Education Committee- House

I'm actually going to call this. Organizational meeting to order we still have a looks like represented brown is still lingering somewhere of so we'll continue on we're not a real weight on one or 2 we actually have represent makes its missing to. And anyway clad have your body today we're here for a organizational meeting as we usually do the first meeting of every year our recession so glad to have each and everyone of you here I am very honored to be your chair again for a fourth term so I know some will hate me just got to deal with it again so I'll try to do the best I can't I've I've really enjoyed doing this for the last sessions and if I do something wrong I something you don't like police tell me I'll I'd usually try not to take too many people off Mark Lowery is the only one I really like to make mad but. If you're actively no no no we can't go back and get to go back to. But now lives I really don't like to offend anybody but sometimes I do I'm I'm a little overbearing at times and I understand that so let me know and I'll try to Paula Jones will go on so but thank you for the new ones are on education we're glad to have you all we've got quite a few new ones under this year that have not been here been and other committees that but we're glad you're here well we've got a lot of stuff is going to be coming up and the first thing I'm going to do is we're gonna go around the table just letter by introduce each other I know you know will but if you've got something you want to say short something about education or something else say that would start over represent Murdock will just go down that side and then we'll come back to the side you're okay with that good morning thank you to the chair to the committee vice chair my name is Reginald Murdock I'm starting my 6 term I represent District 48 which the Delta lease St Francis in minor counties and so glad to be here and bring that we have a productive session for the people of Arkansas. Good morning I'm represented Mark Lowery represent district 39 which is primarily the Maumelle area but also the communities of Oak Grove more Shea and part of North Little Rock I've been fortunate to be on education all 5 of my terms and I have a have a background in education of actually taught communication at the university level and still every once in awhile do some ad jump instruction it Henderson state so glad to be back for another term. Good morning everyone I'm Representative makes a represent District 67 green bar below on your west Conway this is my fifth term on education and look forward to seeing what we can do this session. Ken Bragg representatives from district 15 which covers parts of Hot Spring County most of Grant County and and the western part of Jefferson County in mice area of expertise education the is based on the fact that I've been married 47 years to a retired second grade teacher so. Good morning my name's Rick Beck. And I've been on the this is my fourth term and I've been on education every time and and I I believe that education I'll always say that if there's one thing that we did everything else right and we didn't do education right we just we're just a few years away from everything following parts I think education is very important to our society and the continued growth of our society and I will do that District 65 which is kind of a county Perry counties and I'm glad to be here welcome aboard all the new members. Represent Maddox represent district 20 which is Paul McGann ramp portion of severe counties similar direction of Bragg I'm married to an elementary school teacher I've been for 23 years now so Marty starting at midnight so that'll be interesting. Representative Lee Johnson district 75 that's Greenwood Barling back at mulberry Kibler area I just want to know when scope weekend so we have and that is that this committee oh no sorry I'm fresh from by public health committee and happy to be on education for a change that's very nice my mother was a retired school superintendent served in county line in the green which for many years and so have a lot of interest in education and looking forward to learning more about public education as we go along. I'm Steve Hollowell Representative a bit for a district of 49 my district covers St Francis County Cross County and Monroe County this is my third term in my first term on the Education Committee on display the beer. So damn Vaught for her ratio my account District 4 my counties or severe little river and a portion of Howard I have one daughter that's already a public school teacher and one that will be as of this coming fall silent and this is my third term on this committee and I look forward to working with you all. Thank you. Still learning. A I'm representing Nelda speaks I'm District 100 I have the upper portion all across Baxter County this is my fourth term I've been on this is my third term to be on education education means a lot to me I was the bookkeeper district treasurer for the Norfork school district and seen the need of what education really means that if we don't get our children educated ours will just go down the tube and I I just enjoyed being on here and thank you for allowing me to do it. Charlene Fite District 80 which is a Washington and Crawford counties parts of H. this is my fifth term but my first term on this committee and I am a retired educator was a special education teacher and the school psychology specialist from a family of teachers I started attending the University of Arkansas at age 6 when I went with my mom and said at her feet with the coloring book while she was attending classes to become a teacher looking forward to being on this committee. I am Richard Womack represent district 18 which is most of Clark some of us bring some garland and. A good chunk of Dallas County this is my first time on. On educational apporter worker. I'm Gary Deffenbaugh District 79 as just basically just covers Van Buren you know I I close alone I got a lot of time pastor I'm gutted it to the server so long we get a lot of time passing near. Getting but anyway I'm glad to be here at the end thanks. Great state. I'm Stu Smith and I represent District 63 which is Independence County the only Independence County United States on within my district I have both the oldest city in Arkansas and the youngest city in Arkansas for 38 years I was an educator I'm a retired educator but. I was talking to come back in the business issue so I'm also currently an educator in teaching the Jack permit Batesville high school. I'm so happy to be on this committee because I education and the future of our students are my passion. Good morning I'm Representative Megan Godfrey from district 89 or to Springdale Springdale has the largest school district in the state so it's really a thrill and to be honest committee not only as a Representative but as an educator I've spent my whole career in public ad and mostly in English as a second language and I'm currently getting my PhD in curriculum and instruction so it is such a thrill to be here in my second term but first time on the committee looking forward to working with all the thank you Mr. I'm I'm Gayla mackenzie I represent district 92 which is in the northwest corner of the state this is my first time on this committee I'm happy to be here I did major in music education actually in college and then I major music and I knew I was gonna go to law school and then I went to law school knowing I was gonna get into radio and I stated radio for 25 years and now I'm in stone veneer manufacturing so I just keep wondering around but I volunteer with kids all the time with their school and so I'm really excited to be on the committee. Currently. I'm Representative Carolyn brown this is my fourth term of I have never been on this committee I'm excited to be on this committee because I truly care about the education of our children they are our future and it's critical that. They are educated well thank you Mr buster. The research chair Brian Evans I represent District 43 which is cabinet and parts of northern Lonoke County if if my math is right I just discount we have 10 new members on this committee that we're not here during the last session and that's very exciting to me because it opens new avenues of pathways for us just to sharing your wisdom know that you're not here by by accident your because you had that choice and you chose to be here and I'm very happy that you've got a passion for education in the state and and look forward to working with you just also one of the I will do everything I can to support our chair and it be an Avenue for you to also communicate as we work together to to go through a whole lot of bills or to come to this committee over the next several weeks so thank you very much. We're also missing represent lotus is first term on this committee he's been believe this is. 5646 terms with us yep so he'll probably be here next week hopefully missing today okay first let him go through a few organizational things you should have some information on your desk do they have this. Okay I'm gonna go to the. You have all resolutions and all of these things so you we welcome re does whatever you want to. New policies procedures for the committee note said taken draft rules house basically of our meeting time will be 930 in this room on Tuesdays and Thursdays always unless there's something that we have to miss for we will usually be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 930 of the holding room is really directly behind us for anybody this testifying so if you bring people to testify on your legislation they will be in the holding room I believe I'll just find a procedural that the White of health and safety requirements. Assigned seating shall remain the same for the duration of the 21 of session seating is provided to provide the fiscal distancing and shall not be arises everybody okay a with your seat. Anybody have a problem where you're sitting substitute. If you do I mean I would allow trade if you want to trade the somewhat I think everybody should be pretty happy we did it caught up on seniority all the way down and that the so the lease in your a or a live very bottom of this committee and that so sorry to do that to you but actually you 3 got pretty close so away goes okay. Item number 2 well that is a mask or other face covering is required to be raw worn over the mouth and nose of every individual in the committee rooms a public comment holding rooms at all times except one individual is speaking directly in the microphone able to maintain physical distance of 6 feet or more from other bid individuals or drinking if you're drinking take a mask all. I will tell you I know people have trouble breathing in these mask if you have a problem with that if you want to keep your distance from people I do not have a problem with your taking your mask off if you get up to go talk to someone or moved around you really need to put that back on but I know its you can some people can speak to these pretty clearly with their masco really have a problem with that myself so I will take mine off from cheering so. Committee member staff and members shall a public shall remove and dispose any trash that he or she creates during the course of the committee meeting so if you have something to bring in are you of bottled water or anything you want thank sure go to trash cans so that somebody else doesn't have to pick up your trash and in case there's any contaminants all those things of the House staff shall place in the committee room to ensure compliance of members of public so past the mask requirements. And physical distance requirements so I think we have to have that posted somewhere I think it probably posted somewhere else either the committee agendas as a bill is filed assigned to committee the bill should be placed on the referred items list for the committee the Committee chair will use a regardless to create a regular agenda for each committee meeting it is responsibility of anyone in this chamber to the bill's primary sponsor or the member who will present the bill to let the chair know that you are ready to have the bill placed on the active agenda which I will call it active agenda will be the one right click on one of the bill so so if you have a bill and you're ready to run it you need to contact me if you cannot get a hold of me get a hold a bride and one of us will get that on there I prefer you to get a hold of me first because I am the agenda control I guess I'm not will really try to be a **** on controlling it but if you can't get a hold of me get all bright you can only will get you on the agenda and try to run that and so anyway of the the reason for that if you are ready to run that bill we won't see in here we want to try to expedite things as fast as possible because our committee meetings are gonna be a little different anyway if you don't show to run that bill you will go back on off that list to the left called Richie put it back on there again so of the. We will provide to the staff with the the bills that will be considered for the next meeting and if you don't call don't come in a meeting at salary bill that's what you know we have that in the past if if you were just somewhere along that agenda I will read a bill you can't do that this year you've got to get all that the active agenda. I will ask each one of you to review the bill's being added because it will be a consent agenda basically that will be a consent agenda if there is something that you do not like about a bill on that it will be controversial we need to know that because the non controversial controversial bills will will try to move through as fast as possible to kind of speed things up but if it has any bodies. Conversely that you want to speak about that bill or you think there's something controversial but those bills and I'm just going to the education they usually are there's not very many that will not be even though Wardlaw thinks is not controversial it probably is so anyway will just let me know and we'll make sure that that does not go on to the consent agenda it would just on a regular general places like that so. All right of. The committee agenda will be posted at least 18 hours prior to committee meeting and shall of state room number for public comment holding rooms fiscal impact everyone knows of the education bill less tolerated or. Of there might be something else that would not have to have a fiscal impact all K. 12 have fiscal impacts on them so those usually take possibly 3 days right now maybe a little faster because not a lot of bills over there but use about 3 days so when you file your bill expected to be probably the next week for the possibly put on the agenda so. Public participation. Public comment signage sheets for each committee will be posted electronic a legend and assembly websites and physically in each conference room that they are in an individual's name appearing on the cover public comment she. Does not guarantee their individual have an opportunity to speak during the committee meeting scored what time does and how many people are for the purpose of rules lobbyist. A lobbyist to consider to be a member of the public there no one special the bears a lobbyist. I believe Argo then review the handout so we gave you any questions or but I will say yes or. I don't know it we talked about it is in my talk about passion we just brought it out talking yesterday about consent agenda when there's no objection to some if we could bachelor's bills and we've never done that before but I have a you talked ability about that and see is anybody else other committees talked about that yet mark you have talked about batch and any okay just make sure I've I prefer not Budget bills in this committee thank you just each one needs our own standalone approval Calaway I am a list we get way behind and we need to do that so. All right I'm I'm gonna open it up to any question from anyone brazier and I'll call on you if you have a question. While your easy today. All right. We have a list of bills that have already been filed. I don't know if you may look at that there probably. In. 15 bills at least maybe maybe 16. Some of our be controversial well if you guys have been looking at him some of the more we I was honored to go talk with the superintendents this morning at their symposium and they were asking about some of these bills already and they are some conference rooms and make. For the bills in the past I've had the little tablets are we gonna do tablets are we gonna do paper with that has any discussion of having that okay. The other you know this will tell me. The answer is you'll be responsible for bringing your own devices to the committee. To look at bills and so forth there won't be paper or devices provided so our regular laptops that we have all right yeah thank you we're not getting new laptops is correct correct. Yes Sir just cleared it would represent Vaught said so The New so I know we all have laptops from previous but the new members they'll get on the numbers will get them yes I. Okay. Anything else. We will we will probably have. I know some of these are have fiscal impacts out so I'll probably be looking at if you got any of the. I sent them all back okay of somebody tell me that or had one of the back of the body here follow bills got a fiscal impact back at you okay Brian S. so we should have some bills to run next week we're only gonna be here Tuesday and Thursday which involves days that are are meeting days we will meet only if we have bills. To run we will meet on Tuesday morning at 930 if we do not have any what's the website to see if the meeting is posted or not and if it's posted and we will meet on Tuesday at 930 if it's not we will not market so. With. Thank you to the correct just Mr just one clarification on that I've been told that because we're not meeting Monday and Wednesday of next week the B. committees are going to be meeting Thursday in place of the a committee that's fine we so next week education will just be meeting on Tuesday okay I haven't I haven't told me that yet so I'd be fired up I think all of these one meeting next week anyway so of Rick. Since we're gonna use our own laptops instead of the ones that normally provided if they're gonna be like of a link or something to. Yes. Okay to the building or get off age. Will be a link for you to committee are just. Okay Shepherd there's a link on Arkansas and and and you guys forgive me for calling you by your first lines because this way I like to do it if you don't like that I'll call you but whatever you want me to but if I can remember your first name I'll call you that sometimes all member your name at all but that's just because with age so the lady. 80 bottles order. I'll try to I'll try to forget about you all your kind of your my blind side you know I'm blind in my left eye so you're on the blind side so you have to really kind of shake your hands really really heavy over here so. What we're thankful for the other reps that have come in to hear us do nothing today so uh this is kind of an easy start if there's shall I forgot to introduce Michelle over up to give me Michelle and our staff of. Sheila yep I told you I forget names so they do a great job for us and last year did a great job we appreciate you and the everything with you. We are ready to go and happy to assist you with anything Michelle Nelson and she looked bill. Thank you and I ran into our of mark Hudson yesterday in the hallway was shocked to see him here but he's working on the Senate in again helping them out with some stuff so we might see him running the hallways the city try to stop by and say hi to you that have worked with him before so anyway if there's nothing else I will play word Jr. Without objection.