Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee- House & Senate

I'm very. Public health welfare and labor to order I want thank everyone for being here it's been a busy few days of receipt you being here just have one comment There's only one scheduled meeting of this committee left that'll Before the legislative session so if you need to introduce a you need to the scope of practice or anything you need to get it on that November thirtieth agenda are our last meeting is on November thirtieth. we will have a or we have one schedule a ten AM subcommittee meeting and in a one thirty public health meeting. So if you have anything you want to get on the agenda let us know we need to get on that meeting. That's only comments ahead Senator Irvin did you have comments. Yes thank you Representative Ladyman and my comments are first off I just want to thank everyone who reached out to me with the calls text messages I got a card from the DHS team. when I was sick and I just that was just tremendous I couldn't believe I mean it was so nice and and so just so much appreciate the people that we work with and our agencies on others might present he texted me sitting in the audience and the health department Dr Romero reached out to me personally and just I'm just we are I'm grateful for the the many people that we get to work with and for their Their calls and concerns about us here in the legislature and those of us who did get kind of it and I'm I'm just grateful I did not pass it along to represent Ladyman and Mr pricey I sit next to that I just wanted to make those comments and members also we have as a good meeting here and I look for to get discussion and just a preview I will under new business or other business will be discussing something that occurred last at. Last couple weeks with the buffalo river conservation committee was as good information and good news so stick around for that and I would appreciate it thank you. Thank you senator Irvin and we're glad you're doing well the husbands and wealth. Okay we'll move on to item see the option of the minutes do I have a motion I have a motion second. All in favor signify by saying aye all opposed nay. Motion carries. So they will move into item D. discussion of five G. network and what it means for healthcare industry. doctor Sanford you would come forward. And the committee what I want to do was get some general information about the five G. network this coming and you know are there any health considerations involved in that so it's just kind of the general discussion from that. So Dr Sam you would there this yourself for the record. yes Sir thank you good morning my name is doctor Joseph Sanford I am the interim director for the US institute for digital health and innovation I'm also the chief clinical informatics officer for you and us okay let me give a little introduction before you start of I don't know about other committee members I know a few of them have but I've gotten comments of from the from the public about the five G. networks it's being installed around the state and a lot of that is being done at the municipal level but I've got comments about are there health effects and are there any cautions that might need to be taken with the installation of this new network so that's kind of the introduction but if you could give us some information related that I appreciate. I certainly Sir it to that note I think I need to open with an apology than some of what I thought I was preparing for was five G. and its impact on due to health and health care services that's that I am prepared to talk about five G. and its impact on health if you would like as well Sir. Whatever information and location what to open with by answering your question directly before moving to the documents that I prepared so as a background five G. represents the fifth generation of cellular networks so you've heard and have in your services for whatever you have for your carriers for G. four G. LTE E. three G. H. before that it represents a new usage of an existing radio frequency spectrum band with so if you think about regular high frequency so your your radio is in the you know ninety two point one two hundred and six point seven whatever range then you move up into three G. which gets into the higher you alter high frequency range which were still well below anything that would be under visible light five G. represents the three bands that are primarily composed of the low band which would be sub one gigahertz need band approximately one gigahertz two sixty hertz and in high band or millimeter wake you may refer to which is in excess of twenty gigahertz I know that sounds like high energy it's really not it's all well below visible light which we obviously direct with every day and very very far below anything that we would call ionizing radiation such is that emitted by ex race commonly you have seen in the public media about health concerns related to penetration of these radio waves because they are higher energy than what has been it's parents beforehand that is not supported by medical evidence to the best of my knowledge and research eight four a common example of the other five to sixty hertz items you have in your home your wifi at home for example operates on two band with a two point four gigahertz and if I get her constructively so these are radio waves that people have been exposed to for many many. Years there has been some publications related to and I'm may not close the researchers name precisely so I'm going to defer at related to the absorption of these radio frequencies on the brain it to that one specific study that has been fairly well refuted because that looked at gray matter in isolation and our brains are in fact in case by schools and skin which I do an effective job of preventing any exposure to said radiation so I in my opinion there is little to no risk for the five G. cellular networks and certainly all of the radio emissions that we are experiencing at those frequencies or things that the average person encounters in their daily lives if not in their home. We don't have any questions a. Did you have a question. Centerton recognized. So and and I I appreciate this summary and I kind of wanted to do a little bit Dicker and yeah drive your considerations that you have one you say current fiber policies capacity in the state is not fully leverage and I would agree animal I'm a give you an opportunity to kind of. Discuss a little bit more fully another's healthcare concerns represent Ladyman that's does her his concerns and his bailiwick I think because of his. Experience there but I'm concerned that we have zero self service in Arkansas including Perry County And I know that we have new towers are going up but I think you're correct in your number to consideration that traditional carriers have little financial incentive to deliver full five two capabilities rural areas. The reason why that's really critical because Perry County county Conway county Van Buren county is in a they don't have reliable self service stone county I don't have reliable service there's reason is because of safety and you could have a horrible accident in the middle of nowhere basically and you know can't get an ambulance to where you need to be my cousin actually was involved in and and a very horrible accident he called nine one one that it went to a different self service and that ambulance service was not to prescribe to the area where he was that he was kind of in a of of an area that was on the border of this ambulance service and on the border of this ambulance service but because his phone call connected to a different self service it it actually notified and trigger the wrong ambulance service which delayed him get me with life and death ATV accident so I'm concerned about that and wanted you to Speaker of it more for more fully on your number one and number two considerations. yes ma'am thank you so as we discussed previously in a variety of of. Conversations and as part of it to the programs that we participate in with the department of commerce but the rule ninety broadband program and the Arkansas real connect program there is a lot of infrastructure work to be done in the state to fully leverage all of our data interconnects those include dark fiber currently in the ground by various companies and state agencies the additional opportunity for wireless specifically is critically dependent upon those fiber back calls because the data has to go from the cell tower to the what we all trunk in some capacity now the opportunity for a rule areas in particular is interesting with five G. because of the various low mid and high bands that I described the advantage to hi man five G. millimeter wave is it's incredible data capacity in this is data band with that is far in excess of anything that we have in our homes today even if we all had a fiver we're talking about ten gigabit per second potential capacity the downside to that is because it is higher energy it has less range and so you have to have a much greater density of cell towers that doesn't work in rural areas as well because to get a full corporate entity at the forty five to fifty thousand per pole we're looking at something that is prohibitively expensive that does not obviate low band five G. which still get you up to one gigabit per second speed which would be an incredible opportunity for rule areas and has better range additionally five G. is not superseding four G. it can't exist in parallel they compete in different parts of the spectrum so one does not overwhelm the other and as the economies of scale grow up for five G. those towers of polls for four G. can also still continue to be used and ideally as markets tend to do older technology gets cheaper it's more cost at cost and economical to deploying as far as what financial incentives would be needed to encourage Tricia. Carriers to push out a high quality wireless coverage across the state I think there is a lot of investigation to be done in terms of what is advertised for she's what is actually experienced by our citizens on the ground the maps that we included in our exhibits were pulled straight from the various carriers websites and just by going and looking for the five U. coverage there is a cabbie ought to that however that is worth investigating FCC better business bureau others have cited somewhat misleading practices when it comes to advertising both the range and the quality of service without getting into specifics. Groups of label their four G. LTE kind of expanded coverages five G. the actual true density five the currently in Arkansas what we would call high band is limited to and a very small pockets to urban areas. Yes and and and not just follow up thank you it was I think we really need of. This is a patchwork quilt like but we've talked about and it's and it's going to be super different is not gonna look the same across the state and when you're talking about telemedicine as well You know a you may not have the broadband to be able to do that meeting from your home be you may not have the cell phone service to do that meeting at your home. Yes I I have a land line but I can't dial a long distance phone number from the land line I mean there's just so many complications to roll Arkansas right now so I just appreciate that and I would note I want to thank farm bureau for their tremendous efforts in this is spending a great partnership and my discussions outside of the health issues that sent a Representative Ladyman has questions about so I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to have you in front of us and with your vast knowledge it's been awesome to work with you and farm bureau and everybody on this project thank you Mr chair. All right of. My can my question is is more about the concentrated populations in the cities of. You know you talked about it we're talking at the same way which I think we are as light. Right so we know that if you concentrate light into a laser it'll cut metal so obviously there's a point to were it can be hazardous to your health in certain ways the advantages I've seen five G. an action at a national meeting and I'm I'm seeing that transmitted the speed is obviously you know something that we need and want a whole lot of things could be done with five G. that cannot be done with forty I mean. I'm not suggesting this with remote surgery there's a lot of things a lot of things when it comes to technology space program that would help no doubt. But as any new thing comes on board any something this big especially we always need to look at that and see if there's any health concerns associated with that. so. You top level in a dense population and a lot of this is handled by municipalities on the local level or approved by municipalities where the company is putting in five G. and as you said they need a higher concentration of the transmitters A so the question and I've been asked okay if I live in a neighborhood where there's a number of these things you know put up close to my house and there's one I see another one down the street this way and another one down the street this way. So you know it is there anything cumulative about this that might be affecting. I health. The understand my question there yes Sir any I don't know whether I I could not find any studies that's been done on and I'm sure there has been but I couldn't find anything on that can you comment to that I can I want to be cautious to stay within my area of expertise so I'm not a physicist on a radiation oncologist so I am approaching this research as a reasonably well educated medical professional who can I'd like to think that you can critically read the literature to the best of mine reading at exposure to these frequencies is not unusual nor is nor is it cumulative and dosage if you will and so the yes you're going to see a higher density of power poles to have the radios on them because their range is so much less but the goal of those polls would be tomb B. minimally overlapping and then even if they were overlapping your exposure to this in terms of kind of the time quantity of exposure given the energies at play have not been shown to be harmful now that said is it always worth doing more research yes ma'am I confident in the research that I have read to have confidence in the underlying radio frequency technology also yes. Okay yeah we will I will I have tried to find people that are very knowledgeable about these tests and hadn't really been able to the this is not negative but you're the best we can get so we will take a Sir it's I I do appreciate you coming and talking to us about this but we definitely would like I would like to get someone that is closer to the action as for as testing you know health effects I I think that your your best expertise on this if the bill is a group where is looking for an expert I would look to radio frequency engineer and physicist they're gonna be the ones who have the greatest body of knowledge about exposure of these frequencies on the populace because while this technology is new exposure these frequencies is not and I would look to again in your own home you likely have a wireless router that's transmitting at five gigahertz which is one of the that's right in the mid band of where five G. technology sets so I think that you'll from common experience there is a lot of encouraging data are I should also add there's been no suggestion that any of that has been proven to be harmful but if you wanted specific details on the the power requirements of five G. I would look to your radio engineers. Yes I think that would you know quell a lot of unrest if we could get someone to come in and say that so we have a couple questions. Representative love you're recognized thank you Mr chair and and thank you doctor Sanford for comment one down two year she that she provided in regards to your considerations. And I know that E. unity he stated that the current power capacity in the state is not fully leveraged can you speak to this and also can you speak to of your point number three assists five G. still needs requires for still requirements five a for a back bone and has limited one thousand to two thousand or twelve hundred I know you I know that you spoke on it just a little bit I want you to speak one in return it in regards to what are the Arkansas department of transportation can provide because I know that when the light when they lay highways they also lay five in this is dark five or so can you speak it can you speak to this these two points from that aspect I can certainly try Sir so with regards to the department of transportation's dark fiber network I'm not fluent in what they have in which roads in which is being used which is not being used but I can say that to a general point there is a lot of dark fiber in the ground and on poles in Arkansas that is not been lit up for a variety of reasons most of them cited as economic or otherwise and that four five G. to be effective for any data transmission to be effective you have to have a high speed data can act back to the the main trunks in the data centers that that connects states to states and countries to other countries without those high speed interconnects the five G. radio doesn't talk to anybody but those that are within the radios cancer conference and to that point the the limited broadcast area of the that kind of twelve hundred feet A really gets to the the mid and upper band of five G.. Where in fact you know five G. is is at the twenty four plus gigahertz range is so on able to penetrate any any structure anything that something as simple as before alleged of a tree so just believe hi can prevent that from crossing in any deeper and so you get significantly worse data performance because you lose that that penetrance So that's why you have to have more of these polls to accommodate and give a a wide network and multiple lines of sight to the radio for this really really high speed internet and cellular access okay so then let me ask you would you is there anything the size you know we talked about metes stated the economic aspect of it. Would there be anything preventing the Arkansas department of transportation form from actually allowing this five are to be utilized our unfortunately think that's a question best after them Sir I am not fluent to comment on their abilities all right thank you. Senator did you have a comment. Yes is based on that answer it seems like then it's can be really really difficult for this to be it nearly impossible for this really to be in the Ozarks I mean if it if it though foliage you know blocks that I mean right now. Cellphone transmission is supposed body because of the. Of the the landscape of the mountains and the hills and so that that's interesting and and and and it goes back to what you're talking about in this first section on five G. in healthcare then that limits those people from being able to utilize what's fully out there with technology FOR monitors and as the digital services yes ma'am I think that that for the older high speed there is definite challenges in rule areas particularly heavily forested areas I think that a a comprehensive and strict infrastructure rollout must necessarily include low to mid band that gives that better penetrance and then again continuing to roll out fiber to give a good I mean this is to me this is an infrastructure and logistics question is much it is a and economic activity question hi that which supports economic activity for the state just like we need good roads and highways we need good data highways agree one hundred percent that there's gonna be a definite definite The difference between people that have access to that technology and the and people that down right I just appreciate your presentation thank you. Senator hammer you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair to questions on your handout says five G. in health care point four. Those health care digital services that are listed now they are not currently able to be transmitted over the technology that we have in place. Two more limited capacity so for example I'll use imaging because its first on the list and has a high file size requirements we have it from a image repository where we transmit data from hospital to hospital MRI eyes or several hundred gigabytes in size depending on the quality of the upload speed at some of our rural hospitals that can affect the time of that data to get to us anyway masses the tertiary care center and having a more robust higher speed internet makes that something that we can either view and review in real time and it's ideal circumstance when you have a very high speed connection verses being able to see something and a question of a minute or two verses ten to fifteen minutes which can have a clinical impact sure it what about the quality as far as a diagnosis that may be given by a PCP or provider Will will the five G. enhance the quality shows to prevent misdiagnosis or is that going to have any relevancy and the discussion that's an excellent question Sir I think it has great relevancy to discussion when you have a digital video visit our virtual this at the quality of the ability to diagnose we always want to get as close to a person sitting in front of me experiences you can't there are lots of characteristics when making a diagnosis in terms of micro expressions subtleties of gate because you know if you're trying to diagnose and most magnified four stroke for example quality of of smile is there something different as their facial grouping under of low quality video and I think we may have all experienced a local you to video where there's lots of blocking it's very hard to distinguish subtle detail and so having high quality high speed video gives us an opportunity to have that very low latency real time as those persons in front of you experience Kayla two quick ones if I may Mister. The one what what criteria did you use because you have it in quotation as far as under served. Or. Unserved or underserved jabbing quotations to work what yours what your source that you cited to define what falls into that criteria yes Sir thank you very much for asking our source for that is in exhibit he and the full ten page which I'm not sure I have to display and this comes from the census block groupings that is we have twenty nine thousand census block groups from the FCC data that we got back in quarter one of twenty twenty this for table represents the FCC sites with on serve either no broadband or under served which is less than twenty three down three up we were projected to have some two hundred thousand locations that would be eligible for our service providers ISPs electrical option never to bid on for delivering broadband each of these county census block groups this would be your your target market opportunity all right so it's not a it's not a medical definition is more a definition relevant to the providing of of five G. service ninety five the service but any service the FCC qualifies it is no broadband or under sure broadband five G. would be so far above the minimum definition of broadband as to almost ninety can be the same sport can then the last question is this so some legislators in here of a deeper grasp of this than. At least myself I will cast that brought. Like a not everybody else but obviously Representative Ladyman has real in depth as far as technology. So we get put in this position between who do we believe when you're discussing the subject matter like just because you discounted report awhile ago on the basis of grey matter and scroll and all that yes Sir. Help me understand who we're supposed to believe because you've got some out there that think to five Jeez frying people's brains you got others that are thinking this is a real obstacle that stopping progression help me understand from your perspective just log in here who we believe and who do not believe in and worst of ballots and decisions that have to be made so I would generally advise looking to a third party group of scientific experts who don't have an economic interest in one side or the other I think that a well read group in this does not happen necessarily a group of medical professionals but that can be critical of of whatever literatures coming out has sufficient posted testable and methodological experience to judge the the protocols and analytic. Methodologies of subjected papers is valuable there are you. As with any new technology or anything the value of the public square is and comfortable this is education that cannot be Shelter I said suppose and in any one group performed by is a broad educational opportunity to get the public more comfortable not just with this one topic but with evaluating scientific literature an evaluation in general. Right Davis share. All right. Seeing no further questions. Thank. Doctor Standridge thank you for being here thank you very much for the opportunity. I will move on to item he. Discussion of code nineteen effects on unemployment insurance. So the bill would come for. So if you all would entities yourself for the record. Thank you Mr chairman Mike prestin secretary of commerce executive director of a EDC. Thank you all for being here so we may proceed with your presentation hello introduce the doctor treats children who they have a department of workforce services and dollar go through this overview and Dr Childress and her team here to answer any detailed and technical questions but the first Mr chairman and senator Irvin thank you all for the opportunity to present today this is the fall one to I guess the last meeting that you all had bill a month ago maybe at the time you had some individuals from great great clips who came in we're talking about their their yearly charge statement that they receive about that same time I started receiving phone calls and emails of individuals from businesses who are getting these claims charges as well claim statements excuse me the show with the charges were for the for the year ending twenty twenty one of the a quarter second quarter twenty twenty. So we started looking to see what can we do to help those individuals so I really appreciate the opportunity to comment present to you all what we are able to Come up within the recommendations that the we like to put for so we look at the white trust fund it's currently calculated I comprised of the base tax rate in the stabilization tax rate in September A. L. C. approved a hundred sixty five million dollar preparation and cares act funds to increase the U. I trust fund balance to avoid an increase in the U. I. stabilization right tax rate this all the issue for the stabilization for twenty twenty one what this committee heard of the last time around was the other part of that and these were the charges for twenty twenty so those charges or through the second quarter of twenty twenty which ends to a June thirtieth as reservoir knows that was kind of the the peak of the pandemic when most individuals were laid off. At the time approximately twenty six thousand employers had over two hundred seven million dollars and you I claims during the quarter ending June thirtieth twenty twenty. Most of the hardest hit by the economic and affects the pandemic for manufacturing hotels restaurants hospitals and clinics and retailers I believe you have some information that's been handed out at the table that's attached that gives you that break down. So unless action Tate is taking these high claim volumes for these employers because our twenty twenty one base you I tax rate to increase an average of thirty six percent putting a severe financial strain on employers and create an obstacle to hiring for example when the member numbers I was looking at one large Arkansas based business would see if you are rate increase from point three percent to three point four percent tell me they're increase for per employee of for you I would increase from twenty one dollars to three hundred forty dollars to start looking at what other states were able to do to mitigate this loss of other states have the ability statutorily to issue a non charge several states have done so that does not make up the difference in the trust fund however Arkansas does not have that ability to do so statutorily another option is a a government issue an executive order under his emergency powers however when the emergency and then the tax rate would go up and in the businesses would again be left holding with that increase. So what we can do and here's were bringing the solution today. DWS can administer administratively deem these hundred sixty five million that was previously transferred as a voluntary contribution to the trust fund. What will need in addition to that is another fifty million dollars from the cares committee which I plan to go tomorrow to make a presentation to the care steering committee for an additional fifty million dollars for total two hundred fifteen million dollars that will be deemed as voluntary contribution again we can DO this administratively this will cover all those charges for Q. two of twenty twenty allowing all the businesses in Arkansas to keep the rate at the current level and not increasing it on any of the businesses. We'll make a guess except I'll make that request tomorrow to the chair staring at committee of the fifty million dollars transfer to that it will go through the normal order through peer and a L. C. will not require any emergency appropriation this will allow us also to keep the level of the trust fund above the minimum so we've talked about previously and hopefully keep our trust fund in a good position and allow those businesses who are so hurt during this pandemic not have to pay more out of pocket this time as they're trying to re hire their their employees and FOR those folks that were here at your committee hearing last time this would help satisfy those issues that they were having that Mister chairman is our presentation overview were happy to answer any questions so I thank you answer this but just for clarification so if is this Corrective actions taken their rates in the future because as you said if you get a blow up then that that carries on for a period of time your percentage bills up and carries on so that will not happen in other words the this will not figure into future increases Karan their rates right back this will cover through two two of twenty twenty so say the difference and where we work to two of twenty twenty like I said we're about two hundred ten million dollars and claims that's when the head of the pandemic ahead of an employment of people out of work best for the Q. three the drop the claims dropped to ninety million so that was within a product of people going back to work the economy starting to approve. Those charges won't be it calculated in till this time next year so the four year people staying at that same rate in the inner on what we would you know like to work with a legislator legislature on is that maybe we have an ability administratively statutorily that we can look at those charges based on the current economic situation you know pandemic included current trust fund levels unemployment rates how do we handle that administratively but for this year in this bill this transfer of the additional fifty million reclassification of those funds to voluntary contribution will cover that and those rates will stay the same and because we have the stabilization right on back in September that's good for the entire year until the next testator September thirtieth of twenty twenty one I'd be happy to work with someone your department to do that legislation to give you that ability thank you senator Irvin you're recognized. Yeah that's that of that to say that to our I would like to also work with you and and represent Ladyman on on legislation to do that I want to thank you and thank you doctor Childers because we you know it this kinda hit y'all an asset the same time and and it was critical and I could tell it was critical and you were concerned about it we were concerned about it because of on behalf of our constituents want to think represent of Ladyman who who really brought this to the forefront to the committee and the folks from great clips that came before us particularly and their testimony because I think they does save a ton of small businesses by taking this action we will save so much and small businesses and it's this is critical and I'm so glad that we were able to have that committee meeting do this could work and then have this follow up today doing good work because this is going to be huge huge starting January twenty twenty one you you said let me ask you for clarification there was one business that their rate is currently zero point three percent you said and that would go and up to three point four percent is that correct if we don't take this action and give me that dollar figure again as to what they are currently paying and then what they would have to pay it's currently at twenty one they're not represent the point three going to three point four were taken to three hundred forty three and forty. While that's huge and and then on the back side of your. Hand out. These are. And. According to the the sector codes the percentage of dollar commute X. M. these are the U. I. claims can you just go through the I'm I'm shocked that health care and social assistance as at those numbers of those huge percentages can you just kind of these are an increase A can you just explain that a little bit for me thank you senator Irvin to these are the percentages of the claims against the U. I trust fund during twenty twenty so if you look at that two hundred ten million dollars that's a percent by industry that the charges were from. Okay. File okay that that's alarming I mean I I knew that manufacturing and food service an accommodation would be high on that list I didn't realize health care and social assistance would be number three though that's pretty alarming to me to minister okay again this is this is very good news and great work by. By you all on on on creating a solution and and I appreciate working with you on the solution as well so you will have my vote tomorrow. Thank you. Yes and something that's interesting to me when you look at that list of manufacturing is number one on that list when we got into this discussion that never crossed my mind how this would affect manufacturing but when you're talking about an increase per individual and I worked in factories where there's sixteen hundred people. You're talking a lot of money a lot of money for there's so it would be very difficult for those manufacturing small manufacturers lease to recover okay we have a number of questions here. Senator hammer you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair. Let me ask you this is is this all based. On if things stay the way they are or what's the what are the allowances in the event that the emergency continues to exist long term because we're possibly maybe going into a change of administration at the federal level and if something nationally is done how is what you're proposing going up have bearing if this turns into a long term thing instead of all police ending sooner than later. Thank you senator the this covers us for for twenty twenty and those tax bills I guess the two three of twenty twenty won't be calculated until this time next year so right now what we would need to work the legislature on some type of statutory fix that would allow us to give us the flexibility in the event that this is pro long we go into another dip or something happens in this covers as for twenty twenty we don't have that for for twenty twenty one but would as the the chair and senator Irvin expressed would like to work with us on legislation that would hope we address that so the legislation that you're wanting to get put in place is going to be giving you indefinite ability to do that would be on a on a case by case situation so let's say that this emergency ends but another one comes along you're down the road if you are is what you're proposing gonna be indefinite hers are gonna be case by case no we don't have anything drafted as of yet but I would suspect to be case by case you know based on you know whatever factors legislature decides need to be a part of that looking at the unemployment rate you know a pandemic or wartime whatever that the issue might be. Okay alright thank you Mr. Representative Scott you're recognized for a question. Can you make it thank you doctor and Childress and secretary press and I just was wondering if there was an update on I've been working with Dr Childress allowed on P. U. A. an unemployment claims I think a couple months ago secretary press and you said we have fifteen thousand and unemployment in twenty five MP way so I know those numbers have strong and shocking because you are working so hard but I was just trying to see if you had kind of an update on that and if you also knew how many months the backlog is currently. Represents Scott I don't have those numbers with me you to email me I would be glad okay yes that works thank you. Is that all you had represents gun. Yes Sir thank you. Representative brown you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair doctor Childers With regard to the backlog. Of the I have a constituent I've had several constituents that I've contact department about who we did receive. A response and assistance. I have one constituent that applied three times. Everyone else in her office received unemployment. I spoke to you on October seventh about this constituent I have never received a phone call from you and she has not received a call from the department and I know that this woman. Was in eight. And I am extremely disappointed that her application has sort of fallen through the cracks and I don't care if it's past the deadline she needs to be compensated. Representative brown thank you for bringing that to my attention I'll go back to that email and look at that individual and then following what we had a phone call on your personal sale. So when I receive that information from you and from other legislative wars on media at least submit that to either are you out apartment or our P. U. a service center and then I follow up with that individual every claimant's circumstances are different so based on what she I'm not sure I don't know in this particular case with it was P. U. A. R. U. I. U. I okay so based on what her employer's said what she submitted and then also based on her previous employers and how long she'd been at that place of employment is all taken into consideration but I I understand your frustration and I'll gladly follow up on it since I get back to the office thank you she has not received any communication and either a by. Thank you. Welcome. Wardlaw you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair couple weeks ago you got set in front of us I believe that council may have been in public health not sure. And I ask a number of questions about the fraud situation of one or two of those were how much do we think is in the front category and are we collecting any of that money back what we foresee collecting back to the trust fund and you're gonna get those answers force and I think you're supposed to come before council next week and give some of those but do you have any of those figures yet and were we looking like on getting those. Yes Sir just one minute one of the questions by Senator hammer was the dollar amount of fraudulent Rick benefits returned so we submitted that information two Marty Garrity four for the committee so the amount of of the amount returned to date as of the date that we sent that response in which I believe was a couple weeks ago I was nine hundred fourteen thousand seven hundred nine dollars and twenty five cents that I'll be prepared to speak to those specific. Of that specific information. Thank you I'll be glad to present that more detail and to that specific question at the committee thank you welcome thank you Mr. Representative Payton you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair Mister Preston is a look at the sand out on the second quarter claims by industry. I'm thinking of the PPP program which provided cash flow to keep the employees on the payroll and what this list would look like in its absence and of going to the quarter three you know I figure the PPV didn't have as much effect on it but any of these categories of industry that you've listed here are there any of those that were more or less are not affected by the PP or can you elaborate on that any what the what the schedule might look like in the in the absence of the payroll protection program well in the absence of that the program and save you a lot lot higher can the Speaker was what specifically which ones that would be but knowing that the PPP the requirement to keep those individuals on and employed so those numbers have been much higher as I mentioned if you look at two two and the charges for your two hundred ten million dollars when you get to Q. three that dropped to ninety million dollars so so that people went back to work I think the PPP did what was supposed to do and is keeping those individuals employed at that time and is a part of me started to read back up hopefully that's what we'll see going in the fourth quarter Senator hammer alluded to were heading into the great unknown right now in the winter and what's going to happen but hopefully this gets it through that but I that PPP certainly played a big role in that. So was as senator Irvin brought up about you know see in some of these industries are categories at the top of the list are there any of them that didn't qualify for PP PPP that put him at the top of the list or any of these categories that were. More greatly affected or less affected by the PP or you think it was pretty even across the board I mean I think it was pretty even across the board obviously the P. B. P. you know some larger industries or larger businesses we're not including the PPP but that in the exclude by industry category just by the sheer size of a business. So what the healthcare. Would be the of large industries that may not of qualified. If they're above the five hundred employee threshold FOR PPP thank you thank you Mr chair. Senator hammer you're recognized thank you would you do me a favor and on the on the front where it shows the second quarter numbers in the percentage of dollars and the percentage of accounts but you just give me a a quick explanation is that like to eighteen eighty three the eighteen point eight three then the five point nine six to me how those numbers relate to something charter understands will better please. Okay Senator hammer alt alt work to explain your question and then if we need more detail I'll be glad to to bring up someone that has of the specifics as far as a percentage of accounts this total unemployment claims of the industry so the percentage of accounts for manufacturing our unemployment system was five point nine six percent and so that would be the first senator of accounts in that quarter to and the percentage of dollars is the other column so as you can look at our percentage of accounts in manufacturing is is significantly less than say accommodation food services and healthcare services. Meaning number of employers and then the percentage of dollars then is based on a would be based on number of employees number of claims going out by quarter. Is that answer your question that they give me better understand so me ask you. In all your analysis that you've all done why did manufacturing take such a big hit. What we've seen just from manufacturers that we've talked to in and work with across the state they were impacted so much because so many of them fall in the supply chain where you know they might not have had to close here in Arkansas but because you know there you already a tire manufacturer that supplies one of the we Adams in the yeah and set down for two months than therefore there is not the orders and they had to set their facilities there's a lot of instances around at a state where manufacturing was was impacted and that second quarter when the rest of the country was largely shut down that impacted manufacturing Big time in our state but we were able to simply bounce back over Q. three and now under two four in the manufacturing area okay and. Do you have any way of separating out. Per sector. What might have been and are are these all directly related to cope with or do we have other things that are co mingled in with these numbers or do you have the ability to separate out what was just a company that was teetering on going off out of business and versus those that were put out of business by. Section of code we don't have that ability for Q. two thing going forward we have we'll have more ability in our system to classify whatever's covert related or not the only way that we're able to to do this was to blanket across the for all businesses in Q. two again this is on Q. two this is an account for Q. one from January to March so if there was no trouble in that business it was going under by you know whatever their issue was not provide related that's not gonna be accounted for they'll have to make that up in there so this is just specifically for that second quarter of twenty twenty what about businesses that have shut down a re located and their employees if I didn't get a compensation package are they included in these numbers to. All right of all the request twelfth like Cameron valve out there not thirty shut down in revocation out here shut down and if those employees had go on unemployment because they shut down on CO wood related are those numbers reflected in these percentages or they separated out as if they were in the second quarter than they were be included in this. But we don't know how to we we don't have a weight separately right to separate and I'll. Okay and then I guess last question be the percentage of fraudulent claims. What bearing do those claims have if any on the percentages on the on the front for the second quarter to the is there any connection between those two situations. Yes Sir as we we are work you still working three quarter to claims we're we're already seeing significant reductions in the amount of charges for that quarter because as we as we work through those fraudulent claims were removing them from the employer charges. How does that connect with the request for the money that you're asking for if if there's a percentage if the percentage of fraudulent claims or fraudulent claims are factored into the numbers that are on the front of the sheet how does that have any impact if any on the money additional money you're asking for out of the cares funding. We would hope that that number would would drop it once we're able to weed out fraudulent claims that that number drops but when we're looking at where we are now in knowing the timing that you know were against our last day LC meeting or or presumably soon to be last they'll see meeting and the funds have and be spent by the end of the year this is where we we currently stand we're hopeful that that number Frank's albeit probably not a significant amount. It is that money one identified is it being returned to the unemployment trust fund or where does it end up it would be returned back to the unemployment trust fund yes Sir so could we think may be in a quarter to is that shrinks the. That would put additional money into the trust fund and would that have any bearing on lowering the of the finds that employers would have to pay once those because those claims are to be removed from that employer if their identify because that's not the employer's fault even though the if I understand this right even though they're gonna be penalized represented in the percentages on here is is that going to have any bearing on reducing the percentage that they would be responsible for issue identify those moving forward that's correct it would come off their their claim she and that would improve those numbers so you say may by third quarter fourth quarter what your best guest as far as when we would see that. Any idea. Or is that like going to tunica death or not now pine bluff. That's to be determined in and hopefully as soon as we get through the the fraudulent claims that could take awhile. Okay part thank you can we just be updated as on those numbers as I know what represent Wardlaw last but I think would be good moved for to see will much clue that in the the updates to Dr Childress present stay off each month alright thank you thank you Mr. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized I thank you Mr chair as we are looking at the closing of business is because of the pandemic what role the skills development planning and preparing individuals for a new job that may open up because from what I'm seeing they only provide money through corporations to institutions of higher learning so what role the date flying to make sure that we're up in an atom well let me just we're in the process of rolling out a new apprenticeship program through the offices still skills development that's going to work with our P. U. a and are you are claimant's all for doctor children's who's been working with the our offices skills development very closely on this initiative. A yes ma'am we are working with those individuals to provide them with new skills so that they can possibly go back to work through a pre apprenticeship in an apprenticeship program so those that coordination occur has occurred and we have already reached out to those individuals that that would that are currently receiving unemployment benefits and then we'll there will be as a process as to identifying those that have an interest in participating so we're using those funds in order to assist as well as coupling those with other programs that that we have in place that that allow for that training to a car rather than the work search well the previous model that I saw with your skills development program was at the moneys flow through a corporation to higher rate institution are you maintaining that That model in order to get folks back to work when there is no there is no job for the for the money to flow through these are specifically in the area of cyber security and and IT and so we're working with that you a global is one of the providers of for that training so that though it that training will be provided through the training provider that's approved for unemployment for the three we go as a and their local workforce board was the process for being approved. A there's the three the local workforce boards there's an application for any training provider that's interest in providing training to the for workforce development and people have been made aware of this publicly are or is this just a revelation is coming to us a yes man this is been available for training provider since the beginning of we owe a so the individuals have been. Of have been for two is fighting for quite some time well I'm trying to find out how you determine. What institutions can provide that training. A senator Chesterfield I'm not sure how that first notice one out but I can find out and and let you know I would certainly appreciate it thank you thank you. Representative Payton you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair Mr first and I just trying to drill down on some of the specifics here. On the chart or you gave the second quarter claims by industry. The percentage of accounts that would be the employer right not necessarily representing the percentage of employees. That's the percentage of the number of accounts that we have classified in the next codes for the for instance manufacturing at five point nine percent to tell me account would be represent the employer right correct so like in manufacturing if the average account has. Five hundred employees or you look at food service for the average account may have twenty five employees we're not seeing a good representation of where the where the citizens the employees. The workers are. So could you give us that and and forwarded to us via email or instead of just the percentage recounted actually represents where the employees are in in each category. Yes Sir as a percentage and then when you were speaking of the cost per employee I assume that was per month. And that's the only that's the permit employee cost. The per month now that's the. The annual cost annual cost okay thank you thank you Mr chair. That's the last question I have no further questions but doctor jewelers in sector Preston I want to thank you for your quick response to this. Problem that was brought up that none of us really knew about and I don't I don't think people in the state realize the impact that this hat would have had on our businesses small and medium so procedure quick response and working with us on that and thank you for being here today thank you Mr chair thank you committee. Okay we'll move on to item after. Department Human Services bill would come for. And this is a review of the rule which add six hundred slots the existing community employment supports home and community based waiver program. So the bill would be a entities yourself for the record. Thank you Mr chairman mark wild party who services. Hi thank you Melissa stone division director for developmental disability services you're recognized to present. I think I'll use brief overcast chairman and I missed open certainly answering questions that anything that I'll leave out S. of you may remember we announced the governor few weeks back we're we are seeking to add additional slots to the committee and employment services waiver which is our Medicaid waiver the servers are developing disabled population allows for those individuals to receive home and community services we do have a case law a long standing waiting list for this waiver and so we're very excited about the prospect of bill to address and reduce that waiting list with these additional slots this way remember before you would add an additional six hundred slots to the waiver as well as one hundred property slots which may be used for children who commented DCFS custody and are in the in need of a waiver services are waiting list right now is not. At the end have a reserve round three thousand four hundred to three thousand five hundred mess given days. So this will make should make a good did in that these laws we funded by premium tax revenue from the premiums that are paid on the past program as you may remember when that person was approved as a premium taxes paid on those premiums the state pays the passes as that revenue that is earmarked for reducing the slot reducing the waiting list and add an additional slots. And your question enter yes so that's an on going these premiums are ongoing so that should be a continual improvement and reducing this waiting list is that correct yes Sir the. And that's with that covers everything would have answering questions. Okay I have one question and someone brought up to me that Though the waiting list and then the human development centers has been limited is that right yes there is no waiting list for folks that need to go in the human development centers. And we had that in the past correct yes so right now there's multiple reasons probably for that but as you know we just people sign up to want to go to a human development center and and we had quite a few co that cases at our centers and frankly even People does are moving around as much as they were prior to kind of and and so we have not receive the request. I ask you a question so you you believe the call with cases might stop people from wanting to sign up I do I do. All right A so because of that we have we have empty available slots in the human development centers These people on this waiting list I mean it could they go into those slots if it was a serious situation and are they are they. Inform the that the they are so you know it's the same eligibility criteria whether you live at an intermediate care facility or whether you receive service on the waiver and so when they call DDS is intake unit we go over all the services that are available and we go over waiver and state plan services and human development centers so they're aware that they can go into a human development center if they need to. Because people I know they they probably are concerned because of the virus but you know in an extreme situation where you really need some help right now that would be a good option for people that are on that list absolutely I would think. Okay we've got a question. Representative Wardlaw you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair so we started two and a half three years ago mark I'm over here when we started with this waiting list of. I don't know what word to use here but help with taking people off this number that you give a few seconds ago thirty five hundred seems awful high to me consider the number of slots that we've been able to take off of that waiting list have we seen it grow over the over the recent few recent past or what's the problem yes that's a really good question so the tobacco finding that was re directed was read directed and allowed us to add five hundred flights back in two thousand sixteen it didn't seem like it was that for long ago but it it wise and then we have through attrition about a hundred and fifty slots that come open and each year and but we have the same amount of people signing up every month I'm actually starting to drill down in that more to see if there's time for we have more people sign up throughout the year because that is soon as we give a slight it feels like we have two more sign up to the terms we have the same amount of people sign up is that new people sign up for services or is that people coming back for more services are we seeing people move and our state sign up for services which which which define that and that's a great question so no it's new and it's usually children so if you look at our wait list because that I looked at the day the other day to see these six hundred flights are these all adults and they are so when you take that thirty five hundred about the first half of them are adults because unfortunately they probably signed up when they were children and it's taking as historically about nine years ten years to give them a slot so that when you see the bottom half of this wait list it's children okay thank you thank you Mr I just wanna make sure that we're actually getting and we're knocking chips offer this bring because it almost seems like the bricks growing faster than we're chipping off of it and if that's true Mister chairman we we need to really work harder to find a way to knock and all. Bigger chips because nine to ten years to wait on services that is not acceptable in my book thank you Mr. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair could you tell me how we are evaluating the effectiveness of the pass. I can't is so I'm we have eight contracted ET Q. R. O. and I wish I could and think of what that stood for it's an old review section and I can with the E. stands for. Quality review organization and I don't know what the stand for what I can find out for you and and they come in and they not only evaluate the past three metrics but they evaluate how we are handling the pass at DHS so they're doing at a double and review and right now they're in the stage where they're gathering and the latest as are gathering and a large quantity of that person centered service plans for all the past members to go back and see what was on this plans if they were sufficient if they were getting the service they need and then also judging I asked to see how we handled disputes around the eyes issues and other factors I can get you probably be a better answer the the factors that the EQ RO actually looks at and are we value waiting also whether or not these these services are are indeed saving money I was at any part of the idea in the first place. Because the whole thing was supposed to be provided in Arkansas shared savings entity and we went into this we were supposed to be able to save money for the state and at the same time provide the most adequate care that we could for the client. Cell who is looking at that are we are we E. that you are we taking note of what the individuals was supposed to be being served by this are saying and we are call them or anything else to see what they think of this program. So yes there are a part of the evaluation process is that is a survey component that staff go out is actually some of my staff that go out and do surveys to see how satisfied they are with their service delivery and it's a face to face interview as far as the EQ RO I can't say whether or not they look at the budget per se I think that would fall more into our annual rate setting discussions with our actuary Milam men and then we negotiate the rates each year with the passes to make sure we're staying at those bass lines that was that and at the beginning of the program so we're not giving more money than we expected the I don't want to be cheap but the providers because they we get cheap service so I want to know what the client is is thinking about this the evaluations about this and what the providers and sales I'm thinking of it and I assume that it is a part of your evaluation process. Yes let me pull that you are for you and then make sure that you get your hands on that and I'm happy to discuss it more in depth all right we just want to make sure that if we have a provider lay it a system that is supposed to provide savings that indeed it is doing that thank you so much and center to the the agony was external quality review authorization. You're recognized do you mind sending that to me as well I'm equally as I'm interested in that just because I want to ask echo the comments by senator Chesterfield we really need to make sure that the providers are not getting the short end of the stick because it will reduce the quality of service and Verdes access so I've I would like a copy of that as well thank you will get that to you. Senator hammer you're recognized thank you Mr chair we've had a we've had a few conversations back forth about a couple areas involving certain providers and. The the passes do not have to fall the Medicaid reimbursement rate is act is that correct. Senate gauche eight the reimbursement rate which providers correct thank you with a few exceptions so with the there's some of our Medicaid providers have consent decrees in place which sets a minimum base that they must be paid not only by us but by the past program but yes I'm on average they can negotiate their own rates within their networks how does that ability for them to negotiate their own rates have any impact on the number of dollars that are created that applies to the population we're talking about on the subject matter does it or does it have any variance at all. Set for this particular population the amount the services that are underneath this waiver or those home and community based services and the majority of the dollars are spent on a service called supported living which is the worker that goes into a person's home and teaches them easement training skills each pass has set a rate for that particular service in fact that service has several different rates depending on what you're doing and those rates have been set in negotiated in this contract here they'll have the opportunity of course as always in starting in January if their entering negotiations to change their rate agreements with the providers. Okay let me let me take another run at it and ask it this way the amount of dollars that are generated that are helping us take the number or sustain where we are depend on your. Answer represent Wardlaw while ago that is all driven by. By the tax on the services or or what is the generating source of income that's creating this money to be able to reduce the slots. This yeah and the premium taxes based on and memberships though each path pays a percentage to the insurance to Arkansas insurance based on their membership numbers so am the higher the higher amount of people in the past of course the more premium tax is paid and so with on its one a global level than it is on an individual level and pertaining to these particular people when these people go into the pass and they will add that will add to that number and then they'll pay more premium tax on their membership at. Okay and and one other question on the numbers I'm looking at the handout. Hand out if it it it looks like there's if I'm not misinterpreting this flame straightening out but you know it looks like the dollars. For providing to the six hundred is going to increase next year so is this based on what we're projecting to bring in next year or we are you all looking at adjusting your budget to. A. To accommodate the difference for how are we going to how we going to deal with that for example I'm looking it says this may cost by fiscal year to state county municipal government to implement this rule to almost three million for current fiscal year and then nearly thirteen million for next year am I interpreting that corrected worse that difference coming from. Yes Sir that's just a difference on how the waiver we have the years on the waiver ran so this waiver is approved I think I'm the end of September through September and it runs on a five year calendar so it's just how many people we expect to be able to quickly add to the slide at a slight and receive services that's where you'll see the dollar discrepancy so we had to make projections on how many people we can get onto the waiver and find a provider find housing set the services that within the calendar year so we have goals on how many how many slots we do every single month and that's how we made our annual projections supports the first year you will have as many as you would the second year when we expect to have everyone on. But if we don't increase the numbers on the passes which then they pay the premium based on their percentage are we are we flat then or or we we pretty well plateaued for awhile so right now what we've done is because this the first time we've when an added slots with that premium tax we let the tax build up some said that we could put a large amount of money towards it but now we have people coming on to the past every single month we have people going off as well but we do anticipate this being a stable flow of income to add systematics lights. Just passes go away we got fund sources for other money yes Sir thank you. Mr thank you. Senate Peyton you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair so back to the CS waiver member. It says that we're going to add six hundred slots. To our waiver that were requesting from federal government how may slots do we currently have on we've talked about how many are on the waiting list how many slot do we have in that we're at in the six hundred two I need to get you the exact number on that but it's right around it's right around thirty eight hundred so basically we have enough people on the waiting list to double if we were to put them all in the population that is on the waiver yes Sir okay thank you. Thank you Mr chair. Representative Ferguson you're recognized Deborah Ferguson thank you Mr chair at I know back when many of us were on the original task force that looked at this with John stated the ACA offered to six percent increase in the F. map to help cover these populations have we come back in a seems like we keep adding more more general revenue that have we gone back to evaluate and I would be required to accept everyone is my understanding the reason we didn't at the time but if we look at that to see if the return on investment might be better to go back and look at taking that six percent additional F. ma'am. We so yeah I would just say knowing you're exactly right I mean that's the that's the consideration so when you except that large amount F. map through and and I guess the beginning the first option that you you can't turn anyone down so it would just be about the state general revenue side of that so just like represented Payton was saying I've got thirty eight hundred on there right now and today I probably have around three thousand five hundred on the wait list and we have people signing up every single week so it would just be trying to determine that's why it was exciting to actually have the past premium tax be a brand new funding stream because until then we didn't have any new source of income to devote to this wait list and and so it it's it's sat for longer than it maybe shed and now we're gonna try to start catching up so people don't have to wait as long I think will always have a wait list if we continue to get this route but my hope is that we can add slides in a way where they won't be waiting nine or ten years yeah I get I guess my question is if we look at how many people we could service with the premium tax and the additional six percent could we face a blanket everyone off the wait list for the same money as a by looked at that. And it's not to my knowledge I have personally not looked at that and but we can. Senator hammer you have another question it give me a minute please yes Sir okay the in order for the passes to pay for the tax. How do we know that they're not taking that out of reimbursement to the providers in order to pay for that tax or what safeguards or they're in there to prevent that from happening. Senate are actuary Miller many not like I said we do rate reviews and and we we look at the rates on a very consistent basis we monitor spend from the passes through what what's called encounters which is paid claims that then have to be sent through our billing system at DHS and they have to hit a ninety two percent percent of claims paid on medical services for past clients that's the at the contract we have with them so we we monitor to make sure that ninety two percent of that money that we're providing them is paid on direct patient care. Okay and then. The. But the amount of money and I can't hear what the phrases say they've set aside a certain percentage for community. Investments in committee investments eight dollars are representing community investments now. Let me go back and look it's it's the over a million so they can spend up to five percent of what we pay them for community investment and that will allow them to count that project towards the medical loss ratio that and it has to and they have to present as proposals to DHS and we have all to men approval and some of the criteria is that has to benefit the entire state wide system so we have actually been receiving this proposals into at three passes have sentiment and we've approved them but the total dollar amount that's out there between all three at this point is a million dollars now it's more than that let me get that number for you because where I'm going with that is that would benefit any if we were to redesign that so that money and I know that would take away from certain projects or basement or projects I get that but would be better served if we re directed that money toward this. In order to knock down that number of waiting list or what would prevent that from happening other than you got a bunch people's committee projects to get mad because there's isn't gonna get funded but. What what would stop us from doing that and I would like to know how much money is in there to know how how it would go against the total number of people that are on the waiting list of what we could do to use that as a funding stream if that six percent thing represented Ferguson referenced it materialize yes I am absolutely I think this year because of the contractual agreement we have I think it would be hard to have it at this point but I definitely think we're going into a brand new agreement a brand new here um so I will be happy to get those dollars for you are and I'd like to report your send to senator Irvin senator Chesterfield Senate I'd like to see what are the exclusions where they don't have to follow Medicaid reimbursement rates that group you talked about Lago please thank you Mr. You're recognized thank you Mr chair to quick follow up I should ask this earlier but when you said thirty eight hundred did that include the six hundred additional or not that's what we have right now so would be going to forty four hundred if you get approval yes thank you thank you Mr chair. All right see no further questions thank you. So we'll move on to item G.. Transaction. Sorry without objection that rule is reviewed. If you would please enter this yourself record. I'm Christie Hayes with division of county operations I'm a program administrator over income support. You may proceed thank you Mr chairman this next policy relates to Medicaid eligibility this re implements was transitional Medicaid eligibility for one particular category of Medicaid clients that is the parent caretaker category this is the category where you have individuals who have a child in the home and have a very low income it's seventeen percent of the federal poverty level which equates to about three hundred dollars a month is the most they can earn and be in this category we used to provide FOR transitional Medicaid for these individuals when an increase in income so they can get six months or possibly year of Medicaid benefits temporarily as a transitioned out of it but that coverage laps to twenty fourteen because the federal law that required it had a sunset clause since then there is some some disagreement and some doubt in Washington this for for the not the affordable Care Act require that to continue in the interim CMS is finally come back and said yes states do have to provide for this transitional Medicaid coverage for these clients and so for that reason we're eight re enters returned to some this into our state plan so will provide this coverage as I said just for that one category for most of these folks if they have an increase in income in all likelihood they're going to be a little for Arkansas works so we don't expect this to be a tremendous amount of new dollars going to the program the fiscal impact this bill included it would be a ceiling but in reality with effective that much less than that and with that we have the entry questions. Right we do have a couple questions represented Payton you're recognized thank you Mr chair regarding the fiscal impact statement is that the agency indicated that will result in the expense of over a hundred thousand dollars for your to private individual in to to your business will can you elaborate on that. Me yes Sir the for that question that it is an increased cost state government as well the options there and that's was referred to was that increased state general rose St match that we have on it that we as an agency will have to pay for these individuals if they if they don't end up in Arkansas works or some other category. The Clerk of folly them I thought. The way I read that paragraph I didn't think it. I mean I would make everything qualify. I it may may speak the word of the question but I think you're free to question number seven on the fiscal impacts that a statement no I'm I'm on the second paragraph under financial impact statement it says the agency indicated that this rule will result in a new or increased cost of at least a hundred thousand dollars per year to a private individual private entity private business. Okay there's government county government. Okay I guess I just got hung up on the private John figured out yes thank you Mr chair. Representative Ferguson you're recognized thank you Mr at thank you answer my question so these people really going from a seventy the government to ninety is. The it be for if you're if to be able to print caretaker get people seventeen percent from high level and so if they go above that they can receive up to six months of transitional Medicaid if they state under a hundred eighty five percent of the federal poverty level the potentially could get up to a year of transition Medicaid if the fall the reporting requirements. I guess my question what's the F. map on this great before ma'am seventy third is thirty seven and then but if they have increasing can they be moved into a ninety ten F. map for I'm a look if you see where with the people go if they're not on Arkansas works I mean why would we still have to pay for the I'm confused where they're going that they would go through this only if for some reason they weren't eligible for Arkansas works and so you might have if someone goes to let's say a hundred eighty percent the federal poverty level in that case they're gonna be over the limits for Arkansas works they could receive this transitional coverage for set up to six months okay I understand thank you. A saying no further questions without objection this rule is reviewed. I move on item H.. Mr all it'll autumn H. from may. Of this is an amendment to our Medicaid provider manuals we've that are making an effort to go back with some cases where we mention specific brand names in the mock manuals and really is not that's really not necessary and so we make it made a concerted effort to go back and remove those out of the provider manuals good order in situation where may affect your change the brand name and all the sudden we can't cover something because the product manuals promulgated rule and has that brand name and so this rule does that with the hopper alimentation manual which relates to nutrition and feeding and also the first X. manual. To reduce request to modify the manual yes Sir. Seeing no questions without objection is rules and review. Thank you Mr chairman A moving on the online. A miss Purvis will join me for this one. Please for the record. Good morning my name is Elizabeth Pitman I'm deputy director with the division of medical services. May proceed. Hey Mister miss but most will give an overview of electronic visit verification this is a rule that we're asking for your approval on that this is a new federal requirement that we suspect that you all make it some questions about without might be held to give you just a brief overview of what EBV is what's being implemented and with that I'll turn over miss payment. Thank you I think you all have copies of the hand out as well as it being on the screens. So as mark said electronic visit verification is a federal requirement Congress passed a law and some time ago called the support support act that we have to follow. So electronic visit verification is are putting that in process it is a means to verify visits for in home services said services are provided in the client's home. Effective this year what we're asking for today is permission to begin EBV for personal care attendant care and respite for those two services so this is not all in home services yet CMS is dates that we have to have this in place is January first of twenty twenty one so we're asking for a rule to be effective on December fourth so we have a few weeks to make sure that everything's working in time for that effective date. With the V. you have to collect six data sets of information for each visit and those are listed here on the first slide they're the type of service being provided the client who is receiving the service the date that the services being provided and the location the individual who is providing the service and the start in in time for that service. Again we're implementing because Congress mandated mandated it by January first twenty twenty one for the services there is a second group of services home health that we will have to implement by January first of twenty twenty three. So we'll be back asking for that. And Evey protects the clients that insures that they're getting the care that they're supposed to the care that's been authorized for them and that they need and it also helps prevent fraud waste and abuse in the Medicaid program. So we have a time line here for you of kind of how we how we've progressed through this with our new vendor and you vendor is and Fiserv and their service is called off and to care. We are an selected them in August and began or training registration period and August thirty first we have already started training with providers we've trained all of our pilot providers in our pilot began on October twenty third we've also trained about fifty percent of the other providers that are going to have to use the system starting in January. And again our pilot has started on October twenty third we and are working with about five pilot providers including a pass and we have been able to verify some visit so that's good news. CMS comes in on the thirtieth of this month to do their operational readiness review to make sure that we're ready to go live and then we go live on December fourth. So all care givers to help provide personal care attendant Karen respite must. Use the TV system and to do what they have to enroll their direct care workers with Medicaid that's mandatory because we have to know who's providing the service and this allows us to do that as of this morning we had just a little shy of twelve thousand direct service workers and rolled so we're doing really well. And they can they can enroll through the provider portal or they can submit a provider applicants that paper application. They are received a pen once they're enrolled and so that can can be used to bill for their services. So again that numbers a little a little low on that side today I got a new number and we're up to about eleven thousand nine hundred as of today. And we continue to do outreach we continue to put out are a messages blast on Facebook and direct emails to the providers to make sure they know that everybody has to be enrolled effective December fourth. So like I said earlier. Just making Centerton you're recognized. Thank you where does the funding come from for the for those provider agent for the. For the at FC that your since a lot of them have opted for a third party even the option. So Who pays for this. Yes ma'am so if that provider chooses to use an EVD option a third party system they do pay for that themselves the authentic care system is free for them to use that because there are some cost if they choose to use a third party system or to purchase more funds for their employees we did look at that when we did the rate review which I think you'll be seeing very scene for personal care services okay so so we are trying to provide. Funding for them through the rate review process yes. Okay. And I would also mention that one reasons we allow for that third party use is we have some providers that they are happy be systems in place and we don't want to displace the investment they are already made in those systems is that's one reason why we decide to have an open system where they can choose to use our system or they already have one they can use it or if they want to use a new system because it cost of their billing system or or whatever reason they may have that provider has that option yeah and I think I think that's fine I just wanna make sure because we've done that in the past and kind of close that door and so I just wanna make sure that we're not putting something new on these organizations that they weren't able to that they did not a budget for. Thank you. The authentic care system itself if they choose to use it is free to them and they can use what's called IV are which is a land line phone system so the use the phone line in the client's house and that means they need no additional equipment said it's not the most convenient way which is why we factored additional cost and but there is a way to do it with no cost to the provider. So just so you're aware. And again it's not it's not the ideal the ideal is to use the smartphone and so we did factor that into that to the rate review there is an electronic apt that the direct service worker can download on their phone they check in an out when they go into the person's home and not how we it uses GPS geo location to determine that the visit is in fact happening in a patient's home where it's supposed to and that everything's going the way it is not how the visit is verified if they don't have the app they can use the IV our system and use the land line to call in they enter their pen on that land line go through a series of questions check in and check out it does the same thing. And then again the third party option which is the one we just talked about all managed care organizations are using a third party option and a lot most providers have actually chosen to use this we think because of convenience this way they have one system as well and and not have to register for each of the three passes systems along with ours but they do have that option as well. And. If the third party system does have to meet our criteria so they have to make sure that they're visits meet CMS is requirements and that the data can be sent in an an aggregated with what's an authentic cares so it meets the same data points that the data that we require in our system has to eat so we work with each one of these vendors to make sure that our system is integrated with ours and our staff works with each one of their offenders and we're receiving attestations now that their systems are ready to do that starting twelve four. There's about fourteen to sixteen third party vendors in the state that we know of right now. And the authentic care system uses what's called the train the trainer model so the agency leads come in and do the training and then they train their spare direct support providers on how to use the app and like I said we've had about fifty percent of our providers attend that training so far and we do use surveys at the end of it and so far the feedback has been positive. I we do have training currently set to run through December second but were closely monitoring that and if we need to extend it we will. Because of having nineteen were not able to offer any in so in person training so it's all done online. We do on going support during pilot we had daily calls with the pilot providers every morning the common we're able to work through some of their issues this morning we were actually able to share screen and walk through how to use the portal with the provider that called so it's been very helpful. Because there's only five were able to really work with them we plan to continue those and actually increase them possibly to two calls a day when we got live just to make sure we're still able to address everybody's concerns. We also have websites that are run through the states where you can sing compressions my staff monitors those every day. And if I serve has a help line that's a direct line for Arkansas they also have a general line but it gives you a big list of states that their end so we're only publishing Arkansas line so that you get directly to the Arkansas staff. They're available seven to seven but they have twenty four hour support if your need is critical and they can escalate it to that twenty four hour support. They also offer user manual and about a three page quick reference guide to help use their system quickly. And that's all I have today I'm happy to answer any questions about the rule or about the system itself. Okay we do have a few questions senator Chesterfield you're recognized. First of all let me say thank you for taking in consideration the fact that everybody didn't have a smart phone and all of this our three passes deal the sign entities that we had before. Yes ma'am okay so we're we're not breaking any new ground there no no folks were participating what I want to thank you because I was concerned when you started talking about all of these that once again those individuals who don't have access to online services would suffer but I appreciate you for taking the time to make sure that you can even use a land line to make provision thank you Mr chair. Senator hammer you're recognized thank you on the. On the third party system if they opt out of Houston. Of the the primary provider it seems was that was an initiated through state procurement contractor how was that you came to choose that company. To so what we'd show we've ever had a procurement it's been a couple years ago that we chose a vendor work for that vendor over the course of a year and it just it wasn't going getting where we thought it needed to be and so I think when the veteran than us we made a a mutual decision to call off and then we went through a this special procurement for this one we went and looked at the other vendors are in the country we narrowed it down to see who the vendors that have systems that are live in place at the time that we're working with the same in my system that we use so we could be assured that the the least number of least chance of any kind of problems or issues and that could give us I think to vendors at the end that we look that we compared both and made the choice to go with this vendor. So fund to care is in your opinion the best one out there that you're going to help us transition into this with the least amount of problems. Yes Sir and what's the cost of the contract and house at reimburse that federal dollars here's our state manager. It's federal dollars there is some federal match on it as administered expense but we do have state dollars going towards that. And I do not recall the cost contract of handles miss been does. I believe the cost for the next year is in here. Yes Sir if the questions and to answer six is the EBT implementation ongoing maintenance operation costs that includes the contract because for the next year the total cost a contract I don't know we'll have to get that information for you. I'd like to have that if you don't mind please and then in the rare occasion you got somebody to because land lines are going away we're not quite there with the broadband you know to and we just had to me about the five G. and all the stuff what what are the allowances that you got a you got a provider in the home provide services and they just can't get a signal so that they don't end up becoming the poster child for fraud how are we protecting those people know because our places like that even within fifty miles of us sitting here yes Sir so the app itself if you have that on your phone and you check in an out we'll hold that store it in the app and then when you get back to a place where you can connect either wirelessly through wifi signal in three or four G. five G. it will lead that data and suffice scene even if you don't have a signal in that home right then for whatever reason apple still function and store that so when you do have a signal you concluded okay forget thank you thing Mr but I would like to get the cost of the contract with. Represented mental you're recognized. Thank you and this has nothing to do with this can I ask a real quick question of. I mark well he's here chair. Thank you I appreciate the personal procedural quick mark or here we have in previous meetings discussed about the rate review for physicians are receiving reimbursement for Medicaid and they're it then we did a a minimal five percent increase we had discussed resent eight percent can you tell me we're at on that process yes but we we reviewed it look at it several different ways finals is we came back to was to simply add an additional three percent on to the right and so there is a rule making that will be coming your way shortly to add that three percent of the rates great news thank you one other quick question chairman if that's okay okay I know we had talked you and on the phone and I know all another number my colleagues are issued wells as well bring up a committee we talked about getting a report from our area agencies on aging on the funding that comes through them into or individual senior centers can we get an a report from each one of those agency directors and I will see how the funding is going funneled through them and what the process is to get each one of my senior centers because there seems to be some real disparity on some of my smaller senior centers in the fund and they're getting is very really crucial to a lot of folks get their meals delivered everyday so we can do that for me out I would appreciate a might get to fill and again Senate that all of our colleagues is bill will get the delays and ask them to put that together and work for the moment great thank you thank you chairman I appreciate that privilege. Okay seeing no further questions without objection is rule stands review. Thank you for your presentation. We'll move on to item J. the department of health. Critical access hospitals. Please enter the separate record. Lars two general counsel of the department of health. Chuck Thompson turning to health you may proceed. Thank you Mr chair members of the committee Mike on the people closer ninety little closer can hear me yes that better thank you thank you. We're here to present a our rules today including rules for critical access hospitals these amendments are pursuant to acts from twenty nineteen including ACT three fifteen which removes the word regulation ACT six twenty two report abortion complications the department of health will compile aggregate data data and put that report online also ACT eight eighty nine of twenty nineteen improves the plan review this allows for a licensed architect or engineers to approve any improvements to hospitals whether new construction or adding to the hospital also would amends of the rules to add transfers of patients from the care of a lay midwife pursuant to ACT nine seventy seven of twenty nineteen it also amends the rules to remove the annual tuberculosis testing requirement for hospitals and other institutions and so this also adds that amendments in there this is pursuant to our general authority under our and health provisions in title twenty and also taught at twenty dash fifteen dash seven a one we had a public hearing on September third with a few comments with suggested additional language because they were beyond the scope of what we were amending this time they are going to be considered for the next go round our health facility experts that are here today have assured me that they're going to be doing further review of that the critical access hospital rules and our other hospital rules this summer after the session if there are any acts of from the twenty twenty one it session that a fact the rules will obviously amend those and and include the public comment concerns at that time and I'm would conclude my presentation and we'll take any questions. Senator when you're recognized for a question. Thank you one thing when you're doing that review and I would like to work with you on the critical access hospitals as it relates to the trauma system and the things that they need to do in order to comply with the level of trauma identification Just so that we can make sure that they maintain their level of certification as critical access hospitals and maybe try to streamline and eliminate some of that administrative burden that might be Causing causing some issues out there so thank you for that I'm I think a review is a good thing and I'll discuss more with the about that later thank you. Senator hammer you're recognized for a question of goodness chair on this one thank you. All right of. Seeing no further questions without objection this rule stands reviewed. A Senator hammer I'd like to recognize you for point of personal privilege do you did you need that if you don't wanna share yes proceed thank you Issue one dash your question on related what's on the agenda today because I got a call on the way up here this morning and I just wanted to ask you and the concern was that maybe factor rumors to watch it help dispel the rumor was regarding the possibilities of schools be required to shut down after thanksgiving to go totally virtual a check with part of it part of it said that that is not their intent at this time nor was that under discussion is there a discussion going on at the department of health regarding schools be required to shut down after thanksgiving going virtual. Senator hammer I'm not aware of those discussions that would be something for doctor Romero and doctor delay Hey and the physicians group to be addressing with their partners that the department of education we can certainly follow up with you and get you more information on that right Mr Ken maker questions chair yes. Because that would involve of a major state wide situation that we as legislators would have to deal with with the chair send a request the department of health that if that is going to be considered and discussed that the chairs of public health would be notified of that immediately so that we as legislators could have opportunity to respond should that become the situation. The request right now to the business two can you start like that formal request certainly to let us know what the plans are. Weather or what Senator hammer suggests happening or what are the plans specifically so that we know and we can talk to constituents will do. Thank you as soon as we can thank you think we should and I realize we hit you with the line like so I appreciate that of this move on to item Katy. Item K. are rules for hospitals and related institutions these have the exact same amendments as are critical access hospital amendments they include that removing the term regulation pursuant to act three fifteen also the abortion complication reporting requirement under ACT six twenty the plan review requirements of under ACT eighty nine of twenty nineteen the license healthcare facility transfers of patients from the care of a lay midwife pursuant to ACT nine seven seven of twenty nineteen and also the standardizing the tuberculosis prevention testing and these are the exact same amendments as does the critical access hospital rules. All right seeing no questions without objection this rule stands review. And item L. is been put on hold on we'll move that to the next agenda to get some additional information yes thank you Mr chair. All right. Thank you for your presentation. Okay we'll move on the item AM. where we have I. S. P.'s listed. unless someone wants to present their I. S. P.. we would need to. Correct to. So if anyone wants to present an I. S. P.. you're welcome to do that at this point I would recognize you otherwise we will just adopted the science fees. Payton you're recognized thank you Mr chair about the check to the adoption of an ISP in the absence of their sponsor. Okay I think they ought to be here to presented if there's questions okay let me run on this list then number one there I. S. P. where Representative Bentley did you want to say something you okay. Okay number two by Representative love. Okay would you give just a summary represented person. Have yes thank you of and this is this but when of people you know are at risk for H. at the thank nail can take of drug Capri up which is a prophylactic drugs that prevents them getting H. of a individually leading to aids it is being transformative four of people gave people particularly who are at risk of getting HIV it's it's preventative and represented love is just presenting this size paid to look at the possibility of making it more available by having a single dose introduced of being able to prescribe pharmacists with the consultation then after the thirty days they would have to go to a primary care doctor. So firms if I might still loan Mr chair yes my question on this it's obviously a scope of practice we're going give pharmacist you know prescribing authority which is been payment Lee opposed in the past. By you and others in your profession so my question is how much training or the pharmacist going have to submit to a kind of financial things are going to be imposed on the on the pharmacist and and are they going to be forced to do this or it will be voluntary I just have a host of questions and I wish we have a a full body of the committee here to think of things and I'm sure I'm not thinking of and I understand that that's why you do the interim study but also you know this seems to be an area that we have hashed and re hashed in this committee many times with giving pharmacists prescribing authority. And so you know I feel much better if we have the sponsor here and a better representation of the committee here. Well I might say this I'm not sure that I'm even for the yes but I mean I think it's common courtesy to give people an introduction fines paid we can certainly discuss it at thirty with common courtesy to be here to present you ask yeah I'm so I he at the you know I have jobs. It delayed it was rental over but yeah I mean I I I mean I'd like that I'm not sure I'm for this because there are a lot of questions about that he has that things in here about training by the health department FOR pharmacists and all of those things and I think that's something we can hash and subcommittee so can I make a motion to hold it over to the management Representative Ferguson you chair that subcommittee was this discussed in the subcommittee but no it hadn't been introduced yet okay yes but a member Reyna time to introduce sized pays as well as a docket just that a curtesy I make sure I'm for that I think it's worth you major letting it be entered a sent to run a time that. Your motion again I move that we hold it over to the next meeting so represent of love and may be more members could be involved here in this adoption. Okay have a motion this over the next meeting. We have a second to the motion. I have a second any discussion. I mean Senator hammer you're recognized thank you I just wanna make sure roof if you could refresh my time line because this is the I. S. P. the fact that is being introduced today regardless of whether we hold it over not does it meet the threshold of the time requirements for nice B. or for scope of practice bill to be can you re educate me on that yes yes it can be present at the next meeting and still meet the deadlines okay I just okay thank you. I I mean I guess the math vacant may not I just I can't think of a single time we refuse to nice fake I mean that I think that's just card yes but. Well we will be discussed in the subcommittee in detail before it's approved by the full committee at the next meeting. The well a member we have time to discuss it in subcommittee if it's not if it's not approved today will be a morning meeting and and then an afternoon meeting the subcommittee meet in the morning committee meeting afternoons are twenty times the though that's what I'm saying if we don't enter days it today we won't be able to hear that subcommittee in the morning. I believe Senator you're recognized I believe the deadline to introduce an ISP is December fourteenth so legislators have the opportunity to introduce anything up to December fourteenth and then after December fourteenth we may have to have another subcommittee anyway. To to actually meet if if it gets introduced by that date. Thought I think in my opinion that's my opinion. Because it because if we didn't than today than would kind of be the deadline right right. So. Yes we put that on hold them we wouldn't be re acquired to have a December twelfth meeting. I mean I guess some under trying to understand what represented patents objection leading and eyes Fabian entered. Okay any further discussion this chair. Yes Senator hammer you're recognized A member this discussion passed by can't member the outcome of it the fact that it has been introduced to the committee meet the threshold of the requirements of a scope of practice bill does does it regards whatever the outcome of the committee whatever the out come to terms the outcome of the committee determines hasn't met the threshold. In order to proceed as a scope of practice bill whether **** accepted rejected by the committee. The answer to that. Yes Centerton you're recognized. House rule seventy two that A and Senate rule seven point oh five provide that no action may be taken in the house committee on public health welfare and labor on the floor of the house of representatives or the Senate committee on public health welfare and labor or on the floor of the Senate on any bill that provides for licensure for at any profession occupation or class of health care providers not currently list licensed or expands the scope of practice of any profession occupation or class of health care providers unless the house committee on public health welfare and labor or the Senate committee on public health welfare and labor has initiated a study of the feasibility of such legislation at least thirty days prior to convening the next legislative session so approval of an I. S. P. would constitute the initiated study of the feasibility of it. That's why I interpret those rules. I really I just read the rule yes under I'm just thinking of the timing of the date that and what was brought up well go about if the committee doesn't meet to the afternoon but the subcommittee meets in the morning we'll subcommittee be meeting after. The committee meets in the afternoon or is there another scheduled meeting after the fourteen. I may be wrong on this but the subcommittee meeting is basically to discuss the I. S. P. because we've not done that in the past we just at my understanding we have done in the past we just implement that and that was just a a way for the presenter to discuss and give more detail to a smaller group for the I. S. P. I don't. Thank the subcommittee the committee had to me before the subcommittee review that I didn't think that was a requirement and I wrong in saying by note I'm wrong about that. I can talk about it. So you can always call a subcommittee meeting the action has to be taken in here first so this committee would either accept the I. S. P. or reject the ISP if they accept the ISP then it goes to the subcommittee to be at the study. If you reject the I. S. P. then it just dies that doesn't meet that special understand is in which the right that what I'm saying is. If represent love can be at the next public health committee meeting I think that's what represent Payton and saying he has some questions for him to be able to present that we would we would have to just call another subcommittee meeting if this committee decided to accept that I. S. P. E. then another subcommittee meeting would have to be called in order to. Take care of the action that was created in this committee. I understand yep are you Mr chair. A Representative Ferguson you're recognized. Twenty and again punching again. Now the yes of. Yes I'd like to see that as being a thought our practice he'd be and to really not do a lot of discussion on the sites fees at the general meeting at the public health week most of the discussions going to take place at the subcommittee even if he was here I mean I don't think we're going to go into in depth asking questions about this but there again I'm just saying how would you feel if the committee rejected your eyes fee that's pretty unusual. So Mr chair from a response yes you may. The office I think we have rules in place that people bring their submit their ISPs four Dobson by this committee. In order to maybe for your. To not have twenty hours worth a discussion during the session in the committee as we've seen the scope of practice bills to you know destroy of committee schedule during the session. We're looking at session come in January February March where we may have limitations on committee meetings and the time that committees have to dispense with business the more that we can hash these things out before adoption the better off we'll be in session and it may be that we've been lacks a daisy on the and and how we handle these things in the past. But as we can see the day we have very limited committee time because of of Limitations on building space and meeting rooms and things like that is going to be even worse during the session so scope of practice bill there are always a hot topic that's why we have these rules in place for you have interim studies you adopt those studies based on whether or not the committee feels that it it warrants the time that we're going to put into it and then you have those interim study proposals were you should be doing a study during the interim so that we don't spend three or four days in the committee during the session we have a huge agenda the news because of it. And I just believe that this is a subject matter on this one. Warrants And scrutiny before we put it on the agenda for the session. Okay thank you Senator hammer did you have a discussion point. Share if we were to vote to refer this out to the subcommittee for approval and action is that meet the requirements of the scope of practice rule for a question Stevenson Irving. Yes. I'd like to make substitute motion. Comments like make substitute motion that we refer the centrum study to the subcommittee for approval and if approved for discussion and I'd like to speak to my motion at substitute motion propped on. Thirty second requires that. Their second second. All right discussion. Senator hammer. If I'm understanding the timing of everything. Unless I misunderstood well go we will have the subcommittee that would hear scope of practice just in the morning we would have the public health meeting for this would have to be taken up to be referred out in the afternoon I would hate really to see us have to call special meeting to take up this one item in order to fulfill the requirements of the rule and to give adequate time for this to be discussed and so that's why I'm making the motion that we would referred to the subcommittee for approval to except for discussion and then they can go in to meet discussion if the presenters not ready then then I think that or is not present then I think the subcommittee can honor the intent of Representative Payton over there thank you Mr. Rule discussion Mr chair yes you recognized I just like clarification on his motion that it it's for adoption of the interim proposal no we're the subcommittee gets to determine whether or not to adopt the proposal we're not doing that here. Correct the subcommittee just discusses it and it brings it to the regular committee for adoption so the subcommittee is to make a recommendation on adoption. Yes okay thank you. So we have a substitute motion. all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries the option. No. Okay so the motion passed yes to to put the send out but it to the interns proposal study is not adopted. To send it to subcommittee that's all was in the subcommittee is going to recommend adoption or not. Thank you thank you Mr. All right the other three everyone is here. For those three so is there any question on those three interns studies. Okay seeing no questions The vote on this. I do have a motion to adopt the other three interns studies motion of emotions are second second motion second any discussion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. All opposed nay motion carries. Okay under other business Senator Irvin you're recognized thank you members just want to give you a little bit of background we had this committee did great work I believe on the buffalo river conservation committee the input from the local stakeholders we had some good meetings up and that district in that area I secretary I'm Mr prices handing out a report and we had at that time during those meetings the buffalo river conservation committee had agreed to come before this body to give this report and funding proposal update and we have had Great meetings as on this topic there have been huge engagement from the stake holders and even on the same call I think there is forty plus people that participated on as soon the most recent same call and a lot of those were the local elected leaders and a lot of local stakeholders and so moving forward there's still some some work that I think needs to be done and so I'll be working with sexually west were ward on that and if you have any questions I'd I was going to give you an update At and one of the newest. In this this is gonna be the progress report and and the different activities that are going to be funded by the million dollars I would just note that a big chunk of this money two hundred fifty thousand dollars was going to is going to go to the city of Jasper for their wastewater treatment facility and improvements on those facilities that they have their businesses are utilized for public they don't have public restrooms that the businesses get hits pretty hard on that and they just don't have the infrastructure really there to support the amount of traffic that they receive think that's a very good one and there is and there are two unpaved roads projects and you can see that on the second page under subsection a sub to and that will total five hundred and seventy thousand dollars nine hundred seventy nine dollars those are two very very Utilized of unpaved roads that create a lot of issues particularly for those counties amending county and then Searcy county. And so I think that's a great spends and then we also included and a new proposal on a dark skies tree light conversion proposal for the city of Gilbert that's something that's new and interesting and exciting I think and to really help promote their tourism Opportunities for the for dark skies and dark sky festivals and and add the buffalo river national park is actually designated as an international dark sky park so it's in line with that so happy to ask answer any questions but I would move for us to accept this as a really final progress report and funding proposal from that committee because I think that's what they're requesting so it may for us to approve this. Most approve I have a second any discussion. Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye aye all opposed nay. Motion carries. Seeing no further business we are adjourned.