Senate Business Meeting
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Unknown speaker
0:00
Thank you.
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Hey members, let's go ahead and start grabbing a seat. Try to get over here closer to the middle area since there's enough of us to get here where we can see. But don't sit next to each other. There's the order. If y'all go ahead and grab a seat, we'll get started.
All right, so welcome to, most likely, unless we have a special session, the last meeting of the 92nd General Assembly. This is a somewhat informal meeting, but also an important meeting, so I think it's appropriate that we start it with prayer. So I've asked Senator Bledsoe to come lead us in prayer,
and then we'll say the pledge, which the flag is towards the back there.
Senator Cecile Bledsoe
Unverified
5:56
Senator Bledsoe, you're reckoning. Would you pray with me? Heavenly Father, we just thank you for the many blessings that you've given us,
and we praise you and thank you for them. And now, Father, we ask that we would have clarity of mind and that we would be able to make the decisions that are pleasing to you. And it's in the name of Jesus,
Speaker 13
6:20
I pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under
Speaker 14
6:29
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
All right, members, go ahead and have a seat. So the only item on the agenda today is to say farewell to four of our members that are departing. and so we between the four of those we've got 42 years of service that's a lot of time away from family that's a lot of time away from your business and it's a lot of headaches and I did not want the four of those members to to leave us without us getting it one final chance to tell
them we appreciate their service so that's the purpose of the meeting and that's why we're gathered here today so the the there's no formal agenda other than that I will be turning over to Senator Hickey to to recognize the folks as we do this I'll be presenting a citation and and a little thing and then I'll be asking those members to come and if they have any remarks they'd like to make certainly welcome to not required but I'm sure our members would like one more opportunity to hear from you so having said that yeah Senator Cheatham keep it under less than an hour okay I'll
Speaker 17
7:43
I'll turn it over to Senator Hickey. Thank you, Senator Hendren, and you are recognized
to start. Okay, so first resolution, we're doing these in order of years of
service. So I'm going to start with Senator Cooper. Now, I'm not going to make you do it like we do in the military, which is when we read a citation, you have to come down here to attention and then salute and all that. But I would ask that you come down here, Senator Cooper, while I read these whereases. and make a few comments about Senator Cooper's service.
So Senator John Cooper serves God as an ordained Baptist minister and served our nation in the United States Army before working at AT&T for 35 years while raising a son and a daughter with his wife, Betty Sue, and whereas he represented the constituents of Senate District 21 in Craighead County, never compromising his conservative principles while reducing the regulatory burden on businesses and boosting the economy by successfully backing significant tax reductions. And whereas he was Senate co-chairman of the Red Tape Reduction Task Force,
which resulted in legislation to reduce the negative impact of unnecessary bureaucratic rules. And whereas Senator Cooper's duty in the legislature included, but were not limited to serving as assistant pro tem, a member of the joint budget, legislative audit committees, and Chairman of the Agriculture, Forest, and Economic Development Committee in the Senate as Chairman of the Personnel Committees, and whereas the members of the Arkansas Senate join Senator Jim Hendren in expressing appreciation to Senator Cooper for his service to the Arkansas Senate
and the state of Arkansas. Now, therefore, I presented the motion of Senator Jim Hendren as Arkansas Senate directs this citation be presented, so I move that we accept this citation. Is there a second? all
Speaker 22
9:33
in favor indicate by saying aye any opposed hearing none your motion passes okay so let me present him with a citation we'll
try to keep keep your mask on john until we get stuff right here and i got one other thing so i had rob
find some pictures that i wanted to to give the guys and i just want to apologize
for the people that are in these pictures with you i couldn't find any of just you john this one's got dismaying and it's got the supreme court justice on it but this is when you were first pinning on so i'd like to present this just says senator cooper thanks for your six years of service to the state of arkansas thank you
Senator John Cooper
Unverified
10:24
senator cooper you're recognized for a few words made a lot of friends uh down here and and i think
Speaker 31
10:28
we did a lot of good work and uh appreciate
the opportunity to work here in the Senate, and that's a great thing that I consider to be a valuable part of my life. And I'll miss it and wish you all well, and God bless you, and I consider all of you my friends. So thank you all. Thank you, Senator.
Speaker 15
11:01
Do you recognize Senator Henry? Next, if Senator Bond would come on down. That's very nice. Very good math.
Doesn't that just tell you about all you need
to know about Senator Bond right there? Whereas Senator Will Bond, native of Jacksonville and resident of Little Rock, after graduating from Vanderbilt University and earning a law degree from the University of Arkansas Law School at Fayetteville, has served the citizens of Pulaski County as an attorney for the McMath Law Firm and is raising two daughters and a son with his wife, Gabrielle, and whereas he was an effective and outspoken representative of the constituents of Senate District 32 from 2017 through 2020, and the citizens of House District 44 from 2003 to 2008,
and whereas Senator Bond was a calming voice of reason and pragmatism. Who wrote this? On the Joint Budget Committee and the committees on the Judiciary and State Agencies and Governmental Affairs and the Senate Ethics Committee, and whereas he successfully sponsored legislation to enhance public teacher salaries to prevent fraud and campaign finance and to provide health care equitably to everyone regardless of their circumstances and whereas the members of the arkansas senate wish to join senator jim hendron in expressing their appreciation to senator will
bond for his service to the arkansas senate and the people of arkansas now therefore pursuant to the motion of senator jim hendron arkansas senate directs this citation be presented 17 december So I make that motion. There we have a second. All
Speaker 22
12:55
members in favor say aye. Any opposed? That motion does carry. And here's a picture of Senator Bond. This
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
13:04
was pretty good. You just got the Supreme Court justice.
Senator Will Bond
Unverified
13:14
Senator Bond, you're recognized. Well, I was concerned after he read it that the motion wouldn't pass. So that was a little
bit. I got to say a few words during the physical session, so I'm not going to take much time. I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you. I know how hard this job is. I really appreciate you. I appreciate my family for letting me do this. And my mother, who served before me in the house, as I've said many times, one of my good friends used to always ask me back then, how are you doing with that state rep seat your mama gave you?
And so lots of people to thank. I also want to thank the voters in District 32 for granting me the opportunity to serve. And I think it's important that we all remember that we are granted these titles and not to take it for granted. So thank you very much. I really appreciate it. you recognize
Speaker 15
14:18
senator okay senator malik if you would come on down
whereas senator bruce malik graduated from southern arkansas university and the university of Arkansas Little Rock Law School, then contributed to the prosperity of Magnolia and Columbia Counties as a successful banker, attorney, and rancher, while raising two daughters and one son with his wife, Martha. And whereas Senator Malik, a talented auctioneer, has helped raise funds for numerous worthy causes and charitable organizations, consistently refusing to charge a fee for his time or service.
And whereas he was on the Columbia County Quorum Court for 10 years before serving a six-year tenure in the State House of Representatives from 2005 through 2010 when he became House Co-Chairman of the Joint Budget Committee. And whereas during the eight years he represented Senate District 12, he was part of the Senate leadership, chairing the Senate Rules Committee and serving as Vice Chairman of the Special Language Committee, among numerous other legislative duties. And whereas the members of the Arkansas Senate joined Senator Jim Hendren in appreciation
for Senator Bruce Malik for his service to the state of Arkansas. Now pursuant to the motion of Senator Jim Hendren, the Arkansas Senate directs this citation be presented the 17th day of December. So I would make that
Speaker 22
15:36
motion. Okay, members, we have a motion before us. Do I hear a second? We have a second. All members in favor say aye. Aye. Any
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
15:44
opposed? Likewise, that motion carries. And I really apologize for this one, Bruce. This has got Hester's picture up there in the chair.
Speaker 47
15:55
You're recognized, Senator. Thank you, Senator Hickey. We've just been here 10 or
Speaker 48
16:06
12 minutes. I can take a little longer, can't it? Thank you, Senator Hendren. You know, I've been blessed. Fourteen years to six years in the House and eight years in the Senate to serve, and it has been a great honor. And I want to also thank my family. They're not here, but again, they're the ones that sacrificed. But I also want to thank our Senate staff and Sabrina and all of those folks and constituent service ladies on our second floor.
My office was on the second floor, and I'd often stay late. And there was never a day that it came time for them to leave that they didn't come to my office and say, do you need anything? You know, they treated us, they treated all of us better than we deserve. And I appreciate all of them. I appreciate our BLR staff, budget staff, and each of you. You all have been more than colleagues, you're friends, and I want to say a special thanks to my seatmate, Eddie Cheatham, and Senator Cooper and Senator Bond for the service.
They're good, honorable men who have served well, and I appreciate all of them. And again, like I said, all of you are my friends, but I'm going to single out Senator Teague over here. Senator Teague and I, most of you know, a lot of days at lunch or dinner, we'd go out together and have lunch or dinner. And oftentimes dinner was, you know, it was David's Burgers or Nukes or the deli, Jason's Deli.
but one night we were going to splurge and we went to the faded rose and not realizing until we got there that it was February 14th and so we we order and we eat our meal and we get through and the waiter brings he brings the tab and lays a long stem rose right on the table and Teague pushes it over to me
and I push it back over to Teague and finally Teague gets it and heads it back to the waiter and says we don't need this but anyway he's been a great friend you know the Senate's bigger than any one of us and I've always known that the hole that's left when I leave the Senate's the same as the hole that's left when I stick my finger in a bowl of water and take it out and uh so senate's gonna be just fine and i'm gonna be just fine we all are so
anyway but i appreciate all of you now i want to say this because i think all of you can help with this i'm concerned about the state of our politics and our political discourse you know particularly our country not as much in our state but sometimes it creeps into our state and and i think we can do better. And I think we can set the bar higher. And all of you can help with that. And we can do that by showing respect and always standing up for the truth.
And respect, first of all, the institution of the Senate. Don't do anything that brings a negative light on this body. And then respect each other. One of the greatest examples that I've always liked to use was the example of Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Polar opposites from a political standpoint and their approach to interpreting the Constitution, but they were great friends. And their families went on vacations together and they both
said that the other one, that they made each other better. And we ought to do that. And so respect each other and conduct yourself in such a way that it's easy for people to respect you. And then standing for the truth. And this one's a little bit harder and it's only harder because sometimes we don't know what the the truth is anymore, between social media and all the news. But before you tweet, or before you retweet, try to make sure that it's the truth, and even stand up for those that maybe something's
stated against. And my example on this is Senator John McCain, when he was running for president, and he was at a rally, and a lady got up and said, well, Obama's an Arab. He's not an American. And Senator McCain said, no, no, no. said he is a good, decent family man. And got a few boos when he said that, but he said, we disagree on policy. And so we can do that all day long, but let's try to stand for the truth where we can. Now, since Brother Cooper didn't preach any,
I'm going to close with this. A couple of scriptures, my favorite, one from the Old Testament, Micah 6 and 8. It's familiar. He's shown you, old man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. Justice, mercy, which is kindness, and walk humbly. And then in the New Testament, the Gospels and multiple of the Gospels talks about the one that was trained in the law and will for me and you, you know, in one place and the other attorneys.
In one of the Gospels, it says a certain lawyer was trying to question Jesus and really put him on the spot by asking him what is the greatest commandment, thinking that he couldn't single out one and Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and soul and then he immediately said and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself and so it doesn't matter whether you live south of Magnolia near the Louisiana line or north of Gravette near the Missouri line we're all neighbors
Chair
Unverified
21:54
so I love all of you and it's been an honor
to serve with you Senator Hendrion, you're recognized. Thank you. And then finally, Senator Cheatham, come on down. Where has Senator Eddie Cheatham earned a master's degree in education from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville after earning a bachelor's degree in the education from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia?
and he retired from the University of Arkansas-Monticello Technical Campus in Crossett. And whereas he served on the Crossett City Council before becoming a member of the State House of Representatives from 2007 through 2012, he began his first term in the Arkansas Senate in 2013 and served seven years. And whereas Senator Cheatham was known as a tireless advocate for the equitable and adequate funding of public schools and greater access to health care for citizens of all ages. And whereas Senator Eddie Cheatham made it his priority to support job creation, education, health care,
safe highways and bridges, better working conditions for teachers, nurses, and police officers, almost every one of those you can remember Eddie either filing a bill or speaking for a bill that does those things, and economic development in southeast Arkansas. And whereas the member of the Arkansas Senate joined Senator Jim Hendren in expressing their appreciation to Senator Eddie Cheatham for his service to the Arkansas Senate and the state of Arkansas, now therefore pursuant to the motion of senator jim hendron the arkansas senate directs this citation be presented the 17th day of december so i would move adoption of this citation
Speaker 22
23:32
okay motion members we have a motion and a second all in favor say aye aye any opposed the
Chair
Unverified
23:43
motion carries senator senator cheatham you're
Speaker 56
23:53
why i went last they said the lease will be last it's not good to follow a lawyer but two lawyers but especially senator malik my friend
it's uh it's been a first thing i need to tell you they misspelled my name so I am last, but it's, of course, we all have to thank our family, my wife, Ginger, and it's, you know, she's supported me, kind of funny, when I ran for the House, I committed myself to six years, never intended to be in the Senate, and for some reason, I wound up down at the Senate Inn, but the little lady in our church one day told me
After my second campaign, she said, I thought I loved the other man, but any man that could beat Elvis Presley is the love of my life. A little lady about five foot tall, about maybe 100 pounds, but 93 years old. But anyway, when I thought about this, I thought about David Sanders, Jason, your cousin, I believe. Jason was leaving the Senate, and he was my seatmate back there. and they surprised him the day they did this.
And David stood and said, I didn't get time to write my speech. I thought they'd put it off. But David did fine anyway, but I didn't write a speech, I guarantee you. And Ginger will tell you, she'll tell me all the time to take notes, and finally she quits, she says, why don't you make notes before you go? You never use them. But it has been an honor serving you. As Bruce said, we appreciate our staff. incredible people we appreciate the fact that we've met each other we've become friends
across the aisle how far north you are I didn't say how far right you were but it's as a matter of fact we're in our motor home on the river down here if we can go on to Jonesboro after this after tomorrow I know you like motor home trips so in the summer we'll be heading back to Washington State and you're welcome to travel along with us behind us. It's been very interesting. I've never tried to be in the front.
I'm more supportive than I am a leader, but appreciate you, love each other, whatever. I won't give
Speaker 58
26:22
you any scripture, but if you're a Methodist, Larry, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord be with you and his son shout upon you. and be gracious unto you. God bless each of you.
Speaker 21
26:53
Okay, I'm going to turn it back over to Senator Hendren. He
turned it over to me, Teague, so sit down. Okay, you recognize Senator Teague. I just don't think
it's fair that I got fatter and he gets killed. thank you for that Larry all right members thank you all for coming down I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did again we've got four people who've done a lot of good for the people of Arkansas and with with nothing but great intentions and they're going to be missed so we wish you all the best if
there's nothing else oh Senator Irvin you recognize thank you Well, thank you,
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
27:37
but thank the forum members here, I appreciate it. Thank you. I should have took a picture of that, I'll
never see that again. Thank you all. I appreciate your hard work, and again, we'll see each other again in January, and we've
got a lot of work ahead of us, and I'm sure Senator Hickey will do a great job. I look forward to it. And gentlemen, again, we wish you all the absolute best. We hope you'll come see us any time you're in town. And I'm sure you will text us and tell us when we're doing stupid things. So if there's nothing else to come before the body, we are. Merry Christmas, everybody. We'll see you next year. We are adjourned.
Agenda
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Senator Jim Hendren Chair
Unverified
Senator Cecile Bledsoe
Unverified
Speaker 13
Speaker 14
Speaker 17
Speaker 22
Senator John Cooper
Unverified
Speaker 31
Speaker 15
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
Senator Will Bond
Unverified
Speaker 47
Speaker 48
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 40
Speaker 56
Speaker 58
Speaker 21