Senate Convenes
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (71)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SB290
Act 921
· 8 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “Next, we'll take up Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 290, Senator Blake Johnson. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 290.”
|
TO PROHIBIT A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN WATERSHEDS AND OTHER BODIES OF … | B. Johnson | Notification that SB290 is now Act 921 |
|
SR74
· 7 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “Is concurred in Return to the house. We'll now take up Senate resolution 74.”
|
TO RECOGNIZE THE COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM, FEATURING FOUR (4) PLAYERS FROM … | Irvin | Sine Die adjournment |
|
HCR1004
· 6 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “1004. House concurrent resolution 1004. Oh,”
|
TO CONGRATULATE GAME WARDEN AUSTIN POWELL ON RECEIVING THE MONTY CARMIKLE OFFICER OF THE YEAR … | Wardlaw | Approved by the Governor |
|
HB1878
Act 978
· 5 mentions in chapter
Matched: “HB1878 McGruder Tucker TO ENSURE EARLY VOTING ACCESS FOR ARKANSANS…”
|
TO ENSURE EARLY VOTING ACCESS FOR ARKANSANS RESIDING IN POPULATION CENTERS; AND TO REQUIRE A … | McGruder | Notification that HB1878 is now Act 978 |
|
HB1961
· 3 mentions in chapter
Matched: “HB1961 Achor Boyd TO ALLOW MEDICAL PROVIDERS TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS…”
|
TO ALLOW MEDICAL PROVIDERS TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS FROM FEDERAL INFORMATION-BLOCKING REGULATIONS TO SAFEGUARD PATIENTS DURING INFORMATION … | Achor | Delivered to the Secretary of State |
|
HB1671
Act 1007
· 2 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “…ile it. We are committing on revenue and tax to whom is for House Bill 1671 by Representative Johnson.”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX; AND TO CREATE A GENERAL SALES … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1671 is now Act 1007 |
|
SB352
Act 721
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…l 313 by Senator Irving sent Bill 346 by Senate deficiency. Senate Bill 352 by Cen Stone, Senate Bill 397 by Senator Wallace, Senate Bi…”
|
TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS; AND TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED … | Stone | Notification that SB352 is now Act 721 |
|
SB397
Act 931
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ill 346 by Senate deficiency. Senate Bill 352 by Cen Stone, Senate Bill 397 by Senator Wallace, Senate Bill 400 by Senator Irving sent…”
|
TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIAL PERSONAL INFORMATION OF RAIL EMPLOYEES IN REPORTS INVOLVING RAILROAD FATALITIES. | D. Wallace | Notification that SB397 is now Act 931 |
|
SB400
Act 933
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 352 by Cen Stone, Senate Bill 397 by Senator Wallace, Senate Bill 400 by Senator Irving sent 431 by Central Brutinville 443 by Se…”
|
TO AMEND THE FAIR-FUNDING PROGRAM. | Irvin | Notification that SB400 is now Act 933 |
|
SB450
Act 915
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ving sent 431 by Central Brutinville 443 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 450 by Senator Davis in 451 my central Hester sent 58 by centra…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE A HUMAN FETAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION … | B. Davis | Notification that SB450 is now Act 915 |
|
SB533
Act 934
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 533 by Central Ds send Bill 546 by Senator Hammer, Symville 565…”
|
TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF CONSUMABLE HEMP PRODUCTS BY THE ARKANSAS TOBACCO CONTROL BOARD; … | Dees | Notification that SB533 is now Act 934 |
|
SB568
Act 1012
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 546 by Senator Hammer, Symville 565 by Central Flippo Senate Bill 568 by Senator Crow, Senate Bill 575 by Senator Tucker symbol 5…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TAXES APPLICABLE TO LITHIUM EXTRACTION AND DEVELOPMENT; TO PROVIDE … | Crowell | Notification that SB568 is now Act 1012 |
|
SB575
Act 989
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ille 565 by Central Flippo Senate Bill 568 by Senator Crow, Senate Bill 575 by Senator Tucker symbol 583 by Central Tucker, symbol 608…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSTALLMENT FEES COLLECTED IN CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS; TO AMEND … | C. Tucker | Notification that SB575 is now Act 989 |
|
SB632
Act 964
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…08 by Central Mark Johnson sent 611. 614 by Central Tucker, Senate Bill 632 by Central Love Senate Bill 640 by central dismay.”
|
TO AMEND THE FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT; AND TO REQUIRE WARNING LABELS FOR HAIR … | F. Love | Notification that SB632 is now Act 964 |
|
SB640
Act 903
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…611. 614 by Central Tucker, Senate Bill 632 by Central Love Senate Bill 640 by central dismay.”
|
TO RECONSTITUTE THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD. | J. Dismang | Notification that SB640 is now Act 903 |
|
SB90
Act 902
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…Yes, we your committee on enrolls to was for the following Senate Bill 90% English. Sy Bill”
|
TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT PUBLIC COMMENT … | J. English | Notification that SB90 is now Act 902 |
|
SJR11
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate joint resolution 11 by Senator Payton. have compared the rogue copies with the…”
|
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO AMEND ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 2, § 5, TO PROTECT THE RIGHT … | J. Payton | Approved by the Governor. |
|
HB1017
Act 904
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1017 A. Collins Davis TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE … | A. Collins | Notification that HB1017 is now Act 904 |
|
HB1625
Act 974
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1625 Barnett Murdock TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSURANCE REQUI…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED HOME INSPECTORS. | Barnett | Notification that HB1625 is now Act 974 |
|
HB1662
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1662 B. McKenzie B. Johnson TO PROHIBIT LOBBYING FOR A COVERED F…”
|
TO PROHIBIT LOBBYING FOR A COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY. | B. McKenzie | Died in House at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1842
Act 953
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1842 Tosh Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE OFFICE OF CRIMIN…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL DETENTION FACILITIES REVIEW COORDINATOR; AND TO … | Tosh | Notification that HB1842 is now Act 953 |
|
HB1843
Act 954
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1843 Tosh Hammer CONCERNING RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS KEPT BY THE…”
|
CONCERNING RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS KEPT BY THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY. | Tosh | Notification that HB1843 is now Act 954 |
|
HB1903
Act 911
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1903 Walker English TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FLEXIBILITY REGARDING ALTERNATIVE … | Walker | Notification that HB1903 is now Act 911 |
|
HB1945
Act 913
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1945 McCollum Davis TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCH…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE … | McCollum | Notification that HB1945 is now Act 913 |
|
HB1951
Act 929
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1951 A. Collins Bryant TO SET FORTH AUTHORIZED DOMAIN EXTENSIONS…”
|
TO SET FORTH AUTHORIZED DOMAIN EXTENSIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES. | A. Collins | Notification that HB1951 is now Act 929 |
|
HB1959
Act 986
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1959 M. Brown McKee TO ABOLISH THE USE OF A WRIT OF SCIRE FACIAS…”
|
TO ABOLISH THE USE OF A WRIT OF SCIRE FACIAS AS THE MEANS OF REVIVING … | M. Brown | Notification that HB1959 is now Act 986 |
|
HB1966
Act 914
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1966 Barnett Murdock TO AUTHORIZE AN INCORPORATED TOWN OR A CITY…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE AN INCORPORATED TOWN OR A CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS TO PETITION THE … | Barnett | Notification that HB1966 is now Act 914 |
|
HB1967
Act 981
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1967 K. Brown Penzo TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL DIS…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL DISTRIBUTION OF SEXUAL IMAGES OR RECORDINGS. | K. Brown | Notification that HB1967 is now Act 981 |
|
HB1974
Act 948
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1974 Long McKee TO PROHIBIT STATE ENTITIES FROM EMPLOYING UNAUTH…”
|
TO PROHIBIT STATE ENTITIES FROM EMPLOYING UNAUTHORIZED ALIENS; TO ESTABLISH THE E-VERIFY REQUIREMENT ACT; AND … | Long | Notification that HB1974 is now Act 948 |
|
HB1975
Act 982
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1975 Gramlich Dees TO CREATE THE CHILD CONTENT CREATION PROTECTI…”
|
TO CREATE THE CHILD CONTENT CREATION PROTECTION ACT. | Gramlich | Notification that HB1975 is now Act 982 |
|
HB1979
Act 983
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1979 Gazaway B. Johnson AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW TO ALLOW WA…”
|
AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW TO ALLOW WARRANTLESS SEARCHES BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER … | Gazaway | Notification that HB1979 is now Act 983 |
|
HB1983
Act 1026
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1983 Eubanks Stubblefield TO AMEND ACTS 1973, NO. 167, § 4, CONC…”
|
TO AMEND ACTS 1973, NO. 167, § 4, CONCERNING THE SALE OF CERTAIN PROPERTY TO … | Eubanks | Notification that HB1983 is now Act 1026 |
|
HB1984
Act 984
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1984 Hudson Davis TO CREATE A DESIGNATION FOR A REGISTERED SEX O…”
|
TO CREATE A DESIGNATION FOR A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER ON A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION … | Hudson | Notification that HB1984 is now Act 984 |
|
HB1986
Act 794
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1986 Nazarenko Wallace CONCERNING EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR CHILDREN…”
|
CONCERNING EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR CHILDREN OF FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS AND CHILDREN OF FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS. | Nazarenko | Notification that HB1986 is now Act 794 |
|
HB1988
Act 930
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1988 Tosh Hill TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF A…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AUTO AUCTION FEES FOR SALVAGE-TITLED OR PARTS-ONLY … | Tosh | Notification that HB1988 is now Act 930 |
|
HB1991
Act 1020
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1991 Childress Bryant TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS RELATED…”
|
TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS RELATED TO A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE ARKANSAS FIRE PREVENTION … | Childress | Notification that HB1991 is now Act 1020 |
|
HB1995
Act 985
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1995 Bentley Rice TO SEPARATE THE OFFICES OF SHERIFF AND TAX COL…”
|
TO SEPARATE THE OFFICES OF SHERIFF AND TAX COLLECTOR IN PERRY COUNTY. | Bentley | Notification that HB1995 is now Act 985 |
|
HB2001
Act 932
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB2001 Painter Hammer TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS TOWING AND RECOVERY R…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS TOWING AND RECOVERY REFORM AND EFFICIENCY ACT OF 2025; TO AMEND … | Painter | Notification that HB2001 is now Act 932 |
|
HB2003
Act 1014
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB2003 TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN E…”
|
TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB2003 is now Act 1014 |
|
SB313
Act 733
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 313 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 346 by Senate Efficiency, Se…”
|
CONCERNING FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS AND TREATMENT; AND TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND QUALITY … | Irvin | Notification that SB313 is now Act 733 |
|
SB346
Act 1011
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 313 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 346 by Senate Efficiency, Senate Bill 352 by Senator Stone, Sen…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS SENATE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. | Senate Efficiency | Notification that SB346 is now Act 1011 |
|
SB419
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “Motion withdrawal SB419”
|
TO CREATE A SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN SALES TO A CULTIVATION FACILITY. | G. Leding | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB431
Act 987
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…397 by Senator Wallace, Senate Bill 400 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 431 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 443 by Senator Bryant, Senat…”
|
TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013; TO ELIMINATE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB431 is now Act 987 |
|
SB437
Act 945
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB437 TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ACT.”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ACT. | Hester | Notification that SB437 is now Act 945 |
|
SB443
Act 949
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…l 400 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 431 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 443 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 450 by Senator Davis, Senate…”
|
TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF APPRAISERS, ABSTRACTERS, AND HOME INSPECTORS; TO … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB443 is now Act 949 |
|
SB451
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ll 443 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 450 by Senator Davis, Senate Bill 451 by Senator Hester, Senate Bill 458 by Senator Ludding, Sena…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL … | Hester | Died in Senate at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB457
Act 1001
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB457 #1 G. Leding Leding TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE RELEASE…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE RELEASE FROM PAROLE OR POST-RELEASE SUPERVISION OF CERTAIN PERSONS … | G. Leding | Notification that SB457 is now Act 1001 |
|
SB458
Act 988
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ll 450 by Senator Davis, Senate Bill 451 by Senator Hester, Senate Bill 458 by Senator Ludding, Senate Bill 483 by Senator Irving, Sena…”
|
TO REQUIRE A COURT TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF FACTORS SUCH AS TRAUMA AND INVOLVEMENT … | G. Leding | Notification that SB458 is now Act 988 |
|
SB483
Act 957
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…451 by Senator Hester, Senate Bill 458 by Senator Ludding, Senate Bill 483 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 489 by Senator Ludding, Sena…”
|
TO REPEAL CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE SECURITIES DEPARTMENT; … | Irvin | Notification that SB483 is now Act 957 |
|
SB489
Act 950
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…458 by Senator Ludding, Senate Bill 483 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 489 by Senator Ludding, Senate Bill 519 by Senator Boyd, Senate…”
|
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE PLACEMENT OF A MONUMENT ON THE STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS … | G. Leding | Notification that SB489 is now Act 950 |
|
SB491
Act 956
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB491#1 TO REQUIRE A VENDOR THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE EMPLOYEE BENE…”
|
TO REQUIRE A VENDOR THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS DIVISION TO SUBMIT DATA FOR … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB491 is now Act 956 |
|
SB519
Act 958
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…483 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 489 by Senator Ludding, Senate Bill 519 by Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 533 by Senator Deese,”
|
TO AMEND THE STANDARD NONFORFEITURE LAW FOR LIFE INSURANCE; AND TO REGULATE THE PAYMENT OF … | J. Boyd | Notification that SB519 is now Act 958 |
|
SB546
Act 935
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 546 by Senator Hammer, Senate Bill 565 by Senator Flippo, Senat…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TRUST FUND CONTRIBUTION FEE FOR WATER PERMITS RELATED TO … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB546 is now Act 935 |
|
SB548
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “Motion withdrawal SB548”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING WARRANTS OF ARREST; AND TO REQUIRE THAT NOTICE OF A … | G. Leding | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB549
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “Motion withdrawal SB549”
|
TO ENSURE THAT MANDATED COSTS AND FEES PAID BY A DEFENDANT IN A CRIMINAL CASE … | G. Leding | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB565
Act 936
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 546 by Senator Hammer, Senate Bill 565 by Senator Flippo, Senate Bill 568 by Senator Krul, Senate…”
|
TO ALLOW PROCUREMENT CERTIFICATIONS TO BE COMBINED; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE REPRESENTATION IN … | Flippo | Notification that SB565 is now Act 936 |
|
SB571
Act 1002
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB571 #1&2 J. Petty Petty TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL B…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ZONING REGULATIONS; AND TO PROHIBIT A MUNICIPALITY … | J. Petty | Notification that SB571 is now Act 1002 |
|
SB583
Act 990
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ill 568 by Senator Krul, Senate Bill 575 by Senator Tucker, Senate Bill 583 by Senator Tucker, Senate Bill 608 by Senator Mark Johnson,…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE COST LISTS RELATING TO PHARMACY SERVICES. | C. Tucker | Notification that SB583 is now Act 990 |
|
SB601
Act 971
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB601 TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A FOREIGN MEDICAL SCH…”
|
TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE LICENSED … | Hester | Notification that SB601 is now Act 971 |
|
SB608
Act 991
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…l 575 by Senator Tucker, Senate Bill 583 by Senator Tucker, Senate Bill 608 by Senator Mark Johnson, Senate Bill 611 by Senator Dees, S…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING RUNOFF ELECTIONS FOR COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. | M. Johnson | Notification that SB608 is now Act 991 |
|
SB611
Act 900
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…by Senator Tucker, Senate Bill 608 by Senator Mark Johnson, Senate Bill 611 by Senator Dees, Senate Bill 614 by Senator Tucker, Senate…”
|
TO AMEND THE SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY ACT. | Dees | Notification that SB611 is now Act 900 |
|
SB612
Act 901
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB612 #1 Dees Dees TO CREATE A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A…”
|
TO CREATE A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT CAUSES HARM; … | Dees | Notification that SB612 is now Act 901 |
|
SB614
Act 992
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…8 by Senator Mark Johnson, Senate Bill 611 by Senator Dees, Senate Bill 614 by Senator Tucker, Senate Bill 632 by Senator Love, Senate…”
|
TO AMEND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF 1967; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING … | C. Tucker | Notification that SB614 is now Act 992 |
|
SB616
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB616 interim study”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY RESIDENT MONITORING AND COMMUNICATIONS ACT; AND TO ESTABLISH … | C. Penzo | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB619
Act 919
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB619 #1 Irvin Irvin CONCERNING THE FORMATION OF AN ISOLATED SCHO…”
|
CONCERNING THE FORMATION OF AN ISOLATED SCHOOL DISTRICT. | Irvin | Notification that SB619 is now Act 919 |
|
SB620
Act 1003
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB620 #1 Irvin Irvin TO PROVIDE A SAFETY VALVE AND APPEAL RIGHT F…”
|
TO PROVIDE A SAFETY VALVE AND APPEAL RIGHT FOR A MINOR DEFENDANT WHO IS ALSO … | Irvin | Notification that SB620 is now Act 1003 |
|
SB621
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB621 interim study”
|
TO CLARIFY ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS AGAINST A HEALTHCARE INSURER; TO RETROACTIVELY APPLY TO A HEALTHCARE CONTRACT … | Irvin | Died in House at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB625
Act 920
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB625 TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARK…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; … | B. Davis | Notification that SB625 is now Act 920 |
|
SB626
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB626 interim study”
|
TO REQUIRE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT REIMBURSEMENT RATES; TO ENSURE PARITY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES; TO AMEND … | Irvin | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB647
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB647 interim study”
|
TO CREATE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ACT OF 2025. | J. Dismang | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB93
Act 1010
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “by Senator English, Senate Bill 93 by Joint Budget,”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB93 is now Act 1010 |
Machine transcript
May contain errors. Verify important quotations against the official video.
About transcript accuracy
- Source
- SliQ live captions
- Model
- SliQ live ASR
- Processing date
- October 2, 2026
Speaker 8
4:19
to order. I don't. The Senate will be called to
Chair
Unverified
4:23
order any request for leave at this time. OK.
Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Boyd Boy Bryant Caldwell, Clark Crowell, Davis Dees Dimaine Dotson English flippo Flowers Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill,
Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice Scottstown Stubber Phil Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would
Speaker 16
4:55
please rise. We'll first be In prayer by Senator John Payton, that will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator
Chair
Unverified
5:02
Payton, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, Bow with me. Our Father in
heaven, God, you're an awesome God. You've
given us a beautiful morning this morning, a beautiful state to live in, and Or did we think of the recent storm damage. We just pray that you'd continue to be with those affected by the floods and the and the tornadoes, Lord, and just pray that you'd be with the people of Arkansas. Most of all, God, I just thank you for the work that's been done here in the last few months and for all my colleagues and God for the good spirit among us and Lord, just pray that you give us wisdom as we wrap up our business today. Lord, as we serve the people of Arkansas, let us always be mindful of
what's best for them and not for us. Forgive us where we fail you in Jesus. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Senator
Chair
Unverified
6:07
Payton, for those encouraging words. Ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas State Senate. It is our expectation
that each of you will govern yourselves. It's proper decorum today during today's proceedings with that objection, the rules will be suspended and the
Speaker 16
6:23
Senate will dispense with the reading of the journal. The
Speaker 26
6:27
Morning Hour has now begun. Are there any announcements or introductions at this time.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
6:38
Senator Hester. You're recognized. Members, I, I make a motion that um that any Senate bill or House bill that comes, that gets voted
on in the House chambers today that comes over here that needs concurring, it gets added to the bottom of
our calendar. All those in favor of the motion, please signify to say aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it, motion
Speaker 16
6:58
carries. Any further business to come before the body in the morning hour, if not the morning hour has expired. Madam Secretary, are there items at the
Speaker 34
7:09
desk? Yes, we your committee on enrolls to was for the following Senate Bill 90% English. Sy Bill
Chair
Unverified
7:17
93 by joint budgets and Bill 313 by Senator Irving sent Bill 346 by Senate deficiency. Senate Bill 352 by Cen Stone, Senate Bill 397 by Senator Wallace, Senate Bill 400 by Senator Irving sent 431 by Central Brutinville 443 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 450 by Senator Davis in 451 my central Hester sent 58 by central letting sent 483 by Senator Irving sent 489 by central letting sent 519 by
Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 533 by Central Ds send Bill 546 by Senator Hammer, Symville 565 by Central Flippo Senate Bill 568 by Senator Crow, Senate Bill 575 by Senator Tucker symbol 583 by Central Tucker, symbol 608 by Central Mark Johnson sent 611. 614 by Central Tucker, Senate Bill 632 by Central Love Senate Bill 640 by central dismay.
Senate joint resolution 11 by Senator Payton. have compared the rogue copies with the original incorrectly enrolled at 706 delivered to the governor for her approval. Please file
Speaker 36
8:31
it. Where your Committee on Revenue and Tax who was for House was 16701 by Representative Johnson, recommend to pass. calendar.
Chair
Unverified
8:43
We will now begin the Business agenda,
beginning with house concurrent resolution
1004. House concurrent resolution 1004. Oh,
by representative Wardlawn and Senator Gilmore, to con to congratulate game warden Austin Powell on receiving the monthly Carmichael Officer of the Year award and the 2024 Robert Brantley Law enforcement Officer
of the Year award. Senator Gilmore, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
9:17
President. Members, this is just to
recognize an outstanding officer game fish officer, warden, um, and again, he's impressive. I'm not going to read all of it. Couldn't be here today, but
Chair
Unverified
9:30
I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you, Senator Gilmore. All those in favor of the House concurrent resolution 1004 to congratulate game warden Austin Powell on receiving the Monte Carmichael, Officer of the Year award, and the 2024 Robert M. Brantly, law enforcement Officer of
Speaker 16
9:45
the Year of Award, please signify by saying I. And he opposed, I have it, House concurrent resolution.
Is concurred in Return to the house. We'll now take up Senate resolution 74.
Chair
Unverified
10:01
Resolution 74 by Senator Irving to recognize the College of
the Ozarks women's basketball team featuring 4 players from Arkansas as the 2025 National Christian College Athletic Association Division One national champions. Senator Irvin, you're recognized.
Thank you, Madam President. Members of
the Senate, I think it's important for us to recognize that. cannot be here today, but they're watching, um, 4 young ladies are played on this, um, College of the Ozarks women's basketball team, and they won the 2025 National Christian College Athletic Association Division One, national champions, and I want to
read their names, Abby Linville, she's from Ru Special High School at Fox, Taylor Rush graduated from Batesville High School, Blythe Benefield graduated from Perigold High
School and Savannah, Ketchum, graduated from Bergman High
School. Congratulations, ladies on your national championship, well deserved. They couldn't be here because they're at hard work you. I'd appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
11:04
Thank you, Senator Urban. All
those in favor of Senate resolution 74 to recognize the College of the Ozarks women's basketball team featuring 4 players from Arkansas as the 2025 National Christian College Athletic Association Division One national champions, please signify to say aye.
Speaker 16
11:24
And he opposed as habit Senate Resolution 74 is adopted.
Chair
Unverified
11:30
Next, we'll take up Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 290, Senator Blake Johnson. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 290.
Speaker 63
11:55
Members, uh, this allows those moratoriums to stay in place to protect the concerns for those, but it allows legislative process to uh for us to be able to uh to say no to any future moratoriums. I appreciate a good vote. All those in
Speaker 64
12:11
favor of the amendment. Oh, I'm sorry, Senator King. Senator Johnson had walked away
Chair
Unverified
12:18
from the well. Senator King, you are recognized for a question on the amendment
Speaker 72
12:26
it's pretty sick to say you don't represent any part of the Buffalo River? No. Are
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
12:38
you OK? Are you a KO? No, I'm, I'm, I'm a real crop farmer, agriculture producer. Do you have to go buy, do you have soil tests, mandatory soil tests that you go by required by the state, and if you don't require spread
Speaker 63
12:49
fertilizer differently then you could face consequences. I don't. But those waterways in the US
have have also, I mean, the possibilities of of regulation into any waterway and ditch, you know, on my discharge from from agriculture production grow crop. There's been a push to have us have have those buffer zones to where the cleans the water and and have discharge and the amount I can release. Those are all possibilities in the future if we allow the federal government and
administrations or state government. Our state government, not this one at this
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
13:32
time. Well, so I am a KAO confined animal feeding operation.
Me and my brother have been doing it for 30 plus years. I don't know the exact year. We are also located in the Upper White River Basin area, which has different restrictions from CAFOs everywhere else and also the Illinois watershed. So I do understand this issue quite well, uh, so, uh, but in looking
at this on page one, prohibition of a moratorium in watersheds or other bodies of water, which means these other ones you're talking about, not the buffalo or Lake Monel. Correct? Yes. Little buffalo, for example, just right outside the Buffalo water. So it says as in this section mortuum means a prohibition on the issuance of permits or any other limitation on agriculture production, including without limitation, livestock and poultry operations, which could mean
barnyard chickens or cattle, right? Yes sir, any, any kind of agricultural contain animal feeding operations, which is myself and cultivation. of crops and orchards. So if you are, if you're growing blueberries in the Buffalo River watershed. Then what is
Speaker 63
14:49
the regulations on you? Well, there's a moratorium on those on asking for a permit for
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
14:56
a CAFO right yeah medium and large swine operations. Does that include poultry operations
in the in the buffalo which I mean, and I understand I'm busy with Mr. Watkins and I, I concede his point of like, you never know, but yet I don't think anyAFOs are going to be going in the Buffalo River watershed anytime soon. But to Mr. Watkins's fair. he doesn't know, so I can see that, but so you're given statutory authority there, it looks like you're broadening the statutory authority to maybe regulate cattle or barnyard chickens or orchards of any type
in any other watershed if it is deemed that we have to do a rule or the agency. So it looks like
Speaker 63
15:42
you're broadening statutory authority in one thing and in the in the first paragraph of the bill, it allows us to without cause whenever they bring that rule to us on a moratorium to say without cause we don't accept it. that's different than any other rule. Yeah, and I mean they would
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
16:00
more than likely have to come with a
rule anyway if they did it. I understand trying to clarify that little part of the language, but then you go back to this next section. And if you go down to eat, if a state The agency does not have statutory authority, which you're giving them statutory authority in another language, it looks peer to impose a moratorium, this section does not create the authority of a moratorium, but you're
Speaker 86
16:26
almost look like you're statutorily creating it and you can't create it if it says you can't. Um,
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
16:34
I, I mean, I think this whole thing for me as being a capo
and somebody I've watched this issue. Has changed directions so many times that I really don't know what this does, and I am the only CAO that I know of, Senator Stokefield's son probably is a Chapo, but he doesn't have the restrictions I do. And I'm gonna tell you I don't understand the direction or trust the direction
Speaker 63
17:00
of this whole thing, to be honest with you, ultimately if administration and departments
want to impose a moratorium where you outside the Buffalo River or anywhere else, try, you can apply for a permit if they try to stop you from applying through a moratorium. It gives this body the ability to say no. I don't know that
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
17:22
they have the ability now to do. Well, this,
Speaker 63
17:28
this is, this is, this is changing our, our ability in their rulemaking to where we can say no. Yeah, I don't know that
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
17:35
they have the ability now to do
that because they would have already done that in some cases, so I'm just uh You know, my thing is about trust, and I just don't trust what is going on in this process is somebody that represents this and has been more involved for decades of this. This is very confusing and the way the process has
worked, but anyway, I'll speak to a minute on the bill. OK. Senator Payton question on the amendment.
Thank you. So basically, a moratorium is throwing
a blanket over us area and say we're not, we're gonna plug our ears and not hear an application. Does your bill in any way as amended, uh, Say that they have to approve the applications. I mean, each application will just get looked at individually, correct? No, sir. That's, you
Speaker 63
18:32
know, that's their function, but whenever they try to promulgate a rule, this allows us to say no. Thank
Speaker 72
18:38
you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Any other questions on the
Speaker 97
18:43
amendment? Senator King, do you wish to speak
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
18:54
against the amendment speaking. Well, listen, Gross, let's, let's adopt the amendment. It's already gross, so we have not so we're speaking on the bill, not the amendment. No, no,
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
19:06
we are, this is simply to concur and then we will take up the bill itself if you want to do that, OK.
Speaker 104
19:16
Thanks, Sandra King. To be clear, we are voting on the bill
Speaker 105
19:20
after we couldrrect. So this is the amendment, then if the
Speaker 16
19:25
amendments concurred in, then we will take the bill back up. All those in favor of Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 290, please signify
Speaker 107
19:33
by saying aye. Any opposed as habit is concurred in. Senate Bill 290. Senate
Speaker 34
19:41
Bill 290 by Senator Blake Johnson to prohibit a
Chair
Unverified
19:44
moratorium on the issuance of permits and
watersheds and other bodies of water. Senator Blake Johnson, you're
recognized. Same thing. Appreciate a good Appreciate it.
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
20:03
Senator King, you're recognized to speak against. Thank you, Madam President. So as I mentioned earlier in this, uh, my brother and I became CAFOs, confined animal feeding operations over 3 decades ago. At that time, farmers in the
early 90s were facing, uh, I want to give you a little bit back history because this is a big issue in the buffalo on both sides in which I represent. It's also a big because in my district, the number one industry is agriculture, which revolves around Kahos, uh, so anyway, in the mid-nineties, the thing the federal government at that time came out and said that farmers were these capos were polluting through nitrogen. And through the decade of the 90s, they went through talking about how they were polluting
rivers by spreading litter out from their animal feeding operations. So at that time and then in the late 90s, they determined that it wasn't in fact nitrogen, it was actually phosphorus in it. So they kind of falsely did falsely accuse things and then they turned around and said, Phosphorus, which accurately is that after we've had a bunch of scientific tests to determine so. So then the, the state of Oklahoma filed a lawsuit in the Illinois watershed that Arkansas
and theseAOs and animal operations, but mainly poultry, uh, some hogs in that area was polluting the Illinois River watershed. So Governor Huckabee at the time, and I go back 4 governors, but um Uh, they passed some bills to deal with the lawsuit. It was a federal lawsuit at that time. I am in the White River Basin area, and you have to understand in my district, if you look in the southern part of Madison County within a 5 mile radius, the, the headwaters of 4 major
rivers that we talk about is really our crown jewels of outdoor recreation. The buffalo, the white, the, the uh King's River and the Mulberry all originate from the headwaters just in a five-mile radius down in southern Madison County. So this is a big issue on my my area. So in the, when the lawsuit came out, the legislature at that time before I came in, uh, made laws to dealing with the federal lawsuit to take litter out of Northwest Arkansas primarily Benton and Washington Crawford counties.
And transported out of the district because they believed there was so much of an excess, which is probably true with the growth at that time and they accurately did what they needed to do. And they also required us in the White River basin that we were worried about a lawsuit with Missouri, uh, to do the same. So the CAFO Senator Stofield's son has down there is not the same regulations that I have up there. So Governor Huckabee and the legis
la ture at that time, uh, passed bills and created a new trip management advisory committee, and Governor Huckabee asked me to serve on that committee. At that time, I'm 30 years old or something like that. And I agreed to not knowing what was going, going to happen, but what happened was myself and the two farmers was Gene Farr, uh from Washington County were served to try and navigate through that whole process and it turned into, I didn't know at the time that we were putting regulations. on farmers and it made me very
unpopular to serve on that committee, and I, if I knew what I was going through, I would not have taken it at the time. I mean I had farmers and people asking what I was doing, but that time they correctly at that time required us to confine to our farm plans that we did with our scientific soil tests. We have farm plants, soil tests done every 5 years, we have to comply with what uh it requires us to put on our land and understand poultry litter is different than liquid waste,
poultry litter, 60 to 70% of that is wood shavings or some type of organic material. that actually helps the soil quality and allows us to grow grass and do things that we do up there. That's why we have the cattle we do. So after that time during that day, we had to come down and testify with farmers against it and me and Gene Farr testified that we tried to get work through the process through that time. Like I said, I was beginning to wonder if I was even gonna be buried at farewell again, being unpopular at that time. But what we found out since then now that now most of
the litter is being transported out of Benton, Washington County. It's even being transferred to Oklahoma who filed the lawsuit and to begin with. So now with the growth in Benton in Washington County primarily, there's not enough places to litter. Most of that litter now is transported out. We're finding out the pollution is coming from the growth from the cities and counties. So you have poultry farmers up there that are having to abide by regulations that I support. And you have cities and counties, you have golf courses, they spread fertilizer, chemicals, everything else. They
have no regulations. All these incorporated areas and cities where they're spreading, uh, fertilizer on their lawns, everything else, they have no regulations on them. So if you want to look at it, the farmers stepped up and did more and for a good reason. And I think that what happened in the hog farm situation in the Buffalo River, sadly is what happens a lot of times in our issues today, it's what I call the mantle, the trophy on the mantle, where it became the Henson's and the Campbells who are great people, just tried to
make a living and put in a hog farm and went through the permitting process and once that got discovered, then people discovered they didn't want it there. which they have a fair right to say if they don't want it there and then all of a sudden the genie got out of the bottle and then it became about slaying people on one side or the other just to butcher them and people did not listen and I always appreciate Senator Tucker when he talks about his past uh stories of political. I go back on the Republican side to my grandfather back to win Rockefeller and John Paul
Hammerschmidt, and I always remember the story of there was a Republican long hardcore Republican that couldn't stand Bill. Clinton hated the guy and then when he came down here and heard a speech on education, he said he left there thinking it was the best plan he ever heard. But the key was that he came down here and listened before he made a determination and what happened in the Buffalo River on both sides is this butchering today that we see once the genie gets out of the bottle. So to get to the point of where we're at at this point in time with this bill, I really don't
know what this bill does. I know a lot of times we do legislation. It's like birthing a baby and it's the frustrating part about being a sinner. We birth the baby with legislation and then somebody else raises it and we're responsible for everything it does. I can tell you right now, as somebody that's a capo that's been through the nutrient management advisory Committee and hey, I got asked by some people on this decision. Do I think CaOs all over the state should abide by the farm plans, and I say yes, so that would put me unpopular with the farmers.
But as Kos and can find our informal feeding operations, yes, we do need to make sure that we are going by our farm plans, and we do need to have consequences if we are not. So with this bill and this legislation in the way this whole process is done, I didn't comment on it because I didn't know which way it was going. It switched directions so many times, it's flip flopped more than pancakes at a Waffle House after a monster truck rally. So I don't know today where this is still going. So I am voting present on this
bill because simply I do not trust this whole process and who I'm turning it over and after the Cook Spencer thing where they came in and killed 1.5 million chickens up there on farmer's lands. I do not trust this administration when it comes to farming and agriculture, because let me be honest, if it'd been Biden or Obama that had come in there and killed 1.5 million chickens, they would have had a different opinion, but when they do it, it's a different standard. I believe in standards not taking sides just because. of where you're at, but I'm
gonna encourage everybody this we do not have enough process in this. I do not trust this process. There's been more to this and whatever direction we go, I think that we need to have more of a debate about it and more discussion about it instead of the last day to push this bill through in a bill that is flip flopped and people come down to testify on either side, it didn't happen and they go back home. This is just not the process we should go. And I just do not trust this process, and I would encourage
either a non-vote or a present vote or
Chair
Unverified
28:45
a no vote. Thank you. Anyone wish to speak for or against, if not Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized clothes.
Speaker 63
28:54
Members, this gives this body The ability to have a voice and whether they the moratoriums go into place and where we can say no if if they want to stop, you know, the allowance of of
agriculture in permits, so this helps agricultural producers, uh, in all bodies of water and all streams throughout Arkansas except for those that are in place now, and it helps agriculture, and I'd appreciate. concurrence. Senator has closed any objection rolling the vote.
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
29:32
Saying no objection, Madam Secretary, roll the boat.
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
29:47
it's too late, sir. Any senator wished to change his or her vote, Senator Penzo, no. Senator Mark Johnson, no. Senator Stubblefield, no. Send her flowers. No. Senator letting know. Senator King present. Senator Murdoch. No, present. Senator Murdoch present. Senator Tucker, no.
Send her love present. Senator Scott present.
Chair
Unverified
30:21
And other senator, please check the board. Seeing no other senator, please cast up the ballot. By
a vote of 25, 6 nays, 4 present Senate bill 290 passes as concurred and please
enroll it. And before we move to the next amendment, I would invite
Senator Dees, I'd recognize Senator Deess for a special Lighthearted presentation as we move
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
30:52
throughout the final day. Senator Des. Thank you, Madam members. I'd ask
for a leave for a few friends from our charity basketball event. Leave. All
Speaker 126
31:04
right, come on in, guys. Come on through. Come on across here I'm here for
Speaker 128
31:11
one reason, you'll hear shortly, John.
No, it's even better you're gonna, you're gonna like this right here
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
31:24
actually. All right, members, uh thank you for letting us pause for a quick second, um, we want to make sure we, we got this, this announcement in during session, but we're here to celebrate the back to back to back to back to back to back to back championship over the house. Senate over House championship. Congratulations, Senate. You've done it.
As many of you know, and for those watching online, we are so thankful to uh to beat the house and our charity basketball game 7 years running. In fact, I'm accompanied by the amazing and in fact, now the most winningest coach in history of the event, Mr. Blake Eddings, give him a hand. He, he wanted to make sure it was known that he's had a lot of help in his career in
this event with Senator Dismay. Unfortunately, dismaying left him hanging, but apparently we
just keep winning without him. So he wanted to make sure that he got his flowers and congratulations on that, but congrats to the Senate as we continue to dominate and continue our our proper title of upper chamber, and but I also want to say thank you to amazing group here. Uh, feel free to pass this trophy onto our coach here, please. Thank you. There we go. And but this event can't happen without the excellent work from the Peacock Group, Denver and Madeline, they work hours and hours and hours. They keep all
of us wrangled in. They get jerseys ordered, they get sponsorships, they uh they do the marketing for the event, um, they work together with staffs on both sides in the House and the Senate and with the AG's office and governor's office. So can we please stop and thank Denver
and his team's Peacock Group. with But we do also have to recognize the overall winner, and for that
we want to welcome the governor and her team. Come on down here. Let's give them a congratulations. Today We have the they are the back to back winners of the overall event, best thing, besting the, the AG's office and us, um, so we want to present them with the golden ball trophy right here, and Mr. Mr. Denver Peacock, would you like to present that trophy to the governor's office for their championship.
Congratulations. But really, in all seriousness, the the biggest winners are the kids, the kids that this,
this program, this, this charity event gets to support and we're so thankful to get to partner with the Children Advocacy Center and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs. We've got Ms. Kristen and Miss Elizabeth here today and in all seriousness, it's amazing that
we get to do that. Thank you for loving those kids well and for serving in Arkansas families
well, we were able to raise $30,000 in this event, just about $30,000. And $250,000 since inception. Congratulations. So one more time, I know we like to trash talk and have a have a lot of fun in and out this building about
this game, but seriously, thank you to everyone listening. Thank you in this room for being able to partner and
help children across Arkansas. Thank you. Yeah Quick team photo here.
Unknown speaker
35:00
one. That's right yeah yeah. OK I I
Chair
Unverified
35:39
And Governor, it's always good to have you in the Senate. Thank you to the governor's staff for all your work during this legislative session.
We appreciate the opportunity to work with you all. Yeah.
Unknown speaker
36:22
feelings at all. Yeah Yeah It's gonna take a bit. Put it out here if you want. that. On a personal trip.
Speaker 174
36:54
study. I Senate is back in order, Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized for a point of personal privilege. Members,
if I could have just a moment of your attention, uh, Most of you saw the tragedy that happened in Conway this week, uh, just like our, our friends in Fordyce, when this happens in a smaller town, it's just a
tragedy that shocks all of us. That's not to excuse it to happen in the city larger cities either, but uh this is a tragedy. I appreciate the way that Colonel Hager and his team at the state police have stepped up with their criminal investigation division to help the police in Conway, but if we could have Just a moment of silence of prayer and comfort for the victims and their families and as Lord maybe to to spare us for
Chair
Unverified
37:57
more of this tragedy. Just a moment of silence, please. Thank you. Thank
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
38:09
you, Madam President. Thank you, Senator Johnson. Senators, we are now going to take up the budget calendar, then we will return
Chair
Unverified
38:17
to the Senate bills to concur in House amendments. House Bill 2003 by joint budget to amend the revenue stabilization law and to declare an emergency. Senator dismaying, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
38:28
same bill that we passed yesterday, obviously inferior because it is a House bill, but
Speaker 26
38:34
I appreciate a good vote. Any questions for Senator Dismay. Anyone wish to speak against or
Chair
Unverified
38:41
for. Seeing no one send her his clod any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, Senator King, no.
Any other senator seeing no other senator, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 yeah, one nay, House Bill 2003 passes
and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please return to the house. Senator dismaying, you're recognized to ask
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
39:20
for bureau staff to come on the floor.
All right, members, I mean to do this every single year that we pass a budget, and
I always failed to do it because we get busy, we get fast, everybody's, you know, trying to get home and so I just wanna say thank you, thank you, thank you. This is our budget staff. They do an incredible job. And if we can, let's give them a round of applause.
And these folks are led by obviously Kevin Anderson, Wendy, and Tony. And again, what they do is just absolutely phenomenal. Their expertise and their professionalism is unmatched in state government. They are not biased. They're helping each and every one of you. Figure out whatever devious or great thing uh that you're trying to figure out in regards to the budget, Senator Payton, uh. Yeah, Kevin, can you come here for just a second?
So, Kevin and most of you all don't know. Yeah. So, you know, we would uh we went through two ministrations together with Kevin. We've had ASAP and we've had Sarah's team, and the funny thing is we get into these meetings, we talk about the budget, and I, I'd I'd be like, well, Kevin said this, or, you know, Kevin and I talked about this. We don't think you can do that, or Kevin, this so and turned into a joke that Kevin was my imaginary friend, cause none of them had ever Seeing Kevin before. And in fact, so then we just kind of
let that spiral a little bit, right? So then he became like the Chuck Norris, you know, mythical figure uh of budget in the state of Arkansas. Then I realized this morning as I was trying to come up with that joke about Chuck Norris. You may be in fact Chuck Norris without the beard. So, but, but I mean, and so what I'm gonna say is this RSA that we just passed, unless we can beg you to stick around, it's going to be Kevin's last. He's decided to retire at the
conclusion of this fiscal year and uh and again, I just, what a friend to each and everyone in this room, uh, it's hard for me to believe. Uh, love you, thank you. State of Arkansas praises you. All right, congratulations.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
42:47
I'd like to make a motion that we
Speaker 206
42:55
do not accept Kevin's retirement announcement. Kevin, you are. Thank you guys so much.
Chair
Unverified
43:02
Kevin Jonathan's imaginary friend. You are recognized. Thank you, thank you very much. Um,
Speaker 210
43:09
heart goes out to this. This means a lot to me, um, I was
with some friends Saturday night, and one of my buddies asked me, what do you think about your career? I told him we were retiring and I said, well, if I could go back in time to high school or college, I take this in a heartbeat. The people that I've gotten to work for, I've got to work with all these leaders in the state and I've learned so much credible people and My physical family means so much to me and wonderful people at the bureau, so I'm, I'm truly blessed. Makes it really hard to
leave, but I'm just, you know, I'm, it's time, I'm old and uh And I, and I heard Anne was leaving, so I, I figured this thing to do. But anyway, thank y'all so much. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. All right, thank you.
Chair
Unverified
44:18
Thank you, Senator dismaying. Thank you, Kevin, for your service and thank you to all of the fiscal staff for their service to the state of Arkansas and is this Senate causing anyone else to retire that I need to know about between now and say noon. I I I
Chair
Unverified
45:24
Uh Senate, we will come back to order. We will now return to the business agenda beginning with Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 457. Amendment
1, the Senate Bill 457. Senator Ludding, you're recognized. Sponsor amendment. All those
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
45:42
in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye, any opposed? I have it. Amendments concurred in. Senate
Chair
Unverified
45:50
Bill 457 by Senator letting to amend the law concerning the release from
parole or post release supervision of certain persons who've committed crimes when they were under the age of 18. Senator,
letting, you're recognized. Senator has closed any objection rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, Senator
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
46:19
Payton present. Senator King present. Senator King, yes.
Chair
Unverified
46:27
Any other senator seen no other please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34, 0, nay, 1 present, Senate Bill 457 passes as concurred and
please roll it. Amendment 1 and 2, but Amendment 1 to begin for Senate Bill 571.
Mend one to send about 571. Senator Petty, you're recognized. I believe I
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
46:49
did not bring my notes. I believe this is the one that added uh the house sponsor, uh,
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
46:55
and then Amendment 2, I'll go ahead and
speak to uh and save time. It is an agreed to amendment and with that I'll ask any answer
Speaker 96
47:07
any questions or? Any questions on Amendment ones in, oh, Senator
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
47:14
Payton. OK. No questions. All those in favor of Amendment 1, please
Chair
Unverified
47:19
signify by saying aye. Any opposed, I have it. Amendment
Speaker 16
47:22
1 is concurred in. Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 571. Questions on Amendment 2.
Speaker 238
47:30
Again, agreeing to amendments. Sorry. No questions on
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
47:35
the amendment. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye, any opposed. Amendment is concurred in 571
Chair
Unverified
47:49
law concerning municipal buildings and zoning regulations and to prohibit a municipality from enforcing buildings and zoning regulations on county property. Senator Petty, you're
recognized. Oh, if you want to speak
to the bill, if not, we can go straight to questions. I think we'll go
straight to questions. Senator Payton, you'll recognize her question. Thank you, Madam President. So concern came up with me on this if I, we've got this movement we're we're referring to the people on economic development districts. So if a county owns a significant piece of land within a municipality.
And they wanted to make it one of these new economic development. Zones, the city's planning and zoning would not be able to regulate any of that in the county
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
48:47
would be in charge. That's a, that's a, a good question. As it currently is in practice, and this, this bill has nothing
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
48:56
to do with with with that as a situation in general as it currently stands, the, the practice in 99.9% of the time is
the cities let the counties do their thing and the counties let the cities do their thing no matter where the land is. If the city has land in the county outside the jurisdiction of the boundaries, they'll do that and then with the cities, that's Generally the practice, there's been conversations that that maybe that's not entirely what the law allows for, so this is intended to clarify that, specific to your question in in regards to these districts, these economic development districts, I would
say if the county owns the land, then I guess, yes, technically they could in that situation
with this law or this bill. So when this bill came through the first time, I was thinking of county jail, you know, courthouse, you know, properties, offices and things like that that the county would own inside of a municipality. But now I'm, I'm thinking of Economic development property that the county may own inside the municipality and, and so there's no provision in this
bill. That would exclude that. So, so the city would have no way to to zone or plan that so
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
50:14
the county would have to have their own building, excuse me. Our own building standards. They would also have to comply with the state building standards of fire marshal, health department, and so forth. So they would have, sorry, frog. They would have those requirements, but if, if the city had very specific requirements as to colors of windows or doors or colors of
brick or they would not have to comply with that, and, and yes, most everything that we're talking about is a county jail or a county building, but there are situations I can think of that maybe the county has a building that's an alternative sentencing situation where we have less or nonviolent offenders, maybe the drug court. environmental health related, and they have a building that they've acquired I think the
only thing that gives me pause is that economic development
district that could be formed inside of a municipality
on county owned property. Appreciate it. All right, thank you.
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
51:15
Thank you members if you have any other questions, seeing no other questions. Would anyone like to speak for or against the bill? Seeing none, Senator, would you like them? Senators closed, members, any objection to rolling vote? There's an objection. He
Speaker 256
51:34
called the roll. Bo Brant Caldwell. Caldwell.
Speaker 258
51:40
Clark Clark Crowe Davis. Days, this man, Dotson, English. English. Flippo Flip out flowers. Gilmore Hammer,
Chair
Unverified
52:02
Hester. Esther Hickey. He
Hill Irvin. Like Johnson, Mark Johnson. Ah
Speaker 258
52:21
King King. Fighting, love. He's not. McKee Murdoch Peyton. Penza Patty. Rice? Rice Scott.
Speaker 262
52:44
Stone. Stubberfield Stub afield Sullivan. Hecker Wallace. Any senator wished to
Speaker 26
52:52
vote who did not vote or change your vote, Senator Hester, yes, King, no. Clark, yes. Any other senator, Hickey, no.
Chair
Unverified
53:14
Stabblefield present. Any other senator, please check the board. Seeing no other senator, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 22 yeah 6 nay, 3, not voting, 4 present. Senate Bill 571 passes as concurred then please enroll
it. Senate Bill 612. Amendment one, the Senate 612. Senator D you recognize. Thank
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
53:41
you, Madam Governor. Members, this is a agreed upon House
amendment to put in some changes agreed upon
Chair
Unverified
53:54
with the industries. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye. and he opposed. As habit amendment. is adopted or
concurred in. Symbol 612 by central days to create a private right of action against the social social media platform that causes harm. And to impose a civil penalty on
a social media platform that knowingly and willingly willingly contributes to a minor suicide or suicide attempt. Senator Dees, you're recognized. Thank you. I would appreciate
Speaker 274
54:26
another good vote on this bill like we passed last
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
54:28
time. Thank you. Any questions? Anyone wish to speak
Chair
Unverified
54:35
against or for Senator has closed. Any objection rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. And he sender was to change his or her vote. Dotson not voting.
King not voting. Peyton present, any other
senator. Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 32 ye, zero, nay, 2 not voting 1 present, Senate Bill 612
passes as concurred and please enroll it. We are temporarily passing over Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 619 because uh Senator Ervin has A bunch of students who want to be here for this bill. Those students are from Timbo and Rural Special, and so we're
Speaker 58
55:23
going to wait until they arrive so they can see this bill. Next we will go to
Chair
Unverified
55:30
Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 620. Amendment 1 to
620. Senator Ervin, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, members of the committee, lots of great work, obviously the session on human trafficking, this amendment uh was working with our prosecuting attorneys and adding Representative Beatty as my house sponsor. A motion to concur with the House amendment.
Chair
Unverified
56:00
no questions. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye, aye. Any oppose? I have it in
its concurred in. Senate Bill 620 must sent to Irving and act to provide a safety valve for a minor defendant who is also a victim of human trafficking to amend the Human Trafficking Act of
Speaker 36
56:22
2013 to create an appeal right for a minor defendant who is
also a victim of human trafficking. Senator Urban, you're recognized. Thank you, members again. This is just another really good
policy as it relates to human trafficking and the victims of human trafficking and I want to thank the CPAC, um, for working with me on this bill, Frank Russo did a great job, and so, um, this is the first time that we can actually go after some gang recruitment of these kids, and I appreciate y'all's support. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
56:59
Any questions for Senator Urban. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator
has closed. Any objection rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. See no one
please cast up the ballot by a vote of 35 yeah, zero nay. Senate Bill 620 passes as concurred and please enroll
it. Senator Hickey, you're recognized for an introduction.
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
57:30
Thank you Madam Governor. Uh, members, I'm gonna introduce our doctor of the day. Today we have doctor, if
Chair (Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr)
Unverified
57:34
y'all would say, Doctor Jason Lofton. He's family medicine, and our nurse, of course, is Lee Fazio, the RN, uh, appreciate you all being here the last day. If we don't get out of here, we may have a stroke,
Speaker 290
57:44
so be prepared for that. So, uh, everyone, if you would, uh, please give them a hand.
Chair
Unverified
58:06
Senator Davis Is she here? Go. So We will now move to House bills for 3rd reading and passage beginning with
House Bill 1017. House Bill 1017 by Senator Davis and Representative Collins to amend the law regarding paid maternity leave for public school employees and require the
division of the elementary and secondary education to pay for incurred costs and approved for approved paid maternity leave. Senator Davis,
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
58:46
you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, this was a bill someone asked yesterday about a maternity leave bill that had to do with loans, and that is what this bill is. So in Learns, we said that schools could match, um, 6 weeks with the, for them, 6 weeks for the state, so up to 12 weeks, and it would be 50/50 state match for
maternity leave. Um, we, the first year only had 22 school districts utilize that program last year, we have 27. So the funds that we had allotted for this have not been used and we are in this bill, we're trying to move it over to 100% state funded. So if a teacher wants to participate in paid maternity leave, the state will pay 100% of it, um, that will fall within what we already have allocated for this program. I'm happy to answer any questions.
Chair
Unverified
59:42
Any questions for Senator Davis? Anyone wish to speak against
or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary,
please roll the boat. Any senator should change his or her vote.
Senator Martin Johnson, no. Senator Payton, no. Any other senator, Senator Hickey, no. was
Senator Penzo present. Flippo present rice present. Stubblefield, no. Bryant present. Any
other senator, please check the board. Seeing no other
senator, please cast up the ballot by vote of 27, yeah, 4 nay, for present, House Bill 1017. Passes, please return to the house. We are passing over House Bill
1624. Next, we'll take up House
Bill 1625. House for 1625 by Representative
Barnett and Senator Murdoch to amend the law concerning insurance requirements for licensed home inspectors. Senator
Murdoch, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor,
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:01:08
colleagues, this is a simple bill that uh gives um or insurances consumer protection bill to make sure that home
inspectors will have the proper insurance if they come out and provide you an inspection and um they assured you that everything is correct before you make a purchase that they'll have the insurance to cover if there is a mistake made and it comes back to you. This makes sure uh Department will also review this to make sure that the insurance coverage they have will cover you currently, they don't have to have anything. They can give you an assurance that their inspection is correct and you have nothing to rely upon
besides that, and they have no responsibility. This will make sure in conjunction with the insurance department that they have proper insurance to cover
you from a consumer standpoint. I'll take any
Speaker 246
1:02:02
questions. Questions for Senator Murdoch, Senator Hammer, and then Senator Mark Johnson and Senator Sullivan.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:02:08
Thank you. And Senator Murdoch, sorry I didn't get to speed this. I have to ask you like this, but this insurance is going to be on the home inspector, so if the home
inspector misses something or for whatever reason, um, the homeowner has recourse to go back on the insurance policy of the home inspector. Is that right?
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:02:29
Well, the home inspector will carry areas and omissions insurance like many designers do for their, what they have rendered
to you. their inspection. So yes, it would be their responsibility, not the homeowner. It'll go back to the inspector who made the rendering, the
Speaker 315
1:02:45
the the approval who gave you the report.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:02:50
Right, so the, so the home inspector who issued a report that said a home is in good standing, and then the homeowner gets in it and finds out it's not in good standing because the home inspector missed something, didn't do the job, whatever, they now have to have a policy that the homeowner can issue a claim against does that
Speaker 316
1:03:11
cover the cost of the repairs that the home inspectors up to $100,000 yes. OK, good. Thank you.
Mark Johnson. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Murdock, this
is really protecting the consumer and the homeowner more that protecting the the the person providing the service. This is analogous to requiring the other driver to have liability coverage, is it not? The other driver to
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:03:41
have it's, it's insurance, it's, I think it's, I think it's it's requiring everybody to have what they should have when they're performing a service and
involving themselves with, with the general public. But again, it's, it's consumer protection. It's not homeowner inspection protection, although it does protect them from, you know, maybe liability that they wouldn't have any coverage for. Yes, definitely consumer protection, I think it's a good bill. Thank you, sir. Thank
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:04:11
you, ma'am. Thank you Senator Sullivan, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. So we're we're adding on to um what a contractor might have to do to qualify as a home inspector? No, sir.
We're not requiring a higher level of policy that
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:04:29
they have. No, this has nothing to do with the contractor. This is inspector who it may, it may, it may be a building that's already, that's already built and you, your house is already home is already built and you're gonna purchase it and you hire the home inspector just to go and do an evaluation, so it has nothing to do with the contract. So
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:04:47
the, so the inspector we're requiring they have a higher level of uh licenger than they
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:04:54
currently have. No, no, sir, we required to have an insurance to protect the consumer.
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:04:59
They have nothing now. OK, so we're just requiring them to have a higher level
of protection. Through insurance, the homeowner right now can choose between having someone with a lower level of insurance or higher level of insurance as it is currently. And we're just going to require all the inspectors that have that higher insurance threshold.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:05:25
So to try to understand your question, it, would this bill does is requires the home inspector just performing a service for the general public to have a level of protection to protect the
consumer from his or her a professional uh opinion as that they've rendered we're on the same page. OK, thanks.
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
1:05:48
Senator Payton and then back to Senator Hammer. Thank you,
Madam President. I appreciate a short, easy to read
bill, but a couple of times you've said that they're not currently required to carry anything. And the language in the law before, before we pass this bill, says all home inspectors are required to carry general liability insurance. Great question. $100,000. Now your bill changes the general liability insurance to something called professional liability insurance or errors and omissions insurance. So we're dealing with 3 different kinds of insurance. Can you describe the
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:06:27
differences? Yes sir, great question. The general liability that they have now simply covers accidents if you have a if they have a traffic accident, uh, if they do something not related to the inspection or the consumer protection. It's for them personally as just a general liability, not for errors of the mission or professional coverage. This protects you from them and their professional capacity. Kind of like I used the example of architects have aris in on
missions. It's for you to be protected from their profession. You've hired them for
their expertise, so it's more like a bond. Not it's insurance, it's insurance, but uh yes, so would we expect that these the two options they have if your bill passes, would we expect those to be more expensive or less expensive than the general liability insurance.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:07:20
No, they're very negligible cost, so the insurance that, that this as experience has been very negligible and so it's gonna be an additional something
that they choose, but they usually put these in a package in the pain, uh, insurance company. or underwriters will offer a package for this. It's not it's negligible thank you sir. Send a hammer,
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:07:45
you recognized. Thank you. Where is it addressed or how is it going to be dealt with as far as if an inspector does not have this, will they still be
able to get a license without this, or
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:07:59
how is that going to be determined. So that's why AID is involved in this. The sheriff's department is to protector for the people. In this case, to make sure that the proper insurance is there before they are in license so that the insurance department is the one that issue this and make sure that
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:08:19
it. takes properly as the bill intends. OK, so for somebody that's currently in the business when, because there's not emergency clause on this. When is it?
When, when will it be required of those that are currently in the
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:08:37
home inspector business to implement this law. I guess the sign he died and, and this becomes signed by
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:08:43
the governor and becomes law, OK, emergency clause, I apologize, so the insurance department or division of Labor and Licensing, they're going to be required to notify all the home inspectors that effective that date, you have to have insurance or their licenses are void and they're
not licensed to operate. Is that was that in the discussion? Yes,
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:09:07
so I wouldn't in every, in every discussion, but as the bill is written as I understand it, what has to happen is every department that is applicable to this will, as it's every agency do with, with bills that we passed, they will apply them to the people and to the industries and to the as necessary so I certainly expect what you're saying to be true, but I know the insurance department would be the uh issuer of this and
Speaker 319
1:09:33
making sure that the policy that's chosen protects us. OK,
Chair
Unverified
1:09:39
thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? Anyone, I'm sorry, Senator Hickey, you're recognized her question. Uh, Senator Murdoch,
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
1:09:48
just, just one here, and I know what you're trying to do. Do you know though, and I, I think we all know what your, what you're referring to, but do you know within the code is what is a what a home inspector is, is that defined anywhere?
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:10:04
It's, I'm, I'm gonna say yes. I don't have that, that I can't give you that code number, but I do know it's a professional service in the business I'm in, I've had the opportunity to interact with them quite a
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
1:10:14
bit, so I understand who you're talking about. I just didn't know if, if we had checked to see if we had a separate definition since we were
Speaker 345
1:10:22
doing this, so. OK, Senator Irvin is saying she's over here searching and she found one. OK. Thank you,
Chair
Unverified
1:10:27
sir. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Murdoch. Anyone wish to speak against or for, send her you're free to
close. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat, saying no objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator was to change
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
1:10:50
his or her vote. McKee present. Boyd present. Sullivan, no. Peyton present King not voting. Rice present. Dotson present. McKee,
no. Boyd, no. Any other senator,
Chair
Unverified
1:11:08
please check the board, saying no other. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 28 ya, 3 nay, 1, not voting, 3 present, House Bill 1625 passes. Please return to the house.
House Bill 1662. House was 1662. I represented McKenzie and Senator Blake Johnson to prohibit lobbying for a covered foreign
Speaker 63
1:11:46
entity. Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. I don't want to rehash a lot of the debate that's been But uh I do. Uh, I do want you to, I wanna, I wanna read something out of the Federal Register, Senator McKee has a registration process that
we passed is on the governor's desk at this time. Right now, under, under section 18 US Code 115 under treason, sedition, and subversive activities. registration of certain organizations. And I'm gonna say these lobbying groups are apply and they have to register with the Attorney General of the United States.
This is a definition of subject to foreign control organizations. It solicits or accepts financial contributions, loans, support of any kind, directly or indirectly from our affiliated directly or indirectly with a foreign government or political subdivision thereof. Or an agent or agencies's instrumentally. Of, of, of a foreign government, political subdivision thereof,
political party in a foreign country or in international political organization. Whenever, whenever. We are aiding this is all right here that they have to register for. All I'm asking for. is our enemies. But right now, If these groups aren't registered with the uh Attorney General
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:13:37
of the United States. They're in violation.
Chair
Unverified
1:13:48
Any questions? Senators left the well. Anyone wish to speak against? Senator Reich,
Speaker 353
1:14:00
you recognized to speak against. Remember that, I don't want to cover anything that's not
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
1:14:04
been covered, but let me say this, uh, I haven't asked anyone who voted for this to change their mind. You're all knowledgeable.
You all are thoughtful. You have integrity. And your vote is your vote. We have differing opinions at times, and I respect that. I'm again, I'm not lobbied and tried to change anybody's vote. Because I respect you. Other than saying, you might encourage you to not vote for it from the well. This is the 3rd time we're going to vote on the same bill with no
Chair
Unverified
1:14:50
change. Thank you. Anyone wish to speak for, on, or against speaking for the bill, Senator Dees, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
1:15:00
Madam Chair. I think this is the first time I spoke for Bill this session um, and, and really I, I kind of
was kicking myself that I didn't come speak for this bill, the first time we had the chance. And I think I come from the angle that um on some of these other bills that I've been able to work on this session and last session.
Yeah, speaking specifically around the protection of children from harmful drugs that have come into our country, specifically that have ties to China, and that really bothers me. Some of the some of the THC laced products that have been shipped into our state into our country illegally. And when I hear about the efforts, um, from lobbyist organizations to represent those
s really bothers me. And so I firmly believe this is not a freedom of speech issue. What this really does is just say, says that you can't be paid. From entities who haven't pledged allegiance to that flag like we just did this morning. You cannot be paid to come Move for an effort in that direction. Any citizen can at any time can speak for whatever they believe is right, and they should, and we welcome it.
But a lobbying effort is different. It's very different. And from the bills that we've been working on, me personally working on and having to combat Some of these foreign enemy nations of what they're trying to do the exact opposite. I firmly believe this is a good bill and and protects the things that we pledge allegiance to every day, and so I would please ask for a good vote. Anyone else wish to speak
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:16:58
against Senator Clark, you're recognized to speak against. Thank you, Madam Governor. Senator Johnson is
one of my best friends in the Senate. And I know he's sincere. I believe I have voted for every China bill since we started voting on China bills back when some of our leadership made fun of China bills. Everybody hadn't
always been on the same page. This is a free speech issue. We don't have North Korea. We don't have Iran in the bill, and this is You know, if this bill said the communist China government, I'd be right there with you. But this is anybody. Of all the people in the country of China. That you can't speak for them. If you're paid.
And to come back and say, well, you can speak if you don't get paid. Be a state senator if you don't get paid. You eliminate the pay and you eliminate a whole lot of people. Uh, because the rich, Can speak for free. I see, you know, sometimes I know city councils, etc. large city councils where the people don't get paid. What they don't realize is you eliminate the
poor. He eliminate, you eliminate the lower middle class. It's a free speech issue. Do what you
Speaker 362
1:18:40
want to do, but we already know what we're supposed
Chair
Unverified
1:18:48
to do. Anyone wish to speak for? I see Senator Stone, you're recognized. Members, I'd
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:18:59
like to speak for this bill. You know, here's what I, one
thing I do know, we got, we have a bright sunshiny day out there. If I was to walk outside right now, my shadow would follow me around. 15 years ago I went to China, stayed 10 days there, but one thing I noticed when I was in their country and I walked out on the sunshiny day. I had two shadows, the one the sun caused and the one government official that followed me around every day and took note of everything that I said and did while I was in that country.
I think it is incumbent upon us to remember China is not our friend. If they're hiring people to come over here and lobby our government. It is not in our best interest. I don't want to limit free speech by the American citizen and any Americans consider or or Kansan can come down here and speak of speak for or against any bill that's up for consideration. But for China to be able to hire people and come over here and speak against our state or against our country. I'm opposed to that and I will be voting for
Chair
Unverified
1:20:08
the bill and I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Yes Send her flowers, you're recognized for a question of
Speaker 371
1:20:25
Senator Stone. stone. It I understand President Trump. And President Xi. A good friends.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:20:33
So how, how is it? Where does this enemy thing come from?
I'm not with them. Our president likes, she, he's. Taking the sale of TikTok off the table. Still exist in the United States. I don't understand this. I don't understand what this enemy term comes from. Can you explain? Well,
Speaker 376
1:21:01
first off, I don't know if President
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:21:04
Trump and President of China are good friends, you know, you can
do business with somebody but not be friends with them. We do business every day with people we may or may not like, but that's just commerce and that's what we should do. But for, but to let anybody come in and influence our government in the way we do operations, uh, no, I'm against that. Send her
Chair
Unverified
1:21:29
days she'll recognize her question of Senator Stein. Thank you,
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
1:21:31
Madam Chair. Thank you, Senator Stone, and I know, I
know you're a forester and, and, and this, this may be directed towards you, but it also may be for the bill sponsor
at the end, but, but I know my father-in-law is a corn farmer in the middle of Nebraska, and I constantly hear about how China manipulates marketplace, um, numbers with false reporting. I, I hear about um uh rough uh work environments. I hear about more civil rights issues there than I've ever heard it in in anywhere in the in the country. So I would just ask maybe your opinion and maybe for the those sponsored to really from an agricultural
perspective, um, I, I hear about manipulation and influence constantly. From China. Would you agree with that statement? I
Chair
Unverified
1:22:24
would agree with that. Thank you. Senator Stubblefield, do
Senator Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
1:22:27
you have a question for Senator Stone? Yes, Senator Stone, you are aware that two of the largest beef producers that control 92% of all the beef in the United States are foreign and there really are adversaries
as much as the people of, not the
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:22:47
government, but the people of China. Like I said earlier, I'm not saying we can't do business with anybody. I mean, excuse me, I, my whole adult life I've done business with people I may or may not like, but I'm careful who I invite into my home. We should be able to do business for economic purposes with anybody, but we should be careful who we invite into our country to influence our legislative process.
Chair
Unverified
1:23:14
OK. Thank you, Madam Chair. No other questions for Senator Stone, thank you, Senator
Stone. Anyone wish to speak against Senator Payton, you're recognized to speak against. phone
Thank you, Madam President. Everybody down here is a lobbyist. I mean, I come here and I lobby for my district. I lobby for my friends. I'll lobby for the citizens of Arkansas.
The thing about the paid lobbyist is, they have more than one customer, and it's easier to tell them no. Knowing that they're just paid rather than having their heart and soul in it that is sometimes when I've got constituents down here lobbying one way or the other, but the bottom line is we as legislators have to be thick skinned enough. To look any lobbyist in the face and tell them we disagree. We do that with each other every day. We're lobbying each other for and against this bill right now.
I don't understand why we'd want to plug our ears and cover our eyes and not hear the other side of an issue.
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
1:24:29
So I'll be voting no. Speak for Sen
dismaying, you're recognized. Yeah, I mean, so thank you, Governor. I mean, I'd like to address a couple of points. This isn't about free
speech. This is about adversaries that have a long term plan for the devi of our country in favor of theirs. That's the truth, reality, research iten Rice, you've been
in this game and had this conversation about China for a long time. Our position on this is different. I don't believe That the Chinese should pay lobbyists in Arkansas to influence legislation in Arkansas. You do. I feel very, very much different about that because that's what we're talking about. is paying to have influence in the state of Arkansas on the state's policy. I don't think it's appropriate. There is nothing they want to the benefit of Arkansans.
I don't care if it's social media and the programming that they're trying to do mentally to our children. I don't care if it's the illegal vapes that they stock our shelves with, that they refuse to even be allowed to be sold in their country to the demise of our youth. It is intentional. It is methodical. And we have the ability to say we don't want that influence in the state of Arkansas, especially paid for influence in the state of Arkansas. It's not about free speech. Go to China.
Lobby their government. See how far you get. Guess what's banned? Us lobbying their government. I don't understand the narrative and I don't understand the discussion that we're having. This is alluding back to, well, I was very opposed to China at one time. OK. I'm very opposed to China today. And it's based on information that I have received over the last several years in education that I hope all of us will go back and, and look, it's not,
this isn't something up for debate. They want our demise. I'd
Chair
Unverified
1:26:35
appreciate a good vote. Speak again anyone else wish to speak against or on. Senator Martin Johnson to
speak for. Thank you, Madam President. Members I really appreciate what Senator
Dismay just said because he defined the difference between them and other countries that we do business with, uh, I don't think you can compare uh a business in Germany or Belgium or India or some of these other countries that that there is some separation from their government. If you're doing, if you're in business and communist China. Let's what it is, communist China.
Then you're there because the government lets you and they control you. And so we're not dealing with, you know, something operates like our small businesses in Arkansas. I mean, you can run a small business in Arkansas, and you can despise all 135 members of the General Assembly and all seven constitutional officers, you still have a right to do business. They don't have that over there. It is a systemic
system attempting to subvert so many ins in so many insidious ways. The United States of America. And we don't need to give aid and comfort to our enemies by allowing them to come in, spread their millions around, hire lobbyists, some of whom may be well-meaning people and the issue, at least on its face, may seem like it's legitimate for them to be lobbying on. They are subversive.
And that is what we're trying to stop here. This is a really good bill. If this were including the countries I mentioned earlier that are that are maybe not totally free, but maybe a little corrupt, but they're democracies and, and people can be outside the government influence and still do business. That that'd be different. But this is targeting our true adversaries in the world. The people that want to dominate us. I mean, This is
an important, important bill, and I appreciate a good vote. Thank you, Madam
Chair
Unverified
1:29:04
President. To speak against Senator Hickey, you're recognized. I know that we
Chair (Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr)
Unverified
1:29:07
sit down here and we try to spin things to try to get a. A bill passed through this, and I listened to Senator Rice and he's Craig. I definitely listen to Senator Payton, what he said, and he's correct. The thing is, is you want to listen to the other side when it comes to this. And I sit down here and talk about these. I hear everybody talk about this
adversary. It's like, well, do you, we want to say this about China, and that's fair. I have no love loss for those, those folks, and the things they do. But then we sit here and say this and our federal government, and I promise you, you want this to happen. We allow them to buy our debt. Do not quote me on this, but it's probably somewhere around 25 to 30% of our debt. It's owned by foreign countries.
And you say, well, I don't want them to do it. Well, then what you're saying is you don't want them to be in the bond market, and you know what that means? That means you rates are fixing to go through the roof, because if you think that the Fed controls the rates on a strategic standpoint. You're wrong. That is only tactical. It is totally controlled by the bond market, and I promise you, I sit down here and listen to this stuff, like we're trying to eliminate them from everything. But there's more to the story
and everybody just needs to not lose track of that. So I'd ask
Chair
Unverified
1:30:39
you to vote against this bill. Any other senator wish to speak on, against or for the bill, seeing no other Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized
Speaker 63
1:30:50
clothes. Appreciate it, Senator Hickey. The reason We borrow money from them is because we're economically enriching them. And spending spending our grandkids in oblivion.
I don't want to economically enrich. My enemies and I don't want us to be the 2nd leading economy in the world. Whenever I, whenever they put
Speaker 399
1:31:20
me in the ground. Appreciate a good vote.
Speaker 256
1:31:26
Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Bowen Bron Brant. Caldwell, Caldwell. Clark
Speaker 258
1:31:36
Crowe? Crawl Davis Days, this man, Dotson. English flippo. Flippo Flowers. Gilmore,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:31:56
hammer, Hester. Hi. Hill Hill
Chair
Unverified
1:32:08
Irvin, Irvin. Like Johnson. Mark Johnson,
Speaker 258
1:32:14
King letting. Letting. Love. McKee Murdoch. Murdoch. Titan. Penzo. Yes Patty, rice. Scott Scott
Speaker 262
1:32:38
Stone. Stubber. Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wished to vote
Speaker 26
1:32:53
who did not vote or wish to change your vote. Senator Hill, no. Senator Bryant, yes. Any other senator, Senator Urban, no.
Any other senator. Please check the board. Seeing no other.
Chair
Unverified
1:33:19
Please cast up the ballot by a vote
Speaker 411
1:33:24
of 1614 nay, 5 not voting. House Bill 1662 fails.
Chair
Unverified
1:33:56
recognized. Send her flowers has moved for clincher vote on 1662. I Although this is a
majority vote. This is non-debatable. All those in favor. For send her flowers,
clinch her vote on House Bill 1662. Please signify by saying aye. All those opposed. Knows
Speaker 422
1:34:27
habit, motion fails. I see one hand.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
1:34:42
I only see, I see 2, that's it. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Thank you. If, if we could have the uh the session staff come in real quick, I believe, are they staged outside? Might be good
for a little break. Please come in, please come in. Mm.
Speaker 30
1:35:29
I'll come to this side. So yeah. Yeah, I keep coming in. Yeah, come on over.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
1:35:48
OK, thank you, madam members, if you'd give me just a second. OK. You
know, when we're, when we're getting to take breaks and discuss and uh our, our staff doesn't get to do that and they, they're here before we show up here long after we leave every day during session. I just wanted to take a moment to, to recognize them and not recognize them individually. So our sergeant at Arms, Winford Batch, Charles Bowers, Joseph
Gray, Bradley Harness, Henry Kessler, Dave Mullinnax, Vaughn Neely, Alvarin Rogers, Thomas sponsor, a spawner, sorry, uh, inside the chamber here, of course we know Connie Harkins, Sharon Parker. Hey, when I say your name, if you would like raise your hand. Yeah, so Connie Harkins, Sharon Parker. Quentin Smith, Mark Hudson. In the journal room, Nancy
Dunlap, Cynthia Haas, Janet Perkins, Sheila Thompson, In the engrossing Rosemary Robinson. Salie Graves, Carol Ann, Teresa Baxley. Uh, the transmittal, Carolyn Porter. On the phones, getting all the encouraging messaging. Janet Tate.
Hazel Mays, V Mays, in the video room, Randy Martinson, Hunter Loy. Hadiza Isaka, Isaka, sorry, uh, page desk. Judy Sims. Norma Moloney, Felicia Hobbs, Betsy
Kemp, and Phyllis Duro. Let's please give them a round of applause.
Speaker 206
1:38:08
Thank you, members. Thank you Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you all so much. I Yeah
Speaker 223
1:38:58
Senate will come back to order. San.
Chair
Unverified
1:39:06
Are you ready. Senate will come back to order and I would remind senators, even though we're on our last day, that if you wish to be recognized, please stand. Address the presiding officer, please, I ask senators not to simply yell out words or words that might be part of a motion, I would ask that senators make a
formal motion of the chair. I do not, I will not. Recognize any senator who simply yells out one word, I will request that you all address presiding officer and the
Speaker 26
1:39:44
body formally. With that, we will next take up House Bill 1842.
Chair
Unverified
1:39:50
House Bill 1842, but Representative Tosh to amend the law regarding the Office of Criminal Detention Facilities review coordinator.
And to place the office within the Arkansas Commission on
Law Enforcement Standards and training within the Department of Public Safety. Senator Hammer,
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:40:10
you're recognized. Thank you. This amendment puts
the jail standards underneath quest, jail standards is already a supervised by class is located in Kle's offices. This just makes it cleaner to include it in statute,
jail standards is currently under the Department of Public Safety. Appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
1:40:27
Any questions for Senator Hammer. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has
closed. Any objection rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator was to change his or her vote. Saying no, senator, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 35 ya, zero nay, House Bill 1842. Passes,
please return to the house. Next, we'll take up House Bill 1843. House Bill 1843 by Tosh concerning records and photographs kept by the state crime lab. Senator Hammer, you're
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:41:05
recognized. Thank you. The statute provides for a specific list of people who receive information directly from the crime lab. This amendment adds the drug director to that list. This is needed because the drug director tracks the drugs. They're found to have caused deaths and tracks it according to the area of the state. This amendment allows the director to track this in real time. Appreciate a
Chair
Unverified
1:41:28
good vote. Any questions for Sinderhammer. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote,
saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Saying no senator, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 35, ya, zero nay, House Bill 1843 passes. Please return to
Speaker 34
1:41:55
the house. House Bill 1878. Pass 1878 by Representative McGruder to
Chair
Unverified
1:42:00
ensure early voting, uh, access for Arkansans residing in population centers,
centers and to require a county board of election commissioners to conduct early voting in a city in certain instances. Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank
you, Madam President. Members, this bill requires that any city in Arkansas with a population of 15,000 or more have an early voting site only for primaries and generals, not for special elections. As of right now, every city in Arkansas with a population of 15,000 or more has an early voting site. In fact, every city with a population of 10,000 or more already has an early voting site, so it's not creating any
new early voting sites. Um, that's, that's what the
Chair
Unverified
1:42:42
bill does. Happy to answer any questions. Questions for
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:42:46
Senator Tucker, Senator Dodson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. Senator Tucker, we've talked about
this a little bit where this is a mandate on you or on an election commissioners, um. But to my knowledge, although voting locations are voluntary. Do we have any sections in law
to your knowledge that require a public city community building, something like that, be a voting site in any of these communities because if we don't, then this is could potentially be an unworkable piece of legislation. Not that
I'm aware of, but You know, any city with 15,000 people. Number one, regardless of the logistics of it, deserves to have their own early voting location, but any, if you're talking about a city
with a population of less than 1000 people. I can understand how there would be logistical difficulties in identifying an early voting location. If you've got 15,000 people in a city,
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:43:52
you shouldn't have a problem finding an early voting location. But to my knowledge we don't currently have the requirement that like school buildings be early voting sites or day of election sites. Right now it's all voluntary locations, private churches, things, locations of that nature and so without some
type of relief valve if they can't find somebody who voluntarily allows them to be on their property, this they would be in in violation of this statute.
While while as a matter of theory that may be true as a matter of reality, every city in Arkansas right now with a population of
15,000 or more already has an early voting site, so I don't, I don't see how in reality it would be unworkable.
Chair
Unverified
1:44:42
Any other questions, Senator Hammer, you're recognized for a
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:44:45
question. Senator Tucker, we had passed a bill earlier in legislation that addressed this issue. How will this change or not change what we'd already passed earlier in the session to address that issue. Fair question,
Senator, and you and I visited about this, but I'm, it's 100% fair for you to bring it up on the floor. Really, what the reason why this is coming up is because at Crittenan County, West Memphis is the most populous city in Crinan County. It's not the county seat. Marion is, in the last election cycle, the
election commission couldn't get along. The originally the dispute was not whether to have an early voting location in West Memphis. It was rare to have the early voting location in West Memphis. That dispute couldn't get resolved and so the county clerk used her discretion that was in law at that time, to designate her voting location in West Memphis. Earlier this session, we passed another law that says that the county clerk Still has that discretion, but it's only in the county seat. So if that had been law last election cycle, then the county
clerk in Crindon County could not have put the early voting location in West Memphis. She could only have done it in Marion, which is much less populous than West Memphis. So it does amend a law that we passed earlier in this session in a tiny way. The the the law does not, that law does not change officially. All it does is add to it to say that if there's a population of a city with a population of 15,000 or more, then That city will have an early voting location. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Tucker?
Chair
Unverified
1:46:14
Saying no questions. Anyone wish to speak against. Senator Dodson, you're recognized to speak against.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:46:27
Members aren't necessarily I think this is a terrible
idea in in general, but as far as a matter of practice, I think it's, it needs a little bit more work before it needs to go into law, and I'll tell you the reason why.
I'm going to use an example from my area, city of Bella Vista, uh, is all within my district, but in that area, we have a very difficult time even finding locations that will voluntarily allow us to have voting sites on election day, let alone for the two weeks of early voting. And so just being able to find those locations is extremely difficult and currently now this bill has moved.
Extremely quickly. It was in the House committee on Monday on the House floor yesterday, and it didn't even come through the state agencies committee meeting because we haven't had one this week. It was signed out a committee sometime last night, so this is really the first opportunity we've had to have a a vetting on this particular bill, and so I reached out to our our election commissioner coordinator and um uh the bottom line of it is right now we don't have anywhere.
signed up for this year. Yes, we did have one in 2024, the last election, but right now they haven't agreed to actually have a voting site in in that community. Going forward in the future, so they'll be working hard and they'll try to comply with the law. The challenge of it is if they can't, and right now since we don't mandate that schools or or some other community public building be a voting
location, um, this could be very problematic in actually functionality and so I wish we were had a little bit more time to actually discuss this, to work on it. To try to work and amend this, but at this point in time we're at the end of session and so uh you know, it is what it is, and I would appreciate either present or no vote on it. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:48:43
Any other senator wish to speak for or against, I see Senator Clark and Senator Murdoch to speak for Senator Clark.
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:48:53
I was one of the senators who signed this out of committee. We're down at the end, uh, I don't think we should have a lot of complaints about that with some of the bills I've seen signed out of committee, especially one that didn't even get a second the day before and got signed up, um. The but to good bill, why would we have a community of 15,000 that didn't, that we didn't have a voting place. I've heard so much from election commissions, although I've not heard a word from election commissions about this bill. In the past I've
heard from election commissions cause uh over private property issues and whether you could, uh, electioneer or not at a place and I said, of course you can. That's, you know, that's constitutional. Well, but we might not be able to get a place. If you can't get a place in 15,000, you got a real problem, uh, but the other side of that problem is if there's a state senator running who lives in Bella Vista. The people who would naturally vote for them geographically
shouldn't have to drive while the other senator in another location has their population right there and geography, as you know, can make a huge difference. Bella Vista, West Memphis, anybody that has a population of 15,000. It's, it's a non-issue. I don't even know why I have to be down here speaking. This, this is an obvious thing that we ought to do. Appreciate a good
Chair
Unverified
1:50:21
vote. Anyone wish to speak against or
on, if not, Senator Murdoch, you're recognized
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:50:33
to speak for. Thank you, Madam Governor and Senator. So we, I lost his name, Santa Clark. He said everything I was gonna
say, um, Senator Dotson brings out some points of a technicality that could be created a problem if those things happen in certain ways, but certainly, as Senator Clark
said, and it's happened in my district, you know, if, if a town of 15,000 or more, there's no reason we should have those people to drive to another location to vote and there's plenty of places that can't be suitable places. That can't be found for a voting location, so it just makes sense that we support this. It's just a very good bill. Senator Bryant, you're recognized for a question
Chair
Unverified
1:51:20
of Senator Murdoch. Thank you, Madam President. I just need to
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:51:26
be clear on this. I mean, a town of 15,000 Several responses are you shouldn't have a problem, right. But if you do have a problem. Because it was designed as a residential community with very limited commercial space churches don't want the politics to be injected into their congregations, so they say no. And so the commission tries and they try for a year to find even 100 square feet for a single booth, and they cannot do that. What is the result when somebody
sues because of the violation of the law, does that mean, you know, any commercial facility can therefore name their price and the county's on the hook for $100,000 to for a two week lease to accommodate this just that's what I need to be comfortable with is what is the result. If
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:52:15
you cannot comply. Well, in a, in a town populated of 50 15,000
or more. The scenario you've created, said the Bryant makes it, is the answer is simple. There's not an answer
says they're gonna be in violation. What we're saying, what I'm saying and what the bill I think is is saying is that a town of that many and our examples that we have. The examples that we have, there were plenty of places. That it could have been had so to I guess to the opposite of your question, I have not seen such a, a uh scenario in reality, with your scenario brings out your narrative brings out is a. A super what if and I
understand, you know, that, so then that's legislating to the extreme. What we're trying to do here is deal with the norm, the expected and what has happened and in the situation that we've had this, it was no reason not to do it besides something that was not, there was maybe more political than just. So the answer is
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:53:21
we just accept the lawsuit that would come and figure it out through the courts. Under the narrative that
Speaker 478
1:53:28
you present, it's, it's a reality in
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:53:32
our world. It just, it just is. I mean, they'll they'll try, they'll do their best. I know the commissioners and I know the intent of the law, but if they hit that block and they just cannot get it done. The city says no. Churches say no. Business owners say no. Like, what is the next best route. Yeah, I mean, obviously
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:53:50
in that situation that you would want to work something out that's amenable to to to everyone involved. That's what my that's the only answer I can give you now. Thank you. Question Senator Hammer, you
recognized for a question of Senator Murdoch. Thank you, Senator Murdoch. You'd referenced that the
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:54:10
area in question is in your district. We had passed and addressed this Senator Tucker. We had addressed the bill earlier in the session that corrected a problem that was brought to us by the state board of elections and so that we could resolve what was a complaint and problem previous. Now we're going to pass if this bill passes. We will pass a bill that in part
will undo what we did previously in order to address that problem. So could you, would you share from your perspective how this bill will not undo what we did previously so it would open the door to the problem that was fixed by the previous piece of legislation. I think I
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:54:52
just, my simple statement would be that I think this bill just makes it all a better situation for all involved. So I just think it's an improvement on what was done earlier. That's my answer. OK, thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:55:08
Thanks, Senator Murdoch. Appreciate the vote. Any other senators wish to speak against or for, if not Senator Tucker,
you're recognized clothes. Thank you, Madam President. Just a few points, um, Senator Murrick, I was going to tell you, you could have said Senator Clark and you would have covered both of us, so yeah. Thank you, Senator Murdoch and Senator Clark for your comments. Of course I was very much respect Senator Dodson speaking
up for his district. I did take a look. Bella Vista has a population of more than 32,000 people. I'm going to say it from the well right here. I have the utmost confidence, utmost confidence in the city of Bella Vista, where a population of more than 32,000 people that they can find an early voting location. I have zero doubt in my mind. Um, I want to address the question brought to me by Senator Hester. There's a concern raised that this might create early voting locations on college campuses. The bill very explicitly applies only to cities. A college campus
is not a city. It's not a separate municipality. So just to take the University of Arkansas for example, obviously Fayetville has a population well in excess of 15,000 people. Fayetteville already has their early voting locations. It's not going to create a new early voting location on the UFA campus. That's not what the bill's about. What the bill is about is making sure that every city in Arkansas with a population of 150. Moore has an early voting location, as Senator Clark eloquently said, if you have that that many people in one location, they deserve their own
early voting location as a matter of practice, Senator Bryant and Senator Dodson's questions, every city in Arkansas, 100% of cities in Arkansas with a population of 15,000 people already have an early voting location, so this does
not create anything new. It's just making sure it stays in place. That's it. I'd appreciate
Chair
Unverified
1:57:02
a good vote. The senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat. Objection noted, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Boy Brant.
Speaker 258
1:57:16
Crow, Davis. Days dismaying Dotson English. English Englishlippo. Flip out. Flowers Gilmore, hammer. Hester.
Chair
Unverified
1:57:44
Hickey Hill. Irvin Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson,
Speaker 258
1:57:54
Kinglating love, McKee Murdoch, Peyton Penzo. Patty.
Speaker 262
1:58:08
Rice Rice, Scott. Stone saberfield.
Stab a fail. Sullivan. Attacker Wallace. Any senator
Chair
Unverified
1:58:27
wished to vote who did not vote or change your vote. Senator Crow, yes. Any other senator. Seeing no other. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 15, yeah, 16, nay, for not voting, House Bill 1878
fails. Senator Tucker, you're recognized for emotion. Thank you, Madam President. Move to expunge the
Chair
Unverified
1:58:53
vote by which House Bill 1878 failed. Thank you. Appreciate it. All those in favor of the motion, please signify by
Speaker 495
1:59:02
saying aye. And he opposed. I have it motion carries. Next,
Chair
Unverified
1:59:05
we'll take up House Bill 1903. Haville 1903 by Senator English and Representative Walker to amend provisions of the Arkansas
Code to provide school districts with flexibility regarding alternative learning environments. Senator English,
you're recognized. Thank you very much. Basically, what this does is it provides a some alternative pathways for rural schools to set up ALE programs. Any questions?
Chair
Unverified
1:59:30
Anyone wish to speak against or for.
Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote.
Senator Tucker, no. Senator Flowers, no. Senator Davis present. Senator Lobb. Now, letting know. Scott. No. Senator Davis, not voting. Any other senator. Please check the board, saying no other, please
cast up the ballot by a vote of 29 5 nay, 1
not voting. House Bill 1903 passes, please return to the house.
Next, senators, we're going to go back and take up An amendment that we had passed over
earlier Senator Ervin. That is Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 619.
Speaker 178
2:00:40
Amendment one Senate Bill 619. Send to
Urban, you're recognized. Thank you. Motion to concur with the House amendment, we aligned uh
the school board elections with legislation that
was moving through that ended up passing, uh, so that's aligned now. So appreciate a good
Chair
Unverified
2:00:57
vote. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying I, I, and he opposed, I have
Speaker 34
2:01:06
it. Amendment is concurred in. So about 6:19
Chair
Unverified
2:01:08
by Senator Irving and Representative Walker, concerning the formation of an isolated school district.
Senator Irvin, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members of the Senate, I want to
first just say um thank you to
my colleagues, particularly those on the education committees in the Senate and both in the House. Their input, their, um, advocacy for this bill was unmatched, and I'm just so grateful. Um, I'm grateful to all of you for your input, actually, and I just want to say, take a moment, kind of a personal privilege too, but with us today in the East gallery, we have folks from Ru Special and bo and umpire here, um, and on this side in the West gallery, we have a bunch of students from
Ru Special and Timbo school that came here for this bill, um, members Some of our isolated schools in rural Arkansas are some
Speaker 503
2:02:04
of the best in the state of Arkansas. Um, this,
Speaker 281
2:02:10
this bill and y'all's input and your support has
just been incredibly meaningful, not just to me, but to all these people and to these students, this bill gives them the opportunity to fight for their schools. It gives the communities the ability to fight
for their schools and to keep their communities alive in these rural isolated parts of the state of Arkansas. So many of you have worked on legislation to help rural schools and isolated schools. Senator Payton, thank you. Reggie Murdoch, thank you. There have been so many Senator flowers, there's been so many that have fought for these small rural schools. What this bill does is allows those schools to be self-governing, to stand on their own 2 ft, and to this
creates the policy and process for the, for them to finally de-annex and deconsolidate on their own. This is education freedom, and this is what it's about in public school. So I'm grateful for their input. I am more than honored. That they came here on a bus this morning to be here to see this bill passed. I'm grateful for their input, and I'm just really humbled and honored that I get to do this job for you guys. Thank you so much for
being here for me today. And guys, I'll answer any questions, um, but I appreciate
Chair
Unverified
2:03:31
a good vote. Questions for Senator Ervin. Senator Love, you're
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:03:37
recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. Senator, I'm just, I was just looking through the bill. Define for me what an isolated school district is, besides just being, I mean, do we have it in code as far as the miles away from so what, what is, can you, can you provide that for me just
for just common knowledge. Yes, so it is defined because they receive uh isolated funding, so it is defined in code and I don't have exactly the code section, but it is defining code in the Department of Education for the purposes of the, the
funding that they receive as an isolated school and for isolated enhanced transportation funding.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:04:19
OK, are these schools smaller than 30 are
these schools or school districts, they're smaller than 350 students. The schools
generally, yes, are, yes. All right, thank you. Thank you. But the definition includes like where they're located geographically. Most of these schools are very isolated if you look at where they're located geo geographically. And so that is part of the definition too, um, and that takes into consideration, particularly students that have to draw, you know, ride on buses for hours and hours and hours, and the roads and the terrain and all of that. So all of that goes into the definition of isolated. OK,
Chair
Unverified
2:05:00
thank you. Yes, sir. Any other questions for urban, Senator Clark, you're recognized for a
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
2:05:06
question. Thank you, thank you, Senator Irvin, for bringing this bill. Uh, you know, Alaska is 2/3 the size of the rest of the United States. Uh, are you aware that in Alaska they have schools that have as few as 5 kids, uh, because you'd have to put them on planes, uh, and so we can see
the need there, but my second session, we had a bill very popular bill, a bill that I liked that you couldn't have kids on a bus. for over an hour, and Malvern School District came to me and said, we inherited Carthage and we did all the consolidation, and there were good things that happened during consolidation, not because we wanted them for we asked for them, but the state asked us to take them. They said if we can't put kids on a bus for over an hour, we'll have to send taxis
to Carthage. Those type of situations should have
never happened, should they, they shouldn't have and they shouldn't have happened. And all you have to do is look at Wiener, Arkansas. So all you have to do. And like I said in the Senate, I mean in the House Education, if I could have turned back the clock, I would have. I think we could have solved a lot of these problems, because when those schools closed, it literally ripped the heart out of those communities. And you know that former Senator Linda Collins-Smith fought so
hard because she was a graduate from Wiener High Wiener School, and I went there with her actually. And, um, and, and, and that's the other part of it. These are excellent schools. They're excellent. Why? Why would we close schools that are performing at the top of their academics. Why would we do that? Um, and so we need to, you know, make sure that we're not bureaucratic and make sure that our policy gives a pathway for communities to go in there and support their schools, and
you've done a lot of work in this area too, Senator Clark, and everybody, and I just really
Chair
Unverified
2:07:10
appreciate it. Thank you for bringing this bill. Any other questions for Senator Urban. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator Payton, you're
recognized to speak for. Thank you, Madam President. Folks are graduated in Wilburn. I think the most we ever had was 172 students, kindergarten through 12th grade. I'm actually
a member of the largest graduating class ever, and that was 26 students, 7th through 12th grade when we graduated 26, had 23 left. I should say 7 to 11th because we graduated. It was the only school in the county operating in the black. When it got shut down. Consolidation has not made education better. It hasn't made it cheaper.
My district is riddled with little communities where the school was shut down. Next was the gas station, the little country store. The post office. It destroys the community. Population-wise and everything when you don't have a school. People are not going to have their kids bussed for an hour, they're going to move closer to a
school. Private schools have proven that you don't need 350 students.
In order to have a quality education. I was proud 2 years ago with the Learns Act. I lobbied hard to eliminate that 350 student rule, and I really, really appreciate y'all helping do that. And I really appreciate Senator Irvin bringing this bill. We used to play imbo Rope back when I could play
basketball. Well, some would argue I never could, but back when I did participate, I'd appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
2:09:05
Thank you, Senator Peyton. Any other senator wish to speak against on or for the bill. If not, Senator
Urban, you recognized clothes. Thank you. Some of the best education also is from homeschool kids, you know, we have a senator among us, uh, that is homeschooled. Class of one, class of one. Y'all, we can just look around at each other and see The value of these small schools, I won't, I won't
continue, but just to say thank you. This is really important for these people up here in these galleries, and I'm just honored that you guys help me with this. So
Chair
Unverified
2:09:48
I would appreciate a good vote. Thanks. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up
the ballot by a vote of 35 yeah, zero nay, Senate bill 1619. Passes as
concurred in, please enroll it. Next, we will take
up House bill before we do, let me say welcome to all these students. Thank you all
Speaker 520
2:10:26
for making the trip and uh And for being a state capitol today. So thank you all for being here.
Speaker 58
2:10:48
Next, we will take up House Bill 1945. 1945 by Representative
Chair
Unverified
2:10:52
McCollum and Senator Davis to amend the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act to amend the Public School Choice Act of 2015 and to allow a student to transfer to another public school with his within his or her resident district. Senator Davis, you. Thank you, Madam President. This is
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
2:11:10
a companion bill to a Senate bill that I've already run and is on the governor's desk, it just allows for intra-district school
choice and puts the max cap back on at 95% for
Chair
Unverified
2:11:24
schools. Happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Davis. Anyone wish to speak against
or for Senator Davis has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, Senator. Flowers, not present. Senator Flowers present, Senator dismaying, no. Any other senator see no Senator
Tucker, no. Any other senator Scott, no.
Any other senator saying no other please cast up the ballot by a vote of 31, 3 nay, 1 present, House Bill 1945 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1951.
Speaker 34
2:12:08
How spell 1951 or Collins and Senator Bryant to set forth
Chair
Unverified
2:12:12
authorized domain extensions for higher education and government websites. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, Members, this bill
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:12:22
would require our state government, local governments to use the.gov domain require educational facilities to use .edu domain and our military installation is used. mill domains, gets us away from using commercialized domains like dotcom or .org provides a higher level of security and comfort for our citizens that access our sites to reduce phishing and other scams that are more common. It's probably some bill that we should have done a decade ago to ensure we acquire the the right domain names, but it does give a lead up time to
allow these organizations that aren't already doing it, which is very few, to acquire and go through
Chair
Unverified
2:13:01
that process. Questions for Senator Bryant and Senator Petty, you're
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:13:04
recognized. Thank you, Madam President, just to clarify, I'm good with this, but we're not going
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
2:13:09
to give up the Arkansas.com or any of those commercials that we do own, we're going to retain those as well, right? Uh, to my,
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:13:18
to my knowledge that it's not affected, but if we do business
through the website, it goes through the .gov. So like .gov is managed by TISA at the at the federal level, Department of Homeland Security, and it provide the requirement that you verify that you are truly a state, that you are truly a city or a county or local authority, and then you'll use that domain to access and do business through the through the
Speaker 26
2:13:44
government. OK, thank you. Any other questions for Senator Brian. Anyone wish to speak against or
Chair
Unverified
2:13:50
for. Senator, you recognized clothes. Senator has closed. Any
objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the
boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one,
please cast up the ballot by a vote of 35 e, zero nay, House Bill 1951
Chair
Unverified
2:14:14
House Bill 1959. How spell 1959 by Representative Brown and Senator McKee to to abolish the use of a writ of skyerfasi as the means of reviving an
outstanding judgment to allow judgment to be revived. I notice and to amend the law concerning fees to be charged by clerks of
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
2:14:38
county of circuit courts. Senator McKee, you're recognized. Ski ray facias. Which Senator Flowers has notified me in Arkansas legal circles is pronounced sire fasci is a writ to make known. And basically what this bill does is what federal courts have
done and does away with that writ, uh, it's the same thing that several other states have done. There are other processes in place in those states. This basically just does the same thing in Arkansas. So there's no known opposition. I talked to several lawyers about
it. Had to learn what that word meant, and so I'd appreciate any questions
Chair
Unverified
2:15:19
you got. I'm happy to answer. Any questions
for Senator McKee. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any
objection to rolling the boat, saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Senator King not
voting. Any other senator see no other senator. please cast up the ballot by a vote
of 34, 0, nay, 1 not voting. House Bill 1959 passes.
Please return to the house. House Bill 1961. Hasville 1961 by representative Anchor and Senator Bowen to allow medical providers temporary exemptions from federal information
blocking regulations to safeguard patients during information disclosure and declare an emergency. Senator Boyd, you recognized. Thank you, Madam President. The
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:16:07
digital age has changed health care. House Bill 1961 is about preserving the doctor-patient relationship. It provides doctors a narrow case by case
option to delay releasing serious test results. Not medical records, just appointment-related test results until they've had a chance to meet with or call the patient and walk through the results with empathy and care. Uh, we've worked closely with the Medical Society and Attorney General's
office on the language, and while federal laws in this space are complex and overlapping, we believe House Bill 1961 strikes the right balance. It's good for patients and a patient in his or her care and allows a professional uh clarity of
Chair
Unverified
2:16:47
patient deserves. Questions for Senator Boyd. Anyone which is questioned by Senator Sullivan, you're recognized. So you're
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
2:16:55
protecting me from my own information. Actually, no, Senator, I'm
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:17:02
trying to protect the preservation of medicine. There's a reason we have a doctor-patient relationship and they're sometimes they're confusing messages that get delivered when I just see a random result that need to be delivered with empathy and care. And so it doesn't permanently. Shield you if there's something of concern, like it's a cancer diagnosis and HIV diagnosis, something that's just a lab result or a, a test scan. He gives the doctor the opportunity
to put us very small halt and actually have the conversation and deliver that information to you the way it was intended to be designed in the doctor-patient relationship, not the way it's been manipulated with the, the digital age where we just get information, then we, we see it, we're concerned. We go Google, and the worst comes to mind, and that's just
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
2:17:53
not helpful, so is there Is that
opportunity for the patient to to make an agreement with their doctor to withhold that information right now. Could a patient not say, Doc, if
you come up against something that uh you don't want to publish, don't publish it and call me first. Can
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:18:11
they not make that agreement now? Senator, I think they could request that, but most of us don't go to the doctor and think about what is the news that I want, don't want the doctor to, to share with me via some immediately uploaded thing to to a charter or what have you. So I think there's a good legislation. The questions and they patent
Chair
Unverified
2:18:32
you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam
President. I, I really support the idea. I think it's good, but I came up with a question, OK. It's gonna require specific action case by case by the doctor. Is that correct? That's correct. So the doctor can't set a blanket policy about just hold all mine 15 days or whatever. He's gonna have to take positive action on that case to say hold it. That's exactly right. OK, thank you.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
2:19:07
Now the question, Senator Davis, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. So I, I hear what Senator Payton's asking about case by case with the doctor, but I have my chart for my kids and for myself. So when they have lab work done or whatever, it is sent immediately to my chart so that I can view it. How does that impact? because that comes to me before the doctor
touches it, so it seems like it would be blanket.
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:19:32
It is not blanket, and that's exactly the case is before something goes
to quote my chart that might be a cancer diagnosis or it could be that MS or something that's questionable that isn't even clear, rather than it just immediately uploading, it gives the doctor the chance to intervene and say, look, I need to deliver this with empathy and care and a rational explanation, not just have something go into my chart that once it's there, it can never be taken away. Once that mindset is there, it can never be taken away. This has far reaching implications. It could affect if you apply for life insurance one day. It needs, it needs to be
delivered the right way, and this is the, the best way to do it. So federal law allows this. This just matches state law to give this authorization. I
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
2:20:19
have a follow-up question. So I like, if we go to children's to get lab work done for one of my kids, and that's where I have my chart for her, but our pediatrician is at a different clinic in a different city, and I don't think uses my chart, so how will that work? if children's is automatically
uploading it, but the pediatrician, the actual doctor, like how can you
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:20:44
none of this is going, none of this is going to interfere from that standpoint, Like the information is going to be there most of the time things are going to get uploaded just like you're used to now. This is just in a case by case situation where there's something very sensitive or something that requires explanation or maybe Maybe it's something questionable, and so it gives
the person who you trust with your care, the ability to make a decision on a one-time specific thing to say that doesn't need to be delivered until I can deliver it in person or over the phone
Chair
Unverified
2:21:26
with empathy and care. Sender Love, you're recognized for a
Speaker 554
2:21:30
question, and then send her hammer. Thank you, madam. Senator Boyd,
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:21:36
who determines the right way to deliver the information.
Speaker 542
2:21:41
Is that determined by the patient, or is that determined by the doctor? There's a doctor-patient relationship. This
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:21:50
works to preserve the doctor-patient relationship or the provider, you say, doctor, but it could be another provider so that it is delivered the way it should be, because it, it takes a relationship. It's not just a random lab result or a random test result. This gives them, and again, most of the time it's just gonna be, hey, my potassium was checked, my potassium's
gonna be uploaded. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about things that tend to be very sensitive and it's a two-person situation where it's delivered with compassion, care, empathy, the things that help preserve a doctor-patient relationship. When we take all of that out, that I don't know what that is, but it's not doctor-patient care, like we've had historically in the United States. OK, so
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:22:36
my question is, should that be determined by the
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:22:41
patient, or should that be determined by the doctor. I think that the doctor is the one who looks at something and has the education and training to make a determination. This isn't forever protecting a patient, this is in a a narrow situation where there could be sensitive Information or a sensitive idea that is presented, such as, again, I mean, if, if you, if I were diagnosed with some rare disease, I would want to hear
that from the doctor, not accidentally catch it before someone that was able to see because it was uploaded
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:23:16
to MyChart, but should that be determined by me or should that be determined by my
doctor whether or not I I want to hear the news, OK, so prior
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:23:27
to 2025, it would have been delivered by your doctor. And I think think that this helps preserve the doctor-patient relationship. OK. Thank you. Senator Hammer, you're recognized for a question.
Chair
Unverified
2:23:37
Thank you. If I'm a patient and I'm
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
2:23:42
aware that this law is in place. Does this law prohibit me from telling my doctor. I don't care what the results are. I don't care if they get put on my chart. I want to see them as soon as possible regardless. Does this bill prohibit a patient from asking for
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:24:01
that. No, because again we are trying to preserve the doctor-patient relationship. That's what this bill is about, is because of the healthcare today, we've had some situations that seem to to erode that doctor-patient
relationship, that's not healthy. That's not individualized patient care, I don't know if that's societal practice of medicine, I don't really know what it is, but it's, it's just like a pastor and a relationship with someone in your congregation, you have a relationship and this bill allows information to be shared directly in a rare circumstance. This is not like, again, it's a random, you know, I, I got my cholesterol checked. Uh, that's not what I anticipate this would
be used for this is going to be again a sensitive diagnosis, a sensitive issue like, hey, maybe it's MS or Alzheimer's or, you know, something along those lines and then
Speaker 557
2:24:53
the other question is this is intended to hide information from the
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
2:24:57
patient because ultimately there is that responsibility of the physician to share that information is just allowing the physician to be able to share it in a controlled environment so as to ease the news that
they may have to give to the patient. Is that a correct?
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:25:17
Yes, because when I go to, not that I went to medical school, but I went to healthcare school, right? I'm a pharmacist. I am trained to deliver, uh, Information in an empathetic empathetic, caring, compassionate way, and this allows that exchange to take place that the way humans were designed to interact. Thank you. Your microphone's on. Send, sender Petty,
Chair
Unverified
2:25:41
you're recognized, and then Senator Bryant. Thank you, Madam President. I
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:25:49
thought I understood this bill. I've heard some questions brought up some good points, and I just want to clarify. So, so what you're saying is this is not going to address. I go in for my standard lipid, you know, lab work, that's going to automatically continue to be uploaded to our MyChart or or whatever. If I go in and they're going to biopsy something
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
2:26:10
that test result is what we're talking. about here. Yes, so this, what this is, OK,
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:26:20
so I get something, I have some kind of test result. It's questionable, maybe it's cancer, right? Like my doctor doesn't want it to immediately go, oh my goodness, I have cancer, it's giving the doctor the opportunity to interact the way historically in America, a doctor has interacted with a patient to deliver information in a caring, compassionate, empathetic way. Thank you. Senator Bryant,
Chair
Unverified
2:26:47
you're recognized for a question. Thank
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:26:50
you, Madam President. Senator Boyd, what law requires them to give the information right now rather than just having their staff hold that information until they can make that compassionate call. Right
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:27:03
now, what is happening is again, you've got my chart and some other provider who is just automatically uploading this. This would again let the provider see it, make a rational decision that in this rare circumstance, I want to talk to the patient first so they don't
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:27:21
have the ability now to reach out to the provider, that third party, and say go ahead and hold the uploading of that information until I can reach out because I'm thinking about the test I have. I'd like to have them the next day, but sometimes it's been 2 weeks, and I don't know if that's because the hospital held it or the results just haven't come back in, so I don't know of a law that would that requires them to disseminate that information prior to the authorization of the physician. Is there, is there such a law? What I would
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:27:46
say is we wouldn't be sitting here debating this if
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:27:51
this weren't an issue, it's an issue, but is, is there a current law that requires them to give you the information prior to
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:28:02
that call. I'm going to come back to there's a reason we're debating this bill, and there's a reason this is happening and there's a reason we
Chair
Unverified
2:28:14
need clarity in the law. OK, thank you. Senator Dodd Snior
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
2:28:17
recognized her question. Thank you, Madam Governor. Senator Boyd on
I guess as I was understanding it, part
of the reasoning that I was given for the 30 day uh exclusion in there is because it would match our line with federal, HIPAA regulations and guidelines, um, so don't they already have the ability to do some of these things under federal law right now. So this
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:28:44
law helps to align us with federal law. So without this law, Senator Bryant, there's a lack of clarity the 2021 federal rule and current
state laws conflict and make providers very hesitant to delay releasing the information, even when it could harm the patient. So out of fear of violating the law, most just dump everything immediately into the portal unreviewed. This provides
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
2:29:10
the clarity we need. So it's a provider choice. On whether or not they're, because the ambiguity that they perceive. Being there, this is dump everything, but they're not under federal
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:29:23
law, they're not required to dump everything now because of federal law, they feel like they are because it's not clear. This provides the clarity that that they need so that in those one-off cases where we're concerned about the, the patient then and what that means, then it would
allow them to delay until they can actually talk to the patient. All
Chair
Unverified
2:29:48
right. Any other questions of Senator Boyd, know the questions. Anyone
wish to speak against or for. For Senator Crow, you'll recognize
Senator Steve Crowell
Unverified
2:29:59
to speak for. Colleagues, I'm sorry, it's the last day, but I'm going to be brief. I have a personal experience with a loved one. They got a MS diagnosis that was put on their chart. The doctor even in the meeting, said, I don't think this is MS. We've got to do some more tests. It was put on their chart. To this day, getting certain insurances, life insurances and
everything is pertin or impossible. They do not have MS. The second test, 25 days later, proved that that first test was wrong. So I think that we should allow the doctors to have this ability because I have lived that for the last 2 years with a very, very close relative. Anyone wish to speak against or
Chair
Unverified
2:30:49
on, if not, Senator Hammer, you're recognized to speak for.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
2:30:57
Members, I'll be brief, but I've passed for 47
years hospice chaplain for 25. I can tell you the, the, the only thing worse than dealing with the family that has been delivered news that is um is devastating to them is when a family has delivered news or a patient sees something. That at the time that they see it is not the whole picture and their emotionally distraught only to come back maybe that
afternoon or the next morning and the doctor come in and say, let me put this in context, and here's what we can do. That emotional time in that in that blackout period is is excruciating to those families, and this will help alleviate that so that everything is done on accurate, and if you don't trust your doctor, Maybe it's time for you to get a new doctor. I trust mine that if they sit me down and say, I knew this yesterday, but I wanted to tell you in person, that is a
sign of a compassionate physician that wants to make sure you hear it firsthand and not get it later. So appreciate a good vote
Chair
Unverified
2:32:09
for this bill. Any other senator wish to speak against on against Senator Lobb to speak against.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:32:22
Thank you, Madam Chair. Fri, I didn't even expect to speak against this bill, but here's my concern. It's my information.
I can understand all, I can understand the fact that when you get sensitive information delivered to you that your doctor wants to explain it to you. But it is my information. And so for me to have to To opt in or to ask somebody to provide information that is mine. There is, there's something that is just wrong with that. I should not have to go and say, hey, I need my
information. HIPAA actually is for you to have access to your information. That's what HIPAA is all about. Is that a patient should be able to access their information and then another thing about the 30 day rule, they have up to 30 days to release your information. I have been in the same situation where I have stomach issues, and I was getting something a biopsied in my stomach. I don't want to wait for up to 30 days for a doctor to be able
to talk to me. If it's my information, I think you should provide it. I shouldn't have to ask to go get my information. I shouldn't have to ask my doctor to get my information. It is my health information. And so what I'm going to ask you all is to really carefully consider what we're saying here. It is your information. Why should I have to ask my doctor for my information.
Yes, you know what? Uploading it to my chart, it might be an issue. But once again, it's called my chart because it's my information and I should have access to it. So I
would ask you to truly think about what we're doing here and asking for a no vote. Thank you. Any other senator wish to
Speaker 584
2:34:28
speak? For on or against, if not Senator Boyd, you're free to close. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:34:40
Well, this, this is a good bill. Uh, it took me a few minutes to figure out how to wrap my mind around this as well and understand what, and it really came back to the doctor-patient relationship. That's what we're all used to. That's how Ame that is what we've practiced in America. This isn't saying anything about asking that information is going in your chart one way or the other. What and it doesn't affect your medical records. This is a narrow. Case by case option to delay
releasing serious test results, again, not releasing medical records. That's not what we're talking about. Those are yours, but again, you heard from Senator Kroll. You heard from Senator Hammer, sometimes things get delivered and they create more concern than what we help solve. So this is a good bill. I would really appreciate a good vote. Thank
Chair
Unverified
2:35:37
you. Any senator has closed any
objection to rolling the vote see no objection,
Speaker 26
2:35:48
Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator we should
Chair
Unverified
2:35:54
change his or her vote. Senator Penzo, no, Senator Scott, no. Senator
Love, no. Davis, no. These present. Wallace, no. McKee,
no. King not voting. Gilmore, no. Dotson.
No. Sullivan, no. Flippo present Murdoch present. Hickey, no. Any other senator, please check the
board. Senator Bryant present, dismaying present. Any other senator. Please check the
board, seeing no other, please cast up the
ballot by a vote of 18 yeah, 10 nay, 1, not voting, 6 present. House
Bill 1961 passes. But the corresponding emergency clause. It's not adopted. Please transmit or rather return to the house. Next, we
Chair
Unverified
2:37:17
by 1966 by Representative Barnett to authorize and incorporated town or a city of the second class to petition the State Board of Education for the establishment of a local public elementary school or satellite school under certain conditions.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
2:37:36
Senator Murdoch, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. Colleagues, this just is permissive bill that allows for a petition to the State Board of Education by the city of the 2nd class and the existing school district to
petition to have to utilize facilities basically in that town, uh, it's good because it prevents and consolidation situations many times you have in rural areas especially, you have um long ranges of of drive time on school buses and they Our facilities in these cities and they can utilize those to um have elementary schools, stop the children from being on the bus for a long period of time, etc. So lots of positives and it allows them to utilize
facilities that they have left over after consolidation as well. So it's just a a win-win. The state Board of Education will make the final decision after the
petition is done. I take any questions for
Chair
Unverified
2:38:31
Senator Murdoch. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any
objection to rolling the vote, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote.
Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 35 ya, zero nay, House Bill 1966 passes. Please return to the house.
Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. I'd
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:39:19
like to make a motion we expunge the vote by which the emergency clause on House Bill 1961 failed.
Chair
Unverified
2:39:29
Motion to expunge the vote by which the emergency clause. On House Bill
1961 failed, all those in favor of the motion please signify by saying aye, and he opposed.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
2:39:38
I have it, motion carries. I have a
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:39:45
parliamentary inquiry. Sorry to waste everybody's time with this. Is there any problem? I mean, does it create an issue for the bill if we just send it down there without an emergency clause because the House passed one. re it.
Just free, OK, then I'd make a motion we revote the emergency clause
Speaker 258
2:40:23
Board, yes. Caldwell. Caldwell. Clark, Crowell Davis. Davis. Days They They're spying.
This man, Dotson. Dodson, English. Flippo Flipper flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
2:40:45
Gilmore Gilmore. OK. Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hickie, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hicky Hill. Arvin Irvin, like Johnson.
Speaker 258
2:41:08
Mark Johnson King. King lighting Love
Speaker 260
2:41:15
Life, McKee. Murdoch Murdoch. Peyton Penzo Penza. Patty.
Speaker 262
2:41:30
Stan Stone, Stubberfield,
Stubberfield. Sullivan Tucker. Wallace. Wallace He
Speaker 344
2:42:04
vote. me. Oh Rice. Yes. God Penzo, yes. Scott, yes, right? I'm sorry,
Chair
Unverified
2:42:11
Senator Scott, did you say? OK. Stubblefield, yes, dismaying, yes. Any other senators Seeing no other
police cast at the ballot by a vote of 26, 0 nay,
9, not voting, the emergency clause for House Bill 1961 is adopted, please return House Bill 1961 and the
Speaker 178
2:42:42
emergency clause to the house. House Bill 1967. House Bill 1967 by Representative Brown and Central Penzo to
Chair
Unverified
2:42:54
amend the law concerning the unlawful distribution of sexual images or
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
2:43:01
recordings. Center Penzo, you're recognized. Thank you. Uh, House Bill 1967 addresses the unlawful distribution of intimate images, as our current, our laws currently stand, the crime of
distributing sexual images without consent is limited in scope. It only applies when the offender is a current or former dating relationship with the victim, but the reality is image-based abuse in today's digital world is far broader, more sophisticated and far more harmful than our current statute accounts for. This bill does 3 key things. First, it removes the requirement that the perpetrator be a current or former sexual partner or family member of the victim, second expands the
definition of internet harm, and third, it preserves the distinction between malicious conduct and other cases that while still harmful may lack the clear intent to harm. This is a carefully balanced update to our law that responds to the growing and deeply damaging crisis of nonconsensual image sharing. It ensures that Arkansas does not fall behind in addressing this modern form of abuse while continuing to respect due process and appropriate sentencing. Oh,
we worked with the AG's office on this, and they're in support
Speaker 26
2:44:26
of the bill. Appreciate a good boat. No questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Saying no objection,
Chair
Unverified
2:44:36
please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 35 ya, zero nay House
Speaker 26
2:44:52
Bill 1967 passes, please return to the house. Senators, I'm going to ask for a 5 minute recess. We've been going for almost 3 hours, and we need at least a 5 minute-ish recess or administrative matters, so the Senate will stand in recess for 5. to 10 minutes.
Chair
Unverified
2:59:29
Senate will come back to order, Madam Secretary,
Speaker 283
2:59:37
are there items at the desk? have Notice the passage of
Speaker 612
2:59:42
Senate Bill 437 by the House as amended.
Chair
Unverified
2:59:46
Please file it calendar calendar. Not the passage of Senate Bill 491 from the house as passed as amended and merchants clause adopted. calendar, notice of passage of
Senate Bill 601 by the House as amended 1 and 2. Calendar. Not the
passage of scent Bill 625 as past as amended number one with an emergency clause calendar. We Not of concurrence of Senate concurrent resolution 5. roll it. Notice
of concurrence by the House and Senate joint resolution 15 roll it.
I got that one. OK. Send the for uh 3:47 uh returned from the house as passed
and. And roll it. Si Bill 647 must send dismay to create the economic development District Act of 2025,
Speaker 16
3:01:06
647 City County and local. And from. funny.
Chair
Unverified
3:01:24
Senators, that is everything from across the desk. We are returning to the business agenda, beginning with
Speaker 34
3:01:32
House Bill 1974. House 1974 by Longin McKee to
prohibit state entities from employing unauthorized aliens to establish the E-Verify requirement of act and to require state entities to
Chair
Unverified
3:01:46
use e-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. Senator McKee, you recognized. Thank you,
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
3:01:51
Governor. Members, 1974 just seeks to implement a simple process to ensure that everyone hired by government and the state is Legally here in the country, I'd be happy to take any questions.
Questions for Senator McKee, Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
3:02:18
Madam President. Senator, is this already required by federal law? Yes. So then what's the purpose? My understanding is that they have to fill out a form and not every business or entity is great at recognizing when those forms are filled out fraudulently. This just requires that we double check through the E-Verify system, and so basically completes the process and standardizes it across the state, OK, I've been made aware of that.
The E-Verify system is not perfect and it may have some false flags at times. Is that
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
3:02:46
a concern for this? I think that that's true with just about every system that we have. It's unfortunate, but there are ways
to cure those, those false positives. OK. Um, last question is, is there, do you know if there is there a fiscal impact
on this or is an impact on staff time for training and
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
3:03:03
management, dealing with false flags and that sort of thing. There should not be if it is its minimum that Um, legal counsel with TSS said
that they had no issues with it. They liked the idea that it was standardizing it across the state and the AG helped
Chair
Unverified
3:03:21
write the language so there shouldn't be any problems there. Thank you, Senator. Any other questions for Senator McKee. Saying no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator McKee is closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, saying no objection, Madam
Secretary, please roll the boat. Any sender was to change his or her vote, Senator Tucker,
no. Senator Love, no. Senator Scott, no.
Any other senator, Murdoch, no. Letting know, flowers, no. Any other senator? Seeing no other
please cast up the ballot by a vote of 29, 6 nay, House Bill 1974 passes. Please return to the house. House
Speaker 34
3:04:10
Bill 1975. House Bill 1975 by uh Sen D and I'm Representative
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
3:04:17
Graham to create the child content creation Protection Act. In these you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Members HB 1975 is the, uh, it creates the child content creation Protection Act. Uh, if you've seen, there's some Netflix um documentaries about this topic that uh really just shows how some of these situations have gotten out of control where um parents, parents and guardians have created a lot of content with their family, with their kids,
um, and have been profiting off of it. And what this does is actually match matches some legislation that some other state has just recently passed as well, put some thresholds and parameters around it where um you could argue that it's called the the child actor Protection Act, so it ensures that these kids are actually getting paid for their work on this content and requires parents to put money in trust, um, and but really there's, there's thresholds so this is, this puts thresholds where you've got to be, you've
got to be profiting off of content online that has a threshold and so the majority of things are probably OK, but you've got the top tier content creators that A really kind of exploiting their their kids and so this puts parameters if if basically if you're, if you are receiving millions and millions of views and paid profiteering monetized content, it just has some parameters that uh really make sure that, that kids are looked after with this, and so with that we appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
3:05:54
Questions for Senator Ds. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Dotson, no. He'll, no. Any of the senators under King not voting. Any other senator. I'm sorry, Senator Flowers present. Any other senator.
seen no other. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 31, 2 nay, 1, not voting, one present. House
Speaker 302
3:06:34
Bill 1975 passes, please return to the house.
Speaker 34
3:06:39
House Bill 1979. Hospital 1979, me and Gasaway and Senator Blake Johnson. An act to amend Arkansas
Chair
Unverified
3:06:46
law to allow warrantless searches by, by law enforcement officer of a person placed on suspense suspended in position of sentence and
Speaker 62
3:06:57
Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized. Remember this this just adds the person placed on suspended imposition of a sentence
Speaker 63
3:07:04
to the list where the warrantless searches can be done the other other ones are probationer or parolee, and these are the folks that that we we've let out because we don't have room in the jails and prison. Any questions?
Chair
Unverified
3:07:24
Anyone would speak against or for.
Senators closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. See no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator
wish to change his or her vote King not voting. Flowers, no. Peyton, no. Bryant present. Scott, no. Any. Please check. Scott, no.
Any of the senators, please check the board. Seeing no other, please cast up
Speaker 302
3:08:01
the ballot by a vote of 38 3 nay, 1, not voting, one
Speaker 495
3:08:08
present. House Bill 1979 passes, please
Chair
Unverified
3:08:10
return to the house. House Bill 1983. Houseville 1983 by a few banks in Central Stubberfield to mend acts to amend Acts 1973, number 167, Section 4 concerning the sale of certain property to the Westar Area Council. Boy Scouts of America.
Senator Stubblefield, you recognized person,
Senator Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
3:08:33
basically this is just a cleanup bill, um, in 1970. Uh, for the state bought uh or the Boy Scouts of America bought a piece of land from the sanatorium there in Boonville and uh most of it has grown up. It has a, has a lake and has a some buildings on it and in order to maintain that, the only, the only income they have is they sell, they lease either
some of the land hunt or or some of the land for timber and uh The only problem is the deed has a reversionary clause in it that prevents them to be able to do that, so this, this cleans up that language. In fact, in 1991, uh, there was another bill passed to try to clean this up, and they still left some vague. Language in the bill. So this, this basically takes care of that bag leg and uh takes care of the problem they have.
Chair
Unverified
3:09:36
glad to take questions. Any questions for Senator Stubblefield, saying no questions. Anyone wish to speak
against or for Senator has closed. Yeah. Any objection to rolling the vote, saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, Senator Scott. No, Senator Love, no. Any other senator? Seeing no other police cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 ya,
Speaker 302
3:10:10
to nay. House Bill 1983 passes, please
Chair
Unverified
3:10:15
return to the house. House built 1984. Coville in 1984 by Representative Hudson and Senator Davis to create a designation for a registered sex offender on a driver's license or identification card. Senator Davis, you're recognized. Thank
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
3:10:28
you, Madam President. Um, this bill just puts a designation on a driver's license for a level 3 and level 4 sex offenders. Happy to take any questions. Any
Chair
Unverified
3:10:40
questions for Senator Davis. Anyone wish
to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. And a senator was to change his or her vote, send her flowers. No. Any other senator. Seeing no other, oh, Senator Tucker, no. Any other senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 y, 2
Speaker 302
3:11:13
nay, House Bill 1984 passes. Please return to the house.
Chair
Unverified
3:11:18
House Bill 1986. Houseville 1986 by Senator Wallace concerning excused absences for children, a fallen service members and
children have fallen first responders. Senator Wallace, you're recognized. Thank
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
3:11:31
you, Governor. Members this uh bill only applies to Children are fallen service members or children have fallen first responders.
Says that a student who meets one of the following qualifications shall not be considered absent from his or her public school for the time during which they are absent from school due to a mental health issue or if they're at a sponsored event supporting the families of fallen service members. Uh, in order for the student to qualify for this, they must receive an excuse absence and provide written documentation from their parents or their
Chair
Unverified
3:12:14
guardian. And with that, I stand by for your questions. Any questions for Senator
Wallace. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to
change his or her vote. See no one please cast up the
ballot by a vote of 35, 0, nay House Bill 1986. Passes, please return to the house.
Speaker 34
3:12:46
House Bill 1988. House school 1988, my representative Tasha Centra
Chair
Unverified
3:12:52
Hill to me the law concerning distribution of auto auction fees for salvage title or parts only titled vehicles and to amend the
purpose for which auto auction fees may be used. Senator Hill, you're
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
3:13:05
recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, all this bill does is reallocate money at 50% of it from the for the state police
from their inspection oversight area. Auto auctions to the operations and divisions of the state police.
Chair
Unverified
3:13:26
Questions for Senator Hill. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator Hill has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Senator King not voting. Any other senator?
Seeing no other please cast up the ballot. My vote of 34 ye, zero nay, 1 not voting. House Bill 1988 passes.
Speaker 34
3:14:02
Please return to the house. House Bill 1991. How spell 1991 by representative Childress Center Bryant
Chair
Unverified
3:14:07
to provide for certain exceptions related to residential development under the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. Senator Bryant, you're recognized.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
3:14:13
Thank you, Madam President. Members' Bill in 1991
will allow for an exception in our residential fire codes for land that cannot accommodate to two entrances or or an entrance and an exit to be able to, if they expand their lot sizes to 1 acre, and they go over the 30 home minimum before the requirement is to put sprinkler in all homes of the division. To be able to just have the one entrance. And so we've got areas in the state that are just landlocked, um, surrounded by timber lands that will likely never get sold, and what they
did is they sold that frontage off to developers, and they made access points to specific properties of a certain size, and developers want to increase the quantity of our homes. They want to, you know, make homes affordable, but under the current, under the current code they cannot do that unless they invest in viru suppression systems for homes for residential development over 30 homes or provide that second access which is impossible to provide for these lots. And so it does not apply to the municipalities
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
3:15:20
second class or 1st class or towns. It's only in rural areas, so what I'll
Chair
Unverified
3:15:25
be allowed to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Bryant. Anyone wish to speak against, oh yes, send her love,
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
3:15:33
you'll recognize her question. Senator Brown, is there any opposition to this bill? So the fire chiefs are concerned about
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
3:15:39
the process. They said they're, they're not necessarily concerned about the the ask. They understand the ask. They just were more concerned about the process because the, the volumes of code of the of the of
the protection. It's 3 volumes that were 2000 pages. They're just concerned that the legislative body is going to insert themselves and they would like that process to be worked out. The concern is the process is difficult to get worked out because uh this is, it's been in code for about 20 years, and it's not ideally enforced everywhere. In fact, I encourage you to drive and look through neighborhoods that are within 20 years old, and you'll see there's there's well over the 30 homes. And so what this will do is provide more clarity for those rather asking permission rather than
forgiveness that they can increase the quantity and supply of our houses, have the right to their property, but still provide that separation of homes to ensure that some level of fire protection is given. So the county judges were in support of it. Obviously our developers and real estate professionals aren't supportive of it. Fire officials are a little bit hesitant because of the process. OK, thank you. Senator Payton, you're recognized. Thank
you, Madam President. Is there anything in the bill that, I mean, I understand the problem
you're trying to cure is where somebody has a piece of property that's pretty much landlocked, and they don't have an option for a second access. But there, is there anything in the bill that that determines whether that situation exists or does this bill allow somebody who has frontage and has maybe frontage on multiple streets to to only do one entrance. I would say the bill is not
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
3:17:17
address that specific instance. It was kind of late in the session and they're just trying to flush this out. I would say
that that local developer will work with, work with those rural fire departments to to determine that and accommodate that. Developers aren't looking to be nefarious in their activity. This is looking to solve a specific problem, that is, is widespread for these specific circumstances. Well, I'm not sure it's
nefarious. I mean, like you said, you see over here somebody that built a development with one entrance, and you say, why shouldn't I be able to To do that because just because I have, I'm not landlocked. It'd be less expensive to build one
entrance than 2 or 3, but, uh, so there's nothing in this bill that would Make a determination as to whether they should
Chair
Unverified
3:18:08
get the exemption or not? No, not specifically. OK, thank you. Any
other questions for Senator Bryant. Seeing no other questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for speaking for Senator Sullivan. You're recognized
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
3:18:19
buyers have an opportunity to make that decision. They know what the rules are when they buy a home there, and they should have the
freedom to buy a home there. In my opinion, if they choose to, uh, this amounts to no more than a, a fine on somebody that buys a house somewhere at $10,000 fine if you want to build your home and live where you choose to live. I support the bill.
Chair
Unverified
3:18:45
Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak against for or on, seeing no other Senator Bryant has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat.
Any senator was to change his or
her vote, Rice present. Stone, no. Letting know. Peyton present. King, no. Murdoch, no. Tucker, no. Gilmore, no. Hetty present. Love, no. Clark.
Speaker 26
3:19:30
No, Davis, no. Scott, no. Any other senator, please check the board. Senator
Chair
Unverified
3:19:40
dismaying. Present Senator dismaying present. Senator Flippo present. And he had the sender, please check the board. Seeing no
other police cast up the ballot by a vote of 20 yeah, 10 nay, 5 present, House Bill 1991 passes.
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
3:20:02
Please return to the house. Senator King you up in the gallery is uh the Mount Judy Middle School, and they are being brought down here by Miss Julie Campbell, who is 10, I'm sorry, they're, they're coming in they are OK. OK OK, I want to make sure that
Mount Judy Middle School and they were represented uh Shepherd by Miss Julie
Campbell, who was part of CNH Farms and who are some of the best people in Newton County that uh we could
even ask for farmers and great people. So if you can give Ms. Campbell a hand. Thank you. Thank you, Senator
Chair
Unverified
3:20:55
King and young people, welcome to your state capitol. We're glad to have you all here today.
Speaker 34
3:21:04
Next, we will take up House Bill 1995. Haville 1995 in Bentley and Senator Rice to separate the offices of sheriff
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
3:21:20
and tax collector in Perry County. Senator Reich should recognized. Governor uh, members just another one of separation of the sheriff and collector came in late, uh representative Bentley and I share, uh, Perry County. The Court approved this, to ask for
Chair
Unverified
3:21:34
a good vote. Thank you. Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any
objection to rolling the vote, saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast
it at the ballot by vote of 35 yeah, zero nay, House Bill 1995 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 2001.
Speaker 178
3:22:07
As for 2001 by Representative Painter and Senator Hammer to create
Chair
Unverified
3:22:11
the Arkansas towing and recovery reform and Efficiency Act of 2025 to amend the law concerning the Arkansas towing and recovery Board and declare an emergency. Senator Hammer, you're
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:22:24
recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. This bill is a agreed upon bill between the governor Tony Association and some others that have worked on it. It does 4 things. It reconstitutes the board in order to have a equal representation of small towns
along with the large ones and also members of the public. Uh, it allows for a cargo carrier to be able to pay 20% of the bill in order to remove their cargo. It allows for 5% to be paid on personal. vehicles to be able to remove their personal property from it still requires the remaining balance of the tow bill to be paid, but this allows them to remove their cargo or their personal belongings, and then also it is going to be required to be on all forms that there is information as to how to file a
complaint because of predatory towing that is occurring that is not necessarily addressed in this bill but hopes to be addressed through rule under the new board's direction that will address predatory towing. Those are the four primary things. Bill does, I'll be glad to
Chair
Unverified
3:23:26
answer any questions. Any questions? Senator Gilmore, you're recognized for a question.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:23:31
Thank you, Senator. Did I hear you say this is agreed to bill, all parties have agreed to. I'm going to say it's no
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:23:39
opposition that you're aware of. I mean, there's always going to be individual
pockets, but as far as the principal parties in the leadership roles that worked on this, it was agreed to. It's one of those things that is probably need to be done for a
long time, and they finally got to a pathway forward where they can. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? any
Speaker 97
3:23:58
anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote.
Chair
Unverified
3:24:09
Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. And a senator wished to change his or her vote, Senator Dotson
present. Senator Tucker, no, Senator Peyton present. Send her flowers. No. Any other senator, Senator Ervin, no. Senator Murdoch present. Any other senator, please check the board. Seeing no other,
please cast up the ballot by
vote of 29, 3 nay, 3 present, House Bill 2001 passes
Speaker 302
3:24:45
and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please return to the house.
Chair
Unverified
3:24:57
61. Sender. We will now take up House Bill 1671. House was 1671
Speaker 178
3:25:04
by Representative Johnson and Senator Board to amend the law concerning the gross receipts tax, and that
Chair
Unverified
3:25:12
general sales and use tax exemption for sales to qualified nonprofit organizations. Senator Boyd, you're recognized.
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:25:19
Thank you, Madam President. This bill allows a nonprofit organization providing community-based services to apply to DFA for a sales tax exemption, but only if the nonprofit has less than $200,000 in a year in revenue. Several purchases would continue to not be exempted, such as vehicles, boats, airplanes, construction materials, mobile phones, TVs, computers, or ATVs. So this is a
very narrowly constructed. It is expected to be a very minimal fiscal impact due to the $200,000 annual operating budget limitation in the excluded items. DFA must provide a report to ALC in December to see how many of the nonprofits actually applied for the exemption. So this
will help small nonprofits across State to have more resources available for providing community resources. Questions
Chair
Unverified
3:26:09
for Senator Boyd. Anyone wish to speak against or
Speaker 367
3:26:14
for? Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote. One moment please, we
Chair
Unverified
3:26:40
objection to rolling the vote, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat.
Any senator wish to change his or her vote
King, not voting. Any other senator? Peyton present, Dotson present, any other senator saying no other, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 32 ye, zero nay, 1 not voting, 2 present. House Bill 1671
passes. Please return to the house.
Senators, I believe that we had some Senate
Speaker 26
3:27:25
bills. And or amendments added to the bottom of the calendar if you'll give us just a moment.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:27:30
Senator Hester, you're recognized. Members, we just did one of the ones that was admitted on the House floor and came over today, but I want
y'all to know there's uh 4 more of those, so it would be Senate Bill 437. Senate Bill 491. Senate Bill 625.
And Senate Bill 601 So, to my knowledge, that is all that was a, you know, was amended. past the house floor, came down here today. Um, and then who knows what members may want to bring
up after that, that's, that will be the end of our official calendar. So first we will take up
Chair
Unverified
3:28:27
Senate Bill 437. Senator Hester, Amendment 1, Senate Bill 437. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Thank
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:28:36
you, Madam Governor. Members, this is the windmill bill. We've had a lot of windmill bills. This one has made it through the whole process, um, you know, we've got lots of projects, dozens of them going on across the state. That's just as the first things that adds some um um some regulation onto them. Um, I desperately tried to get a
moratorium, could not get that done, but we were successful in getting some regulations to this point, I would say that Senator Caldwell can't be in here right now. He would be opposing this bill if he could be in here just for for clarification purposes, because I know we've had a Senator Caldwell and I have been on some of these bills together and get some, but uh I, I do want to make sure every member understands that, but I'm happy to answer any questions. He just, um, again, it does not ban
windmills, it just adds um restrictions. One of those that I think are Very important regulations is, if you're going to build a windmill, you've got to have a bond up front. Uh, so if you just walk away from the project, the local community isn't stuck with this forever. The bond upfront would allow for the uh removal of that just like we require when we do um
uh any type of mining operations or drilling for oil or gas. I'm happy to take any questions. And this is just on the
Chair
Unverified
3:29:59
amendment itself and so we're going to, we'll vote
Speaker 358
3:30:01
the amendment and then we will vote the bill. So
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:30:05
questions on the amendment. The amendment does grandfathering for all current projects under development. That's what the amendment does. That's how we were able to get it
here. Senator Mark Johnson, you have a question on the amendment. Yes, ma'am. You're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Hester,
uh, I remember that you and Senator Caldwell worked out and agreed to amendment that was a compromise, and I'm going
As I recall it, it created a, I'll call it a diagonal line across the state. It was basically 300 ft above or below sea level. It had a two-tiered approach to the was that removed through this amendment. That, that was, that was removed on the House side, that's right. I agree
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:30:50
with that, Senator Caldwell, but even a significant amount of members in this chamber that we're not going to, we're not going to have um regulation
on windmills, opposed it, but I couldn't get that amendment through over
there. We were able to get this one. So back to with this amendment, uh, it's in effect, a, a total moratorium except for where they're already under construction or contract or something, not at
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:31:16
all. It's not a moratorium at all. Um, uh, it, everything that's currently
under development, his grandfathered in from all these regulations wherever they are, wherever they are, whatever they're doing, if they're currently under development, their grandfathered in under no
regulation. This will regulations to the entire state. Senator Caldwell was hopeful that we could find a compromise where we didn't regulate, you know, we, what we did 300 ft below sea level, um, but, uh, which would protect the Ozarks, which was my goal. Uh, we were not able
to get that through the house. OK, but this was the amendment would still protect the Ozarks and allow the cross-county development that's going along to
that's correct. OK. Thank you, Senator Hester. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
3:32:06
All those in favor of the amendment, please signify
Chair
Unverified
3:32:09
by saying aye. Any opposed? As habit amendment is incurred in Senate Bill 437 by Senator Hester
to create the Arkansas Wind Energy Development Act. Senator Hester,
you're recognized. Members, I just presented it. I'm happy to
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:32:23
answer any questions. Any questions on the
Chair
Unverified
3:32:26
bill, Senator Hill, you're recognized. Senator Hester, since this
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
3:32:31
is not going back to a committee here. What, what did y'all do to
alleviate the crop dusters concerns and worries about this because I know I heard from several in my district that's making it a lot more dangerous for
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:32:48
them to fly. We, we, we removed that 300 ft below sea level, which were, which adds these uh regulations across the whole state. That was the
amendment that the crop dusters were looking for and that made them happy. Thank you. Any
Chair
Unverified
3:33:02
other questions of Sander Hester, seeing no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or
for Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please, OK,
saying no objection to rolling the boat, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to
change his or her vote, Senator Hickey, no. Senator Caldwell, no. Senator Sullivan, no. Sinder Stone, no. Sender Penzo? No. Senator Mark Johnson, no. Senator
Stubblefield, no. Senator Rice present. Senator Flippo, no. Send her flowers? No. Senator Clark, no. Senator Hill, no. This side, Senator Tucker, no. Senator Kroll, no. Love, no. Murdoch present. Love. I'm sorry, Scott present.
Any other senators wish to change your vote? Seeing no others. Please check
the board, seeing no others. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 18, yeah, 14, nay, 3 present
Senate Bill 437. passes as amended, as incurred in the amendment, please enroll it. Next, we
will take up Senate Bill 4981.
I remember 1491. This is the Amendment 1. Senator Hamer, you're recognized. Thank
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:34:50
you, Madam Governor. All the amendment does is just specify that this applies to EBD only and not all the
Chair
Unverified
3:35:01
other agencies. Any. No, no questions on the amendment. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying I any opposed?
I have it. The amendment is concurred in. Senate Bill 491 by Senator Hammer to require a vendor that
contracts with the employee benefits division to submit data for verification by an independent audit to impose a civil penalty on a vendor that provides an accurate data and declare an emergency.
Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:35:29
EBD brought this amendment, and they are agreeable to it and participate in the process it just specifies that it applies to EBD only, and
that's what the bill and the amendment together does. We've already passed out here once. This just adds the amendment.
Chair
Unverified
3:35:43
Appreciate a good vote. Any questions? Questions,
Senator Urban, you're recognized for a question. Yeah. Do you know what the fiscal impact will
be for this bill to EBD because
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:35:57
it mandates them to um Uh, yeah, yeah, they didn't express any concern about that, and just so the intent of everybody knows what it does is that in a case like Navidas presents information EBD, what this would allow is because there's no one between Navitas and EBD to lay a set of eyes on it to know that
Navidus is actually providing accurate information because it's proprietary. What it will allow is for a third party vendor, and it's permissive. It says it's permissive. It says they may ask for it. It's not a mandatory one, but it creates that option for it to happen so that any information we would have gotten from Navitas that's
providing the EBD, say, for example, pharmaceutical cost or reimbursement rates, he would allow that third party independent to look at it and still maintain the protection of the proprietary information, but we know that we are getting real
information because otherwise it's a source feeding to a source with no one in
between to verify. On a bill that I had that kind of happened right here at the last minute, um. Is there, is there any kind of a time, time certain that they would be able to get that to them for information or that would just be negotiated with the independent vendor, I guess it is. There was
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:37:13
no time certain place then because what we wanted to do is be able to give
EBD in this case with the amendment, it applies to CBD only. It would give them the
option to be able to use it in in case there are questions that they may have about the information they're receiving or we as legislators may have regarding the information that they're receiving. That it creates that option to be able to do it if they feel it's
necessary. Would this also apply to Blue Cross Blue Shield if they're as their third party administrator for their health insurance
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:37:42
plans. I think it would apply to anything where information is being provided to EBD that is being classified as proprietary, and there's no
mechanism to make sure that that information is being turned over to EBD is actual true verifiable information because nobody's able to look at it because it's proprietary. This allows that set of eyes to be put on it that's third party where that proprietary information could still be protected but give us the assurances to say yes, the information they gave you is 100% true and accurate. Good, then I'm supportive of the bill. Thank you. The
Chair
Unverified
3:38:18
questions and are dismaying you're recognized for a
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
3:38:21
question. Thank you, Governor. Did something happen? I mean, I know we just mentioned a PBM. Are there other entities that we're looking to impose the audits on that has proprietary information
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:38:33
or what is it just BBMs now it could apply to other
things other than PBMs. The most recent, just full transparency. Navidus is given information to EBD, but their claim is proprietary. Do we really know that the information that they are giving is 100%. accurate with regards to example
the reimbursement cost that's going to have a direct impact on what we do and making determination of other policies around here, so that was, that was the situation that drove the intent of the legislation, but it isn't necessarily just contained to that. That is just for
illustration purposes based on what I see as a legislator is an option that we need to correct to make sure that we are getting good. verifiable information. It could apply to a lot of other things.
Can you give me one more example of where we might
apply it. Um, I think we maybe could apply it to Well, anything
that's gonna directly impact what we as legislators decide with regards to cost to state employ employee health policy plans, what's driving the cost of the premiums that we are paying the reimbursement rate for anything that would touch like a state employee plan or any of the ones
that we cover. It only applies to us as far as governmental entities. It's not going out into the private world, so it's just limited to
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
3:39:59
us, but any other vendors is an example that we would want to hone in on to require the audits of. It's OK if it's just for PBMs, but I want us to say that
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:40:10
it's it's for more than just PBMs. It is not targeting PBMs, but they are just in that circle or in that in that group of all health care providers, whoever they are, PBM physicians, whatever. I'll give you an example and you can tell me if it's something
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
3:40:24
that's gonna be covered because it's happening today. Pharmacist says they're not being reimbursed enough by PBMs, PSEOs, or in between that's supposed to be the ones enforcing the contracts for refusing to enforce the contracts. Pharmacists. Start asking their patients to sign a forms which allows them through HIPAA to not have to report back and go outside of our insurance policies. It's happening to state employees across the state where they're not able to utilize their insurance. Would this allow us to get a report or an audit of
pharmacies that are utilizing HIPAA to bypass the insurance
Speaker 680
3:40:58
plans that we provide to employees. I don't see why not. I don't think that'd be a bad
Chair
Unverified
3:41:05
thing. All right, thank you. Thank you. Senator
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:41:10
Gilmore, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, uh, Madam President. Senator, I may have missed it, so let's go back to
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:41:18
the audit. Who's doing the audit? It would be whoever in this case, EBD, which select to, well, it's, it's
It would be whoever EBD would pick to be the third party that could look at that information to verify it, and I don't have a list of who that could be. I don't know. I don't
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:41:39
even know who that could be, honestly. All right, so then my next one is What triggers the audit or the need for the audit. Is that just up to EBD? Is
that up to, hey, we've got information we think may not be entirely accurate. who makes that determination the EBD subcommittee of ALC. I, I'm
just, I'm asking because I don't know. I think
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:42:00
it could come from any one of those sorts as you mentioned, and again, this
is permissive, so it creates the avenue for it to happen as to where now I don't see that it can happen, so it could be, it could be the EBD subcommittee of ALC. It could be EBD itself. Of course there'd have to be a reasonable request and it's going to have to go through, you know, it has to go through. and so they would kind of be the gatekeeper of it, but you know, if we wanted to find out, let it establishes a process for where
it could happen in the need that somebody felt that it needed to happen, but again, I keep going back permiss it is permissive
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:42:36
language. OK, one last follow up. Do you envision this if, let's just say we don't like the information we're given with the numbers we're given or whatever, could this be, would that trigger an audit every time something comes back? back to us that we don't like, would that trigger an audit? I don't know necessarily. I think it's
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:42:54
going to be driven by the forces in place at the time, whether that's, you know, for
example, as ALC chair, whoever's committee of the EBD subcommittee crying out loud, it might even be the governor's office that would want to know this again, it's just a matter of
making sure that it's there in the event it wanted to be, it wanted to be done or utilized. Thank you, Senator.
Chair
Unverified
3:43:16
Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Hammer. Seeing no other questions. Anyone wish to
speak against or for. Send her you're free to close. I do want
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:43:25
to close again the amendment that was put in here, there was no resistance from EBD
for it, at least to me, maybe to you, but not to me that I know of, but it was the amendment was offered up by EBD because they want to make sure it applied to them only and didn't have such broad nets, so I think if there was a lot of pushback, I hope I would have had at least the respect to
Chair
Unverified
3:43:51
have told me that. Otherwise I appreciate a good
vote, Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat. Objection noted, Madam Secretary, please call the roll.
Speaker 256
3:44:03
Poet, Brant. Brant Caldwell, Caldwell, Clark. Clark Yeah.
Speaker 258
3:44:25
Davis. Davis Days, this. This man
Dotson English. Flip out flowers. Gilmore, Gilmore, hammer, Hester. Hecky
Chair
Unverified
3:44:52
Hill Hill, Irvin, Irvin, Blake Johnson. Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King. King
Speaker 262
3:45:24
Patty rice. Rice, Scott. Stone Stone. Stab afield.
Chair
Unverified
3:45:36
Sullivan. Tucker? Wallace Any senator who did not vote or who wishes to
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
3:45:50
change your vote. Send her dismaying no. Hell no.
Chair
Unverified
3:45:55
Any other senator, Senator Stone, yes. Hickey. Caldwell, yes. Gilmore, no.
Hester, no. Flippo present. Urban present. Davis, no. Love present. Any other
senator, please check the board. Seeing no other please cast up
the ballot by a vote of 19, 7, nay, 3, not voting, 6 present. Senate Bill
491 passes, but the corresponding emergency clause is not adopted. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:46:45
Madam Governor. I'd like to make a motion to expunge the vote by which the emergency portion fail and put
it up for revote, please. Motion to expunge
Chair
Unverified
3:46:54
the vote by which the emergency clause failed to be
adopted on Senate Bill 491, all those in favor of the motion please signify by saying aye, any opposed, I have it, motion carries. We will now vote the emergency
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
3:47:11
clause only of Senate Bill 491. Do we need to roll call? Any
Speaker 58
3:47:24
on the Emergency clause only objection
Speaker 256
3:47:30
noted. Bo Brant. Brant. Caldwell. Caldwell. Clark Clark. Crow.
Speaker 258
3:47:43
Davis days. This man. This man. Dotson English. Flip out flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
3:47:58
Flowers. Gilmore Gilmore. Hammer, hammer. Hester.
Chair
Unverified
3:48:16
hey hey. Hill Irvin Irvin. Like Johnson, Mark Johnson. King King. Yes. They're too loud. She,
she can't hear. Senators, I would remind you all that we are voting and it's difficult sometimes to to hear so any side conversations, please take them outside the
Speaker 258
3:48:46
chamber. Thank you. Letting love, love the key
Speaker 260
3:48:58
Murdoch Murdoch. Payton Penza Patty, rice.
Speaker 262
3:49:07
Scott. Stan, Stab a fail. Sullivan. Tucker?
Chair
Unverified
3:49:18
Wallace. Any senators who did not vote or who wish to change your vote, send her
Speaker 706
3:49:29
hammer, yes. Gilmore, yes, Hickey, yes. Caldwell, yes. Irvin present. Any other senator. Seeing
Chair
Unverified
3:49:37
no other police cast up
the ballot by a vote of 29, 095 not voting, 1 present, the emergency clause to Senate Bill 491 is adopted, please. And roll it, Governor. We will now take
up, oh yes, Senator Hammer can't appoint a personal
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
3:50:07
privilege. Better be nice. I'll be nice. Thank you, members, that was the last piece of legislation in a general session that I run to finish my career. Thank you, thank you.
For Couple of things for the record. Thanks for the run for the money, and the last one, and number 2, just to dispel any
rumors, I came in number 2 as far as most bills filed, I just want a record that I'm #2, not #1, like some of y'all think. So thank y'all.
Chair
Unverified
3:50:51
Thank you, Senator Hammer. Yeah We now will take up Senate bill, I believe, 601. Are we? Are we
taking up 621 to Senate Bill 601. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Members, this is the international medical
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:51:09
graduate bill that we passed off our floor when it went down the house, they
made a couple of very reasonable, um, amendments to it, one of those being to go from a two-year commitment to a minimum of a 3-year commitment.
Chair
Unverified
3:51:22
I'm happy to answer any questions on
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:51:29
the amendment. Questions for Senator Hester. Saying no questions, all those in favor of Amendment 1, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? I have it. Amendments concurred in. Amendment
Chair
Unverified
3:51:39
2 to Senate Bill 601. Senator Hester, you're
recognized. Same explanation. All those in favor of Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 601, please signify by saying aye, and he
opposed? I habit amendment is concurred in about 601 by Senator Hester to create a pathway for a graduate of a foreign medical school to be licensed in this state if he or she is offered full-time employment
as a physician from a healthcare provider. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:52:10
Madam Governor. This is just a response to our need for physicians in Arkansas, as long as a hospital medical provider request them to come, um, and oversees them that that's going to be permitted in Arkansas.
Chair
Unverified
3:52:25
Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed.
Any objection to rolling the boat seeing no objection, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her
vote, Senator Flowers present, Senator Flowers, no. S send her flowers, no. Any other senator.
Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by vote of 34 yeah,
one nay, Senate Bill 601 passes. Please And roll
it. Senate bill amendment to Senate Bill 625. Amendment 1, Senate Bill 625. Senator Davis, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
3:53:12
Before I start, I would just like to clear up the record. Senator Hammer did finish in 2nd place with 94 bills. We've been doing a running total on the back row. First place goes to the Honorable Senator Missy
Irvin with 114 bills and tied for 3rd place is Senator Boyd with 85 and Senator Penzo with 85. Coming in a solid 4th place is Senator Bryant with somewhere in the 70s. So those 5 members account for about half of the bills filed in the Senate this session. Thank you for your work. OK, um, OK, members, we amended Senate Bill 625, the EFA um debate that we had last week, we made a few different changes.
One, we changed the window of time that people could apply from um it ended May 1st, we changed it to June 1st, and they can also still apply after that date if they need to. Um, we also clarified that we allow for educational services in a non-traditional setting to count as a co-curricular, so essentially if you Maybe have a disability or maybe an IEP or something, and you need to learn in a non-traditional setting to help support maybe your speech therapy or something like that
to help with phonetics or reading, you can do so, and that does not fall into the extracurricular cap. Uh, we also took out the definition of homeschool, that's nowhere in there. EFA students or EFA students, it is not differentiated in the program. Uh, we also clarified that it would be an intentional misuse of funds that you could, um, get in trouble with using AFA funds instead of just misuse of funds. And if you are expelled, um, instead of just, you know, the department can still close
your account, but there is now an appeal process in place if you would like to appeal that decision for them not to close your account. S for concurrence. Any, any questions? Should I, or I guess I just
Chair
Unverified
3:55:14
moved for concurrence on the amendment. Any questions on the amendment. Seeing no questions on the amendment. All those in favor
of Amendment 1. Please signify by saying I. Any opposed as habit amendment
is concurred in Senate Bill 625 by Senator Davis to amend provisions of the Arkansas Code concerning the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account program and declare an emergency. Senator
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
3:55:39
Davis, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. I'm not going to take a lot of time here and mostly I'm saying this for people watching at home because there's been so much confusion, I think, around the spill. I want to be clear that this bill does not take funds from EFA family. It does not tell anyone what or how to teach. It does not target
a particular group, so there is no mention of homeschool, it's just EFA students, it does not attack education, freedom in Arkansas. It does support long-term sustainability for the EFA program, and it does allow for reasonable costs to be reimbursed. Happy to take any
questions. Questions for Senator Davis. Anyone wish to speak against or
Chair
Unverified
3:56:21
for. Senator Dodson is recognized to speak on the bill.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
3:56:31
Thank you, Madam Governor, and I just wanted to say I appreciate the amendment that was done in the House and Senator Davis's work and Representative Brooks and getting this bill to the the best place possible at this point in the session, I think listening to the concerns that many have had in addressing many of those concerns. I just want to say I appreciate that very much. So I'll be voting for the bill.
Chair
Unverified
3:57:02
Any other senator wish to speak against for or on the bill. Senator Davis has closed any objection to rolling the boat. Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Senator
Pinzo, no. These present, King not voting. Letting present. Bryant present.
Any other senator Murdoch present. Any other senator, please check the board, seeing no other. Please cast up the ballot by
vote of 29, 1 nay, one not voting, for present, Senate Bill 625 passes and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please enroll
Speaker 302
3:57:52
it. Senator Tucker, you're recognized for emotion. Thank you, Madam
President. I, I'd like to reconsider House
Chair
Unverified
3:58:02
Bill 1878. Motion to reconsider House Bill 18. 78. All those in favor,
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
3:58:21
please signify by saying aye. And he opposed. I have it. Thank you, Madam
Chair
Unverified
3:58:29
President. How, how spell 1878 by Representative
McGruder to ensure early voting access for Arkansas re Arkansans residing in population centers and require a court county board of election commissioners to conduct early voting in a city in certain instances, Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. I'm not going to repeat everything that we
heard on this bill this morning. Just a reminder, this is a bill, the bill about every city in Arkansas with a population of 15. 1000 or more should have an early voting location. There's kind of invert what I said this morning and say it a different
way because I had some other questions about it, and that is the only thing that prevents the election because every city with a population of 15,000 or more already has an early voting location. The only thing this bill prevents is voting commit county election commissions from removing early voting locations with cities of population of 15,000 or more. The discretion they have on everything else is completely unfettered. They have discretion over everything, where it goes, how much they spend, all of those matters. The only thing they cannot do is remove early voting
locations from places and cities specifically from cities where they already exist. Thank you, members. I'd appreciate a good vote.
Chair
Unverified
3:59:41
Any questions? Senator Tucker's left the well. Senator Tucker will take
a question. Senator Dodson, you recognized her question. Thank you, Madam Governor. Senator Ducker, has this bill changed since the last time we voted on it. It has
not changed, but Senator Dodson, I had some conversations with some members who wanted an opportunity to vote for it who didn't vote for it earlier. OK.
Chair
Unverified
4:00:07
Any other questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for.
Senator has closed. People Any objection to rolling the boat. Objection noted. Madam Secretary, please call
Speaker 256
4:00:28
the roll. For Brant. Caldwell Clark. Clark
Speaker 258
4:00:42
This man. This mine. Dotson, English. Flippo flowers. Gilmore. Hammer,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
4:00:54
Hester Hicky Hill. Arvin Blake
Speaker 258
4:01:03
Johnson. Mark Johnson.
King lighting, love. McKee. Murdoch M. He was not, he was not. Peyton. Pencil? Penza Patty rice. Scott. The stone.
Speaker 262
4:01:40
Stuberfield. Stab a fail. Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any
Chair
Unverified
4:01:54
senator wish to vote or change your vote, send her dismaying.
No. Murdoch, yes. Clark, yes. Any other senator? Hester, no.
Speaker 5
4:02:14
Any other sender, please check the board.
Chair
Unverified
4:02:33
I Stubblefield, no. Any other senator. Please check the board, saying no other. Please cast up the ballot by a vote
Speaker 446
4:02:41
of 18, yeah, 17, nay, House Bill 1878.
Speaker 239
4:02:48
Passes. And I see 12345 hands. Mhm Seriously There were 5
Chair
Unverified
4:03:11
hands to sound the ballot. We will read the yes votes.
Senator D's requested. To have the ballot
sounded. Caldwell, yes. How strike Once
Speaker 520
4:03:34
the Secretary has started. We are not able to
Chair
Unverified
4:03:41
withdraw. Madam Secretary, please continue. Caldwell's not
Speaker 733
4:03:47
here, so he struck so it failed. inquiry.
Speaker 26
4:03:56
Have to excuse me, Senator, before I, I, I don't believe it's in order because we are in the process of sounding the ballot, but I need to confer with counsel. Once, yes, and as I said earlier, Senator Hammer wants the
Chair
Unverified
4:04:14
secretary had started. Uh We are not able to
Chair
Unverified
4:04:23
not here, so. Senator Caldwell was the first
yes vote on that was called on the sounding
of the ballot. Senator Caldwell is not present. Therefore, the boat will fail. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Is
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
4:04:46
there anything in the rules, given the circumstances under which we're operating, which And, and we know
why Senator Caldwell is not in the chamber. Is there anything in the, is there anything in the rules that would allow his vote to count.
Even though he's not able to be in his chair. No,
Chair
Unverified
4:05:07
sir. OK, just for the record, if nothing else. Thank you. There's nothing in the Senate rules that you all adopted. This is not a decision of
the presiding officer. Inquiry from Senator Mark Johnson. I. No. There's a
Senator Mark Johnson has moved to clinch the vote. By which House Bill 1878 failed to say non-debatable motion, all
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:05:41
those in favor of the clincher motion. Signify by saying I, all those opposed. knows habit, motion fails. Send
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
4:06:02
reconsideration of 1878 by which it failed as a declining side, or do we need
Speaker 710
4:06:09
to expunge first? Motion to expunge by which
Chair
Unverified
4:06:13
1878 has failed. All those in favor of the motion to expunge by which House Bill 1878 fails, please signify by saying I.
Speaker 502
4:06:19
And he opposed. As habit And then I'd like to make
Speaker 736
4:06:26
a motion for reconsideration of 1878. Motion for reconsideration of
Chair
Unverified
4:06:32
House Bill 1878. This is a debatable motion. Senator Hickey,
you're recognized. And I'm gonna say this is
Chair (Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr)
Unverified
4:06:41
on the motion just so everybody knows before I made that vote for Senator Caldwell. He is on location. He just had a personal issue, and I did have a personal conversation
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
4:06:50
with him and have his full authority to vote yes on this. So we just want everybody to know the full
Chair
Unverified
4:07:04
thing. Thank you And we are Because we expunged the vote. The bill is back for consideration.
Speaker 178
4:07:25
the bill. Just let me read this. Secretary, please read the bill. House
Chair
Unverified
4:07:29
Bill 1878 by Representative McGruder to ensure early voting access for
Arkansas, Arkansans residing in population center centers and to require a county board of election commissioners to conduct early voting in a city in certain circumstances. Senator The Senator Tucker. I appreciate a good vote. I'm going
to defer to Senator Hammer. Anyone wish to speak
Chair
Unverified
4:08:01
against or for? Senator Hammer recognized to speak on the bill.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
4:08:06
Thank you, Madam Governor. The reason I'm speaking on the bill is because of circumstances which we are voting on this bill, and I think it's a fair thing to do. I think it's the right thing to do, given the circumstances that we're dealing with and my convictions have not changed on the bill, but my convictions are that the bill ought to be
able to be voted on, taking into consideration what we're dealing with and for that I appreciate the opportunity to get back
Chair
Unverified
4:08:29
on the floor. Anyone else wished to speak against for or on the bill.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
4:08:36
Senator Dodson to speak against. Thank you, Madam Governor, for the same reasons as stated before, I'm still opposed to the bill as it's written, not opposed to the concept like the concept, which there was enough time in the session to fix it, but there's not let the vote be what it will, but uh sorry we sounded the ballot, not realizing the full extent of the situation, so but
Chair
Unverified
4:09:07
I still am opposed to the bill. Yeah, the senator wished to speak for, against, or on. If not, Senator Tucker, you're recognized clothes. Thank you,
Madam President. I think we all know where we are in this. I think this is going to be the last vote of the general session
of the 95th General Assembly. So let's go out on a high note, members, appreciate a good vote. Thank you
Chair
Unverified
4:09:32
so much. Madam Secretary, please call the roll
And please speak up and keep in mind
that we are voting. It is difficult to hear. So if we can Not be
Speaker 256
4:09:51
having side conversations during what we hope is the
Speaker 258
4:09:58
last vote. Bowen Brant. Caldwell Clark Crowe, Crowe. Davis days. This man,
this man. Dotson English Flipper flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore. Hammer Hester Hicky
Chair
Unverified
4:10:28
Hill, Arvin. Blake Johnson. Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson,
Speaker 258
4:10:38
King. Flading love McKee Murdoch. Titan. I uh. And so Patty rice. Scott. Stan, Stab
Speaker 498
4:11:10
attacker, right, uh, Wallace. Any senator who
Chair
Unverified
4:11:15
did not vote, who wishes to vote, or who wishes to change your vote. Senator Stubblefield. No. And the
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
4:11:26
other senator, Senator Blake Johnson, no. And he had a senator Seeing
Chair
Unverified
4:11:33
no other. Please check the board, see no other, please cast up the ballot
Speaker 446
4:11:44
by vote of 1816 nay, 1 not voting, House Bill 1878.
Speaker 750
4:11:49
Passes, please return to the house. Senator Hester,
Chair
Unverified
4:11:53
you're recognized. Members, if you'll give us just
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:11:59
a few minutes and maybe we want to go into recess. The house has 4 or 5 bills left. We just need to make sure something doesn't happen that we should also address. It shouldn't be long, but if you would just give us a few moments. It's customary on both
sides. We make sure that we're both ready to uh to recess. Oh, actually, yeah. I would actually,
I think Ann is going to uh Go get all of our full-time staff. We've been trying to take this in steps so that we make sure and honor everybody properly. If we can get all our full-time
staff on here, we will appreciate them. For the year round,
Speaker 754
4:13:05
good work. Can we have, you cannot ask. Do we
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
4:13:10
know what bills are left? Do we have any idea to know before they even get
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:13:14
down here. I do not. No, Senator King, I
don't believe they're gonna send any bills back down here. And I don't think there's anything, well, Senator Letting has one, and if it gets amended, it will come back, but I, I, I don't, I, I don't plan on the house sending anything back down here, but
it's customary that we wait. Meeting right now. They are still meeting and voting. OK, would you guys line up? Oh, we're looking, we're looking for Lee. We're looking for Lee. He's
Speaker 669
4:13:47
working somewhere. Leanne, yeah, come on down here. There you go. Oh, upstairs. OK, now.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:14:54
Well. Well, if, if yeah, if Lee comes down here, we'll embarrass him individually, but oh, he's on his way?
OK, OK. Ms. Well, hey, while we are waiting, we could acknowledge the many hours of great work from our lieutenant Governor, Leslie Rutledge. We appreciate you always being here taking care of us.
Speaker 761
4:15:32
And now we wait. We got to wait on the
Speaker 731
4:15:40
house, yeah. There is Well, members, we, we, we
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:15:52
know all of our full-time staff because they're uh taking care of us day in and day out and doing such a great work of making us sound good and look
better than we than we do pushing out our letters, taking care of constituents, making sure the office runs in a way that that makes us all proud in the state proud, but we'll start with uh and we did a good job yesterday, uh, but honoring
Miss Ann Cornwell. Uh, Sabrina Llewellyn, assistant secretary to the Senate. Philip Treat, Senate chief counsel, John Reid, Information Officer. Leslie Rogers, constituent
services director, Rob Hatfield, production videographer.
Tamara Lewis, Senate fiscal Officer. Leanne Golden Smith, legislative analyst. Cindy
Herron, Assistant Information Officer. Rebecca Barfield, administrative assistant, receptionist, Lee Pippins, property manager inventory. And ride more administrative assistant, receptionist. Please
give them a welcome for appreciation. Thank you, members. So
now I think we will just wait. I'll go, I'll go to walk down there and see if I can talk with the speaker
Chair
Unverified
4:17:32
and make sure we're we're all finished. Senate will stand in a brief recess. Don't run off.
Speaker 670
4:17:40
Senate will stand in brief recess my microphone on. Sorry. Well We do
Speaker 763
4:17:52
have You want to do this? You do this. you take it. Members,
Speaker 764
4:18:00
everybody knows the lovely exquisite Benita. It's her birthday today, so everybody help me, join me in wishing Miss Benida a happy birthday.
Unknown speaker
4:18:13
Happy birthday. Mike, Mike, Mike, it's on, it's on, OK.
How are y'all doing? Um.
Speaker 26
4:26:51
Senate will come back to order, Madam Secretary, are there
Speaker 59
4:26:54
items at the desk? Yes, notice the passage of Senate Bill 121 by
Chair
Unverified
4:26:58
the house and roll it and roll it. That's the passage of 217 by the house and roll it. Not the passage of Sent Bill 355 by the house and roll it. Not the passage of Senate Bill 444 by the House and roll it. Notice of passage of 554 by the house and roll it. Notice of passage of Sent Bill 638 by the house and roll it.
Yes. Senator letting, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
4:27:28
Colleagues, motion to withdraw Senate Bill 419 from consideration and sent to revenue and tax for interim study? All
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:27:35
those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? I have it, motion carries, and one more colleague's
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
4:27:42
motion to withdraw Senate Bill 548 and Senate Bill 549 from consideration and sent to judiciary for interim study. All those
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:27:49
in favor of the motion, please signify by saying
aye. Any opposed? Eyes have it, motion carries, Senator Urban, uh, motion to send
Senate bill, a withdrawal Senate Bill 621 for purpose of interim study. All those
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:28:07
in favor of the motion, please signify by saying I any opposed 621. And then
and then motion for Senate Bill 626 to
Chair
Unverified
4:28:16
interim study. All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying
aye. Any opposed? I have it, motion carries. Any other similar motion. Senator dismaying, you're recognized. Make a motion to
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
4:28:38
send Senate Bill 647 to interim study. Did it get assigned City County Local. All those in favor
Speaker 500
4:28:47
of the ocean. Please signify by saying I.
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
4:29:00
motion carries. Senator Penzo, since we're doing motions. Motion the send Senate Bill 616, the
Chair
Unverified
4:29:09
interim study. You're recognized for that motion, Senator. All those in favor
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:29:14
of the motion, please signify by saying a. Any opposed? I have it
Speaker 605
4:29:19
motion carries. I. Any other similar motions.
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:29:30
Seeing no other similar motion. Senator Hester, you're recognized. I remembers the, um, I'm, I'm,
I'm gonna ask uh Lieutenant Governor to recess us till May 5th, but I, I, I wanna say a couple of things, um, there are 10 Senate bills being concurred on their end. If for some reason one of them became a mess. Right, and they didn't concur and they wanted some amendment, we could technically withdraw it back down here, fix it and send it back. I don't foresee that
happening at all, but that's kind of the reason we like to wait, kind of what I'm going to, I think there are press conferences at 3:30. A lot of members are hanging around today for bill signings tomorrow. I think we could get 18 members back in here to if I needed to call us back in, uh, this afternoon to do that. So unless I hear some significant Objection, I'm going to ask Lieutenant Governor to recess us and under the very slim chance that something happens in the house. I, I can't imagine that
it Well, but that's normally why we wait, but they're gonna be a while. I mean, they're gonna be a while. They have 11
Speaker 770
4:30:42
bills left. So, yep. And get mad at me for asking this question. If that were to happen, just the stuff from the house would be what
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:30:49
you would deal with, is that correct? That's correct. If that happened, we would only deal with whatever that thing was from the house, like nothing else. Thank you, Senator,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
4:31:02
you're recognized, yes, I'd like to um be noted as on leave when I don't know the bills that you expect to come back with the I don't, I don't expect any. Well you just said we're waiting and they might have an amendment that will put on it the
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:31:20
whole point is they're not finished their work and something totally unforeseen could happen. I don't think that's gonna happen, which is why I'm comfortable saying we can go to
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
4:31:29
recess, which is why I'm comfortable saying I'd like
to be listed as on leave if there's something for
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
4:31:41
it. I'm for that. OK, without further questions. Thank
Speaker 26
4:31:48
you, Senator Hester and senators, if I might add, what a pleasure it has been most of the time for the past 90 days to preside over this body. I appreciate the professionalism and civility which you all have shown one another, particularly in instances of great differing
of opinion, strong opinions uh from your constituents and loved ones, personal. that you've shared with Arkansans, uh, but I appreciate how this body has conducted itself over the last several months. I appreciate my staff and the staff of the Senate as well, but I want to say personally to all of the
Chair
Unverified
4:32:24
senators, thank you for your decorum over the last several months. And with that, it
is my great pleasure to say that in accordance with the terms and
Speaker 26
4:32:36
conditions adopted and house concurrent resolution 1006, the Senate will stand in recess. At the close of business today and will remain in recess until the Senate is reconvened for the express and limited purposes outlined in house concurrent resolution 1006, or if it is determined that reconvening is not necessary, the ninety-fifth General Assembly is adjourned signing die
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
4:32:59
on or before 12 noon, May 5th, 2025.
Agenda
Call to Order
Roll Call
Prayer
Pledge of Allegiance
Announcements
Doctor of the Day
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS FOR THIRD READING AND CONCURRENCE
HCR1004 Wardlaw Gilmore TO CONGRATULATE GAME WARDEN AUSTIN POWELL ON RECEIVING THE MONTY CARMIKLE OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD AND THE 2024 ROBERT M. BRANTLY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
SR74 Irvin TO RECOGNIZE THE COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM, FEATURING FOUR (4) PLAYERS FROM ARKANSAS, AS THE 2025 NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION I NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.
SB290 #1 B. Johnson B. Johnson TO PROHIBIT A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN WATERSHEDS AND OTHER BODIES OF WATER.
Presentation of charity trophy event
Sen. M. Johnson - Point of Personal Privilege
SB457 #1 G. Leding Leding TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE RELEASE FROM PAROLE OR POST-RELEASE SUPERVISION OF CERTAIN PERSONS WHO COMMITTED CRIMES WHEN THEY WERE UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN.
SB571 #1&2 J. Petty Petty TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ZONING REGULATIONS; AND TO PROHIBIT A MUNICIPALITY FROM ENFORCING BUILDINGS AND ZONING REGULATIONS ON COUNTY PROPERTY.
SB612 #1 Dees Dees TO CREATE A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT CAUSES HARM; AND TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY ON A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT KNOWINGLY AND WILLFULLY CONTRIBUTES TO A MINOR'S SUICIDE OR SUICIDE ATTEMPT.
SB619 #1 Irvin Irvin CONCERNING THE FORMATION OF AN ISOLATED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SB620 #1 Irvin Irvin TO PROVIDE A SAFETY VALVE AND APPEAL RIGHT FOR A MINOR DEFENDANT WHO IS ALSO A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013.
HB1017 A. Collins Davis TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TO PAY FOR INCURRED COSTS FOR APPROVED PAID MATERNITY LEAVE.
HB1625 Barnett Murdock TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED HOME INSPECTORS.
HB1662 B. McKenzie B. Johnson TO PROHIBIT LOBBYING FOR A COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY.
Recognition of Session Staff for the Senate of the 95th General Assembly
HB1842 Tosh Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL DETENTION FACILITIES REVIEW COORDINATOR; AND TO PLACE THE OFFICE WITHIN THE ARKANSAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS AND TRAINING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
HB1843 Tosh Hammer CONCERNING RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS KEPT BY THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY.
HB1878 McGruder Tucker TO ENSURE EARLY VOTING ACCESS FOR ARKANSANS RESIDING IN POPULATION CENTERS; AND TO REQUIRE A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS TO CONDUCT EARLY VOTING IN A CITY IN CERTAIN INSTANCES.
HB1903 Walker English TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FLEXIBILITY REGARDING ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
HB1945 McCollum Davis TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015; AND TO ALLOW A STUDENT TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OR HER RESIDENT DISTRICT.
HB1951 A. Collins Bryant TO SET FORTH AUTHORIZED DOMAIN EXTENSIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES.
HB1959 M. Brown McKee TO ABOLISH THE USE OF A WRIT OF SCIRE FACIAS AS THE MEANS OF REVIVING AN OUTSTANDING JUDGMENT; TO ALLOW A JUDGMENT TO BE REVIVED BY NOTICE; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE FEES TO BE CHARGED BY CLERKS OF THE CIRCUIT COURTS.
HB1961 Achor Boyd TO ALLOW MEDICAL PROVIDERS TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS FROM FEDERAL INFORMATION-BLOCKING REGULATIONS TO SAFEGUARD PATIENTS DURING INFORMATION DISCLOSURE; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1966 Barnett Murdock TO AUTHORIZE AN INCORPORATED TOWN OR A CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS TO PETITION THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOCAL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR SATELLITE SCHOOL UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
Motion to expunge the vote by which the Emergency clause of HB1961 failed
Motion to re-vote HB1961 Emergency clause
HB1967 K. Brown Penzo TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL DISTRIBUTION OF SEXUAL IMAGES OR RECORDINGS.
RECESS
RECONVENE
HB1974 Long McKee TO PROHIBIT STATE ENTITIES FROM EMPLOYING UNAUTHORIZED ALIENS; TO ESTABLISH THE E-VERIFY REQUIREMENT ACT; AND TO REQUIRE STATE ENTITIES TO USE E-VERIFY TO CONFIRM EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY.
HB1975 Gramlich Dees TO CREATE THE CHILD CONTENT CREATION PROTECTION ACT.
HB1979 Gazaway B. Johnson AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW TO ALLOW WARRANTLESS SEARCHES BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF A PERSON PLACED ON SUSPENDED IMPOSITION OF SENTENCE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
HB1983 Eubanks Stubblefield TO AMEND ACTS 1973, NO. 167, § 4, CONCERNING THE SALE OF CERTAIN PROPERTY TO THE WESTARK AREA COUNCIL, INC., BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.
HB1984 Hudson Davis TO CREATE A DESIGNATION FOR A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER ON A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION CARD.
HB1986 Nazarenko Wallace CONCERNING EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR CHILDREN OF FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS AND CHILDREN OF FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS.
HB1988 Tosh Hill TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AUTO AUCTION FEES FOR SALVAGE-TITLED OR PARTS-ONLY TITLED VEHICLES; AND TO AMEND THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH AUTO AUCTION FEES MAY BE USED.
HB1991 Childress Bryant TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS RELATED TO A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE ARKANSAS FIRE PREVENTION CODE.
HB1995 Bentley Rice TO SEPARATE THE OFFICES OF SHERIFF AND TAX COLLECTOR IN PERRY COUNTY.
HB2001 Painter Hammer TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS TOWING AND RECOVERY REFORM AND EFFICIENCY ACT OF 2025; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS TOWING AND RECOVERY BOARD; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1671 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX; AND TO CREATE A GENERAL SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR SALES TO QUALIFIED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
SB437 TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ACT.
SB491#1 TO REQUIRE A VENDOR THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS DIVISION TO SUBMIT DATA FOR VERIFICATION BY AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT; TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY ON A VENDOR THAT PROVIDES INACCURATE DATA; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Motion to expunge the vote which the emergency clause failed.
SB601 TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE LICENSED IN THIS STATE IF HE OR SHE IS OFFERED FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AS A PHYSICIAN FROM A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
SB625 TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Motion to reconsider HB 1878
Sound the Ballott
Clinch the Vote HB1878
motion to expunge the vote HB 1878
Revote for HB 1878
HB2003 TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Bureau of Legislative Research Fiscal staff recognition
Recess
Reconvene
Motion withdrawal SB419
Motion withdrawal SB548
Motion withdrawal SB549
SB626 interim study
SB621 interim study
SB647 interim study
SB616 interim study
Adjourn
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Speaker 7
Speaker 8
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 16
Senator John Payton Chair
Unverified
Speaker 26
Senator Bart Hester
Unverified
Speaker 34
Speaker 36
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
Senator Missy Irvin Chair
Unverified
Speaker 63
Speaker 64
Speaker 72
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
Speaker 86
Speaker 97
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
Speaker 104
Speaker 105
Speaker 107
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
Speaker 126
Speaker 128
Speaker 174
Senator Mark Johnson Chair
Unverified
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
Speaker 206
Speaker 210
Speaker 218
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
Senator Jim Petty
Unverified
Speaker 96
Speaker 238
Speaker 256
Speaker 258
Speaker 262
Speaker 274
Speaker 58
Speaker 51
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
Chair (Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr)
Unverified
Speaker 290
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
Speaker 246
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
Speaker 315
Speaker 316
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
Speaker 319
Speaker 345
Speaker 353
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
Speaker 362
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
Speaker 371
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
Speaker 376
Senator Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
Speaker 399
Speaker 411
Speaker 415
Speaker 422
Speaker 4
Speaker 30
Speaker 223
Senator Clarke Tucker Chair
Unverified
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
Speaker 478
Speaker 495
Senator Jane English Chair
Unverified
Speaker 178
Speaker 503
Speaker 281
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
Speaker 520
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
Speaker 554
Speaker 542
Speaker 557
Senator Steve Crowell
Unverified
Speaker 584
Speaker 260
Speaker 266
Speaker 344
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
Speaker 283
Speaker 612
Speaker 302
Speaker 62
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
Speaker 367
Speaker 358
Speaker 680
Speaker 33
Speaker 706
Speaker 5
Speaker 446
Speaker 239
Speaker 733
Speaker 734
Speaker 242
Speaker 710
Speaker 502
Speaker 736
Speaker 498
Speaker 750
Speaker 754
Speaker 669
Speaker 761
Speaker 731
Speaker 670
Speaker 763
Speaker 764
Speaker 59
Speaker 500
Speaker 605
Speaker 770