Senate Convenes
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (103)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SR20
· 8 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “We are, we will begin sender English with Senate resolution 20. Senate”
|
TO COMMEND THE MAUMELLE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FALCONS BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FOR WINNING THE … | J. English | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SR21
· 8 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “SR21 J. English TO COMMEND THE MAUMELLE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FALC…”
|
TO COMMEND THE MAUMELLE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FALCONS BOYS' GOLF TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2024 … | J. English | Sine Die adjournment |
|
HB1523
Act 951
· 7 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “suspend the rules to withdraw House Bill 1523 out of public health and place it on 2nd reading for purpos…”
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CONCERNING MISSING PERSONS ALERTS; TO CODIFY THE ARKANSAS AMBER ALERT SYSTEM; TO CODIFY THE ARKANSAS … | Vaught | Notification that HB1523 is now Act 951 |
|
SB426
Act 654
· 6 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “SB426 - Motion to put SB426 on Second Reading for purpose of Amen…”
|
TO CREATE THE DEFENSE AGAINST CRIMINAL ILLEGALS ACT; AND TO ESTABLISH ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL … | Hester | Notification that SB426 is now Act 654 |
|
SR42
· 6 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “SR42 Hill TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF CABOT AS RECIPIENT IN 2024 OF…”
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TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF CABOT AS RECIPIENT IN 2024 OF A TRENDSETTER CITY AWARD … | Hill | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB229
· 4 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…he Senate respectfully requests the return to the Senate of Senate Bill 229. File it”
|
TO CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. | J. Boyd | Sine Die adjournment |
|
HB1062
Act 565
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…Dotson recommended to pass calendar can be on education as House Bill 1062. By representative Richardson recommended pass calendar Com…”
|
TO CREATE THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2025. | R. Scott Richardson | Notification that HB1062 is now Act 565 |
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HB1079
Act 860
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…erfectly engrossed calendar Committee on Gross, who is very House Bill 1079 versus Allen and Cenator Wallace, the gross copy of the ori…”
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TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR GENETIC TESTING FOR AN INHERITED GENE MUTATION FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS; AND … | F. Allen | Notification that HB1079 is now Act 860 |
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HB1255
Act 857
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…recommended past calendar Committee on Public Health to for House Bill 1255 by Representative Wooldridge, recommended passes amended nu…”
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TO AMEND THE COVERAGE OF A CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITOR IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM. | Wooldridge | Notification that HB1255 is now Act 857 |
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HB1333
Act 627
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…grossed. Joint budget Committee on gross bills to his first House Bill 1333 Representative Hudson and Cenator Scott, the grossed copy o…”
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TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR BREASTFEEDING AND LACTATION CONSULTANT SERVICES. | Hudson | Notification that HB1333 is now Act 627 |
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HB1468
Act 558
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ind the same correctly engrossed calendar Committee on ross House Bill 1468 by Representative Cozart and Senator Petty compared the eng…”
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TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING CLAIMS AGAINST HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTORS, RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS, AND SUPPLIERS. | Cozart | Notification that HB1468 is now Act 558 |
|
HB1696
Act 566
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “education who was for House Bill 1696 by Representative Mac uh McAllen recommend Du Pas calendari…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE STRENGTHENING ARKANSAS EDUCATION ACT; AND TO PROVIDE A CORE CURRICULUM AT STATE-SUPPORTED … | McAlindon | Notification that HB1696 is now Act 566 |
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HB1714
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…Insurance and commerce. We're a committee on gross bills to House Bill 1714 by Representative Rose, clear and gross copy of the origina…”
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TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF PAID CANVASSER. | Rose | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
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HB1717
Act 952
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “for House Bill 1717 by Senator Boyd and. Representative Gramly recommended and…”
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TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN AND TEENS' ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT. | Gramlich | Notification that HB1717 is now Act 952 |
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SB128
Act 533
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…nded to pass calendar Committee on joint budget team is for Senate Bill 128 by joint budget recommend to pass calendar Committee on Joi…”
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AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB128 is now Act 533 |
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SB157
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…grossed judiciary for your committee on Gross pills, who is Senate Bill 157 by Senator Dotson compared the gross copy of the original a…”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING BENEFITS UNDER THE STATE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. | J. Dotson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB332
Act 536
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…nd to pass calendar. Committee on Joint Budget team was for Senate Bill 332 by Senator Dotson recommended to pass calendar Committee on…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SEXUAL … | J. Dotson | Notification that SB332 is now Act 536 |
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SB347
Act 1025
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Health to Senate Bill 347 by Senator Penzo recommend Du past and we also have a uh pu…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO INCREASE REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CERTAIN DENTAL SERVICES AND … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB347 is now Act 1025 |
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SB366
Act 427
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…nzo sent Bill 218 by Senator Irving, 278 percentral English Senate Bill 366 by Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 370 by Senator Irving, Senate…”
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TO CREATE THE STRENGTHEN ARKANSAS HOMES ACT; AND TO CREATE THE STRENGTHEN ARKANSAS HOMES PROGRAM … | J. Boyd | Notification that SB366 is now Act 427 |
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SB370
Act 462
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ng, 278 percentral English Senate Bill 366 by Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 370 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 379 Messin Crowe, symbol 381…”
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TO TRANSFER THE ARKANSAS WINE PRODUCERS COUNCIL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO THE DEPARTMENT … | Irvin | Notification that SB370 is now Act 462 |
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SB379
Act 464
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ill 366 by Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 370 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 379 Messin Crowe, symbol 381 by Central Carlson Bill 8382 by Se…”
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TO REPEAL THE LAW REQUIRING THE TAX ADVISORY COUNCIL TO SUBMIT A REPORT. | Crowell | Notification that SB379 is now Act 464 |
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SB384
Act 468
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…rlson Bill 8382 by Senator Curly Bill 383 by Central Cross, Senate Bill 384 by Senator Crow. 385 by Senator Pearl, Senate”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE ARKANSAS DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY SUBMIT A PROGRAM FACT SHEET … | Crowell | Notification that SB384 is now Act 468 |
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SB389
Act 471
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Bill 387 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 389 by Senator Curl sent me a 454 by Central Hill compared the…”
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TO REPEAL THE LAW REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO … | Crowell | Notification that SB389 is now Act 471 |
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SB484
Act 726
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…rossed calendar for your committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 484 by Senator Irving recommend due pass. calendar, education t…”
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TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHEREBY A VACANCY IS FILLED ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF … | Irvin | Notification that SB484 is now Act 726 |
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SB485
Act 670
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…number one, calendar. Committee on Judiciary to him was for Senate Bill 485 by Senator Tucker recommend DuP pass as amended number one…”
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TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE SUSPENDED IMPOSITION OF A SENTENCE, … | C. Tucker | Notification that SB485 is now Act 670 |
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SB572
Act 649
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “pass calendar on education who was Senate Bill 572 by Senator Dotson recommended to pass calendar can be on ed…”
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TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC ACCESS TO … | J. Dotson | Notification that SB572 is now Act 649 |
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SB574
Act 742
· 2 mentions in chapter
Matched: “SB574 J. Petty TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPALITY THAT OPERATES A WATERWOR…”
|
TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPALITY THAT OPERATES A WATERWORKS SYSTEM OR SEWAGE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SERVICE … | J. Petty | Notification that SB574 is now Act 742 |
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SB608
Act 991
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…nate Bill 590 by Senator Gilmore, recommend do pass. Count. Senate Bill 608 by Senator Mark Johnson, to amend the law concerning”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING RUNOFF ELECTIONS FOR COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. | M. Johnson | Notification that SB608 is now Act 991 |
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SB83
Act 424
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “bills to him for the following Senate Bill 83 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 99 by central Penza Yes, so…”
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TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR BREAST RECONSTRUCTION SURGERIES; TO REQUIRE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FOR BREAST RECONSTRUCTION SURGERIES; … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB83 is now Act 424 |
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SB99
Act 437
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…to him for the following Senate Bill 83 by Senator Bryant, Senate Bill 99 by central Penza Yes, so we a committee on enroll bills to…”
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TO AUTHORIZE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TO DELEGATE CERTAIN TASKS. | C. Penzo | Notification that SB99 is now Act 437 |
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HB1094
Act 494
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1094 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - TOBACCO PREVENTION AN…”
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AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CESSATION PROGRAMS APPROPRIATION FOR … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1094 is now Act 494 |
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HB1125
Act 495
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1125 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION - REG…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION - REGULATORY DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE … | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1125 is now Act 495 |
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HB1232
Act 496
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1232 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE MILITARY APPROPRIATION FOR…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE MILITARY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that HB1232 is now Act 496 |
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HB1525
Act 923
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1525 #1 Steimel Caldwell TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING REAL PROPER…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY; AND TO ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL IMPACT REMEDIATION AGREEMENTS. | Steimel | Notification that HB1525 is now Act 923 |
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HB1540
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…mmend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for House Bill 1540 by Representative Brown recommend do pass. Calendar. Commit…”
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TO AMEND THE INCOME TAX CREDIT AND THE INCOME TAX DEDUCTION RELATED TO MAINTAINING, SUPPORTING, … | J. Mayberry | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
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HB1571
Act 502
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…mmend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for House Bill 1571.”
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TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS ADULT DIPLOMA PROGRAM ACT. | Ray | Notification that HB1571 is now Act 502 |
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HB1700
Act 638
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…lendar. Committee on engrossed bills to whom is referred to House Bill 1700 by Representative Anker and Senator Boyd compared to the en…”
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TO AMEND THE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO CLARIFY THE PROCESS OF AN ADVERSE … | Achor | Notification that HB1700 is now Act 638 |
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HB1705
Act 478
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1705 Duke Bryant TO REQUIRE INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW THE RELIG…”
|
TO REQUIRE INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW THE RELIGIOUS AND MORAL BELIEFS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS INFLUENCED … | Duke | Notification that HB1705 is now Act 478 |
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HB1716
Act 498
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1716 Cavenaugh Caldwell TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ASSESSME…”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF TAXES BY THE SECRETARY OF … | Cavenaugh | Notification that HB1716 is now Act 498 |
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HB1733
Act 504
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ue pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, whom is deferred House Bill 1733 by Representative Carr, recommend due pass. Calendar. Commi…”
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TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS BETTER CHANCE PROGRAM ACT. | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1733 is now Act 504 |
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HB1760
Act 486
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1760 Milligan Boyd TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE JURISDICTION…”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE JURISDICTION TO CONSIDER CERTAIN PETITIONS FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF … | Milligan | Notification that HB1760 is now Act 486 |
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HB1814
Act 712
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1814 #1 Gazaway B. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL…”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY OVER UTILITIES; AND TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF … | Gazaway | Notification that HB1814 is now Act 712 |
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HCR1009
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Calendar. The committee on public health, to whom is for House Concurrent Resolution 1009, by Senator Bladieman, recommended to pass. Calendar. And o…”
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TO COMPLY WITH ARKANSAS ACTS 2023, NO. 259; TO REQUEST FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE NEXT … | Ladyman | Approved by the Governor |
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SB103
Act 425
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 83 by Senator Bryant. Senate Bill 99 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 103 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 218 by Senator Irving, Senate…”
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TO CREATE THE PHARMACY NONDISCRIMINATION ACT; TO REQUIRE PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGERS TO ACCEPT ANY PHARMACY … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB103 is now Act 425 |
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SB148
Act 587
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB148 J. English TO ESTABLISH THE CREATING AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUN…”
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TO ESTABLISH THE CREATING AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKERS ACT OF 2025. | J. English | Notification that SB148 is now Act 587 |
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SB153
Act 588
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB153 J. Dotson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF…”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF TITLE 24 OF THE ARKANSAS CODE; AND … | J. Dotson | Notification that SB153 is now Act 588 |
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SB160
Act 589
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB160 J. Dotson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE…”
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TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM. | J. Dotson | Notification that SB160 is now Act 589 |
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SB218
Act 440
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 99 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 103 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 218 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 278 by Senator English, Sena…”
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TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM. | Irvin | Notification that SB218 is now Act 440 |
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SB278
Act 438
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ll 103 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 218 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 278 by Senator English, Senate Bill 366 by Senator Boyd, Senate…”
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TO REPEAL THE STATUTES CONCERNING THE OCCUPATIONAL AUTHORIZATION AND LICENSURE OF CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT OFFICES AND … | J. English | Notification that SB278 is now Act 438 |
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SB290
Act 921
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ssed. - Calendar. - Committee on gross bills to whom is for Senate Bill 290 by Senator Blake Johnson, compared then gross copy of the o…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN WATERSHEDS AND OTHER BODIES OF … | B. Johnson | Notification that SB290 is now Act 921 |
|
SB293
Act 487
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB293 #1 Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE REQUIRED POSTINGS…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE REQUIRED POSTINGS AT A POLLING SITE; AND TO AMEND … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB293 is now Act 487 |
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SB320
Act 518
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…nd do pass. Calendar. Committee on Judiciary to whom is for Senate Bill 320 by Senator Irving, recommend do pass to the current House A…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989. | Irvin | Notification that SB320 is now Act 518 |
|
SB341
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Committee on rossed drills to was deferred. Senate Bill 341”
|
AN ACT FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE FOR COURTS FEES, EXPENSES AND COSTS IMPOSED ON A … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB354
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB354 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS - DIVISION OF CORR…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS - DIVISION OF CORRECTION DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT CAPITAL … | J. Dismang | Died on the Senate Budget Calendar Having Failed … |
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SB381
Act 465
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ill 370 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 379 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 381 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 382 by Senator Curl, Senate Bi…”
|
TO REPEAL THE LAW REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO SUBMIT A REPORT … | Crowell | Notification that SB381 is now Act 465 |
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SB382
Act 466
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 379 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 381 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 382 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 383 by Senator Curl, Senate Bi…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE ARKANSAS DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AUTHORITY SUBMIT A REPORT CONCERNING THE … | Crowell | Notification that SB382 is now Act 466 |
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SB383
Act 467
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 381 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 382 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 383 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 384 by Senator Curl, Senate Bi…”
|
TO REPEAL THE ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED UNDER THE VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT ACT OF 2001. | Crowell | Notification that SB383 is now Act 467 |
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SB385
Act 469
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 383 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 384 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 385 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 387 by Senator Curl, Senate Bi…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE RURAL SERVICES DIVISION OF THE ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION … | Crowell | Notification that SB385 is now Act 469 |
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SB387
Act 470
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 384 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 385 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 387 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 389 by Senator Curl, Senate Bi…”
|
TO REPEAL THE LAW REQUIRING OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING ENTITIES TO SUBMIT A REPORT CONCERNING THE NUMBER … | Crowell | Notification that SB387 is now Act 470 |
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SB427
Act 663
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB427 J. Bryant TO AMEND PROMOTING PROSTITUTION OFFENSES; TO ENHA…”
|
TO AMEND PROMOTING PROSTITUTION OFFENSES; TO ENHANCE THE PENALTIES FOR PROMOTING PROSTITUTION IN THE FIRST, … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB427 is now Act 663 |
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SB428
Act 664
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB428 J. Bryant CONCERNING A CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION FOR VICTIMS OF…”
|
CONCERNING A CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND TO PROVIDE A … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB428 is now Act 664 |
|
SB429
Act 665
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB429 J. Bryant TO EXPAND THE SEALING OF CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR VIC…”
|
TO EXPAND THE SEALING OF CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; TO PROVIDE THAT … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB429 is now Act 665 |
|
SB430
Act 666
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB430 J. Bryant AN ACT TO REQUIRE MANDATORY RESTITUTION TO BE AWA…”
|
AN ACT TO REQUIRE MANDATORY RESTITUTION TO BE AWARDED TO A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB430 is now Act 666 |
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SB431
Act 987
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB431 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013; TO EL…”
|
TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013; TO ELIMINATE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB431 is now Act 987 |
|
SB442
Act 667
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB442 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HUMAN TRAFFICKING; TO…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HUMAN TRAFFICKING; TO PROVIDE FOR FORFEITURE OF ASSETS USED TO … | J. Bryant | Notification that SB442 is now Act 667 |
|
SB449
Act 669
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB449 Dees TO PROVIDE CIVIL IMMUNITY FOR CONFISCATION OF ALTERNAT…”
|
TO PROVIDE CIVIL IMMUNITY FOR CONFISCATION OF ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE PRODUCTS, VAPOR PRODUCTS, E-LIQUID PRODUCTS, TOBACCO … | Dees | Notification that SB449 is now Act 669 |
|
SB454
Act 430
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Bill 387 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 389 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 454 by Senator”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING UNCLAIMED PROPERTY FUNDS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DEPOSIT … | Hill | Notification that SB454 is now Act 430 |
|
SB475
Act 773
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB475 - Motion to withdraw SB475 for purpose of amendment”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE PHARMACY SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION ACT; AND TO REGULATE PHARMACY SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS. | J. Dismang | Notification that SB475 is now Act 773 |
|
SB481
Act 779
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB481 Gilmore TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM OF PROPERTY INS…”
|
TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM OF PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF … | Gilmore | Notification that SB481 is now Act 779 |
|
SB486
Act 955
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB486 B. Johnson CONCERNING SAFETY AND PRIVACY IN CERTAIN ENTITIE…”
|
CONCERNING SAFETY AND PRIVACY IN CERTAIN ENTITIES; AND CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF MULTI-OCCUPANCY RESTROOMS, CHANGING … | B. Johnson | Notification that SB486 is now Act 955 |
|
SB489
Act 950
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB489 G. Leding TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE PLACEMENT OF…”
|
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE PLACEMENT OF A MONUMENT ON THE STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS … | G. Leding | Notification that SB489 is now Act 950 |
|
SB504
Act 727
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ss? Calendar. Committee on Education to whom is referred to Senate Bill 504 by Senator Irving recommended to pass? Calendar. Committee…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM ACT. | Irvin | Notification that SB504 is now Act 727 |
|
SB511
Act 757
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB511 B. Johnson TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF AUTOMATED TELL…”
|
TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE IMPAIRMENT. | B. Johnson | Notification that SB511 is now Act 757 |
|
SB512
Act 758
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB512 B. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ROBBERY AND AGGRAVAT…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ROBBERY AND AGGRAVATED ROBBERY. | B. Johnson | Notification that SB512 is now Act 758 |
|
SB513
Act 759
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB513 B. Johnson TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL THEFT; AN…”
|
TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL THEFT; AND TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF … | B. Johnson | Notification that SB513 is now Act 759 |
|
SB514
Act 760
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB514 B. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL POSSESS…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A SKIMMER; AND TO INCREASE PENALTIES … | B. Johnson | Notification that SB514 is now Act 760 |
|
SB519
Act 958
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB519 J. Boyd TO AMEND THE STANDARD NONFORFEITURE LAW FOR LIFE IN…”
|
TO AMEND THE STANDARD NONFORFEITURE LAW FOR LIFE INSURANCE; AND TO REGULATE THE PAYMENT OF … | J. Boyd | Notification that SB519 is now Act 958 |
|
SB521
Act 748
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB521 B. Davis TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINI…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING REIMBURSEMENT; AND TO EXTEND THE TIME PERIOD … | B. Davis | Notification that SB521 is now Act 748 |
|
SB523
Act 762
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB523 Irvin TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; AND T…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; AND TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PRIVATE … | Irvin | Notification that SB523 is now Act 762 |
|
SB525
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ed. - Calendar. Committee on Gross Bills, to whom is first, Senate Bill 525 by Senator Mark Johnson, compare the engrossed copy with th…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INCORPORATION AND ORGANIZATION OF MUNICIPALITIES; AND TO TRANSFER INCORPORATION DUTIES … | M. Johnson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB533
Act 934
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ssed. Calendar. Committee on Gross Bills, to whom is first, Senate Bill 533 by Senator Dees, compare the engrossed copy with the origin…”
|
TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF CONSUMABLE HEMP PRODUCTS BY THE ARKANSAS TOBACCO CONTROL BOARD; … | Dees | Notification that SB533 is now Act 934 |
|
SB536
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB536 D. Sullivan TO ABOLISH AND TRANSFER THE ARKANSAS STATE LIBR…”
|
TO ABOLISH AND TRANSFER THE ARKANSAS STATE LIBRARY AND THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD; AND TO … | D. Sullivan | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB537
Act 763
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB537 Gilmore TO CREATE THE EARNING SAFE REENTRY THROUGH WORK ACT…”
|
TO CREATE THE EARNING SAFE REENTRY THROUGH WORK ACT; AND TO CREATE A SENTENCE CREDIT … | Gilmore | Notification that SB537 is now Act 763 |
|
SB538
Act 782
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB538 - Motion to withdraw SB538 for purpose of amendment”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS PROCUREMENT LAW. | Gilmore | Notification that SB538 is now Act 782 |
|
SB539
Act 723
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB539 Gilmore TO UPDATE AND CLARIFY CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE LAW R…”
|
TO UPDATE AND CLARIFY CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE LAW REGARDING THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY CORRECTION … | Gilmore | Notification that SB539 is now Act 723 |
|
SB544
Act 775
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB544 M. Johnson TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGER…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGER LICENSURE ACT. | M. Johnson | Notification that SB544 is now Act 775 |
|
SB546
Act 935
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…s. Calendar. The committee on public health, to whom is for Senate Bill 546, by Senator Hamer, recommended to pass. Calendar. The commi…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TRUST FUND CONTRIBUTION FEE FOR WATER PERMITS RELATED TO … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB546 is now Act 935 |
|
SB550
Act 703
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB550 Hill TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULT…”
|
TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY COMMISSION TO THE ARKANSAS BOARD … | Hill | Notification that SB550 is now Act 703 |
|
SB559
Act 729
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ended to pass? Calendar. Committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 559 by Senator English recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee o…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSITIONS ACT OF 2021. | J. English | Notification that SB559 is now Act 729 |
|
SB560
Act 740
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “on public health, to whom is for Senate Bill 560, by Senator English, recommended to pass. Calendar. The com…”
|
TO DECREASE THE BASE CONTRIBUTION RATE; TO INCREASE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT RATE; TO INCREASE FUNDING … | J. English | Notification that SB560 is now Act 740 |
|
SB564
Act 596
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB564 Flippo TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLO…”
|
TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLOWABLE ALCOHOLIC CONTENT AND TO INCLUDE … | Flippo | Notification that SB564 is now Act 596 |
|
SB570
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB570 J. Dotson TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE MEMBERSHIP O…”
|
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE. | J. Dotson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB571
Act 1002
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB571 J. Petty TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ZONING REGULATIONS; AND TO PROHIBIT A MUNICIPALITY … | J. Petty | Notification that SB571 is now Act 1002 |
|
SB586
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB586 J. Dotson TO CREATE THE "PROTECT OUR CONSTITUTION ACT"; AND…”
|
TO CREATE THE "PROTECT OUR CONSTITUTION ACT"; AND AMENDING A PORTION OF THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION … | J. Dotson | Died on Senate Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB590
Act 769
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ended number one. Committee on Judiciary, to whom is first, Senate Bill 590 by Senator Gilmore, recommend do pass. Count. Senate Bill 6…”
|
TO CREATE THE RECIDIVISM REDUCTION SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; AND TO DECLARE AN … | Gilmore | Notification that SB590 is now Act 769 |
|
SB594
Act 705
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB594 M. McKee TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTIFI…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR NEW … | M. McKee | Notification that SB594 is now Act 705 |
|
SB93
Act 1010
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…pass. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget, whom is deferred Senate Bill 93 by joint budget, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee on…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. | Joint Budget Committee | Notification that SB93 is now Act 1010 |
|
SJR13
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SJR13 - Motion to withdrawn SJR13 for purpose of amendment”
|
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO ALLOW A CANDIDATE FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, … | J. Dotson | Died on Senate Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SR51
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SR51 K. Hammer TO RECOGNIZE THE BENTON HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS BOYS…”
|
TO RECOGNIZE THE BENTON HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAM AS THE CLASS 5A STATE … | K. Hammer | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SR52
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SR52 K. Hammer TO RECOGNIZE THE BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL HORNETS BOYS'…”
|
TO RECOGNIZE THE BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL HORNETS BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAM AS THE CLASS 6A STATE … | K. Hammer | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SR53
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SR53 M. Johnson TO HONOR TERRY KIMBROW, PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL BAP…”
|
TO HONOR TERRY KIMBROW, PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS UPCOMING … | M. Johnson | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SR57
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SR57 Crowell TO RECOGNIZE THE MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS DANC…”
|
TO RECOGNIZE THE MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS DANCE TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 1A-4A STATE … | Crowell | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SR58
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SR58 Crowell TO RECOGNIZE THE ARKADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL BADGERS FO…”
|
TO RECOGNIZE THE ARKADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL BADGERS FOOTBALL TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 4A STATE … | Crowell | Sine Die adjournment |
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Unknown speaker
0:00
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 3
2:30
Senate will be called to order. Any requests for leave at this
Speaker 5
2:44
time? Yes, we need leave. Leave for Senator
Chair
Unverified
2:48
Flowers. Leave for Senator Flowers is requested. Seeing
no others, Madam Secretary, please call the roll.
Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Kroll, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers on Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, Keen, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would please rise. We will first be
led in prayer by our pastor of the day, who I believe is going to be introduced by Senator Scott. Senator Love, and following the prayer, we will have the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Love, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor, and colleagues.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
4:03
I would like to introduce one of the pastors in my area. He is a dynamic pastor. He's one that is a leader. It's Dr. Maurice Watson. If you could please come and lead us in prayer,
Speaker 27
4:18
sir. Let us pray. Our Father and our God, how grateful and thankful we are to you for your goodness and grace, for your mercy, for your loving kindness that you've extended to all of us. We thank you for allowing us to have life and health and strength today.
We thank you for the gift of our families and for the gift of serving others today. We confess our many sins before you. We pray you'd forgive us, cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Thank you, Lord, for how you continue to look beyond our faults and see our needs. Now, I pray for this body today, this body that makes laws that affects all of our lives. Will you temper their hearts with your wisdom, with your guidance, and with compassion?
We pray, O Father, for the citizens of our state as we are preparing for incoming storms. Will you keep us safe today? Keep our children safe at school, their parents safe at work, and their loved ones safe at home. We ask all of this in the name of he before whom every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord.
Speaker 30
5:42
Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Pastor,
for those uplifting words. Glad to have you in the
Chair
Unverified
6:05
Senate today. Ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas State Senate. It is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum
during today's proceedings and govern yourselves accordingly. Without objection, the rules will be suspended, and the Senate will dispense with the reading of the journal. The morning hour has now begun. I'd like to recognize Senator Bryant, who
will introduce our Senate pages for the day. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
6:35
Members, I'd like to recognize Senate pages joining us today. Pages, when I call your name, if you'll please come down to the front and be recognized.
Isabella Glasscock from Bryant High School. from Senator Hammer's district. Jody Cleveland from Green County Tech Junior High School. Senator Wallace. Addison Pickney, also Green County Tech Junior High for Senator Wallace. Briley Grooms from Green County Tech Junior High. And Payne Leonard from Hamburg Middle School for Senator Tucker. If you would, please give them a round of hand.
Chair
Unverified
7:17
Thanks, Senator Bryant. Other announcements or introductions? Senator Dismayne for something. Members, I'm going
to do something a little bit different. I'm going to ask leave for
myself. I'm going to be gone for a little while today, but I want to be able to come back and vote. But I also don't want to be rolled into certain votes that I think will happen before I have a chance to be back. So with that, I'll have someone ask for leave when I get back, but I would like the ability to vote when I come back. which is not something that's in our rules, it's just also not common practice
Chair
Unverified
7:49
Any other announcements? Senator Hammer? Thank you, Mayor General I want
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
7:58
to ask the same thing as Senator Dispain just asked, I need to go meet with the family about a funeral, I need
to leave here probably about 3.15 but I will be back as soon as I get done for the committee meetings this afternoon so I would like the same privilege, please
senator tucker thank you madam president i just want to recognize the arkansas school nutrition
association um who's in the capital today these are
our child nutrition directors in our schools all over arkansas they do really wonderful work um for our kids every single day and and we're very grateful for the work you do and for for y'all being here today and in conjunction with the hunger work that they do i also want to mention that the arkansas hunger relief alliance outstanding organization in Arkansas is hosting their legislative reception this evening. They're forging through the weather from 4 to 6 p.m. at their office at 200 West Capital on the fourth floor. So hopefully some of us can make that,
but more than anything, we also just want to recognize and honor the Arkansas School Nutrition Association and the Child Nutrition Directors here with us
Speaker 38
9:02
today. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Tucker. and
Chair
Unverified
9:09
the Hunger Relief Alliance is up there in the green, so if you all have seen them out in the rotunda. Other announcements, introductions? Any other announcements
or introductions? If not, Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk?
Yes, the committee on enrolled bills to
move further the following. Senate Bill 83 by Senator Bryant. Senate Bill 99 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 103 by Senator Penzo. Senate Bill 218 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 278 by Senator English, Senate Bill 366 by Senator Boyd, Senate Bill 370 by Senator Irving, Senate Bill 379 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 381 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 382 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 383 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 384 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 385 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 387 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 389 by Senator Curl, Senate Bill 454 by Senator
Hill, compared the enrolled copies of the original, and find them correctly enrolled and delivered to the governor at 8.21 a.m. for
approval. Please file it. To the Honorable Sherry Stacks, Chief Clerk of the House, Ms.
Stacks, the Senate respectfully requests the return to the Senate of Senate Bill 229. File it. Were your
committee on engrossed bills to whom is deferred Senate Bill
341 by Senator Clark, compare the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed.
Joint budget. Committee on engrossed bills to whom is deferred House Bill 1333 by Representative Hudson and Senator Scott, compare the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Insurance and Commerce. Were your committee on engrossed bills to whom is deferred House Bill 1714 by Representative Rose, compare the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. - State agencies. - Committee on gross bills to whom is for House Bill 1717 by Senator Boyd and Representative Grammarly, have a compared then gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. - Judiciary.
- For your Committee on gross bills to whom is for Senate Bill 157 by Senator Dodson, compared then gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. - Calendar. - Committee on gross bills to whom is for Senate Bill 290 by Senator Blake Johnson, compared then gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. - Calendar. Committee on Gross Bills, to whom is first, Senate Bill 525 by Senator Mark Johnson, compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Calendar. Committee on Gross Bills, to whom is first, Senate Bill 533 by Senator Dees, compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed.
Calendar. Committee on Gross Bills, to whom is first, House Bill 1079, Bruce, Senator Allen, and Senator Wallace, compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Calendar. Committee on Gross Bills, to whom is first, House Bill 1468 by Representative Cozart and Senator Petty, compare the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed. copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Calendar. Committee on engrossed bills to whom is referred to House Bill 1700 by Representative Anker and Senator Boyd compared to the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Calendar. Will your
Committee on Education to whom is referred to Senate Bill 484 by Senator Irving recommended to pass? Calendar. Committee on Education to whom is referred to Senate Bill 504 by Senator Irving recommended to pass? Calendar. Committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 559 by Senator English recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 572 by Senator Dodson recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for House Bill 1062 by Representative Richardson recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for House Bill 1540 by Representative Brown recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for House Bill 1571.
by Representative Ray, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, whom is deferred House Bill 1696 by Representative McAllen, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, whom is deferred House Bill 1733 by Representative Carr, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget, whom is deferred Senate Bill 93 by joint budget, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget, whom is deferred Senate Bill 128 8 by joint budget, recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget to whom is for Senate
Bill 130 by joint budget, recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget to whom is for Senate Bill 332 by Senator Dotson, recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Judiciary to whom is for Senate Bill 320 by Senator Irving, recommend do pass to the current House Amendment number 1. Calendar. Committee on Judiciary to whom is for Senate Bill 485 by Senator Tucker, recommend do pass as amended number one. Committee on Judiciary to whom is first sent bill 488
by Senator Irving, recommend do pass as amended number one. Committee on Judiciary to whom is first sent bill 555 by Senator Scott, recommend do pass. Committee on Judiciary to whom is first sent bill 575 by Senator Tucker, recommend do pass as amended number one. Committee on Judiciary to whom is first sent bill 583 by Senator Tucker, recommend do pass as amended number one. Committee on Judiciary, to whom is first, Senate Bill 590 by Senator Gilmore, recommend do pass. Count. Senate Bill 608 by Senator Mark Johnson, to amend the law concerning
Speaker 75
14:42
runoff elections for county and municipal offices, Senate Bill 608.
Chair
Unverified
14:46
State agencies. Any other announcements or introductions for the business to come before the body in the morning hour? If not, the morning hour has expired. We will now begin
the business agenda. Senator Davis, you're recognized. thank you madam
president members I would like to send the rules make a motion to suspend the rules withdrawal House Bill 1523 out of public health and place it on second reading for purpose of amendment all those in favor of the
motion please signify by saying aye Amendment 1
Chair
Unverified
15:23
to House Bill 1523. Members, I make a motion
that we adopt Amendment 1 to House Bill 1523. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying
Chair
Unverified
15:35
aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Members, I'd like to
make a motion to suspend the rules on Senate Bill 426.
It's on our calendar today for the purposes of amendment only to add co-sponsors. but as long as it's done with engrossing to continue to be heard on our calendar where it is today, only for the purpose. I've got to move it from third reading to second reading so that we can amend it adding co-sponsors only, then put back on third reading to continue to
Chair
Unverified
16:09
hear today. All those in favor of suspending the rules for an
amendment, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Motion carries. Amendment.
Senator Hester. Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 426. My bill, my amendment.
All those in favor of the amendment, please signify to say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Senator Boyd, you're recognized.
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
16:40
I'd like to make a motion to recall Senate Bill 229 from the House. We good? Oh, sorry.
Chair
Unverified
16:54
For purposes of clarification, Senator Boyd's motion is withdrawn because action was not necessary. Next, we will
Speaker 64
17:20
move to, do we have Senator Scott here?
Chair
Unverified
17:42
We are, we will begin Senator English with Senate Resolution 20. Senate Resolution
20 by Central English to commend the Maumelle Charter High School Falcon Boys Cross Country Team for winning the 2024 Class 3A State Championship.
Chair
Unverified
18:50
While we are waiting on our young golfers from all-male, we are going to
read items across the desk. Will your Committee on Public Health Tumors Road Senate Bill 347 by Senator Penzo recommend do pass? And we also have a pursuant to Senate Rule 24-06 on the Committee of Public Health, a
public disclosure of Senator Missy Irving.
File it. We are in the Committee on Public Health, who is first sent Bill 444 by Senator Hammer, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee on Public Health, who is first sent Bill 507 by Senator
Speaker 75
19:38
Letting, recommended to pass. Calendar. The committee on public health, to whom is for Senate Bill 546, by Senator Hamer, recommended to pass. Calendar. The committee
Chair
Unverified
19:45
on public health, to whom is for Senate Bill 560, by Senator English, recommended to pass. Calendar. The committee on public health, to whom is for House Bill 1255, by Representative Woodridge, recommended to pass as amended number one.
Calendar. The committee on public health, to whom is for House Concurrent Resolution 1009, by Senator Bladieman, recommended to pass. Calendar. And once
our young athletes get in, again, members, we are taking up
Senate Resolution 20, Senator English, to command the Maumelle Charter High School Falcon Boys cross-country team. I guess we're on cross-country. Thank you very much.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
20:26
Members, I'm very, very pleased to have our Maumelle Charter High School Falcons Boys Cross-Country Team and want to congratulate them on winning the 2024 Class 3-8 State Championship. So on November the 7th, 2024, the Maumelle Charter High School Falcons Boys Cross-Country Team won their first Class 3A Boys State Championship at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs with races.
The Falcon team won the Class 3A Boys State Championship with a team score of 56, and the Falcons finished with three team members in the top 10 and four team members, earning all state honors. We are congratulating you. And Coach Dalton-Dowes, you will receive a copy of this resolution. Thank you. Thanks, Senator English.
Chair
Unverified
21:33
All those in favor of Senate Resolution 20 to commend the Maumelle Charter High School Falcons Boys Cross Country Team
for winning the 2024 Class 3A State Championship, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, ayes have it. Senate Resolution 20 is adopted. Thank you very much. And moving
Speaker 130
21:51
right along, we want to condemn... Oh, I'm sorry. And we're going to need... She
Chair
Unverified
22:02
asked. Next resolution. Next resolution is Senate Resolution 21. And I'll ask Secretary to read that. Senator English first.
Speaker 132
22:10
Yep. Senate Resolution 21 by Senator English
to commend the Maumelle Charter High School Falcons Boys Golf Team for winning the 2024 Class 3A State
Chair
Unverified
22:22
Championship. Senator English, you are recognized. Thank you. So we
Senator Jane English
Unverified
22:27
are excited and honored to have the Maumelle Charter High School Falcon Boys Golf Team and congratulate them on winning the 2024 Class A 3A State Championship. And on October 7, 2024, the Maumelle Charter High School Falcons Boys Golf Team
won their third Class 3A Boys State Championship at Cooper's Hawk Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. I mean, Arkansas. Australia would have been nice. It would have been fun. Members of the Falcons team included Drew Burns, Jace Holder, Hayden Robertson, and Carson Taylor. We congratulate you all on your efforts. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
23:15
Thank you, Senator English. All those in favor of Senate Resolution 21 to commend the Maumelle Charter High School Falcon Boys Golf Team for winning the 2024 Class 3A State Championship, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, ayes have it. Senate Resolution 21 is adopted. Thank you very much. Thank you. And Senators, I'm going to step away for one second so I can go shake the hand and hug on one of these young men. Carson Taylor, whose mother and I have been friends for a long time.
Speaker 139
23:48
So if y'all excuse me, I'll be right back in 30 seconds. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
24:44
Senator Hill, if you're ready, our next resolution is Senate Resolution 42.
Is he ready? Senate Resolution 42 by Senator Hill to recognize
the city of Cabot as recipient in 2024 of a Trendsetter City Award from Arkansas Business and an honorable mention in the Arkansas Business Tourism Development and creative culture category.
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
25:51
Senator Hill, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. You stay right here. The rest of y'all
line up right here. Just go right into there. Colleagues, it's with great pleasure today to introduce you to the great city of Cabot, Arkansas, the trendsetter city of the year for 2024. and so with that being said I'm going to read my resolution word for word it's only about six pages we'll just kind of condense it down for today what is a trendsetter that's a good question
to ask anyone it's a person or a place that leads the way in fashion or ideas that's the city of cabin. Fashion, y'all can tell me, I got my new shoes on today. Fashion or ideas. So everyone, with that being said, the community development and economic growth inspire, change, and make a difference in Arkansas. Improving local quality of life and encouraging sustainable economic development. The city of cabin. That says it all right there. I'll tell you about one of the little
projects that they did. They actually won an honorable mention on this through the Arkansas business. It's the game time at the grounds for economic development for the city of Cabot. 128,000 square foot sports facility. It has pickleball courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts. You name it, it has it. It's an all-in-one-stop shop. And with that being said, I'd like to welcome the mayor of the city of Cabot, Mr. Ken Kincaid. Thank you, sir. And if I
would just kind of raise your hand when I call your names, Councilman Matt Weber, Councilwoman Maggie Waymack-Cope, Councilman Corey Springer, Sprangler, let me get that right, Chief Chad Moore. Chief, where you at down there? That's our fire chief. Then we've got
Chief Scott Staley. These are police chiefs. Alicia Payano. Payasano. Yeah, that's it.
Alicia. Laura Nobles. Vernon Meyer. Mayor. Paul Ross. Mike Wheeler. And Brian Burris. With that being said, I'd like to present this to the City of Cabot for them to display, Lieutenant Governor. And if we would, after we
have a good vote here, they'd like to have a picture with you. I'm always amenable to photographs.
Chair
Unverified
28:39
Thanks, Senator Hill. All those in favor of Senate Resolution 42 to recognize the City of Cabot as a recipient in 2024 of a Trendsetter City Award from Arkansas Business and an honorable mention in the Arkansas Business, Tourism, Development, and Creative Culture category. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed?
Ayes have it. Senate Resolution 42 is adopted. Appreciate it. And senators, we are not going to recess, but I'm going to step down for this quick photograph and come right back up.
Chair
Unverified
30:37
all right thank you to the entire city of Cabot it's good to have
Speaker 164
31:09
y'all here today Next we are going to take
Chair
Unverified
31:15
up Senate Resolution 51 by Senator Hammer to
recognize the Benton High School Panthers boys basketball team as the class 5a state champions.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
32:22
And if you would stand behind Dr. Andrews. Down there, there you
Chair
Unverified
32:41
right, Senator Hammer, you're recognized. I'd remind the
body and those in the chambers that Senate is in session.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
32:53
Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. It's my pleasure to present Senate Resolution 51, which recognizes the Benton High School Panther basketball team for the Class 5A state champions. It says, whereas Benton High School Panther's boys basketball team won the 5A state championship held at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, Arkansas on March 14th. I want to hit some of the highlights in this. First of all, and this may be the crowning achievement, this was the Panthers' first state championship win in basketball history for Benton.
It says, whereas also the Panthers are also back-to-back Class 5A Southern champions. I also want to go on to recognize that the Panthers' conference record for the last two years was 32 wins and zero losses and the team member Tarion Burgess earned all-star honors and was named the most valuable player of the tournament and whereas team member Harrison Pickett earned all-star honors and was named to the all-star tournament
team and he signed division one scholarship with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff making him one of only a few students in school history to have signed with a Division I team. Team members Anthony Spratt Jr. earned All-Star honors and is the first freshman in school history to do so. And I want to conclude by reading a statement from Coach Dexter Hendricks, who said, of the win and of the season, this season was truly remarkable. This team set a new school record for the most wins in a single season, achieving an impressive 31 victories.
They also secured back-to-back conference championships, extending their conference winning streak to 32 games. Their resilience and determination throughout the year was exceptional, and I couldn't be prouder of the way they concluded the season. This team will forever be etched in the history of Benton High School as the first to win the state championship. and now therefore be it resolved by the Senate of the 95th General Assembly of the State of Arkansas to recognize the Benton High School boys basketball team as the Class 5A state champions.
And standing with them today are Coach Dexter and also Superintendent Kim. And if you all would, would you please give them the due honor they're recognized for. Madam Governor, I make a motion. Do pass. Thank
Chair
Unverified
35:36
you Senator Hammer. All those in favor of Senate Resolution 51 to recognize Benton High School Panthers boys basketball team as the class 5A state champions, please signify by saying
aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Senate Resolution 51 is adopted. Congratulations, gentlemen. Thank you, gentlemen.
Next, we will take up - Senate Resolution 52.
- Senate Resolution 52 by Senator Hammer to recognize the Bryant High School Hornets basketball team as a Class 6A
state champions. - Senator Hammer,
Senator Kim Hammer
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37:28
you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor.
It gives me a second great honor, as Senator Selene County recognizes our second state championship basketball team. This is the Bryant High School Hornets boys basketball team, and they are the class 6A state champions. It says, whereas the Bryant High School Hornets boys basketball team won the 6A state championship held on March 15, 2025 at the Banco ZK Arena in Hot Springs, and it was the first state championship win for the Hornets since 1981.
Senior guard Kellan Robinson scored 25 points in the state championship game, nudging the Hornets to 69 points in a victory over the Springdale High School Bulldogs, earning with 59 points. Resolution goes on to recognize several of the other achievers on the basketball team, but I want to emphasize by what Coach Michael said. He said of the win and of the season, this was a season of resilience. played a scheduled featuring teams from seven different states. We faced many types of adversity.
We altered our playing style and stuck together. And in the end, we put a product to be proud of on the floor and won a championship with toughness and grit. This team won their last 10 games of the season all by double digits. And we wanted to recognize today the Bryant Senior High Boys basketball team who are your class 6A state champions and also one of two state champions
from Saline County. One from Benton, one from Bryant. We got it all covered and we couldn't be more prouder of them. And so now therefore be resolved by the Senate of the 95th General Assembly of the state of Arkansas that the Senate recognizes the Bryant High School Hornets boys basketball team as the 6A state championship and we will present to the coach a formal resolution upon the adoption which Madam Governor,
I move for the adoption of Senate Resolution 52. Thank you
Chair
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39:53
Senator Hammer. All those in favor of Senate Resolution 52 to recognize the Bryant High School Hornet Boys Basketball Team as the Class 6A State Champions, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Senate Resolution 52 is adopted. Congratulations. Thank you.
Speaker 164
41:45
And Next Next we will take up Senate Resolution
Chair
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Senator Mark Johnson Conor Terry Kimbrough, President of the Central Baptist College upon the occasion of his upcoming May 2025
retirement senator mark johnson you're recognized thank you
Senator Mark Johnson
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madam president uh it's my honor today
for to bring senate resolution 53 and it honors my dear friend president of central baptist college terry kimbrough on the occasion of his upcoming retirement in may and i just want to say this that conway my hometown is
very proud to be the city of colleges and most people know about the University of Central Arkansas, and a lot of people know about Hendricks, but not everybody knows about CBC. This is the jewel.
So when I see all these champions coming through here, I wanted you to know about the champion, my friend, President Terry Kimbrough. I'll read
the highlights of the resolution. Whereas Terry Kimbrough, who served as president of Central Baptist College in Conway, Arkansas, since 2004, has announced his retirement in May of 2025. President Kimbrough said, I've been blessed to serve as president for the past 20 years. I'm convinced it's time to come in with fresh vision and renewed heart for Central Baptist College. And during his time, President Kimbrough has been a driving force behind the growth and success for the college. Under his leadership, the college has experienced significant achievements,
including construction of the Ratliff Bell Tower in 2008, which symbolizes the college's mission to transform lives through education, integrated Christian faith and academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment. I could go on and on about his tremendous things, but let me say his greatest triumph in fundraising was a historic contribution of $5 million, largest single gift in college history that kicked off their campaign, raising over $18 million for this wonderful Christian school.
Terry is very active in our community in Conway. He's a member of the, of course, he's a part of the Arkansas Independent Colleges and Universities, the Baptist Hospital Patient Safety Committee, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, the Conway Rotary Club, and the Faulkner County Leadership Institute, Haven House, and serving as a chaplain for the Conway Police Department. Also, I want to read that this is from his Board of Trustees Chair, Kirk Shelton, who said,
about President Kimbrough. It's with sorrow that the CBC Board of Trustees heard the news that President Kimbrough's plan to retire. The college has been blessed with his solid visionary leadership for 20 years. I believe I speak for the entire board when I say we would like to have him for 20 more. I don't think Terry would agree with that, but I think it's a great honor to have your bosses say that about you. It is my honor to move the adoption of Senate Resolution 53, Madam President. Thank
Chair
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45:11
you, Senator Johnson. All those in favor of
Senate Resolution 53 to honor Terry Kimbrough, President of Central Baptist College, upon the occasion of his upcoming May 2025 retirement. Please signify by saying
aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Senate Resolution 53. Congratulations, Dr. Kimbrough. Madam President,
Senator Mark Johnson
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I ask to leave for President Kimbrough and his staff and ask that he be allowed to say a few words. Thanks,
Speaker 226
45:41
Senator Johnson. We welcome Dr. Kimbrough.
Speaker 227
45:44
Well, he didn't tell me that, but I want to thank Senator Johnson for this. And I've been here a few times to pray, and I know the work that you do. And I know it's very often thankless work in my district. And Senator Johnson represents us very well. He's available. He comes to our events. We just really appreciate his leadership and his encouragement.
And thank you for this honor. 20 years is not in me now. But I do have a successor here with me today, the tallest guy in the room over here, the red tie. So Dr. Jeremy Langley will be succeeding me, and I thank you for letting me say a few words because pastors don't usually say a few
Speaker 41
46:33
words. Thank you. I took, Madam President, any time you have a preacher, you
Senator Mark Johnson
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have to be careful about giving him the mic, but I knew Terry would be respectful of the Senate. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, colleagues.
Chair
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47:23
Resolution 57.
Senate Resolution 57 by Senator Crowell to recognize the Magnolia High School Panthers dance team as the 2024
Class 1A-4A state champions. Senator Crowell, you're recognized. Good evening,
good afternoon, colleagues. I have with us the Magnolia High School Panthers dance team, who is undefeated since they have joined the ranks of dancing. The 1A-4 state championships on November 16th, 2024. I ask for a good vote.
Chair
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47:58
Thanks, Senator Crowell. All those in favor of Senate Resolution 57 to recognize the Magnolia High School Panthers dance team as the 2024 Class 1A, 4A state champions, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, ayes have it. Senate Resolution 57
Speaker 244
48:31
is adopted. Congratulations, ladies. next
Chair
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48:35
we will take up senate resolution 58
senate resolution 58 by senator crowell to recognize the archadelphia high school badgers football team as the
2024 class 4a state champions
first off i want to recognize up in the west gallery is all the underclassmen of this state championship team on the floor we're going to have the seniors and the coaches and this is archadelphia high school badgers football team they won the class
for a state championship on December 14th at War Memorial, shutting out the Elkins Elks 28-0. This team plays two or three games a year up, and they were 13-2, correct? All right, let's give, I would ask for a good vote. Thank you, Senator Kroll, and I'm
Chair
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49:35
going to ask for a good vote, even though they beat up in the state tournament my Southside Southerners from Independence County, but... But congratulations, young men.
All those in favor of Senate Resolution 58 to recognize the Arkadelphia High School Badgers football team as the 2024 Class 4A state champions, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
Speaker 198
49:58
Any opposed? Ayes have it. Senate Resolution 58 is adopted. Congratulations, gentlemen. Madam
Chair
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50:35
Secretary, are there items at the desk?
Yes. Joint Budget to whom is first Senate
Bill 25 by Joint Budget. Recommended do pass as amended number 1. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget to whom is first Senate Bill 37 by Joint Budget. Recommended do pass as amended number 1. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget to whom is first Senate Bill 39 by Joint Budget. Recommended do pass as amended number 2. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget to whom is first Senate Bill 88 by Joint Budget. Recommended do pass as amended number 2. Calendar.
Next, we will move to House Bill 1705. House Bill 1705
by Senator Bryant and Representative Duke to require information concerning how the religious and moral beliefs of the Founding Fathers influenced the founding of the United States and to be embedded into the existing social
studies standards. Senator Bryant, you're recognized.
Senator Joshua Bryant
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51:38
Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, members. House Bill 1705 to require information of how religious and moral beliefs of our founding fathers influenced the founding of our nation to be embedded into our 6th through 12th grade. Whenever Representative Duke called me and talked to me about running this bill, I was inspired because I've been at Williamsburg at the House of Burgess very recently
where I walked amongst several of our founding fathers that were there battling with the idea of what it looks like to be a traitor to the crown. So as I looked at those documents, as I walked that journey, as I stood in the church where several of our founding fathers met on Sundays, and you look at the documents that they wrote to each other, that they wrote across the colonies, you see that they had a conviction, a moral conviction and a religious conviction
that was guiding their journey to form our nation. A nation of which has been survived the longest of any nation, approaching 250 years. So then I start to look at what maybe my 14-year-old learns in high school currently. And they learned some good things. They learned the basics about our foundation and our branches of government. But what they don't understand is how they got there, what those men were thinking in betraying the crown.
And so what this bill does, I believe, is reinstill those civic values that were important. What was the intent of our Constitution? Why did we have to have a Bill of Rights before we had a Constitution? Why did several of our founders speak against the Constitution without the Bill of Rights? And so what this bill seeks to do is ensure that our students know as they learn our civic process what the intent of the Founding Fathers were, the 55 men who risked their lives,
some who lost everything, were doing whenever they proceeded to create what we call the United States. So with that, I'd be glad to take any questions. Any
Chair
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53:58
questions for Senator Bryant? Senator Payton, you're recognized. Thank
Senator John Payton
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54:05
you, Madam President. I'd just like to ask about page 3, line
9 and 10. How the freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of the United States
can be traced to the beliefs of the Founding Fathers. I love that,
Chair
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54:30
don't you? I do. Thank you. Any other questions?
Senator Tucker, you're recognized for a question. Thank you,
Senator Joshua Bryant
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54:39
Madam President. Senator, which founding fathers? 55 of them. I think a lot of times we think of the seven that are commonly taught in our textbooks. Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Franklin, Hamilton, John Jay, Jay Madison.
But there were so many more. And so they all had a role to play. They all had things to lose. So those founding fathers that formed the documents of which we go
on by today. Is it in the bill which,
Senator Joshua Bryant
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55:07
which, 55? The founding fathers is the bill.
Yeah, but does it say which 55 or what their designation was? How do we arrive
Senator Joshua Bryant
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55:16
at that 55? It's just, it's, in the context of history, that is just what has been agreed to. is there is a list of 55 signers and then some auxiliaries such as George Washington
who did not sign it because he was off getting prepared for war in New York, but he was considered obviously instrumental in the founding
of our documents. When you say signer, you're
talking about the Declaration of Independence? Yes. Okay, so the bill doesn't say which founding fathers. It's just generally understood. Yes. Okay. When you're talking about 55 different humans,
obviously, they're not going to be perfectly aligned on their religious and moral beliefs.
Not at all. Like Thomas Jefferson, for example, did not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Correct. And if we're talking about the foundational values of the country and the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, I can totally understand where you're going. but when you start talking about the religious and moral values of 55 humans that may vary from each other, I have a hard time understanding how
Senator Joshua Bryant
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56:25
that's going to be accomplished. It's, the way I view it is much like this body, much like the body across the Capitol.
We all come from different backgrounds, different religious beliefs, but they came together nonetheless and formed the documents that are still surviving today. And so those are critical, the good, the bad, the ugly. The fighting, the, you know, I was thinking about how many times maybe could we envision just going out back, walking 10 paces, and turning around. Like, that's, things were solved, but they came through it. It may have took a couple tries of conventions, but when they got there and they did it,
that, we're not going to hold that back. This needs
to be taught. So, I understand what you're saying. I just don't understand how the
educator is going to determine which value is being taught. But, you know, I'll move on. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Boyd, you're
Chair
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57:17
recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Justin Boyd
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57:19
So I just want to make sure that there's nothing in there that's going to exclude the Catholic signer, Mr. Carroll, from this. Absolutely not. Thank you. Any other questions?
Senator Joshua Bryant
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57:33
Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator Bryant, you're free to close. Thank you, Madam President. I'm going
to close with a line out of George Washington's farewell address. where he said, of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. I think it was intentional, and I think this needs to be taught to our kids. Thank you. Senator has closed.
Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection,
Chair
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58:10
Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis,
Dees, Dismang, Leave, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott,
Speaker 296
58:32
Stone, Stubbuffield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Chair
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58:35
Any senator wish to change his or her
Speaker 198
58:42
vote? Senator Scott, no. Senator Love, no. Tucker, no. Letting, no. Murdoch, no. Any other senator? Seeing no other. Please
Chair
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58:51
cast up the ballot by a vote of 28, yay, 5,
Speaker 139
58:58
nay. House Bill 1705 passes. Please return to the House. House Bill 1716.
Chair
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59:07
But before we take that up, Madam Secretary, I'd like to recognize Senator Caldwell to introduce,
Senator Ronald Caldwell
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59:14
I believe, our doctor of the day. Thank you, Governor. If y'all would, please help me welcome Dr. Wallace Tracy, doctor of family medicine from DeWitt, which is the southern end of my district of 10 counties. And we have our nurse of the day, every day, Lee Fazio. Please.
Speaker 104
59:39
next we will take up Senator Caldwell next
Chair
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59:45
we will take up House Bill 1716 House Bill
1716 by Representative Kavanaugh and Senator Caldwell to amend the law concerning the assessment and collection of taxes by the Secretary of the Department of Finance Administration and to prohibit the assessment of sales and use tax in certain circumstances Senator
Senator Ronald Caldwell
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1:00:07
Caldwell you're recognized Thank you, Madam President. This law only establishes the fact that if you have an item that you have claimed a tax deduction on, and DF&A does not allow it, and you appeal that to a court or appellate board, and that court or appellate board agrees with you, then DF&A has to recognize every time that that item is tax deductible.
You don't have to go back and appeal it every time
Speaker 139
1:00:40
you sell the product. questions for senator caldwell anyone wish
Chair
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1:00:49
to speak against or for senator you're recognized closed i'm closed i appreciate a good vote senator
has closed any objection to rolling the vote seeing none madam secretary please roll the vote boyd bryant caldwell clark crowell davis dees dismane lee dotson english flippo flowers leave Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson,
Speaker 296
1:01:09
King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Chair
Unverified
1:01:15
Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By vote of 33 yea, zero nay. House Bill 1716 passes. Please return to the House. House Bill 1760. House Bill
1760 by Senator Boyd and Representative Milligan to amend the law concerning the jurisdiction to consider certain petitions for the
adjustment of a property assessment. Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. House
Senator Justin Boyd
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1:01:43
Bill 1760 provides that a county equalization board does not have jurisdiction over a county assessor's determination that a property does or does not qualify for a homestead property tax relief for an individual who is disabled or age 65 or older.
So if there were a concern, the first recourse would be to contact the assessor directly. If that didn't get you where you needed to be, it would then be to go to the county quorum court. And so, again, this is what case law has already determined. This makes
it clear in statute. There's no fiscal impact. Questions for Senator Boyd? Anyone wish to speak against
Chair
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1:02:18
or for? Senator, you're recognized to close. I'm closed and would appreciate a good vote.
Senators closed. Any objection rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please roll the
vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark,
Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote?
Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33
Speaker 139
1:03:04
yea, 0 nay. House Bill 1760 passes. Please return to the House.
Chair
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1:03:13
We'll now take up House bills with Senate amendments, beginning with Amendment 1 to House Bill 1525.
Senator Caldwell. And next we'll be looking for Senator
Speaker 316
1:03:39
Blake Johnson. Senator Caldwell's bill, Senator Caldwell's amendment.
Chair
Unverified
1:03:56
Amendment 1 to House Bill 1525. Senator
Caldwell, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Ronald Caldwell
Unverified
1:04:04
Madam Chair. This bill, in case of green energy products
such as solar farms or windmills, requires the people entering into those contracts to have a remediation project or plan in place in case they put any of those particular solar panels or windmill farms in.
Chair
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1:04:28
Thanks, Senator. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
Any opposed? Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Send to
Speaker 322
1:04:43
engrossing. We're going to do the bill
Speaker 104
1:04:49
or is that later? Next, we will take up Amendment 1 to House
Chair
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1:04:56
Bill 1814. Amendment 1 to House Bill 1814.
Speaker 192
1:04:58
Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized. This adds my name. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying
Chair
Unverified
1:05:09
aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Senator Hammer. Next,
we will take up Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 293. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 293. Senator Hamer, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam
Senator Kim Hammer
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1:05:22
Governor. It inserts the word under, and I agree with the amendment on the House end. Appreciate a good vote. All those
Speaker 85
1:05:28
in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye.
Aye. Any opposed? Ayes haven't. Amendment is adopted.
Chair
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1:05:33
Please send to Engrossom. Oh, I'm sorry. I've got to roll the
call. Senate Bill 293 by Senator Hamer. To amend the law concerning the required postings at a polling site and to amend the list concerning required posting of notices, information, and material at a polling site
on election day. Senator Hamer, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe we've heard this bill
Senator Kim Hammer
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1:05:56
before. There was an amendment that was added on the other end that did not change the majority of what the bill did.
Just a minor correction added in the word under to clarify where it's
Chair
Unverified
1:06:11
supposed to be. Thank you. Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Seeing no one. Senator is closed. Closed. Appreciate a
good vote. Any objection rolling the vote? Seeing no objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love,
Speaker 296
1:06:37
McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone,
Steberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator
Chair
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1:06:44
wish to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the
ballot. By vote of 33 yay, zero nay. Senate Bill 293 passes as amended. Please transmit to the House. Oh, rather enroll
it. Alright, next we will take up Senate Bill
148. Senate Bill 148 by Senator English to establish the Creating an Investment Opportunity for
Early Childhood Workers Act of 2025.
Senator English, you're recognized. Thank
Senator Jane English
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1:07:36
you very much. Members, basically what this does is it gives an opportunity for childcare teachers and childcare workers
who are under public plans in schools and in other daycare facilities to be able to join the teachers retirement system if they so choose and if their employer so chooses doesn't cost the state anything teachers retirement would I'd love to have more members, and so this gives those child care workers an opportunity to join if they so desire.
Chair
Unverified
1:08:16
Any questions for Senator English? Anyone wish to speak against or
for? Senator English, you're free to close. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote?
Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary,
please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott,
Speaker 296
1:08:53
Stone, Seville, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Chair
Unverified
1:08:59
Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Seeing
no one, please cast up the ballot. By vote of 33 a 0 nay, Senate
Bill 148 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 153.
Senate Bill 153 by Senator Dodson to amend the law
concerning various provisions of Title 24 of the Arkansas Code and to amend the law regarding the payment of retirement benefits to various city officials.
Senator Jim Dotson
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1:09:29
Senator Dodson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, these are some retirement bills, the next two on the list. I think we've got a few more coming. We held our last retirement committee yesterday. Senate Bill 153 is a simple bill that basically allows municipalities to use any funds they have available. It strikes through from general funds of, so those five words in section one and same
five words in section two and goes on through the bill and says that they can use any of the funds available. It's still the city that is responsible for payout of those funds. Happy
Chair
Unverified
1:10:20
to try to answer any questions. Questions for Senator Dotson. Anyone wish to speak
against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam
Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo,
Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Bryce, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please
cast up the ballot by a vote of 33, yay, zero, nay. Senate Bill 153 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 160.
Senate Bill 160 by Senator Dotson to amend the law concerning administration of the Arkansas public retirement system. Senator
Senator Jim Dotson
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1:11:36
Dotson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, Senate Bill 160, real short bill here that has two different sections. One, the first one adds the Arkansas Development of Finance Authority to the APERS system and the second section adds the Secretary of Department of Shared Services and the Bank Commissioner to the Board of Trustees of APERS.
Chair
Unverified
1:11:57
Happy to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Dotson? Senator
Senator John Payton
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1:12:06
Payton, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. Sorry, Senator Dotson, I just... Somebody stopped me in the hallway out there earlier today with the Arkansas Development Finance Authority, and they said that they had a bill running that would... Somebody stopped me, too. I don't think that was this bill. No, it's not this bill. Okay. But the bill that they have running, the way you described,
was it'd give them more autonomy, and they reiterated that their employees are not state employees. So I'm just wondering how this bill could affect that or contradict that or not. I didn't know if you had any awareness of the other bill or not. The person
Senator Jim Dotson
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1:12:45
who stopped me in the hall to tell me to check on that one, I said I'd read it tonight,
and I haven't read it yet. So I don't know what that one even does. All right. Well, thanks. Maybe
Senator John Payton
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1:12:57
somebody else could speak to it if they're aware of both bills.
Chair
Unverified
1:13:00
All right. Any other questions? Anyone wish to speak against
or for? Senator, you're free to close. I'm
close. I appreciate a good vote. Senators closed. Any objection to rolling the
vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbuffield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Senator Payton, present. Any other senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot. By vote of 32 yea, 0 nay, 1 present. Senate Bill 160 passes. Please transmit to the House.
Speaker 139
1:13:59
Madam Secretary, is there an item at the desk? Yes. Will your
Chair
Unverified
1:14:04
committee on engrossed bills to whom was affirmed Senate Bill 426 by Senator Hester
compare the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed? Calendar. Yeah,
Speaker 354
1:14:24
bring it up. Senator Hester. Senator Hester,
Chair
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1:14:27
while we are waiting on Senator Hester for Senate Bill 426, I would like to recognize today as World Autism Awareness Day. I'm a very proud aunt of a young man with autism, my nephew Riley. And those of you all who have someone with autism in your family,
I know how important it is to ensure that they have access to appropriate insurance and opportunities so that way they can learn and thrive in our communities. And so while I'm not sporting much blue, except on my flag pin, blue is the color for Autism Awareness Day. So just want to give a shout out to all those Arkansans who have
someone in their family with autism and get to enjoy those individuals' incredible talents.
Speaker 104
1:15:15
And with that, we will move now to Senate Bill 426. just to consider
Speaker 73
1:15:21
the bill and amendment the same day. Members, I'm asking to suspend
the rules just to be able to hear the amendment and the bill in the same day. It's already on our
calendar. The member just added House co-sponsors. It's already on our calendar. All those in favor
Speaker 85
1:15:35
of the motion, please signify by saying aye. Aye.
Chair
Unverified
1:15:41
Any opposed? Ayes have it. Motion carries. Senate Bill 426 by Senator Hester to create the Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act
and to establish enhanced penalties for illegal aliens and commit serious felonies
involving violence. Senator Hester, you're recognized. For the amendment or the bill? It's
all inclusive. Okay, members, this is
a bill, and it's very narrow. I've got a lot of questions on a lot of things. This is just someone that is in the state of Arkansas that is here illegally that commits a violent crime.
So you're in the state, you're here illegally, you committed a violent crime. If you meet all those criteria, then you're going to have enhanced penalties as a consequence for committing those violent crimes. There's a list of all those violent crimes on page 2 at the top that would qualify. It also requires our sheriffs to participate
and work well with ICE. And I'm happy to answer any questions.
Chair
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1:16:51
Questions for Senator Hester. I see Senator Boyd and Senator Tucker. Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Senator Hester, thank you
Senator Justin Boyd
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1:16:57
for bringing this bill. Are we concerned about having adequate prison space for these new felons? Thank you. Well, we are concerned about prison
space, right? You know, many times this year, many times session before, we continue to want to hold criminals more accountable. We've got to have prison space for them. Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam
President. Is the purpose of this bill to reduce crime?
Absolutely. One concern I have about it is whether the immigrant community will feel comfortable reporting crimes, violent crimes, human trafficking, and that sort of thing. And they may be subjecting themselves to criminal liability if they call and report crime if we pass this bill, which would actually end up having the effect of more crimes, the criminals not being held accountable for their crimes. Can you speak to that, please? Yeah, I've
got two thoughts on that. Number one, we are not requiring our local sheriffs or police departments to go out and participate as far as raids or picking people up.
We want our local communities to understand that there's a very much difference. And then the second thing I will say is, look, if you are not here illegally, you are committing a crime. Now, this doesn't involve that because it's only the girls who are committing violent crimes. But if you are not here illegally, you should be concerned. Okay. There
will be a cost to this, correct? Yes. Both locally and at the state level, and I want to talk about
each of those separately. So at the local level, do we have any historical data about how long it takes ICE to respond to a call
if someone's being held in a county jail, for example, who's an illegal immigrant? We do not. Okay. So is it part of the bill that the federal government would reimburse local governments when the local governments are detaining illegal immigrants? No. Okay. So that cost will be borne by the local governments? Yes. Do we know how much that is? We do not. Okay. And then, of course, if someone receives an enhanced penalty and is incarcerated in a state detention facility, there will be a cost associated with that?
There's a cost associated with detaining everyone that commits violent crimes. Do we
have a fiscal impact statement or any idea of how much that will cost
the state of Arkansas? We do not. In fact, I hope this bill reduces the amount of people here committing violent crimes. I know what we're saying is there's plenty of states that are not going to hold you accountable if you commit violent crimes. We're focusing on people come here, maybe specifically those gangs that we've been seeing. Hey, there's lots of states that are going to be welcoming to you. You're not welcome here in Arkansas to come commit violent crimes. This is to send a message. There's plenty of states you can go. Don't come to Arkansas.
Okay, so that's the, I mean, there are a lot of native-born Arkansans who commit crimes every day,
right? And we, do you believe we do a good job of holding them accountable? We could
Speaker 380
1:19:47
do a better job, but we do a good job,
yes. But you think there needs to be an enhanced penalty just for someone who's here illegally? I absolutely do. And you believe that will help reduce crime? I think it
will help send messages to people that they don't want to be in Arkansas if you're here illegally and are going to commit a violent crime. Do it somewhere else. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Senator Hester.
Chair
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1:20:08
Any other questions for Senator Hester? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator,
your recognized close. Members, I've said this a few times, but this is about sending a message. We know that so
many of these organizations are, well, they're organized. They know where they want to go expand and set up shop. We don't want them to do it here in Arkansas. I think this will send a message to those organized groups that are working across the country to find another place to do it. Thanks.
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:20:40
Senator has closed. Madam Secretary, please call the
Speaker 292
1:20:47
roll. Boyd? Yes. Bryant? Aye. Caldwell? Caldwell. Clark?
Chair
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1:20:56
Aye. Crowell? Crowell? Davis? Aye.
Dees? Aye. Dismang, leave. Dotson? Yes. English?
Aye. Flippo? Aye. Flowers, leave. Gilmore? Yes.
Hammer? Aye. Hester? Aye. Hickey?
Aye. Hill? Aye. Irvin? Aye. Blake Johnson? Aye. Mark Johnson? Aye. King? Aye. Gladding? No. Love? No. McKee. Aye. Murdock. Aye. Payton. Payton. Penzo. Yes. Petty.
Chair
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1:21:45
Stone. Aye. Stubbeville. Sullivan.
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1:21:59
senator who did not vote, wishes to vote? Payton, yes. Kroll, yes. Caldwell, yes. Any other
Chair
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1:22:08
senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot. By
Speaker 139
1:22:13
vote of 28, yay, 5, nay. Senate Bill 426 passes. Please transmit
to the House. Senate Bill 427. Senate
Speaker 75
1:22:25
Bill 427 by Senator Bryant to amend promoting prostitution offenses to enhance the penalties promoting prostitution in the
Chair
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1:22:31
first, second, and third degree and to create the offense of promoting prostitution at a business. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:22:41
President. Members, I'm going to start off with a little context because there's six bills on our calendar and sequentially to address some human trafficking issues amongst our state.
so the context is in 2022 that arkansas received an f from the shared hope international report card due to the gaps in our laws and how we addressed child sex trafficking the response to that is in 2023 governor sanders put forth a task force for the arkansas human trafficking council and funded them in order to look at how our state is preparing ourselves and handling these types of offenses. The council membership included Department of Public Safety
who took the lead role in how this was going to be handled. They grabbed members from the Office of Attorney General and Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator, members of the Department of Health, members of the Department of Human Services, Advocacy Centers such as the Children's Advocacy Center, representatives from our colleges and universities, representatives from the victimology of our college and universities. Health care, mental professionals, representatives from victim service organizations, and
representatives from residential care providers, as well as survivors of human trafficking. And the conclusion was that they recognized while progress, recognizing progress and acknowledging challenges. And their call to action was to stand together as law enforcement, policy makers, advocates, and survivors to ensure that Arkansas is no longer a place where traffickers feel freely to operate, but by strengthening our laws, expanding victim services, and working as a unified
force to protect the most vulnerable and bring justice to those who exploit them. So to set that up, what they did is they've been meeting monthly since the formation of that council. And in those meetings, they talk about what we could do to do better, what other states are doing better. They do after action reports of different scenarios and engagements that they've had across our states to break up these bans and to find the exploited children. And so what
we have is a product of six bills that stay in line with other legislation previously passed this session. That's why maybe it was a little bit later because as other organizations such as our Republican Women's Caucus, such as the STOP group from the Attorney General, As they started to produce legislation bills, we wanted to make sure that we weren't conflicting, that we were complementing. And so, nobody took more credit than they needed, and that wasn't about credit, it was about getting the job done. So, first, looking at Senate Bill 427, what this does is expands the definition to modern forms of prostitution facilitation,
including in digital spaces, and removes outdated language and restructures the offense in categories. So we enhance our penalties to ensure that we increase based on severity of repeat offenses, such as making first-degree promotion of prostitution being a class A felony when a minor is involved. We also add business accountability and crackdown on illicit operations. Previously, the law did not penalize businesses directly when they knowingly permit or facilitate prostitution.
This bill will directly hold liable business owners and managers of the business and potentially suspend licenses and add monetary fines. This will ensure that businesses profiting or tolerating this type of activity will face legal and financial consequences. So that is Senate Bill 427. I'll be glad
Chair
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1:26:27
to take any questions. Questions for Senator Bryant. Senator Love, you're
Senator Fredrick J. Love
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1:26:31
recognized for a question. Thank you, Governor. Senator Bryant, I happen to have, I had a hotel
that was in my district and I just
want to know if your bill would impact them. I had a hotel in my district that actually said that one of their floors was under construction, but it was found out that they were running like a human trafficking ring through there. Would this bill actually make that a crime? Would this bill kind of address that kind of issue? Yes. If they knowingly
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:27:04
knew that activity was going on, they could be prosecuted for a first offense of suspending that business license for 30 days with a $5,000 fine and subsequent offenses
just go up from 60 days to $10,000 to revocation entirely and up to a $100,000 fine. Okay, thank you. I appreciate it.
Chair
Unverified
1:27:24
Any other questions for Senator Bryant? Anyone wish to speak against or for?
Senator Love, you're recognized to speak for. Thank you, Governor.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
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1:27:45
I didn't actually plan on speaking for this bill, but after I saw it,
colleagues, I tell you, if you've ever had hotels that participated in human trafficking and had human trafficking rings, this type of bill is important. I was working with PATH, and I had someone inform me that a hotel, and this happens, I mean, it happens more than we think, that a hotel actually shut down a wing of rooms and said that they were under construction for a year.
And without people being aware, what they were doing was, they said the rooms were out of order, but they were running a human trafficking ring through that hotel for months, and nobody knew. They just thought that the hotel was under construction. And so I say kudos to what you were doing, because this type of bill really impacts, especially those that are along the I-30 and I-40 corridor. If you have communities that are along there, I mean, this is a very important tool.
And so I appreciate Senator Bryant bringing this bill, and I urge you to vote for it. Thank you.
Chair
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1:29:05
Thank you, Senator Love. Any other senator who wish to speak on the bill? Seeing no other, Senator Bryant, you're recognized closed. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote?
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:29:16
Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll
Chair
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1:29:25
the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dysvang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo,
Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stebafield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote?
Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 a, 0, nay. Senate Bill 427 passes. Please transmit to the House Senate Bill 428.
Senate Bill 428 by Senator Bryant concerning a civil cause of action for victims of human trafficking and to provide a statute of limitation period of 10 years for a victim of human trafficking. Senator
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:30:14
Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, this bill extends the current statute of limitation, which is five years, up to ten years to match with federal code. It still keeps intact the language of tolling, so if it's a minor, that clock starts once they turn 18, but they still have ten years. Anybody
already over 18, that increases the statute up to five years more than currently
Chair
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1:30:36
to match with federal code. Any questions for Senator Bryant? Anyone wish to speak against or
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:30:45
for? Senator, you're recognized to close. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote?
Chair
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1:30:53
Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbifill,
Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any Senator wish to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 yeas, 0 nays. Senate Bill 428 passes. Please transmit to the
House. Senate Bill 429. Senate Bill 429 by Senator Bryant. To expand the ceiling of criminal records for victims of human trafficking and to provide that victims of human trafficking have certain rights and to provide a
mandatory no-contact order of a human-right trafficking case. Senator Bryant, you're recognized.
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:31:40
Thank you, Madam President. Senate Bill 429 has three main goals. To mandate no contact orders for human trafficking cases. To ensure human trafficking victims will have specific rights. And expand criminal record sealing for victims of human trafficking. So currently the courts may issue a no contact order for victims of human trafficking. What this would do is a minute to make sure courts ensure that courts do issue a no contact order in all cases where a defendant has been charged with human trafficking.
Example would be if a charge has occurred and the trafficker gets released on bail and they start to intimidate the trafficker, that often causes that traffic victim to not want to testify in court. And so this just gives the ability for our courts to ensure that no contact orders are involved in all cases. It also expands victim rights by defining what a human trafficking offense is
under the Human Trafficking Act of 2013. Expands the definition of offense against a minor to include human trafficking victims, where the victim is a minor, and to clarify a victim to include human trafficking victims. This will strengthen the protection for our minors and human trafficking survivors. And lastly, it seals the criminal records for human trafficking victims if their conviction for prostitution was a result of being trafficked or when the conviction occurred when they were a minor or an adult of human trafficking.
Chair
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1:33:15
Questions for Senator Bryant. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator, you're recognized to close. Senator has closed. Any objection or rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please
roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dysbang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Hayton, Henzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbeville, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any senator wish to change his or her vote, seeing no one, please cast up the ballot
Speaker 139
1:33:54
by a vote of 33 a 0 nays. Senate Bill 429 passes. Please transmit to
Chair
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1:34:01
the House. Senate Bill 430. Senate Bill 430 by Senator Bryant, an act to require mandatory restitution to be awarded to
a victim of human trafficking and to amend the Arkansas Crime Victims Reparations Act. Senator Bryant,
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:34:13
you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Senate Bill 430 is two purposes. To require mandatory restitution for victims of human trafficking and to amend the Arkansas Crime Victims Reparations Act.
Under Section 1, to require mandatory restitution, any person convicted under Human Trafficking Act of 2013 will be required to pay restitution. This restitution will include, can include up to, medical and psychological treatment, necessary living costs, legal and court-related expenses, any property damage occurring, relocation expenses, other losses, such as any other losses resulting from the trafficking offense, the victims that return to their home, the victim returns to their home country
or absent from this state would not qualify for receiving this restitution. And Section 2 extends the claim filing deadline from one year to five years after the injury or death, with the exception that, again, the Arkansas Crime Victims Reparation Boards may allow for a late claim for good cause. And if the victim was a minor at the time of a crime, they'll have this five years after turning 18 to file that claim.
Chair
Unverified
1:35:35
Any questions for Senator Bryant? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary,
please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismayne, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up
Speaker 139
1:36:12
the ballot. By vote of 33 yay, zero nay. Senate Bill 430 passes. Please transmit to
Chair
Unverified
1:36:18
the House. Senate Bill 431. Senate Bill 431 by Senator Bryant to amend the Human Trafficking Act of 2013 to eliminate the statute of limitations for certain offenses. to create safe harbors for
victims, and to prohibit certain sexually explicit products that resemble a child. Senator Bryant,
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:36:35
you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, Senate Bill 431 eliminates statute of limitations for certain offenses,
and these offenses would now include sexual extortion, the trafficking of persons, patronizing a victim of human trafficking, grooming a minor for future sex trafficking, or traveling for the unlawful sex acts with a minor. And an additional section would make a prohibition on child sex dolls. That'll make it illegal in the state of Arkansas to possess, transport, distribute, or manufacture these child sex dolls. It defines the child sex doll as an anatomically correct doll, mannequin, or robot that resembles a minor intended for sexual abuse.
And it opposes penalties as the possession will create a class D felony, transport or distribution a class C felony, or manufacturing a class B felony. With that, I'd be glad
Chair
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1:37:26
to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Bryant? Anyone would speak against or for?
Senator Bryant has closed. Any objections to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the
vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dysvang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee,
Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbeville, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, seeing no one,
please cast up the ballot by vote of
Speaker 139
1:37:59
33A, zero nay. Senate Bill 431 passes. We will now take up Senate Bill 442. Rather, transmit Senate Bill 431 to the House. Now we will take up Senate Bill 442. Senate Bill 442
Chair
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1:38:15
by Senator Bryant to amend the law concerning human trafficking to provide
for forfeiture of assets used to conduct human trafficking and to create the offense of harboring an endangered runaway child. Senator Bryant, you're
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:38:27
recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Member of Senate Bill 442, a little bit more complex bill, so it made me a little more time to go through it. Identify sections one through four and it expands asset forfeiture laws to include property used in human trafficking offenses. And working with the Prosecutors Association what we did is mirror the tried and true language that they currently use in drug
trafficking issue or drug issues. Difference being is this will have a new fund. Part of it is in sections 3, 20, and 21 we create a new Arkansas Human Trafficking Council support fund to be managed by the state police. This will replace the previous human trafficking victim support fund which was rarely funded. The funding sources going to this through the asset forfeiture, in addition to the asset forfeiture, are fines collected from human trafficking and prostitution convictions,
legislative appropriations, and donations for the permitted uses of housing, advocacy, and legal social services for trafficking victims, grants to nonprofits that support our victims, training software and equipment for our investigations. What would be prohibited would be such things like buying vehicles or emergency equipment. Additionally, in Section 9, this creates a new harboring of an endangered runaway or minor. A lot of times they'll have a surrogate receive a child for the purposes of human trafficking,
but not actually doing the trafficking, so they'll escape justice. What this does is create a 72-hour window where if they're not reporting a lost or endangered child, They can suffer consequences such as a first offense penalty of a class A misdemeanor or a second or later offense being a class D felony, and additional mandatory fines. Sections 5 through 8 and 10 through 16 increase the financial penalty for human-related trafficking crimes. And these fines will be split into the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council Support Fund.
For the covered offenses are trafficking of persons, patronizing, grooming, traveling for illicit sex of a minor, and prostitution, or promoting prostitution. Section 18 establishes the human trafficking operations unit within the state police. Section 18, again, establishes a coordinator position. These are already positions within the state police, just codifying them. And the key takeaways for this bill is it expands law enforcement powers to seize and forfeit assets used for profiting and trafficking cases,
creates a dedicated law unit in the Arkansas State Police, new crime for harboring runaways, increased financial penalties, more oversight, and centralized human trafficking response. So
with that, that is the purpose of Senate Bill 442.
Chair
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1:41:24
Any questions for Senator Rice? Senator Rice, you're recognized. Yeah,
Senator Terry Rice
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1:41:27
Senator Wright, just thought you might want to touch on that in judiciary we did converse some on the fact that somebody that was actually trying to help a child get out of a bad situation, there's verbiage in there that covers that.
You don't have to cover it, but I just want people to know we did
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:41:50
ask questions on this and it's covered. Yes, thank you, Senator Rice. There were provisions as an amendment to make sure that good actors, good
Chair
Unverified
1:42:01
intentions are not being inappropriately charged for that. Any other questions for Senator
Bryant? Anyone wish to speak for? Senator Urban,
Senator Missy Irvin
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1:42:11
you're recognized to speak for. thank you members. I just want to point out that I think this session we've had at least nine if not
more bills specifically addressing human trafficking. Why? Because this is an incredibly evil and complicated crime and it is multifaceted in so many different areas that it takes an incredible amount of logistics and review of policy and laws in both criminal and civil to really attack it from every single angle and so I'm speaking on this bill
particularly but I'm supportive obviously and would have spoken for every single one of the bills because you've seen that it's been like a huge team effort and I just think it's so important that we don't pass this opportunity to say the state of Arkansas has been ground zero for a lot of human trafficking rings. And it's because of where we're located and the fact that we do have these interstates and how they cross through the middle of the United States. Senator Love talked about that. But forfeiture assets, this is the number two
most money-making crime industry only second to illegal weapons. So trafficking of illegal weapons is number one, human trafficking, selling people for sex is number two, and then drugs is number three. That should give you a perspective of how huge and complicated this problem is. And so I just want to say we've got to do all of these things, but we've got to be diligent about how
we're being implemented and making sure that law enforcement officers all across the board understand this crime and how to combat it, that they have all the tools necessary in order to go after these criminals, and that the judges and the court systems also have all the tools that they need to really go after them and hit them where it hurts. It's a money-making industry being able to seize all of their assets is really going to hit them where it really, really hurts.
So it's a very complicated crime, a complicated issue, and there's been a lot of really good work this session on human trafficking. And so I'm glad that there's been a great team effort and focus from this legislature in a bipartisan fashion. And I want to thank the committees of judiciary for their good work as well. Thank you. And Senator Bryant. Thank you. Any
Chair
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1:44:50
other senator wish to speak on the bill? Seeing no other, Senator Bryant, you're recognized to close. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Joshua Bryant
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1:45:00
Members, I'll close not just for this bill, but as a compilation of all bills, just by thanking the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council and the members that met tirelessly to not just work on these bills, but to formulate a plan to help the victims to pursue the traffickers and to make Arkansas a safer place. And I'll say this, as session closes out and you go back to your communities and you visit with your law enforcement agencies to kind of digest maybe the session, make sure they're aware that this unit exists.
Because one of the problems we had was just so many agencies with the intent and the purpose and driven to do the right things, but not knowing where the resources were and not knowing how to access existing resources and being cautious on how to expend their own funding for resources that already existed. So make sure they understand that this human trafficking system exists. They're based out of the state police department of public safety, and they are ready, willing, and able to engage to ensure that they have, that our local communities have the resources needed to combat this issue.
So with that, I'm closed. Thank you. Thanks, Senator Bryant. Senator has closed. Any
Chair
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1:46:14
objection to rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismanga, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbafield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any senator who wishes to change his or her vote, seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By vote of 33 yea, 0 nay, Senate Bill 442. Passes, please transmit to the House, Senate Bill 449. Senate Bill
449 by Senator Deese to provide civil immunity for compensation of alternative nicotine products, vapor products, e-liquid products, tobacco products, and cigarette papers from a minor at a school. Senator Deese, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor.
Senator Tyler Dees
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1:47:04
Members, 449 is about providing civil immunity in the cases when certain vape products and alternative nicotine products have to be confiscated from minors at school. And so this is basically, you know, there's no changes to the laws around. These are already against the law for minors, but we're seeing instances where these products are very expensive, some of them, and we don't want anything stopping our persons of trust and employees at schools and law enforcement officers to be attacked civilly in the cases
where these items have to be confiscated. They can be a couple hundred dollars each, and there could be a handful of them. And so what this does is just provides clarity that in those instances when they have to confiscate them from minors, that they can't be civilly come back and charged if those items are destroyed or broken or whatnot. So that's
Chair
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1:48:00
all this bill does. Any questions for Senator Dees? Anyone
wish to speak against or for? Senator Deese is closed. Any objection or rolling the vote? Seeing no
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:48:09
objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.
Chair
Unverified
1:48:11
Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Deese, Dismang, Lee, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any Senator want to change his
or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By vote
Speaker 139
1:48:38
of 33 a 0 nays, Senate Bill 449 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 481, Senator Gilmore.
Chair
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1:48:48
Senate Bill 481 by Senator Gilmore, to create a more sustainable system of property insurance for public schools. sir gilmore
you are recognized members i appreciate that thank you
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:49:07
madam president really excited to bring this bill today because i think it addresses a huge need and first of all i want to say that this is a result of
about two years worth of work some in this room have been very instrumental in that and i want to acknowledge the former alc co-chair senator rice for his efforts in helping lead this, starting back in 2023. In 2023, we realized that we had a huge issue, and that issue was the rising cost of premiums associated with changing weather patterns and other things. And so we began a study in ALC to determine how can we save money,
How can we help our institutions of higher ed, K-12, and also state-owned property save money through premiums? And so with that, through the course of this study, through countless hours that were spent looking at this, it was determined that a self-insured captive model was the way to go. And so this bill creates that framework for a self-insured captive model to pool our risk and to manage our risk and to manage the costs associated with our insurance.
And so that's what this bill aims to do. Again, if you look through the bill, you'll see that it creates this framework. A lot of this will be promulgated out in rules just because it's very complicated and we're going to be working with broker, captive manager, all of those to determine what needs to be built out in this. I will tell you that the institutions of higher ed, K-12, have all had a lot of input over the course of two years. I've met with them recently discussing, you know, any concerns they may have.
In fact, we talked through some things associated with the bill. They just wanted a better understanding of that. But I will tell you, at this point, there's not any known opposition that I know of. There was no one to testify against the bill in committee. A companion bill has already passed the House floor. And the similar I watched testimony, no one was there to speak against either. So, again, you know, what I think is important, I want to read some of the legislative intent so you understand. The purpose of creation of this new program is to create a stable, affordable, and self-sustaining
program for provision of property insurance to all K-12 public and charter schools, all public institutions of higher education, and state-owned properties administered under one entity rather than having three varying programs handle this coverage. It's the intent of this program and will be beneficial to all entities and will cause undue burdens to them in the transition. excuse me, it is the intent that this new program be beneficial to the entities and will not cause undue burdens to them in the transition of this new program. As such, the shared services secretary
is given broad rulemaking authority. I've assured all those entities that they will have a voice in that as it will come through the ALC committee, and we look forward to hearing whatever concerns that they may have as we work through this process and develop the rules associated with it. So with that, I could talk more and more, but I'm happy to take questions if there are any. I think it's a really good bill, and again, I want to give credit to all those who've spent time working on this. Representative Wardlaw, Representative Rice in particular, who started this study, and here we are today. So with that, I'm happy to take questions.
Chair
Unverified
1:52:38
Any questions for Senator Gilmore? Senator Payton, you're recognized. Thank
Senator John Payton
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1:52:44
you, Madam President. Good job. I love self-insurance, but I need to know, is it mandatory or can they
Senator Ben Gilmore
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1:52:52
opt out? So they can opt out. On page 10 of the bill, I would point you there,
there's an incentive for them to be a part of this. And that incentive is tied to facilities funding. And I will tell you, having talked to our school districts in particular,
when they were not that concerned about this, in fact, they understood the importance of pooling that
risk so that we get the best rate. And so that's why we're doing what we do. But on page
10, that language is there. Thank you. Thank you. any
Senator Terry Rice
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1:53:27
other questions for senator gilmore senator rice you recognized and just you might touch on the emergency clause is there for a reason we have had a timeline we've been working for to get this as quick as possible because there are literally millions of dollars of savings
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:53:44
yes no thank you senator rice and again credit to you for your work on this you know the bill well, and I appreciate that. Members, we're trying to move expeditiously in this. We're trying to save the state and our institutions as much as we can. So with that, we hope to have this, and we will have this up and going by July 1. That is our intent. That is our goal. We've been assured by our broker and captive and everybody involved that that will be the case because, again, we need to get this up and going so we can save as much money as possible, and so that way we don't have to extend any current coverage or anything
like that, all of that will move expeditiously. So I thank you,
Chair
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1:54:23
Senator Rice, for that. Any other questions, members? Seeing no other questions,
Speaker 139
1:54:29
anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator Murdoch, you're recognized
Senator Reginald Murdock
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1:54:41
to speak on the bill. Thank you, Madam Governor. Colleagues, let me, two things. Senator Gilmore and Senator Rice, those previously that worked on this bill,
for all the hard work and diligence that went into it. Senator Gilmore and I was just talking when he was called up to actually run the bill. We've been discussing this because there's been a lot of work, but there's still some real problems with this as it relates to districts and what they may be left with. And I just want to make the body aware of that. maybe during the rulemaking and as this goes forward that these things can be worked on. I would hope they could be amended but you know if it if it if it
continues I hope that they will be considered as we go forward. Two things specifically, one being the replacement cost versus cash value. Many of us know that replacement cost is very important to us and our insurance with our homes And districts now could be faced with a lot of dollars that they got to come up with in a major loss. Or even let's just say a million dollar loss, this is an example.
And through the program that we have now, they're going to get $650,000 on a million dollar loss. Now, currently, with the program that most of them are in, they just pay their deductible, as we do with our homeowners, and they get the replacement of their schools. The problem with this, or the solution that they have, is that they can save money. The premium savings will be dollars that they can have that can go toward the loss. But those premium dollars that they are predicting that they may get may be $20,000 to $30,000 a year.
On a million dollar loss, that loss I just gave you, then there's a $350,000 delta. There's a gap there. And in districts like where I represent, they don't have that kind of cash sitting there to fix that situation. Now, there may be a solution that Senator Gilmore kind of was mentioning to me that will be utilized for districts such as that. I want that to be publicly stated because this is currently not a solution. It may fix the premiums, but it's not going to fix when the claim happens.
And as we all know, insurance gets real important when the claim happens. And that's what we want to make sure of, that we're balancing this and that we're not missing what's very important for specifically those districts that don't have the financial wherewithal to take on these losses. You think about some of these major losses that have happened, then that could be some real problem. Another thing is he mentioned page 10, I think it's lines 17 through 23, I think on page 10,
where it talks about that in order for districts to participate, or it's mandatory because this is their funding, I think we should give our districts a choice and let them make a decision on what program they want to be a part of. This may end up being their best choice for the reasons that this bill is mandating them to do it. And I think that we should not do that from Little Rock is mandate.
Now, we should put together a product that will provide an alternative. That's okay. But when we say, you don't get your facilities money unless you do this. Well, you don't even give me a choice now. Because we know these districts need their facility money. Senator Gilmore calls that an incentive to do it. I understand. So, again, I want to make those things public. Senator Gilmore has been more than wonderful with me during this time as we've discussed these things.
I'm hearing from districts about their concerns, but, you know, now they didn't come to the committee meetings. They did not speak as I'm speaking very loud and very publicly. That's a concern for me that they did not. So I can't blame them or him for that. But it's a real situation that I'm recognizing. i'm bringing it to your attention and hopefully it will merit some attention as we go forward
if we go forward with this there any questions i'll answer any questions if not please consider this as we go forward thank you
Chair
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1:59:23
any other senator wish to speak against for or on the bill seeing no other senator
Senator Ben Gilmore
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1:59:30
gilmore you're recognized to close thank you madam president so and i appreciate the comments of senator murdoch and i've already stated the reasons why we're doing this bill, and I think it's very clear. A couple of things I want to point to as to his concerns. We filed this bill. We let it sit for several weeks. There was a two-year process that we
encouraged districts and institutions of higher ed and others to be a part, engage with. I think we've been very open. I've even sought out the associations to sit down and have a conversation to hear what any concerns they might have. I think we, I stated some of the things that they wanted to hear in committee testimony. They were appreciative of that. I know our higher ed institutions were in particular. And so we've done, I think, a good job of trying to hear those. The other point that Senator Murdoch made that I think is valuable, but I wanted to point out that
one of the reasons that we're doing this, going back to page 10 and the, what I consider an incentive. It's not a mandate. It's an incentive. There are facilities funds tied to that. But I think it's important when you understand the insurance business and trying to pull risk and manage risk and understand the costs associated there that we want as many participate in that. And in fact, in my conversations with the association, they literally said we understand the intent of why you would do that. So, and then the last thing I think is important to speak to
as it relates to the valuation and the loss there. Our goal is to make sure that we have a healthy facilities fund, and I think that this bill, over the course of that, and I think some of this can be addressed in rules promulgation as we sit down with the districts maybe in the future to hear whatever concerns, additional concerns they may have. But I think we want to have a healthy fund. We want to have money that's been set aside in this captive program working for us so that we can then look at ways to use facilities funding better.
And so that's what this bill will do. And I hope that as we go through this process, as I've seen happen in my district, when we've had significant losses with school districts, I know even the Wynn School District in particular, that there's been funding made available, facilities funding, other funds made available to meet that need and address that loss. And so I don't know why that also couldn't be the case necessarily in this. So with that, I'm not going to belabor the point. I'd appreciate a good vote. I am closed. Thank you. Senator has closed.
Chair
Unverified
2:01:59
Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary,
please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell,
Davis, Dees, Dismang, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Urban, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbofill, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator who should
change his or her vote? Senator Love, present.
Senator Murdoch, present. Senator Letting, present. Senator King, not voting. Senator Scott, present. Senator Wallace, present. Any other senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the
ballot. By a vote of 28 yea, 0 nay, 1 not voting, 5 present. Senate Bill 481 passes, and
Speaker 139
2:02:56
the corresponding emergency clause is adopted. Please transmit to the House.
Chair
Unverified
2:03:01
Senate Bill 486. Senate Bill 486 by Senator Blake Johnson, concerning safety and privacy in certain entities, and concerning the designation of multi-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters in certain entities based on an individual's sex. Senator
Blake Johnson, you're recognized. Thank
Speaker 452
2:03:21
you, Governor. This bill protects the physical privacy and safety of women and men in shelters and state and local correctional facilities. All public buildings are operated by governmental entities.
The bill defines sex as individuals' biological sex, either male or female. This bill applies to all public
Speaker 451
2:03:42
building restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, shower rooms, and rooms for overnight stay. These
Speaker 452
2:03:47
shelters, correctional facilities, or governmental entities may make reasonable accommodations for a person by providing a single occupancy or a family restroom, changing rooms, sleeping quarters. And
Chair
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2:04:06
Questions for Senator Blake Johnson. Senator Tucker. Any questions for Senator Johnson? Seeing no questions,
anyone wish to speak against? Senator Tucker, you're recognized to speak against. thank you members i'll be quick i want to i want to
start by thanking senator johnson for the amendment that he made there was a link there was an issue with the language in the bill and senator johnson made an amendment to address that issue so thank you for addressing that
senator johnson i am against the bill on for policy reasons i don't believe this bill actually accomplishes anything any harm that this bill is designed to protect people from is already a crime under Arkansas law. So there's already criminal liability for anything that could possibly come up under the jurisdiction of this bill. This bill creates civil liability. The only way that you could have civil liability is if the plaintiff proved, number one, that a member of the opposite sex was in the same changing room with them, and number two, that they had
permission from someone to do that. I don't believe anybody's ever going to be able to prove those things. That's all a long way of saying, I don't think this bill will actually prevent any harm from happening in the state of Arkansas. I do believe it will cause harm, however, to the Arkansas transgender community, because the more bills that we pass like this, the more there's a public rebuke of transgender Arkansans. And it's a population that I think we all know is very vulnerable, and the more that that community gets rebuked by the Arkansas state government,
the more harm that they are subject to under Arkansas laws and
just by living in the state of Arkansas. So for that reason I'll be voting against
Chair
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2:05:54
the bill. Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak for, on, or against the bill?
Seeing no one, Senator Blake Johnson, you're
Speaker 451
2:06:05
free to close. I appreciate Senator Tucker's opposition and Senator, as a minority population, I understand where you're coming from on
that and I hope through some of the mental health issues and bills that we have done this session that that some of that can be alleviated in that population but also it's our it's our duty to protect those of our our citizens that that feel threat
Chair
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2:06:32
through that and I'd appreciate a good vote or has
closed Any objection to rolling the vote?
Objection noted. Madam Secretary, please call
Chair
Unverified
2:07:04
Bryant. Caldwell? Aye. Clark?
Clark. Crowell? Crowell. Davis? Aye. Dees? Aye.
Dispain? Dismang. Dotson. English. Flippo. Yes. Flowers. Leave. Gilmore. Yes. Hammer. Yes.
Hester? Yes. Hickey? Aye. Hill? Aye. Irvin? Aye.
Blake Johnson? Aye. Mark Johnson? Aye. King? Aye. Leving? No. Love? No. McKee? McKee? Murdoch? Murdoch? Payton Kenzo Petty Rice
Scott Scott Stone
Stubbeville Sullivan Tucker Wallace
Any senator should change his or
her vote Senator Scott, no Senator Kroll Yes. Senator Clark? Yes. Senator McKee? Yes. Senator Boyd?
Yes. Senator Murdoch? No. Senator
Bryant? Yes. Dismang? Yes. Any other senator? Please check
the board. Seen no other. Please cast up the ballot by vote of 28 yay, 5 nay, 1 not voting. Senate Bill 486 passes. Please transmit to the House. And Senate is actually going to stand in recess for five, seven minutes
perhaps for us to address a few administrative matters. And then I'll hit the buzzer right before we come back in from a quick recess. Thank you all.
Unknown speaker
2:09:45
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Transcription by CastingWords
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Speaker 190
2:23:45
That's what I thought as you didn't switch the doodly-doo. Testing, that's all. Yeah.
Chair
Unverified
2:25:12
Senate will come back to order. We will now take up Senate Bill 489. Senate
Bill 489, Mr. Letting, to amend Arkansas law concerning the placement of a monument of the state capital grounds in recognition of the desegregation of the Charleston and Fayetteville
school districts in 1954. Senator Letting, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues,
Senator Greg Leding
Unverified
2:25:47
some weeks ago we passed Act 251 of 2025. That was a bill to honor Hoxsey school district's contribution to
integrating our public schools in this state. They did so in 1955 and resulted in an ultimately unsuccessful legal challenge. During discussion of that legislation, the communities of Charleston and Fayetteville pointed out that they actually integrated their schools the year before Fayetteville School District was the first one to vote to do so in May of 1954. Charleston followed suit a few weeks later, but because Charleston School District started
before Fayetteville's, they were actually the first district to see integration play out, and then Fayetteville followed a few weeks later. And that made them not just the first two schools to integrate in Arkansas, but the first two to integrate in the South. And so those communities felt that if we're telling this story, we should tell a fuller story. And so leadership for both school districts spoke in support of this legislation in committee yesterday. Nobody spoke against it. I'd like to thank Senator Sullivan and Senator Hammer for their due pass and second motions in committee. Happy to take questions, but if there are none, I'd appreciate a good vote. Questions for Senator Letting.
Chair
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2:26:46
I see Senator Sullivan with a question, Senator Blake Johnson, and maybe Senator Boyd. Senator Sullivan, you're recognized.
Senator Dan Sullivan
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2:26:59
Thank you, Madam President. I just appreciate the time you took to work with the folks from our other community that we passed the bill. And I know y'all took a lot of time to try to negotiate to come up with one comprehensive bill to recognize all the people that did such great work on this. So I just wanted to let the Senators know, we know you did that.
Senator Greg Leding
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2:27:20
Yes, thank you. We did talk to Representative Kavanaugh throughout that process, and she knows that we're running this legislation. I also failed to mention my partner in crime on this
Speaker 451
2:27:37
legislation, Senator Stubblefield, who represents the community of Charleston. Senator Blake Johnson. I just want to mark a difference in those communities. Charleston and Fayetteville were not challenged integrations or full integrations.
Hoxie was the first challenged integration that was won by that, fought through to the Supreme Court and won by that district. There's a distinct difference, and that's why that bill was created, and that monument was a possibility. I don't agree with putting the three together, and I will not vote for this. I appreciate the efforts, but there's a distinct difference in what happened with those three communities.
Two of them were not challenged by the state. Hoxie was challenged,
Chair
Unverified
2:28:34
and Hoxie overcame the racism of this state. And Hoxie overcame that. The other
Speaker 451
2:28:47
two did not have to bridge that hurdle. I appreciate the bill,
Chair
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2:28:53
but I cannot agree with it. Thank you.
Senator Greg Leding
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2:28:57
I understand, and I voted for the previous monument.
There is that distinction. And even though Charleston and Fayetteville did not face legal challenges, just as every school district when this was first happening, they did face a number of challenges, including some school districts that would refuse to play with their teams. And so it certainly, while there was not necessarily a trial, there were still challenges involved. Any other questions?
Chair
Unverified
2:29:19
Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator, you're free to close. Closed. I'd appreciate a good vote.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:29:27
The sender has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.
Chair
Unverified
2:29:33
Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson,
English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Lee, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbafield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Speaker 296
2:29:51
Any Senator wish to change his or her
Chair
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2:29:57
vote? McKee present. Blake Johnson present. Any other Senator? Seeing no other,
please cast up the ballot. By vote of 31 yea, 0 nay,
Speaker 139
2:30:09
2 present. Senate Bill 489 passes. Please transmit to the House.
Chair
Unverified
2:30:15
Senate Bill 511. Senate Bill 511 by Senator Blake Johnson to create the criminal
offense of automated teller machine impairment. Senator Blake
Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Senator, this bill will increase the felony for criminal mischief to
Speaker 452
2:30:43
clearly provide the interruption and impairment wholly or partially of an ATM as a Class D felony.
These crimes are rarely prosecuted under a federal bank robbery statute, and this will enhance the deterrence
Chair
Unverified
2:30:56
and strengthen tools for prosecution in the state of Arkansas. Any questions
for Senator Blake Johnson? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator,
Speaker 130
2:31:10
you are free to close. Thank you. I'd
Chair
Unverified
2:31:13
appreciate a good vote. Senator is closed. Any objection rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary,
please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Lee, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love,
Speaker 296
2:31:33
McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbuffield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or
Chair
Unverified
2:31:41
her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By vote
33 a 0 nay, Senate Bill 511 passes.
Speaker 139
2:31:49
Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 512. Senate Bill 512 by Senator Johnson to
Chair
Unverified
2:31:57
amend the law concerning robbery and aggravated robbery. Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized.
Speaker 451
2:32:03
Members, this bill allows for someone who presents a note. That's not exactly what it says,
Speaker 452
2:32:09
but, you know, it's a threatening communication. For a bank robbery, not just a bank robbery, but any retail robbery to be charged with robbery instead of just theft. Right now, it's just an offense of theft. Any questions
Chair
Unverified
2:32:27
for Senator Blake Johnson? anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator
Johnson is closed. Any objection to rolling the
vote? No objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell,
Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Lee, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Kenzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubufill, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to
change his or her vote?
Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By vote
Speaker 139
2:33:12
of 33, yeas, 0, nay. Senate Bill 512 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 513. Senate Bill 513 by Senator
Chair
Unverified
2:33:21
Blake Johnson. to create the criminal offense of male theft and to create the criminal offense of theft or unauthorized reproduction of a male reciprocal key or lock. Senator
Speaker 451
2:33:35
Blake Johnson, you're recognized. Members, this is a federal offense,
but it's rarely prosecuted unless it's, I think it's above $100,000. Federal prosecutors do not try to just get into this mail theft, but it's a crime that check washing, and the definitions under here, it mirrors the federal statutes, but check washing is a major problem. Identity theft through this mail, getting your mail out of your mailbox,
Same way with getting your credit card, you know, getting that out of your mail. Those are all issues, and that's what this bill tries to do in the state of Arkansas rather than just on a federal level. Questions for Senator Blake Johnson. Senator
Chair
Unverified
2:34:31
Mark Johnson, you're recognized for a question for Senator Blake Johnson. Thank you, Madam
Senator Mark Johnson
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2:34:37
President. cousin Blake Johnson I have a I had some experience with this uh I wrote some a whole
bunch of checks to people that worked in my campaign two years ago and uh they started calling me gosh I thought you were going to pay me for that and I uh got to checking and I had we had dropped them in a drop box out in front of a post office and none of them got there And then I got a note from the postmaster that they had had thefts. Basically, now they didn't
get my check, but I guess they didn't look like there was money in there.
But that's what you're talking about, where they're actually robbing the drop box at the post office. So if the key you're talking about is like the key
that the postal service people would use to open that, if you possess that, that would be the crime.
Speaker 451
2:35:32
Is that correct? Absolutely, or any kind of theft of those boxes. If you break into those boxes, a lot of those places have cameras on them. And, you know, federal prosecution is what's
Speaker 452
2:35:42
required now. This would make it a state crime. That's exactly
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
2:35:46
right. We had a thing in West Little Rock at two different post offices where it was so bad
that the Postal Service put a slot where you
could only get one letter in at a time because they seem to have been reaching in and snatching
Speaker 452
2:36:04
them out somehow or another with a wire or something. Thank you. It's
Speaker 451
2:36:10
a great bill. Thank you. I appreciate it. Senator Dodson, I'll ask your question for you. He has concerns because, you know, the mail, but there is some provisions in here under that.
He worried that, you know, if you went in, if you were a trash collector or something like that and had possession of someone's mail, that this could be kicked in. But, I mean, this is knowingly and it is an act of theft, not just possession. They would have to get that intent to be prosecuted.
Chair
Unverified
2:36:53
Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized for a follow-up.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
2:37:01
You know what we call the porch bandits, people that pull the package off
Chair
Unverified
2:37:06
your porch. Would this affect that as well? That's a different crime, and I think we made that a felony last session. Okay. Those porch pirates. Except it's... Unless it's in a mail drop box or something like that. Thank you, Senator. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
2:37:23
Senator Dotson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Johnson, I understand the intent and even the
issue and the problem that you're trying to address. Just the language of the bill, it makes it extremely broad that mail, I mean, is even defined as, you know, something. It doesn't necessarily have to be anything of a dollar value. So if you just had or possessed somebody's postcard, now, I mean, it might have some personal value to the individual,
but by having possession of someone else's, if for whatever reason someone wanted to try to prosecute that, they would be potentially guilty of a crime. I know it may be stretching a little bit to say a prosecutor would prosecute over a postcard or a coupon flyer or something along those lines that didn't necessarily have any, you know, I understand if we were trying to address gift cards or mail check washing and things of that nature,
but I still think the language is a little too broad that it could catch a
Speaker 451
2:38:39
whole lot more than what your intent is. I agree, and that's
Speaker 452
2:38:46
the prosecutorial discretion lines 5 through through 10 on page 2 it obtains a male of another by deception or by threat or with the purpose of depriving a person of male that's having someone's
trash is not not doing that they have discarded that and they
Speaker 451
2:39:09
would have to be intent to use intent to use that to harm
Chair
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2:39:17
individual. Any other questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator Blake
Speaker 451
2:39:23
Johnson your recognized close. I appreciate a good vote and and I
Speaker 452
2:39:28
appreciate the indulgence of the members because these things are federal issues but to get them prosecuted and this issue be taking
Speaker 451
2:39:38
taken seriously on a state level, that's what
Chair
Unverified
2:39:43
I'm trying to do. Senators closed. Any objections to rolling the vote? Seeing no
objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott,
Speaker 296
2:40:07
Stone, Stubbifield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Speaker 295
2:40:11
Any senator wish to change his or her vote? Senator Dotson, no. Senator
Chair
Unverified
2:40:17
Tucker, no. Senator Davis, no. Penzo, present. Bledding, present. Any other senator? Love, present. Scott, no. Murdoch,
not voting. Any other senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot
by a vote of 25 yea, 4 nay, 1 not voting, 3 present.
Senate Bill 513 passes. Please transmit to the House.
Senate Bill 514. Senate Bill 514 by Senator Blake Johnson to amend the law concerning the unlawful possession of a skimmer and to increase penalties
for the unlawful possession of a skimmer for repeated offenders. Senator Blake Johnson,
Speaker 451
2:41:04
you're recognized. Thank you, members. Thank you, Governor. This is, I don't know if y'all have had this happen, but I had it happen my second term down here in the legislature.
Walmart country market or whatever. I think it's on Kavanaugh or whatever over there. This happened to me, and about a week later, I was in Florida and trying to buy stuff, and that card company called me and asked me if I was in that area, and I said no. And I said, if I want to be paying for something, I want to enjoy it if I'm going to Florida. So anyway, I had to challenge those payments and get the refund of that money.
But this bill strengthens the state crime of payment of card skimming by enhancing the penalties for repeat offenders to require mandatory prison time of at least one year. It's on the second subsequent conviction that these enhanced penalties will be kicked in. Questions for Blake Johnson. Senator Blake Johnson, I
Speaker 479
2:42:13
apologize, Senator. That's all right. Anyone wish to speak against or for?
Chair
Unverified
2:42:21
Senator has closed. Any objection rolling the vote?
Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll
the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Kroll, Davis, Dees, Dismain, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, Keene, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan,
Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his
Speaker 139
2:43:00
or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 33a, 0 nay, Senate Bill 514 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate
Chair
Unverified
2:43:12
Bill 519. Senate Bill 519 by Senator Boyd. To amend the standard non-forfeiture law for life insurance and to regulate the payment of interest on deferred payment of any cash surrender value according to the terms of the policy.
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
2:43:25
Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. this bill cleans up some previously passed legislation by providing a start date to make it constitutional, providing 60 days rather than 30 days for policy surrender, and then clarifying
Speaker 502
2:43:37
the interest rate matches an interest rate that was already in the life insurance statute. Any questions for
Senator Boyd? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator, you are free to close. I'm closed. I'd appreciate a good
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:43:52
vote. Thank you. Senator has closed. Any objection rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the
Chair
Unverified
2:43:57
Vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Kroll, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, Keene, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker,
Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her votes Gilmore? No.
Any other senator? Seen no other senator. Please cast up the ballot
by a vote of 32 yea,
Speaker 139
2:44:34
1 nay. Senate Bill 519 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 521.
Chair
Unverified
2:44:45
Senate Bill 521 by Senator Davis to amend the law concerning law enforcement training reimbursement and to extend the time period after completion of training for
which a reimbursement is required. Senator Davis, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, this bill just updates the reimbursement time frame for law enforcement agencies from 18 months to 24 months when it comes to recruitment of officers. So currently, Arkansas has a more complicated and condensed reimbursement timeline, and this is causing a lot of strain on a lot of our smaller law enforcement agencies that are
losing officers to larger law enforcement agencies that can maybe pay more and other things. So essentially our smaller agencies are training these officers and then in a very short period of time they're being hired up and it's causing a financial burden on our smaller law enforcement officers. So this new schedule in this bill, it puts Arkansas more in line with what other states are doing. And what it does is it says in the first zero to 12 months, if a law enforcement
officer is recruited to another agency, then that agency will reimburse 100% of the training cost. In months 12 through 24, it drops to 50% reimbursement of training costs. To get reimbursed, You have to, the law enforcement agency that lost the officer that was recruited has to put it in writing. It has to be an itemized request, and the request has to be made within six months. All the law enforcement agencies work together on this to come to agreement, and with that
Chair
Unverified
2:46:22
I'm happy to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Davis? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing
no objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Kroll, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, Keene, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo,
Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any senator wish to change his
or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by
Speaker 139
2:47:08
a vote of 33 yea, 0 nay. Senate Bill 521 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill
Chair
Unverified
2:47:16
523. Senate Bill 523 by Senator Irving to amend the law regarding alcoholic beverages and to remove the requirement that a private club be a nonprofit organization. Senator Irving, you're recognized. Thank you,
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
2:47:28
Madam President. Earlier in the session, a large restaurant chain had brought this problem to my attention.
An applicant for a private club permit in a dry county is currently required to form a non-profit as one of the requirements to get a private club permit, which is absolutely meaningless. The restaurant chain at the time, you're talking about Olive Garden and some of these bigger ones, had to file like six tax returns in Arkansas last year rather than one corporate return as a result of this legally meaningless requirement in our code. So when I brought that bill to you, Senate Bill 345, to remove that non-profit requirement for the large restaurants that we passed,
and it's already been signed by the governor, you asked questions. And I think Senator Petty, I wanted to thank him, because because of his questions, we now have this bill. And I had promised to come back with a bill that does it for all restaurants. So that's what Senate Bill 523 does. And so not just the big Aleph Gardens now can take advantage of this government efficiency. It can be, you know, Joe's Pizza Shop in Cabot that may want to open a restaurant somewhere else in a dry county like Faulkner County.
So thank you, Senator Petty, for the questions. Fun to bring a bill based on
Chair
Unverified
2:48:46
my input from my colleagues. Any questions for Senator Urban? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator, you're free to
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:48:56
close. Senator, it's closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing
Chair
Unverified
2:49:01
no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbeville, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any Senator wish to change his or her vote? Senator Love, no. Senator Dotson, present. Any other Senator? Seeing no
Speaker 139
2:49:34
other Senator, please cast up the ballot. By vote to 31, yay, one nay, one present. Senate Bill 523 passes. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill
Chair
Unverified
2:49:46
536. Senate Bill 536 by Senator Sullivan, to abolish and transfer the Arkansas State Library and State Library Board and declare an emergency.
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
2:49:54
Senator Sullivan, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Folks, 536 was very contentious
yesterday. I just need to set the record straight on a couple of things. One, in February the 3rd, Senate Bill 184 was filed to move the state library and underneath the Department of Education and ATN. And that bill passed on February the 3rd, 23 to 8 to 3.
When that bill went on, got ready to go to the House, I met with AETN. AETN said, we did some things wrong. We recognize that. Is there anything we can do? We said, yeah. And we came to a handshake agreement on some significant changes that AETN is going to make. And I pulled them from the bill and filed the amendment to pull them. And that bill is sitting out there right now. I didn't run it because in the meantime, I had folks come to me on the library and asked about the library.
Is there anything the library can do to keep that board in place? And I said, sure, do two things. One, just make a statement that we're going to protect children from sexually explicit material. And the comment was made, and folks, this is on tape. The comment was made, we already do that. I said, great, that statement ought to be very easy. I said, then disassociate with the American Library Association. You do those two things, the library board stays. That's all on video.
And they voted, the library board voted 4 to 3 not to do it. Now we're taking a lot of heat because what the library decided to do, not to stay in place, the library board made that decision on two things they could easily do. In the meantime, and that's again all on video, 536 was filed on 320. No response for many people. It ran yesterday, and in that committee meeting, I asked the librarians testifying,
did you reach out to the library board and ask them about making concessions? They said no. I haven't. I've talked to a lot of librarians and people. They have not reached out to the board, not tried to negotiate. When I left that committee room yesterday, I had three librarians shouting my name, literally chasing me down, and I had to walk away from them. They wanted to work with me to amend the bill. Now, folks, you know how much time we've got to amend the Senate bill right now.
None. They had from February the 3rd until now to work with me. Again, those two priorities. Remember those two things that we asked them to do. In testimony yesterday, we heard that libraries currently with state funding are providing social workers, have what they call, they're giving out gardening equipment, the library of things, sporting equipment,
helping with community development, social workers. Folks, all those things are good in and of themselves. If the counties want to do that, the counties can fund that. I actually asked the director yesterday, she said, we're going out of business. We're going to have to close. and they're doing some of these things. And I said, well, why don't you get your county to fund them? She said, because our county won't fund it because of the tax dollars. And I said, where do you think the state tax dollars come from? She said, from the Treasury.
Now, folks, there's a disconnect there, big time. We finally got down to it where she admitted it was tax dollars also. We have, in this bill, what's better about it? There are some incentives in there. Every library will be funded at a certain level by a capitated rate based on your population. Everybody will receive that. But there'll be room made for innovative programs. You say, like, what innovative programs? Like, maybe we have some grants for libraries
to hire people who have been trained in the science of reading and other things to do that we think libraries need to focus on. Those are important things. Many other new ideas, getting access to the Department of Education, a professional development website. Those are great ideas that have not even been considered by our current library board. Last thing I want to say is, folks, in my opinion, and I'll stress that, this is all tied to the American Library Association.
When you look at their group, that national group, They have said that they will not host any national or state functions sponsored by the ALA with states that disagree with their policy or their positions. Their positions that they have stated on their website, one, they will not work with states who have stand-your-ground law. They will not work with states that have bathroom bills. They will not work with states that have bills on transgender surgeries.
If you have those laws, then they're not going to work with you. So effectively, the ALA is boycotting the state of Arkansas. When we have members, if you look on the website of most of our libraries, they cut and paste the ALA, Bill of Rights, Right to Read, Freedom to Read, Freedom to View. It's just cut and paste. Most of you know that there was a lawsuit, 372, a couple of years ago against a library bill. And the crux of it, CALS, the Central Arkansas Library System,
kind of ran that and got all the money to run it. The crux of it was material harmful to children. Do you know that inappropriate material? You know those phrases? CALS actually says, we will not post things on our bulletin board that are harmful to children. Now, they filed a lawsuit against the county for having that language. Yet nobody is suing CALS. Nobody said a word to them about their policy, although it's the exact same thing. The comment has been made that hopefully the governor will appoint someone else to the library board.
If it remains, that it will be willing to work together. Folks, there's no guarantee to that. How many pink sheets do you have on your page and emails have you gotten about this? I don't know how many people can stand up to the pressure of just a few people who are doing this. So I
would urge a good vote today. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
2:56:50
Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against? Senator Tucker, you're recognized to speak against.
Thank you, Madam President. So, I guess I just want to start by asking, when are we going to stop going after libraries? And we should be celebrating librarians all over the state who do great work for the public and schools and public library, county libraries. So, I just hope soon we stop going after libraries. But a couple points I want to make. Some of y'all may think that you voted for this bill before, but there are some significant differences between this bill and other bills that have come through here before. The most obvious difference is the previous bill got rid of the state library board.
This bill gets rid of the state library, period. Not the board, the entire state library. And then it transfers to the Department of Education. But the bill says on page 14, you can look, it says, the Department of Education may administer state aid to libraries. Not shall administer state aid to libraries, may. And that's why I'm confident you all have heard from librarians in every single one of your districts, I know for certain that I have, that they don't know what's going to happen with their funding. And they're right to feel that way because this bill does not make clear
whether they're going to continue to get funding or not from the state, and it's a significant part of their budgets. Also, there's language in the bill. Up until this point, what we've discussed is, and everyone agrees in principle, that material that children shouldn't have should be segregated and children should not have access to that material. I agree with that. I think every librarian I've communicated with agrees with that. But the process up to this point is that that material should be segregated. Well, there's language in this bill that says a collection shall not include material that's harmful to minors.
And so does that mean it has to be taken out of the library entirely or into a separate room with a lock? The majority of libraries in this state are one-room buildings that can't go into a separate room. And all the square footage is already used. There's not a practical way for libraries to implement this bill. And it has an emergency clause that puts it into effect on July 1st. And that's another reason why librarians across the state are in a state of panic right now. Because there's no way they can remove these materials entirely from their libraries by July 1st,
at which point they will be subject to losing their state funding. So I'm happy to take a question
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
2:59:27
from Senator Rice. Senator Rice, you recognize her question? Thank you, Madam President. Senator Tucker, I appreciate you saying that we all want to protect children, and I've tried to always have somewhat of a level of mind on this, but all we ask over and over again was to move the material to the adult section and let the adults check it out for the kids if they want to,
and I think you just said we agree on that. Yes, sir. I sent personal emails to every one of the board members months ago and told them, please do this for the
safety of children. And the majority didn't do anything.
What do you do when you have an entrenched board that cares no more than that?
And I realize our rural, and I've gotten fingerslips too, our rural libraries, I went before my library after that last bill because they want to know why we wanted more control over them. They didn't have a problem. I said, do you really want to know? And I took the graphic pictures we got in judiciary, the booklets, and I said, before I pass these out, these copies out, do you really want to see this? These little ladies and the retired superintendent.
And I passed it out and they were shocked. And they understood why I had a problem with it. And I've asked, and others have asked, and Senator Sullivan has asked, it's time for drastic things to happen if this incompetent bunch is going to continue to put our children at risk. And there's going to be fallout, but we'll fix some fallout. But give me a reason not to vote for this. If
it's not improper, may I ask, those materials were available in a children's section in a library in Arkansas?
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
3:01:21
That was testimony in Judiciary with multiple ones and was brought to Judiciary. You were Judiciary member then, too. You remember those color photos and little booklets passed out that was from Saline County and other, mainly central Arkansas. We don't have that problem out in my area. Maybe I was running another bill in another committee that day. I've still got them in
Senator Terry Rice
Unverified
3:01:46
them, I'll refer to you. I'll take your word for it.
I'll take your word for it. This is serious. Yes, sir. No, it is definitely serious. I don't believe that problem is pervasive based on everything that I've heard. I don't believe, well, I'll take your word that maybe it exists in one place, but I don't believe it's pervasive to any extent. But beyond that, you know, Senator Sullivan mentioned that he asked the State Library Board to pass a non-binding policy to protect children, and a 4-3 vote they did on March 13th. they did do that. But take that aside, okay? Let's say they passed a bad resolution or a bad policy.
Senator, I don't want to put her on the spot, but Senator Irvin and I have discussed this at another point. If you've got a problem with the board, reconstitute the board. That's the remedy. It's not to eliminate the board, and it sure is not to eliminate the entire entity. Just reconstitute the board. We could easily do that as a legislative body. That's the remedy. If there's a problem that needs to be addressed. So, you know, the last thing I intended to mention that I forgot, but Senator Sullivan mentioned that this is really about the ALA, and he can have a disagreement with the ALA.
I totally respect that. But he also commented that they boycott states that have laws like Arkansas does, so they're boycotting Arkansas. So if they're boycotting Arkansas, then why are we worried about the ALA's influence over Arkansas? I'm not sure there's much there. If there's a problem, the answer is not to eliminate
the entire organization. to reconstitute the board which we certainly have the have the power to do thank
Chair
Unverified
3:03:26
you anyone wish to speak for or against senator sullivan your recognized close
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
3:03:34
one has three days left to reconstitute the board and if it passes over my bill it passes over my bill folks the library board and the state library are a problem until as senator wright said there's major change it won't there are some really good things in here things that will bring finances to struggling libraries are there struggling or libraries yeah because they don't want accountability they clearly said yesterday that we want the money we don't want accountability
that was clearly said and if you were there you heard it you can watch it Well, I'd
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
3:04:15
appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Senator has closed. Madam Secretary, please call
Speaker 292
3:04:25
the roll. Bowen? Bowen? Brant? Brant? Caldwell? Clark? Clark? Crowell? Crowell?
Chair
Unverified
3:04:40
Davis? Deez? Aye. Dismang? Dismang? Dotson? Yes. English? English?
Flippo? Yes. Flowers leave. Gilmore? Gilmore? Hammer leave. Hester? Aye. Hickey?
Hickey? Hill? Yes. Irvin? Irvin? Blake Johnson? Aye. Mark Johnson? Aye. King? No.
Letting. Love. McKee. Murdoch. Peyton. Penzo. Penzo. Petty. Petty. Rice. Scott. Stone. Aye. Steverfield? Aye. Sullivan? Aye. Tucker? Aye. Wallace? Aye.
Chair
Unverified
3:05:54
wish to change your vote?
Senator Boyd, yes. Any other senator? Senator Hickey, yes. Senator Dismang, present. Senator Gilmore? Present. Senator Crowe. Present. Senator Clark. Yes.
Speaker 295
3:06:21
Any other senators? Please check the board. Seeing
Chair
Unverified
3:06:31
no other senator, please cast up the ballot. By vote of 18, yay, 7, nay, 5, not voting, 3, present. Senate Bill 536 passes, and the
Speaker 523
3:06:42
corresponding emergency clause fails. Senator Sullivan. Here's a
Chair
Unverified
3:06:49
motion to clinch the vote.
All those in favor of the clincher motion, please signify. It is a non-debatable motion. All those in favor. Hold on,
let me state it since there was a pause. I don't want there to be an awkward pause in you all's voting. All those in favor
Speaker 523
3:07:17
for... I'm sorry, Senator, would you mind to rise and ask your question of the presiding officer?
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
3:07:25
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want a clarity on if this motion passes, would there be ability for emergency clause revote or anything else related to this bill? that's why I just wanted clarity once
Speaker 528
3:07:40
the if a clincher motion passes this bill cannot be brought
Speaker 255
3:07:45
up is that correct I'm going to consult with counsel
Speaker 523
3:08:13
the bill will still be transmitted to the House without an emergency clause unless that was re-voted. So
Speaker 523
3:08:28
clinch the vote on Senate Bill 536. All those in
Chair
Unverified
3:08:33
favor of the clincher motion, please signify by saying aye.
Aye. All those opposed? No. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Please transmit Senate Bill 536 to the House. Again, the emergency clause failed. And
Speaker 523
3:08:49
senators, following at the end of this page, we have three more senators. senators at the end of this page we have three more bills on this page
Chair
Unverified
3:09:06
i'm going to take up
three motions for amendments so they can be engrossed and following those three quick motions these three bills and three quick motions we're going to take up the budget calendar and then we
Speaker 523
3:09:22
will go back to the regular business calendar after the budget calendar This will allow the budget staff to finish for the
Speaker 414
3:09:33
day. Next, we're taking up Senate Bill
Chair
Unverified
3:09:38
537. Senate Bill 537 by Senator Gilmore, to create the earning safe re-entry through Work Act
and to create a sentence credit program for a person on probation, parole, or post-release supervision to earn
time credits through employment and declare an emergency. Senator Gilmore, you're
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:09:57
recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, really proud of this bill because of what it does and what I think it'll attempt to address. We have quite a few people on post-release supervision. Post-release supervision basically is parole. And so what this bill does, this bill allows them to use gainful employment
as a way to dismiss some of their time required as on post-release supervision. This bill defines eligible employment. This bill defines supervised offenders, supporting documentation, work-for-time credit. Basically, it's a, in the bill, it speaks to five work-for-time credits in a 30-day period. Basically, I think the goal would be by the time someone is done completing this, I think the number could be about 1-6 off of their supervision time.
I think if we are trying to do something about recidivism, this is a great way to do it by encouraging employment and allowing them to use employment as a way to reduce some of their supervision. With that, happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator
Chair
Unverified
3:11:10
Gilmore? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. I'm closed. Appreciate a good
vote. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.
Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo,
Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbafield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote?
Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by vote of 33.
Yay, zero, nay. Senate Bill 537 passes. Any corresponding emergency clause is adopted. Please transmit to
the House. Senate Bill 539. Senate Bill
539 by Senator Gilmore. to update and clarify certain
portions of the law regarding the Division of Community Correction and the Division of Correction, to clarify references to community correction centers and declare
an emergency. Senator Gilmore, you're recognized.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:12:31
Thank you, members. The bill comes to us from the Department of Corrections, in fact, even the Board of Corrections. So this bill is just a clarification, technical correction bill to clean up a lot of references made and basically address what is current practice and policy of the department. One of the things in particular the bill does is a lot of the security functions related to community corrections are actually done with the Division of Corrections. And so this is going through and basically clarifying all of those different references.
And then the one thing that I would add is it also basically utilizes the shared services function of the department. Back on page 30, there's temporary language that basically speaks clearly as to the intent of this. And again, all parties agree, Board of Corrections, Corrections, all of this, this is their bill, just to clean up
and clarification bill. With that, happy to take questions. Any questions for Senator Gilmore?
Chair
Unverified
3:13:37
Closed. Appreciate a good vote. No one wishes to speak against or for. Senator has closed.
Any objection to rolling the vote? Madam Secretary, please roll the
vote. Boad, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crull, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Lee, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love,
Speaker 296
3:14:07
McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Kenzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbuffield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish
Chair
Unverified
3:14:16
to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please
cast up the ballot. By a vote of 33 yeas, 0 nay. Senate Bill 539 passes, and the corresponding
Speaker 139
3:14:28
emergency clause is adopted. Please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 544.
Chair
Unverified
3:14:34
Senate Bill 544 by Senator Mark Johnson. to amend the Arkansas Pharmacy Benefits Manager Licensure Act.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:14:41
Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, the original Arkansas PBM Licensure Act in 2018 became a national model adopted by National Council of Insurance Legislators, NCOL, that most of you are familiar with, and it's been replicated across the country. Despite that great start, we had to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm that, but with an 8-0 victory led by our now Lieutenant Governor, it's the Attorney
General, we won at the U.S. Supreme Court. And all states, including Arkansas, are continuing to close these loopholes and strengthen enforcement capabilities and protect consumers using the original PBM Licensure Act. Senate Bill 544 is simply an enforcement and improvements to the bill. It allows, it makes several definition updates. It says that any existing contract that seeks to automatically extend participation usually results in lower reimbursements, so it allows
the pharmacies to opt out of those terms being changed in the middle of the contract. The PBM national contract to pharmacies ensures that they're at a minimum updated to comply with state laws, and they're not allowed if they don't comply with state laws. It gives the insurance commissioner some flexibility to take action on a PBM or a PBM-specific network without completely revoking a license. So basically, they could put a PBM on probation, similar to what Medicare
allows CMS to do under federal law. So it's not an offer on, you can kind of be in the penalty box, so to speak. There are things that clarifies which parts of the law are violations of the compensation and clarifies what industry terms are used to define specific networks in an audit situation. It does prohibit some practice. It prohibits opt-out contracts that you can't force the pharmacies to do that.
It gives the pharmacy a right to clarify and expect that the specific information that they get is accurate and requires the PBMs to follow our existing state laws or previous insurance department bulletins of interpretation on existing laws. The penalty section adds some specific tools for our insurance commissioner, similar to what federal Medicare options that CMS uses, has to do with advertising, placing bids, and contracting for state-funded or state public plans,
if not in good standing with the licensing agency. A 12% interest penalty to PBMs is owed back to the pharmacy for underpayment violations. So if they underpay and it's proven that they do, they did underpay, then they would have to pay the pharmacy plus a 12% penalty. I consider that a modest penalty, but it is in there. There's a prohibition on requiring a patient to pay back and co-pay or patient responsible cost for PBM violations.
The department, insurance department that is, by policy already has that position. This just clearly puts that into law. So what we're doing is we're continuing to modernize the regulation of PBMs, and by doing that, we're putting some of the practices that are already being done, but putting it into law, it's clear on both sides
of the contract of what their obligations are. I'll be happy to answer any questions.
Chair
Unverified
3:18:39
Any questions for Senator Mark Johnson? Senator Dismang, you're recognized for a question.
thank you in the bill it repeatedly talks about pharmacy services administrative organization PSAOs and it's in multiple places where PBMs are required to give those entities information are you looking at the right bill Senator
Dismay 544 I believe I am
let me get it pulled up 544 So, I mean, it's pretty early on in the deal, too. So, I would just, let's see. Yeah, I
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:19:25
don't have it. I know it's easy to get confused when you're dealing with these people. I know. Hold on just a
second. Okay. You may have thrown me off, but I'm pretty sure I read it a couple of times. You're saying your bill doesn't mention the word PSAO at all?
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:19:41
That was a, we were in the same committee meeting at the same time and there was a
Speaker 539
3:19:48
different bill. No, sir. No. Let me get to it here.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:19:52
If you'll find it, I'll be
glad to respond. I'm not sure I can. Here we go. All right. Page three, line two. Benefit manager's contract with Medicare pharmacy and pharmacist benefit shall provide a pharmacy services administrative organization, pharmacy or pharmacist, with each pharmacy claims bank ID number, pharmacy claims group, So it's mentioned there, and I believe it's mentioned again on, it's mentioned throughout your bill, actually.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:20:19
PSAOs are repeatedly mentioned in your bill. Well, there's a relationship there, yes, sir. Okay, but what is a PSAO? That's the
go-between, it's yet another go-between, and you have a bill. It's the middleman of the middleman. It's
a middleman of the middleman, yes, sir. My understanding is they're completely unregulated, and there
is no definition, but you've mentioned them numerous times throughout your bill without defining who they are or what they are. And it is not a well-understood term, as I'm coming to find out. At least that's my understanding. Would you agree?
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:20:50
I definitely agree it's not well understood. But as you know,
you have a bill that tends to regulate those, and so does Senator Boyd. And I'm kind of good with both of them, actually, but this is specifically about the PBMs themselves and not the entity that I, the services organization. understand, but what I'm reading
is that there is no, you're mentioning an organization by name that is not
defined. So who is the PBM required to give
that information to by your law if we don't define what a PSAO is in
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:21:21
the law? I believe it is defined in other parts of code,
but it is not defined in this bill. As a matter of fact, and I'm, this is not a complaint, Senator Dismang, but too often this session, I think we've seen bills that refer to something, but the actual bill doesn't have the definition that's already in code written into the bill. This isn't one of those cases, Senator. I don't know. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Any other
questions for Senator Mark Johnson? I've seen no questions.
Chair
Unverified
3:21:56
Anyone wish to speak against? Oh, I'm sorry. Senator Hickey, you're
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
3:22:05
recognized for a question. Pay 12% interest per month. Yes, sir.
We're not talking about an annual interest. We're talking about...
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:22:18
It's 12% per month. It's a penalty. It's not... I don't know if it should be called interest. It's probably just a 12% per month penalty if there was an underpayment.
In other words, if the pharmacy or pharmacist didn't get paid the proper amount then the difference that if the PBM was determined by the commissioner that they did underpay and they don't remit then they would the penalty for not remitting would be 12% per month I wouldn't call it interest senator in that case I'd call
it a 12% penalty although it does say 12% interest on line 11
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
3:23:00
yeah but it does go on and say as a penalty So, our terminology may be wrong, but I see what you're trying to do. I guess my question is, though, is it 12% of the claim or is it 12% of the underpayment? Yes, sir. So, some of those underpayments that we have that I remember were a third of a cent and everything. So, I guess it's just going to
be a cumulative total, 12% on.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:23:31
I know that's the extreme example we talked about back last year, Senator, but this is, I'm sure, a definable thing. If the commissioner says, you paid the pharmacy, but you didn't pay them the full amount that you should have, then whatever the difference is, if you don't go ahead and pay it, there'd be a 12% penalty per month. It's a disincentive to not pay them all
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
3:23:56
the time. I understand. Who's that paid to? To the pharmacy. The pharmacy itself is going to receive that one.
And is that going to be paid? And maybe this is in here. I apologize. It was kind of lengthy, and I've not studied it the way I should, so let me say that. So this, is that going to be paid to the insurance commissioner who
then is going to give it to the pharmacy, or are they going
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:24:23
to be required? I'm not sure of the procedure, Senator, but I would ultimately, if it were through the commission, they would be basically functioning as a collection agent. But I would think that since the business relationship exists
between the PBM and the pharmacy, and now the insurance company that's managing the whole thing, but the payment, the actual how it's reimbursed, and I'm pretty sure someone like Senator Boyd, who's actually dealt with this, could tell you what the mechanism is. But whatever the mechanism is, this is a penalty for not paying on what they were owed at the proper time. And if they want to drag it out, there's enough of a penalty in there that would be a disincentive for them not to pay the money that was owed.
Because this could put pharmacies in a cash flow situation
if they wanted to withhold money over a period of
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
3:25:19
time. Okay, I'm a little worried. I don't see anywhere in here no submission about the insurance department or somebody promulgating rules. I don't
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:25:29
know who would. Anyway. Yes, sir. I believe the
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
Unverified
3:25:32
insurance commission. Okay. They'll promulgate any rules on it. Thank you, Senator Johnson. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
3:25:38
Any other questions for Senator Mark Johnson?
Seeing no questions, anyone wish to speak against? Senator Dismang, you're
recognized to speak against. Members, I'm not even sure this is a good or bad bill. I'm not sure that exactly we understand what it does. I'm quite certain we probably don't since we didn't realize the word PSA or the
Pharma Services Administrative Organization was even mentioned. Even though it's mentioned six times or seven times, I was trying to count as I came up here.
And is giving authority or requirement to give PB information to these entities that are not even defined. And I know they're not defined because I'm running into repeated roadblocks about creating a definition for what a PSAO is. But let me tell you who they are. In between the PBM layer and the pharmacist, there is a middleman to the middleman. We like to call the PBM the middleman. The middleman to the middleman is the PSAO. And they're the ones that are creating the contracts that are being signed by the pharmacist with the PBMs.
And what we found out during the World 128 debate this past summer, it was a very lengthy debate, I hope that you all were able to glean some information from that and participated in that debate, that the middleman to the middleman, the PSAOs, were no longer enforcing the contracts. And what that was doing was making our pharmacies, our local pharmacies, lose money. Over and over again, I will tell you that who I want to advocate for are the people back home, our constituents, and they are lost in this PBM, pharmacy, PSAO fight over and over and over again.
For whatever reason, we want to protect PSAOs. They are unregulated, uncertified with the state of Arkansas. No one knows who their ownership is. No one knows exactly what their duties are, and they're not even defined in our code. But we're going to give them the authority to receive information from PBMs with this piece of legislation. Maybe we've given it to them in other places of the code. I have no idea. But here's what I'll tell you is happening back home if you do not know. If you have insurance and your pharmacist is paid under for that insurance, not enough to cover their
cost, they have the ability to use the HIPAA laws to circumvent your insurance so that patients can pay directly for those drugs. They're circumventing your insurance so that they can get paid enough to be able to cover their cost for those drugs. That means your people back home who have insurance aren't even being able to utilize their insurance because of the conflict between the PSAOs and the PBMs not being reconciled and not working on behalf of the pharmacist.
They're being forced to punish your constituents. This model is broken, and it is not broken in one place. It is broken in multiple places. And we've got additional legislation hopefully coming. Hopefully we can come to an agreement. But I'm not sure exactly what we're accomplishing here because, again, we're delegating a right to an entity that is not even defined, at least the best I'm told over and over again, they're not defined. With that, I'd appreciate a no vote.
Chair
Unverified
3:28:55
Anyone else wish to speak for or against? Senator Boyd, recognize,
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:29:01
speak for. Thank you, Madam President. So I'm speaking
for this bill, but I'm trying to answer some questions that have arisen as I do so. So first of all, what is a PSAO? It's a Pharmacy Service Administrative Organization. What does it do? It's not a middleman to the middleman, as it was described. It's actually an agent of the pharmacy. So the pharmacy signs a contract with the PSAO, and then the PSAO creates the original role of the PSAO.
I'm not saying it hasn't grown, but the original role was the PSAO then signs the contracts with the PBM on behalf of the pharmacy, or more importantly, a group of pharmacies. So what its original purpose was is to create an efficiency in the market where if there's 60,000 brick-and-mortar pharmacies out there, that the PBM doesn't have to sign a contract with everybody. So to my knowledge, there is not a legal definition in Arkansas code yet.
There are at least two bills that I know of that are filed, and I am confident one of the two will cross the finish line and do that. But despite that, we pass regulations all the time with words and things that don't have a legal definition. So in the world of the trade of pharmacy, it is well established what a PSAO, or Pharmacy Service Administrative Organization, is. So in regards to the 12%, What I would say is Medicaid and many other plans pay very efficiently in a weekly or biweekly manner.
So Medicaid pays every week. Medicare pays every two weeks. And most of the time in Medicaid, it is a rare circumstance when they are paying below cost. So the numbers we're talking about, NADAC, typically, but whatever that number is, is well-established, well-defined, and if a PBM really wants to do that, I'm confident they can because there are plenty of places in the market where it happens correctly and on time.
So with that said, I'm happy to try to answer any questions. Senator Dysmaying, you're
recognized for a question of Senator Boyd. But just
so we're clear, because it was different than what the sponsor said, ESAO is not defined anywhere in code as it stands today, but they are mentioned in this
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:31:43
legislation. You and I agree. To my knowledge, I know of no definition today. I personally have filed a bill that defines them.
I know you have filed a bill that defines them. I hope before we're done, we have
a legal definition, but if we don't, I'm still confident that we know what a PSAO is.
Chair
Unverified
3:32:06
So, thank you. Senator Dotson, and
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
3:32:10
then Senator Hickey. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Boyd, what—so, I'm unfamiliar with the PSAOs. I mean, this is pretty new.
PBMs, as I understand the process, the PBM was the middleman between the drug manufacturer and the pharmacist. And they're the ones
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:32:34
that kind of... The PBM is the
middleman between the insurance company and the pharmacy and the patient. It's very complex. And I drew Senator Dismang a map as best I could. I didn't share that with everybody, but I'm happy
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
3:32:50
to. So the PSAO is a layer between the pharmacist and the PBM?
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:32:56
Not legally speaking. It's legally speaking, it's an agent of the pharmacy. The pharmacy has a contract with the PSAO. If you're this PBM over here... So who owns the PSAO? Pharmacy Service Administrative Organization. So the pharmacy signs a contract with a PSAO. Then the PSAO then goes to the PBMs and signs contracts with them on behalf of a group of pharmacies so that you don't have 60,000 individual contracts out there.
It was originally created to create an efficiency in the industry. And just like PBMs were created to have an efficiency in the industry, when it comes to claims processing, they're the best. That's why we need PBMs, for claims processing, without a doubt. And there's a function of PSAOs that we need, which is this ability. But there are some challenges that need to be addressed, and step one is to register them. So
Speaker 502
3:34:00
no pharmacist has a direct contract with a PBM?
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:34:03
No, I didn't say that. You can, because that's the problem. They can't collectively negotiate. They just sign a contract on your behalf. If it's a standard contract, and they're like, these terms are reasonable in the marketplace, ideally they sign the contract on the behalf of the pharmacy. However, if they say, maybe the terms aren't good, and we don't like them, and they're not good for our group of pharmacies, then sometimes the PBM will go around the PSAO
and come directly to the pharmacy and say, you don't really need your registered agent. Let's just, you have a pharmacy in a specific location where we'd like to operate or have access to, shared access to patients, and so they bypass that. And so they're not allowed to collectively negotiate. So I want to not confuse the idea of collective bargaining with signing a contract on someone's behalf. So you're saying that
Speaker 502
3:35:02
a PSAO is not a pharmacist union?
No, it is not, and it cannot be under
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:35:10
current law. Thank you. Yes, this is the convoluted world of health care. I'll not
Chair
Unverified
3:35:16
say that. Any other questions? Senator Stubblefield, you're
Speaker 164
3:35:21
recognized for a question. I just have a short question. Senator Boyd, I've read this bill a
Senator Gary Stubblefield
Unverified
3:35:26
couple times. It seems to me like it's just a cleanup bill. well of the language
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:35:33
it's i i think that's what it's trying to do it's trying to clarify that
if you're going to have a contract a pharmacy contract in arkansas you need to follow arkansas law exactly that that's my interpretation of it
yes sir anyone else have a question for senator boyd
Chair
Unverified
3:35:54
if not anyone else wish to speak against or for senator mark johnson your recognized clothes
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
3:36:05
thank you madam president first let me say i agree with senator dismay this is a squirrelly broken system
and we we react to what certain groups and entities do i think once in and i'm probably not the only one that's done it once in committee I have referred to dealing with PBMs and some of these other entities as playing whack-a-mole. You fix one problem and they pop up with another problem. And that's what I think what Senator Stubblefield said. This is a cleanup bill. We're updating what we're saying in the law. Now, one thing I do want to do, I did actually, Senator Dismang, we
do have a definition in code it's ACA 23-92-503 says pharmacy services administrative organization means an organization that helps community pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers or third-party payers achieve administrative efficiencies including contracting and payment efficiencies and I want to I want to thank both Senator Dismang and Senator Boyd for the fact there they have bills I don't necessarily reading them think there is much competing they may be complementary and maybe a synthesis between the two might be
the best answer to this but again these are primarily enforcement improvements to our existing PBM licensure act and because of PSAOs being in the mix and I'm glad to know that we did have it defined in code that they obviously are going to be referred to somewhere in this legislation But this is a good bill. It helps bring us up to where we are in 2025 on this issue.
Something tells me this is not the last time we'll be dealing with these issues. Maybe not even this session. So I'm continuing to learn and to try to make educated choices. But I think I can safely say to my colleagues, this is a good bill and we should pass it and recognize that it is not perfect, nor are we through with dealing with this issue because our goal, of course, is to have fairness to our pharmacists and make sure that our people get the pharmaceuticals that they need to keep them healthy.
Chair
Unverified
3:38:28
So with that, I'm closed, Madam President. Thank you, Senator Johnson.
Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please
roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton,
Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbafield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator who
wishes to vote or change your vote, Senator Dismaine, no.
Speaker 198
3:39:13
Dotson, no. Hill. No. Filippo. No. Dees. Present. Davis. No. Any
Chair
Unverified
3:39:22
other senators? Please check the board. English. No. Any other senator? Seen no other.
Please cast up the ballot.
By a vote of 26 yea, 6 nay,
Speaker 139
3:39:41
1 present. Senate Bill 554 passes. Please transmit to the House. Oh, I said 564. I apologize. Senate Bill 544 passes. Please transmit to the House. And now we're going to take up
Chair
Unverified
3:39:55
three motions, and then we're going to take up the budget calendar. Senator Dismang, you're recognized for a motion on Senate
Speaker 139
3:40:02
Bill 475, I believe. I'd like to make a motion to withdraw Senate
Bill 475 for the purpose of the amendment.
Speaker 192
3:40:11
All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have
Speaker 75
3:40:17
it. Motion carries. Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 475. All
right. This amendment to add a co-sponsor and delete the accounting and auditing section
Speaker 85
3:40:24
of the bill. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it.
Chair
Unverified
3:40:34
Amendment is adopted. Senator Engrossing. Senator Engrossing. And then Senator Dismang, we'll get back to you in a moment. Senator Dodson, you are recognized for a motion.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
3:40:42
And then Senator Gilmore, I will also recognize you for a motion. Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to make a motion to suspend the rules of withdrawal of Senate Joint Resolution 13 from State
Speaker 567
3:40:58
Agencies Committee for purpose of amendment. All those in favor of the
Chair
Unverified
3:41:02
motion, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Motion carries. Amendment 1 to Senate Joint Resolution 13. Senator Dodson, you're recognized. My bill, my amendment. Appreciate your vote.
All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Senator Gilmore, you're recognized for the purposes
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:41:29
of amendment. I mean, motion. Motion to withdraw. Members, motion to withdraw Senate Bill 538 for
Speaker 567
3:41:35
purposes of amendment. All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it.
Chair
Unverified
3:41:40
Motion carries. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 538.
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
3:41:45
Senator Gilmore, you're recognized. My bill, my amendment just cleans up some language that were brought to us as just some concerns
Speaker 85
3:41:54
we need to address in the bill. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? Ayes have
Speaker 523
3:42:00
it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. And now we're going to take up the budget calendar, and then we will go back
Chair
Unverified
3:42:09
to the regular business calendar, time permitting.
Speaker 252
3:42:32
yeah got me too all right members we're going to
do each the first three bills individually just it's going to be faster to the line with there only being three so house bill 1094 by joint
Speaker 75
3:42:57
budget an act for the department of health tobacco prevention and succession programs appropriation
Chair
Unverified
3:43:04
for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Senator
Speaker 574
3:43:11
Dismayne, you're recognized. House Bill 1094.
Chair
Unverified
3:43:17
Any questions? No questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has
closed. Any objection? Roll in the vote. Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismayne, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammerleave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stepafield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Any senator wish to change his or her vote? King not voting. Any other senators? Seeing no
other, please cast up the ballot by vote 32 yea, 0 nay, 1 not voting. House Bill 1094 passes. Corresponding emergency clause is adopted. Please return to the House. House Bill 1125.
House Bill 1125, a joint budget,
an act for the Department of Finance Administration, regulatory division appropriation for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Senator Disman, you're recognized. Have to take any questions.
No questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection rolling the vote? Madam Secretary,
please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis,
Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbeville, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator which changes his or her vote? King,
Chair
Unverified
3:44:48
no other, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of
32 yea, 0 nay, 1 not voting. House Bill 1125 passes, and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted. Please return
Chair
Unverified
3:45:03
House Bill 1232, by the Joint Budget Committee, an act for the Department of the Military Appropriation for
the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Senator Dismang, you're recognized.
I happen to take any questions. House
Chair
Unverified
3:45:17
Bill 1232. Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please
roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Urban, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone,
Speaker 296
3:45:44
Stubbeville, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to
Chair
Unverified
3:45:52
not voting. Any other senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot
by vote of 32 yea, 0 nay, 1 not voting. House bill 1232 passes and the corresponding emergency clause is
adopted. Please return to the House. Senate bill 354. Senate bill 354
by Senator Dismayne, an act for the Department of Corrections Division of Correction Development and Enhancement Capital
Improvement Appropriation. Senator Dismang you're recognized. All right thank you this is
the 750 million dollar capital improvement appropriation that we have to the prison same as yesterday. Any questions for
Chair
Unverified
3:46:29
Senator Dismang? Seeing no questions anyone wish to speak against? Speak for
or speak on? Senator King, do you wish to speak on the
bill? You're recognized to speak on the bill. Thank you, Madam President.
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
3:46:46
I won't go into everything that I did yesterday,
but Senator Hester and Senator Boyd did not take my questions. Basically, I want to reiterate this point that Benton, Washington, and Sebastian County, almost one out of every four inmates' incarceration backlog from the handout from the Board of Correction that I gave you, originate from these counties. I can safely, pretty surely, that every one of your other counties make some type of sacrifice to the system of the corrections, either with jail taxes, whatever, to make our community safer.
These three counties are failing jail taxes, but yet can fund other things. And if we continue to let these counties get away, there has to be responsibility. If the crime is committed in your county, why would you take any responsibility not to reduce the crime? Once again, Senator Boyd talks about state crimes. It's us that make the laws, the soft-owned crime laws of Jeremy Hutchison, that created. As Senator Dale Bumpers one time said, you know, you go by and there's a turtle on the fence post. It didn't get there by on its own.
This crime crisis and everything that's happened has happened with votes underfunding corrections. Okay, your votes underfunding corrections for years, voting for these Jeremy Hutchison soft-owned crime bills. Next, the proposed budget's still 8%. It should be 12%. If you want to look at being physically responsible, limited government, everything, I talked about the Calico Rock expansion. We could have no-brainer expanded 525 beds up there for almost half the cost. It's still 40 to 50. You go down this route, you are costing the taxpayers 40 to 50 million more dollars.
The only people that is going to be the real winners out of this situation. Like I said, look at Utah. They can't staff their mega prison out there. It's five miles from the Salt Lake City Airport, five miles from there. These mega prisons are still mega financial disasters. The only winners are going to be the prison building companies out of state that is going to take millions of our dollars. This decision in not expanding Calico Rock and building these beds and this other decision is going to cost taxpayers 40 to 50 million more dollars that we can handle. Joe Perfieri, on the other hand, said he was part of a building process.
I've asked Senator Hester and Senator Gilmore, can they produce anybody in Arizona? There's been a lot of people, contact people in Arizona. None of them have backed up his claim that he was involved in the building process. Like I said, we can be more economical. You know what we do, 40, 50 million more dollars? We could build mental health facilities. We could build a diagnostic intake center in northwest Arkansas that can help with the things. There's a lot of things. This is physically irresponsible to build 525 beds in a mega prison that, like I said, look at Utah.
Folks, it's five miles from the Salt Lake City Airport out there. They can't staff it. We still need to be a no vote and protect the citizens in Arkansas, put public safety officers out there, actually reduce crime, rather than this far so that they're trying to
Chair
Unverified
3:49:43
pull off. Any other senator wish to speak against, for, or on the bill? Senator Boyd, you're recognized to speak
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
3:49:53
for. Thank you, Madam President. Yet again, in this chamber, we voted to create new penalties for Arkansans,
and yet here we are debating whether or not a crime that happens in Miller County should be treated differently than a crime in Sebastian County or somewhere else. At the end of the day, we, the body, create the crimes, we define the punishment. I've yet to see Senator King or any other senator file a bill to reduce crimes or to reduce the number of things we call crimes, reduce penalties, do things that would remove that.
So we all want to say we're tough on crime, but yet then we don't want to provide the space. 46% the other day of the people in the Sebastian County Jail were people who had committed crimes in the state of Arkansas. I have no idea if they were even from Sebastian County. A lot of people come over from Oklahoma. A lot of people come from Crawford County, no offense, Senator Petty, but they come from other places near there and they commit crimes. And so how is that Sebastian County's problem? What I can say is, Sebastian County, they're efficient.
We have an efficient police force. We have an efficient sheriff's agency. And I'm confident that's the same throughout the Western Corridor as in most of your counties. So, again, these are state crimes. We need a state prison. And I'd ask for a good vote. Thank you. Any other
Chair
Unverified
3:51:22
senator wish to speak against? Senator, are you asking a question?
I don't know that you only get an opportunity to speak once and that opportunity has been used.
Any other senator? Seeing no other senator, Senator Dismank,
Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized to speak. Are you speaking on, for, or against? For. Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized to speak for.
Members, I'm not up here to tell you this process has been perfect. I'm not here to place employees in that facility.
But this is simply an appropriation to fund a project that all of us know the state of Arkansas needs. At some point in time, we're going to have to fund this where we can keep
Speaker 452
3:52:40
our citizens safe. I don't disagree that 3,000-bed prisons would be okay, but I don't have a problem with one 3,000-bed project.
As long as we do what we're needing to do as a body. And I appreciate everybody's differences, but please, let's try to work together for the safety of Arkansas citizens. Any other senator wish
Chair
Unverified
3:53:15
to speak? I've seen no other. Senator Dismang. Senator Dismang has closed.
Madam Secretary, please call
the roll. We have Pears at the desk. Senator Flowers, yes. Senator Tucker, no. Senator Hammer, yes. Senator Letting, no. Boyd? Yes. Bryant?
Speaker 119
3:53:43
Yes. Caldwell? No. Clark? No. Crowell? No. Davis?
Chair
Unverified
3:53:51
Dees Dismang Dotson English Flippo Flowers, yes Gilmore Hammer, yes Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Irvin Blake Johnson Mark Johnson Aye.
King. No. Letting no. Love. Love. McKee. Aye. Murdoch. Murdoch. Payton. No. Penzo. No. Petty. Yes.
Rice. No. Scott. Scott. Stone. Aye.
Stubbeville? Sullivan? Sullivan. Tucker? No. Wallace? Any Senators who did not
vote or who wish to change your vote? Senator Love? Present. Any other Senator?
Murdoch? Present. Any other, Senator? I'm
sorry. Scott, present. Sullivan, no. Any other? Seeing no
Speaker 295
3:55:35
other, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 18 yea, 13 nay,
Chair
Unverified
3:55:41
1 not voting, 3 present. Senate Bill 354 fails.
We're going to read an item or two across the desk, and then we will go back to the agenda and sender sender Hester will your committee on joint budget to move
first that bill 359 by Senator Petty recommend do passes amended number one
Chair
Unverified
3:56:34
committee on city county local who was referred Senate bill 520 by Senator
Sullivan recommend do pass calendar Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
3:57:23
County, Local, to whom is referred to Senate Bill 520 by Senator Sullivan recommend to do pass. Calendar. Calendar. Committee on Joint Budget to whom is—well,
this is the one we just did. Okay. Those are those.
Okay. Committee on Revenue and Tax,
to whom is first, Senate Bill 408 by Senator Blake Johnson, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, to whom is first, Senate Bill 494 by Senator Bright, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, to whom is first, Senate Bill 495 by Senator Bright, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, to whom is first, Senate Bill 529 by Senator Blake Johnson, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, to whom is first, Senate Bill 530 by Senator Davis, recommended to pass.
Calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, whom is for House Bill 1072, by Representative Cooper, recommended to pass as amended number one. Calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, whom is for House Bill 1274, by Representative Warner, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee on Revenue
Speaker 296
3:58:34
and Tax, whom is for House Bill 1658, representative Raymond
Chair
Unverified
3:58:41
Calder recommended to pass. Nazarenko couldn't
Speaker 514
3:58:52
on and gross bills to him as far as House Bill 1523
Chair
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3:59:01
by by Senator Vaught and Senator Davis. Representative Vaught and Senator Davis, compare the engrossed copy of the original, find the same correctly engrossed. - Public Health. - Committee on Engrossed Bills, who moves forward to House Bill 1525 by Senator Irving,
Representative Stendhal, compare the engrossed copy of the original, find the same correctly engrossed. - Calendar. - Committee on Engrossed Bills, who moves forward to House Bill 1814 by Representative Gansaway, compare the engrossed copy of the original, find the same correctly engrossed. - Calendar. Notice of the return of Senate Bill 229 from the House as requested. File it. We've got a few more bills. Let's do it.
Okay. Senate Bill 609 by Senator Scott to provide for a minor's right to consult with his or her parent or guardian before a custodial interrogation. Senate Bill 609. Judiciary. Senate Bill 610 by Senator Dismayne to amend the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025 and declare an emergency. Senate Bill 610. Insurance and Commerce. Senate Bill 611 by Senator Dees to amend the Social Media Safety Act.
Senate Bill 611. Insurance and Commerce. Senate Bill 612 by Senator Dees to create a private right of action against a social media platform that causes harm and to impose a civil penalty on a social media platform that knowingly and willingly contributes to a minor suicide or suicide
attempt. Senate Bill 612. Judiciary. Okay, members. We're ready to get going again.
So we're going to start with Senate Bill 550, Senator Hill. Senate Bill 550 by Senator Hill to
Chair
Unverified
4:01:18
change the name of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission to the Arkansas Board of Animal Health. Senator Hill, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr.
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
4:01:28
President. Colleagues, this is just a simple bill.
All it does is change the name from the Livestock and Poultry Board or Commission to the Animal Health Board. And so this aligns it, it modernizes it, it gets it more in line with other states. This is what the secretary and his department want to do. The only other change that this affects besides that is the board make-up goes from two veterinarians to three, no more than three. And so that's the main part of it, just kind of update, modernization of their wording. With that, I'll take any questions.
Any questions for Senator Hill? Oh, yeah. Senator Payton, you recognize? Senator
Senator John Payton
Unverified
4:02:06
Hill, is this because the alpaca people felt left out in the livestock and poultry title? I've never thought of it that way, but they very
well could have. Okay, thank you. Any other questions?
Senator Clark, you're recognized. Senator Hill, do you also have
the bill to change the PBR to the PAR? We may have to. You know, maybe I've been watching too much Yellowstone, but I kind of like that old name.
Senator Dees, you're recognized? I've got a real question.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
4:02:40
Senator Hill, in all seriousness, this is agreed upon and worked with the Livestock and Poultry Commission, and they're on board. Yeah, they brought it to us. Okay, thanks, sir.
Any other questions? Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized. Senator Hill, I don't
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
4:02:58
know if there's a fiscal impact statement on this, but I was wondering if there's a forestry impact statement. How many trees are going to have to die to make the paper to reprint all this stationery?
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
4:03:10
But we're trying to help out Senator Stone's industry.
Senator Mark Johnson
Unverified
4:03:13
Okay. Well, I mean, seriously, I know we've changed a lot of names this session, and they're probably appropriate, but, you know, there is
a cost to it, even if it's, you know, nominal. There's something to that. Yeah, I could not answer that question, what the
Senator Ricky Hill
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4:03:26
cost would be on that. But I do know that on the digital side of it, they're just going to go in and change the name digitally so they don't be
printing the books anymore. Okay, all right. Thank you. Any other questions? Seeing none, would anyone like to speak
against the bill, for the bill? Seeing none, Senator Hill is closed on the bill. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.
Chair
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4:04:05
King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Bryce, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Would any member like to
vote that has not or changed their vote? Senator Clark, no. Senator Payton, no. Senator Mark Johnson, present. Anyone else? Anyone else? Senator King, not voting. Anyone else? Seeing none, Madam Secretary cast up the ballot. By
vote of 29 yays and 2 nays, the bill is passed.
Transmit to the House. Members, I'll tell you, we've got a much longer calendar tomorrow than we do today. My goal will be, I know we need to get to committees. If there's any way we can finish the Senate bills, it just helps for tomorrow. But I recognize the need to get to committees. If this starts dragging on, I'll just send this to committees. But we'll see how it goes from here. I guess that's the best communication I can have. I know we need to get to committees.
We need to, but it only gets worse from here on. So, Senate Bill 551.
Senate Bill 551 by... We're skipping. We're skipping the next three.
Chair
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4:05:23
Okay, Senate Bill 564. Senate Bill 564 by Central Flipo. To amend the definition of beer to change the allowable alcoholic content and to include malt beverages. Senator. Thank
Speaker 632
4:05:34
you, Mr. President. Members, Senate Bill
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
4:05:36
564, all it does is amend the definition of beer.
It takes it from 5% up to 10%. Currently, this is geared towards your local breweries and craft beers. I don't drink it, but I understand from Senator Gilmore that traditional beer like Miller Lite or Bud Lite is about 5% alcohol by volume. And what this bill would do would increase that up to 10%. These products are currently being sold in stores already. This would just allow convenience stores and grocery stores in wet counties to allow them the same opportunity. Are there
any questions for Senator Flippo? Seeing none, would anyone like to speak against the bill, for the bill?
Seeing none, any objection to rolling the vote? Madam Secretary, please
Chair
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4:06:16
roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Would any member like to vote that
has not or change their vote? Senator Dotson, no.
Senator Dees, no. Senator Love, no. Senator Stubblefield, no.
Anyone else? Gilmore. Anyone else? Gilmore. Senator Sullivan, no. Senator Gilmour, no. Senator Penzo, no. Senator Scott, no. Payton, present. Senator Stone, no.
Check the board, please. Please check the
board. Anyone else? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, cast up the ballot. By vote of 24 yeas and
8 nays, the bill is passed. Transmit to the House. Senate Bill 570. Senate
Chair
Unverified
4:07:36
Bill 570 by Senator Dotson to amend Arkansas law concerning the membership of the Joint Budget Committee. Senator
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
4:07:43
Dotson, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. President. Members, this bill, the membership of
Joint Budget Committee is in statute.
And so as I was looking at the current membership of the ex-officios and currently the chairs of ALC and audit, as well as the immediate past chairs, are ex-officio members of Joint Budget Committee. However, the President of the Senate, as well as the Speaker of the House, neither one of them are ex-officio automatic members or they're immediate past members. So what this bill simply does is add those two positions in each chamber, so four positions
total, to the total membership of joint budget. We're happy to
answer any questions. Are there any questions? Seeing
none, would anyone like to speak against the bill, for the bill? Seeing none, Senator Dotson is closed.
Chair
Unverified
4:08:42
Any objection to rolling the vote? Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake, Johnson, Mark, Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Would any member like to vote that has not or change their vote? Senator Davis, present. Anyone else? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, cast up the ballot. By a vote of 32
yeas, 0 nays, the bill is passed. Transmit to
Chair
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4:09:23
the House, Senate Bill 571. Senate Bill 571 by Senator Petty. To amend the law concerning municipal building and zoning regulations and to prohibit a municipality from enforcing buildings and zoning regulations on county property.
Senator Petty, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. President. Members, this is a, I hate to use the word cleanup bill, but what this bill is attempting to do is to clarify that if you are a county within the city municipality boundaries, then you are guided by your county design and building standards and obviously all the state health and other standards of building,
but you're not compelled to comply with the city building standards. And that's really essentially all this is attempting to do, to clarify. There's some, it's a matter of practice in most places that this is the practical application, But there's some confusion or at least differences of opinion in some areas, and this is going to clarify. But practically speaking, this is how most counties and cities practice.
Are there any questions for Senator Petty? Senator Love, you're recognized. Thank
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
4:10:49
you, Mr. Chair. Senator Petty, does this
Speaker 641
4:10:53
in ETJs? Is this in ETJs? Impact ETJ areas. No, this is within the municipal boundaries of the city.
So if there's a county island, a building, it could actually apply to the courthouse, which is usually within the city boundaries, but it's within the city boundaries. There is no ETJ at this point, but it does not contemplate that.
Speaker 641
4:11:18
Okay. All right. Thank you. Any other
questions? Seeing none, would anyone like to speak
against the bill, for the bill? Senator Petty, you're recognized to close. I'm closed. Senator Petty
Chair
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4:11:35
is closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary,
please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Lee, Gilmore, Hammer, Lee, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbuffield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.
Would any member like to vote that has not or change their vote? Senator Gilmore,
no. Senator Scott, no. Senator Tucker, no. Senator King, not voting. Senator Letting, no. Anyone else? Senator Love, present. Anyone
else? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please cast up the ballot. By vote of 27 yeas and 4 nays, the bill passes. Transmit to the House.
Chair
Unverified
4:12:27
Senate Bill 574 by Senator Petty to require a municipality that operates a waterworks system or sewage system to provide service to county property in certain instances. Senator Petty, you're
recognized. Thank you, Mr. President. This one, members, I would almost consider it to be a companion bill. What this is saying is if the city, I mean, if the county has a project within the city They comply with their building standards, they being the county's building standards and all of the health and safety standards that the state law requires.
And this county will be responsible for paying for the improvements, water lines, sewer lines, etc. And as long as they all comply, then the cities will be compelled to allow them to connect to the city services, their water lines, their sewer lines, and so forth. Any cost of improvements, again, are being borne by the county who's doing the building project. And with that, I'm happy to attempt to answer any questions. Are there any questions?
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
4:13:36
Senator Love, you're recognized for a question. Okay, Senator Petty. So what are we addressing with this bill? I mean, what is the practical application? What's going on where we're needing this? What type of project is going on within the municipality that the
county is doing? So if you could kind of just shed some light on that, I could try
to better understand. Sure. At this point, I'm not aware of any specific projects or anything where this would be an issue.
What we're trying to make sure of is that we don't get into a situation where a county says we're going to do our building according to our standards. The city says, well, if you're not building by our standards, then you can't connect to
our sewer or our water or whatever. And not that anybody has ever actually implemented that that I'm aware of, but
Senator Fredrick J. Love
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4:14:35
the conversations have been had around that. So if a county does not have any zoning procedures, but they want to build within the city,
just say if Placid County has no zoning procedures, it wanted to build within the city of Little Rock, but not want to use Little Rock's regulations, is that what we're saying we're doing, that they can't, then the city of Little Rock can't deny them connection to their
Speaker 641
4:15:04
sewer system? Is that what we're trying to? Sort of. It's more in the building component
side than it is the zoning side, because I don't think the zoning is really as applicable as it is the building.
And there would be... But again, there would be state fire marshal and Department of Health requirements that would have to be
complied with in building this development, or not development, but this project. Okay, all right, thank you. Any other questions? Seeing none,
Speaker 641
4:15:35
would any member like to speak against the
bill? For the bill, Senator Petty is closed on the bill. Any objection to rolling the vote?
Seeing none, Madam Secretary, roll the vote. Okay, all right,
Speaker 292
4:15:55
let's call the roll. Then someone will vote
Chair
Unverified
4:16:04
no. Boyd? Bryant? Caldwell? Clark?
Crowell? Crowell? Davis? Dees? Dismain? Dismang? Dotson? Dotson? Yes.
English? Flippo? Flippo? Flowers leave. Gilmore? Hammer leave.
Hester? Yes. Hickey? No. Hill? Hill. Irvin? Irvin. Blake Johnson? Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. King. Letting. Letting. Love. Love. McKee Murdock
Murdock Peyton Peyton Penzo Penzo Petty Yes Rice Scott
Speaker 393
4:17:14
Scott Stone Stubbafield Stubbafield No. Sullivan? Sullivan. Tucker?
Chair
Unverified
4:17:30
Wallace. Would any member like to vote that has not
or change their vote? Senator Scott, present. Senator Love, no. Senator Mark
Johnson, no. Anyone else? Senator Hill, no. Senator Blake Johnson, yes. Anyone else? Seeing none, Madam Secretary cast up
the ballot. By a vote of 13 yays and 9 nays, the bill fails. Senator Petty, you're recognized. I would like to make a
motion to expunge the vote by which SB 574 failed.
You all heard an explanation of the motion. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye.
Opposed? Say no. Motion carries. Let's see. Senate Bill 586. Senator Dotson? Senate
Chair
Unverified
4:18:33
Bill 586 by Senator Dotson to create the Protect Our Constitution Act and amending a portion of the Arkansas Constitution as authorized
by Arkansas Constitution Article 5, Section 1. Senator Dotson,
Senator Jim Dotson
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4:18:48
you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 586
does one very simple thing. It increases the threshold by which an initiated constitutional amendment has to pass at the ballot to a two-thirds majority. It is narrowly defined for just initiated constitutional amendments, not initiated acts. So initiated acts, referendum, they would still be a simple majority.
but this simply addresses that one part. The authority under Article 5, Section 1 of the Constitution for us to do that reads that the Arkansas, any measure that is, we've heard Senator Mark Johnson talk about this several times throughout the years, that we have the authority under the current Constitution to amend a measure by a two-thirds majority of both chambers.
So this is a higher threshold to pass. It takes 24, and I'm happy to answer any
questions. Any questions for Senator Dotson? Senator Keene, you're recognized. So
Senator Bryan King
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4:20:07
I couldn't be in committee. So basically it just raises the vote threshold to 67%. That's the only provision mainly.
Right. Okay. Any other questions? Seeing Senator Tucker, no other questions? Senator Tucker, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. Remember, sometimes I think we probably wonder whether the people of Arkansas would support the bills that we introduced down here. on this one, we don't have to wonder. We can know for certain. In 2021, we referred out a proposed constitutional amendment that would have raised the threshold for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to 60%. The people of Arkansas rejected that at the ballot by 59%. This actually goes even further than what we referred out in 2021 and raises it not to 60%, but to 67%. So my guess is
the people's opposition would go up even more. So if you vote for this bill, we know for certain we are contravening the will of the people of Arkansas. Beyond that, Senator Dotson is upfront about the fact that there's two standards, one for constitutional amendments referred out by the legislature, one for constitutional amendments initiated by the people of Arkansas. That's wrong to do for whatever your reason is. You know, his explanation is that we can't do that for legislatively referred amendments. But we can, under Article 5, Section 1, do that for
citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. And the reason is because Article 5, Section 1 of the Constitution was brought by a petition. So there's a question, and he referenced this, and he's right. Senator Johnson has talked about this over the years. Can the legislature amend a constitutional amendment that was brought by the people? There's an Attorney General opinion on this, in case it's not clear, attorney general opinions are not law. They are not law. Decisions by courts are law. So there's a decision from Arkansas in 1951 that's been the law in Arkansas for 74 years
that's unchallenged. I don't typically read down here, but I'm going to read this quote from that case from the Supreme Court of Arkansas in 1951. It is inconceivable that in defining constitutional amendment as a measure, the purpose was to invest the General Assembly with the power either to repeal a constitutional amendment or with the authority to amend an amendment, a power that could be exercised to such an extent that the entire meaning of a constitutional provision
achieved through amendment could be changed by legislative action. The clear intent of the initiative and referendum amendment was to give the people enlarged legislative and constitutional powers. Certainly if the purpose had been to take away fundamental security, then enjoyed or to be acquired under the amendment, the right of two-thirds of those elected to the General Assembly to treat amendments as though they had been referred to it would have been expressed in more emphatic terms. In other words, it's inconceivable under the law that we can amend
by bill a constitutional amendment referred to us by the people of Arkansas. It's illegal, it's bad policy, and it's not supported by the people of Arkansas. Anyone like to
speak for the bill, against the bill? Senator Keene, you're recognized to speak against the
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
4:23:45
bill? Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Johnson had a bill earlier about our founding fathers. Our founding fathers
created the best government in the history of literally the world in representation.
And basically, if you look at it, they knew in their wisdom in looking forward that they had to equalize a lot of things in our government to make the continuity and make things work. And one of the great things they did was we have two U.S. senators, even though Arkansas is a small state, we have two U.S. senators. Same as California, same as New York. They equalized that. And you know what else they did that was very smart about amending the U.S. Constitution, which we should follow? I am for, up in the vote threshold, for amending the Arkansas Constitution.
But it should do with the wisdom of our founding fathers and have two-thirds of our counties approve that. Why do we have the U.S. Constitution? Because they knew all these states had to matter like Arkansas. What you're going to do for us rural people, there's basically 15 counties. You're going to turn over more power to 15 counties. The 60 counties of us rural areas are going to be less important in it. Our founding fathers were far smarter. They knew to amend the U.S. Constitution that it should have two-thirds of the state. Thankfully, they made it where we were important
and didn't weight California more than us. And we should do that with this. This is bad policy to amend our Constitution without following what the wisdom of
our forefathers, founding fathers, did in requiring two-thirds of the county to go along with this. Anyone like to
speak for the bill? Seeing none, Senator Dotson, you're recognized to close. Thank
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
4:25:29
you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of points.
I'm glad Senator Tucker brought up the Edgemont case and quoted it. That, if you go back in the history just a little bit, 1920 when Amendment 7 was adopted, it actually defined what a measure was. It also defined that the measure was not just an act, but also a constitutional amendment that was initiated by the people. And it said inside that amendment that no measure shall be amended or repealed unless by a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the General Assembly.
So the plain language of the Constitution is very clear on this. However, fast forward 30-some-odd years later, a court came up with a different standard. They used the word inconceivable in there, and Senator Tucker says it's law. It is an opinion. It is an opinion, as we have known throughout time, that court opinions change from time to time. There was another opinion more recently from the Arkansas court that talked about, I think, I thought I had it written down.
Yes, it was Andrews. I forget what the other side of it was. But the Andrews case said that it had to have a standard of view established by Andrews that the plain language had to be used. Unfortunately, I don't have the exact wording in here, but the plain language of the Constitution had to be followed. Every word had weight and meaning.
And so if we're looking at the Constitution, not a court case or an opinion by a court, which one carries more weight? The actual Constitution itself that has been, or a court opinion from a single court at a point in time that has since had. So this is a high threshold to do. To Senator King's point, should we have two-thirds of the counties, you know, I think I would possibly support that.
However, that's not the bill we have in front of us. We have a, there's always going to be a debate back and forth, but I think this raises the standard for initiated constitutional amendments. So somebody can't just buy their way onto the Constitution, write their name into the Constitution, their business name in there, with a simple majority vote. it will be higher than that. Now, they can still try to do an initiated act, and if it's something that is an initiated act,
hopefully they'll go that route, and initiated acts will be much more debatable than a constitutional thing further on. So this raises the standard, and more than likely, there might be a court case that challenges it if we pass it, And the Supreme Court of the state of Arkansas will get to ultimately decide it. Appreciate a good
vote. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.
Speaker 292
4:28:52
Boyd? Yes. Bryant? Bryant? Caldwell? No. Clark?
Chair
Unverified
4:29:04
Clark? Crowell? Crowell?
Davis? Yes. Dees?
Dees? Dismang? Dotson? English? Flippo? Flowers? Leave. Gilmore? Hammer? Leave. Hester? Hickey?
Hill. Irvin. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King. Letting. Love. McKee. Murdoch. Payton, Penzo, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Rice,
Speaker 393
4:29:59
Scott, Stone, Stubbafil, Stubbafil, Sullivan, Tucker,
Wallace Would any member like to vote that has not or changed their vote? Senator Dees aye Anyone else? Anyone else? Seeing none, Madam Secretary cast up the ballot. By a vote of 13 yeas, 13 nays the bill fails Members, we're going to start the final bill of the day Senate Bill 594
Chair
Unverified
4:30:52
amend the law concerning exemptions for certificates of public convenience and necessity for new construction to supply a public service or to extend a public service Senator McKee, you're recognized Thank you,
Senator Matt McKee
Unverified
4:31:04
Mr. President Members, this is a very simple bill all it does is clarify existing statute as to who is exempt from certain certificates issued by the Public Service Commission. Happy to answer any questions.
Are there any questions for Senator McKee? Seeing none, would anyone like to speak against the bill,
for the bill? Seeing none, Senator McKee, you are closed for the
Chair
Unverified
4:31:31
bill. Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please roll
the vote. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismaine, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Leave, Gilmore, Hammer, Leave, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubbafield, Sullivan,
Tucker, Wallace. Would any member like to vote that has not or changed their vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary cast up the ballot. By a vote of 33 yeas and zero nays, the bill passes, transmit
to the House. Are there any announcements? Senator Kroll,
you're recognized. Rev. Tax will meet in the old Supreme Court room 10 minutes after adjournment. Any other announcements?
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
4:32:26
Senator Hill, you're recognized. Insurance and Commerce is meeting. We are not in the old Supreme Court room. We are actually going to be in 270. Transportation. Transportation. I've done that again. Yes,
Chair
Unverified
4:32:44
transportation. I think it's room 272. 207. Senator Irvin,
Senator Missy Irvin
Unverified
4:32:51
you're recognized? Public Health will be meeting upon the adjournment of the Transportation Committee.
We have, I think, three members that are on transportation. So approximately 30 minutes upon adjournment or upon the adjournment of Transportation Committee. - Senator
Alan Clark, you're recognized. - Judiciary Committee is meeting 15 minutes upon adjournment in our normal meeting place, Rooms 171. - Are
there any other announcements? - Madam Secretary, anything to read across the desk? -
Chair
Unverified
4:33:25
We, your Committee on Engrossed Bills to whom is referred to Senate Bill 475
by Senator Dismayne compared to the engrossed copy of the original, find
the same correctly, engrossed. - Insurance and commerce. Insurance
Chair
Unverified
4:33:37
and Commerce. We are committed on engrossed bills to whom is referred to Senate Joint Resolution 13 by Senator Dodson, compared to the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. State agencies. Committee on engrossed bills to whom is referred to Senate Bill 538 by Senator Gilmore, compared to the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. State agencies. Senate Bill 613 by Senator Penzo to create an election procedure to determine fluoridation of the public water system, Senate Bill 613.
Speaker 62
4:34:05
State agencies. Senate Bill 614 by Senator Tucker to amend the Freedom of Immigration Act of 1967 and to amend the law concerning open public meetings.
Chair
Unverified
4:34:17
Senate Bill 614. State agencies. Senate Bill 615 by Senator Penzo to amend the law concerning energy to regulate non-export facilities and to prohibit discrimination against non-export facilities. Senate Bill 615.
Insurance and Commerce. Are there any announcements at
this time? We're adjourned until 1 o'clock tomorrow, subject to clearing the desk.
Agenda
Call to Order
Roll Call
Prayer
Pledge of Allegiance
Introductions of Senate Pages
Announcements
Doctor of the Day
Items to be Read Across the Desk
HB1523 - Motion to withdrawal HB1523 from Senate Public Health for purpose of Amendment
SB426 - Motion to put SB426 on Second Reading for purpose of Amendment
RESOLUTIONS FOR THIRD READING AND ADOPTION
SR20 J. English TO COMMEND THE MAUMELLE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FALCONS BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2024 CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
SR21 J. English TO COMMEND THE MAUMELLE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FALCONS BOYS' GOLF TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2024 CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
SR42 Hill TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF CABOT AS RECIPIENT IN 2024 OF A TRENDSETTER CITY AWARD FROM ARKANSAS BUSINESS AND AN HONORABLE MENTION IN THE ARKANSAS BUSINESS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND CREATIVE CULTURE CATEGORY.
SR51 K. Hammer TO RECOGNIZE THE BENTON HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAM AS THE CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS.
SR52 K. Hammer TO RECOGNIZE THE BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL HORNETS BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAM AS THE CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONS.
SR53 M. Johnson TO HONOR TERRY KIMBROW, PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS UPCOMING MAY 2025 RETIREMENT.
SR57 Crowell TO RECOGNIZE THE MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS DANCE TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 1A-4A STATE CHAMPIONS.
SR58 Crowell TO RECOGNIZE THE ARKADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL BADGERS FOOTBALL TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONS.
HOUSE BILLS FOR THIRD READING AND PASSAGE II
HB1705 Duke Bryant TO REQUIRE INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW THE RELIGIOUS AND MORAL BELIEFS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS INFLUENCED THE FOUNDING OF THE UNITED STATES TO BE EMBEDDED INTO EXISTING SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS.
HB1716 Cavenaugh Caldwell TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF TAXES BY THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION; AND TO PROHIBIT THE ASSESSMENT OF SALES AND USE TAX IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
HB1760 Milligan Boyd TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE JURISDICTION TO CONSIDER CERTAIN PETITIONS FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF A PROPERTY ASSESSMENT.
HOUSE BILLS WITH SENATE AMENDMENTS
HB1525 #1 Steimel Caldwell TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY; AND TO ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL IMPACT REMEDIATION AGREEMENTS.
HB1814 #1 Gazaway B. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY OVER UTILITIES; AND TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF "PUBLIC UTILITY" UNDER TITLE 14, CHAPTER 200.
SENATE BILLS TO CONCUR IN HOUSE AMENDMENTS
SB293 #1 Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE REQUIRED POSTINGS AT A POLLING SITE; AND TO AMEND THE LIST CONCERNING REQUIRED POSTING OF NOTICES, INFORMATION, AND MATERIAL AT A POLLING SITE ON ELECTION DAY.
SENATE BILLS FOR THIRD READING AND PASSAGE
SB148 J. English TO ESTABLISH THE CREATING AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKERS ACT OF 2025.
SB153 J. Dotson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF TITLE 24 OF THE ARKANSAS CODE; AND TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS TO VARIOUS CITY OFFICIALS.
SB160 J. Dotson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
SB426 Hester TO CREATE THE DEFENSE AGAINST CRIMINAL ILLEGALS ACT; AND TO ESTABLISH ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO COMMIT SERIOUS FELONIES INVOLVING VIOLENCE.
SB427 J. Bryant TO AMEND PROMOTING PROSTITUTION OFFENSES; TO ENHANCE THE PENALTIES FOR PROMOTING PROSTITUTION IN THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD DEGREE; AND TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF PROMOTING PROSTITUTION AT A BUSINESS.
SB428 J. Bryant CONCERNING A CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND TO PROVIDE A STATUTE OF LIMITATION PERIOD OF TEN YEARS FOR A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SB429 J. Bryant TO EXPAND THE SEALING OF CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; TO PROVIDE THAT VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS; AND TO PROVIDE A MANDATORY NO-CONTACT ORDER IN A HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE.
SB430 J. Bryant AN ACT TO REQUIRE MANDATORY RESTITUTION TO BE AWARDED TO A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS CRIME VICTIMS REPARATIONS ACT.
SB431 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013; TO ELIMINATE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES; TO CREATE SAFE HARBORS FOR VICTIMS; AND TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PRODUCTS THAT RESEMBLE A CHILD.
SB442 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HUMAN TRAFFICKING; TO PROVIDE FOR FORFEITURE OF ASSETS USED TO CONDUCT HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF HARBORING AN ENDANGERED RUNAWAY CHILD.
SB449 Dees TO PROVIDE CIVIL IMMUNITY FOR CONFISCATION OF ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE PRODUCTS, VAPOR PRODUCTS, ELIQUID PRODUCTS, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, AND CIGARETTE PAPERS FROM A MINOR AT A SCHOOL.
SB481 Gilmore TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM OF PROPERTY INSURANCE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND STATE-OWNED PROPERTY; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB486 B. Johnson CONCERNING SAFETY AND PRIVACY IN CERTAIN ENTITIES; AND CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF MULTI-OCCUPANCY RESTROOMS, CHANGING ROOMS, AND SLEEPING QUARTERS IN CERTAIN ENTITIES BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S SEX.
Recess
Reconvene
SB489 G. Leding TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE PLACEMENT OF A MONUMENT ON THE STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS IN RECOGNITION OF THE DESEGREGATION OF THE CHARLESTON AND FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN 1954.
SB511 B. Johnson TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE IMPAIRMENT.
SB512 B. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ROBBERY AND AGGRAVATED ROBBERY.
SB513 B. Johnson TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL THEFT; AND TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF THEFT OR UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OF A MAIL RECEPTACLE KEY OR LOCK.
SB514 B. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A SKIMMER; AND TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A SKIMMER FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS.
SB519 J. Boyd TO AMEND THE STANDARD NONFORFEITURE LAW FOR LIFE INSURANCE; AND TO REGULATE THE PAYMENT OF INTEREST ON DEFERRED PAYMENT OF ANY CASH SURRENDER VALUE ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THE POLICY.
SB521 B. Davis TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING REIMBURSEMENT; AND TO EXTEND THE TIME PERIOD AFTER COMPLETION OF TRAINING FOR WHICH REIMBURSEMENT IS REQUIRED.
SB523 Irvin TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; AND TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PRIVATE CLUB BE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
SB536 D. Sullivan TO ABOLISH AND TRANSFER THE ARKANSAS STATE LIBRARY AND THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB537 Gilmore TO CREATE THE EARNING SAFE REENTRY THROUGH WORK ACT; AND TO CREATE A SENTENCE CREDIT PROGRAM FOR A PERSON ON PROBATION, PAROLE, OR POST-RELEASE SUPERVISION TO EARN TIME CREDITS THROUGH EMPLOYMENT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB539 Gilmore TO UPDATE AND CLARIFY CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE LAW REGARDING THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY CORRECTION AND THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION; TO CLARIFY REFERENCES TO COMMUNITY CORRECTION CENTERS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB544 M. Johnson TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGER LICENSURE ACT.
SB475 - Motion to withdraw SB475 for purpose of amendment
SJR13 - Motion to withdrawn SJR13 for purpose of amendment
SB538 - Motion to withdraw SB538 for purpose of amendment
SB550 Hill TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY COMMISSION TO THE ARKANSAS BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH.
SB564 Flippo TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLOWABLE ALCOHOLIC CONTENT AND TO INCLUDE MALT BEVERAGES.
SB570 J. Dotson TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE.
SB571 J. Petty TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ZONING REGULATIONS; AND TO PROHIBIT A MUNICIPALITY FROM ENFORCING BUILDINGS AND ZONING REGULATIONS ON COUNTY PROPERTY.
SB574 J. Petty TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPALITY THAT OPERATES A WATERWORKS SYSTEM OR SEWAGE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO COUNTY PROPERTY IN CERTAIN INSTANCES.
SB574 - Motion to expunge the vote by why SB574 failed
SB586 J. Dotson TO CREATE THE "PROTECT OUR CONSTITUTION ACT"; AND AMENDING A PORTION OF THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION AS AUTHORIZED BY ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 5, § 1.
SB594 M. McKee TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION TO SUPPLY A PUBLIC SERVICE OR TO EXTEND A PUBLIC SERVICE.
Budget Bills and their Emergency Clauses to be considered which have been introduced by Joint Budget Committee
HB1094 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CESSATION PROGRAMS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1125 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION - REGULATORY DIVISION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1232 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE MILITARY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.
Budget Bills and their Emergency Clauses to be considered which have been introduced by Senators
SB354 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS - DIVISION OF CORRECTION DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATION
Items to be read across the desk
Announcements
Adjourn
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
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Chair
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Senator Fredrick J. Love
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Speaker 27
Speaker 30
Senator Breanne Davis Chair
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Senator Joshua Bryant
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Chair
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Senator Kim Hammer
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Senator Clarke Tucker Chair
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Senator Bart Hester Chair
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Senator Justin Boyd
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Senator Jane English
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Senator Ricky Hill
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Senator Mark Johnson
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair
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Senator John Payton
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Senator Ronald Caldwell
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Senator Jim Dotson
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Senator Terry Rice
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Senator Missy Irvin
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Senator Tyler Dees
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Senator Ben Gilmore
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Senator Reginald Murdock
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Senator Greg Leding
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Senator Dan Sullivan
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr
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Senator Gary Stubblefield
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Senator Bryan King
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Senator Alan Clark Chair
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Speaker 632
Senator Scott Flippo
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Senator Jim Petty Chair
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Senator Matt McKee
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