Joint Budget Committee

I members can go ahead and take your seat in the back please make way to the front we're going to go and get started on time today. With that chair sees a quorum. At first the I will get a letter from Arkansas game and fish and mistranslated I run through that with this real quick. Thank you Mr chairman we are on item B. this page three in your packet says letter from Arkansas game and fish. This is for them to provide a career path for the I. T. division it is downgrading to senior software support analyst one two a software support analyst and one to a software support specialist there are no changing positions these or lowering the amounts that can be paid for those to create a career ladder adoption of this letter will allow us to draft a bill with the career ladder in the bill. Thanks or any questions on the letter. All right C. nine at. With a motion to adopt the reps and would we get a second by Senator Hendren all those in favor signify by saying aye aye those opposed all right there's been adopted next up is the governor's letter for the office of governor's preparation processing expenses you're recognized thank you Mr chairman governor's letter number one we're on page four in your packet. On page four again adoption of this letter will allow your staff to draft the governor session expense bill which will then be referred to the Joint Budget Committee. This is the same as the last session expense governor session expense bill it is four one lead legislative liaison and for nine legislative liaisons for the session. Thank you to have any questions. The comments. All right C. nine. Okay a motion to adopt by Senator Hendren a second by. Senator Elliot all those in favor signify by saying aye All opposed it's been a doctor in. Next up review items to in and if we can I think we'll go through items one and two first together and then we'll I take any questions with that you're recognized thank you Mr chairman we run back in DC in your packet that's on page eight. On page nine you'll see the first request this is for miscellaneous federal grant this is to provide the agency federal spending authority federal appropriation. On page nine this for department of education this provides districts with emergency relief funds to address the impact Kobe nineteen is had. This battle appropriation request is for five hundred fifty eight million dollars it is a hundred percent federal. The next one Mr chairman is on page ten also with the department of education for the coronavirus eight ACT for the governor's emergency education relief funds this is federal appropriation requested in the amount of thirty six million and it also is also honored percent federal there are no positions associated with this. Thank you and if we could I guess maybe one from the Department ducation and maybe DFA that could both come forward I'm sure we're gonna have questions. Number I could just to you know go ahead introduce yourself and give a quick overview of what we're what we're looking to do in the plans that are in place already for these dollars. Your rainy department of finance administration office for budget. Thank you. Greg Rogers department education I think you need to alter again who once attacked with you could conduct give us an explanation of what we're looking to do with these funds or what they're intended to do in the planned for rollout thank you. The with these funds are similar to ones we already did receive on cares that's or one as your and gears to one funds we had a thorough preparation last time which is why we didn't have to bring the image used last time but since this additional is more than we got in the first round we run out of the for appropriation what we're needing this to get this bill a corporation shall send it out to schools the answer funds the answer want to funds are. Five hundred and fifty eight million dollars and ninety percent of it has to be sent out to school districts it's allocated based off their title one formula similar to the S. R. one funds work and is similar to the S. R. one there's five there's four focus areas but with this when they've added a fifth one so the four focus areas where food security. Continuing operations PP and technology and now with this round of funds that the federal government is given as they can also use it for facilities to open to have safe schools anything need to for like to play for H. back or anything like that so they can now use of these funds for facilities as well. If your break at available of of of how this is going to ninety percent of it goes to schools of abortion goes it's something we're still working through yes so that the allocations by school districts we release that yes state the Commission memo and it's on our website it It follows the same pattern as the the title one which is the property of the districts and that's how it's distributed out but we did publish that yesterday okay and then also on the initial round that was sent out I mean how do you attract expenditure that with the various you know school's or district's minute have expended those dollars already. A minor are they sitting on any of that is amended it came through the initial round us I'm sorry what was that hi Sir I think you mentioned that there was art this is the second of you know so there's been two rounds this would be the second is going to school district based on the same formula and so my question is how do we track how those dollars are spent at the district level so I'm guessing today if we were to you know to release this is going to flow out number one how quickly does it flow and the number two you know what is the over side by side you know DO E. to to to watch others funds are expended in and what is their oversight is or not that sort of thing just like with other federal funds this will be on reimbursement so we will they have the right to ask and will pull the asking because we have the source of funds and the asking because set up to verify that they are spending their answer to funds and will pull those are code and send it back to him and how we do with all the other federal funds. And is it possible to be able to get a break out of how those funds expended on a district level and I guess that something on monitoring and has there been any issues with this school districts yes absolutely okay indeed do we know what's left instances reimbursable I mean so you that on the first round of the S. R. one funds I looked at it yesterday were we spent their districts spent about fifty five that told allocation right now statewide fifty five percent or PS up okay yes all right so there's still forty five percent that sitting there. Yes okay in the initial round yes okay. That will work all right with that And this is all new by the way someone at them drop somebody whatever is put back in but Senator Elliott you're recognized. Thank you Mr thank you Mr chair it there are you said there five focus areas do you have any discretion beyond those focus areas. NO eight as long as it's in one of those five focus areas the district can use it to how they see how they need to. I thank the Department when we get our first application for the S. one we had to establish our application established with those focus areas where and we worked with the the federal debt to set up those focus areas and then with this next round is where they've added the facilities well I I'm still still hearing from educators and other personnel in schools that they don't have proper PP despite the money that we have how do you how can you can do you have a way of making sure that the folks who work in the schools get their proper PPD because because they're not just making it up. And so we we had we do contacted the sisters and display put out notices that they are having distribution problems are getting stuff that we did set aside from the last batch a million dollars that we were buying PP and we have still have some and I we have a contact person with each one of the districts that we stay in contact and whether star inside or through the surveys that we are asking if they need anything if they don't have what they need to contact us and we'll help them get that so I'm here primarily from teachers who are saying they have taught with their administrators how what should a teacher do if the administrator is not being responsive to the call the department of education absolutely okay and ask for anyone in particular so they're not going to circle should that be you or that they could ask for me to be just fine and okay and lastly since we have all these funds out and we've got some leftover or we have money anywhere is there anything that could be done with money that maybe might have been freed up because we have this money to help out with teachers who for whatever what related to covered reasons they no longer have any a sick leave days because that's a big problem I'm hearing about as well I'm sure you must be set up on the sick leave so last last semester we were able to do that the ten days right this time with this new round of hazard to funds districts can elect to use this for leave policy we've been we've been working with the school board association and there is a model policy is going to be put out that if the district wants to use some of these next round answer to funds to continue that or add to it or how they want to do it to fit their district they will have that ability and and last thing it's just so the folks who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of this is there a way for the personnel policies committee to have some have some input as well as opposed to somebody else just decide. In the next with the school boards helping with the to change that policy they can do that. Okay I'll let this go I'm trying to figure out they can do it but who can say that personnel policies of folks. Must first at least a strong should but must have some input into the use of the funds would make sure they get the sick leave days or ever how many rather than just Dick and I think that's one of the school board association doing that that general policy and then when it goes to the districts that they want to as I said if they want to add more than the ten days or okay and then the district can work with our personnel to change how they if it's well I'm gonna be talked at ministries in a bit I guess I'll take that up with them thank you thank you Mr chair. I think Senator and and just want one quick thing so what we what we're looking at is it what do we have any districts that have fully expended the funds in an initial round. That did not get any now so you know right now it's on a reimbursement basis right you know it's been about fifty five percent of what's allocated so far in the means forty five percent sitting there but then that shakes out between each district now do we have any districts that are fully expended them up there funds that have been allocated to their districts not so far they've all been they all have and they've all been used. What now hold on M.. Yeah. Yes yes yes the register itself yes sorry I was having trouble understanding every district has I mean the way that I see it the way that I understood it there's a there's a fun minute you have and their districts as they spend the money you're asking for reimbursement so then you're paying it out but inside that funders subcategories for every district based on their allocation right so you know I don't know you know Jackson high schools allocated ten dollars Dave you know submitted for reimbursement of eight dollars and a half two dollars left in their allocation on the news rounds that in my in my following what you said earlier right or is that how it's working. Ford these ESR funds allocation yes yes okay and answer my question is so it does is our other schools like again just making it up Jacksonville that have two dollars laughter it or other schools that have expended every single dollar of their allocation so far. The the reason that's important is you know we're we're going to have a discussion in a little bit about whether or not they should go to peer whether or not it's something that we should consider today and a lot of that's going to depend on the urgency for each district if there are funds similar funds already set aside and available in forty five percent the sponsor still sitting there unused then there really probably is an urgency however some school districts have fully expended yes there allocation then that you know gives two different discussion yes that's what the overall the it was about fifty five but there have some that might instances based off the title one might not have gotten as much as other district so they could have already extinguished all the first rounds but need. One stop we're gonna circle back to that and then thanks so Representative wouldn't you're recognized. Thank you Mister chairman I'll more proceed along the lines of Senator is mine. The voter stand correctly the policy that is being developed with the school socialization of of the administration that's that I need and not impede the movement and flow of these funds and the accountability in the policy is that correct yes because I'm I'm hearing there's some some degree of uncertainty relative from of the Department of ed exactly you know we're we are in an understandable and with the federal government bill that we need to expeditiously move these funds and have the accountability of how they're being used to help the district will be of of reimbursement in your your sharing that that's gonna be a dress yes okay if I understood we have forty five million remaining from the of this role of cares Act forty about forty five percent okay yeah the the the article that was in the news in the paper this morning it is a second please well we're talking about today in the five fifty eight hundred fifty eight million. Yes okay how it do we have those funds in or are we waiting on the there are available an art G. five count right now you run the yes that's one of the how quickly or you will be able to this person to the district's. As quickly as I get the appropriation and districts have the managers in there that's that's what we're. This is what I'm saying that once you get the approval what's your mechanism and have quizzes is this the policy that you're working on. The which policy the the leave policy or the. I'm sorry. Okay. The important point to me is to the though okay the time frame or limitation on this money being used quick does it have to be used or we will run into the another snag about not being able to expand we have to have it obligated by the end of twenty one and we can expended all the way to December twenty twenty two okay so okay all right thank you Mr chairman thank you. Thank Representative represented Springer. There will be. Thank you Mr chair and thank you US. Of this Senator Elliot and Senate and Representative moving for your questions you've answered some of the questions I had I do have one question I would like to know are there any documents to show us what is been paid those for my district the amounts that they have expended by district in the in the remaining amounts that are left over and in part of the set aside for I'm not sure that I've seen many procedures as to how the money is spent this is a long question I'm sorry yes yes so we had that the doc said that the allegations were published yesterday and then also on our website we the allocations the the first ones and we can just pull by district how much they spent on the first one and how they are spending on those because we set up separate codes for the first one separate because the second one to track how there's been and what they're tricking on so yes okay so where can I find those on the on the side website up can someone just produce those to us. We can get and I'll get into the all right thank you. Senator garner you're recognized. Thank you very much Mr I'm over here. and this is kind of a of. Sequel to to senator Dismang senator Elliott's question but I'm all about tied one I think we obviously that's a federal issue and that's the way it's been allocated but so many of the schools in my district and really all across the state are pulled all of the State of districts who are not eligible for title one but still or very very poor districts have been spending money on things like PP that really per child should be the same and had to pull from their from their budget so we've got some districts that are getting twenty dollars per student and some that are getting thousands per student so there's such a huge difference is there some way that we can make that more equitable so that those districts that are in the middle or that right at the border where they're not quite title one but you know have had to pull from other places to paper PP especially can make that more equitable. I know but not from this funds but I mean there's got to be something because there's so many Elkins in West Fork and pray Grove in my district better. You know on that on the. Poor end of the spectrum as far as the districts are concerned in my area but they're not they're not eligible for title one so they don't they're pulling PP from those places where they could be paying for our teachers leave or something like that because they have to have the PP so there there are some things that I think obviously we can't change the federal rules for for ad. Allocating the funds but is there something else we can do to make sure that some of these findings are more equitable. And what is that. Unfortunately no there's not because the fair the federal government when they released to answer to funds they dictate how the allocations are calculated and they did use like they did the last round the title one allocations so we have a very exact procedure that we have to follow on making these allocations available to districts and that and for the past two times they have used the title one formula so that's what we had to follow as well. Mr. So my question is then those those school districts that got thousands of dollars per student have they used all of those funds. Four PP and I'm talking specifically I don't know that I can say that if I use the all four PP but I know that I just kind of thing with eleven districts have use all their their allocations from the first time but I would have I can get to the information show you how the districts have used it but I don't have that with you okay I I understand food and and those kinds of things for title one but PP should be the same for each student. And and what I'm hearing the same thing they're you know they're pulling money from other places because they have to have. The BP so. Yes and an honest and we understand that but that. That's how they give it to us and that's one of those talking the center early early that we have sent it back soon to set aside funds that we had to buy PP so if there is a district that are struggling with getting that PP they can contact the department and we will help them get the PP that they do need and is that also cleaning and anything that has to do with coronavirus mitigation. So yes plexiglas and cleaning and all of those kinds of things they can call if if the house was sometimes thank that out yes. I thank you in the easements in that these funds have to be expended by the end of the you know that this year I guess right in the. That we have to have a budget we have to have an obligation but we have till December of twenty twenty two to expand the focus on the initial round came through when it does have to be expended by originally or was there an extension or was it already built in. This is the one that extended detection for both now I'm not so good at the initial round let's just say we have forty five percent that's an extended today yes right. But it without the federal change that occurred to extend. What was it what was it on the same date so play an expanded to those dollars as of December thirty first without the extension with those dollars and went back to the feds or what was going to happen there. Ours was the it has been December the twenty first and with the extension to spend until the twenty two December twenty twenty two this like the last one they just added more to it they do have an extended out in the first answer it had till December of twenty twenty two to expended as well and this one had the same so the initial release yes central government December twenty first twenty twenty two yeah whatever whatever was in there was so we were you were in the same situation as the other carriers that money that you didn't need an extension they correct okay the gross one I thank you. I'm not not sure who this is but C.. Sixty. You're recognized. Thank you Mr great let me let me give you some there that happened back in one of my district teacher got code would. the school stated that they were out of funds because the state was out of funds so they didn't have anything to use away funding to provide for her miss days of which she had code documentation teacher had to use her personal days in order to cover for the time she was off. And then the question is if there's money put back in will we take care of those teachers that had to use their personal days first and cover that call so that their personal days will not be used because otherwise I miss out on the opportunity for to be bought back at the end of the year or third time they retire. Does that these answer to funds can be used for Gleave and if the district were adopt a policy and you can take your ex then these funds can go back to March when the expense when the expenditures first began for coated nineteen so if if the district elects to do that that is an option they can do. With the Department consider sending out regulation because that could be a population of teachers that are gonna be disadvantage just because they were in that narrow zone where the money was out they got coded. And now they're out from underneath cold back teaching and a teacher in a week gets coated and they're gonna be able to access all funds so would really unfairly punish them to no fault of their own and the money was originally intended that would take care of that situation. Are we going to leave it to the local district to make that decision it we don't really have a lot of other is that we can do with these funds it really it is a local decision on because it's we had to establish the focus areas groups and then they use it how they in their districts how they need to the to use them as it relates to covet nineteen so it it really is their decision on how to use it but they can go back to March with expenditures on it that is something that we have put out and have told them that they can't do. Mr. Public disclaimer that's my wife I just described so I wanna make sure but I understand that but she's not the only one out there I'm not sure that it would be a good thing for us to amend and if we're going to pass money out to the department that we take care of those teachers that had to use their personal days through no fault of their own because the money ran out especially if we're going to resupply the fund the date retroactively get taken care of and let the Department find out how may that applies to the. Yes then I think what I'm hearing is you know they're oversight is limited it's guidance that they're able to provide at this point and it if the mind is that correct. And so a big part of that would actually be you know contacting the district and letting them know that these additional funds are being you know are available they are retroactive are to be spent on prior expenses and that's going to be a school board level decision from what I'm hearing so I I'm not sure. I definitely don't think we can put stipulations on how the funds are spent we can encourage more guidance you can have conversations with their school district but I'm I don't think I'm understand this way these are these are set up. That right great yes you're you're correct and as far as the first round we went through where the lead you some of the care standing committee to set up the we were short on that A little over four million dollars but there is we we do have some ability that we could use some set aside that we're looking at trying to fill that bucket back up so just because we do know that we ran out of money bill towards in the ever we are looking at options is that how we could fill that bucket back up to at least close out the semester the just ended and then going forward as as said earlier is to be the district to be able to use those cares to funds if they wanted to do some top of the policy which they could go all the way back to March but it does have to be a local decision on how they want to use those if they want to adopt that policy and using those funds in that way could you find out how many districts had teachers that were in that scenario I describe that happen to us personally. I don't know if I could get down to the level of knowing where they had to use our personal I can tell you how many districts applied for the the cares the ten the ten days the distal ten days of leave I can tell you that I can see how much we paid to each one. I think I can get it by the teacher Brown that I could pull it down far enough to see if they had interviews in their own time or not but I can tell you how much out which districts did get the part of the the coated leave that we did go to stick Care state committee for. Okay I have to look adjudged on if you in mind looking let's let's just do the best you can please. Thank you thank Mr thank you. St Irvan you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair I'm I'm and ask about the ten percent are there federal stipulations on the remaining ten percent of the ninety to ninety percent goes to the school districts based on the the formula the title one what about the other ten percent and are you looking at a separate appropriation for that or how will that be handled in our their federal stipulations on how that remaining ten percent committee to utilize not that so the all the for the preparation is all the the cares funds that we got this time there's or on this unit G. the divisional when I said that that at least ninety percent has to be sent out that has to be the ten percent is a set aside that the department can use to send out for different things that we see going on but right now what we're not plan on having those set aside that we're going to use in that way. So you're you're so what you're saying is you're planning on sending the entire amount out to the schools. Yes well that's one of the things that they're still look at that we're still looking at right now but it's probably going to be most of the sent out to the schools. Okay M. all right as that that decision is is within the department or with the governor's office the Department. And okay and the second grant so so again without required different appropriation if you wanted to utilize or we giving you carte launch basically to say you get the whole shebang and then internally you're going to decide how much it's going to get them to the schools and. Then if you're going to keep something back then there is you're not gonna come back before us I'm just looking at process for how that additional ten percent going to be spent. I that did we this is the total federal grant that we've asked for but we're not that when I said earlier that the ninety percent has to at least be. We've allocate the only thing that I've Senate bank is a five million dollar reserve that we have to follow up and because I have to true up charter schools later on once we know how that works so when I said at least ninety percent that's with the federal side that at least ninety percent does have to go out to them I understand that at least ninety percent has to go out to them but I also understand that's an internal decision about whether it's ninety percent or whether it's a hundred percent or ninety five percent or whatever and so what I'm asking now is process wise when will we know that and how will we know that and will we have any input on that are remaining ten percent if you keep ten percent back or if you keep six percent back or if you keep one percent back how will we know. And how that how how how will we know that decision Hey we you come back to this committee will you come back to the legislature or we just giving you the ability to for the whole shebang. And well we know that or not know that it's a process question so similar to how we did And answered one there were set aside funds for that and and we did budget does and use those part of it was the million dollars talk to that we said that we were able to buy additional PP we were able to offset some of that additional costs that district had and we were able to go with I'm trying to think the different contracts that we did during if we did a contract or anything like that we would have to bring it back to here so if I even allowed to have that set aside for one into a contract that would be something that would be helpful for your review committee I know that I came to the house for review but I can't remember. Which what contracts were a number one completely blank I'm sorry that's okay no problem but I mean I'd like to see that just because. That's important I think for me personally tends to know that I'm sure many other members of the committee as well but I'm and then on the second one is that the same situation or of the thirty six million is that gonna be just for the school for the department's or is any of that going to the schools so similar to how the original years one was done that. Was used for and Senate grants with that part of last time what we did was some of those funds were where we were able to come back to all and **** it's been that we bought hot spots with it we respond that's what we do so the here's Fund is we have still have to budget it which I can show you how that's budget as well but. Twenty two million of at this time twenty two point eight million of at this time has to be used for non public schools and how much twenty two point eight million. Okay that has to so. Just last time not really don't get no it last time we had to take our S. R. one funds and calculate equitable services on that right where we had to take some of that funds that was allocated for the district set aside to provide services to the non public schools okay so this time when they brought out the gears funds the years to funds there's to set aside this twenty two point eight million dollars that can be used for non public schools prioritizing those but non public schools with a higher power concentration of poverty students but the federal has the Federal dele hasn't come finish telling us how they want us to apply for that because a lot of your non public schools don't you have that records available to us so there is still some some of information were waiting to get from the federal delay on how to apply that twenty two point eight to the non public schools okay but that's the shall not a may you must do this correct okay yes all right I'll follow up with you on the other information thank you. Thank you at the end so back on so to represent garner's point in their standing there there's ten percent that set aside that doesn't have to go out through the allocation and that that ten percent can be used to help sure up some of the schools that otherwise would not a qualified with the P. purchases and that sort of things that I read that right then I mean that's the reason that's not allocated. Generally. It could be yet there's different things that we could look at how that didn't set aside needs to be used do you know what the issues are at the time and I saw and I think to to her point probably other members in the room I mean I think that's what they would like to see is that well it could be let's try to make certain it is so they're made whole and some their PPV RPP purchases and then back to the the second grant now it's it can be used for higher education K. through twelve it's it's a much broader from what I'm reading in the description anyway. and you said twenty two point eight million that cost private schools in the state so we don't know the allocation yet because it's based on. It's intended to be based on a poverty level inside each one of those schools yes before the twenty two point eight the thanks for the non public schools correct but. We don't have that information out on that and so were and it's not it's typical to a lot of states they're not they just don't have that information so the feds have said that we're going to really they're going to release additional information to us on how we need to try to go about allocating that or doing applications for appoint those non public schools to apply for at twenty two point eight what can the other fourteen million then be used for. Is is it more open as is you know the same kind of with the ten percent yes that would be more open ended that stuff thirteen point five million dollars that could be used for education it has to be go to an educational incidents to an institution for coated nineteen things like that and that's why I was saying earlier that that that part of money the first time is where we were able to get that and use that to pay for the hot spots we also came over and did I ask for contract that we're able to those kids that aren't haven't site they were on a virtual and they haven't signed on the having show back at school how we can start reaching out those plans to find out what's going on. That was another contract that we brought the forty on thirty six men were not ready to spend those dollars. Tomorrow or next week okay that's good to know because it's on today's you know requested so that may be good to be able to get that plan especially since that is at the discretion of the department on how to utilize those dollars and twenty two million of it you can't utilized TV guide city now. We do not justify the third with the budget on once we have an act that how we're going to do that we do have to get into college so we can yeah which which are that as well all right Not back up represented wouldn't. Thank you Mr chairman of. Very very quickly the old to leave. If I understand correctly them will be left up to the local boards to bacon decisions relative to the dispensing to cover that leave loss of the teachers is that correct. Then they will develop a policy but you all they could use the funds for that. Okay secondly relative to the private school the allotment of twenty two million dollars or so much of hello would you all court date that it keep up with the accountability of the the reimbursement and in that time funding for them. And yes the and that's was there that we're still waiting for additional guidance from the fed delay on how to do that but yes we will in the federal department yes I move education yes Mister chairman of a money. Relative to the vaccine rollout of my superintendents have been struggling to have a plan or to know exactly how that's going to occur is is there any conflict between the health department and national health officials and AT and and your department relative to how other I don't understand why I am the superintendents are having to deal with everything they're having to deal with that then they can give a clarification relative to the vaccine rolled out of the going to go to the local hospital local pharmacy or they go to come on campus I mean do you all have a plan and are you working with the health department. At. I don't I don't have that information I dont that's kinda outside my so I really don't I need but no there's not any conflict with this but I I sure that I could get through a person to get to the information that you look at what I'm sorry I don't any hesitation co answered my question I mean these these superintendents in the stamps in these teachers they need to know in the in the next question Mister chairman for money. Are you all are you all developing a policy I don't wanna mandatory vaccine but it's my understanding that the use of a large percentage of the teachers that are reluctant to take the vaccine are you all encouraging of the districts to to try to encourage them for the protection of the students as well as the teenagers I mean I'm having a problem with this hasn't city represented director still to appear. In fairness represent would we brought him here today to answer questions on this particular budget item. we know in this letter that that was that was requested now we want to circle up on the back and minus ten million dollars used for vaccination plan or anything along those lines maybe they can be made you can correct me on that but if we can't we'll if we want to you know get delve into the vaccination plan for K. through twelve we can do that but let's get through this discussion on the on this particular item for now and and with that one question I've got for you Is. Yes so the ten percent is there like to the ninety percent there's not a whole lot of oversight there's not a lot is guessed we're gonna have about how those are utilized you've heard some concerns about the remaining ten percent of the five hundred fifty eight million at I mean. And what I would lean towards is you know reviewing ninety percent of that five hundred fifty eight today that way can flow to those districts that have fully utilized their funds and they can start making request and then we can have our traditional peer meeting I know that we have or are about to have a job schedule set to to have a further discussion on that would that be acceptable to the. Well I would just encourage you in the health department to to be bold. And if there's a conflict stand up and say so it was accomplished at the federal level let's get it straight to hell we know Washington's is in disarray in the end and I think it's incumbent upon us to expeditiously move with these funds and to help the superintendents and teachers shall relative to once Coleman what's happening and how they need to respond thank you Mr chairman thank Gretchen. I had the I get your point on but with and I think we could but I don't want to I would be has and say yes because I don't want anything that would jeopardize slowing down getting the funds out that those monies that was my only hesitation so I mean and I would say I'm a little bit concerned because we have forty five percent of the first round still sitting there and spent on request by the school districts and and waiting for reimbursement so there there is some issue that already is there and it will have eleven districts that it fully utilize the funds made available to them in the first round I mean there needs to there's there there's a there's an issue there I don't I don't know what it is and it just may not be it may be that there's not able to utilized funds period and so if if you told us in the beginning that you pull utilized everything in the first round or waiting on go for the second round I would probably feel a little bit different and then also because we do not have a plan for the ten percent are y'all haven't formulated a plan and I don't think you'll have plan formulated between now and next Tuesday or whenever the peer meets I think we would all be pretty safe in when we're not we're not stopping progress your still working through to be able to have a place to proceed and I am I missing anything on that an especially with the second round either twenty two million of it that you can't spend I would say on the second round or the sorry second request. With twenty two point eight million that we can't expand because we don't know what the fans are going to let us expended or send it out and then the rest of it again we don't have a plan for from understanding things right it's the ninety percent of the first plan for the first request that we and that needs to go really only because eleven school districts is fully utilized which made about. So on that yes I mean I think on the the answer the gal I think we can work with that on the twenty two point eight that's on the gears the when I said that they I don't have this I have a CCSO weapon are today that they're supposed to talk about that too so we could be getting some additional information from them and I don't want. I wouldn't want to because I don't have all the information and data hold up when I do get it that I could get that money out to the non public schools that's the only but they're gonna have to expended first Sir they need to reimbursement program to correct. Order your do you get to send the money out even if they have an expense that's what I'm hoping I'll find out today I it could be it could be an application process that we do have to it is a reimbursement or it could be some kind of grants at that I just I just I don't know right now. Okay. All right Senator Breanne. You're recognized Mister chair I just agree with your assessment and which referred to you as the chair but I'm willing to make a motion if you would prefer at at I think we need to wait and and I'm fine with approving the ninety percent but again I think this needs to go through peer and I'd like to see a plan. I thank in independence and will will go through the questions somebody else may have some insight that maybe we're not able to get in Senator Elliott. You're recognized all right thank you Mister chair Mister Rogers for the twenty two million dollars going to the non public schools. Is that is not a figure that is universal across the country or is as with that typically does that just for Arkansas. The twenty two point eight is is what is in Arkansas okay they did when there is there was an allocation that they that the feds put out when that the the gears pass that they did set aside that you some of that year's money for a nonpublic school so I is it based on what go to the non public schools been proportionate to what goes to the public schools is I don't know how I did that okay I'm asking is it if you would ask them about that when you get simplification if if you get a chance to I think that would be instructive for us because I think it really should be you know proportionate either way and the other my other question has to do with whether or not the teachers and other folks at the school level at the district level have any input so when the school board makes its decisions about how the money is going to be made. Is it instruction from the feds that is the school board or exclusively or do do you have that as those of the part of education have the ability to instruct that there is input from the folks who are actually on the ground doing the work in the schools we have personnel policies committee can you instruct the date are included in that at least input in the decision making process who it maybe not instruct that senator we can encourage and guide and put out information to make sure that you are including everybody in the best use of these funds on their instructor be little little little difficult for me they've said that we could do but we could try to. And I know that we are having we're having a weapon our next week that we've made available to superintendents and bookkeepers to go over answer to and here's to and that's where we could talk that at that time is why would it be in default the difficult to instruct when you instructed the educators on the ground to have personal problems. To the way that these the weather application these funds available to use its I can't direct we can't direct the district on how to use these funds there we had that set up to focus areas that they could use and then they need to apply those funds to how they have or what's going on there their local district in what's happening in their districts which may be different that happened in another district so that's why they set it up that way we can instructable you can try to give them as much guidance information as we know what we're talking about two different things I'm not saying I ask them how tell them how to use the money I am talking about can you instruct them to include of teachers and other folks on the ground in the districts to have some input whether they pay attention to them not because the history is really clear they tend not to have a voice and unless somebody says I don't have a voice it's just going to continue. One hour on the weapon are that we have lastly I'll tell I'll let them know that I had it and we need to make sure that everybody is included in how this Wednesday to use in your district we can't do that with the speed and we cannot ministry for you can't mandate that the school district include anyone anything else we can encourages legislators your local school district to make sure those folks are included and they can provide guidance that those folks be included but it is not mandatory that you survive you know step step that and in the process yes understood with jobs yes I can because I mean the legislature can and I've been the cause of we say no matter who who is this when you do this you will include Bob up all we can do that so maybe that's something that we ought to all right thank you thanks. All right Senator Irvin you're recognized. And again Mr terror I'm happy to make that motion that we approve the ninety percent of of the and then the remaining ten percent we come back to us as a with the plan as well as the seconds request if if you would prefer that or I would just a party as chair all right so we have a motion to review five hundred to. Two hundred fifteen thousand six hundred sixty eight dollars worth of the request. and the other the the remaining portion and the. Thirty six million four hundred twelve thousand in the other request would be I just remain on our calendar our next meeting is Tuesday we if you already have a discussion ready for the and then we can have that presentation in if not we'll probably then just referred to your committee and and move through the normal process we do not no one wants to hold up the funds here no one's got an agenda to do you know to do that we want to release quickly as possible but we also want to have to make sure we understand how those funds are going to be utilized especially since there's currently not a plan in place. That summarize your motion yes Sir it does thank you Sir and we've got a second by the Russian woman Russian Board plenty others in the room during discussion on the motion. I see none of the favor signify by saying aye aye aye those opposed alright motion carries again so we've reviewed five hundred two million ten fifteen thousand six hundred sixty eight dollars four released today in the the remaining ten percent and the thirty six million four hundred and twelve thousand whatever it was we'll discuss in the next meeting on Tuesday. Thank you Mr chair thank you. Are we do have one other item before we get to the bills and that is administrative office of the courts you're recognized Thank you Mr chairman we are on page eleven in your agenda. On page eleven there is one more request for miscellaneous federal appropriation this is with the administrative offices course for the juvenile drug treatment court enhancement it is four six hundred thousand in federal appropriation there is a twenty five percent match required with this there are no positions associated with this request. Thank you have any questions. Seeing none. Any discussion. Seeing none was will committee. Okay. We're gonna move do pass a second all the favor signify by saying aye All opposed all right it's been reviewed and remove onto the Senate bill signed Joint Budget Committee. Thank you Mr chairman we are in the Senate packet that is the packet in your agenda with an S. in the upper right hand corner this represents all of the bills that have been referred to this committee. We have some bills that have some new special language in New additional positions over authorized in the Senate package if you go to page four. On page for the Senate packet Senate bill fifty one Veterans Affairs that has two positions over previously authorized. Personnel. As chairman on page eight. On page eight Senate bill ninety five public defender commission that has two positions over previously authorized that personnel. On page ten. Senate bill one oh nine pure of Legislative Research this has a new special language arts specialize Committee. Mr chairman in the House packet with the H. of right hand corner we have some more House Bill ten seventy two part of finance administration to specialize which special language. Page three I'm sorry page to House Bill ten seventy six willing gas commission is special in which special language. On page three house built in eighty three disability termination positions over authorized personnel. Page nine. On page nine house bill Levin forty four school for the blind a special language special language. Mr chairman last one on page ten house bill in forty six community correction the special language special language. Five members. Is there any other business comports day. Any other discussion all right seeing none create the quick quick morning and we are adjourn.