ALC-PEER
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Unknown speaker
0:00
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 2
2:30
Do you have a reference on who you want to open prayer?
Speaker 3
3:00
Members, if we can, let's go ahead and take our
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
3:12
seats. Members, we're going to go ahead and get started. We're probably
about five minutes behind if that clock's on time or behind like it normally is.
I'm going to recognize Senator Wallace to open us
Speaker 12
3:50
in prayer. Thank you for allowing us to represent our people here for our great sake. Lord, please watch over our military. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. all right all
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
4:09
right members we're going to operate like we normally do in peer at least when i'm i'm
chairing and so we're going to go through each section so we're going to go b one through four then i'm going to go back and i'm going to ask if you have a question on b1 b2 b3 b4 and then we'll either approve or we'll pull out whatever we need to do to take action on that section my request is if you have a question on b4 don't hit your button on b1 okay so wait until we get to b4 or b3 all right just just please wait and hit your button when that item comes up that way
I'm not calling on you to say no I actually have a question on b3 or 4 all right thank you all All
William Parrish
Unverified
5:05
right, with that, we're not recognizing it yet. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're in section B. These are various temporary appropriation requests. The first item is B1. This is a letter from the Department of Health, Minority Health Commission. This is for 1 million in spending authority. It's to support the maternal health outreach campaign by doing education, awareness, and access initiatives. They will use fund balances as direct by code
to reduce their balances. B2 is a letter from the Department of Energy Environment on Gas Commission is for 278,000 in appropriation. This is to replace the roof at the State Geologist Sample Library. It's supported by proceeds from the sale of their building. B3 is a letter from the Department of Public Safety Division of State Police is for 120,000. This is to pay for two Ford Transit vans for the training section. It's supported by a transfer from the Restricted Reserve Fund that was back in April. B4 is a letter from the Secretary of State for 20,000 in appropriation. It's to design and
construct the unborn children monument and supported by private donations mr. chair those are all the VTA requests
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
6:03
all right thank you members represented Pilkington question
Speaker 21
6:05
on b1 thank you mr. is anyone from the minority Department of Health or Minority Health Commission couldn't I
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
6:15
just like a little more details on how this million dollars will be spent for awareness
Speaker 24
6:25
Good morning, Meg Miraville, Director of Communications for the Health Department. This is for a total $3 million campaign for maternal health statewide. We have a contractor already, Stone Ward, they're in the planning stage of the campaign, so they're doing stakeholder interviews and focus groups for target audiences. And then we'll put together a comprehensive campaign across the state with multiple platforms
to reach the target audience with our maternal health messages. Do we
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
7:08
have any more specifics on what that campaign is going to look like? Is there certain areas? I mean, obviously it's the Minority Health Commission, so I imagine it's minorities it's going to be focused on. I just would like a little
Speaker 24
7:22
more detail for a million dollars. Sure. So through the planning phase, we'll get more into specifics, but it will be statewide. It will target all audiences. This funding in particular will go towards minority audiences.
We'll look at radio, including rural radio, digital, social media, TV, basically all platforms in order to reach the target audiences. Okay. Thank you. do we have any of the questions on b1 all
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
7:52
right seeing none thank you all thank you uh b2 three
or four all right seeing none we need a motion to approve items b1 through four we've got a motion
we've got a second all those any discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor signify saying aye. All those opposed? Motion carries. Items B1 through 4 have been approved. Section C. Thank you,
William Parrish
Unverified
8:22
Mr. Chair. We're in Section C. These are the American Rescue Plan appropriation requests. The first five items are direct federal awards from a federal department to a state agency. The last two items are to provide appropriation for the awards that were made by the executive and approved by ALC. C1 is a request from the Department of Health. It's for $10.2 million. They have a grant from the CDC for the health care associated in
antimicrobial resistant infections program for advanced molecular detection sequencing and analytics and for data modernization. The next item is on page four. Page four is C2. This is a request from Arkansas Tech University. It's for $124,000. They have a grant from the Align program to pay adjunct faculty technologies for furniture and supplies supporting the increased practical nursing program capacity next items on page nine on page nine of C3 this is
University of Arkansas Fort Smith it's a reallocation of previously awarded appropriation they're moving 45,000 it's been authority from match and operating expenses to salaries this is to correct your budget from the first request their purpose remains supporting the aligned nursing program at Mercy next items on page 15 page 15 is C4 also University of Arkansas Fort Smith this is also a reallocation of previously awarded appropriation, it's going to correct their budget. It's moving $55,000 of spending authority from salaries and operating expenses to
match conference and travel and professional fees. This is for the aligned program for nurses at Western Arkansas Technical Center. Next item is on page 21. On page 21 is C5, Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. $31.5 million is the appropriation request. They have a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide funding to local education agencies and districts these funds are already obligated but have not been funded due to policy changes in a court case a letter from the federal department explains the court intervention on page 24 is the next request this is c6 on page 24 this begins the state awards
c6 is requested department of commerce division workforce services office of skills development it's 17.7 million this is a state award to make grants for the aligned nursing program and a career pathways for lpns this is not new money this is a continuing appropriation for the program for the program into fiscal year 26. next item is on page 26. on page 26 is c7 department of agriculture another reallocation of previously awarded appropriation they're moving almost 118
million in water related projects and waste storm water projects to a combined line item to allow the department to reallocate savings from one project to budget shortfalls in another mr. chair that is the end
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
11:09
of our request all right thank you members do we have any
Speaker 15
11:18
questions on c1 c2 three four c5 all right senator urban
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
11:27
oh i think i hit the Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could we just get a little bit of an explanation? I read the letter here in the litigation just about these funds, and can we just get a little more information on C-5 by somebody from the department? If you could, just recognize yourself for the committee,
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
11:58
and then Senator Irvin, you're recognized. Restate your question.
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
12:09
uh thank you greg rogers department education thank you thank you mr chair and mr rogers just i know that we went through quite a process here um with our legislative um action about these funds and so can you just give us a little bit more detail and information about this court case and what the status of
these funds are and directly to who, what schools,
or could you just give us
Speaker 40
12:33
a little more information? Yes, ma'am. So this was the third round of the ARP, the different COVID funds that we received. During those, the districts got an extension on the liquidation period. These funds actually expired last year, but the Federal Department of Education gave an extension on liquidation. The funds had to be obligated either by a PO or invoice or something to show the obligation in that period to qualify for the liquidation. So after the liquidation, extended liquidation period went through, there was a pause put on that liquidation in March.
So that's why we didn't make this request into the annual operations plan, waiting to see if there was additional. during that time the uh us department of education asked for additional information about how the funds were being used because they can be used for anything from a construction to an hvac to a curriculum overcoming learning loss whatever it needed coming out of covid to to make the district better so at the end of that the feds released their pause and have now allowed us to have liquidation of those funds so we need the appropriation to give these out to school districts
Speaker 41
13:40
The school districts are still a lot of all over. There's all over the state that still have
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
13:47
some liquidation funds remaining of these funds. I see. I see. And so,
and the litigation just allowed for the continuation of the liquidation process? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you. There's no recovery from the federal government
for these funds. It's just giving them more time to extend and liquidate. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. All
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
14:07
right. Thank you, members. to any other questions on c5 all right seeing none thank you all right c6 any questions or c7
all right seeing none i need a motion to approve items c1 through 7. i've got a motion i've got a second any discussion on the motion seeing none
all those in favor signify by saying aye all those opposed motion carries section
William Parrish
Unverified
14:32
d thank you mr chair we're in section d these or Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Appropriation Requests. The first one, D1, is a request from the Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Environmental Quality. It's for $1.6 million in appropriation. They have a grant from the U.S. Department of Interior to refurbish acid mine drainage sites.
D2 is also a request from Energy and Environmental Quality. It's for $1.6 million. They have another grant from the U.S. Department of Interior to remediate two surface coal mines. D3 is a request from the Department of Transportation for 280 million this is to spend federal funds from IIJA in the second quarter all projects using these funds are listed in a report after the request on pages 6 through 24 mr. chair those are all the requests for
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
15:18
IIJ all right thank you members doing the questions
on d1 d2 and d3 and I'd recommend you
taking a look at the odds report with that seeing no questions we need a motion to approve items D 1 through 3 we've got a motion we've
got a second any discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor signify by saying aye all those
William Parrish
Unverified
15:46
opposed motion carries section E thank you mr. chairman section E these are restricted reserve fund transfer requests the first one is a letter from the Department of Shared administrative services this is the division of billion Authority it's a $100,000 transfer is from the various general
discretionary majority vote set-aside account within the fund this is to do hazardous material cleanup at the Army Navy Hospital their property was used by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services until 2019 the agency operated a residential vocation rehabilitation center which included automotive painting and other trade skills that involved hazardous materials the next item is a letter from DHS division Asian adult behavior health is for a two million dollar transfer from the various general discretionary majority vote set aside account this is
to cover food costs for senior citizen centers
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
16:34
all right thank you members do we have any questions on e1 or e2 all right seeing no questions I need a motion to approve items e1 and 2 I've got a motion I've got a second in discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor signify
by saying aye all those opposed motion carries were to our review
Speaker 16
16:57
items section F thank you mr. chairman section
William Parrish
Unverified
16:59
F these are appropriation and or fund transfer requests f1 is a letter from the public public defender Commission Commission
for parent counsel special language allows the Commission to request appropriation transfers the Commission request transferring 25,000 from extra help to a legal services refunds reimbursements line item the letter explains several changes in their attorney roster accounts for the need for the transfer. F2 is a memo from the Department of Shared Administrative Services Division of Building Authority. Special language law also allows an appropriation transfer for state properties entering the sustainability revolving loan fund program. The request shows an agreement between the Division
of Building Authority and ASU Jonesboro that will require 2.9 million in spending authority to be transferred. The loan will be used to replace two roofs that will improve energy efficiency by over 22%. The included payment schedule shows $145,000 payments twice a year until July 2034. Mr. Chair, those are all the requests. All right, thank you. Thank you, members. Do we have
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
17:58
any questions on F1? F2? All right, I've got a motion to review. I've got a second. Any discussion on the motion?
Seeing none, all those in favor signify by
saying aye. All those opposed, motion carries. items f1 and 2 are reviewed section
Speaker 30
18:18
g thank you mr. chair we're in the cash fund appropriation request the first
William Parrish
Unverified
18:23
item is a letter from department Corrections Division of Community Correction is for 500,000 in appropriation this is to provide spending authority for the new Department of Corrections headquarters which hosts shared services probation and parole sentencing Commission post prison transfer board u.s. marshals and also warehouse space that is rented to other departments it's supported by the
rental income g2 is a letter from department of agriculture is for 2.9 million this is to conduct water studies is supported by fees and principal and interest payments on previous loans g3 is a letter from parks heritage and tourism that's for 264 thousand this is to provide matching funds for a grant from the u.s. economic development administration for the building sorry build to scale program g4 is a letter from public safety division of state police it's 7.6 million this is to construct barracks at Kent Robinson it's
supported by the Arkansas State Police Foundation G5 is a letter from the State Board of Election Commissioners it's 188,000 it's to retain and pay outside counsel for a court case regarding the board's rule on voter registration it's supported by a transfer from the restricted reserve fund that was made back in August
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
19:32
of 24 mr. chair those are all the cash requests all right thank you members any questions
on g1 2 3 4 or g5 all right
seeing none we've got a motion to
review we've got a second any discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor signify by saying aye all those opposed motion carries
William Parrish
Unverified
20:03
section H we're in section H these are there's one budget classification transfer requests from the Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management it's a $14,000 appropriation transfer from operating expenses to conference and travel it's to provide match for training needs do
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
20:22
any questions on h1 all right seeing no questions we've got a motion review we've got a second in discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor signify by saying aye all those opposed
motion carries h1 is reviewed aye under
William Parrish
Unverified
20:41
section i thank you mr. chairman section i this is the overtime appropriation request is from the secretary of state it's for 116,900 in appropriation it's to cover over time and matching to maintain adequate staffing at the
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
20:52
Capitol members any questions on I one all right seeing no questions we've got a motion to review we've got a second any discussion on the motion seeing none all those in favor signify by saying
aye all those opposed motion carries item I one is reviewed on the reports we made questions on the reports to not I'm going to
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
21:20
recognize Senator Irvin on L1. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members of the committee,
and I wanted to just give an update. Representative Andy Davis, well, former Representative Andy Davis couldn't be here today, but it's just really exciting to let you all know that UAMS is now rated among the top 10% nationally for cancer care by U.S. News and World Report in its 2025-2026 best hospitals ranking, and it's the only hospital in Arkansas to make the list of the nation's top cancer centers. This high-performing designation is up 14 percent from the previous years, and it shows just consistent improvement in quality
and patient outcomes. This has been years of investment in clinical trials, innovative cancer research cutting-edge technology and physicians and scientists they're currently over 190 scientists that are now at the cancer center researching cancer and providing outreach and and the score reflects patient survival nursing excellence overall patient quality of care and stay and so I just want to remind everybody that the National Cancer Institute
designation that was something that this general assembly supported through legislation and we as a state have invested our dollars into this process and it's paying off to reach 10 top 10 nationally is just incredible and so they will be submitting their formal application for national cancer institute designation in january of 2026 so we are well on our way and just really exciting to share this because this was something that we did
collaboratively and in partnership with the executive branch and the general assembly supporting uams to reach nci designation so just excellent news and i just wanted to highlight and share that with the report on behalf of uams thank you all right thank you for that
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
23:31
update members do we have any other business or do you have any questions on
the reports all right seeing none with that we are adjourned thank you for your
Agenda
A. Call to Order
Items for Approval
B. Various Temporary Appropriation Requests
C. American Rescue Plan Appropriation Requests
Direct Federal Awards
State Awards
D. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Appropriation Requests
E. Restricted Reserve Fund Transfer Requests
Items for Review
F. Appropriation and/or Fund Transfer Requests
G. Cash Fund Appropriation Requests
H. Budget Classification Transfer Request
I. Overtime Appropriation Request
Reports
J. Biennial Report
K. Annual Report
L. Semiannual Report
M. Quarterly Reports
1. Department of Human Services Interagency Match Fund Transfer Report
N. Monthly Reports
2. Budget Stabilization Trust Fund Report
O. Other Business
P. Adjournment
Documents
Speakers
Speaker 2
Speaker 3
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
Speaker 12
William Parrish
Unverified
Speaker 21
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
Speaker 24
Speaker 15
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
Speaker 40
Speaker 41
Speaker 16
Speaker 30