The crushing loss that the desperate hope as we were driving to the hospital middle the night that maybe maybe everything would be OK. We were more guarded in clear eyed the second time and second pregnancy was much shorter. It was still heartbreaking. And even knowing that miscarriages happens far more often than most of us know because we just don't talk about these things you still left so many questions in a lot of doubt and I woke up many times the weeks after that to the center my wife crying and I often hit myself away so my wife wouldn't see me cry. We had a daughter. Most everyone's room as matter of the center shall be five and a couple of weeks and for all I know she's watching right now so worked out for us I know it and work out for everybody so I do have multiple sets of friends who tried for years to conceive they wanted children it worked at it three years of heartbreaking loss hard questions. Test after test finally came to the conclusion that they simply would never be able to conceive children. All the they're all parents today live somehow found a way. I had other friends we took every precaution to keep from having kids because at that time in the lives they knew they were ready it was a part of their plan did everything they were supposed to do still got pregnant. Their parents today. I know people who've independence is we all do I probably know more than I know about that because again we don't talk about these things everyone in this room knows a person who is indeed a pregnancy. Bring a life into this world is one of the most. Intimate complex daunting fundamentally human beings we can do. And for us to sit in this room time and again a room that is mostly men and insert ourselves into these decisions is just wrong especially. We so often ignore the woman the woman who doesn't know to take precautions or the woman who would like access to contraception but can't get or the woman who has access does what she thinks needs to be doing and still gets bright. The woman who is date rape and never mentions it because she knows what a poor job this country doesn't pursuing right this little prosecuting them. When whose boyfriend pressures are to having sex with boyfriend lies about using a condom. The woman who pretends to be asleep when her abuser comes to bed the one who doesn't want to bring her abusers child into this world. The woman who really wants to have a child that his doctors tell it because of the condition carrying a pregnancy to term might endanger her life. The woman who is told that her pregnancy is no longer viable. Can all these college a lot of use friends or use close friends and if my wife and I faced any of these agonizing decisions I would. Want I appreciate your support. I would not ask for or accept or tolerate any of you having the final say over the decision that we would make and I don't think anybody in this room would want anyone else in this room having the final say over such a difficult decision again these are not easy conversations in the shouldn't be it's been said that this is a very complex situation lives carrying lines create special circumstances and they're not easy but I know. Easy to sit in this building in this room especially. Far removed from the Hartford hospital highway or the cold tile bathroom floor to a. And make these decisions it's easy to vote for these things because we know it'll save us awkward conversations Church confrontation to coffee shops to prevent those mailers we all are gonna come with what against something like this this conversation should be difficult because this is a very difficult issue and just to be clear at this bill when this comes law even if it is not swiftly struck down by the courts it will not ban abortion abortion will still be legal it is only preventing healthcare providers from performing ending a pregnancy. Some still will because they believe it is right to provide health care to their patients but as has been noted here women with resources will still find a way but most women without those resources vulnerable women. Take measures to self manage the end of the pregnancy it will happen this bill will not ban abortion it cannot be an abortion it's still will happen. It's also just it said that you. Once we have honest conversations about making sure the contraception is widely available and accessible and then we have honest conversations about making sure that comprehensive sex education is available we put in place meaningful safety nets for women children families. When we take meaningful steps to address maternal mortality and infant mortality rates that are among the highest in the world then we'll be getting somewhere but until then. I don't know where we are only that it's it's somewhere we just have no business being. Can anyone else wish to speak. Senator Rapert a do you wish to close and. If you will Senator Breanne Davis has a question if you want entertain that question. Senator Davis you have a question I'll be happy to answer your question before the House for question. Thank you. And I was curious and on the page four and page five on your bill. It talks about being able to use a contraceptive measure director chemical. And for. Leding fortune before the pregnancy is conventionally medical and be able to be determined excuse me through conventional medical testing so I'm curious. With this exemption it's not just if the mother's life is in danger but it's also an exception for medication abortions correct. Actually I was going to address that in full and so what I will tell you is that that actually state and I will have to take exception to the way it's been categorized if you want research that even on something as simple as web MD you'll find that emergency contraceptives and contraceptive measures are not considered Warsh. So it's emergency contraception and done in just on that point of to finish that question for you senator I'm glad you ask it it does state and in the prohibition section of the bill this section does not authorize the charging conviction of a woman with any criminal offense in the death of her own unborn child. Or prohibit the sale use prescription or administration of a contraceptive measure drug or chemical if the contraceptive measure drug or chemical is administered before the time when a pregnancy could be determined through conventional medical testing and if the contraceptive measure drug or chemical is sold used prescribed or administered in accordance with manufacture instructions so therefore any person for any reason. Whether it be a horrible circumstance of rape. Whether it be just they decided that something they wanted to do. If someone is involved or god forbid a child is molested or raped. They can be taken to a hospital. And they can have emergency contraception and not be considered an abortion under even the medical guidelines that to me is something that is important to point out because it is wrong to try to demonise those of us to stand for pro life issues. This is a very reasonable situation as you and everyone knows most abortions occur in the first trimester. So this is trying to say that we need a different standard and so yes this language actually was in SB one forty nine. And it's also in this bill and frankly without speaking of their names I had conversations at length in twenty nineteen with people about this language. In about what its effect is. And about how the fact if really and I even stated this to senator Hendren unless somebody was trying to conceal. There's nothing that prevents them from using plan B. or an I. U. D.. If they wanted to do so. Thank you yeah I see that and I don't see the word emergency by the sea and contraceptive measure drug or chemical and the dread formerly known as are you for eighty six is a medication abortion I can be given to a woman up to around ten weeks and after the start of her pregnancy so I'm curious and this bill it allows for the exception of a medical abortion which is formally known as are you forty six and I'm curious if yourself the family council Arkansas right to life in the other national grid so you speak at are now no longer opposed and in favor of the are you forty six hello. Actually senator I would encourage you to go look up what I referred to I have a new funding or you for eighty six is classified differently than an emergency contraceptive measures according to the research that we had but I do appreciate the question thank you emergency contraceptive is not in here. Senate. Thank you for that members I do appreciate everything that you've said appreciate your conversations and. You know what this may be one of the last times and every to speak on this floor. Who knows. I'm I would say very sick this summer you know in the past year. Thankfully I came through that. And we all have opportunities because we're alive to make a difference. I would say that hearing some of the discussion today it must be what amount not a felt like to people that we're standing to abolish slavery in the eighteen fifties. They were told its legal. This is the way it's always been done. This is legal in our country. Seventeen seventy six is when the country was created for eighty seven years in July eighteen sixty three when Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Slavery was totally legal that was a crime against humanity just like this is a crime against humanity. And they ended up having a war that a war over slavery. Because they couldn't acknowledge the sanctity of life for people that were not quite. Unfortunately the country learn better overturned that precedent that's what we can do today. As far as centre Hendren I would like you say I want to address some of your your points. Generator you not been friends. Actually very close friends. This would change needed to be in opposition. A situation like this. But the fact is. When I told you I did not know that you were going to file an amendment for sure you said you were thinking about it and to be honest with you when I saw that you actually had drafted it was dated and it had been filed and if the staff you save file with two quick I don't know but when I saw that it felt like that that was a violation of our discussion therefore I had to rise to oppose it and I did. In terms of of how that happened I can answer for that all I know is that it was filed the day you spoke with me and it had your name on. We want said except those rape and incest exceptions you know why it's because people would come in force it in some of the same arguments that I've heard today are the same arguments that Planned Parenthood the ACLU have used time and time again to use one percent of all abortions to say we should justify a hundred percent of those abortions. Senator Hendren. Arkansas did stop abortions before nineteen ninety seven. We have a history of doing so until nineteen seventy three and in nineteen eighty eight over seventy five percent of the Arkansas voters said in amendment sixty eight. We protect life from the moment of conception. With only one exception to save the life of the mother. And that is exactly what SB six does. I feel for the some of the stories that we hear Senator Irvin is also great friend. And what happens is when you hear these situations and you hear from people I will tell you that you mention you specifically referred me that I don't know how any of this feels. I actually had a family member that was raped. And that man was convicted and he was put in prison in the state for his crime. So yeah we know what it feels like to have a family member violated whose under age by the way. And you know what else my wife miscarried. You know what the doctor asked me to do. And it's pretty. Thirty. Blunt. Doctor said that when she Y. for boards this child. That you're together that child together. In bringing that child back to us. If you've never done that senator that's hard to do as well and the reason they did that. The reason they did that is because that is a life and I had doctors in my wife's Dr new that that's a precious life that should be handled precious sleep and that's what I was asked to do senator Tucker we can reduce poverty we can work on education but you know what I think were big enough country to do that without killing innocent babies. We can do all that at the same time. I'll close with this and I was going to close this much but I want to answer these questions. Two main things for me today. Our declaration of independence says that we are endowed by our creator with life. That's the first thing it mention. And that decoration even invoked the creator create invoked god. So line is the most important most fundamental civil right that we have in this country period. Ask for god and our create your. It says in some issues mean proverbs chapter six verse sixteen through nineteen they're six things god hates in one of those city ages people that shed innocent blood and I know that none of us will be part of any of that. I'm not going to be a part of any of that. So I'll leave you with this thing. Because this will be the last time that I get to run this bill. In this body. Deuteronomy chapter thirty verse fifteen excuse me verse nineteen says and twenty this day I call the heavens and the earth is witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death blessings and curses. Not usually. So that you and your children may live in that you may love the lord your god. Thank you I'm close circle of. I'm secretary have occurred the desk. Yes we have a pair of. Senator Teague yes Senator Ingram nine I'm center please call the roll members good music at least on all. Ballenger. That. But. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Clark. Davis. Yes my. Eight. Elliott. English. Flippo. Flowers. No. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. He is neither. Irving. Irvine. Blake Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Page. Riper. Bryce. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. T. a. Tucker. Wallace. Your wish to vote or change the. Anybody at all because the ballot. Service. Service. You Sorry Sir we had already cast about. State Bank. Rather. K.. Twenty six days seven days one not voting one present. The Bill pass is transmitted to the house senators Senator Irvin please come a well recognized for motion. I make a motion to expunge the vote by which it passed so that I can vote for the bill follows a favor say aye. I have a motion is carried. Voting sponsor. Please call the roll. This. We still have to pay rent another pair at the desk. Ingram. I'm not contain yes. Ballenger. Beckham. Back on. Bledsoe. Caldwell. Caldwell. Chesterfield. Or or. Clark. Davis. Hi. Dismaying. He. Elliott. English. Let. Flowers. No. Garner. Gilmore. Hammer. Hendren. Hester. Hickey. Hello. Ingram. Irvine. Blake Johnson. I Mark Johnson. Leading. Page. Right. Rice. Sample. Stubblefield. Sturch. Sullivan. T. yes tapper. Wallace. Anyone wish to change the vote. Cast a ballot. Twenty seven days seven days or not voting one present on the bill is passed transmitted to the house. Senator Wallace. Sir walls recognized. Eleven fifty five a represented by the man Senator Wallace remove barriers to the release of data and the Arkansas central cancer registry to qualified cancer researchers. Thank you Wallace recognized thank you governor members this is a a good bill good common sense bill and what it does reduce the amount of time that we can conduct research for for six months to two weeks there's no cost with this amendment there was an amendment that the. We decided to define what a a qualified researcher was. Every year sixty five hundred folks of Arkansas that cancer is the second leading cause of death in Arkansas and we lead in and cancer mortality ranking number five in the country. The Arkansas center cancer registry. This population based registry. And they do and collect data on all of our education our cancer patients. But to get the release of data they have to go to the board of health. What a health only meets quarterly so we can be your forty six months before we can get that data to the Arkansas central cancer registry. The board of health voted to remove this step in to support legislation to remove it that's what this bill does too good bill ask for a good vote. Are there any questions. You may want to speak for the bill. Against the bill. Senator your clothes Senators close for the bill is anybody object to rolling the vote. Seeing none role the. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang the Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan D. Wallace Tucker Wallace. Anybody wish to change their vote. C. nine madam secretary cast up the ballot. With thirty forty eight zero nays and zero presents. Your pastor bill. Transmitter House. Senator John. Eleven ninety four by represent developing concerning the drawing of a person's blood one person was operating or in actual physical control of a motorboat or motor vehicle while intoxicated. Senator John you are recognized to explain your bill members is this bill simply brings in the law the same as what the U. S. Supreme Court in Arkansas Supreme Court is has already done in the courts the this allows for an express consent blood draw and also during those exit exigent circumstances this this bill will allow those incidents to happen without warrant which the courts of RT these things are already done to the are you allowed to the court Rhaetian good vote. Senators explain this bill are there any questions. Seeing no questions would anyone like to speak for or against the bill. Senator have you close for your bill. Senator Johnson has close for his bill maybe opposition to rolling about. Seeing none madam secretary please roll. Ballenger Beckham Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang eads Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Johnson mark Johnson leading Page riper rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. Three senators wish to change their vote. Seeing none madam secretary cast up the ballot. With thirty forty eight zero nays zero present your pastor bill transmit to the House. Senator Hickey has concurrent resolution thousand and eight. I resented Shepherd in Senator Hickey to provide for an extension of the regular session of the ninety third General Assembly provided for a recess of the General Assembly. Senator Hickey you're recognized to explain your resolution thank members this is a resolution that we usually always do this session if I remember correctly it's takes it out to April ninth and then sending that the owner may third I appreciate a good vote. Are there any questions for the senator about is resolution. Seeing none would anyone like to speak for or against the resolution. Seeing none senator You close for your resolution madam secretary please call the roll. Okay local. Hey I need to the roll call. Is there any objection rolling the vote on the resolution. C. nine. Please call the roll Ballenger. Bledsoe Caldwell Chesterfield Clark Davis Dismang aids Elliott English Flippo flowers Garner Gilmore hammer Hendren Hester Hickey hill Ingram Irvin Blake Johnson mark Johnson leading page Rapert Rice sample Stubblefield Sturch Sullivan T. Tucker Wallace. DO really Senator desire to voter changed about. Seeing none madam secretary cast up the ballot the thirty forty eight zero nays zero present your past your resolution transmitter the house okay. And I think we're ready for budget that I need a budget calendar. Now. Image press where your committee on Rhode Bills to whom was referred Senate bill sixty six by Senator English symbol seventy seven by Senator age Senate bill seventy eight by Senator Hill see about eighty seven by Senator Hester Senate bill one of two by Senator sample Civil War three by Senator sample Senate bill one oh five by Senator sample is two to one seventy three by Senator Rice as compared the enrolled copies with the original and correctly enrolled eighty nine oh seven A. M. and delivered to the governors for his approval. Follows. Announce center this morning. Thank you the members but you will meet tomorrow at eight thirty and also I'm probably going to do this every day but the last day to file appropriation bills will be Monday so if you have an appropriation bill the gym file get anyone I have one filed the deadline is Monday thank you. Do we have any other announcements Senator Rapert. You're recognized yes members related to your Constitutional amendments for state agencies I spoke with Representative Tashi and are going to be getting together will soon be putting a date out there for all of you to come present your constitutional amendments per the the information I've been given by the bureau of legislative research we're now at the point where the Senate typically has to that we can refer and so the two one back and forth between the House I'm told that it's now the Senate's right under that to do so and so we would be aware of that let me know if you'd like to discuss coming present thank you. Thank you senator Rapert do we have any other announcements. The Senate will reconvene at one o'clock tomorrow. Subject to reading bills across the desk.