Arkansas Legislative Council
Video
Transcript
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
Good morning we're going to get started here if you will please rise Representative Vauugt if you'll lead us in prayer. thingslord we
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
0:47
just pray that we would conduct business here today that would bring honor and glory to your name Lord. I pray for each and every one of us to have to drive home today that you keep a safe Lord God. please be with those that are sick among us Lord God and we just pray your healing hand on them. We praise you and we thank you for Jesus Christ our Lord
andavior and it's in his name we pray amen. right first thing is approval of the minutes from last meeting meeting do I have a motion to adopt the meetings OK I have a motion do I have a second? All all in favor say aye all right any opposed motion adopted. next we have the presentation of the July2026 revenue report Doctor Silva,
please come to the table give us your name and who you represent
Speaker 13
1:50
and get started thank you Mr Chairman Carlos Silva bureau of legislative research and to them you to present you the July2026 monthly revenue report is our first revenue report of this fiscal year as we look into our gross collections
here we have673 million dollars collected for this first month that's up36 million dollars from last fiscally the first month of the last fiscal year around5.8% the total would be a net of601 million dollars and it's also up43.7 million dollars from the first month of the last fiscal years is around7.8% as you look into this first page you see that there's a plus here of the major historical rehab that is a a
for for this first day of of this fiscal year that that that have that s the transfer that's 855 of2019 so we have this first transfer here that's why we're showing up and that's why we have a plus and then it balance everything out rather than taking it off the top as we move into page number 2 you see a $26.3 million above the the forecast from the FNA for this first month of this fiscal year as we move into our general revenue
collections and our special revenue collections I'll like to just to bring attention to a couple of points there you see the we'll have some updates and umduho Act989 of2025 that's the collections for the ritatement fees so if you look into the DUi and things like that you see some well shifts but that doesn't mean anything major had change in those collections ass is just about where the the money is going
when we talk about Arkansas in general and the nation bring to your attention here is labor force participation where in in Arkansas we we still have some positive news there but one in the nation we we see a change in the labor force participation is going down but as we look into unemployment rate is also going down with Arkansas and the nation at4.1% however the difference in the labor force is something to to know with that I'll take any further questions.
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
4:13
all right any questions oh p re
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
4:23
s ent ative ladyman thank you Mr Chairman. just a quick question on
the front page there corporate income tax refunds we're up 1,165% why is that
Speaker 13
4:36
so that one shifts that that one shifts a lot so if I look into last fiscoti 20242025 you have a number
similar to this about3.6 million dollars so it's just the beginning of the fiscal year and it's a small amount and value here so that that will show a a lot higher and it can happen but this number is something that the3.6 is something that have happened in previous years so it's not
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
4:58
really a fluctuation that'll out as the year goes
Speaker 16
5:00
on yes sir that's that's my understanding from what we have looked up to now Representative wooten
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
5:14
thank you Mr Chairman. In in looking at the economic wellbeing of the state do you take into consideration the housing situation and one I'm referring to is we have the highest ownership in the nation. Well almost almost70% but also delinquencies in our foreclosures or rising do y'all consider that when you
come up with the economic projections and what what the impact what impact do
Speaker 26
5:50
you anticipate that we have so if you're talking about the the surplus and and
Speaker 13
5:55
so on that is a DFNA forecast if you wanna talk about specifically on how we we can think about how this is gonna impact state collections I'll be happy to talk to you talk to you later on and we can talk about different scenarios on how that would occur but if talking about specifically the forecast that'll be a DF andA question if I may
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
6:20
also rosslyood has announced that they're closing 9 silos or 9 storage facilities what what what impact will that have on
revenues for the state so so any time we have
Speaker 13
6:38
some unemployment we have people that cannot find new jobs we we should expect to see a decline here in collections on on income and of course sales right
gross sales collections but it's whether or not those individuals can can find another job as we look into the state of Arkansas compared to the nation state previously the labor force participation in the state has increased in in the past few months and have stabilized somewhat in the last a couple months why aren't you looking in the nation you see this this decline in labor force participation so there's some some momentum at least with the the preliminary data we have right now that there's some questions on on whether or not those individuals will be
able to to find new jobs if if they do then that's a different question but once again if there's a specific scenario we're talking about a region of the state versus the the state as a whole'll be happy to talk to you later
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
7:39
on thank you thank you Mr Chairman. Representative Bentley thank you chairman Doctor Silva thank you for your report and I just can you tell us what our labor force participation rate
Speaker 15
7:45
in Arkansas is right now. I didn't see it in your report it's not part of the report I'm gonna go here by memory5.59.2%
Speaker 13
7:53
if that's kind of what I remember at the top of my head but I'll be happy to get some other numbers here we can talk about the seasonsonly just version of Seasonally judgeted that's some differences there but that's what what
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
8:04
I have my memory here thank you miss very focused on
that thank you so much. I appreciate your report. seeing no further questions thank you Doctor Silva. the next thing on our agenda is a report of the executive subcommittee Representative Eaves you are recognized
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
8:18
thank you Mr Chairman the executive subcommittee met yesterday and
approved waiver requests for cooperative purchasing construction services for the Jonesboro school district and the Greenwood school district
and I move adoption of the report. Do I have a second right, second all in favor sayy aye any opposed? Report is adopted. The next thing on our agenda is our reports of standing subcommittees uhs representativeen, you're recognized for
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
8:49
administrative rules Thank you Mr Chairman. The administrative rulesittee met
yesterday August 20th the subcommittee filed reports from the executive marijuana medical marijuana and state insurance programme oversight subcommittees the subcommittees filed court reports by the department of Correction and the postrison transferred board the subcommittee accepted recommendations of the office of earlyarly Childhood concerning the extension of rules pursuant to actct781 of2017 the subcommittee received agency updates and outstanding
rulemaking from 2023 to2025 regular session the subcommittee deferred the DHS division of medicalicalervices rule concerning requirements for the acute rehab unit within a hospital and updated the medical utilization management program for consideration by the legislative council at today's meeting the subcommittee voted not to prove one rule by the Arkansas towing and Recovering Board two rules were pulled out from the agenda at the agency's
request all other rules were reviewed and approved as noted I make a motion to adopt the report but not including the division of medical Services clarification of the requirement for the acute rehab unit within the a hospital and update the medical utilization management program which will be considered separately after this vote any questions? I've made
my motion seeing no questions do I have a we've got a motion I
need a second. have a second all in favor of adopting the report any opposed hearing none report adopted so now we will take up the rule regarding DHS do we have do you want to hear from somebody OK. just does anybody need to hear from either entity quickly or not seeing none senator
hester you're recognized for your motion. OK it is we have a a proper motion in a second. all in favor say aye any opposed? hearing the rule is a a proved now we are moving on to game and fish state police, Senator Rice, you're recognized for your report. Thank you Mr Chair
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
11:22
the game and fish state police subcommittee met on Monday at the Arkansas Game and Fish
Commission Training Center in Mayflower subcommittee heard testimony from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regarding the training center and discuss annual wildlife management area lake conservation permit and permits for hunting on the Saint Francis river sun n lands I moved for adoption of the report ok we've got a motion
to adopt the report of 81726 meeting. do I have a second? and I've got a second all in favor sayy ayye. any opposed
Ru is a or report is adopted. Moving on highway commission and advisorypresentative Mcnair you're recognized for your report.
Chair
Unverified
12:08
Thank you Mr Chairman the highway commission review and advisory subcommittee met Wednesday and heard testimony on the report on highway construction projects of 10 million or more infrastructure investment and jobs actct reports and a quarterly land conveyancecs reports. I move for adoption of the report. OK we have a motion do we have a
second? So we've got a motion in a second all in favor say aye any opposed the report is adopted moving on to hospital medicaid and developmental disability study representative Bentley
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
12:46
you're recognized thank you chairman. The hospital Medicated and Development dissabilities sudy subcommittee met Monday to hear testimony on the following items implementation and work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries, denial of Arkansas's Medicaid expansion program requests update on reimbursement rights under the
Living Choices Assisted Living waiver by DHS the subcommittee met again on Thursday to discuss the consolidation of local workforce development boards and the implementation of benefitfit cliffs. thank you very much and I move adoption of the report. we've
got a motion and we have a second all in
favor sayy aye any opposed report is adopted lottery oversight Senator Hill
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
13:36
thank you Mr Chair. The lottery oversight subcommittee met Tuesday and reviewed the ilesartnership LLc contract the subcommittee heard testimony on the Arkansas lottery director's report and reports from the Arkansas division of higherducation. I move adoption of the report.
Do I have a second OK, we've got a motion we've got a second. all in favor of adopting the report any
opposed the report is adopted Medical marijuana oversight
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
14:06
Representative hawk you are recognized thank you Mr Chair. the medical marijuana oversight subcommittee met on wednesday. The subcommittee reviewed the rules governing the application for issuance and renewable licenses for medical marijuana cultivation facilities dispensaries and processors in Arkansas. I move for adoption of this report. got a
motion? Do I have a second? All in favor say aye any opposed Report is adopted occupational licensing reviewpresentative meeks you are recognized. Thank you Mr. Chairman the
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
14:38
occupational licensing review subcommittee met yesterday and heard testimony from the acupuncture pharmacy auctioneer licensing boardard and from the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission. I move adoption of this report. OK
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
14:48
we have a motion do we have a second have
a motion in a second. all in favor say aye any opposed Report is adopted performance evaluation expenditure review Representative Uubanks you are recognized. Thank
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
15:04
you Mr Chair. The peer subcommittee met
Tuesday, August 18th, the subcommittee received reports reviewed requests and approved the following various temporary appropriations of infrastructure investment and jobs actct appropriation appropriation transfers and a restricted reserve fund transfer. I move adoption of the report we have
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
15:24
a motion and we have a
second all in favor say aye any opposed report is adopted.view Senator Johnson, you
Chair
Unverified
15:35
are recognized.view subcommittee met on Tuesday and
reviewed the method of finance discretionary grants one ratification services contract and received reports. itemtem1a revised method of finance submitted by the University of Arkansas Division of agriculture was hald pending follow up information ors that was received from the agency and the division has provided the necessary information. I move for adoption of the report with a review of the previously held adam. thank you Senator Johnson.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
16:06
we've got a motion. do we have a
second? got a motion and
we got a second all in favor say aye any opposed? Re report is adopted. state insurance
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
16:26
programme oversight subcommitteepresentative Beck you are recognized. The state insurance programme oversight subcommittee met wednesday to review and approve the following items rules regarding the independent vendor data and audit process and employee benefit division
formulary recommendations the medical drug recommendations the colonial life and accidental insurance company contract amendment the United Healthcaretract amendment the crowell and Shabec LlP contract the subcommittee also heard a presentation from the Seegal companympany regarding the health insurance funding and medical price estimates I move for adoption of this report got a motion do
we have a second all in favor say of adopting the
report say aye any opposed? Report is adopted uniformed personnel classification and compensation plan Representative Warren,
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
17:25
you are recognized Thank you Mr Chairman. P personnel subcommittee met Wednesday August 19th and reviewed the request continuations and reports listed as items one through 14 on the report item7 a request to utilize a position previously frozen through Act796 required
and received approval from the subcommittee if there are no questions
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
17:51
I move for adoption of the report we've got a motion do
we have a second? got a motion we've got a second all in favor say aye any opposed hearing none the report is adopted moving on we're on itemdamh so there are three atoms that are gonna require action under
itemh. the first item requiring action ish5 apers with three investment summaries important let me back up for just a minute. All other items listed under item h will be considered received and no action will be taken. please let me know if you have any questions on
any of those. seeing none or 00 we do OK Senator hickey you're recognized mainly
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
18:40
I guess would somebody just come down I just want to make sure on this one with harborvest
that I fully understand this management fee. because we're talking about 20 basis points over eight years. I just want to know if that's annually because the way it's
written I can't tell. that would be the I guess the last one
on the sheet OK please introduce yourself and you're who you represent and feel free to start
Speaker 74
19:19
Amy Fetcher executive director of apers carlosormeil, chief investment
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
19:24
officer for apers could you just kind of explain this management fee just a little bit more and again, I'm looking at the last one where it says harbor vest apers pc fund and it talks about that you know the management fee is 20.3 basis points on committed capital for eight years. Are you're talking about a cumulative total or are you talking about annually? what are you it would be annually
Speaker 78
19:50
and we were presented an opportunity they asked if we would be willing to increase our commitment by $26.5 million and there would be no fees on
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
20:02
it so I guess if you don't have the fees on the 26.5 million did you come up with like a blended management fee? I mean, is that wouldu would we not consider if they didn't if they weren't charging the management fee on the let's just say that we didn't have the 26.5 million would you consider that high on the other
part for would consider that very low The 20 basis points you would
have OK. and what was the35 basis points that you you mentioned there is that normally
Speaker 78
20:32
what they would charge? That is normally that was charged and that
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
20:37
would I would also consider that very low all
right OK. thank you sir you're welcome all right any other questions orpresentative
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
20:48
makes you're recognized thank you Mr Chairman. My
question is on uhh14 from the department of Parks, Arkansas Statearks. can you wait on that one makes just a a minute and we will get back to that. OK any other questions on H5 with apers've got another one
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
21:10
do you need apers'm sorry I want I wanna, I want to
go through this a little bit more Senator hickey you're recognized and if you will just go ahead and reintroduce yourself just in for clarification
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
21:24
and then get started Amy Fetcher with apers carlos Boromeo with apers so our own own so on 100 on 100 basis points like
Speaker 78
21:39
that you'd be at 100%, correct? so typical private credit or private equity investment they charge a management fee and a carried interest fee. OK over the past few years we've seen the the management fees and carried interest come down
so many years ago when private markets started they were charging 2% so 200 basis points and they usually want 20% of carried interest OK. once they hit a hurdle so how this is structured is we're not paying 200 basis points we're gonna average 20 basis points and we're not gonna pay them 20% carrying interest we're only gonna pay5.5
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
22:28
OK so we're talking about 2 2 versus 2.0 and then again and then again you're not you're not getting in charge of anything on the 26.5 million. So if we took that into there and and blended that and extrapolated that all out would be even less than that it would be even less right I apologize for that but I had to get, I had to get my hands around it whenever whenever we were looking
at thisite all right thank you sir. right any other questions on H5? Senator Tucker you are
recognized if it's on h5. I was going to ask a question on h9. OK if you'll hold off a minute we'll we'll get an opportunity to do that right any other questions onh5 seeing none, I need a motion to review the items underh5. I've got a motion do have a second? right all in favor of the motion please say aye. any opposed motion is adopted and we're going to move on toh6, the Arkansas teacher retirement systemstem are there any
questions do we need to talk to anybody onh6 seeing none I need a motion to review item H6. I have a motion to have a second all so I have
a motion second all in favor sayy aye Anybody any opposed motion to review passes moving
on to so on 9 Department of Corrections could someone come to the table to
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
24:00
answer I don't don't I don't need anybody come to the table. I just didn't have this reporter in our
packet and I was just gonna ask staff to email the report we we will direct staff to to
do just that thank you for bringing that to our attention right so h 14 umh14 representative meeks do you need to have someone from department of parks heritage and tourism yes sir if that's possible OK Department ofarks herritage tourism please come to
the table identify yourself and tell us who you represent and then
Speaker 93
24:35
representative makes your ready to get started once that
Speaker 99
24:49
happen s right thank you Oh good morning my name is Mike Wilson I'm the assistant parks director of the division of Arkansas State Parks under Arkansas Department
Speaker 101
24:59
of Parks Heritage and tourism. marty ye legislative director
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
25:04
Arkansas Department of Parks heritage and tourism and
good morning gentlemen. I'm over here to your far far right about as far right as you can you can get over here. I was looking at your the general revenue comparisons that you had presented to us this morning and I had just a few questions. looks like it's on the it's the second or third page the theark central office your fiscal year 26 budget what 2.3 million but in 27 it's going to 1.8 so it's about a half a million dollar
drop just was curious about that the next one for ettaje State Park, the expenses for 2025 were 170,000 but they almost doubled this year to over300,000 and I was just curious to what was driving that and then my final question down on the emergency services line in 25 again 181,000
for fiscal year 26 we jump over half a million and then in 27 we plummet down to 90. so just huge fluctuations there so I don't know if there's a certain order you want to take those in but just curious
Speaker 99
26:34
about those three things yes sir under the general
revenue the way I understand it all of that is towards regular salaries I believe those changes have just come due to a shift a shift in the way that we pay those salaries we have two other revenue sources within our within our agency one is cash and the other one is amendment75 and I believe for the most part that's just gonna be a shifting on the allocated funding bucket that that came out of our regular
salaries incorporate $29.2 million annually so this is just a small part of it our budget cumulatively remains pretty much the same so I would have to talk to my CFfo on each one of those
Speaker 104
27:18
I think all those three questions kind of relay on that on that situation sir OKok so we're
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
27:24
just what we're we're we're not having extreme fluctuations in total budget just how these line items are allocated would that be a correct assessment yes sir I really think that's it. yes sir.
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
27:33
OK. all right thank you thank you gentlemen.
Representative Eaves you're recognized thank you Marty. can you tell me what's the deal with poison springs it's showing zero budget, zero expenses what is the status of poison springs and what are
Speaker 99
27:51
the plans going forward oh yes sir even though it shows a zero there that particular park is managed by White Oak State Park so their funding's incorporated into that park it's just right around the corner all of the all the labor M andO it's such a small amount that it it just falls within the White Oak State
Park budget. thank you yes sir seeing no further questions you're excused. itemh14B division of state Parks is requesting a review of its general revenue allocation report. I need a motion to review. I've got a motion to have a second. I got a second. all in favor say aye. any opposed motion carries.
right itemdam I new business senator Irvin is not here. She has an interim resolution in your packets underi you will see a draft in and it is a draft interim resolution by Senator Missy Irvin concerning protecting wetlands and waterfowl and the prairie pothole region the resolution will be on the September ALC agenda but we're bringing it to your attention now so that you may have time to review it and to letblR staff know if you
would like to add your name to the resolution. this was discussed at the game and fish subcommittee meeting this week and Senator Irvin urges ALC to consider this very important issue. so if there are no comments or questions
we are moving to J. So without objection we will adopt or or we will assign
both of these interim study proposals to senate and house health public health welfare and labor committee so without objection we will on interim resolution 2025008 without objection we will refer this interim resolution to the House and Senate committees onsurance and commerce commerce meeting jointly for further discussion and recommendation back to the legislation
Unknown speaker
30:13
seeing no with no further business we're adjourned
Agenda
A. Call to Order.
B. Roll Call.
C. Approval of the Minutes of the Last Meeting, June 21, 2026.
D. Presentation of the July 2026 Revenue Report (Report for June 2026 is retained in the file) – Dr. Carlos Silva, Legislative Economist
E. Report of the Executive Subcommittee — Sen. Justin Boyd, Rep. Les D. Eaves, Co-Chairs
F. Reports of Standing Subcommittees:
G. Reports of Interim or Special Committees: (none)
H. Review of Communications:
I. New Business:
J. New Interim Study Proposals and Interim Resolutions:
K. Business Carried Over: (none)
L. Adjournment.
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Senator Justin Boyd Chair
Unverified
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
Speaker 13
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
Speaker 16
Representative Jim Wooten
Unverified
Speaker 26
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Speaker 15
Representative Lane Jean
Unverified
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
Chair
Unverified
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
Speaker 74
Speaker 78
Senator Clarke Tucker
Unverified
Speaker 93
Speaker 99
Speaker 101
Speaker 104