Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee- House
Video
Transcript
1 document
Bills discussed (54)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1880
· 10 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1880 Hudson TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT AND…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT AND THE ARKANSAS UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT … | Hudson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1908
· 4 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1908 Long TO CREATE THE PROOF OF RESIDENCY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE…”
|
TO CREATE THE PROOF OF RESIDENCY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT; TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING … | Long | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1008
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1008 A. Collins TO REQUIRE MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTH…”
|
TO REQUIRE MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTHERS FOR ONE YEAR AFTER GIVING BIRTH. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1010
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…AGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTHERS FOR ONE YEAR AFTER GIVING BIRTH. HB1010 A. Collins TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS ME…”
|
TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1011
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES. HB1011 A. Collins TO CREATE THE RESTORE ROE ACT; AND TO RESTORE A…”
|
TO CREATE THE RESTORE ROE ACT; AND TO RESTORE A WOMAN'S ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1012
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ACT; AND TO RESTORE A WOMAN'S ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES. HB1012 A. Collins TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO EXTE…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO EXTEND ELIGIBILITY TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS FOR FAMILY PLANNING … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1013
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1013 Hudson TO PROTECT FERTILITY TREATMENT RIGHTS IN THIS STATE.”
|
TO PROTECT FERTILITY TREATMENT RIGHTS IN THIS STATE. | Hudson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1029
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1029 D. Garner TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MED…”
|
TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1032
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1032 A. Collins TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY.”
|
TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1132
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1132 Pilkington TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVID…”
|
TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES; AND TO AMEND … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1224
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…RIPTIVE AUTHORITY OF AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE. HB1224 Nazarenko TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT; AND TO APPLY THE AUTOMATIC … | Nazarenko | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1244
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1244 K. Brown TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE…”
|
TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF FULL INDEPENDENT PRACTICE AUTHORITY BY A … | K. Brown | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1270
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONER OR CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST. HB1270 Pilkington TO ESTABLISH A PRESCRIBED PEDIATRIC EXTENDED CAR…”
|
TO ESTABLISH A PRESCRIBED PEDIATRIC EXTENDED CARE PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH A SECTION 1115 MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1302
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1302 L. Johnson TO ADD DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY TO THE UNIVER…”
|
TO ADD DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY TO THE UNIVERSAL NEWBORN SCREENING ACT. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1532
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…G UTILIZATION REVIEW BOARD TO INCLUDE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. HB1532 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COU…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COUNCIL. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1566
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…hnson TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COUNCIL. HB1566 McClure TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE PRACTICAL NURSIN…”
|
TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM CORE CURRICULUM TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY IN … | McClure | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1588
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1588 McAlindon TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFOR…”
|
TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SEEKS OR … | McAlindon | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1592
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…LUM TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY IN PRACTICAL NURSING EDUCATION. HB1592 J. Mayberry TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. | J. Mayberry | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1723
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1723 Pilkington TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS…”
|
TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS ACT; … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1762
Act 1009
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…llen Rep. Wayne Long REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1762 Hall TO REQUIRE REVOCATION OF A PERMIT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF…”
|
TO REQUIRE REVOCATION OF A PERMIT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF INDUSTRIAL WASTE IN AN AGRICULTURAL … | Hall | Notification that HB1762 is now Act 1009 |
|
HB1776
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1776 Lundstrum TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIRED TO OBTA…”
|
TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER … | Lundstrum | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1781
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ADMINISTER A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS. HB1781 Crawford TO AUTHORIZE THE LICENSURE OF CLINICS, HEALTH CENT…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE THE LICENSURE OF CLINICS, HEALTH CENTERS, OR OTHER FACILITIES IN WHICH A PREGNANCY … | Crawford | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1791
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…OR PASTORAL APPLICATION FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS. HB1791 C. Cooper TO CLARIFY THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND…”
|
TO CLARIFY THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION … | C. Cooper | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1795
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1795 A. Brown TO CREATE THE FERTILITY CLINIC LICENSURE ACT.”
|
TO CREATE THE FERTILITY CLINIC LICENSURE ACT. | A. Brown | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1818
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1818 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED CARE TRANSPA…”
|
TO CREATE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED CARE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1882
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…T AND ASSISTANCE DURING THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD. Page 3 of 4 HB1882 Pilkington TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ENROLLABLE MEDICAID B…”
|
TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ENROLLABLE MEDICAID BENEFICIARY POPULATION AND ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO DESIGNATE … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1890
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1890 J. Mayberry TO ALLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BILL FOR HEALTHCAR…”
|
TO ALLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BILL FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES; AND TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID … | J. Mayberry | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1906
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1906 Lundstrum TO REQUIRE WRITTEN CONSENT OF A PARENT OR LEGAL G…”
|
TO REQUIRE WRITTEN CONSENT OF A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN WHEN PRESCRIBING LONG-ACTING REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION … | Lundstrum | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1909
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1909 Long TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SERVICES ONLY FOR CITIZENS ACT; A…”
|
TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SERVICES ONLY FOR CITIZENS ACT; AND TO REQUIRE VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP … | Long | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1987
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1987 Ennett TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE STATE BOARD OF EMBAL…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE STATE BOARD OF EMBALMERS, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CEMETERIES, AND BURIAL … | Ennett | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB117
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…VISE THE ARKANSAS FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY ON CERTAIN MATTERS. SB117 C. Penzo TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT;…”
|
TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR LICENSURE OF NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN … | C. Penzo | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB120
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB120 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR ALL PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES…”
|
TO REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR ALL PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES IN THIS STATE; AND TO ENSURE CONSUMER … | C. Penzo | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB168
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB168 Rice TO ESTABLISH A STATE EXAMINATION FOR LICENSURE OF MASS…”
|
TO ESTABLISH A STATE EXAMINATION FOR LICENSURE OF MASSAGE THERAPISTS. | Rice | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB187
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB187 Irvin TO AMEND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID DRU…”
|
TO AMEND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID DRUG UTILIZATION REVIEW BOARD TO INCLUDE PHYSICIAN … | Irvin | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB238
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…G FOR SALE A FOOD PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS CERTAIN SUBSTANCES. SB238 J. Payton TO AMEND THE USED TIRE RECYCLING AND ACCOUNTABILI…”
|
TO AMEND THE USED TIRE RECYCLING AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. | J. Payton | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB347
Act 1025
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB347 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO INCREA…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO INCREASE REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CERTAIN DENTAL SERVICES AND … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB347 is now Act 1025 |
|
SB444
Act 970
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB444 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE MEDICAL ETHICS AND DIVERSITY ACT.”
|
TO AMEND THE MEDICAL ETHICS AND DIVERSITY ACT. | K. Hammer | Notification that SB444 is now Act 970 |
|
SB497
Act 655
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…SET AN ANNUAL REIMBURSEMENT CAP FOR ADULT DENTAL SERVICES. SB497 D. Wallace TO REQUIRE THE CREATION OF A POSTER REGARDING VE…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE CREATION OF A POSTER REGARDING VETERANS' BENEFITS AND SERVICES; AND TO REQUIRE … | D. Wallace | Notification that SB497 is now Act 655 |
|
SB507
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB507 G. Leding TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO COVER…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO COVER APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS SERVICES FOR CERTAIN BENEFICIARIES. | G. Leding | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB534
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ES; AND TO REQUIRE CERTAIN EMPLOYERS TO DISPLAY THE POSTER. SB534 G. Leding TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS KRATOM CONSUMER PROTECT…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS KRATOM CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT; AND TO REMOVE MITRAGYNINE AND 7-HYDROXYMITRAGYNINE, ALSO … | G. Leding | Died in House at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB546
Act 935
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB546 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TRUST FUND CONTRI…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TRUST FUND CONTRIBUTION FEE FOR WATER PERMITS RELATED TO … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB546 is now Act 935 |
|
SB554
Act 1022
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB554 C. Tucker TO CREATE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LOAN FORGIVENESS…”
|
TO CREATE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. | C. Tucker | Notification that SB554 is now Act 1022 |
|
SB560
Act 740
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB560 J. English TO DECREASE THE BASE CONTRIBUTION RATE; TO INCRE…”
|
TO DECREASE THE BASE CONTRIBUTION RATE; TO INCREASE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT RATE; TO INCREASE FUNDING … | J. English | Notification that SB560 is now Act 740 |
|
SB576
Act 623
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…AS KRATOM, FROM THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES LIST IN ARKANSAS. SB576 B. Davis TO AMEND THE COVERAGE OF CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITO…”
|
TO AMEND THE COVERAGE OF CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORS WITHIN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM. | B. Davis | Notification that SB576 is now Act 623 |
|
SB601
Act 971
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB601 Hester TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A FOREIGN MEDI…”
|
TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE LICENSED … | Hester | Notification that SB601 is now Act 971 |
|
SB9
Act 622
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…TO INCREASE THE CIVIL PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS BY A LICENSEE. SB9 B. Davis TO CREATE THE MAKE ARKANSAS HEALTHY AGAIN ACT; AND…”
|
TO CREATE THE MAKE ARKANSAS HEALTHY AGAIN ACT; AND TO PROHIBIT MANUFACTURING, SELLING, DELIVERING, DISTRIBUTING, … | B. Davis | Notification that SB9 is now Act 622 |
|
HB1401
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1401 Pilkington TO INCLUDE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY SERVICES WIT…”
|
TO INCLUDE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY SERVICES WITHIN THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT. | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1463
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1463 Hudson TO PROHIBIT DISCLOSURE OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL OR PSYC…”
|
TO PROHIBIT DISCLOSURE OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST MATERIALS OR TEST DATA. | Hudson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1718
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1718 Gramlich TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATI…”
|
TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS STATE. | Gramlich | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1731
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1731 Vaught TO STRENGTHEN CHILD LABOR LAWS THROUGH THE REINSTATE…”
|
TO STRENGTHEN CHILD LABOR LAWS THROUGH THE REINSTATEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES. | Vaught | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1816
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1816 L. Johnson TO PROHIBIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE…”
|
TO PROHIBIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE INSURERS FROM USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE DELIVERY OF … | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1819
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1819 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR OF VITAL RECORDS…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR OF VITAL RECORDS TO COORDINATE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS … | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1888
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1888 Steele TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES LAW; AND…”
|
TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES LAW; AND TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT RECORDS … | Steele | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB473
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB473 Stone TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION S…”
|
TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BOARD; AND TO PROVIDE FOR … | Stone | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
Machine transcript
May contain errors. Verify important quotations against the official video.
About transcript accuracy
- Source
- Whisper
- Model
- ggml-large-v3-turbo.bin
- Processing date
- October 7, 2026
Representative Richardson, do you have something for me
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
0:03
to start off? Yeah, a motion that we would limit each bill presentation to 15 minutes. That's a
proper motion. Could I have you add in the motion that the member would have time to close after the time of the 15 minutes? And
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
0:16
also allows a member to close after the 15-minute time limit.
That's a proper motion. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Ayes have
it. Madam Clerk, you'll keep the time on bill presentations and then allow us to let the member close.
Representative Hudson, you'll be our first person under time limit, but you are recognized to start where you left off presenting your bill. Thank you. I'm open for questions. Any questions? Can you remind us of bill number real quick? Yep, 1880.
1880. Seeing no questions. Anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill?
Oh, we do have some people signed up. We have a Matt Gilmore. Sign up to speak against the bill.
If you would introduce yourself for the record, and you're recognized to speak. Matt Gilmore, Department of Health. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 143
1:35
I appreciate the opportunity. I just wanted to express that we have some concerns with the bill as far as the exceptions. I think we have a good law in the books now. Y'all passed a bill earlier this session with some language to provide clarity to the abortion laws. And so we think those help and just wanted to state those concerns, and I appreciate y'all's time.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
2:06
Any questions for the Department of Health? Representative Richardson. So, Mr. Gilmore, you feel like the bill that Representative Hudson right now is in – it's over? I mean, it's over – I don't want to say over, Reese, but I'll use that for lack of a better term. What about her bill do you feel like doesn't – conflicts with where you guys
Speaker 143
2:34
are? You know, I think from the standpoint of the Department of Health executive branch,
I think with the policies that the state has put forward in the statutes and the laws, I think the current laws are consistent with what we stand behind as far as the department and for the executive branch. And what about the
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
2:55
testimony that we heard from the young lady at the end of the table earlier today?
Speaker 143
3:00
Did you hear that? I did, and I'm sympathetic, and I can't speak to all the different issues that she's experienced.
I respect that, but as far as the position of the department and from the executive branch, I think we stand behind the current laws and the way it currently is in Arkansas. Thank you, Mr. Gilmore. Yes, sir. See enough
other questions. Appreciate your testimony. We have Rose Mim sign up to speak against the bill.
Rose Mims
Unverified
3:39
I don't want to touch the mic. I'm Rose Mims with Arkansas Right to Life, Executive Director. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members. Arkansas Right to Life is opposed to HB 1880 and the weakening of existing protections for pregnant mothers and unborn children in Act 180 of 2019, the Arkansas Human Life Protection Act, and Act 309 of 2021, the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act.
My testimony will be brief. Let's be clear. The public policy of Arkansas is to protect the life of every unborn child from conception until birth to the extent permitted by the federal constitution as stated in Amendment 68 to the Arkansas Constitution. I speak for the unborn child, created in the commission of a crime of rape, incest, or sexual assault by her father that HB 1880 would punish with her life for the crime of her father.
I speak up for the unborn child diagnosed with a medical condition that might shorten her life. I say might because this committee heard testimony last session on a bill to allow exceptions for pregnancy diagnoses incompatible with life. You heard from parents who experienced that tragedy, one that chose to end the life of their child before delivery, another who chose to deliver her child and spent precious time with her daughter before she passed. There was testimony
from others who rejected abortion, delivered their child, and whose healthy children are still living today. I speak up for pregnant mothers and girls whose unique nature as the bearer of life is stolen from her with the lie that is induced abortion. Abortion hurts the mother who will always be the mother of a dead child. My heart goes out to all mothers and fathers who have experienced an abortion and I want you to know that there is healing and hope after abortion
for free. The answers to these crimes, diagnoses, and health issues mentioned in HB 1880 is not death. We can do better. Arkansas loves life. We have prioritized mothers and children and are working for real solutions to these hard issues. This session, the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 387 to clarify the definition of medical emergency to ensure that pregnant women who
experience medical complications will receive the medical treatment that they deserve that will ensure the best outcome for mother and child. Arkansas has been abortion-free for 33 months. No mother has died due to the laws passed by this committee and signed into law by our governors to protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children. Unborn children have been born. Let's keep it that way. Vote no on HB 1880. Thank you.
Any questions for Ms. Mims? Representative Innet, you're
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
7:13
recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Ms. Mims, you mentioned you're working on solutions. What kind of solutions
Rose Mims
Unverified
7:22
governor is working on solutions. We are an education-based organization. We work to educate people on the issues of abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Our governor, though, is very pro-life and is working as many members of this committee are, too, through legislation
to protect our mothers and children in Arkansas. The best protection we can give them is against induced legal
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
7:52
abortion. Representative, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Mims, you talked about no mothers have died. What about, and I don't even understand the meaning of these words, in the case of a fetal abnormality incompatible with life, have any babies been born with an abnormality incompatible with life?
I mean, has that ever happened? Have we had
Rose Mims
Unverified
8:18
those instances? Right. I mean, last session, y'all heard in this committee testimony from two different people that I brought to the table that testified about getting those fetal anomaly diagnoses that their children were not going to live. And they didn't choose abortion. They chose to deliver their child. And both of those two young men who were born are healthy men today. So, I mean, you know.
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
8:44
So we've had positive outcomes but no negatives. That's what I'm saying. that you
Rose Mims
Unverified
8:50
know about? Well, you had testimony in this committee last session of a mother who got a diagnosis. Well, actually, there were two. It was a couple that testified that chose abortion, so we don't really know what their outcome would have been if they had delivered their child. The other one, unfortunately, her baby had encephaly, and she did die shortly after birth, but they were able to hold her, you know, and to acknowledge her life or whatever
time she had on this earth. So, you know, again, Arkansas Right to Life doesn't track, you know, pregnancies. In that sense, we work to educate people and to protect life as best we can according to the Constitution of our state. All
Speaker 31
9:31
right, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony.
We have a Tony Rose sign up to speak against the bill.
Did I get that right? You're signed up to speak against? Yes, ma'am. If you would, introduce
Tony Rose
Unverified
9:56
yourself for the committee, and you're recognized. Thank you. My name is Toni Rose. I'm with the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. And I might be able to add some things to what Rose said. The examples presented as cases for this bill are sad and terrible, But passing this bill will not solve the problem of uninformed medical personnel when there is a clear exception for the life of the mother.
It won't solve the problem of underage rapes. It only destroys the evidence rather than eliminating the problem. The unborn child is not the problem. In regard to the safety of the mother, the National Institute for Health reports the majority of the pregnant women who took the abortion pills presented with serious complications in the form of bleeding, incomplete and missed abortion, the ectopic pregnancy. A quick search of 911 calls from Planned Parenthood yields plenty of evidence that abortion is not a safer solution
for women. This bill is not to amend the Human Life Protection Act, but another attempt to make all abortion legal in Arkansas by adding the words or health wording to the life of a pregnant if you if
you would touch that button again that mic's messing
Tony Rose
Unverified
11:24
up there we go how's that and eliminating the word physical from disorder illness injury and condition
and then also adding health endangering. There isn't an abortionist in the country that couldn't find some sort of health endangering result such as mental health to justify an abortion because that's what they do. They do abortions. Regarding fetal anomalies, Dr. Christina Francis, a board-certified OB-GYN who currently works in Fort Wayne, Indiana, says, we know that about 9% of adverse fetal diagnosis on ultrasounds turn out to be wrong,
and that is only among the babies given the opportunity to live. In some cases, depending on the method, false positives for fetal abnormalities are as high as 50%. Those are stunningly high margins of error given the stakes. In the case of rape and incest from the study post-abortion review by Elliott Institute for Social Sciences Research. The reason most people reach the wrong conclusion about abortion in cases of rape and incest is that the
actual experiences of sexual assault victims who became pregnant are routinely left out of the debate. In other words, they aren't asked. Most people, including sexual assault victims who have never been pregnant are therefore forming opinions based on prejudices and fears. Despite anecdotal evidence to the contrary, the only major study of pregnant rape victims ever done, Dr. Sandra Mackum, Chief Medical Officer, Healthcare Wisconsin, Family Medicine
Physician and Counselor for Sexual Assault, found that 75 to 85 percent chose against abortion. In jumping to the conclusion that abortion helps rape victims put the assault behind them, the public is adopting an unrealistic view of abortion. Abortion is not some magical surgery that turns back time to make a woman unpregnant. Many women report that their abortions felt degrading and a brutal form of medical rape. Alan Parker of the Justice Foundation has recorded
over 4,600 women hurt by abortion, including 108 testimonies from Arkansas. The case against abortion of incest pregnancies is even stronger. Studies show that incest victims rarely ever voluntarily agree to an abortion. Instead of viewing the pregnancy as unwanted, the incest victim is more likely to see the pregnancy as a way out. One minute warning. Okay. Again, the pregnancy is not the problem, the molester is. Rather than make reasons for abortions,
why don't we do better at referring women to more than four dozen pregnancy centers around Arkansas that offer counseling, numerous forms of support. Arkansas is a safe haven law. No one has to raise a child they don't want to. Please do not pass this bill and please continue to embrace Arkansas as the most pro-life state in the United States. And thank you so much for your time. and what you do.
Thank you for your testimony. Representative Hudson, you're recognized to
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
14:55
close for your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, committee. I do want to thank the committee for their time and attention to this. I know that this is a difficult topic and makes for difficult conversations,
and I appreciate my witness for coming and sharing what was a very painful experience for her and the witnesses who came to testify. You know, one of the things that I kept hearing in the testimony just now from people against was the word choice. I heard that women in certain situations chose whether or not they were going to continue a pregnancy in the face of a fatal fetal abnormality. I heard that families in the case of incest or rape of a child chose that that child would keep the pregnancy and move forward.
Women in the state of Arkansas don't have those choices. And since I came in here earlier, I keep thinking about the call that I took from my eighth grade daughter when I was in here prior to presenting this bill. She had to ask me whether or not she could go to a friend's house tonight. She needs her mom to make decisions like that. But we're telling her through our public policy that she can be a mom, that she is mature enough and old enough to carry a pregnancy to term and to make big decisions about whether or not she can even raise a child when she isn't sure whether or not she can stay out past 7 o'clock on a school night.
That is the public policy of this state. Now, you heard testimony from my witness earlier today who talked in excruciating detail about what happened to her as a result of the fact that we have this type of very restrictive abortion ban on the books. No woman should have to suffer in that way. No woman should have to go to five hospitals to try to seek treatment and be worried that her boyfriend is going to be arrested for trying to help her get care.
women are smart enough to make decisions about their bodies and about their medical treatment, and they don't need us in the room to make those decisions for us. In Arkansas, we have several criminal statutes now on the books to prosecute doctors if they engage in providing abortion care in a situation in which it is not allowed. All this bill does is create some very narrow exceptions to the ban in situations in which women need care.
In 2023, the Arkansas poll found that 74% of those who responded believed that abortion should be legal when the pregnancy is no longer viable or will not develop into a live birth. When asked about cases involving serious defects to the baby, 54% thought that abortion should be legal. Furthermore, 78% believed abortion should be legal when the mother's life is endangered, and 71% believed that it should be legal when her health is at risk.
Maternal mortality is going up in this state, and we have the opportunity to try to take some sort of action in order to halt that increase. The majority of our constituents want this and I would ask for a good vote. Thank you. I'm closed. It was
a pleasure, committee. Motion. Do pass. Any discussion on the motion? Representative Rose
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
19:12
recognize you first. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciated Department of Health coming to the table expressing some of their concerns. I had some as well. I missed the Q&A portion with the bill sponsor. I would have asked some questions about this. But there were a number of lines in the bill that I felt were very broad, subjective, without definition. Fetal abnormality incompatible with life across many different states has many different definitions. I didn't see that there was any type of gestational timeline from any period of zero weeks to 40 weeks.
The word physical with regards to illness and some other things was struck. Page 1, lines 34 and 35 of the bill. Page 2, lines 22 and 23. Some of the things that I think we have considered in the past on a very similar bill with regards to fetal abnormality incompatible with life. Had to do with kidney development, and two years has passed since then. Stanford Children's Health has what they call a nephronICU, which specifically works with the development of kidneys while in the womb
and then afterwards, and there are emerging technologies and developments that can preserve, protect, and save lives. And so for those reasons and many others, I'll be voting against this. Appreciate a no vote. Thank you. Representative Bentley. Thank you, Chairman. I
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
20:44
won't be redone with what Representative Rose says, but this bill is under the guise of adding more exemptions, really totally destroys our ban on abortion in the state. Right now, over-the-counter in every Walmart in Arkansas and every pharmacy,
you can get over-the-counter emergency contraceptives and a child that's been raped or someone that's been through incest can, if they take those emergency contraceptives, then there's 95% chance they will not become pregnant in 24 hours and 84% chance if they're taken within 48 hours. So we have a way to help those rape victims and those incest victims with emergency contraceptives if that's what they wish. So I think this is not necessary. And, again, this bill will completely destroy the abortion ban that we have in Arkansas, and I'll be a no.
Any further discussion from the committee? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed? No. And no's have it. Your bill has failed. With that, I'm going to go down the list. I'm going to let you guys know Representative Hall's bill that we started earlier
is still waiting on an amendment. So we'll be holding it as we move through bills this evening. Representative Cooper?
Speaker 53
22:02
What do you wish to do? Okay. Good deal. Representative Long. Can
you tell us which one you're running? You're in the other one? And that's 1909? Okay. You're recognized.
Good. You have a physical impact, so we're going to pass that out. I'll let you go ahead and
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
22:50
start presenting as it's being passed out. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Wayne Long, House District 39. I'll bring before you House Bill 1908. It kind of came as a result of a phone call that I received.
I know just like all of y'all, we get calls from constituents, but this lady had just moved to Arkansas from Tulsa, and, I mean, just had arrived, and basically she was calling to complain about our benefits that we have here in Arkansas, and that got me thinking. It's like I never really thought about it, but there's people that actually move to Arkansas with no intention of getting a job, but they're moving here on the first day they can.
sign up for government benefits. You know, we have a hard enough time paying for benefits for the people that have been here, you know, a long time. You know, hopefully they've worked at some point and paid into the system and maybe fell in hard times due to a layoff or maybe because of some medical problem. But I just got to thinking we probably would be better off if maybe we had some sort of requirement that people wait a little while before they can
sign up for benefits. So this is only for adults, not for children, but this bill would basically require people to produce proof of residency after they've been here six months. I chose six months. I thought one thing that might discourage people from moving here if they're planning on just signing up for benefits, not really planning on moving here to try to get a job. And the other thing was if people do choose to move here and they wait six months, hopefully after six months of providing for themselves,
they might see that they can make it in this world without government help. And I thought that might be a long-lasting benefit that would
help the state and also help them. So I'm hoping to have any questions. Thank you. I guess
I've got one to start it off. Okay. On page 2, line 2, how does a bank statement prove residency of where someone lives? Because I can bank in New York, and I've never moved out of Johnsville Arkansas in my whole life.
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
25:11
I think it's the address that they send it to. That
was my thinking. Because I've used bank statements before for proving residency and for some other things in my life, so that's where I came. came up with that you know your bank statement may come out of new york but it's going to you at po box 222 you know bradford arkansas or is it i don't know that i've ever gotten one in the mail
a bank statement i might get them on email it's personal choice so don't okay doesn't
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
25:46
necessarily have my address on there very possible they probably would have an electric bill if They've got a computer then so they could use their utility bill
or water bill. But because your bill is so direct,
there's no room here for an electric bill or a utility
bill. It just says a bank statement in the adult applicant's name from at least six months before the application. Line 36
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
26:08
there on page one says a utility bill from an adult applicant's name. Okay, page one. That's right. I was on page two. That's okay.
All right. Any questions from Representative Rose?
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
26:24
Maybe more an inquiry for the chair. The fiscal impact, it's referencing two bills. Yeah, I saw that. I've
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
26:32
never seen that before. I was just
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
26:34
curious if we could, I don't know how to differentiate. Well, it's a
department, so we'll have the department come explain that. Thank you. That's a good question. Let's get through questions from members, unless the other members' questions are same germaneness,
and I'll come back to you, Representative Rose.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Representative Pilkington, I
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
26:55
had you down next. Yes, thank you. So I appreciate you making it just to adults, because obviously we don't want to get children wrapped up in this, but I am curious. I had actually an issue over the summer with a constituent who had an adult daughter who was developmentally disabled, and so I worry by this they would not be able to receive services for six months because technically they're an adult even though they have the mental capacity of a child and need those services.
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
27:23
Can you talk to that at all? I didn't consider that option.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
27:38
Okay. Representative Richardson. Thank you. So Representative Pilkington brings up a solid point. With the amount of people that we hear come in here with developmental disabilities and operate, they are adults. I could see this bill really impacting that group.
Is there some thought you can take to make sure
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
28:01
they're not pulled into that? Are you thinking people that are like living with their parents, that
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
28:06
type of thing? Very well could be, or not, or in the process
of transitioning from a home to somewhere else. I mean, I don't know, but I worry that that will roll up some of those people. And then my other one would be is what about individuals that are homeless and trying to get services? How will this impact them?
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
28:29
Unless they could produce one of the IDs, they wouldn't be eligible for
Speaker 97
28:36
benefits. And that seems right to you? I'm sorry,
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
28:40
sir. That seems right to you? Well, I think, unfortunately, a
lot of the homeless people, I guess. I mean, we've got some homeless people
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
28:54
out here that have some serious mental issues, right? And we have a lot in my city and in my part of town.
So some of those people do still receive services to help them. And based on
this, like you just said, they would be excluded? If they
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
29:15
were a new resident, yes, sir. Yeah, if they just moved into Arkansas. I
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
29:26
have Representative Allen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You have a lot of veterans that live in places like the Salvation Army
and shelters like that and they still get a check every month but they don't have a place of residence so how would you address this if they for some reason go to training get their act together and they haven't had can't produce where they've been staying for the last six months yeah I think that's a good
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
30:00
point um I've raised a couple of things like I said that I you know
had not thought of. Of course, that's why we bring things out in committee is to try to
sort out the best way to implement our laws. Having heard some of these, I think I probably would like to include this on my list of interim studies so I can work on that, bring it back in the next session if I'm blessed to be able to be reelected and see if I can be more prepared to answer your questions. So your comment to the
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
30:32
group today, is she going to pull your bill down and put it in interim study? Interim study, yes, sir. Okay, thank you.
So your request is to put 1908 and 1909 into interim study? Yes, sir. So committee, without objection, so moved. Thank you all.
Have a good day. Thank you. Representative
Innett, at 1987. So members, this is the last House bill of the session other than Representative Hall who we will come back to because we don't have the amendment yet. So just making sure everybody's clear. Representative Emmett, you're recognized.
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
31:14
Thank you, committee. I am State Representative Denise Sennett. I represent District 80 here downtown Little Rock and parts of Pulaski County. You ready? So last week I did run the same bill and I pulled it down and I decided to bring it back. Basically, this bill is just to add more money to perpetual care owners who are not taking care of their cemeteries. And instead
of $500, it is $1,000 per violation. That's it. Seems pretty simple. Any questions for the sponsor?
Speaker 100
31:53
Seeing none, anyone in the audience speak for or against the
bill? Seeing none, I take it you're closed for your bill. As for due pass. And that is a proper motion,
due pass. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, the ayes have it. Congratulations, your bill has passed.
What a way to end the House bills. I
guess we still have Representative Hall. All right, Senate bills. I've seen Representative Nazarenko come in the room, and you can be our first up. You tell us the
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
32:35
number. 497 yes sir you're recognized thank you mr chairman committee jason nazarenko house district four that's marion county parts of baxter county appreciate you letting me present this bill today so senate bill 497 senator wallace brought this to me i was really excited when he did because
i love anything in the veteran realm especially when it's going to do something good for the veterans. He presented this on the Senate side, and he explained this as being a real simple bill. You can see through this, it's only addressing businesses with 50 or more employees, so that's the only businesses that's involved, and what it is is about signage, being able to get some postings out there that would be up on employee display boards, telling the veterans of different services that they might not be aware of so you can see down through the list some of those some of those
could be substance abuse mental health treatment education workforce training resource tax benefits veterans designation on a driver's license eligibility for uninsured uninsurance legal services and even a crisis line so these are some some perfect perfect things that could be out there for veterans that will really help them out so again i saw this is a really good bill that could help out our veterans, and I'm open to any questions that anyone has. Representative Hall,
can you come to the table?
Are we having any questions from the committee? Representative
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
34:01
Bentley. I'm sorry, I think you said just make sure these are going to be mailed automatically to employers of people over 50, so just add up with our other safety posters we have. So there's not any cost to the business, I'm saying. This is going to
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
34:15
be sent to them. Correct, correct, Representative Bentley. No cost to the employers whatsoever. They can request these posters. They can even, if they so choose, they can print them themselves. Okay.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
34:28
Representative Allen. Motion is appropriate. Got you. Representative Puget, do you have a question? Yeah, in support of the bill, just had a quick question. I know signage and some of the clinics I've worked before, we like them to look a certain way with branding and things like that. Will they be able to alter them so that they fit the branding guides of those
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
34:47
businesses? You can see, like, there's nothing specifying that. So, like I said, they could print on themselves, and we're the same way. We like things branded, like it to look the same, so that wouldn't be an issue as long as it had those items that are good for the veterans.
Just curiosity. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Seeing no further questions, Representative, anyone here to speak for or against the bill?
Seeing none, I take it you're closed? Yes, Mr. Chairman. Representative Allen, you had a motion due passed. Any discussion on a motion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed? Ayes have it. Congratulations, your bill has passed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, committee. We have anyone else with a Senate bill?
Okay. Is Representative Hall in the room? Can someone text him? His amendment is ready, so we'll get started on his bill. Representative Pilgrim, I'll let you present until he comes back. Okay. just give us some bill numbers please sir senate
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
36:02
bill nine committee thank you sir make it quick see
if i can do it before he gets here uh this is the um senate bill
nine this is the to create the make arkansas healthy again act uh this is one of the first bills filed in session, we wanted to ban three items that were also banned in some of the larger states here in the United States, such as following suit, not adding any more berthamon that's already been added. Ah, didn't do it in time. But we had to take it out because red dye number five was already banned. So this one only bans two chemicals, potassium bromate and paraplen. Some of the side effects of potassium bromide are kidney thyrotoxicity, they're
carcinogens, there's DNA damage, and these are banned in several countries, the EU, UK, Canada, and parts of Asia. And that's essentially it. A lot of the producers in the United States are already moving towards getting these chemicals out of their product. But, you know, the way it works in the EU is they need to show that it's not harmful, where in the United States we have show that it is harmful and so in our foods we have about 10,000 different chemicals that float around there whereas in the EU they only have 300 and this to me is something I've always been passionate about because after my first session I gained a lot of weight and so I went on a diet
and I started reading labels and all of a sudden I realized there's all these things in the food that I had no clue what they were what do they do why are they in there and so as I you know was kind of curious about it I came to find out that a lot of chemicals in the food had nothing to do with actually making the foods more nutritious or things like that they're just merely just increased shelf life and so uh we're just wanting to follow suit with what's kind of already been the trend in some other states and and ban these two uh the implementation day was also moved up from 2027 to 2028 this was an ask that tyson made and we thought that that was
reasonable to ask as well so that's essentially the bill in a nutshell representative
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
37:58
richmond you have a question yes sir hey representative yes sir do you know if neighboring states if any of the neighboring states outlaw these as well no none
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
38:04
of our neighboring states would be so we'd be the first in our region to do it uh but when you have states like california which is the largest state economy in the entire united states i mean there's products they're shipping there that they're also shipping to texas and arkansas and so we would be one of So does that mean you're supportive of what California is doing?
Usually I'm not, but broken clocks can be right twice a day, and I think this is a classic example of a broken clock being
Chair
Unverified
38:32
right. Any further questions? Representative Hindley, you're recognized. Thank
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
38:39
you. Representative Pilkington, I'm a little confused about this bill a little bit. Sure. Mr. Chair, I was just wondering, would one of the agencies like to come to the table and express their opinion on this, the health department?
Speaker 134
38:54
I would love that. Others? If you're requesting that, we'll make anybody come to the table. But when
Matt Gilmore has come to the table, it's always a great day. He always likes the side. He doesn't like the camera. Matt Gilmore, Department of Health
Speaker 140
39:25
I'm Laura Shue, I'm General Counsel for the
Speaker 142
39:30
Department of Health You guys are recognized Please do
Speaker 143
39:36
not touch the mics I'll try to behave myself, Mr. Chair I don't know that we
have concerns about this I'm not sure Can you repeat your question? I'm sorry I was listening, but I couldn't hear everything. Well, my question
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
39:50
is, do we have any experts in the room who knows that this is true or false?
Speaker 146
39:57
I think it's generally accepted that, you know, there is some data around them.
Speaker 143
40:02
But, I mean, from an agency standpoint, we don't have concerns with the bill. I'm confused now.
Speaker 149
40:06
Are you an expert in this field? You called me up
Speaker 143
40:11
here, Mr. Chair, so I'm not sure. I defer you. No, I didn't. She did. Well, I think you mentioned my name, so, I mean, I respect your opinion. I want to be more careful.
Any further questions from committee for the department? Seeing none, thank you for your testimony. Anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill? Representative Pilgeton,
are you closed for your bill? I'm closing my bill and make a motion to pass. That's a proper
motion. Representative Hall, please come forward. Any discussion on the motion? All in favor, say aye.
Aye. All opposed? Ayes have it. Congratulations, your bill is passed. As soon as we get five signatures, representatives, we'll go back to House bills for one last bill. Members,
we're going to give staff a second to pass this out.
Because of the agreements that were made with the
department, you basically have a new bill. The new bill still follows the same guidelines as the old bill. It changes the penalties and takes out Section 5, so it's being passed out now.
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
43:15
Representative Hall, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. While she's passing out there, some language we've all agreed to. Do what? No, no, I don't need one. It's language we've all agreed to, and everybody's pretty much come to agreement. I've got a motion for the due pass on the amendment. All those
in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Ayes have it. You recognize to present your bill as amended.
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
43:46
Okay. Well, it's pretty much all the same, except you
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
43:58
struck Section 5 out. So, any questions for the committee? Seeing none. Yeah. Hey, is it still self-reporting for these guys, or is the
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
44:07
ADEQ going to do more with kind of holding them accountable? Actually, in this bill, I made it, I talked to them, I'd made it where the county sheriff, the county judge, and the county employees,
like if they catch them breaking the permit, they can write them up for it. So now it's not just ADEQ that can do that. And then they submit that to ADEQ for the fine? Yeah, and then they submit it for the fine. So they have more people that's eyes on it.
For the regulatory division, correct? Yeah, okay. Thank you, guys. Seeing no further questions. Did anyone in the audience speak
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
44:39
for or against the bill as amended? You closed for your bill? Yes, sir. I'd just like to apologize for all the people that live in that district in the River Valley that it's taken us this long to get this under control. So hopefully this will do the trick.
So thank you. I'm closed. I have a motion to pass as amended from Representative Richardson. Any discussion on
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
44:59
the motion? Representative Rose, you're recognized. Yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you. I just want to say we've got a mutual connection constituent in our county, and he just said he appreciates what this bill is doing and how awful it smells today, his house is miserable right now. So sounds like it would be a great time to go do an inspection. I'll
be voting in favor of this bill. Thank you. Representative Grammich.
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
45:22
Thank you very much. I didn't have the opportunity to speak on this this morning, but I live in the middle of Fort Smith along with 90,000 other people who live in our city. And one of the worst experiences I had was October 26th in the morning. I walked outside. It was like 70 degrees, one of those perfect fall mornings. I was excited to take my kid to the park, and the smell was so bad I could not go outside that day. And I'm 15 miles west of where all this stuff is happening. When I was teaching at Derby, we'd go out at lunch.
Kids did not want to go outside because the smell was so bad. It's like it was so bad it reduced visibility in the air. The first time I met Mr. Hall, and I will remember it to a T, we were on top of a hill outside of Heart Scrabble Country Club, and the smell is ingrained in my head. This is an issue. We have to get this fixed. And thank you for being the leader on this and taking the reins and doing the good stuff for the people of the River Valley. Any further discussion from the committee?
Seeing none, all those in favor of this bill as amended, say aye. Aye. All
opposed? Ayes have it. You have passed your bill as amended. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Mr. Committee. Thank you, Mr. Representatives. All right, Senator Payton, 238, correct?
And it does have an amendment. It does. He's already came and took care of
it. We're going to pass the amendment out if you give us just a second.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
48:02
you'll recognize the procedure amendment okay so this amendment just adds to the bill that we will include tire retailers on the boards so that they'll have representation on the four tire district boards it'll put two tire retailers on each board appointed by the governor it also modifies the current law which and the bill we're proposing which requires one collection site per county and this puts a very strong recommendation of two so the way it
does it is it says there will be two unless the board determines that the second collection site is not necessary due to volume so it gives the board the authority to uh to only have one collection site per county but it's a very very strong recommendation that they have at least two It does not prevent them from having more than two, and it adds representation for tire retailers on the board. Members?
I think I might have talked about both amendments there at once. You kind of did, but it's all right. What's the pleasure of the committee on the amendment? It's just one. One of them
is engrossed, I guess. One's engrossed. That's a proper motion. All those in favor say
Senator John Payton
Unverified
49:27
aye. Aye. All opposed? Ayes have it. You recognize and present your bill as amended. Thank you. And so most of y'all that were here two years ago might remember, but those of us that have been here several years know that we've been dealing with this issue for a very long time. I thought we had a good cure for the problem two years ago,
and we passed it in the Senate with a dedicated revenue stream increase, and we ended up having to amend that out of the bill. And so what we passed last session was a reorganization of the 11 boards down to four. Those four boards got organized and became operational about 15 months ago. We were projected to run out of money six months in, and it made it about 18 months, two years now,
because they were able to find efficiencies. But as they let out those contracts for the processors, they had to be so tight with the money that it makes it hard for the processors to have enough collection sites and and to maintain equipment and and do capital improvements so what this does is it puts back in what we took out two years ago as far as the revenue stream goes the uh the passenger car and truck tires will still be at three dollars it'll be a recycling fee collected on a new tire but we're going to broaden
the new tires to include four new tires when you buy a new car. So it'll raise the revenue stream but it's still just three dollars per new tire because every time a new tire hits the street we've created a waste tire down the road and also the big truck tires which cost so much more to process they'll go back to five dollars where they had been historically and then on the ag tires like off of a big tractor or skid steer they can charge up to thirty dollars that fee
will be set by the by the four district boards not to exceed thirty dollars and most of those tires cost ninety to a hundred dollars plus to process but anyway with that i'll be happy to take questions any questions from members representative johnson you're recognized I
think, Senator Payton, I think I know.
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
51:43
I'm just looking at the bill. I had stepped out earlier. I know we passed a bill out earlier around tire recycling.
This bill that you're proposing, does it have a new fee in it, or does it create a
Senator John Payton
Unverified
51:57
new board of any kind? It does not create a new board, and it depends on how you define a new fee. So I'm changing the name of the RIM fee to recycling fee. Instead of collecting it on used tires like we have done in the past or every time you transfer from rim to rim, we're only collecting it on new tires at the rate of $3, which is what is currently done for passenger cars and trucks.
But we're including passenger cars and trucks that have been excluded before. When you buy a new vehicle, you've just bought four new tires or five new tires, and those are going to enter the recycling system at some point. And we've never historically collected that fee on those tires. So, yes, we're directing that that fee will be collected on those tires. Then the big truck tires were $5, and I think it was six years ago that got thrown into the same pot as the $3 fee.
We're taking it back to $5. And then the ag tires are currently at $3. They were at $5. And we're giving the four district boards the authority to charge up to $30 per tire on those big ag tires. So it's not a new fee, but they have the authority to raise it on those ag tires. No further questions
for committee? Can I get AEDQ to the table, please?
Speaker 173
53:38
Lauren Ballard, Chief of Staff, Energy and Environment Bailey Taylor,
Speaker 174
53:50
DEQ, Director and Chief Administrator of Environment I sure hope they
canceled that T-ball game They didn't Can you guys explain to me from this morning's bill we passed that you guys helped present Can you explain to me the fee structure in that bill versus the fee structure of this bill?
And basically that's giving us an impact statement of the two bills in
Speaker 180
54:17
comparison, please. So in the bill this morning, that is a $1.50 fee, essentially kind of like the rim removal fee. The tire retailer will collect that. It will be on the sale of new tires. And so that is a $1.50 fee that will go into the abatement fund, which would pay for the administration at the department. And then abatement, we mentioned it would likely be $3.5 million annually available in abatement.
This bill has the $3 rim removal fee and then the $5 and $10 on the extra large tires? Up to $30 on ag. Up to $30 on ag, yes. and then the tire retailers can charge their fee on top of that, the 5% fee. So that all goes to the Tire Recycling Fund, what we use to reimburse districts as well as administration and abatement.
So basically this bill, Senate Bill 238, It allows the tire boards that testified in opposition this morning to stay intact, sending them, raising this money the way it does, gives them the ability to still send bills to you guys. You're still reimbursing.
So basically we're not changing the problem that we already have because it's not raising any new money other than the four new tires, correct?
Speaker 180
55:47
Correct. That would be an additional money and then increasing the fee on large and extra-large tires.
So collecting $3, we only have $2.57 to pay them, and the bill is $2.85, if I remember right. As it is
Speaker 180
56:00
now, the tire district's average reimbursement rate is $2.85, yes. Any questions for the
Speaker 182
56:07
committee for the department? Just a caveat on that. I think it's a $3 fee now. We have $2.57 left after I think the retailers currently get to keep 5%. I think Senator Payton's bill, I think actually it's $3 they get to charge 10% over and above.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
56:22
Is that correct? Right. So the net to the department in my bill is increased by the fact that we let the retailers collect their percentage on top of the $3. So they can collect up to $3.30 if they want to, but it caps them at 10% over. The thing is, the fiscal impact on my increase in revenue is supposed to be somewhere between $2.5 and $3.5 million based on fiscal impact statement that we had two years ago from DF&A.
That will be enough into the system to where those four tire boards can let out contracts that have a reimbursement rate high enough to cover the cost of the program. What's been happening is it's been starved to death for many years. And so the private industries that serve the program, they can't make capital investments and improve their equipment and improve their byproducts. Nucor has shown great promise in wanting all of the tire-derived pellets
and fuel and stuff that we can get. But the only processor in Arkansas that pelletizes it down to a size small enough for Nucor to use is Davis, which is a private company here in Little Rock. They're servicing one entire district and parts of another district now. But all the other processors that we have in the state, they need new equipment. They need to upgrade their equipment. And to maintain the fleet of trucks and trailers it takes to transport these tires,
I mean, we have to be able to reimburse them at a better rate. And we also have to have enough consistency in the program to where somebody can have a five-year business plan and make those capital investments. And that's what my bill does. I'm not familiar specifically with the bill you considered this morning. and I assume it's the same as what we considered in Senate Public Health a couple of days ago.
It failed, but the idea that we can wash our hands of it and let it be a privatized system, I mean, there's a few things government does well, and garbage collection is one of them, And handling refuges, you know, most cities and towns and counties have garbage collection operations and they're very well supported by the public that, you know, they want the government to do that.
So, I mean, I think this is something that we should not just try to totally divest from. I think it's a good system where you collect the fee on a new tire, which is generating a waste tire somewhere down the road. If we collect at the point of disposal, then we are encouraging, I hate to say encouraging, but it makes it look really good to not properly dispose of those tires.
If I go to a tire dealer and buy four new tires, and he says he's going to charge me $10 a piece for my takeoffs, I'm going to say, well, I'll take them home. I got use for them, you know, and those tires end up going home. If you have private entrepreneurs that decide they want to go into the tire transporting business or whatever, and it looks really good because they can pull up to the tire dealer and get paid $5 a tire to haul off these tires, they get licensed through ADEQ.
They become a tire transporter. They're supposed to take those tires to a processor, but they're getting paid up front. And when their truck wears out, their trailer wears out, repairs are needed, and they find out their cash flow is hurting, they can pick up a load of tires at a tire retailer, get paid $5 apiece for them, and until those tires are delivered to a processor, they don't have to pay the processor to take them. So, I mean, I just don't trust that we won't have bigger abatement problems.
This is from an email that I got from Department of Energy and Environment. It shows part of our abatement problem. There's 395,000 tires stockpiled in cotton plant right now because a guy that had an idea on how to recycle these tires was able to stockpile all these tires under his business plan. And when he went bankrupt, he walked off, and we're stuck with it. So I think it's important that we keep the infrastructure that we currently have.
The program has been starved to death for a long time. We need the dedicated revenue stream, and it needs increased enough to cover the cost and encourage capitalization into the equipment that will process it to the point that we have a place to dispense of it, which would be Nucor and other likewise situated companies. So I ran on too long.
You did, but that's okay because we have it timed. So you're almost out of time. So it's a great thing. Any further questions? Seeing anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill, I take it that was your closing? That's my closing. What's
the pleasure of the committee? I have a motion due pass as amended. That's a proper motion. Any discussion on the motion? Members, I will have sat here in this chair 10 years ago for the first time.
We sat here one night, or started one day at 10 a.m. We finished that night around 11 p.m. My kid was about five years old, and he fell asleep behind me. We wasn't in a public committee meeting that night. We had county judges here. I represented Peyton. I think you were representative at that time, and I think you were in here, if I remember correctly. And the whole fight started with these tires. And we walked across the way, and my son asked me, like I said, he was young. He says, Dad, what was all that about?
And I said, I'm not sure, son. And we finally passed that bill. And things rocked wrong for about six years, and nobody said a word. And they started running in here about the time right before the COVID pandemic, and they started running out of money. And we started moving just a little bit of money and a little bit of money. And then in that session, we upped the fee or changed the way the fee was assessed so they had a little more money. We came in this whole last cycle of the interim, and every time I went to council,
it was this fight of what we were going to do to transform more money to the tire program. Davis's brother spent multi-hours in my office as chair of council begging for a way to get more money out of the system. Craig Douglas spoke this morning against the bill, countless hours in my office begging for more money. We were told then that if there was an entity that would buy the rubber, then it could be privatized.
We've been told numerous times that these entities would show up. They finally showed up. Nucor was here this morning to speak for that bill. They didn't speak for the bill because the bill was going through well, but they were here to speak for the bill. They were here to speak for the bill because Davis has agreed with them that they can chop the tires up and sell it to them under that new mechanism which lowers the fee to the consumers charged by government and allows them to charge another fee for the pickup private citation that was testified this morning.
The point being, my garbage is not picked up in my house by a government entity. I pay, get rid of it every month, direct. They pull it straight out of my checking account, and they do a great job. They pick up the garbage, and I don't ever have to worry about it. When we can put this stuff in private hands, and it's taken care of, and we're not stuck charging our constituents or putting a new board in place, that is a good thing. So I'll leave it at that. Any further discussion?
All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed? No. Your bill
has failed. So with that, you got a Senate bill? Okay, what's the number? Five, four, six. Five, four, six. Let's go. Representative Perry and Senator Hammer? And you have an amendment? If you'll give just a second, pass the amendment out.
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
1:06:11
You're recognized to explain your amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So the amendment to Senate Bill 546 on page 1, line 34, it deletes and goes from other viable alternative and substitute with other viable cost-effective alternative.
Speaker 72
1:06:49
I hit the wrong button. Don't touch the mic. That's the amendment. Representative Ladyman has a motion for do pass on the amendment. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Ayes have it. You're recognized. Present your bill as amended. All right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to turn
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
1:07:07
it over to Senator Hammer or Bailey with ADQ to help expand on this. Mr.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:07:16
Chairman, members of the committee, Kim Hammer, State Senator, District 16.
Speaker 177
1:07:21
Bailey Taylor, DEQ Director, Chief Administrator of Environment. There
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:07:28
you go. Go. Don't go. Members, what this bill does is several sessions ago, for some of us that were here several sessions ago, there was a bill introduced that deals with the placement of
wastewater treatment plants. And what this bill does is when, and Bailey can straight me out and correct me if I say anything wrong, but when it was established, there was a fund that was established that anytime anybody puts in a sewer treatment plant,
they would put a percentage of the cost into it with the idea that that would build the fund up. So in the event there was maintenance or a catastrophic event that occurred, the money would be there so that it could be fixed and if you had a bad operator, you would have that reserved. And I would use a comparison like if a gas station operator pulled out and, you know, there were tanks that were bad, you'd have a cleanup fund. What we've discovered since that was put in place, a few of the operators have been the ones that have significantly contributed to that fund,
And what we're asking for is that it would be reduced to 8% with a cap of $100,000 that an operator would have to put in there. And the reason you'll notice also, and Bailey maybe can speak more to this, on page 1, line 25 through 36, one of the things we wanted to add into it was that there would be a feasibility study to determine at the time that the request is made to ADQ to determine the feasibility of being able to connect to a municipality sewer system.
And one of the amendments added the phrase cost-effective alternative to make sure that it would create the broad latitude to make sure that the most cost-effective way to go to that. And, Mr. Chairman, if you're agreeable, I'd like Bailey to clean up, correct me on anything that
Speaker 174
1:09:18
I said the Chair would allow. I think you did a good job, Senator. So this is specifically for non-municipal wastewater treatment plants. So
Speaker 180
1:09:27
sometimes these are handed over to POAs or homeowners associations.
And so we just wanted to have this trust fund. This body had created a trust fund in order, like the senator said, for us to step in, hire operators if someone left this plant without a proper operator. So it's not typical for an entity to have to contribute over $100,000. There's actually been only one instance of that. That's a rather large plant for a non-municipal wastewater treatment plant.
And so this cap, we feel, will have no impact on the trust fund funds. We also, this bill changes to allow you to access the funds after your second permit cycle. so that's about 10 years versus 15. There are some treatment plants that could use this, and they have been in the fund for about seven years, and so this would give them the opportunity to relatively soon to be able to access that for maintenance. And then the feasibility study, it just gives us the authority
that we don't already have to say, hey, you have another option, and that is to connect to a city, an existing facility. What can you look at the feasibility of that? And so they will look at the feasibility, if it's viable, if it's cost effective. If it's not, then we can pursue a review in their application and looking at that permit. Representative Ladyman, you're recognized.
Chair
Unverified
1:11:04
Can you help me understand there on line 25 through 29,
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
1:11:10
where it talks about the NPDES system permit and five miles. Explain that to me. It's
Speaker 174
1:11:20
on page one. That's the feasibility study. So
Speaker 180
1:11:23
if they are proposing to establish a new wastewater treatment plant within five miles of an existing municipality-owned or county-owned plant, then we want a feasibility study to determine whether it's cost-effective or viable to either connect to the city
Speaker 194
1:11:41
or if they need to establish a new wastewater treatment plant.
Speaker 142
1:11:48
Any other questions from the committee? Representative Long, please get closer
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
1:11:55
to the mic. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator Hammer, that meeting that we had with those folks, That meeting we had with those folks a few months back, were they in on crafting the bill?
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:12:14
Yes, sir. Thanks for bringing that up. We've actually been working, I'd say, two months. Is that fair? We've been working about two months with some of the industry leaders and individuals that are proponents of these systems and ADQ. I hope I can say this, and Bailey, that this is an agreed-upon bill that we've worked on together to get it to this point with ADQ. It was a real problem, and I
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
1:12:34
appreciate y'all trying to fix it. Thank you, sir. Any
other questions from committee? Seeing none. Anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill?
Speaker 72
1:12:47
Representative Perry, Senator Hammer, are you closed for your bill? I'm closed for the bill to make a motion to pass. As amended, correct. That's a proper motion. Any discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Ayes have it. Congratulations. Your bill is passed as amended. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. All right, members, let's save some time. I'm not going to run down the list, but does anyone else have any Senate bills they want to run? Senator Senator Pilkington, I knew you had a couple more.
You're recognized. If you just give us the numbers as you're going
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:13:39
down. Yeah, SB 576. SB 576. Representative Aaron Pilkington District 45 Johnson Pope County this changes from two years to follow what Medicare does just stay consistent with federal standards on what qualifies people
for a CGM so four years ago we updated who qualifies and we did two or more pumps because that's what the Medicare standard was but in April 2023 they changed it to a person who uses insulin basically one pump and this is because medical technology has changed and now there's a delay release insulin so people who used to have to use two or more pumps are choosing the delay release and now they're just using one so instead of having to change the law for a few years we're just making arkansas standard as the medicare standard and there's no no opposition this is just so we're not having to gum in and change this every couple years so
Any questions? Seeing none, all those, I was running around into it. Anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill? You get on autopilot after a while. You close for your bill, Representative? I'm close for my bill. I'll make a motion to pass. Proper motion. Anybody, any discussion on the bill? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed. I just have it.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:14:52
You have another one? Well, so I didn't realize it was on deferred. I didn't think it was, but I was going to run Carolyn Brown's Senate Bill 168. Well, I'll make a motion to take that off deferred if it's okay with the committee.
That is Rice's bill to accept a state examination for a licensure of massage therapists. I don't. It's not on
the deferred list of tonight's agenda. That's the problem. Is it on the regular agenda? You're talking 168? 168, yes. Okay, I think you said 138. Oh, my bad. Sorry. Okay, so that's proper motion. Committee, I'm going to take it without objection because it's a two-thirds vote.
So without objection means we unanimously agree to take it off deferred. Without objection, Senate Bill 168 will come off deferred. Appreciate it. You're recognized to
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:15:46
present 168. Thank you. Thank you, committee. Appreciate the latitude on this. Just once again, I think last time it got presented, it just was kind of all over the map, and you had different groups kind of fighting. I think we kind of lost what actually we were just trying to do here. We're just trying to give a state option. They work together with the health department to actually help create this other option.
Because right now there's only one exam, and so obviously that changes. We kind of lose some of our ability in case they make those standards too high. And for those who don't know, I mean, a lot of people enter in the massage therapy industry, and then they leave pretty quick. There's a pretty decent amount of turnover. So having a state test for someone is like, I just want to do it for a couple of years here in Arkansas to help them get me by. I don't want to take a federal test and be a part of a compact, this is a better option for me and let them do that. So still can use the other tests. If you own a massage spa, you can still require that they do the implant instead of this one.
This is just an option. Some people here in the state wanted that we used to have multiple tests, and we're just trying to get one back. Like I said, they work with the health department to create this. Like I said, I think last time we did it, I think there was some drama going on, and the message got construed. This is simple, easy, and so I just thought another shot at it that it's been kind of some time to let dust settle and see how we feel about it now. Any questions for committee? Representative Richardson.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
1:17:11
Representative Pilkington, I think I remember there being several people within massage therapy who spoke against this. Is that correct? There are some people
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:17:20
who are in favor of the IMPLAX, and a lot of them also, too, were people who represented the compact because the IMPLAX goes along with the compact. And so they're worried that they may not, that some people wouldn't choose to go into the compact. But my belief is always that compact should be optional if they want to do something else. And so if someone said, hey, I'm at a massage therapy school and I want to take this test to the IMPLAX
because I'm just going to stay in Arkansas, and they can choose to do that if they want. So it's just a choice. No one's required to do one or the other. And this came from some people within the industry who felt like they wanted to have a state test option so they weren't beholden to an out-of-state company that Arkansas could also choose what they set the standard for. And my understanding is
we wouldn't be the only state that allows this other option. Correct. Isn't that
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:18:09
correct? Yes, sir. Yep, that's correct. Sorry if I was
yelling in the mic. No, you're good. Okay. Any other questions?
Seeing none, anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill? Seeing none, you close for your
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:18:22
bill. Yeah, and I make a motion to do pass. As amended. As
amended, yes. That's a proper motion. Any discussion on motion? All those in favor, say aye.
Aye. All opposed? No. I'm going to rule the ayes have it. Your bill is passed. Congratulations. You have
no more? No. Members or any other members of the committee or members in the room that have Senate bills to run? I will
tell you, our agenda looks really good for Thursday.
we only have about 10 or 15 bills left we will get transferred some more bills so don't get too excited but we'll see you guys on Thursday see you in no further business we stand adjourned
Agenda
REGULAR AGENDA
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1762 Hall TO REQUIRE REVOCATION OF A PERMIT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF INDUSTRIAL WASTE IN AN AGRICULTURAL OR PASTORAL APPLICATION FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS.
HB1791 C. Cooper TO CLARIFY THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OR POWER IN THIS STATE AND DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE OR IMPLEMENT ACTIONS IN THIS STATE.
HB1880 Hudson TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT AND THE ARKANSAS UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT TO ADD CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS.
HB1908 Long TO CREATE THE PROOF OF RESIDENCY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT; TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; AND TO REQUIRE PROOF OF RESIDENCY FOR ADULT APPLICANTS.
HB1909 Long TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SERVICES ONLY FOR CITIZENS ACT; AND TO REQUIRE VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP AND RESIDENCY IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
HB1987 Ennett TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE STATE BOARD OF EMBALMERS, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CEMETERIES, AND BURIAL SERVICES; AND TO INCREASE THE CIVIL PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS BY A LICENSEE.
SB9 B. Davis TO CREATE THE MAKE ARKANSAS HEALTHY AGAIN ACT; AND TO PROHIBIT MANUFACTURING, SELLING, DELIVERING, DISTRIBUTING, HOLDING, OR OFFERING FOR SALE A FOOD PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS CERTAIN SUBSTANCES.
SB238 J. Payton TO AMEND THE USED TIRE RECYCLING AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.
SB473 Stone TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BOARD; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BOARD TO ADVISE THE ARKANSAS FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY ON CERTAIN MATTERS.
SB117 C. Penzo TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR LICENSURE OF NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN ARKANSAS; AND TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS STATE BOARD OF NATURAL MEDICINE.
SB444 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE MEDICAL ETHICS AND DIVERSITY ACT.
SB507 G. Leding TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO COVER APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS SERVICES FOR CERTAIN BENEFICIARIES.
SB546 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TRUST FUND CONTRIBUTION FEE FOR WATER PERMITS RELATED TO NONMUNICIPAL DOMESTIC SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS.
SB554 C. Tucker TO CREATE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
SB560 J. English TO DECREASE THE BASE CONTRIBUTION RATE; TO INCREASE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT RATE; TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE SKILLED WORKFORCE IN THIS STATE; AND TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES TRAINING TRUST FUND.
SB120 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR ALL PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES IN THIS STATE; AND TO ENSURE CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR VULNERABLE AGING ADULTS.
SB347 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO INCREASE REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CERTAIN DENTAL SERVICES AND TO SET AN ANNUAL REIMBURSEMENT CAP FOR ADULT DENTAL SERVICES.
SB497 D. Wallace TO REQUIRE THE CREATION OF A POSTER REGARDING VETERANS' BENEFITS AND SERVICES; AND TO REQUIRE CERTAIN EMPLOYERS TO DISPLAY THE POSTER.
SB534 G. Leding TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS KRATOM CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT; AND TO REMOVE MITRAGYNINE AND 7-HYDROXYMITRAGYNINE, ALSO KNOWN AS KRATOM, FROM THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES LIST IN ARKANSAS.
SB576 B. Davis TO AMEND THE COVERAGE OF CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORS WITHIN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM.
SB601 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.
DEFERRED BILLS
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1008 A. Collins TO REQUIRE MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTHERS FOR ONE YEAR AFTER GIVING BIRTH.
HB1010 A. Collins TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES.
HB1011 A. Collins TO CREATE THE RESTORE ROE ACT; AND TO RESTORE A WOMAN'S ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES.
HB1012 A. Collins TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO EXTEND ELIGIBILITY TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS FOR FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES.
HB1013 Hudson TO PROTECT FERTILITY TREATMENT RIGHTS IN THIS STATE.
HB1029 D. Garner TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SERVICES RELATED TO ADDICTION.
HB1032 A. Collins TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY.
HB1132 Pilkington TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES; AND TO AMEND THE PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY OF AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE.
HB1224 Nazarenko TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT; AND TO APPLY THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT TO MASSAGE THERAPISTS.
HB1244 K. Brown TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF FULL INDEPENDENT PRACTICE AUTHORITY BY A CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONER OR CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST.
HB1270 Pilkington TO ESTABLISH A PRESCRIBED PEDIATRIC EXTENDED CARE PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH A SECTION 1115 MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION WAIVER; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1302 L. Johnson TO ADD DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY TO THE UNIVERSAL NEWBORN SCREENING ACT.
HB1401 Pilkington TO INCLUDE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY SERVICES WITHIN THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT.
HB1463 Hudson TO PROHIBIT DISCLOSURE OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST MATERIALS OR TEST DATA.
SB168 Rice TO ESTABLISH A STATE EXAMINATION FOR LICENSURE OF MASSAGE THERAPISTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB187 Irvin TO AMEND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID DRUG UTILIZATION REVIEW BOARD TO INCLUDE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.
HB1532 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
HB1566 McClure TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM CORE CURRICULUM TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY IN PRACTICAL NURSING EDUCATION.
HB1592 J. Mayberry TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA PUBLIC HEALTH ACT.
HB1718 Gramlich TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS STATE.
HB1723 Pilkington TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS ACT; AND TO DIRECT THE ARKANSAS MINORITY HEALTH COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
HB1731 Vaught TO STRENGTHEN CHILD LABOR LAWS THROUGH THE REINSTATEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES.
HB1781 Crawford TO AUTHORIZE THE LICENSURE OF CLINICS, HEALTH CENTERS, OR OTHER FACILITIES IN WHICH A PREGNANCY IS TERMINATED OR ABORTED IF CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE MET.
HB1588 McAlindon TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SEEKS OR IMPLEMENTS AN EXPANSION OF COVERAGE FOR THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM.
HB1776 Lundstrum TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER STATION PERMIT OR AN EXPANSION OF A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER STATION PERMIT.
HB1795 A. Brown TO CREATE THE FERTILITY CLINIC LICENSURE ACT.
HB1816 L. Johnson TO PROHIBIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE INSURERS FROM USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES OR THE GENERATION OF MEDICAL RECORDS UNLESS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
HB1818 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED CARE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.
HB1819 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR OF VITAL RECORDS TO COORDINATE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES TO CONTACT MOTHERS FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE DURING THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD.
HB1882 Pilkington TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ENROLLABLE MEDICAID BENEFICIARY POPULATION AND ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO DESIGNATE MEDICAID POPULATIONS TO BE ENROLLED UNDER THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT.
HB1888 Steele TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES LAW; AND TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT RECORDS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
HB1890 J. Mayberry TO ALLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BILL FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES; AND TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
HB1906 Lundstrum TO REQUIRE WRITTEN CONSENT OF A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN WHEN PRESCRIBING LONG-ACTING REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION TO A PERSON WHO IS YOUNGER THAN EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE.
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE, Apr 8, 2025 | Agenda | 4 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Representative Jeff Wardlaw Chair
Unverified
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
Speaker 143
Rose Mims
Unverified
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
Speaker 36
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
Speaker 31
Tony Rose
Unverified
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Speaker 53
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
Speaker 97
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
Speaker 100
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
Chair
Unverified
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
Speaker 134
Speaker 140
Speaker 142
Speaker 146
Speaker 149
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
Senator John Payton
Unverified
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
Speaker 173
Speaker 174
Speaker 180
Speaker 182
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
Speaker 72
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
Speaker 177
Speaker 194