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Senate Convenes

March 31, 2025 ·1:30 PM ·Senate Chamber ·4:09:07
Video Transcript

Bills discussed (118)
Bill Title Sponsor Status
SB555 Act 765 · 4 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate resolution 60 calendar, Senate Bill 555 by Senator Scott. To amend the law concerning the offensive…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF VIDEO VOYEURISM; TO EXTEND THE STATUTE OF … J. Scott Notification that SB555 is now Act 765
SB563 Act 741 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…used for an equine under the offense of cruelty to animals. Senate Bill 563. Agriculture, 564 by Central Flippo to amend the definition…”
 TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY COMMISSION TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY FOR CERTAIN … Irvin Notification that SB563 is now Act 741
SB570 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…aw concerning the membership of the Joint Budget Committee, Senate Bill 570. State agencies, 571 uh”
 TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE. J. Dotson Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB574 Act 742 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…to provide service to county property in certain instances, Senate Bill 574. City County local 575 by Senator Tucker to amend”
 TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPALITY THAT OPERATES A WATERWORKS SYSTEM OR SEWAGE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SERVICE … J. Petty Notification that SB574 is now Act 742
SB579 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 579. State agency 580 Central Hammer to extend financing for pu…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; AND TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC EMPLOYER … M. McKee Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SR53 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…lege upon the occasion of his upcoming May 2025 retirement. Senate Resolution 53 calendar symbol, Senate resolution 54 by Senator Crowell. r…”
 TO HONOR TERRY KIMBROW, PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS UPCOMING … M. Johnson Sine Die adjournment
SR54 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…May 2025 retirement. Senate Resolution 53 calendar symbol, Senate resolution 54 by Senator Crowell. recognize the Taylor High School Lady T…”
 TO RECOGNIZE THE TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL LADY TIGERS SOFTBALL TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 1A … Crowell Sine Die adjournment
SR60 · 3 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…d neglect prevention Month, Senate Resolution 59. Calendar, Senate resolution 60 by Senator Des. To recognize the grave at High School Lions…”
 TO RECOGNIZE THE GRAVETTE HIGH SCHOOL LIONS WRESTLING TEAM AS THE 2025 CLASS 4A STATE … Dees Sine Die adjournment
HB1303 Act 546 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…commender pass calendar Committee on Revenue and tax to his House Bill 1303 representative Jean recommended pass this amended number 1…”
 TO CREATE THE SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL INCENTIVE ACT; AND TO CREATE AN INCOME TAX CREDIT … Jean Notification that HB1303 is now Act 546
HB1549 Act 489 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “is Senate House Bill 1549 by Representative Scott. I recommend they pass calendar com…”
 TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS CYBERSECURITY ACT OF 2025. R. Scott Richardson Notification that HB1549 is now Act 489
HB1561 Act 473 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ator Sullivan recommend Du pass calendar me on education as House Bill 1561 by Representative Senator Hill and Representative Painter r…”
 TO ESTABLISH THE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROTECTION ACT OF 2025. Painter Notification that HB1561 is now Act 473
HB1669 Act 509 · 2 mentions in chapter
Matched: “HB1669 Bentley Clark TO CREATE THE KEEP KIDS FIRST ACT; AND TO PRO…”
 TO CREATE THE KEEP KIDS FIRST ACT; AND TO PROVIDE FOR PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION FOR … Bentley Notification that HB1669 is now Act 509
HB1691 Act 497 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…alendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax to him we referred to House Bill 1691 by Representative, uh,”
 TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN PROPERTY TO BE EXEMPT FROM TAXATION; AND TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN … Torres Notification that HB1691 is now Act 497
HB1697 Act 477 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…tive Duke, recommend who pass calendar on education was the House Bill 1697 by Senator Dodson, Representative Carr recommended pass cal…”
 TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF TITLE 6 AND TITLE 19 OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING PROVISIONAL … Joey Carr Notification that HB1697 is now Act 477
HB1716 Act 498 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…s calendar Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom he referred House Bill 1716 births and Kavanaugh recommend DuP pass calendar maybe on r…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF TAXES BY THE SECRETARY OF … Cavenaugh Notification that HB1716 is now Act 498
HB1724 Act 503 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “referred House Bill 1724 by Central English and uh Representative McKenzie recommend…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS; AND … B. McKenzie Notification that HB1724 is now Act 503
SB111 Act 395 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “session of the ninety-fifth General Assembly. Senate Bill 111, Act 395, Senate Bill 189, Act 396. Symbol 279 Act 397, Sen…”
 TO ESTABLISH THE DENTIST AND DENTAL HYGIENIST COMPACT. K. Hammer Notification that SB111 is now Act 395
SB151 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “to Senate bill 151 by Central Mark Johnson compared than roup with the”
 TO AMEND LAW CONCERNING RETIREMENT BENEFITS; AND TO PROHIBIT COLLECTION OF BENEFITS BY MEMBERS, RETIRANTS, … M. Johnson Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB397 Act 931 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…n recommend Du pass calendar Committee on Transportation to Senate Bill 397 by Senator uh Wallace recommended pass calendar Committee o…”
 TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIAL PERSONAL INFORMATION OF RAIL EMPLOYEES IN REPORTS INVOLVING RAILROAD FATALITIES. D. Wallace Notification that SB397 is now Act 931
SB410 · 2 mentions in chapter
Matched: “SB410 B. King TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMP…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE DISCLOSURE OF EMPLOYMENT … B. King Died on Senate Calendar at Sine Die adjournment.
SB424 Act 422 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 424, Act 422. Sincerely, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor. File…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY OF A MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. G. Stubblefield Notification that SB424 is now Act 422
SB498 Act 581 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…y Senator uh Wallace recommended pass calendar Committee on Senate Bill 498 by Senator Petty recommend Du pass calendar Committee on Tr…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DISCLOSURE OF DRIVER AND VEHICLE RECORDS AND TO PROTECT DRIVER … J. Petty Notification that SB498 is now Act 581
SB556 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…prohibit service discharge of wastewater into a watershed. Senate Bill 556. Public health 557 by Senator Mark Johnson. She in laws con…”
 TO PROTECT PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SOURCES; AND TO PROHIBIT SURFACE DISCHARGE OF WASTEWATER INTO A … M. Johnson Sine Die adjournment
SB559 Act 729 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…rkansas Military Child School trans transition Act of 2021, Senate Bill 559. Education sym 560 per central English to decrease the base…”
 TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSITIONS ACT OF 2021. J. English Notification that SB559 is now Act 729
SB560 Act 740 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…nd the division of Workforce Services Training trust funds, Senate Bill 560.”
 TO DECREASE THE BASE CONTRIBUTION RATE; TO INCREASE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT RATE; TO INCREASE FUNDING … J. English Notification that SB560 is now Act 740
SB561 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Bill 560. Public Health, Senate Bill 561 by Senator Mark Johnson, to allow”
 TO ALLOW FOR THE ISSUANCE OF AN ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY PREPRINTED PAPER BUYER'S TAG IN CERTAIN … M. Johnson Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB566 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Bill 564. 565. State agencies. Senate Bill 566 by Senator King, provide for funding for the expansion, imp…”
 PROVIDE FOR FUNDING FOR THE EXPANSION, IMPROVEMENT, OR CONSTRUCTION OF STATE AND COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES; … B. King Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB568 Act 1012 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 568 by Senator Crowell to amend the law”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TAXES APPLICABLE TO LITHIUM EXTRACTION AND DEVELOPMENT; TO PROVIDE … Crowell Notification that SB568 is now Act 1012
SB569 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…severance tax on lithium, Senate Bill 568. Revenue and tax. Senate Bill 569 by Senator Mark Johnson to an amendment to the Arkansas Con…”
 AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION CONCERNING BALLOT TITLES OF PROPOSED MEASURES; AND AMENDING THE … M. Johnson Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment.
SB571 Act 1002 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…he Joint Budget Committee, Senate Bill 570. State agencies. Senate Bill 571 by Senator”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ZONING REGULATIONS; AND TO PROHIBIT A MUNICIPALITY … J. Petty Notification that SB571 is now Act 1002
SB572 Act 649 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…s on county property. Senate Bill 571. City, county, local. Senate Bill 572 by Senator Dotson to create the Public School Access and Tr…”
 TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC ACCESS TO … J. Dotson Notification that SB572 is now Act 649
SB573 Act 783 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 573 by Senator Petty to amend the method of valuation”
 TO AMEND THE METHOD OF VALUATION UNDER ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 16, § 5, BY DEFINING … J. Petty Notification that SB573 is now Act 783
SB575 Act 989 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “in certain instances, Senate Bill 574. City, county, local. Senate Bill 575 by Senator Tucker to amend”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSTALLMENT FEES COLLECTED IN CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS; TO AMEND … C. Tucker Notification that SB575 is now Act 989
SB580 Act 767 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 580 by Senator Hammer to extend financing for purchases of”
 TO EXTEND FINANCING FOR PURCHASES OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT FOR A RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. K. Hammer Notification that SB580 is now Act 767
SJR24 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…rrectly engrossed. Transportation Commit on Grobust, who is Senate joint resolution 24 by Senator Mark Johnson compared the”
 AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION CONCERNING INITIATIVES, REFERENDA, AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS REFERRED TO VOTERS. M. Johnson Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SR55 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…024 Class 1A state champion Senate Resolution 54. calendar. Senate Resolution 55 by Senator Crow to recognize the Tigor High School Tigers b…”
 TO RECOGNIZE THE TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS BASEBALL TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 1A STATE … Crowell Sine Die adjournment
SR56 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “calendar, Senate resolution 56 by Senator Crowell to congratulate the students of Murfrees…”
 TO CONGRATULATE THE STUDENTS OF MURFREESBORO HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR VICTORIES IN COMPETITIVE COMPUTERIZED NUMERIC … Crowell Sine Die adjournment
SR57 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…tal, wood, and laser design. Senate Resolution 56. Calendar Senate resolution 57 by Senator Crowe to recognize the Magnolia High School Pant…”
 TO RECOGNIZE THE MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS DANCE TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 1A-4A STATE … Crowell Sine Die adjournment
SR58 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ool Badgers football team as a 2024 Class 4A state champion Senate Resolution 58 calendar Senate resolution 59 by Senator Hammer. To recogni…”
 TO RECOGNIZE THE ARKADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL BADGERS FOOTBALL TEAM AS THE 2024 CLASS 4A STATE … Crowell Sine Die adjournment
SR59 · 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…2024 Class 4A state champion Senate Resolution 58 calendar Senate resolution 59 by Senator Hammer. To recognize April as child abuse and ne…”
 TO RECOGNIZE APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION MONTH. K. Hammer Sine Die adjournment
HB1180 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1180 - Motion to extract HB1180 from Senate Education Committee…”
 TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. Bentley Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
HB1327 Act 451 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1327 Warren Penzo TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ELIGIBILITY OF…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN RETIRED EMPLOYEES UNDER THE STATE AND … Warren Notification that HB1327 is now Act 451
HB1382 Act 481 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1382 Ladyman Wallace TO REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING BY THE DESIGNA…”
 TO REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING BY THE DESIGNATED PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY AGENCY FOR THE STATE AND … Ladyman Notification that HB1382 is now Act 481
HB1444 Act 548 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1444 Pilkington Dismang TO AMEND THE SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION…”
 TO AMEND THE SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR DATA CENTERS. Pilkington Notification that HB1444 is now Act 548
HB15 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…commend due pass calendarit on Transportation to humans for House Bill 15 1654 by Tosh recommend Duac calendar. Senate Resolution”
 Pre-2017 bill
HB1509 Act 452 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1509 Beaty Jr. Gilmore TO CREATE THE SECOND AMENDMENT FINANCIAL…”
 TO CREATE THE SECOND AMENDMENT FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT; AND TO PROHIBIT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FROM USING … Beaty Jr. Notification that HB1509 is now Act 452
HB1555 Act 995 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1555 #1 Painter Hester TO ESTABLISH UNIFORM PROCEDURES FOR FILLI…”
 TO ESTABLISH UNIFORM PROCEDURES FOR FILLING A VACANCY IN A MUNICIPAL OFFICE. Painter Notification that HB1555 is now Act 995
HB1557 Act 480 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ass. Calendar. Committee on Transportation, who is deferred House Bill 1557 by Representative Scott, recommended”
 TO AMEND THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS CONCERNING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. R. Scott Richardson Notification that HB1557 is now Act 480
HB1574 Act 453 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1574 Vaught Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PAID CANVASSERS;…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PAID CANVASSERS; AND TO REQUIRE DOMICILE IN ARKANSAS. Vaught Notification that HB1574 is now Act 453
HB1590 Act 454 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1590 J. Moore Caldwell TO COMBINE THE OFFICES OF TREASURER AND T…”
 TO COMBINE THE OFFICES OF TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR IN WOODRUFF COUNTY. J. Moore Notification that HB1590 is now Act 454
HB1591 Act 455 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1591 J. Moore Caldwell TO COMBINE THE OFFICES OF TREASURER AND T…”
 TO COMBINE THE OFFICES OF TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR IN ARKANSAS COUNTY. J. Moore Notification that HB1591 is now Act 455
HB1598 Act 474 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…nd do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, who was fired House Bill 1598 by Senator English and Representative Brooks recommended to…”
 TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS; … Brooks Notification that HB1598 is now Act 474
HB1637 Act 457 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1637 Ray M. Johnson CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION…”
 CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION OF FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE FISCAL IMPACT OF STATEWIDE … Ray Notification that HB1637 is now Act 457
HB1640 Act 476 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Calendar. Committee on Education, who was fired House Bill 1640 by Senator Sullivan and Representative Duke recommended to…”
 TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "ADMINISTRATOR" AS IT RELATES TO ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND PROHIBITIONS; AND … Duke Notification that HB1640 is now Act 476
HB1654 Act 490 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ass. Calendar. Committee on Transportation, who is deferred House Bill 1654 by Representative Tosh, recommended”
 TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF A SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE FOR THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF THE … Tosh Notification that HB1654 is now Act 490
HB1693 Act 458 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1693 Hawk Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DAMAGED OR DEFECTIV…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE BALLOTS; AND TO ALLOW THE STATE BOARD … Hawk Notification that HB1693 is now Act 458
HB1705 Act 478 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ed to pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, who was fired House Bill 1705 by Senator Bryant and Representative Duke recommended to pa…”
 TO REQUIRE INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW THE RELIGIOUS AND MORAL BELIEFS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS INFLUENCED … Duke Notification that HB1705 is now Act 478
HB1717 Act 952 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “on Engrossed Bills, whom has voted House Bill 1717 by Senator Boyd and Representative Graham,”
 TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN AND TEENS' ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT. Gramlich Notification that HB1717 is now Act 952
HB1760 Act 486 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…endar. Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom was referred to House Bill 1760 by Representative Milligan recommend due pass. Calendar. Co…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE JURISDICTION TO CONSIDER CERTAIN PETITIONS FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF … Milligan Notification that HB1760 is now Act 486
SB106 Act 898 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB106 #3 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATION F…”
 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. Joint Budget Committee Notification that SB106 is now Act 898
SB117 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB117 #4 C. Penzo Penzo TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRAC…”
 TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR LICENSURE OF NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN … C. Penzo Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB120 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB120 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR ALL PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES…”
 TO REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR ALL PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES IN THIS STATE; AND TO ENSURE CONSUMER … C. Penzo Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB123 Act 553 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB123 G. Leding TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COVERAGE FOR MAMMOGRA…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COVERAGE FOR MAMMOGRAMS AND BREAST ULTRASOUNDS. G. Leding Notification that SB123 is now Act 553
SB130 Act 534 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB130 #1 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATION F…”
 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. Joint Budget Committee Notification that SB130 is now Act 534
SB157 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…gross retirement Committee on aroth bills to whom we spoke Senate bill 157 by the copy”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING BENEFITS UNDER THE STATE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. J. Dotson Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB189 Act 396 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 189, Act 396, Senate Bill 279, Act 397, Senate Bill 135, Act 39…”
 TO AUTHORIZE IVERMECTIN FOR HUMAN USE TO BE SOLD WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION OR CONSULTATION WITH … A. Clark Notification that SB189 is now Act 396
SB238 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB238 J. Payton TO AMEND THE USED TIRE RECYCLING ANDACCOUNTABILIT…”
 TO AMEND THE USED TIRE RECYCLING AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. J. Payton Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB290 Act 921 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB290 #1 TO PROHIBIT A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN W…”
 TO PROHIBIT A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN WATERSHEDS AND OTHER BODIES OF … B. Johnson Notification that SB290 is now Act 921
SB299 Act 403 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “committee on enrolled bills to misferred the following? Senate Bill 299 by Senator Hammer. Senate Bill 353 by Senator Hester. Senat…”
 TO REQUIRE A STAFF MEMBER TO WITNESS AN ADMINISTRATOR ASSISTING A RESIDENT OF A LONG-TERM … K. Hammer Notification that SB299 is now Act 403
SB325 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB325 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989; TO AM…”
 TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989; TO AMEND THE CHILD MALTREATMENT ACT; TO … A. Clark Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment.
SB326 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB326 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989 AND TH…”
 TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989 AND THE CHILD MALTREATMENT ACT; TO MODIFY … A. Clark Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment.
SB331 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB331 G. Leding CONCERNING COVERAGE FOR GENETIC TESTING FOR INHER…”
 CONCERNING COVERAGE FOR GENETIC TESTING FOR INHERITED CANCER MUTATIONS; AND TO CREATE THE GENETIC TESTING … G. Leding Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB348 Act 567 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB348 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE ANNUAL CAP FOR DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY…”
 TO AMEND THE ANNUAL CAP FOR DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY SERVICES WITHIN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM; AND … C. Penzo Notification that SB348 is now Act 567
SB353 Act 405 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…misferred the following? Senate Bill 299 by Senator Hammer. Senate Bill 353 by Senator Hester. Senate Bill 409 by Senator Blake Johnson…”
 TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE DATES FOR ELECTIONS; TO AMEND THE DATES OF PRIMARY … Hester Notification that SB353 is now Act 405
SB371 Act 653 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB371 J. Scott TO ESTABLISH A STANDARDIZED SYSTEM TO AID IN THE S…”
 TO ESTABLISH A STANDARDIZED SYSTEM TO AID IN THE SEARCH OF MISSING CHILDREN WHO DO … J. Scott Notification that SB371 is now Act 653
SB392 Act 499 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB392 #1 TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE CLASSIFICATION AND…”
 TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES; AND TO DECLARE … B. Davis Notification that SB392 is now Act 499
SB409 Act 406 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…l 299 by Senator Hammer. Senate Bill 353 by Senator Hester. Senate Bill 409 by Senator Blake Johnson, Senate Bill 424 by Senator Stubbe…”
 TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS BY FINANCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS; AND TO ESTABLISH THE FARMER … B. Johnson Notification that SB409 is now Act 406
SB412 Act 614 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ndar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, to whom was referred to Senate Bill 412 by Senator Boyd, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee o…”
 TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO SET THE PER-MILE AMOUNT FOR THE … J. Boyd Notification that SB412 is now Act 614
SB413 Act 401 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 413 Act 401, Senate Bill 417 Act. 2, 299 Act 403. Senate Bill 3…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AND TO AMEND THE … K. Hammer Notification that SB413 is now Act 401
SB425 Act 722 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Judiciary. For your Committee on Education, to whom is for Senate Bill 425 by Senator English, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee…”
 TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION; AND TO DECLARE AN … J. English Notification that SB425 is now Act 722
SB440 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB440 #1 D. Wallace Wallace TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE … D. Wallace Sine Die adjournment
SB448 Act 579 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB448 #1 J. Petty Petty TO AUTHORIZE THE FINANCING OF ENERGY EFFI…”
 TO AUTHORIZE THE FINANCING OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDING RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, AND … J. Petty Notification that SB448 is now Act 579
SB450 Act 915 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…due pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, to whom is for Senate Bill 450 by Senator Davis, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee o…”
 TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE A HUMAN FETAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION … B. Davis Notification that SB450 is now Act 915
SB459 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB459 G. Leding TO AMEND THE MINIMUM AGE NECESSARY TO ADJUDICATE…”
 TO AMEND THE MINIMUM AGE NECESSARY TO ADJUDICATE A JUVENILE DELINQUENT. G. Leding Died in House at Sine Die adjournment.
SB463 Act 580 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB463 M. McKee TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION…”
 TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO APPROVE OR DENY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS CONCERNING CLOSING … M. McKee Notification that SB463 is now Act 580
SB464 Act 698 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB464 #1 A. Clark Clark TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING SALES OF RAW…”
 TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING SALES OF RAW MILK; TO ALLOW SALES OF RAW MILK … A. Clark Notification that SB464 is now Act 698
SB467 Act 645 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…due pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, to whom is for Senate Bill 467 by Senator Penzo, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee o…”
 TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF "HEALTHCARE PROVIDER" REGARDING STUDENT ATHLETE CONCUSSION EDUCATION TO INCLUDE CHIROPRACTORS … C. Penzo Notification that SB467 is now Act 645
SB469 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB469 #1 C. Penzo Penzo TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COUNTY CAMPAI…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COUNTY CAMPAIGN POLITICAL PARTY COMMITTEES; AND TO AMEND PORTIONS OF … C. Penzo Died on Senate Calendar at Sine Die adjournment.
SB470 Act 646 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…due pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, to whom is for Senate Bill 470 by Senator Dotson, recommend due pass. Calendar. Committee…”
 TO REQUIRE AN ADULT APPROVED TO OVERSEE THE ADMINISTRATION OF A STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT TO … J. Dotson Notification that SB470 is now Act 646
SB471 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB471 A. Clark TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CANDIDATES FOR NONPART…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CANDIDATES FOR NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS; AND TO ALLOW CERTAIN CANDIDATES FOR … A. Clark Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB473 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB473 Stone TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION S…”
 TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BOARD; AND TO PROVIDE FOR … Stone Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB479 Act 593 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB479 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VOTER ASSISTANCE; AND…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VOTER ASSISTANCE; AND TO REQUIRE A PERSON ASSISTING A VOTER … K. Hammer Notification that SB479 is now Act 593
SB480 Act 739 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB480 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE INVESTMENT OF STA…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE INVESTMENT OF STATE FUNDS. K. Hammer Notification that SB480 is now Act 739
SB483 Act 957 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB483 #1 Irvin B. Johnson TO REPEAL CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENT…”
 TO REPEAL CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE SECURITIES DEPARTMENT; … Irvin Notification that SB483 is now Act 957
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
SB491 Act 956 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB491 K. Hammer TO REQUIRE A VENDOR THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE OFFIC…”
 TO REQUIRE A VENDOR THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS DIVISION TO SUBMIT DATA FOR … K. Hammer Notification that SB491 is now Act 956
SB5 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…s and recommend do past calendar on education who was first Senate Bill 5:15 by Senator Petty recommend due pass calendar Committee o…”
 TO ADD THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG HARM OR HOMICIDE. B. King Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB504 Act 727 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…ndar. Committee on Revenue and Tax, to whom was referred to Senate Bill 504 by Senator Curl, recommended to pass. Calendar. Committee o…”
 TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM ACT. Irvin Notification that SB504 is now Act 727
SB505 Act 595 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB505 #1 J. Bryant Bryant TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL P…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL PLANNING; AND TO REQUIRE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR CHANGES … J. Bryant Notification that SB505 is now Act 595
SB510 Act 594 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB510 J. Boyd TO ALLOW FOR THE CROSS DEPUTIZATION OF MUNICIPAL, C…”
 TO ALLOW FOR THE CROSS DEPUTIZATION OF MUNICIPAL, COUNTY, STATE, AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ON … J. Boyd Notification that SB510 is now Act 594
SB515 Act 647 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…due pass. Calendar. Committee on Education, to whom is for Senate Bill 515 by Senator Petty, recommend due pass.”
 TO REQUIRE THAT A UNIT DEDICATED TO ARKANSAS VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES BE INCLUDED WITHIN … J. Petty Notification that SB515 is now Act 647
SB522 Act 648 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Calendar. Committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 522 by Senator McKee, recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee on…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR MATHEMATICS, SCIENCES, AND THE ARTS; AND … M. McKee Notification that SB522 is now Act 648
SB540 Act 702 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…. Agriculture. Committee on Engrossed Bills, whom has voted Senate Bill 540 by Senator Mark Johnson, compared to Engrossed Copy with th…”
 TO LIMIT THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IMPOSITION OF RESTRICTIONS ON … M. Johnson Notification that SB540 is now Act 702
SB545 Act 564 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…mmend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 545 by Senator Mark Johnson, recommend do pass. Calendar. Commi…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW RELATED TO THE PROPERTY AND FINANCES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER … M. Johnson Notification that SB545 is now Act 564
SB547 Act 728 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…mmend do pass. Calendar. Committee on Education who was for Senate Bill 547 by Senator Sullivan, recommend do pass. Calendar. Committee…”
 TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A HOMESCHOOLED STUDENT LIVE WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF A … D. Sullivan Notification that SB547 is now Act 728
SB557 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…astewater into a watershed. Senate Bill 556. Public Health. Senate Bill 557 by Senator Mark Johnson. to amend laws concerning water per…”
 TO AMENDS LAW CONCERNING WATER PERMITS AND DISCHARGE OF WASTEWATER; TO AUTHORIZE DENIALS OF APPLICANTS … M. Johnson Sine Die adjournment
SB558 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Public Health. Senate Bill 558 by Senator Crowell to require the electronic filing of cert…”
 TO REQUIRE THE ELECTRONIC FILING OF CERTAIN CORPORATE INCOME TAX RETURNS. Crowell Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB562 Act 704 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB562 - Motion to withdraw SB562 from Senate State Agencies Commi…”
 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE OFFICE OF INTERNAL AUDIT; AND TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT … Hill Notification that SB562 is now Act 704
SB565 Act 936 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “fees. Senate Bill 565. State agencies 566 by Senator King provide for funding for…”
 TO ALLOW PROCUREMENT CERTIFICATIONS TO BE COMBINED; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE REPRESENTATION IN … Flippo Notification that SB565 is now Act 936
SB567 Act 719 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…method for sourcing of receipts for services in intangible Senate Bill 567. Revenue and tax.”
 TO AMEND AND MODERNIZE THE LAW CONCERNING THE APPORTIONMENT OF INCOME DERIVED FROM MULTISTATE OPERATIONS; … Crowell Notification that SB567 is now Act 719
SB576 Act 623 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Senate Bill 576 by Senator Davis to amend the coverage of continuous glucos…”
 TO AMEND THE COVERAGE OF CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORS WITHIN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM. B. Davis Notification that SB576 is now Act 623
SB581 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…Protection District, Senate Bill 580. City, County, Local. Senate Bill 581 by Senator King to create the Poultry Integrators' Deceptiv…”
 TO CREATE THE POULTRY INTEGRATORS DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES AND TAXPAYER PROTECTION ACT. B. King Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB582 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…es and Taxpayer Protection Act, Senate Bill 581. Judiciary. Senate Bill 582 by Senator King”
 TO ESTABLISH THE STATE ACTION POULTRY FLOCK DEPOPULATION GRANT PROGRAM. B. King Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
SB9 Act 622 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB9 B. Davis TO CREATE THE MAKE ARKANSAS HEALTHY AGAIN ACT; AND…”
 TO CREATE THE MAKE ARKANSAS HEALTHY AGAIN ACT; AND TO PROHIBIT MANUFACTURING, SELLING, DELIVERING, DISTRIBUTING, … B. Davis Notification that SB9 is now Act 622
SB92 Act 777 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB92 #2 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED S…”
 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL … Joint Budget Committee Notification that SB92 is now Act 777
SB93 Act 1010 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB93 #2 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR…”
 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. Joint Budget Committee Notification that SB93 is now Act 1010
SCR6 · 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SCR6 TO RECOGNIZE THE NORTH LITTLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL CHARGING WIL…”
 TO RECOGNIZE THE NORTH LITTLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL CHARGING WILDCATS VARSITY CHEER TEAM FOR WINNING … J. Scott Approved by the Governor.
SR557 · 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…l Panthers dance team as the 2024 class 1A4A state champion Senate resolution 557 calendar, Senate”
 Pre-2017 bill

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October 2, 2026
Chair Unverified 4:04
Senate will be called to order any requests for leave at this time,
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 4:11
Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President.
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Chair Unverified 4:15
I'd like to ask leave for Senator Irvin. Thank
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Speaker 15 4:21
you, Senator Johnson, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Boen, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 4:25
Crowell, Davis, Des, dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irving Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love, McKee Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice Scott Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in
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Chair Unverified 4:45
the chamber and in the galleries would please rise, uh, First will be led in prayer by an individual who will be introduced by Senator Mark Johnson and then following that, we will also, I believe, be led by the Pledge of Allegiance by someone introduced by Senator Mark Johnson. Senator Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Good
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 5:06
afternoon, senators. It's my honor today to introduce some constituents who are going to help us lead in prayer first. I want to introduce uh Danica Smith, who is the director of the Willow Roots Learning Center in Conway. It's a very innovative school and two of her students are here, uh, Harper Fortner is going to be the helper, but our prayer today will be led by Ms. Anna Roberts and she would then lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Anna, if you want to both of you come up. Can everybody bow their heads, please. Lord, I pray that you will lead all these hardworking people here to make the right decisions and you will lead this country, this state, and this city, and that we will all make the right decisions and we will come into unity like we were always
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Speaker 24 6:01
supposed to be. Amen. I 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
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Chair Unverified 6:18
you, young ladies. What a pleasure it is to have you in the Senate today. You did a wonderful job and you're always welcome. Ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas State Senate. It is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today's proceedings 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 like to recognize Senator Boyd, who will introduce our
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Senator Justin Boyd Unverified 6:51
Senate pages for the day. Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, I would like to recognize our Senate pages joining us today. When I call your name, uh, please come to the front to be recognized. Zoe Gunner, Vilonia High School, when a center to Dima's constituents. Um, myon Carter, Central High School, Helena, West Helena, Senator Murdoch. Kylo ship, Central High School, Helena, West Helena, Senator Murdoch. Shelby Brittain, Forest City High School, Helena, West Helena, Senator Murdoch. Zean Zein Beck Lee High School, Helena, West Helena, Senator Murdoch. Gabriella Edwards, Central High School, Helena, West Helena, Senator Murdoch. Anna Rose Grizzle, and yes, Anna Rose when you hear this, Brooklyn Technical High School from Brooklyn, New York. So yes, she really is uh from school in New York, but she's one of Senator Tucker's constituents. Tyson Clemens, Central High School, Helena, West Helena, Senator Murdoch. Please help me welcome them. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Senator Boyd, and
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Chair Unverified 8:15
we are so glad to have our pages here with us today. And Senator Murdoch, I was looking through the agenda to see if you had a big item we were voting on today to have all this backup, but we're glad to have the pages here with us today. Any other announcements or introductions
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 8:36
and history are recognized. And members I've brought this up to us a few times, uh, I'm making a motion here. I moved to suspend the Senate intervening day rule for the remainder of the regular session for the ninety-fifth General Assembly.
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Chair Unverified 8:52
All those in favor of Senator Hester's motion, please signify by saying aye. And he opposed. I have it, motion carries. Senator Hester, you're
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 9:03
recognized for another motion, OK, members also, we have a portion of our calendar where Senate bills with Senate amendments where the majority of members come down and say my bill, my amendment. Um, so these are bills that were amended in committee. When they come out, do pass. So here's my motion. Those bills that come out of committee as amended with a, with an amendment from the bill sponsor that we're just going to have those on the early morning 8 a.m. calendar. Right? So if someone still objects, you can come to the 8 a.m. morning counter and object, but this is where we just spend 10 minutes a day saying my bill, my amendment, but these are substantive amendments that were made in committee by the sponsor. So if it's not by the sponsor, it will still be on our normal uh afternoon calendar. Does that make sense? So here, here's go with this motion. I move that for the remainder of the regular session of the ninety-fifth General Assembly bills coming out of committee do pass as amended. With the lead sponsor being the sponsor of the amendment should be placed on the next morning's 8:00 a.m. calendar, rather than coming to the Senate floor. All those in favor
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Chair Unverified 10:08
of the motion by Senator Hester, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? I have it, motion carries. Any other announcements or introductions. Seeing no other Madam Secretary, are there
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 10:29
items at the desk? Yes. Dear Mr. President, pretend this is to inform you that on March 25, 2025, I reviewed and proved the following measures of regular session of the ninety-fifth General Assembly. Senate Bill 111, Act 395, Senate Bill 189, Act 396. Symbol 279 Act 397, Senate Bill 135 Act 399. Senate Bill 223 Act 400, Senate Bill 413 Act 401, Senate Bill 417 Act. 2, 299 Act 403. Senate Bill 339 Act 404, Senate Bill 353 Act 405 symbol 409 Act 406, y 3:45 Act 421, Sinville 424 Act 422. Sincerely, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor, it. Were your committee on rolls to referred the following Symbol 299 by Senator Hammer, about 253, 353 by Central Hester, 409 by Senator Blake Johnson sent before 24 by Centra Stubberville where the engross copy of the original and find the same correctly uh and compared the enrolled copies with the original and I'm correctly enrolled in it 904 delivered to the governor for her approval.il it. For
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Speaker 54 11:49
your Committee on gross bills who was referred
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 11:53
to Senate bill 151 by Central Mark Johnson compared than roup with the regional plan I correctly engrossed retirement Committee on Investments, who is firstymbol 153 by Centra Dotson compared to engross coffee with the original I'm correctly and gross retirement Committee on aroth bills to whom we spoke Senate bill 157 by the copy
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Speaker 61 12:12
of the original plan I correctly engrossed retirement
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Speaker 54 12:15
gross his 1st 160 by Senator Dodson compared to the grossop. with Rachel and I'm correctly engrossed retirement
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 12:21
Committee on Grossils, who was first sent 400 by Central Irving compared the copy ritual and find the
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Speaker 54 12:29
same correctly engrossed. Agriculture Committee on first simple 540 by sent Mark Johnson prepared the grossed copy with the original and I correctly engrossed. Transportation Commit on Grobust, who is Senate joint resolution 24 by Senator Mark Johnson compared the
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Speaker 61 12:44
grossed copy of the ritual and
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Speaker 54 12:47
find the same correctly engrossed. State agencies
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 12:50
to House Bill. 1717 by Senator Boyd and Representative Graham and gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed judiciary, where your committee on Education to whom his 1st 425 by central English recommend DuP pass calendar Committee on Education. It was first sent 450 by Senator Davis uh recommended pass calendar on education team was first sent 467 by Senator Pen I recommend Du pass calendar Committee on Education who was first sent before 70 by. for dots and recommend do past calendar on education who was first Senate Bill 5:15 by Senator Petty recommend due pass calendar Committee on Education and was first Sent Bill 522 by Senator McKee recommend DuP pass calendar Committee on Education who was first sent 545 by Senator Mark Johnson recommended pass calendar Committee on Education who was first sent 547 by Senator Sullivan recommend Du pass calendar me on education as House Bill 1561 by Representative Senator Hill and Representative Painter recommend Du pass calendar on education was for house 1598 by uh Central English and Representative Brooks were coming to pass calendar free on education was for house for 1640 by Senator Sullivan, Representative Duke, recommend who pass calendar on education was the House Bill 1697 by Senator Dodson, Representative Carr recommended pass calendar me on education and was far. 1705 by Senator Bryant and Representative Duke recommend Du pass calendar. on education to whom was referred House Bill 1724 by Central English and uh Representative McKenzie recommended be passed as amended number one calendar on revenue and tax was first sent before 12 by Senator Boy recommended pass calendar Committee on Revenue and Tax him as first symbol 504 by Central Coral recommender pass calendar Committee on Revenue and tax to his House Bill 1303 representative Jean recommended pass this amended number 1 calendar. Committee on Revenue and Tax to him we referred to House Bill 1691 by Representative, uh, Torres recommend DuP pass calendar Committee on Revenue and Tax to whom he referred House Bill 1716 births and Kavanaugh recommend DuP pass calendar maybe on revenue tax from his house was 1760 by Representative Milligan recommend Du pass calendar Committee on Transportation to Senate Bill 397 by Senator uh Wallace recommended pass calendar Committee on Senate Bill 498 by Senator Petty recommend Du pass calendar Committee on Transportation who is Senate House Bill 1549 by Representative Scott. I recommend they pass calendar committee on transportation was for house for 1557 by uh Representative Scott recommend due pass calendarit on Transportation to humans for House Bill 15 1654 by Tosh recommend Duac calendar. Senate Resolution 53 by Senator Mark Johnson to honor Terry Kimbrough, president of the Central Arkansas, uh, Baptist College upon the occasion of his upcoming May 2025 retirement. Senate Resolution 53 calendar symbol, Senate resolution 54 by Senator Crowell. recognize the Taylor High School Lady Tiger softball team as the 2024 Class 1A state champion Senate Resolution 54. calendar. Senate Resolution 55 by Senator Crow to recognize the Tigor High School Tigers baseball team as the 2024 Class 1A state champions Senate resolution 55. calendar, Senate resolution 56 by Senator Crowell to congratulate the students of Murfreesboro High School for their victories in competitive computerized number numeric control metal, wood, and laser design. Senate Resolution 56. Calendar Senate resolution 57 by Senator Crowe to recognize the Magnolia High School Panthers dance team as the 2024 class 1A4A state champion Senate resolution 557 calendar, Senate resolution 58 by Senator Crowell to recognize the Arkadelphia High School Badgers football team as a 2024 Class 4A state champion Senate Resolution 58 calendar Senate resolution 59 by Senator Hammer. To recognize April as child abuse and neglect prevention Month, Senate Resolution 59. Calendar, Senate resolution 60 by Senator Des. To recognize the grave at High School Lions wrestling team as a 2025 Class 4A state champions Senate resolution 60 calendar, Senate Bill 555 by Senator Scott. To amend the law concerning the offensive video forgerism to extend the statute of limitations for the offense and to make an order of protection available to a victim, a video, uh,
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Speaker 73 18:02
boy. Wars. Anyway, Senate Bill 555. Judiciary,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 18:06
556 by Senator Mark Johnson to protect public drinking water sources and perhaps are prohibit service discharge of wastewater into a watershed. Senate Bill 556. Public health 557 by Senator Mark Johnson. She in laws concerning water permits and discharge of wastewater authorized denials of applications that have a history of noncompliance and to prohibit certain discharge of waste. Water 557. Public health 558 by Senator Crowell to require the electronic filing of certain corporate income tax returns 558 revenue and tax by central English to amend the Arkansas Military Child School trans transition Act of 2021, Senate Bill 559. Education sym 560 per central English to decrease the base contribution rate to increase the administrative assessment rate to increase funding for the skilled workforce in this state and to amend the division of Workforce Services Training trust funds, Senate Bill 560. Public health, about 561 by Senator Mark Johnson to allow for the issuance of an additional temporary preprinted paper buyer tag in certain circumstances and to create a penalty for the use of an expired temporary preprinted paper buyer's tax and it will 561 Transportation symbol 562 by Senator Hill to amend the law concerning Office of Paternal Audit and to repeal the requirement for an annual project review and efficiency study of the Arkansas Department of Transport. 562. State agencies 563 by Senator Irving to authorize the Arkansas livestock and Poultry Commission to impose a civil penalty for certain actions against an equine and to allow a body conditioned sewer to be used for an equine under the offense of cruelty to animals. Senate Bill 563. Agriculture, 564 by Central Flippo to amend the definition of beer to change the allowable alcoholic content and to include malt beverages, simple 564. City County local 565 of Central Flippo to allow procurement certifications to be incorporated into a single combined written certification and to set a threshold for the requirement that a state contract include a representative concerning prohibited contingent fees. Senate Bill 565. State agencies 566 by Senator King provide for funding for the expansion improvement or construction of state and county correctional facilities and to address prison overcrowding, central 566. Judiciary, 7567 by Centra Crowell to amend a modernize the law concerning the apportionment of income derived from multi state operations and to change the method for sourcing of receipts for services and intangible 567. Revenue and tax by Crowe to amend the law concerning taxes applicable to lithium extraction and development to provide a sales and use tax exemption exemption for lithium resource development and to amend the law concerning severance tax on lithium, send it by 568. Revenue and tax Mark Johnson to Revenue and tax Mark Johnson, an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution concerning ballot titles of proposed measures and amending the Arkansas Constitution under the authority of Arkansas Consultation Article 5, Section 1 569. State agencies 570 by Senator Dotson to amend Arkansas law concerning the membership of the Joint Budget Committee, Senate Bill 570. State agencies, 571 uh Senator Petty to amend the law concerning municipal building and zoning regulations and to prohibit municipal municipalities from enforcing building and zoning regulations on county property, 571. City County. 72 by central Dotson to create the public school access and Transparency Act and to require public access to learning materials 572573 by Senator Petty to amend the method of evaluation under Arkansas Constitution Article 16, Section 5 by defining the terms used in the established methods of valuation for purposes of property taxes 573. Revenue and tax by Senator Petty to require a municipality that operates a waterworks system or sewage system to provide service to county property in certain instances, Senate Bill 574. City County local 575 by Senator Tucker to amend the law concerning installment fees collected in circuit and district courts and to create the justice system fee tax force Central 575 judiciary76 by Senator Davis to amend the coverage of continuous glucose monitors within the Arkansas Medicaid program, 7576 public health 7577 by Central Petty to amend the law concerning local sales and use taxes and require the Department of Finance Administration to notify local governments concerning sales and use taxes that are set to expire 577. Revenue and tax lifies 78 by Senator Hester to amend the law concerning early voting and to allow a county board of election commissioners to close certain early voting locations during inclement weather. 578. State agencies by McKee to amend the law concerning public officers and employees and to prohibit a public employer from deducting labor organization membership dues from the compensation of a public employee Senate Bill 579. State agency 580 Central Hammer to extend financing for purchases of vehicles and equipment for a rural fire protection districts 580. City County local 581 by Senator King to create the poultry integrators are deceptive trade practices and taxpayer protection Act 581. Judiciary, 582 by Senator King to establish the state action poultry flock, the population grant program 582. Agriculture 583 by Central Clark to amend the law concerning maximum allowable cost list related relating to pharmacy services sent it by 583 Judiciary 584 by Senator Hammer to me the law concerning local initiative and referendum petitions sent by 584. State agencies 585 by Central Letting to require certain records to be provided to an employee who is a minor sent by 585. Public health 586 by Dotson to create to protect our Constitution Act and amending a portion of the Arkansas Constitution is authorized by Arkansas Constitution Article 5, Section 1, Symbol 586. State agencies 587 by Senator for letting to create the parents' Peace of Mind Act to establish authorization for and use of a monitoring device in a long-term care facility to provide for waivers and to provide for enforcement and penalties and by 587. Public health Thank you, Madam Secretary.
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Chair Unverified 25:46
Any further business to come for the body in the morning hour. Any introductions, send her English, I believe. You're recognized for an introduction. Thank
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Senator Jane English Unverified 25:58
you very much. I'd like to introduce our doctor of the day, Doctor Kimberly Garner. She's with rehabilitation and geriatrics at the VA hospital and we put in mom and we appreciate you being here and also we have our nurse for the day. Lee Fazio is always in welcome having you here. Thank you very much. Thank you, Sander
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Chair Unverified 26:31
English. Any further business in the morning hour, if not the morning hour has expired. We will now begin our business agenda, senators. Senator Scott and Senator English, you're recognized. Good afternoon, colleagues. Motion
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Senator Jamie Scott Unverified 26:50
to suspend the rules to add Senate concurrent resolution 6 to today to today's calendar for a 3rd reading. All those in favor of the motion please signify
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Speaker 102 27:00
by saying aye, any opposed. Motion carries. Senate
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 27:06
concurrent resolution 6 by Senator Scott and Centra English to recognize North LaRock High School charging wildcats varsity cheer team for winning the Class 6A state championship. Senator Scott,
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Chair Unverified 27:17
before you're recognized, I would remind the members that business agenda has started, so. If we can yes. Limit any excessive conversation. And the chamber that would be appreciated. Senator Scott,
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Senator Jamie Scott Unverified 27:36
you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. Colleagues, today I would like to recognize the North foot of Rock High School Charging Wildcats, varsity cheer team for winning the class 6A state championship. Would you stand up, ladies? Show your rings. Whereas the Northfo Rock High School Charging Wildcats varsity cheer team 1 Class 68 all-girls state championship held on December 20th, 2024, whereas in addition to winning the state championship, the Charging Wildcats attended 4 competitions prior to the state championship in placed first in 3 of the 4 competitions and placed 3rd in one of the 4 competitions, whereas the charging wildcats also traveled to Orlando, Florida in a national high school cheerleading championship. in February of 2025 and place eight in a field of 43 teams. We are so proud of these ladies. This team, um, the coach, stand-up coach, the coach, um. Has worked, she's quoted for saying that her team has worked incredibly hard during the season and won a 68 all-girl divisions with only 11 cheerleaders on the map, which is a first for a team that have such few members in the 6A division. So now be it resolved by the Senate of the ninety-fifth General Assembly of the state of Arkansas now um The house, the House of Representatives concurring there within, is that right? OK, sorry. I'm just making sure that I'm reading it right, um, that the Senate and the House, um, a representatives concurring there within recognize the Northfoar High School charging wildcats, varsity cheer team for winning the Class 6A championship. I just want to say in NorthRock we are known as Titletown for a reason, so let's congratulate these ladies and show those rings.
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Speaker 7 29:43
Thank you, Senator Scott Arbos in favor of Senate concurrent resolution 6 to recognize the North Little Rock. High school charging wildcats, varsity cheer team for winning the class 6A state championship, please signify by saying
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Chair Unverified 29:56
aye. And he opposed I have it motion carry Senate concurrent resolution 6 is adopted. transmitted to the house. Next, senators. I confirmed with Senator Hester that although we passed a motion earlier, we're going to go ahead today and do the my bill, my amendment bit and so we will begin with Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 117. Amendment 44 to Senate Bill 117. Senator Penzo, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh just to bring it up, uh,
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 30:38
on my bill my amendment. Thank you. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by
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Chair Unverified 30:50
saying aye. Any opposed? I have it. Amendment is adopted, please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 440. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 440. Senator Wallace, you're recognized. Thank you,
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Senator Dave Wallace Unverified 31:00
Governor. Members, my bill, my amendment, we're adding a House sponsor.
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Chair Unverified 31:05
Thanks, Sander Wallace, all those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying aye, and he opposed, I have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 448. Amendment 1, the Senate Bill 448. Senator Petty, you're
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 31:21
recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, my bill, my
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Chair Unverified 31:24
amendment. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye, and he opposed I have it. Amendment is adopted, please send to engrossing.
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Speaker 102 31:35
Amendment He's not here. We'll pass
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Chair Unverified 31:38
over and. We will next go to Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 469. Amendment 1, the Senate before 69. Senator Penzo, you're recognized. Thank you, my bill, my amendment. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? As habit amendment is adopted, please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 483. Amendment 1 to 483. Senator Blake Johnson.
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Speaker 125 32:18
You're recognized. Senator Irvin's bill, my amendment.
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Chair Unverified 32:23
All those in favor please signify by saying a. Any opposed as habit amendment is adopted, please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 505, Amendment 1 is 505. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, my bill. All those in favor of the amendment, please signify to say I. And he opposed I have it. Amendment is adopted, please send to engrossing Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 464. Remember one before 64, Senator Clark, you're recognized. Just adds an emergency clause. Appreciate a good vote. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye. Any opposed, I have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Senator Blake Johnson. You are recognized for a motion. On Senate Bill 290, a motion to Good That.
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Speaker 125 33:27
I guess. Need to spend the rules to pull Senate Bill 290 to the floor to, uh, to withdraw from Agra
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Speaker 135 33:38
and amended and engross it and send it back to committee. All
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Speaker 7 33:45
those in favor of Senator Blake Johnson's motion, please signify by saying aye. And he opposed. Ayes have it, motion
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Chair Unverified 33:52
carries. Not one Senate Bill 290. Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized. My bill, my amendment, all those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye. And he opposed I have it andendment is adopted, please send to engrossing. For 480 later OK. The center for Hester back there. That's It house. We are going to currently pass over Amendment 1 to House Bill 1555. We will next take up
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 35:20
Senate Bill 9. Cine Bill 9 by Senator Davis to create the to to create the make Arkansas Healthy. Again Act and to prohibit manufacturing, selling, delivering, distributing, holding, or offering for a sale, a food product that contains certain substances. Senator Davis, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 35:41
President. Before I present this bill, I need to ask for leave for my mom who is in the back. Thank you. Um, don't, please don't be trying to kill my bill with my mom here, so no, I'm kidding. OK, OK. You think I'm tough. I see Senator Penzo making eyes. He, he may have something up his sleeve. All right, members, this bill, it's simply um eliminates two chemicals currently in our food from being able to be manufactured, sold, delivered, delivered, distributed, held or offered for sale, um, starting January 1 of 2028, the two chemicals are potassium broate and propylparabbin, the potassium potassium broomate is white powder that essentially whitens bread and helps it bake evenly. You find it in cookie dough, and, uh, bread, of course, tortillas, pizza dough, um, and there are significant health concerns linked to it. In fact, studies show that in animals, it can cause kidney and thyroid cancer, and it can also affect the nervous system causing headaches and seizures. The EU, Canada, and Australia have it banned. Um, the America actually allows it, but it must be labeled as oppose potential carcinogen. So, um, that's the type of labels that are on our food, and then propylparaben is found in candies and desserts, it's used to extend the shelf life and to stop it from molding sooner. This is found in muffins, trail mixes, cookies, etc. Um, some studies suggest that it can disrupt the endocrine system, mimic estrogen, and possibly lead to reproductive issues. Research also indicates that it may reduce sperm production and testosterone in men. So these are chemicals that have no business being in our food. It's um part of the initiative to make Arkansas healthy again. Again, this will be effective January 1 of 2028 and I'm open to any questions. Questions for Senator Davis. I see
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Chair Unverified 37:48
Senator Rice and I believe Senator Leding. Thank you, Senator Davis. I was
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Senator Terry Rice Unverified 37:57
trying to get some information out of my seat mate that was on public health, but I didn't get very much out of it. Can you tell me you, you did mention that I bought cookie dough last night. I ate cookie dough. I bought a different brand last time that says edible. But I don't
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 38:15
like it. It's gross. I've tried that as well.
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Senator Terry Rice Unverified 38:17
Yeah. So you're gonna take the stuff out of the cookie
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 38:21
dough I like. No, we're gonna keep the chocolate and the dough in there, but we're gonna make sure that the chemical is out
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Senator Terry Rice Unverified 38:30
we know that Europe Does not allow near the stuff in their foods that we do. So this is just one thing. I mean there's many more. I'm sure that's out there.
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 38:42
That's correct. I think the EU allows around 300 different chemicals or additives in their food, while the United States, the FDA has allowed over 10,000 chemicals into our food. So this is just one of many, um, and we're starting somewhere to chip away at the issue, but my last question is, where do you stop?
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Senator Terry Rice Unverified 39:03
Person personal choice. I've tried both. I'm, I'm, that's kind of a silly thing, but it really is what's going to happen. It's my health and I'm not, I'm not a pitcher of health, but I'm 70 years old and I'll, I'll take what I do to myself, but you're, you're saying that We're not going to do this in some poops, but there's many other things in foods, maybe worse than this right now. They're talking about our new health secretary is talking about the the food coverings, food additives and all, so I mean that's that's my concern to be like this is if, if there's not just one thing that it causes cancer in 58% of the people, it concerns me when we start doing this. Can you alleviate my concerns. Yes, Senator Rice,
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 39:53
thank you for the question. I mean, this, what we're talking about with these chemicals do not add to the taste, um, or the quality of what you're experiencing when you eat raw cookie dough or baked cookie dough. Um, this is simply like the propyl parabens, it helps them, uh, not get moldy as quick, so it extends shelf life. Well, you can still have cookie dough, maybe it doesn't last on the shelf for a year, maybe it lasts on the shelf for 6 months instead, but it doesn't impact the taste, but there's no reason. To put things in our food that we have to label as carcinogens, um, just so it can be on the shelf a little longer to make these food companies a little more money, um, you know, the FDA has taken more of a very defensive stance when it comes to chemicals in food, um, so they label most things as generally recognized as safe and until you can overwhelmingly prove that people are just dying of cancer all over the place from that specific chemical, they won't. ban it from our food, or the EU, they've taken a much different stance. There is more offensive, you have to really prove that it is safe to put in food before they agree to add it to the list of something that's approved. Um, and I think that makes a lot more sense. I think we're seeing a huge rise in um not just allergies and behavior issues and uh cancers and nervous system issues, the list goes on, we're seeing that all across America, it's impacting um our health system, it's impacting. Our personal health, but then also the money that's being spent um on health, in hospitals, um, with prescription drug companies and people are making a lot of money off of us going to the grocery store, not having options to pick up something that is actually safe, that doesn't have poison in it, um, and then banking on us to be more unhealthy and more obese than we've been in our entire history as a country and much worse off than the rest of the world. Thank you. Cinder letting and then Senator Blake Johnson,
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Chair Unverified 41:56
did you have a question? No. OK, Senator Leyden, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. Senator in committee, I believe you
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Senator Greg Leding Unverified 42:03
pointed out that Arkansas would not be the first step, first state to take this important step, but I forget some of the states that
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 42:12
you mentioned. Could you tell us what other states have taken this step? Yes, thank you, Senator Leding for having me mention California. Um, California actually we mirrored this law after California, they have something almost exactly similar to this, and uh the reason for doing that is California is basically the largest economy in the country and if companies are going to change their recipes to be able to sell their food, their product in California. I thought Arkansas could just piggyback off of that and be a beneficiary of it. And so that's why it just has to chemicals listed in this specific bill,
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Chair Unverified 42:50
like good bill. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Davis? Seeing no other questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark
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Speaker 15 43:09
Crow, Davis, Ds, dismaying dots and
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 43:12
English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irving Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting love. McKee Murdoch,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 43:21
Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice scotstone Stubberfield Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change
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Chair Unverified 43:29
his or her vote, Senator Hickey, no. Senator Hill, no. Senator Clark present. Sender Dodson, no. Senator Stubblefield, no. And you have the senator. Rice present. Any other senator? Seeing no other police cast up the ballot by a vote of 28, 4 nay, 2 present. Senate Bill 9 passes, please transmit. To the house. And we will briefly go back to Senator Hester's Amendment 1 to House Bill 1555. Amendment 1,
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Speaker 54 44:15
the House Bill 1555. Senator Hester, you're recognized remembers my bill, my
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Chair Unverified 44:22
amendment. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? I have it. Amendment passes. Please send to engrossing. Rather amendment is adopted, please into engrossing. Next, Senate Bill 120. Senate Bill
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 44:36
120 by Centra Penza to require a licensure for all private care agencies in the state and to ensure customer protection for vulnerable aging adults. Santa Penzo, you're recognized.
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 44:48
I'd like to make a motion to re-refer to committee for purpose of amendment.
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Chair Unverified 44:54
All those in favor of the motion please signify to say aye. Any opposed? I have it. Motion carries. Senate Bill 123. 7 123 by
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 45:10
central letting to amend the law concerning coverage for mammograms and
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Senator Greg Leding Unverified 45:14
breast ultrasounds. send or letting, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, over the years, Representative Vot and I, as many of us have, have run bills to help Arkansans diagnose, prevent, and treat cancer. The idea being that obviously the better access Arkansans have to these kinds of tools, we're going to save more lives, but also treating the cancer is going to be less expensive, so that's all that we're doing right here. This is simply eliminates any kind of cost barrier to a supplemental imaging process for Arkansans that are at increased risk based on personal history or family history. Nobody spoke against. Bill and Insurance and commerce last week, and I appreciate the committee voting it
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Chair Unverified 45:54
out unanimously. Happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Leding. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection. Madam Secretary, please
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Speaker 15 46:06
roll the boat. Bo, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Crowe, Davis, Des, dismay dots Bo, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 46:11
Crowe, Davis, Des, Dima Dotson English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson King, letting Love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 46:22
Petty, rice, Scott Stone Stubberfield, Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change
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Chair Unverified 46:29
his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 34 ye, 0 on nay, Senate Bill 123 passes, please transmit to the House Senate Bill 238.
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 46:48
Thank you, Madam President. Senate Bill 1238. That's in Payton, to amend the used tower recycling and accountability
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Senator John Payton Unverified 46:58
Act. Senator Payton, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Uh, colleagues, this will be a fun 12 years ago, we passed a bill that would reorganize the entire districts and create uh dedicated revenue stream, the dedicated revenue stream is already there, but we don't currently collect the fee on all the new tires. So this broadens the base of where we collect that $3 fee to include the sires that come on new automobiles, new trailers. Every time a new tire is created, a waste tower is created. Uh, so what this does is it, it broadens that fee at the $3 level, the big truck tires, it takes them back to $5 where they were before, and then on ag tires, uh, the four districts can set a fee up to $30 on the ag tires. But here's what happened. We reorganized the boards with that bill that we passed 2 years ago. This funding mechanism was in it, but when it got to the house, We had to amend the funding mechanism out. So the reorganization happened. We went from 11 tower districts to 4. Those 4 districts took a period of time to get organized. They've now been organized for about 15 months. What was projected to be to run out of money a year ago. Has been able to stretch the dollar and work efficiently under these new boards to the point that it's still a broke system. It needs more money in it, but we've proven that there's efficiencies in the way that these four boards can let out contracts. The problem is the system we currently have, the processors, the equipment's getting old, it needs maintenance. It needs upgraded to the most innovative equipment that can create a product is more desirable. None of that's gonna happen without capital investment, and people are not, we want the private side of this to make the capital investments, but those four boards have to have enough money to let out the contracts where somebody can afford to put a processor in and fix the old processor and maintain a fleet of trucks and trailers that transports the vehicles. It's, it's an in-depth long scope and, and I certainly appreciate my colleagues on public health. I'll be happy to answer all the questions you've got. I, I really believe that if this funding mechanism had stayed in the bill 2 years ago, we could have put this to rest. And washed our hands of it, but until we get dedicated revenue stream that provides the funds so that those 4 boards can let out contracts to where private industry like Davis Rubber, 100 year old uh tire processor here in Little Rock. They are private industry and For them to put a, a collection site in every county in the district costs money. It requires trailers. It requires trucks, transporting the tires. Folks, we've got a great system. Collecting the fee on a new tire means that when it comes time to dispose of a used tire, there's no fee charged. So there's no reason for people to not properly dispose of their tires. I'll look, I, I worked with the executive branch. I looked at other options to try to, to um go with more privatization and wash our hands of it. I don't think it's a good idea. idea to collect the fee at the point of disposal. Because number one, we're encouraging people to not properly dispose of them. Number 2, we're putting the burden of paying the fee on the end user of a tire, and what I've said all along is that the best way to recycle a tire is put it on another vehicle and wear it out. So if I buy a new set of tires and put on my truck and where I'm down to 30% and I want another new set. Somebody can take those 4 takeoffs and wear them out. If we're collecting on the front end, I'm paying for the disposal. If we're collected on the tail end, whoever's buying those used tires, it's gonna have to pay for the disposal. Truth of the matter is, I'm gonna get 3 times as much usage out of those tires, then that end user does, and I'm not gonna have to pay a disposal fee, but the end user is gonna be paying the disposal fee 3 times as often as I am, because they're only getting a third of the mileage that I get. I, that's why I couldn't, couldn't go with that system. I believe whoever thought up this system of collecting the recycling fee on the front end. They got it right. It worked really good for many years. We just didn't keep up with inflation. We didn't keep up with the innovation right now, new core is begging for more and more byproduct, but there's only one processor in the state that can process them to the point that Newor can use it, and that's Davis Robber. We need more private industry like that. To be able to make the capital investment and put those processors in place that can even refine it to a, to a better level than what Davis is doing right now. And I'm sure they would upgrade too if, if, if I could get a long-term contract and know that the money's there to fund them. I'll take any of your questions.
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Chair Unverified 52:31
Questions for Senator Payton. I see Sen flowers and Senator Blake Johnson and Senator Dees, did you have a question? No, OK, send flowers, then Senator Blake Johnson. Is there a
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Speaker 206 52:45
sunset on this bill? No, no, there's no sunset on it.
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 52:53
So we're talking about collecting a lot of money. So we're currently collecting
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Senator John Payton Unverified 53:02
around $5 million. This adds, according to the revenue impact, I think it's 3 up to 3.5 million, yes, and how, how much
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 53:09
do you think those capital improvements are going to cost and how often are they gonna have to
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Senator John Payton Unverified 53:16
be Well, those are not gonna be state dollars, they, they would be private business because there's a contract. So the way we look at it is a per tire cost. Right now, the pro tire cost for, for processing these tires is around $2.80 a tire. We're only collecting currently $2.60 something cents a tire, when when you shell out the fees that go to the DFNA and ADEQ. So what this would do, it would be, it would allow those 4 tire districts to let out contracts that are closer to the $3 range, so that those private industries can make those capital investments and what will they do with the excess? Well, I'm sure they're in business to make a profit. No, I'm talking about the four districts.
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 54:05
They're gonna be the ones contracting and shelling out the
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Senator John Payton Unverified 54:08
money that the, the districts give ADQ or DEQ whatever you wanna call it these days, they give a business plan, and they're reimbursed out of these funds based on their business plan for how many tires are going to process. The business plan comes from, of course, from the bids on the contract. So the money initially will go through ADEQ goes to DNA. They, they take their 1.5%, then it goes to DEQ energy and environment. They take 7% 7%, and that's for policing the program, licensing, uh, the entities that that collect and transport and process the tires. And then what's left is available for reimbursement for whoever's processing and handling the tires, yeah. OK, so surely there
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 55:00
may be some excess. Well, the excess would go.
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Senator John Payton Unverified 55:09
The excess would be in DEQ's hands and that we have several what they call abatement sites where there are tire stockpiles that need to be cleaned up right now. And that's something I didn't mention, but DEQ has an estimate on cleaning up. Several sites in the state that total a little, a little over $7 million and there's no money in the system right now to clean up those sites. The estimates, when you do the math, come out to $9.67 a tire. $9.67 a tire is what it costs us when we have to go in and
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 55:51
clean up a stockpile that somebody mishandled. And then if any excess remains from that
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Senator John Payton Unverified 55:56
process, ADEQ keeps it. If there's any excess, I imagine they would use it for the abatement sites, and there would be several years' worth of excess
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 56:05
needed. Yeah. Well, I'm just asking, I mean, collecting this kind of money over the years. It seems to me there may be still some excess. And so ADEQ can only use it for abating those tar sites, reimbursement and abatement, yeah. And otherwise they would Keep any remaining funds, yeah, otherwise we'd be back
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Senator John Payton Unverified 56:31
in here in 2 years and adjust the I'm just worried about the balance.
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 56:35
What what's happening with the balance. If there's any excess after all these things. I, I'm, I seriously doubt that I could
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Senator John Payton Unverified 56:45
strike a perfect balance or perfect zero
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 56:47
net is your vision? For excess for ADQ to use it in any other way other than tire abatement and entire processing. I don't foresee any excess in the near future, maybe,
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Senator John Payton Unverified 57:00
maybe 4 or 5 years down the road if everything worked wonderful, they would have enough access to do the abatement, but we would see that coming and have an opportunity to adjust. OK, thank you.
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Chair Unverified 57:17
Senator Blake Johnson, you'll recognized. So Senator those extra
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Speaker 134 57:24
large tires, I'd probably affects me and Senator Wallace and And Mayor Caldwell and a lot of us in a way that's different than others, but uh right now it's $5 a tire, is that correct? I
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Speaker 224 57:37
think the larger stars were moved to $3 but the extra large are
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Senator John Payton Unverified 57:42
still 5, yeah. So this bill
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Speaker 125 57:44
would allow them to go up to the
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Speaker 134 57:49
fee would be $30 up to 30 plus. Plus, an extra 10% for the the retailer. That's, that's
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Speaker 224 57:56
how the bill reads. Well, the bill reads that the retailer can charge up
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Senator John Payton Unverified 58:01
to up to 10% over. So currently, we let the retailer keep 5%, and we're just trying to To pull that in, we're letting them charge for their, if they want to, of course, that comes down to competitiveness amongst retailers, but these tractor tires that you're talking about, skid steers and stuff like that, they can cost well over $100 a piece to process. And so collecting up to 30 is still a huge deficit from the actual cost of processing those tires. And you
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Speaker 224 58:32
mentioned, uh, right now we're collecting about $5 million. At this
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Senator John Payton Unverified 58:37
time I'm going by my memory, but it's in the neighborhood of 5. I, I think there's 7 million into the program right now, and I'm not sure why in my mind it's separate, but, but with this, the, the fiscal impact on this is that it could add up to 3.5.
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Speaker 134 58:56
So the program that would be pretty close to 65% increase. Yes. All
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Speaker 224 59:01
right. Thank you, Senator. That's a maybe. Worst case scenario. Senator
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Chair Unverified 59:07
Hickey, you're recognized for a question. It's very
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 59:24
You're good. OK. Thank you. Uh, Senator Peyton, I know this has been an issue, and I appreciate you working on it, but I do have just a couple of questions. On page 3 lines 28 to 31. It seems like here that we're gonna give the retailer a little bit of discretion, and I say discretion, it says that they don't have to collect the The recycling fee if they show 80% of the more. If, if the tire still has 80% or more of its vent spews remaining. That part seems a little bit subjective to me, you know, and we're going to kind of, I'm afraid, you know, something like that could possibly give that retailer an out. I know what you were trying to do. If somebody had bought a brand new tire, I guess, and it taking it, taking it back in
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Senator John Payton Unverified 1:00:10
so that they wouldn't get that fee, but Actually, they will. OK? So if there's less than 80% of the pews remaining, then the retailer does not have to charge the fee. But if you carry a a new tire to a retailer for mounting and balancing, and it has 80% or more of the spews on it. They have
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:00:31
to collect the fee. Tyre shall not collect the entire fee unless Unless it has 80% or more,
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Senator John Payton Unverified 1:00:38
right? So a tire retailer shall not collect the fee on a used tire, basically. And the way we define that is unless the small tower has 80% of the spews remaining, which makes it qualify as a new tire, OK? And then just one other question
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:00:57
over on page, on page 4, line 36, this entire accountability board or is that already established or do you know? We have the tire recycling fee on a
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Senator John Payton Unverified 1:01:08
large tire, extra large. Yes, we had 7 boards and, and they were populated just by every county judge in that district was automatically on the board. What we did two years ago was reorganize that to 4 districts, which basically have the state in 4 quadrants geographically and to be on the board, there has to be a hand raiser and be willing to serve on the board, which hopefully created some concern and some interest in, in the, in the subject. They gave us board members that were more concerned and and would take charge and, and I think, I think the uh the speed with which they organized and um Took very few eligible bids and came out with an efficient program that has gone 8 or 10 months beyond what we thought it could survive on the money it
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:02:00
had. My, my question is, and I can't, I can't remember, of course, who, how that board's made up. Do you know if that's structured so it's, it's independent of anybody that might receive a financial interest in it. Did we structure it that way because what we're gonna do is allow, allow for this board to actually go up.
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Senator John Payton Unverified 1:02:19
I know there's the boards are currently made up of mayors and judges, OK, from within the district. OK, so it's with the shops or anything such as that. I had actually wanted to, to add this. In this bill, and I didn't do it, uh, representation for the processing industry, you know, to where on the boards you'd actually have Some representation for the, for the tire dealers, independent tire tire dealers, processors, but, uh, but no, at this point and not in this bill. This is strictly mayors and judges that sit on the boards. OK, thank you, sir. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Payton.
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Chair Unverified 1:03:04
Anyone wish to speak against or for. Speak for Senator Clark, you're recognized. I appreciate Senator
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Speaker 248 1:03:21
Payton for trying to deal with this issue. When I was on the
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 1:03:27
Corm Court in Garland County, we, uh, used to have to take our trash to Dumpsters Spread out across 5 locations in the county, which of course you paid for in your taxes because there's a whole, there's a big percentage of people who are not going to pay to carry their trash off. We went to house to house and there were people who talked about making that voluntary, and you can't do it unless you want trash all over the place because it's an expense that people don't see any value in Uh, is getting rid of their trash. It has to be. There are things that the government needs to do as much as I uh believe in free enterprise and businesses taking care of a lot of things. The property that I own right back behind the house there's you can't see it, it's out in the woods, but there's a big pile of tires. They were there when I bought the property that was much more commonplace before we instituted a plan where it was paid for at the front end. When we do away with the plan where it's paid for on the front end, those piles of tires on acreage are going to grow and grow and grow, but they're not just going to grow there. What y'all don't remember, but I think you'll remember when I start talking about it is they're not in the creek because they will be if if there's not a camera at the bridge, they'll be dumping them there. They'll be in the lake, they'll be in the national forest. They'll be on timberland, which I have, any place that they can drop them at night where there won't be anybody watching. In your constituents and you are going to pay for it in spades. And the Central Payton has a plan that is working, we're almost there. Most were county judges and the people involved in the towers really once we made the improvements made in the last few years, we're almost there, except we're not quite there on the cost. And to go back from that and to say, well you pay for it when you dispose of the tire. No, the rest of us are going to pay for it, but it's gonna cost us a lot more because we're gonna have to go get those tires out of the creek. The deputies are going to be going out taking reports all the time for something they won't be able to do a blame thing about, but I'm gonna call them when they dump them on my property. They're going to come out and, and what chance do they have of finding who left those tires on my property, uh, or who left them in the creek, etc. We need to go with Central Payton's plan. It's the only thing that's come along that makes sense. Anyone
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Chair Unverified 1:06:02
else wished to speak against or for seeing other Senator Payton, you're recognized clothes. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Senator Clark. Um,
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Senator John Payton Unverified 1:06:14
Folks, I don't want the the labor this, but I do want you to, to know. I worked hard on different solution. Whoever thought up the system, in my opinion, came up with a great system. It has been broken for a while. I mean, I, I got elected in 2013, start sworn in in 2013 and it and it was a problem already because the system was not bringing in enough money to pay what it should cost. We've, we've attempted repairs at it, which included a used tire tags that I fought vehemently against and that's how I ended up on this program because If you try to nail down the used tire jockeys and the people who are going to be using the used tires. They're gonna slip through your fingers every time. And those tires are gonna get piled up just like Senator Clark said. But I want to show you this real quick. This is, this is a page out of an email that the EQ gave me. And uh It lists a few tire sites that have one of them in Stone County, 4000 tires, one in Faulkner County, 4000 tires, one in Woodruff County, 395,000 tires. One in Jefferson County, 12,400 tons. Which equals 330,000 tires. The estimates on cleaning up these sites. Is $9.67 a tire. Now listen to the size of these sites. It's more efficient to clean up a site with 100,000 tires than to pick up 11,000 sites with 100 tires. So, if what Senator Clark described, which I think is very accurately what's gonna happen if we don't, if we don't get a handle on this, we're gonna be spending way over $9.67 sets of tires to go pick them up in the river and in the road ditch and on the back 40. These very large sites, what do you think created them? It was private industry. They said we're going to contract with the tire district, and we're going to process these tires and they stockpiled them and then they headed for home. If we're not real careful how we handle this, we've got to give the boards the authority to make contracts with responsible businesses that'll do the job right. We've got to give DEQ the resources. To, to pay for the reimbursement and to pay for the abatement. And folks, it's a lot cheaper to do it on the front end. They just do it on the back end. I'd appreciate a good vote. Senator
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Chair Unverified 1:09:10
has closed any objection to rolling the boat. Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.
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Speaker 15 1:09:19
Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crowe, Davis, Des, Desmaine Dots and English flip a flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:09:29
Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:09:32
Johnson, King, lighting love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice scotstone, Stubberfield Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any any senator
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Chair Unverified 1:09:42
wish to change his or her vote, Senator Dodson, no. Senator Blake Johnson, no, Senator Davis, no. Senator D's present. Senator Hammer present, the Senator Wallace, no. Senator Hester, no. dismaying present any other senator, Senator McKee, present. Any other senator, Senator English, no. Any other senator Penzo present. Gilmore, no. Any other senator? Please check the board. Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 22 yeah, 7 nay. Senate Bill 238 passes, please transmit to the house. Senator Payton, it's my understanding, we're going to pass over Senate Bill 285 today. Next, we will take up Senate Bill 325.
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:10:55
Senate Bill 325 by Central Clark to in the Arkansas Juvenile code of 1989 to be the child maltreatment Act to amend the law regarding reinstatement of parental rights and to amend the law regarding the child maltreatment, uh, central registry. Senator Clark, you recognized. Thank
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 1:11:13
you, Madam Governor. Thank you, colleagues. I've got 5 points, 5 pages of talking points here for SB 325, uh, the, but the simplicity of it is, it's agreed to bill, no opposition that I know of. It gives parents whose rights have been terminated and additional option to petition to have those rights reinstated instead of leaving the power exclusively to Guardian ad litem or DHS. moves up the time frame under which a petition to reinstate parental rights could be granted from 3 years after termination to 2 years. And this is because so many of the kids that we terminate rights end up staying in the system. That's why they can come back later, uh, if the parents can show a change, uh, rather than the, the kids being permanently in orphanages in foster homes. Reforms to child maltreatment registry to focus on findings of abuse, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and causes a neglect that happened in an occupational capacity or where a court finds a child to be a dependent neglected juvenile allows individuals who were placed on the register for cases of neglect to be removed from the registering cases where reunification has been achieved. One year has passed since reunification, and there have been no additional fundings.
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Chair Unverified 1:12:37
I'll be happy to take any questions. Questions for Senator
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 1:12:41
Clark, Senator Love, you're recognized. Thank you, uh, Senator Clark, what is DHS's stance on this, on this bill? DHHS stance was Um, they were ready to testify for it, but couldn't. Couldn't say they were for it. Did they, did they state why they wouldn't, they couldn't. Before They're part of the executive branch. OK, because I'm looking at this, so when, when the parental rights of the of the child is terminated, you are, we're saying that 2 years afterwards, if the child still in, if the child hadn't been adopted. OK, a lot of, a big part of the time, children are adopted as soon as it's terminated. But this is for children that are languishing normally 1516, 17 year olds that are languishing in the system, and our, and in those cases, the parents have to show that there's been a change of behavior and that, but in those cases and again there's a lot they have to go through to get those kids back, but it gives them, it gives them an ability to get kids back. Where they've changed and the kids are still there and we're not doing anything for them. All right, so then let's, cause some of the some of the parental rights are terminated because kids have been really, really treated bad and and I haven't been able to read throughout your deal. Uh, some of it's been sexual abuse, some of it's been were, I mean, the, the, the mom had a boyfriend and sexually abused children, so are we trying to reinstate those rights? No, absolutely not. This is generally neglect, uh, the, the part of what's in the law is not here in the bill where we already allow children to uh reinstated back to their home. It's a very rare circumstance, and they have to go through DHS, all the hoops that you, you have to jump through before termination are still there, uh, but no, no one's going back to a home where they were sexually abused or abused. That's not what this is about. This is more often than not, neglect. Often it's neglect because of drug abuse, uh, which has since changed. And only again if the children are still there in the system. OK. All right,
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Chair Unverified 1:15:29
thank you. The question Senator Tucker, you
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 1:15:34
recognized. Thank you, Madam President. My question is, is similar to Senator Los but just with the child advocacy centers of Arkansas, you know, they're position on it
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 1:15:46
or or if they're good or if they have any additional concerns. The They have had concerns, I believe, uh, at the initial meeting, they had no concerns, uh, and thought everything was good, but there one concern was that we were uh Allowing uh Too many people, uh, with neglect not to, to no longer be put on the child maltreatment list. That was the one concern that that I recall them
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Chair Unverified 1:16:24
having. OK, thank you, Senator. Any other questions for Senator Clark? Saying no to the questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator, you recognized clothes. Thank you.
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 1:16:36
uh, and thank you for the questions. This bill is brought by people who work in these agencies, uh, asked me to bring it to deal with problems that we need to fix. Kids and get who are terminated real rots are terminated, but they end up just languishing in the system, uh, and in a very few instances, parents have changed. This is not some mass thing. Parents have changed and would like to reunite with their kids, uh, and give their kids at home. Uh, it takes, it will take thousands of people off the child maltreatment registry who don't belong there. Uh, we have a way higher percentage than states around us who have already amended some of this, uh, the abuse and things you talked about, you belong here. Uh, if you are neglectful. doesn't mean that you shouldn't be able to be a school janitor. Uh, and under current law, if you're on that list, you couldn't be a school janitor, although you never abused a child in your life, nor would you, uh, and so this is from people within the system, uh, who observed how it works for decades, uh, making the law fit what we should be doing. I'd
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Chair Unverified 1:17:58
appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote, see Objection noted, Madam Secretary, please call the
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Speaker 15 1:18:09
roll. Bo Brant. Caldwell, Clark. Crawl Davis. days, dismay. Dema Dotson.
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Speaker 278 1:18:26
English Flip out flowers, Gilmore. Gilmore Hammer. Hester Hester. Hickey Hill Irvin leave, Blake Johnson. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King letting.
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:18:55
Laing. Love. McKee. Murdoch. Murdoch, Peyton.
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Speaker 278 1:19:06
Heighten. And so. Patty, rice, Scott. Scott, Stone, Sta afield. Sullivan Tucker
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Chair Unverified 1:19:30
Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote or vote who did not vote, Senator Blake Johnson, yes. Gilmore, yes, Murdock present letting present, Hester, yes, and dismaying, yes. Peyton, yes. Any other senator. Senator Tucker, I have you as no, is that correct? Any other senator? Seeing no other, please check the board, saying no other, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 27 yeah, 3 nay, 1 not voting, 3 present, Senate bill 325 passes, please transmit to the house. Senate Bill 326. Senate Bill 326 by Senator Clark to amend the
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:20:27
Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989 and the child maltreatment Act to modify guidelines for a judgment made in the best interest of a child and to amend procedures around reporting child maltreatment. Senator Clark,
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 1:20:40
you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. SB 326 is a companion to 325, and the reason both bills have been held up for weeks, uh, is that we All the last amendments came from the judges and from AOC. They negotiated with DCFS for some time, uh, between the two of them with me having no part in it, to what the language ought to be, uh, I'll tell you the highlights of what the bill does. It enhances the definition of best interests so that family integrity is considered. Requires family integrity, prompt placement decisions and the likelihood of a child to become a self-sufficient adult to be considered as relevant factors for best interest determinations when determined child custody placements. Establishes a more precise statuary statutory definition of neglect narrows who can file offense petition from any adult to parents, relatives, school officials, or those with a close familial relationship, permits a judge to grant a 72 hour hold in Penn's cases where there is an immediate danger to the health and safety of a child requires child abuse hotline staff to use a standardized assessment tool to screen cases to determine apparent risk, and enhance his language for protective custody to ensure that children and youth are only removed when there is immediate danger. Great Bill will be happy to take any questions. Any questions
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Chair Unverified 1:22:11
for Senator Clark? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator, you're free to close. I'm closed. I appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed. Any objection rolling the boat, saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Um
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Speaker 15 1:22:33
Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark Crowe, Davis, Ds, dismay dots and English flippo flowers Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:22:40
Hill, Irving Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Luding love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:22:49
Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his
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Chair Unverified 1:22:55
or her vote, Senator Flowers, no. Senator Tucker, no. Murdoch present. Love, no. Any other senator, please check the board, saying no other, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 30, 3 nay, 1 present, Senate Bill 326 passes. Please transmit to the house. Senate Bill 331.
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:23:22
Senate Bill 331 by Senator letting concerning coverage for genetic testing for inherit inherited cancer mutations and to create the genetic testing Act. Sender letting, you're recognized.
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Senator Greg Leding Unverified 1:23:35
Thank you, Madam President, colleagues, back in 2019, this body unanimously passed a bill that allowed licensure for genetic counselors, and that's because genetic testing has become an important tool in helping prevent cancer. And by the way, this is the last cancer related bill I'm ever going to run. There are some forms of cancer that are hereditary and you can inherit them and in some cases if the doctor knows that you are at increased risk, that you have a parent or a relative that has these genes, you can have this test done and it can come back and it can tell you you do have the genes for this particular cancer. Here are some steps you can take to potentially avoid contracting that cancer and so all we're doing here is what we've done with similar bills is we're making sure that cost is not going to be a barrier that if a doctor recommends you have this kind of test that there's nothing that's going to stop you from doing it so that we can possibly prevent you from ever contracting cancer in the first place. Nobody spoke against this bill in committee. I appreciate insurance and Commerce putting it out unanimously. Happy to try
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Chair Unverified 1:24:29
to answer questions. Any questions for Senator Leding. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Madam Secretary, please
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Speaker 15 1:24:41
roll the boat. Bo Bront Caldwell, Clark Crow, Davis, Des,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:24:46
Dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting, love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo Petty,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:24:59
rice scott stone Stubberfield Sullivan, Tucker Wallace.
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Chair Unverified 1:25:07
Any senator was to change his or her vote, seeing no one. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 ye, zero, nay, Senate Bill 331 passes, please transmit to the house. Senator Hammer, you're recognized.
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 1:25:22
Members in lieu of the bill that we just passed and all the other cancer bills that have been passed and also I believe today some of us were not able to make it for the cancer luncheon. I wanted to inform you that Chuck, our state trooper that I asked prayer for his son-in-law, 32-year-old Grant Taylor passed away Saturday morning at 10:16. So just in support of our state troopers, I'd ask if you would please. stand for a moment of silence in recognition of that and to honor Chuck, our state trooper and his family remember them in your prayers, if you would. Thank you.
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Chair Unverified 1:26:12
Thank you, Senator Hammer. We will now move to Senate Bill 348. Senate
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:26:20
Bill 348 by Central Penzo to amend the annual cap for diagnostic Laboratory services within the Arkansas Medicaid program and declare an emergency. Sender Penzo, you're recognized.
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 1:26:37
Thank you, Madam President. SB 348 increases the annual reimbursement cap for diagnostic laboratory services under Medicaid, ensuring that patients receive adequate monitoring and care, particularly patients with chronic pain. This bill addresses patient safety, reduces costs, and helps mitigate the opioid crisis by allowing more comprehensive testing. Many chronic pain patients and Medicaid beneficiaries are not receiving adequate monitoring leading to higher emergency room visits and poor treatment outcomes. Like lack of adequate diagnosis diagnostic testing, which includes urine drug screens, blood tests for opioid metabolism and electrocardiogram tests contributes to opioid misuse and diversion, exacerbating the opioid epidemic while increasing costs to the Medicaid program. Three things this bill does, it increases the cap on diagnostic lab services from $5000 to $1800 while maintaining the minimum cap of 500 for all other Medicaid patients, addresses the opioid crisis and enhances patient safety by a regular drug screenings. Um, and reduces costs to the state by preventing additional ER visits. If there aren't any other questions or any questions I'd appreciate a good vote. Any questions
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Chair Unverified 1:28:08
for Senator Penzos, send her flowers, you're recognized. Who, who's paying for this cap, the
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 1:28:15
Patient on Medicaid. Medicaid Medicaid pays for it. And the Department of Health is OK with this increase. Well, I don't, I don't know if the Department of Health has a position on it. But it increases the cap. It does increase the cap. There is a a small fiscal impact, uh, I believe the lower uh amount uh was 91,000 if I'm not mistaken, there was kind of a range could be as high as 500 and a little under 600,000. Um,
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Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified 1:28:58
but the Medicaid recipient does not pay out of their
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 1:29:02
pocket. That is correct. Um, there was a discussion in committee, uh, about, you know, the, the, the goal is to eliminate ER visits, which could be tens of thousands of dollars, um, and, um, there's no way to really ascertain the impact of that on the impact statement that was provided by the department. Senator Hickey, you
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Chair Unverified 1:29:30
recognize her a question. Yes, Senator Pin.
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:29:32
My question is, and I know that we've, what we're doing here is we're saying that we're setting an annual cap, but I guess my question is on probably as it relates to 29, 30, and 31, we start talking about chronic pain and pain management. Is this allow other certain individuals that used to not be able to collect this money that are now going to be able to collect it. I, I don't know that it opens it up to additional providers um it just takes so, so let me ask you this, have all providers that I guess that would treat chronic pain or pain management or things of that nature. Have they always, they've always been able to build and to charge for this. I mean, under the insurance
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 1:30:24
program that, that's my understanding is that it just would increase the cap on. on those that are already You know, monitoring So what
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:30:34
is, what is the cap now though? I
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 1:30:36
mean, is it it's 500 across the board, and this only takes it to 800 for those that are receiving pain management services and, and the goal is to make sure that, you know, the drugs aren't being diverted elsewhere, uh, or that, uh, you know, the metabolic rate of the individual, the levels aren't aren't building up in the patient if they've had some other kind of medications. added to their regime. Did
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:31:03
y'all check to see if there was an impact on our EBD program, our employee benefits division. This is
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 1:31:10
just for Medicaid, OK? So I don't know that it has had an impact. There was no mention of any impact on EBD. OK, thank you, sir. Thank you.
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Chair Unverified 1:31:23
Any other questions for Senator Penzo. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat. No objection, Madam
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Speaker 15 1:31:43
Secretary, please roll the boat. Oh. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark K Crowe, Davis, Des,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:31:48
dismaying dots and English flippo flowers Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvine, late on leave, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Pennzos, Pettis, rice, Scott stone, Stubberfield Sullivan, tougher
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Speaker 102 1:32:06
Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Hickey, not Hickey.
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Chair Unverified 1:32:14
Present. This is present. This is not voting. OK, perfect. All right, Senator Davis present. Anyone else? Seeing no other please cast up the ballot by a vote of 32 ya, zero nay, to present, Senate Bill 348 passes any corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please transmit to the house. Senate Bill 371 and before we take up 371, I'd like to recognize Senator Tucker. Thank you, Madam President, in keeping
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 1:32:49
with what Senator Hammer just did, many of us know Bob McMahon, who's the head of the prosecuting attorney coordinator's office, anyone who's served on judiciary knows Bob well. His wife Marylou, longtime teacher in Arkansas, got a cancer diagnosis last month and um lost her last week and and her services this afternoon, so we just want to keep Bob and their children in our prayers and I think it would be appropriate for us to have a moment of
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Senator Reginald Murdock Unverified 1:33:14
silence for Mary Lou McMahon right now. Thank you, members.
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Chair Unverified 1:33:32
Thank you, Senator Tucker. We will now take up Senate Bill 371. So
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:33:37
about 371 by Centra Scott Scott to amend a standardized system to aid in the search of missing children who do not meet the criteria for activation for the Arkansas Amber Alert system. Senator
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Senator Jamie Scott Unverified 1:33:50
Scott, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. This bill establishes a standardized missing child alert system in Arkansas for cases where children do not meet the criteria for the Amber Alert, um, the current problem that we do have with the Amber Alert is that we have many students in our districts who don't always meet these qualifications. So, so this issue came up to me last year from a principal, some community leaders and parents, um, so annually we have close to 100 kids who go missing all across Arkansas who don't meet the criteria for the Amber Alert. And so Reached out to the state police and I reached out um to BLR last summer and I asked them what were other states doing that if, if their kids didn't meet Amber Alerts, how were they still trying to assist the families in the communities and found in these and finding these children. So they sent over uh something at 18 different states were doing, 18 different states have something in addition to Amber Alert to help assist with with missing kids and so Um, the suggestion that came from the state police was that we create a statewide um notification process and the alert system with notify our local enforcement, our media, and that we would, if needed, display a digital highway sign in your area if a kid is missing. It's not something that has to be done, um, it will be Sim similar to an silver alert. So do you know the silver alert that we have for our seniors. So you don't get the jarring alert um that goes out for Amber Alerts. You're not gonna get that every time this this goes in place. It's gonna be similar to Amber Alert. Um, the criteria for this notification would be a child has to be under 18, law enforcement must determine that the child is missing and their whereabouts are unknown and the child is believed to be in potential danger and so they were collaborate with state agencies, school districts, state police, and local law enforcement in. right now that's not being done and so that's why there's nothing going out statewide, um, this is what the suggestion was came with the state police, they drafted this language for me when I went with them to the issue and they looked at what other states were doing. Um, other states that have something model similar to this is Texas, Tennessee, and Florida. So this bill would hopefully close the gaps when we have children that go missing who don't meet the Amber Alert meaning they weren't abducted, but they are still missing. And so that could fall into kids with disabilities or just young kids, and that's what happened in my district and that's where this bill comes from, um, to me, every child deserves to be found in their family shouldn't feel hopeless so that there's no help, um, just because they don't meet the Amber Alert system and so with that, I would
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Chair Unverified 1:36:41
ask you for a good boat and now try to answer any questions if you have any. Any questions for Senator Scott. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Scott, you're free to close. Thank you, colleagues. I would appreciate a good vote. Senator is closed. Any objection to
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Speaker 15 1:37:02
rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Bryant Caldwell Clark Crowe, Davis, Ds dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:37:12
Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo Petty, Rice Scott stone, Stuber Phil
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:37:19
Sullivan. Marker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his
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Chair Unverified 1:37:25
or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 ya, zero, nay, Senate Bill 371 passes, please transmit to the house. Senate Bill 410.
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:37:45
Senate Bill 410 by Senator King to amend the law concerning public officers and employees and require disclosure of employment for former state employees and former elected officials. Senator King, you're recognized.
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:37:58
Thank you, Madam President. Members, we do a lot of disclosure. In fact, after the last corruption scandals that went through the legislature, there was even increased disclosure, but basically what this is is a post-disclosure bill, this would save for 4 years after you're out of office or even myself and this list of people and even agency people uh that if they enter into contracts or uh do government business, basically they would have to require. There's no penalties in this because it's a new bill. I also sunsetted it, so in 4 years it goes out to see what happens, but if you saw in my latest op ed that I wrote, we're seeing this consulting business coming in where you're seeing these consulting companies, whether it's Deloitte or McKenzie, all of a sudden get big huge contracts and then they turn around and hire the former people, and we also have this thing of, of former members that even though we have a two-year ban on lobbying, they turn around and just go to work for a lobbying firm. and called herself a consultant or account manager or whatever they need to do, and they have no reporting. And folks, that's just not wrong, that's just wrong. I mean, if we're going to have a two-year ban on lobbying, let's have a two-year ban on lobby. For instance, I was out 4 years and when I went back to farm and didn't have any conflicts or anything like that, then I would report nothing. Senator Clark, who has a, a business, if he doesn't do huge government contracts that he doesn't have to report. You're not required to report anything, but this consulting thing of calling yourself a consultant going to work for a lobbying firm. It's just nothing but flat out skirting the law as it is today, and it really, like I said, this is about a post reporting bill. Like I said, Deloitte, for example, was getting nothing and then now in the last 10 years they've got over a half a billion dollars in contracts. A half a billion. So with that I'd take any questions.
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Chair Unverified 1:39:53
Questions for Senator King, Senator Dodson, you're
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Senator Jim Dotson Unverified 1:39:59
recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Senator King, So the reporting is like SFI annual reporting, I'm assuming, um, that the state ethics commission will enforce, but How do they enforce it if there's no penalties or are the penalties defined by the ethics commission under the rules that
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:40:24
are promulgated. Well, the Ethics Commission would do the rules like we do a lot of other things. I mean, I think that I did not have penalties in this because it is a new area that we don't know what's going. I mean, the committee and when I had a discussion, wanted me to sunset the bill that way we just see what happens for 4 years and then after that, if we see it's a need and a need, then we can come back and do a bill later. What future general assemblies, but like I said, I mean this thing of, of, like I said, Deloitte, for example, that is getting nothing and all of a sudden the people that were part of the government agencies, whether they approve the contracts or not, and now we give them a half billion dollars. I mean, if you're a lobbyist, you're a lobbyist. So I don't know how else to do it. We can sit there and use the term consultant and it turns into whackamo. You're now an account manager or whatever else. So every state employee
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Senator Jim Dotson Unverified 1:41:15
For every agency, whether they worked one day part time or full time. They would be subject to file an SFI annually for 4 years after they leave state employment regardless of whether they were decision maker or not just if they happen to go to work for some private entity that has a contract with the state. So
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:41:37
if you have a state employee like a DHS, we talked about this in committee. If you have a DHS official that is very high up in negotiating Medicaid contract influential, and they go to work for, uh, basically one of these consulting companies that's getting millions of dollars, then yes, I think. We should have post recording. In a perfect world, you could have two honest people in the thing and you don't need a law at all, but also if you look at the several members that have been uh convicted of bribery in the last few years. I mean, it obviously was uh there need to be reporting. That's why I filed Medicaid disclosure bill after Medicaid disclosure bill. This is just to finding out what's out there. There's obviously not a penalty for uh somebody out there that makes an honest mistake or just goes from Being a low level or or worker at DHS that goes to work for a Medicaid provider. This, you know, somebody like that reporting, yeah, I think that you have to do that, but if you have a situation where millions and millions and hundreds of millions of dollars of contracts are decided by people that they give them the contracts and then all of a sudden they turn around and go to work for them, and they don't call their self a lobbyist, they're a consultant, then that's obviously skirting the law, but every state employee And anyone who
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Senator Jim Dotson Unverified 1:42:55
is employed by an institution of higher education regardless of whether or not they're currently filing SFIs or not, once they leave office, they will have to begin to filing SFIs and could be subject to penalties by dark Arkansas Ethics Commission. There's no
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:43:09
penalties. They cannot assess any penalties, so that's incorrect, but I'm giving the everyday example of what we're seeing out here are these people leaving and all of a sudden they're not a lobbyist, they're a consultant. I, I don't know how else to, to keep explaining that basically we know what it is. I mean, we have a two-year, the people of Arkansas passed a two-year ban on lobbying. They were very clear. I don't think this thing a calling your consultant any more than a bank robber goes in and says, well, I'm not, I'm leaving and I'm not a bank robber, I'm a bank, you know, withdrawal account specialist or something. Just calling yourself a different name is not, it's just flat out skirt in the law. Senator Hill,
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Chair Unverified 1:43:50
you're recognized for a question. Senator King. What,
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Senator Ricky Hill Unverified 1:43:55
what are we actually trying to accomplish with this, you want people to report with the with the disclosure and stuff. What what are we trying to gather or what are we trying to be? What are we trying to accomplish with this? What's trying to be known by this and who's going to enforce Whatever we're trying,
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:44:13
whatever we're trying to accomplish. The ethics commission will set up the rules. There's no penalty and it's just exactly what I said. These things have decided literally hundreds of millions of dollars of state tax dollars and then turn around and and the next day go to work for the entity that all of a sudden, uh, you just made the laws or was part of the mechanism that made the decision process, then yes, you should report it. I mean, like I said, I give the Deloitte example. They're receiving $0 all of a sudden they get a half a billion dollars. Yes, You should have to report that. I sit down here in 2015 and started filing Medicaid disclosure bills and got pestered with every type of imaginable what if to aliens landing, and all of a sudden, if you looked at those Medicaid disclosure bills which I filed 4 in 4 different committees that filed and look at all the ones that wound up being, it was all back to Medicaid entities. Every one of them. So if we're gonna decide literally hundreds of millions of dollars and all of a sudden, but if you go back to life and you're just doing regular private life, then you don't have to file anything. I mean, this thing of, like I said, being an account manager after you leave and you're not a lobbyist and go work for a lobbying firm. I don't know, you know, a zebra is still a zebra. If you know of a situation that I mentioned. Do you think they're lobbyists when they go to work, but they're a consultant, but they're not lobbying, then you figure out the solution that needs to happen. But if you're deciding hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe even billions that make a decision. Yeah, you ought to be accountable to the people when you leave office and not just wait
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Chair Unverified 1:45:50
for the paycheck after you leave. Any other questions for Senator King. Senator Hickey, you're
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Speaker 340 1:45:57
recognized. Sorry, I stepped out. Senator King,
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 1:46:00
you may have said this. So if I leave out of here and I don't do any of this, do I have to report
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Chair Unverified 1:46:12
anything? OK, that's all I need to know. Thank you. Nothing
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 1:46:17
at all. Senator Petty, you're recognized, and then Senator Mark Johnson. Thank you, Madam President. So just a question and in full disclosure. I'm fully disclosed as best I can tell, uh, I have used uh federal funds through a state agency for 35 plus years in various capacities as an employee, but also in my own business, if, if, and then once I became an elected official or began to run, I started disclosing that. If I leave and go back to that, as you said, regular job. This is gonna require me to continue to report for 4 more years. They
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:46:52
basically like you're just doing business today, but if you're doing big state contracts, then yes, I mean, after you, after you leave office, so yes it
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 1:47:00
would prior experience in doing the same thing and going back to my day job, if you will, uh, like I did before. Not changing anything other than I'm no longer an elected official. I would still have to for 4 years file the the disclosures for doing what I had done for 35 years prior to coming down here, and I think that's just a responsibility of the office of, like I
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:47:22
said, you're deciding hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars, and then you go to work for the people that you wound up deciding to get the money. I mean, you could just wait for your paycheck later. You could not even do the Jeremy Hutchison thing of being on retainer or whatever. we're doing, but I'm just saying if you're deciding this and all of a sudden you go to work for these companies, I mean, that, that you decided hundreds of millions of dollars and then yeah,
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 1:47:50
OK, well, I, I'm not planning to go to work for any of these guys, but uh I'm going back to my day job full time at some point, which is what I'm doing currently when I'm not down here and, and that's just going to extend the disclosure requirement, doing what I've always done, doing what you've always done, OK. Senator Mark Johnson.
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 1:48:11
Thank you. He just said about the things that are wrong and need to be corrected, but for the life of me, I've been trying to find a connect between the the language of your bill and the things that you, we, you and I both agree are problems and the the lobbying workaround is an is an excellent example and I appreciate you saying that, but respectfully, I'm seeing a situation where you know you're not making a difference between You know, the low level employee in state government and anybody works for an agency, and I'm, it's, I think you're on the right track is what I'm trying to say, but can you help me get a connection where the the language, the text of the bill is more succinct and clear and and accomplishes the things that you and I agree on and you just stated, you know, in your presentation. I'm, I'm, I'm not, I'm not putting Together if you understand what I'm asking. Yeah, so I
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:49:17
mean, I, I, like I said, I mean, we all know the examples I'm talking about, there's no way that you can keep splintering everything down, you have to put a bill out there and if you're like a caseworker for DHS and all of a sudden you go to work for another entity, then yes, maybe, I mean, yes, I think you should disclose something. You were part of a government agency that was part of a process. Now obviously those people are not the situation. the problem because, you know, a lot of times in corruption, you want to find out if by reporting or not reporting is where you find out what actually happened. And like I said, I sit down here in 2015 and was lambasted about every Medicaid disclosure bill ever filed and then look what happened. I'm not saying, but right now, like I said, I use the Deloitte example, McKenzie, all these consultant companies are the ones that, you know, bubble up that you give the contract through and then all of a sudden they turn around and then hire you later. I mean, yeah, I think you should disclose that. The citizens should know when you've decided to spend millions or hundreds of millions or even billions towards something and then you go to work for them, then yeah, I think that should
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 1:50:26
be closed. OK, well, I just, I, I'm again, everything you just said then, I agree, but I don't see this bill. Connecting those dots. If you want
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:50:35
to file a bill after this one to clarify that or do something and you're more than welcome, but right now this is, you have to put a blanket out there. If you don't, you're gonna be using such a loophole that it means nothing. Thank you for if you want to file a bill after this and bring it, uh,
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 1:50:55
that's more than welcome to do that. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you, Senator King. 2 points. Number 1, if the person doesn't, well, first question is, who are they going to um report to If they leave they leave state employment, who do they report to? Ethics Commission will develop the rules, much like they do all of our rules, OK, and then the second thing is, if I remember right, there's no punitive action against anybody that does this. So if, I mean, whether intentional or unintentional if somebody doesn't report that there's really no punitive action toward them. Is that correct? No, but I think if somebody was
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:51:31
reporting and then all of a sudden they're not reporting and they're the cases that bubble up. that we see and know, and they're not reporting and obviously that's a problem. I mean, so I think that, like I said, uh, it's something in a new area. I didn't put any penalties in it because we talked about in committee. We don't know what we don't know. We're not trying to catch some gotcha game with some, you know, caseworker that happens to go. We all know that the scam that's really going on of like saying I'm not a lobbyist, I'm a consultant or an
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Chair Unverified 1:52:05
account manager. OK, thanks. Any other questions for Senator King? Anyone wish to speak against. Or for Senator King, you're recognized clothes. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Objection noted. Madam Secretary, please call
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Speaker 15 1:52:32
the roll. Bo. Yeah, I mean that. Brand. Caldwell. Clark Crawl. Davis. Days Days This man. The mind Dotson. English English Flippo. Flipper
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Speaker 278 1:52:55
Flowers. Gilmore, Gilmore. Hammer. Hester Hickey Hill. Irvin's leave Blake Johnson. Like Johnson, Mark Johnson.
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:53:19
King letting love McKee, Murdoch. Murdoch Peyton. Penzo
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Speaker 278 1:53:35
Patty. Rice, Scott. Stan Stab afield Sullivan. Sullivan,
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Chair Unverified 1:53:50
attacker? Wallace Because um any senator who wished to vote, who did not vote, or who wishes to change your vote, Senator Hammer, yes. Senator Boyd present. Senator Davis, or Senator dismaying, no. Any other senator Please check the board. And other the sender Senator Murdoch, yes. Any other cinder. Seeing no other. police cast up the ballot. I'm sorry, you all have to speak up. We cast the ballot up. By a vote of 17, 8 nay, 7, not voting, 2 present. Senate Bill 410 fails. Senator King, you're recognized for emotion. And senators, please, I try to give you all ample opportunities, so you all know the drill by now. I
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 1:54:57
just make a motion to expunge a vote. If it comes back up, I'll get
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Chair Unverified 1:55:01
plenty of notice. Motion to expunge the vote for Senate Bill 410. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. And he opposed. I have it motion carries. Senate Bill 459, Senator Leding. Senate Bill 459 by Central
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:55:21
Letting to amend the minimum minimum age necessary to educate a juvenile delinquent. Senator, letting you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues,
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Senator Greg Leding Unverified 1:55:31
this bill is one of a package of criminal justice reforms that we're running. Senator Ervin is carrying some. I've got this one. It's fairly straightforward. Uh, current practice in Arkansas, uh, in our courts and with our prosecutors is that children under the age of 10 are handled somewhat differently. The idea being that 9 and younger, you can't necessarily form criminal intent. So that is the existing practice. The issue is that that language is not consistent throughout the code, so all we're doing with Senate Bill 459 is codifying that existing practice. Prosecutors are fine with this bill. Nobody spoke against it in committee. And I appreciate the judiciary Committee voting it out unanimously. Happy to try to answer any questions,
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Chair Unverified 1:56:06
any questions for Senator Leding. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 1:56:23
Crowe, Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:56:36
stone Phil Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change
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Chair Unverified 1:56:41
his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 34 yeah 0 name Senate Bill 459 passes, please transmit to
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 1:57:00
the house. Senate Bill 463. Senate Bill 463 by Senator McKee to require the Arkansas Public Service Commission to approve or deny settlement agreements concerning closing of eliminating electric generation units or transmission assets. Senator McKee, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. Members, this is a simple bill that just
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Senator Matt McKee Unverified 1:57:16
says the state needs to have a seat at the table when these agreements are looked at in the future. I appreciate most of you are signed on as co-sponsors. The utilities have had their input and are not opposed, so I'd appreciate a good vote. Be happy to answer any questions you have. Any
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Chair Unverified 1:57:35
questions for Senator McKee. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized to speak for. Thank you, Madam
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 1:57:48
President. Senator McKee, thank you for this bill. I wish we could make it retroactive. Sadly, we can't, uh, a lot of our, and some of us have agreed and disagreed on the different ways to approach our energy situation in the state. But it's important to note that this bill addresses a glaring problem where one NGO and one company were able to go in and effect energy policy for the entire state of Arkansas through a consent decree from and threatened federal action that federal action says you are violating the Clean Air Act. That was before Loper Bright. This was when Chevron was in effect and so it's possible that they weren't violating the Clean Air Act. They were just in violating an agency's interpretation of the Clean Air Act, so there was no trial. There was no determination of fact, uh, they just capitulated for reasons unknown to me, I still don't completely understand it. Uh, also, I want to add that The entities involved had partners in these uh power plants that were not consulted. The co-ops and municipal utilities, uh, They were not consulted. This was just done. The PSC exists to protect the consumers of Arkansas. So it's important that we do things that make sure that they try to take it outside of an adjudicative process and just go in between the two of them and do it. This is a great bill. This may be one of the best bills for going forward that we passed this whole session,
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Chair Unverified 1:59:41
so I appreciate a good vote. Thanks. Any other senator wished to speak against or for. Seeing no other senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat? Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat.
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Speaker 15 1:59:59
Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crow, Davis, Ds, dismaying dots and
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:00:02
English flippo Flowers Gilmore Hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love the key Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice scotstone, stubber
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:00:12
Phil Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator was to change his or her vote. Seeing no
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Chair Unverified 2:00:20
one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 34, 0, nay, Senate Bill 4, 63 passes, please transmit to the
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:00:36
house. Senate Bill 471, Senate Bill 471 by Senator Clark to amend the law concerning candidates for nonpartisan elections and to allow certain candidates for nonpartisan elections to use the title of the nonpartisan judicial office on the ballot. Senator Clark, you're recognized. Thank you,
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 2:00:51
Madam Governor. Colleagues is uh is a short bill, no known opposition. It says if you've ever been a judge, you can run for judge using that title. I'd be happy to take
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Chair Unverified 2:01:06
any questions. Questions for Senator Clark, Senator Boyd to
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Senator Justin Boyd Unverified 2:01:11
recognize. Does this, does this include county judge? If
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 2:01:17
the county judge is running for a judicial position, I think the wording might include a county judge. Any other questions for Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:01:32
Clark. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Send her your recognized clothes. I'm closed. I'd appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any objection to
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Speaker 15 2:01:46
rolling the boat. Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crow,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:01:52
Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott stone, Stubberfield
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Chair Unverified 2:02:09
Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, Senator Davis, no. Hester, no. Flowers present. Any other senator seen no other police cast up the ballot. By a vote of 31, 2 nay and one present Senate Bill 471 passes,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:02:32
please transmit to the house. Senate Bill 473. Senate Bill 473 by Senator Stone to amend the duties of the Arkansas Fire Protection Services Board and to provide for the Arkansas Fire Protection Services Board to advise the Arkansas fire Training Academy on certain matters. Senator Stone, you're recognized. Members
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Senator Matt Stone Unverified 2:03:04
Words have meaning in one word can change the meaning or tra trajectory of an organization. The Arkansas Fire Academy sits on the campus of SAU Tech in Calhoun County, which is squarely in my district. They train cadets, young men and women to be firefighters across the state. From 1973 since the academy became a part of SAU tech. Until 2023 for a span of 50 years, they served in an advisory capacity. Last session there was some legislation passed. For the fire academy and the Fire Services Board and there was one word that was changed and they moved from having an advisory capacity to an oversight capacity. So what did that one change? Why did that one word change do? It caused confusion on the campus. Can the academy has a director, and for the last 50 years, whoever was the director, Answer to whoever was the sitting chancellor at SCU Tech. Now with the oversight of the fire servicece Protection Board, they feel like they have to answer to two people. Now I don't know if there's ever a problem in the past, but one word was changed and I got a phone call and said this is a problem. We're getting direction from the board, we're getting direction from a chancellor. Who do we obey? Who do we serve? Who's our master here? Because nobody can serve two masters. I ran this bill in committee the other day and got it out and after running the bill. I was approached by the firefighters and wanted to know would I be amenable to an amendment. And I said it just depends on what it is. We'll look at it and work through it. So through that process, uh, the Chancellor of SAU Tech worked with several of them, and they had done, hey, they have been unable to come to an agreement on an amendment. So I stand here today to run the bill. Now, this is bigger than the academy. I'm 100% in favor of the academy. My house sponsor, Representative Andrews, who was also a firefighter, is 100% in favor of the academy. Matter of fact, last year, myself and Representative Andrews was honored by this organization is the legislatures of the year, myself from the Senate and Representative Andrews from the House. But this is bigger than the firefighter academy, um, firefighter Academy. Let me tell you what's at stake. There is not another institution of higher learning in this state. Where the president or the chancellor has oversight from an outside state agency board. This is about keeping SAU tech. In line with other colleges. So here's what happens. It doesn't matter the success or failure of that academy. If no one reports to anybody except the Chancellor of the academy, it rises and falls. It's, it's success rise and falls on the on the on on the shoulder of that chancellor. But now if there's a problem, Because of the oversight that is now there. They're going to step back and it's going to become that sitting chancellor's problem. You know, I'm a registered forester. I'm a UAM graduate prior to being elected to the state Senate. I served on the Forest commission, but the forest commission never reached out and tried to have oversight of the school of forestry, and that's the closest example of what I can give to what's going on. The fire services Academy, the marshals, Fire Chiefs Association, their advice and input is coveted. It is wanted, and it is needed like it was from 1973 to 2023, but a one word change in that bill last year has caused disharmony on the campus. With that, I'm open to any questions. Questions for Senator Stone.
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Chair Unverified 2:07:44
Senator Hester, you're recognized. Senator Stone, we're that
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 2:07:47
time of session when we're getting a lot of very difficult bills and you have to, uh, we're working through lots of negotiations. You said that there was a negotiation going, which I was hopeful that there had been an amendment here and work this out. What what happened in the negotiation during
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Senator Matt Stone Unverified 2:08:04
that time. Well, what I did was have Dr. Thomas get together with the people from the fire protection fire protection agency board and whoever else needed to have a seat at the table. And ultimately what it boiled down to Is that, you know, I was thinking about, I didn't know if ALC might could have oversight of it in some capacity, but just doing some checking, that's not the role of the legislature or ALC. And then I thought, well, maybe higher education I could have some oversight in it and I talked to Dr. Ken Warden, a secretary of over higher education, and he said, you know, Senator Stone, that's not really in our purview. We can't weigh in on something that may come to us later on that we've already taken a position on it. If we get approached about it, we need to be able to be neutral before we say anything. But he said, but I understand what you're saying and what you're doing. No chancellor. should have to have anybody else on their campus having oversight while sitting on their campus and ultimately they're going to be held responsible for. So this morning, I talked to Secretary of Higher Education and I offered up some suggestions and he said, you know, Senator Stone, those suggestions sound reasonable, you know, if the director of the academy was to deviate from standard operating procedures and the fire service Protection Board thought that that was a problem. They could appeal. That decision to the director. And if they couldn't get satisfaction, they could go to the sitting chancellor and appeal that process, appeal it again, and if they couldn't do anything, then they could go to the president of Southern Arkansas University, which is a Utech is on the under the umbrella of Southern Arkansas University, and they still couldn't get satisfaction. They can appeal to the board of directors of Southern Arkansas University. They declined that and the reason being why they want to have a seat at the table on everything that happens to the academy. So we, so we're back to the oversight. I expressed my concerns about that and they said, you know, we have to have a seat at the table. I said, you know, you'll have a seat at the table. I said, if you appeal this 4 different times. I said the press will be there. It'll be at the board meeting and I said you can bring in every subject matter expert that you need to have available to testify why and what's wrong with what the director's doing. I said that is a check and balance. So your advisory capacity is wanted and needed. We have a check and balance and they flatly rejected it and they said run the bill as is. We're out. So members, I stand here today to run the bill. If there's anybody else have any questions? Uh, the questions for
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Chair Unverified 2:11:03
Senator Stone. Senator Bryant, do you have a question? Your lights on, so that's all. OK, all good now. Any other questions, if no other questions, anyone wish to speak against or for. Seeing no one send her stone, you are recognized
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Senator Matt Stone Unverified 2:11:29
to close. Members, I'm closed.
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Chair Unverified 2:11:32
I'd appreciate a good vote, Senator Stone is closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Objections noted, Madam
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Speaker 389 2:11:44
Secretary, please call the roll. But.
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Speaker 195 2:11:47
Bo Bran. Caldwell Caldwell, Clark. Clark. Crowe
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Speaker 15 2:11:55
Davis. Davis. Days, this man Dotson. English? English flippo flowers. Gilmore. Hammer.
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Speaker 278 2:12:07
Hammer, Hester. Hecky Hill. Aravin is on leave. Blake Johnson.
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Speaker 319 2:12:26
Like Johnson. Mark Johnson. King.
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:12:41
King lighting. Love. McKee Murdoch. Murdoch,
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Speaker 278 2:12:48
Hayton Penzo Patty. Rice Brice, Scott. Stone. Stab afield? Stanfield, Sullivan Tucker. Wallace. Any
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Speaker 366 2:13:08
senators wish to vote who
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Chair Unverified 2:13:12
did not vote or who wished to change your vote, Senator Scott present. Senator Stubblefield, yes. And Senator Caldwell, yes, Senator Murdoch, present. Senator Blake Johnson, yes. Senator Clark present, hammer present. Murdoch, yes. Yes, Murdoch, yes. You Anyone else, please check the board. Now's the time. Speak up Say something, wave. Seeing no other police cast up the ballot by a vote of 23, 5 nay, 3 not voting, 3 present, Senate Bill 473. Passes, please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 479. Senate Bill 479
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:14:08
by Senator Hammer to amend the law concerning voter assistance and require person assisting a voter with a disability, to present identification. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor.
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 2:14:21
Currently the law allows up to 6 individuals to assist a person in voting in present. However, there's not a system in place to identify if one individual is either exceeding that or they are operating under a false name. So what this does is require that the identification of the assistor uh be presented at the time that they're helping the person who's voting to assist. This will give the state board of elections the ability to track and to know if there are those that are having more than 6 assists in the voting booth, and I'll be glad to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:15:00
Hammer? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator, you recognized clothes. Close. Appreciate a good vote, Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Saying no objection,
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Speaker 15 2:15:18
Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Bo Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Kra, Davis, Ds, dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore Hammer, Hester
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:15:25
Hickey Hill, Irving Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott, stone,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:15:36
Stubber Phil Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator
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Chair Unverified 2:15:42
wish to change his or her vote, send her flowers. No cinder letting, no send her love, no. Senator Murdoch, no. Senator Scott, no. Senator Tucker, no. Any other senator Please check the board, seeing no other, please cast up the ballot, by a vote of 28 ya, 6 nay. Senate Bill 479 passes, please transmit to the House. Senate Bill 480, Senate Bill 480 by Senator
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:16:18
Hammer to amend the law concerning the investment of state funds. Sender hammer, you're recognized. You're still right. All right, thank you, Madam Governor.
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 2:16:34
Purpose of this bill is to clean up an irrelevant language and make the law match what's happening in the marketplace, 3 things deleted language was brought over from the banking code and does not apply to us as we aren't a bank, speaking of the Treasury by changing the required number of ratings from 2 to 1, we allow ourselves to invest more in Arkansas banks, some products they offer only carry one rating, and by taking out the language requiring the Treasury uses competitive. and purchasing, making it easier for them to purchase sole source products with better rates and returns. The important point is that they are not changing anything that they already do. It's just clean it up, make sure the code reflects best practices on behalf of Treasurer's office, be glad to try to answer any
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Chair Unverified 2:17:18
questions. Any questions for Senator Hammer? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Sender you recognized clothes. Appreciate a good vote. Senators closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, saying no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the
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Speaker 15 2:17:35
boat. Boyd Brynt Caldwell, Clark Crow, Davis, Ds, Dima dots and English flippo Flowers Gilmore, hammer,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:17:42
Hester, Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson King, letting Love McKee Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott Stonefield Sullivan Tucker. Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or
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Chair Unverified 2:17:57
her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 34, 0 nay, Senate
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Speaker 321 2:18:08
Bill 480 passes, please transmit to the House Senate
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Speaker 125 2:18:25
Bill 486. Make a motion to uh put Senate Bill 486 on second reading for amendment. All those
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Chair Unverified 2:18:33
in favor of the motion please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? I have it, motion
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Speaker 73 2:18:38
carries. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 486.
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Chair Unverified 2:18:43
Senator Johnson, you're recognized. My, my amendment. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye, and he opposed, I have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. My move
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 2:19:01
to send it back. Uh, OK. And
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Chair Unverified 2:19:12
When Senate Bill 46 comes out of engrossing, it will be sent back to committee. We are passing over Senate Bill 487 and Senate Bill 490, we will next take up. Senate Bill 491. To
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:19:29
the 491 by Central Hammer to require a vendor that contracts with the state Office of State Procurement for services for the employee benefits division to submit data for verification by an independent auditor and
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 2:19:43
declare an emergency. Senator Hamer, you're recognized. Thank you, ma'am Chair. So the essence of what this bill does is that if there's a vendor that is going to be providing information, uh, to, in this case, EBD, for example, and it has not been verified. ified by a third party that this would create the option for that to be called for so that that information can be double checked. So if you got a vendor that is providing information, say, to EBD and that entity is one that's holding that information. There's no way for us to know whether or not the information that they are giving us is indeed what is true and genuine. So what this would do is allow them to be able to ask for a third party assessment of that information in order to make sure that what they are giving that we're making. decisions on can be verified. I'll be glad to answer any questions. Any
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Chair Unverified 2:20:34
questions for Senator Hammer? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Send her you're free to close. Appreciate a good vote. Senators closed. Any objection rolling the boat? Saying no
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Speaker 15 2:20:52
objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Mo Bryant Caldwell, Clark Crowell, Davis, Des, Dimain Dotson,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:20:59
English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting, Love, McKee,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:21:07
Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Anyone wish to
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Chair Unverified 2:21:16
change their vote, Senator flowers present. Any others? Seeing no others. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 y, 0, nay, 1 present, Senate Bill 491 passes and it corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please transmit to the house. We are passing over Senate Bill 508. We will next take up Senate Bill 510. Senate Bill 510
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:21:43
by Senator Boyd to allow for the cross-deputization of municipal county, state, and tribal law enforcement on federally recognized tribal land within the state. Senator Boyd,
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Senator Justin Boyd Unverified 2:21:58
you recognized? Thank you, Madam President. This bill, this bill allows for cross-deputization agreements between local jurisdictions and tribal entities on tribal land located in Arkansas. In Fort Smith, there's a parking lot, which is Choctaw land located obviously in Arkansas cause it's in Fort Smith, cross-deputization will allow the first responding police entity to be able to address the situation at hand and then work out the prosecutor prosecutorial jurisdiction on the back end. Uh, this will be a first in Arkansas, but where there's tribal land in other states. This is a common practice. Questions for Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:22:35
Boyd. Saying no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Send her you're free to
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Senator Justin Boyd Unverified 2:22:43
close. I'm closed and I appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:22:49
has closed any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection,
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Speaker 15 2:22:54
Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Bo Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crowe, Davis, Des, Dima Dots
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:23:00
and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Pennzo, Petty, Rice Scott Stone, Steberfield Sullivan, Tucker
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:23:12
Wallace. Any senator wish to change his
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Chair Unverified 2:23:20
or her vote, send her flowers present. Any other senator saying no other, please cast up the ballot by vote of 33, 0 nay, 1 present, Senate Bill 510 passes. Please transmit to the house. Next, we will take up House bills, beginning with House Bill 1327. That for
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:23:46
1327. My pins up to amend the law concerning eligibility of certain retired employees under the state and
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 2:24:01
public school life and health insurance program. Senator Pino, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. House Bill 1327 begins to bring clarity to the situation by changing the name of the program to state and public school life and health insurance program, members, members of the retirement systems are eligible to participate in this program, but the program is managed by employee benefits. There are two main requirements, but you must be invested in one of the retirement systems and must have been in the program for at least 5 years before retiring. The only other items raised in the bill are to make clear that participation in this program are not allowed if there's a conflict with federal law as to members ability to participate and then to confirm that a member's failure to respond in the required period of time is not grounds for being reconsidered for acceptance into the program. There's no fiscal impact on any of the state retirement systems and there's minimal to no impact on the state and public school life and health insurance program. Appreciate
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Chair Unverified 2:25:05
a good bit. Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please
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Speaker 15 2:25:17
roll the boat. Bo, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark K Crowe, Davis, Ds, Dismay Dotson English flippo flowers. Gilmore Hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson King,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:25:30
letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott Stone, Stubberfield Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change
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Speaker 102 2:25:38
his or her vote? Seeing no
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Chair Unverified 2:25:41
one. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34, 0, nay, House Bill 1327 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1382.
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:25:58
As for 1382 by Senator Des to require certain reporting by the designated protection advocacy Agency for the state and the designated client assistance program
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Senator Tyler Dees Unverified 2:26:10
for the state. Senator Day, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Members HB 1382 is a parents' rights bill or a parent's voice bill, it's better said. So recently the Legislative council has passed a rule changing the name of the hospital and Medicare study subcommittee to include development, developmental disabilities. And so this was done at the ALC to to allow legislators to better understand and be more informed of how individuals would dis abilities are being served in Arkansas. So we recently added that into the subcommittee. One organization that provides services to individuals with disabilities in Arkansas is disability rights Arkansas. Disability rights, Arkansas is the designated protection and advocacy agency for Arkansas. They are in an independent nonprofit corporation appointed by Governor David Pryor in 1980 to comply with the Olmstead Act. They're funded by federal funds and private funds and nonprofit and are a nonprofit organization. They receive no state funds directly, but they have oversight but, but they have oversight from their funders, the So the um they submit reports to their federal organizations and to their funders, uh, but nothing to the state of Arkansas, and that's really what this bill does. This, this bill, um, just does a simple thing and ask them to uh come to the subcommittee for our meetings and send the same reporting that they send to their federal organizations and to their funders, we're asking them to send the same reporting to us. And so with that, I think it's a great opportunity to, to let parents's voice be heard. Uh, especially with their children that that are that are going through disabilities, and so uh that's why we brought this bill. It's passed through the House, and we, we'd appreciate passing here.
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Chair Unverified 2:28:02
Questions for Senator Day. Senator Martin Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you,
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 2:28:06
Madam President. Senator Des, when you say funders, it's just funders with public dollars, federal or state. No state dollars but federal dollars. Yes, yes, but it's tax dollars, taxpayer dollars, yes, sir. OK, that's what I wanted to, I wanted to verify where you're talking. So, the bill in the Senate says that if like a lot of pass-through things that we have where federal money comes into the state that you do have to let the General Assembly put our
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Speaker 25 2:28:35
eyeballs on it. and protect the public. Yes, great. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Madam President. Any other
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Chair Unverified 2:28:41
questions for Senator Davis? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator, you're recognized clothes. Members,
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Senator Tyler Dees Unverified 2:28:50
I wish you could have heard the parents come to speak in testimony in in committee. I think we're giving them a better voice by passing this bill, and I'd appreciate a good vote.
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Chair Unverified 2:29:02
Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat? See no
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Speaker 15 2:29:09
objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boy Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Ds, Dima dots and English flippo flowers,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:29:16
Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson King, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo Petty,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:29:23
Rice Scott Stone Stubber Phil Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his
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Chair Unverified 2:29:34
or her vote, Senator Flowers, no. Senator letting, no. Senator Tucker, no. Love, no. Scott, no. Murdoch. No Any other senator? Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 28, yeah, 6 name, House Bill 1382 passes as amended, please return to the house. House Bill 1444 House Bill
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:30:10
1444 by Senator Dimay to amend the sales and use tax exemption for data centers. Senator Dimay. You're recognized. Thank you, uh, members, uh,
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 2:30:27
last session we passed an incentive package for data centers, large scale data centers. Ah, it was a sales tax exemption, this revamps that. We were the first in the country to develop a package, so all the other states then took what we did and made it better. Uh, so this also creates a new uh program for a qualified large data center that is a $2 billion project over the course of 10 years, uh, with $3 million worth of annual payroll. Um, it also reduces the qualified data center from 500 million to 100 million, and just to make sure everyone understands for Senator King and Senator Hill, it specifically states that they cannot be used for cryptamides. The, the original bill was that way and this bill actually affirmatively states it in in the language. With that, we have to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Dismaying. Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:31:20
King, you're recognized. Thank you and I read the bill and said no, no
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Senator Bryan King Unverified 2:31:25
crypto monster. I think I asked you that two years ago when I caught that and not that other one, but um the, so you're, I mean, what are we talking? 100 megawatts, 150 megawatts? Are we talking these data centers, what range of megawatts are you talking about these to be
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Speaker 427 2:31:42
used for, I believe data centers can pull up to the gig. Yeah, they're massive, so more than, yeah, in anything we can imagine, basically is what you're saying. A gig like 10 megawatts uses 600 to 8000 homes, more than a steel mill, more than what? A steel mill.
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Chair Unverified 2:32:04
Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized for a question.
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Speaker 134 2:32:10
So in this bill at the very beginning, it says either immediate use or stored for future use, that equipment. Why
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Speaker 125 2:32:20
in the world would we give a tax credit for something that's stored.
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 2:32:24
I mean, if this would be that they would make the purchase and so it's just the sales tax exemption is what it is. Those items that they would have bought for future use. One of these things could take 10 years to build. I mean, that's part also contemplated in the
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Speaker 134 2:32:40
legislation. So that would allow them to add it on to the dollar amount. So it would meet the threshold if they Stored that equipment.
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Speaker 432 2:32:52
That's correct. 8 years. Most of that equipment will be out of date in
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 2:32:55
8 years, right? Well, I don't assume that we're going to see a lot of that, but again, this is mimicking the legislation that's been successful in other states because again we were one of the first in the country to do it. This gets us in line with what other states have allowed for. All right, thank you.
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Chair Unverified 2:33:12
Uh the question, Senator Hickey, you're recognized for a question. The
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 2:33:19
center of this. That Mike's messed up. Did this come through rev and this didn't come through Reverend. Absolutely, yes sir. OK. So what was there was
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 2:33:28
no fiscal impact on this one. Yeah, there is no physical impact and it deals with sales and use taxes or excise taxes, so it's not, it's not tied to income, it's tied to purchases that have not occurred because we are not competitive enough to obtain one of these projects at
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 2:33:42
this point in time. OK. Does it not have a cost? Does it not have a physical impact because he's saying it has received a positive cost benefit analysis from the commission. That's correct. So who? Is anybody going to review that that CBA or anything? Is that what you mean? All right. Thank you, sir.
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Chair Unverified 2:34:06
Are the questions for Senator Dismay. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the vote. Objection noted.
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Speaker 15 2:34:24
Madam Secretary, please call the roll. But Brant Caldwell. Clark, Clark. Crowe Yes Davis Davis Day, this man, Dotson, English. Flipper flowers, flowers. Gilmore. Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hester. Hickey Hecky Hill. Are even events leave Blake Johnson Mark
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:35:06
Johnson, King, lighting, love. Love McKee The key. Murdoch.
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Speaker 278 2:35:16
Murdoch. Peyton Peyton, Pennzo Patty. Rice Rice, Scott Stan. Stab afield Sullivan Tucker. Wallace. Any
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Chair Unverified 2:35:39
senator wished to vote who did not vote, wishes to change his or her vote. Senator Murdoch, yes. Love, yes. And yet the sender Hester, yes. Any other senator. Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 24, 4 nay, 6 not voting, House Bill 1444 passes as amended, please return to the house. House Bill 1509.
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:36:20
Ask for 1509 by Central Hill to create the 2nd Amendmentancial Privacy Act and prohibit financial institutions from using certain discriminatory practices. Senator Hill, you're recognized. Thank
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Senator Ricky Hill Unverified 2:36:31
you, Madam President, this bill is pretty simple. It just basically does not allow it prohibits firearms from being discriminated against and where they cannot use a code to distinguish the purchase of a firearm and ammunition. from any other type of sporting goods or anything. The farms dealers when this brought to us because uh There are some uh some merchant service companies that were going out and targeting firearms and coating them with a 5723 number is a special code. This just says in the state of Arkansas you cannot give a firearm purchase or ammunition purchase a special code separate than any other type of codes. They cannot special specify what they're doing with that. Uh, the Attorney General will investigate if that's taking place and there are fines that will be implemented against the emergency. company that does it with that, I'll take any questions, Governor. Questions for Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:37:31
Hill, Senator King, you're recognized for a question. In game and fish, you had all these hearings.
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Senator Ricky Hill Unverified 2:37:36
Where is gun owner Gary Epperson and them on this bill. They for this or against it or for this one. OK. Any other questions? Any other questions? Good grief. Any other
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Chair Unverified 2:37:53
questions? The like Senator Hickey up here. the questions for Cinder Hill, sorry, Cinder Hill. These microphones can be challenging. Any other questions? Seeing no other. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Hill, you're free to close. I'd appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please call the roll.
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Speaker 15 2:38:24
Sorry. Please roll a boat. Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismaying dots in English flippo
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:38:33
flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irving Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:38:42
stone Stubber Phil Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his
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Chair Unverified 2:38:49
or her vote, send her love present. And you have a senator. Seeing no other, please cast up the ballot by vote of 33, 0, nay, and 1 present, House Bill 1509 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1574. House for 1574 by Senator Hammer
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:39:13
to amend the law concerning paid canvassers and require domicile in Arkansas. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you,
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 2:39:22
Chair. Last year we had some committee meetings regarding the definition of domicile versus resident. It was identified that it's a gray area. This clarifies what domicile means and what resident means in the state. We got to take any questions. Any
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Chair Unverified 2:39:37
questions for Sinderhammer. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator Tucker speaking against your're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, members. I know this is going to pass. I just want
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 2:39:53
to continue how the big picture conversation about how we have one set of rules for the people's ability to pass laws and different sets of rules for us to pass laws that my question would be should we pass a law that says that for our campaigns we can only hire Arkansas residents or for the governor's campaign, can she only hire Arkansas residents or for registered lobbyists, do they have to be in Arkansas resident. I just think we should be consistent with the restrictions that we're putting on. The people's ability to pass their own laws with the other lawmaking body, those, those of us here in this, in this Capitol building, and that's not what we've done, um, it's less of a comment on this specific proposal and more of a comment generally on the fact that we are putting so many restrictions on the people's ability to pass laws that we never think to put on ourselves. So for that reason, I'll be voting. Anyone Questions
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Chair Unverified 2:40:45
for Senator Tucker, Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized for a question, Senator Tucker. The people approximately 8500 to
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Speaker 125 2:40:59
90,000 people, each one of us elect us to come down here. That's the restriction we have on our abilities is if we don't do the will of the people, we can't come back and we are all residents. It's required. So somebody who uh It's helping me in the campaign is not me. I am the one. And uh this is a collective, uh, whenever the people are trying to put this on a ballot, and there are real needs for that to be done by the people of Arkansas, not by outside groups. And, and that's, that's my you know my deal is as a citizen is I don't want these things to be controlled by outside groups, and I appreciate Senator Hammer's work in this realm, uh, I don't know. How to ask a question, but I'm, I'm just in in disagreement with with the statement. That that using these, you know, an outside person. In my campaign that's not me. And, and I appreciate the opposition, but it's just I think it's apples and oranges, but thank you,
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 2:42:21
Senator. I think that's actually a very important distinction, Senator Johnson, because then I don't want to overgeneralize, but in most of the laws that we pass restricting the people's ability to put issues on the ballot, we conflate two parts of that process. One part is getting it on the ballot, and the other part is the people of Arkansas voting. Those are two different parts of the process. I'm in a 100% agreement with you. Only the people Arkansas should vote on ballot issues. That's in your analogy, that's akin to us. And getting it on the ballot is akin to our campaign workers. Only Arkansans should vote just like only Arkansans should serve in the Arkansas legislature. We're the ones who pass laws in this building and only Arkansans should pass laws at the ballot. Getting us on the ballot as candidates can be done by more people than just us. Some of them are Arkansans, but they don't have to be. Probably most of them are. It's the same thing for getting an issue. You get a candidate on the ballot, you get an issue on the ballot. Probably it's mostly Arkansans who are paid canvassers, but maybe not 100%, just like with people who work on our campaigns in both aspects there Two parts of the process. One is the candidate and the laws that we pass, and the other is getting the candidate on the ballot and elected. Same thing, it's getting the candidate on the ballot and then only the people of Arkansas should vote. That's the check by the, that's where the Arkansas people control was actually voting when it gets to the ballot box in November, and I'm in a 100%, 100% agreement with that.
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Chair Unverified 2:43:56
Thank you. Senator Murdoch, you're recognized for a question? cylinder solicited
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Senator Reginald Murdock Unverified 2:44:04
accept funds for people out of state. Yes, sir. Tama, I mean, I know I've accepted contributions from out of state, family, other people from out of state contribute to us getting elected, so they are part of the process. That's right. They have
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 2:44:17
to be a citizen of the United States. They don't have to be a citizen of the state of Arkansas. That's exactly right, Senator. Thank you.
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Speaker 321 2:44:27
Anyone wish to speak for or against. Senator Hammer, you're free to close. Thank you, Madam Governor. 3
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 2:44:35
points to consider, and I'll ask for a favorable vote on this when we were having the hearings, one of the attorneys that was testifying. said that we passed the laws. It's his job to exploit the law in order to represent his client, that same attorney also said we need to clear this area up because it is a matter that is confusing and so this law helps clear it up and takes the gray out, makes it black and white. And then I guess I would close with this thought if only the people of Arkansas should be involved in voting on the initiatives which was the statement that was made that I think only residents of Arkansas, it would do right if the residents or those that are getting the initiative signatures should at least be residents of the state of Arkansas, and this defines what it is, and with that I appreciate a
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Chair Unverified 2:45:30
good vote. Senator has closed. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Moed Brat.
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Speaker 15 2:45:41
Caldwell, Clark Crowell, Davis. Days this Dotson, English.
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Speaker 278 2:45:54
flowers. Gilmore Gilmore. Hammer Yes. Hester Hickey Hill
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:46:13
Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Flading love. McKee
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Speaker 278 2:46:28
Murdoch Peyton. Pina Patty rice Scott. Stone. Stuberfield. Sullivan Tucker.
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Speaker 102 2:46:43
Tucker Wallace. Any senator who did
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Chair Unverified 2:46:48
not vote or who wishes to change his or her vote. Senator Clark, yes. Any other senator? Seeing no other please cast up the ballot by a vote of 25, yeah, 8 nay, 1 not voting, House Bill 1574 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1590. House for 1590 by Central
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:47:14
Caldwell to combine the offices of treasurer and tax collector in Woodruff County.
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Senator Ronald Caldwell Unverified 2:47:22
Senator Caldwell, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. All this bill does is combines the offices of treasure and tax collector in Woodruff
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Chair Unverified 2:47:31
County. I appreciate a good vote. Any questions for Senator Caldwell. Anyone wish to speak against or for, sender has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boy, Bryant Caldwell, Clark,
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Speaker 15 2:47:47
Crowe, Davis, Des, Dima Dotson
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:47:49
English flippo flowers, Gilmore Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, lighting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott Stone Stubberfield Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no
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Chair Unverified 2:48:08
one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 yeah, zero, nay, House Bill 1590 passes. Please return to the house. House Bill 1591. House for 1591 by Central
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:48:23
Caldwell to combine the offices of treasurer and tax collector in Arkansas County. Senator Caldwell, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam
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Senator Ronald Caldwell Unverified 2:48:32
Governor. Again, this bill combines Offices of Treasury and tax collector in Arkansas County. Any questions? Anyone
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Chair Unverified 2:48:39
wish to speak against or for. Send her his clothes. Any objection to rolling the vote, seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat.
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Speaker 15 2:48:51
Boy Bryant Caldwell, Clark Crow, Davis, Des, dismaying
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:48:54
dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice Scott
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:49:04
Stone Stubber Phil Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote? See no
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Chair Unverified 2:49:13
one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 0 nay, House Bill 1591 passes. Please return to the house. House
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:49:29
Bill 1637. House was 1637 by Senator Mark Johnson concerning the development and presentation of fiscal impact statements concerning the fiscal impact of statewide initiative and referendum measures and legislatively referred constitutional amendments. Senator Mark
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 2:49:47
Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, colleagues, House Bill 1637 uh bill that's Representative David Ray and I have been working on. What it does is uh it hopefully gives the voters the same kind of information we have when we're voting on on different measures, and that is uh it places a short succinct fiscal impact statement on the ballot of any statewide ballot measure. Uh, if, if The during the Attorney General's ballot review, uh, the Attorney General determines that the proposed issue has a fiscal impact, then it is referred to the Department of Finance Administration to prepare a fiscal impact statement. Uh, that statement is must be an unbiased good faith statement of the fiscal impact, and it's limited in length to 100 words or up to 200 words if the initiative creates a new source of revenue or raises or lowers an existing tax. So this is really about transparency to the voters and some of the other discussions today have talked about comparing the job we do here to the, the job that the voters do when they're faced with having to vote on an issue rather than just on candidates. Uh, this has been uh discussed, discussed this with the uh Secretary Hudson. He says they can handle this. I asked him about a question that Senator Tucker had actually asked me about dynamics of the fiscal impact and uh his response was that they would call balls and strikes and let the proponents and opponents of any measure and analyze that and debate that in the public sphere. So that what they're gonna try to do to the best of their ability, uh, is to actually give some physical information to voters that would be voting on any. Initiatives. Also, it requires that they do the same thing on legislatively referred constitutional amendments. So and again, I thought your comment was perfect when you mentioned that we need to hold ourselves to a similar standards, Senator Tucker. So when we refer an amendment, the FNA would also make the same kind of objective and fair uh unbiased good faith statement of the fiscal impact. I'd be glad to answer any questions. is. Any questions for Senator
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Chair Unverified 2:52:16
Johnson, Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Should the fiscal
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 2:52:21
impact not also be part of the debate in the public sphere. We have the discussion in committee that we're familiar with reading fiscal impact statements, what they mean, what they don't include members of the public don't have that same level of experience that we do, so they're giving, they're they're being given with this a piece of the information. Uh, without the full picture, the full picture can only be developed in the public sphere. So should this not also be left to the public sphere
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 2:52:51
as well. Oh, I think it would be. It very much would be, but we actually have at least a static analysis of what DFNA in their good faith judgment shows that it would be. Now certainly it'd be nothing wrong with someone that says, well, gosh, yes, it's going to cost this much in tax dollars, but look at all this economic activity it's going to stimulate and that's that's part of the debate, but the problem is that we don't have any of that right now. It's just 11 side's word against the other side's word, at least this gives a starting point to argue over and, and that's what this is. This is a lively and hopefully informative debate where too often in initiatives, I think we can all agree that voters get confused and voters sometimes feel like that the information they're given is not at least from a starting point, not unbiased, right? But
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 2:53:46
the distinction here is that one side's word is going to be in the ballot booth with the voter and the other side's word is not.
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 2:53:56
Is that not true? Well, the analysis is what it is. And also there's a case where DFNA could say we can't make a, a good fiscal impact statement. We're not sure and they had the secretary would have the right to, to say that, that there's no no way to know this. Thank you, Senator. Thank you. Any other questions? Would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill, Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 2:54:24
to close. I'm closed, Mr. President. Appreciate a good vote. Any objection to rolling the vote? See none, Madam Secretary,
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Speaker 15 2:54:37
please roll the vote. Bryant Caldwell, Clark Crow, Davis
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 2:54:42
Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irving Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting love, McKee Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty,
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:54:53
rice Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Would any member like to vote that
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 2:55:02
has not or changed their vote, Senator Tucker, no, Senator letting know. Senator Flowers, no. Senator King, not voting. Senator Love, no. Senator Scott, no. Anyone else? Senator Murdoch, no. Anyone else Seeing none, Madam Secretary cast up the ballot. By a vote of 27 years, 6 nays, the bill passes, returned to the
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 2:55:43
house. House Bill 1669. How about 1669 by Senator Clark to create the Keep Kids first act and provide for protections from discrimination for adoption and foster care providers acting in accordance with sincerely held religious
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 2:56:01
beliefs. Senator Clark, you are
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 2:56:04
recognized. Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues House Bill 1669. I Primarily with respect to parents, the bill's focused on protecting parents from being discriminated against based on their religious or moral beliefs in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity. Well, the bill acknowledges that while not every parent is the right placement for every child and that this must be decided on a case by case basis, consistent with the best interests of the child, the bill emphatically provides that no parent should be excluded from Being able to license. Uh, the foster or adopt. Or be excluded from at least considered as a placement for any child because they aren't LGBT affirming, etc. The bill lets the state take into account the challenges that may be associated with fostering a 15 year old. Dysphoric child, while not allowing the state to use the fact that such children are out there as an excuse to broadly discriminate against conservative Christian parents with respect to their desire to foster and adopt, which is exactly what is happening in other states. It is happening in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, North Carolina, Maine, New Hampshire, uh, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, West Virginia, and even Tennessee. The while the bill says you cannot be excluded because of your Uh, sincerely help religious beliefs. On page 4. Beginning with line 33, it says nothing in subdivision B2A or subdivision B2B shall alter the fact that in accordance with 928106, the state government may consider whether the person shares the same religious background. As a foster or pre-adoptive child's genetic parent when it considering placement of the child to prioritize placement with a person of the same religious background, etc. etc. Uh, or preclude the state government line 7 from taking into consideration the religious or moral beliefs of a particular foster or pre-adoptive child on his or her family of origin when determining the most appropriate placement for the child, including without limitation, religious or moral beliefs regarding sexual orientation and gender identity and how these beliefs relate to the religious or more belief of a perspective, foster pre-adoptive parent or 3 line 14 be construed to prohibit the state government from making or relieving the state government from its duty to make all individual placements consistent with the best interest of the child is otherwise required by law. What the state's government shall not take any adverse action against a person whom the state grants custody of a foster child or grants adoption of adopted child or seeks from the state custody of a foster child or adoption of an adoptive child wholly or partially on the basis that the person guides and structs or raises a child or intends to guide instruct to raise a child based upon or in a manner consistent with the sincerely held religious belief. However, in accordance with 928106, the state government may consider whether a person shares the same religious background as a foster or adoptive child's genetic parent or parents when considering placement of the child in order to protect prioritize placement of the child with the person of the same religious background.
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Speaker 248 2:59:52
And we'll go back up to Page. 3, I
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:00:03
think. No, page 2. Begin with line 13, private child placement agencies and individuals, including faith-based child placement agencies and individuals have the right to the free exercise of religion under both the Arkansas Constitution and the United States Constitution under well skip down to line 21, ensuring the faith-based child Placement agencies can continue to provide adoption and foster care services will benefit the children and families who receive those services. That's what happened in Tennessee. Catholic adoption agency was excluded because of their beliefs. Uh, therefore, the General Assembly declares that the keep kids first act is necessary to ensure that faith-based adoption and foster care providers remain free to serve children in need and work with the state of Arkansas to find loving forever homes for children. So this is about, it does not change the fact that we still look for the best interests of children, uh, including a similar religious background to what they have, not putting them into something different unless it's absolutely necessary and even then, having someone who is familiar with and able to uh teach the background that they have, but, uh, But at the same time saying that you cannot be excluded because you don't believe certain uh leftist ideology. I'll be glad to take any questions. Are there any
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Senator Matt McKee Unverified 3:01:40
questions? Senator McKee, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Senator Clark, for bringing this bill. I think I understand and I agree there's there's good reason for religious folks to be concerned about being discriminated against when they're trying to adopt kids. You know, there are people out there who feel like you and I would be monsters because we discipline our children with a spanking, um, but we both recognize that there are other religious folks out there with beliefs that we would consider extreme. So what, what prevents Those people from There's some folks out there that have some wild religious beliefs that we that even that we would all agree kids should not be subjected to. So how, what are the protections for kids in those instances when you've got people that wanna handle deadly snakes or Just
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Speaker 264 3:02:39
for example, can you help me with
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:02:44
that? The Best interest of the child is still the standard, uh, it just doesn't exclude parents and in the case that you mentioned, if the background of the child was that, and I don't know any churches like that in Arkansas, uh, I heard of them in Tennessee because of Wendy Bagwell, but the Oh, if the child came from that background, it would certainly not be something it would be something for the courts to decide. Uh, the same thing if it came from a background that parents didn't believe in corporal punishment, that would be something, uh, that the courts could still uh decide that this is, it says specifically that they can look for the religious background that the child's been raised in or that the parents are, if the child is young enough that they haven't been raised in anything, uh, and use that as part of the best. interests of the child formula for where the child should be placed both in foster care and both in a and in adoption, uh, and the fact that agencies can't be excluded just because of beliefs that they have. Senator, dismay you're
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:04:02
recognized for a question? Uh No, I'll say some. Because I think I've already kind of made my position, but I do want to understand a little bit better on page 4, line 10, that's section E. This is under the definitions of state government. Um, this is now adding any private person suing under or attempting to enforce a law, rule, or regulation adopted by the state or a political subdivision in the state. We're making individuals. State government by the definition in this section, and for what what is the reason for that?
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:04:48
It's page 4 to Page 3, line 31 state government means the state or political subdivision of state including without limitation to court, any agency of the state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state, including without limitation, a board. Bureau, commission, counsel, department, division, or office, any city, county, local government, special district, or combination thereof, any person acting under color of state law or any private person suing or attempting to enforce a law rule or regulation adopted by the state or political subdivision of the state. The state government shall not require any private child placement agency to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer or participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed. replacement would violate the private child placement agencies sincerely help religious or moral beliefs. So in conduct context, it does as it defines what government is. It says no one, including a private person suing. can violate the fact that I, that parents who are either fostering or adopting, uh, cannot do so, uh, because often the courts overrule what we do, uh, And so that's why it's included under the definition of government in this section because uh to keep some other way of getting in that you discriminate against parents for their religious beliefs. Senator Hickey, you're
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 3:06:31
recognized for question. Senator Clark, mine's more on page 2 and top of 3. The way this is written. And I think I know what we're trying to do, but it says discriminatory action says alter. In any way the tax treatment which line number? I'm sorry, Senator Clark on page 2, line 36. Thank you. And then it starts and it goes over to page 3. So it appears like to me the way that this is written because it says alter in any way the tax treatment. cause any tax penalty or payment to be assessed against or denied delay revoke. Or otherwise make unavailable an exemption from taxation. It almost appears to me that any type of exemption that we make for anyone, Under this, you know, from anyone in the state or any businesses that we would also have to give it to these child welfare agencies. That's the way I read that because it's so inclusive.
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:07:40
We go back to the sections where it talked uh leading up to this where it talks about ensuring, uh, line 21 on page 2, ensuring the faith-based child placement agencies can continue to provide adoption and foster care services will benefit. The children and families who received these services. Yes, sir. Therefore, the General Assembly declares that the keep kids first act is Necessary to ensure the faith-based adoption and foster care providers remain free to serve children in need and work with the state of Arkansas to find loving wherever homes for children. And then when you get down here to the financial section, altered in any way the tax treatment or cause of that's in discrimination. Because of your beliefs and there is a lot of money involved. Uh, in foster care and even often in difficult, difficult placements like disabled children and adoption and some states have just outright banned people with conservative religious beliefs from adopting or being part of foster care. Others have come back and said you can be part. But you can't participate in any of the funding that we pay, you can, you can keep foster kids, but we won't pay you for keeping them. Uh, and so this is being explicit that you can't be discriminated against in any financial way, uh, maybe I should, maybe I should ask my question this way then.
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 3:09:13
So do you read that then that they would be eligible for any exemption or credit or anything of other nature that we was to give to anybody or any business of the state
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:09:24
tax credits or otherwise. No, I read it to any. that we would normally give to foster care or adoptive parents, or to an agency that adopts OK, I guess I
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 3:09:34
struggle with that. That it says exactly that part, but thanks, thanks for that. You're welcome. Appreciate the question. Any other questions?
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:09:45
Seeing them, would anyone like to speak against the bill, Senator Tucker, you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you, Mr. President. You tell
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 3:10:00
I don't feel good. I'm, I'm going to be brief. I'm just going to make a couple of key points. I was sitting back on the back row, uh, like I was in church because I was amen and Senator McKee's question and Senator Dismay's question. Senator McKia, I think you hit the nail on the head. There's a couple of definitions in the bill. There's no definition for sincerely held religious belief, so it can mean anything under the sun. It can mean peyote, polygamy. Snake handling as was brought up. I mean, there's really, it could mean any number of things, not just, not just what you think of when you think of your own sincerely held religious belief. On page 5. Under Section 3A, it says the state government shall not take any adverse action. It's not just limited to adoption. I mean, that could be read broadly. No criminal action. Criminal action is an adverse action. Based based upon or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief. What if you're sincerely held religious belief is extreme corporal punishment or no medication for your children, and the way this bill reads. The state couldn't take any adverse action against you for that reason. Um, Senator Dimay raised an excellent point that the bill defines state government to include a private person, and I understand Senator Clark's response that it's just in the context of this bill, but that term state government has used consistently throughout the rest of the bill. And it includes a private person and the definition of state government. I just can't wrap my mind around that. Um, as you all know, there's no threat of this happening in Arkansas right now. I just want to mention one, so I believe this is a solution in search of a problem. For that reason, but it's really a solution in search of a problem because the Supreme Court of the United States has actually ruled on this exact issue in favor of Senator Clark's position in Philadelphia, there's a Supreme Court case 4 it's 4 years old now, called Fulton versus City of Philadelphia. In that case, the city of Philadelphia would not recognize Catholic Social Services, uh, because they refused to allow same-sex couples to have adoption adopted kids, um, that they took that case up to the Supreme Court of the United States that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unanimously 9 to 0 against the city of Philadelphia and in favor of the Catholic Social Services Organization that they could have their sincerely held religious belief. So this really is not a threat of happening in Arkansas or anywhere else, so, uh, because of that and the problems with the way the bill is written, including The definite, you know, a private person and the definition of state government and otherwise, I don't think we need this
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:12:37
bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill, against the bill. Senator, dismay you recognized to speak against the bill. Members on,
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:12:44
on page 53A. uh I think there's, there's a few different issues in the bill and how it's written. I'm not sure it's really accomplishing what we're trying to accomplish. I think it goes way in excess of that, and it creates a new allowance for defense, in my opinion, but on 3A, that's line 18 on page 5. A state government should not take any adverse action against a person whom the state grants custody of a foster child or grants adoption of adoptive child or who seeks the state custody of a foster child or adoptive or adoptive child. wholly or partially on the basis that the person guides. Instructs or raises a child or intends to guide, instruct, or raise a child based on a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief. I just believe this opens up the doors, uh, to improper action by a foster parent, parents in excess of what we may be thinking about. We're thinking about in this room, most likely a Christian family wanting to bring in and not be discriminated against because they're Christians. Other people have different religions. And what that means to one person can mean something completely different to Senator McKee's point. With that, I think this is a dangerous precedent, uh, that we'd be establishing and could allow for a defense for some really ill will be directed toward children. Thank you. Would anyone like to speak for
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:14:06
the bill. Against the bill, Senator Clark, you recognized a close for the bill. I Thank you, Mr. President.
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:14:24
No one has suggested Um Better way of to A better piece of language than sincerely held. Religious beliefs. The in absence of this bill, You have the government's beliefs. I have worked with DCFS and worked with child welfare the whole time that I have been in the legislature. I can tell you that I have a lot more faith. Let me tell you. We remove a child from a home. A lot of people think, well, you know, they just start to take those kids. Anybody who works within the agencies, that works within the system knows no. Because somehow people think that's a magic bullet when you remove kids from a home, but it's not because a lot of times the state does much worse. than what the parents were doing. And we have wonderful foster parents, and we have terrible foster parents. Uh, if you want, if you're looking for a 100%. Guaranteed good outcome in every case, get God or get Solomon on the job because we're not going to do it. We're not going to get it perfect. There may be a parent that doesn't parent exactly right. But what's happening now? is every parent who has conservative Christian beliefs is being excluded regardless of any Supreme Court case about Philadelphia. These, these court cases are newer than 4 years, and these rules are newer than 4 years in these states that I named you. This is absolutely going on. It is and we have a little short-term relief, but this idea that if you don't buy in, To what people what certain people believe on gender dysphoria, gender dysphoria. According to the child, uh, psychologists association in their book was something that happened mainly with males. It was very rare and starts around the age of 2. Uh, when you can first see it, and nobody knows why. Cause I've been accused of not caring and the more I studied the subject, the more I did care that there, that there are young boys who have, that think they're girls and they don't have, they have no idea why. And the parents have no idea why. But then we turned it into whole classes of 8th grade girls. who were supposed to think that they're boys and that that's supposed to be scientific when, when the numbers in Ohio are 5% and the numbers in California are 25%. It can't, that can't be signs. And we are in these other states, what we were doing and what we've been pushing nationally for until lately, and the push will come again is saying if you don't, if you don't buy into these beliefs. You can't be part of the system. Parts of the system I don't worry about you so much on, but this is about kids. And the whether, whether parents or Christian parents and somebody had asked the question in committee in the House committee about Muslim parents. It's sincerely held Christian belief, sincerely help religious beliefs. The, you know, Powdi is mentioned anytime we talk about religion, uh, and There this says specifically in this bill that the court can still look at the background of the child, the where they're coming from and where they're going to in the best interest of the child. And I doubt it's very seriously, I don't think anybody believes, including Senator Tucker, That the judge is going to take a child raised Baptist Catholic, Muslim. Whatever and put them in a home where they where they're sincerely held belief is yote. That's not gonna happen. The, but what we are going to do without a law is you are going to exclude the very people that you want fostering adopted and raising kids. It may not be happening today, but mark my word, it's coming. And this bill may not be perfect but and only reason I say it may not be perfect is how do you get better than sincerely held religious beliefs. It is different to everyone. Just like the First Amendment on religion. Everyone's different, but, but the principal holds the same. So I think uh don't think I know this is an extremely important bill. It is a bill that does not go to extremes. It very carefully says that you can, you cannot be excluded. Because you don't agree with the state. And if you think the state is the people who are to be making the decision and not us putting it in the law, then let the state make a decision. I've seen that behind the scenes. I'd appreciate a good vote.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:20:10
Any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing now, Madam Secretary, please
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Speaker 195 3:20:24
roll the vote. Please call the
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Speaker 15 3:20:29
roll. Oh Yeah burnt Caldwell, Caldwell, Clark. Crawl, Crawl. Davis. Davis. Days Dotson, Dotson. English. English
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Speaker 278 3:20:49
Flippo. Flippo Flowers? Flowers, Gilmore. Hammer. Hester Hickey. Hill Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson.
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 3:21:14
King Laing, love. McKee, McKee Murder. Titan
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Speaker 278 3:21:30
Pennzo Patty rice. Scott stone. Saba Phil. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:21:45
When a member like to vote that has not or changed their vote, Senator Davis, no. Flowers, no. Anyone else? Kroll present. Anyone else Seeing Madam Secretary cast up the ballot, a vote of 15 y and 10 nays, the bill fails. Return to the house. My notes here say to recognize. Oh, sorry. House Bill
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 3:22:27
16931693 but Centra hammer to mend the law concerning damage or defective balance and to allow the state Board of Election commissioners to promulgate rules regarding the duplication or or of damage
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Speaker 62 3:22:36
or defective balance, Senator Hammer, you're recognized. I'd like to make a motion first. You'd like to
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Chair Unverified 3:22:42
make a motion that we expunge the vote by which
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:22:51
House Bill 1669 failed. Um The motion is to expunge the vote by which House Bill 1669 fell. All those in favor signify by saying aye, opposed say no. Motion carries. It's about. expunged. Senator Hammer, you are recognized to present House
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 3:23:17
Bill 1693. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Governor. House Bill 1693 is a ballot remake bill. A found issues with duplication because of the rush to get it done on election night. This permits the county to report the number of remakes, it will, that will be done, but it will also allow them to be able to look at them the next day situations have occurred where there were bow. that were damaged in the mail, coffee stains, oversea ballots, what the state Board of Election Commission would like to be able to do is to allow for those to be addressed the next day instead of late the night of election poll watchers and candidates will be able to observe it and they still have to report the number, but as far as correcting it, it could be done the next day, and with that I'll be glad to answer any questions. Any questions? Seeing them
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:24:12
when any member like to speak against the bill. For the bill, seeing none, Senator you recognized to close. Close. Appreciate a good vote. Any member object to rolling the vote, seeing
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Speaker 15 3:24:29
none, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Caldwell, Clark, Crowe,
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 3:24:32
Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Lee, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Kenzo Petty, Rice Scott, stone Stubberfield. Tucker Wallace. Would a member like to vote that has not
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:24:50
or changed their vote. So their flowers present. Senator letting present. Senator Love present. Senator King not voting. Senator Scott, present. Anyone else? See, Senator Murdoch present? Anyone else Seeing them, Madam Secretary, cast up the ballot by a vote of 28 ye and zero nays, the bill passes, returned to the house. Senator Penzo, you are recognized.
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Speaker 509 3:25:30
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to make a motion to extract House Bill 1180. Out of education committee. And as you've
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Speaker 510 3:25:41
heard the motion that is debatable. Senator Hickey, you have a question. You're ready to ask a question and hear it in here,
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Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified 3:25:50
is that what you're saying? Excuse me. And here today and here is not today, it would take 3 days, so it'd be her her Thursday.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:26:01
Thank you. Thank you. Senator Gilmore, you're recognized for question. What, what is the bill? Baby Olivia? OK. Thank you, sir. It's on the, it's on the screen now. Senator Ricky Hill, you're
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Senator Ben Gilmore Unverified 3:26:22
recognized for question. When we want to extract it, didn't, did it go through the committee process? Went, went through
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 3:26:28
the committee process and what happened to it was defeated, um, an alternative bill was filed, um, I, uh, I made the attempt to make an amendments, um, we had another version uh that I hadn't had a chance to meet with the new bill sponsor. A new bill was filed that pretty much uh uh is a cell biology class, nobody, nobody was in opposition to it, so it literally doesn't do anything, so um I know that there's plenty of votes in this committee to pass it, so I would like the opportunity for the full body of the Senate to hear
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 3:27:13
it on Thursday. Senator Davis, you're recognized for the question. Thank you, Mr. President. Can I speak
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:27:17
against the motion before we vote? Yes, you can. All right. Any questions, Senator Stone, you're recognized for
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Senator Matt Stone Unverified 3:27:24
a question. Uh yes, Senator Penzo, you said there was an alternative bill. Did it go through the committee process and come out. It did today, yes. All right, thank you. Thank you.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:27:37
Any other questions, Senator Hammer, you're recognized for a question.
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Speaker 509 3:27:46
I'm What was your answer? I couldn't understand what the echo.
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 3:27:50
He asked if the alternative bill went through the committee process. It did go through this morning, and it did pass out without I think there was 5 members in the committee. There was a verbal no and it's still passed through the committee. With 4 votes or less than 4,
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 3:28:08
probably a fiction to find out, but what's the difference between
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 3:28:13
this bill and the other bill. There, there's uh this bill really doesn't do a whole lot. Like I said, there was no opposition in the committee for it, the baby Olivia, Bill had a a lot of uh for and against, uh, speakers, there was none in committee today to speak for or against the bill that passed, and like I said, it just pretty much mandates that cell biology be taught in class, um, you know, the baby Oliviaville, the, the intent of that is to show that a human life is not just a clump of cells after fertilization. It shows the step by step progression, um, we just need children to know exactly uh what a human life looks like what exact stages of development. So, um, I think it's a very important bill there's, I don't, I don't think the health department has any say on it. I think the, it was mentioned in committee that just the education department will uh approve what bill or what movies can be shown or not, so, um, there, there's a significant difference between the two bills. And I
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Senator Kim Hammer Unverified 3:29:25
think there was an amendment put on this bill from its original form. What was the amendment that was put
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 3:29:31
on this bill. I'd have to go back and look at the exact amendments because Mary Bentley was trying to work, there was several attempts, actually, we had a a new version of it, um, that Representative Bentley sent over to me, um, and hadn't really had the chance to uh see if uh what the appetite was for that one, but we had been working try to amend. and, and make it more palatable to the committee members that were in objection. But like I said, there was an alternative bill filed when when The amendment wasn't what the uh new bill sponsor wanted. So last
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Speaker 509 3:30:14
question, the bill As it was amended, was it heard in committee. Yes, the, the, the new version of it hasn't been filed yet. The new version of this one or the other one you're talking about, the other one that Representative Bentley had, um,
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 3:30:31
just, just for the fact we're running short on time. I could, I could probably file it today though if you'd like me to. OK. All right. Thank you. Seeing
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:30:44
no further questions. Would someone like to speak against the motion? Senator
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Senator Breanne Davis Unverified 3:30:52
Davis, you're recognized to speak against the motion. Thank you, Mr. President. Members, this bill has um created a lot of controversy over the last probably month and a half, um, so on the 13th, about 3 weeks ago, I filed a bill. We've had rigorous debate about um the baby Olivia Act in Senate Education. There are not 5 votes clearly that bill has been in there. My issue with the bill is that it listed a political ad advocacy group saying that schools must show the Baby Olivia Bell, produced by Live Action, and I have a problem with us listing political advocacy groups in law like that. And my request was simply that they take that line out. There's no reason to put that in law to exist there forever and ever. And the bill sponsor on the house and was unwilling to do so. We had numerous conversations about it. We went back and forth and so finally, after she refused to make amendments to meet that. and after a family counsel went all over the state and said anyone who was against this bill was pro-abortion, which is absolutely ridiculous because heaven forbid we ask a single question about any bill that they put out there and they try to label us one way or the other. Our job here is to try to to make good policy and make decisions that are best for the state and best for kids. We're talking about 479,000 students across the state of Arkansas. And it's important that when we create policies, and pass bills that we do so generally, we're not saying you have to watch this specific video produced by this specific political advocacy group, but the content, I agree, is important. So since there was no compromise with the House sponsor, I filed my own bill, which will be on the Senate floor tomorrow and we passed out of committee today. That bill says it is not a do-nothing bill. It actually, um, I took a A lot of the language from the Meat Baby Olivia bill and put it into this bill, Senate Bill 450, um, and it says that the Department of Education will work in coordination with the Department of Health to determine it age appropriate for students to receive human growth and development curriculum in the classroom, and it includes that they watch an ultrasound that shows the development of sex, organs, heart, all of those things with a child in utero and it also says There will be discussion on development um from fertilization on. So, in fact, I talked to the house sponsor of this bill, Representative Bentley, and asked her if she wanted to be the house sponsor of my bill, and for different reasons, she, well, ultimately said no, but initially said yes, and she said, I called Secretary Aliva to verify that under your bill, my bill, Senate Bill 4 50 that we'll see tomorrow, that they could still be listed that the Meet Baby Olivia video could still be listed as a tool that schools could use to meet the curriculum standards under your bill, and he said yes. So then I called Secretary Oliva to verify the same thing, and he said yes, under your bill, Senate Bill 450. This video can still be utilized as a curriculum tool to meet the standards. And that's all that we asked for in that committee. was that we not list the political action group in law and that we're still able to teach kids what development looks like in utero at the appropriate age, and that doesn't mean necessarily starting at 5th grade. It means there's a group of professionals within the Department of Ed that develop curriculum standards every 2 years for the state and that group, the professionals in consultation with the Department of Ed will determine what is age appropriate for those students to hear and when and I don't know what could be better than having students watch an ultrasound, which is an actual baby to show the different stages and development that children go through in utero and if schools choose to, there will be other curriculum options that they can utilize like the Meat Baby Olivia video. So this is, like I said, she originally agreed and then decided not to agree for a lot of different reasons, um, and we were ultimately not able to come to a compromise. The compromise the amendments that she made were not amendments that satisfied my concerns or other people on the committee's concerns, which is why we ultimately did this so students could still learn about development in utero, learn about life from conception, life from fertilization and use different tools that the Department of Ed approves, and that's all we ask. So I ask that you please vote no on extracting this bill from committee, because we have worked long hard to compromise, to work this out, my bill has been sitting out there for 3 weeks now, as I've tried to work with House leadership, the House sponsor, and on the Senate end to come to some sort of compromise to work this out, so it would not get to this point. But if one side refuses to compromise and work it out. This is all we're left with. So I'm asking you to please vote no, please respect and honor the committee process. Our concerns were not satisfied in committee, so we went with an alternative that met our concerns and still allowed for students to watch this video, which is ultimately what the bill's sponsors wanted in this bill. With that, thank you, I'm open to any questions. I think we're taking questions. We're speaking for and
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:36:40
against it. OK, thank you. Would someone like to speak for Senator Alan Clark, you're recognized to speak for. Hey, I was just given we're speaking for against the motion, not debating a bill. I probably should have. Uh, but this may not be the only one of these that we're doing today. So we can come
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Senator Alan Clark Unverified 3:37:09
speak for and against the motion, OK? Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, this is a process that we do not take lightly. Uh, this is my 7th session, uh, and it happens once or twice a session, uh, so I did not come to speak to you for the motion, uh, without giving it a great deal of thought before today. In fact, I had suggested to the sponsors of the bill some time ago that this bill was important enough, uh, that they should consider extraction. If you have not watched the baby Olivia video, you need to watch it. It will shape the minds of kids from now on. It's scientific. It shapes, I know pro-life adults who watch it and come back and say if I wasn't pro-life, I would be now, uh, because it's simply about the baby, but it's not any video. There's a reason why it's this video. Uh, yes, through this other bill. You could, could use that one, but the school can use anything and I'm, and they're not all the same. I was, my happenstance in education committee, one of the times this bill was presented. I can tell you that the pro Abortion people and if that's who you are, the pro-abortion people were vehemently against the baby Olivia bill. The pro-life people, very much for the baby Olivia Bill. So when Center Penzo says, That they didn't show any opposition to this other bill, there's a reason. Maybe the best they can come up with, but there's a reason why this bill, we can do, I've been told behind the scenes, uh, you know, that there are people said we didn't need to run any more abortion bills. It's not an abortion bill. It's an education bill. This is how a child develops. And there are those that don't want Senator Penzo to get credit. That's something he would never say, but I'm gonna put it out there the way it is. We should not let politics and we should not let pettiness stop us from passing one of the most important bills, one of the most important pro-life bills that's ever come before us. And if we do, Shame on us because again, we're like the ones that came before us. We need to vote for this motion. OK,
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:39:44
members, I'm going to say this. Is there someone else who wants to speak for or against? OK, Senator Mark Johnson recognizes to speak for. Hey, I, I'll let somebody debate the bill for it and debate the bill against it. I'm not going to, I should not have allowed either of those. So on the motion, On the motion, Senator Mark Johnson. Thank you, Mr. President.
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Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified 3:40:07
It's difficult to totally separate the subject matter from the motion, but I'll do my best. I think Senator Clark for what he said and I agree with him. This is something you all ought to see, and perhaps if this motion passes, you can weigh both bills and vote up or down on both of them. Uh, I Like Senator Clark, I think it's a serious matter when we extract a bill from committee. We have this in the rules for a good reason is if there's an overwhelming reason. To consider a piece of legislation. Then we should do so. Our, our committee system is supposed to be a filter and to allow individual committees to drill down deeper and come back with recommendations. That's what, that's what the recommendations are. It's a do pass or in some cases rarely. I don't think there's been one since I've been in the Senate. I do not pass recommendation. This is our procedure. And so the fact that we're not seeing it very often doesn't mean you should automatically dismiss it. Oh In my own case, I wanted to vote on this bill from the time I went and watched the video. And I guess this is kind of difficult for me to say, Mr. President. I, I haven't always been pro-life. I'm not never been pro-abortion, I guess it's just kind of, well, I don't know. And you know, then we go through those life experiences like having two daughters and seeing them grow up and uh this, this video. Really affected me, but it affected me the same way when I first saw some of the in vitro photographs taken in maggots that were shown in like in Life magazine and things like that back many, many years ago. And it caused me to understand. This is a human being, not a glob of cells on the motion, please. I'm trying, Mr. President. But I want to appeal the fact that this is not something I take lightly to uh to pull something out of a committee of 8 people who have worked on it for a long time because, and I appreciate Senator Davis and and Chairman English all working on this thing. I appreciate all of you. But This is an exception to that general rule that we just let the committees do their their job because this is so important. This will change people's minds like it did mine when I first saw those Life magazine photos and for that reason, I would ask that you
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Speaker 524 3:43:03
make the extraordinary case of voting yes on Senator Penzo's motion. Thank you, Mr. President. Would someone
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:43:09
like to speak against the motion, Senator. Tucker, you recognize. Unless Senator Sullivan was speaking against. OK, we'll go with Senator Tucker and Senator Dotson, then Senator Sullivan. Senator Tucker, you're recognized to
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Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified 3:43:25
speak against the motion. Thank you, Mr. President. Just very quickly, this is the motion only in terms of how frequently this happens, If not this afternoon, but a bit ago I checked with Steve Cook, who was, as you all know, the parliamentarian and the and the counsel for the Senate from the mid 80s until the last session. The extraction procedure was created in the late 80s in order to address the situation with former Senator Nick Wilson, who had bottled up an ethics. A proposal that the Senate needed to hear. That's why it was created and it was used, it That's the total history of the number of times the extraction procedure has been a successfully used in the Arkansas State Senate for respecting the committee process and I'll be voting against the motion. Senator Sullivan, you recognize to speak on the motion.
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Senator Dan Sullivan Unverified 3:44:17
Thank you for the reminder. So I was in the committee and I think I voted for the bill. However, it did not pass and what came out of the, the negotiations on that and the attempt to compromise and folks, I understand compromise. I have worked hard to compromise on several bills. It's tough, but what came out was what passed in committee today. So what, uh, this motion would take away the the communities and the efforts that were made to find a compromise that we could all live with. That's what happened in the committee. Now if you still disagree, you want to vote for one or the other, fine, go ahead. But what happened in committee is the bill failed and then a compromise attempt was made multiple times, and they were unable to come up with a compromise. The committee today passed a bill out of committee that will come before the floor tomorrow. So I just encourage you to uh consider. how important that committee vote is and how important it is for us to work to find what, what the, the committee body can agree on. Thank you. Senator
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:45:26
Dodson, you are recognized to speak on the motion. For
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Senator Jim Dotson Unverified 3:45:33
the motion. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Speaking to the motion, I think this, this bill, I've heard it in committee multiple times. There was a uh Obviously some amendments that happened I was agreeable to the amendments that were made in committee. I think this is something this body deserves to have the opportunity to debate if there's 18 in here that want to support the underlying bill 18 can vote to extract it and have the debate since we're not able to actually debate the the underlying bill itself, I would encourage you to vote for this motion to extract if you are for the bill. Thank
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:46:15
you. Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized to speak on the motion.
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Chair Unverified 3:46:22
Members, I appreciate Senator Pinzo's. Uh His connection
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Speaker 125 3:46:25
with this bill and other members' connection with the video. But members, uh, this bill has been heard in committee. And uh there may be a time in this session to extract a bill that has not been heard and has been held up and not been vetted to the committee. This ain't it. So I'm going to encourage
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:46:56
You to not vote for this motion. Is there anyone else who'd like to speak, Senator Petty, you're recognized. There's no no questions at this
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 3:47:05
time. No question. I'll wait till it's appropriate time to ask a clarification question about what happens if, OK, I'll be prepared
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:47:12
to, I've got a, I've got a lot I'm going to roll through on that first. Would anyone else like to speak? For the motion. Against the motion, seeing that Senator Penzo, you're recognized to close on your motion.
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Senator Clint Penzo Unverified 3:47:29
Thank you, Mr. President. I, I would just like to say, you know, the, the committee process was mentioned. The the committee process is there because there are so many bills, there's no way that we can screen all of them. They go through the committee process. There's a recommendation do pass, they come before the full body. I'd like to point out that both of these bills, one will be on the floor tomorrow. The other one I'm asking to extract right now, got 4 votes. Depends on the chair of the committee. What comes out of the committee or if something's roll call or the members of the committee if they roll call. There's different circumstances that happened. On different days. Um, I'd like to say that there were, to remind you that there were were no Opposing voices in that committee this morning. The committee was full. Of opposition and people speaking for the bill. Up here. Now, now why is that? If, if this is the, the compromise bill. I, I, I had asked, I, I had tried to compromise. I had uh, hey, in the, in the, this bill is not the compromise language. There was other potential amendments that could have been added to it, but they were rejected. And then a whole new bill with a whole another slate of sponsors pops up. I, I have an issue with that. Because I don't think any of the sponsors are the same. So everybody that came to run this bill and agreed to co-sponsor it with me and Representative Bentley is left on the side. For a whole another slate of bill sponsors. And I think that's wrong. And I don't know that I'd be down here. I mean, I'm pretty passionate about this bill. I think it's that, that video is life changing. doesn't matter if you're pro-choice or pro-life. It, it, it, it has to do with informed consent and, and everybody deserves, even if you're pro-choice. You want that woman to make the best decision. Now I'm, I'm hard. Pro-life. But even if you're pro-choice, You, you have to look at this and think, I don't want this woman coming back with regrets when she finds out what she did. I, I want kids to understand on the front end what a human life looks like through development. And this video is probably the best example. Of that that I've ever seen. Yeah, you can watch an ultrasound. It it looks, you know, in, in this, and they can do that with this too, but, but this video really illustrates what a human life looks like at every stage of development. And I think it's wrong that one can come out with 4 votes and the other one is stuck in committee with 4 votes. When one of them is much more impactful, and I believe that this body deserves. To hear this bill, this full Senate body deserves to hear this piece of legislation. And, and this is the exact reason we have this in our rules. For these instances, because the, the votes are in this committee for this bill, and we all know this. We know it's going to pass if it comes before this floor. And I would just like to ask everybody to, to, this is the in case of emergency brake glass. And here we are having to make this decision. 11 bill shouldn't come out of committee with 4 votes and the other one would be stuck in committee with 4 votes, because that's exactly what happened. With that I'll close and ask everybody for a
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:51:28
good vote. Thank you. OK, members, because this is the first time we're gonna deal with this process this year, maybe the only, but uh it it's a voice vote. It takes 18 votes to pass. OK, if it does pass, there will be a 2 day cooling off period. Then it will be on our floor on Thursday. If it fails, it was just a motion that failed and the member could another member could bring it up another time. Uh, I'm happy to answer any points of clarification at this point before we move forward. Senator English, point of clarification. Yes.
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Senator Jane English Unverified 3:52:04
No, with a voice vote, if there's 18 votes. Um, well, I'll
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:52:08
make a call and if the members don't like it, they have the ability to roll call, which would take 5 hands. OK, thank you. I, I would assume it's the same in committee. Senator
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 3:52:23
Petty, you're recognized for or point of clear question. So the point of clarification is, and, and I have, I have watched the video. I've heard the the debate on the other bill that what happens if they both are heard, is there going to be a conflict because two bills passed. I mean, they're they're both good and they both pass, what happens at that point?
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:52:48
That is beyond the scope of what we're doing right now, OK.
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Senator Tyler Dees Unverified 3:52:56
Senator Dees. Thank you, Mr. President. This is just drawn off a memory, so I, I don't know if this is a parliamentarian question or not, but I, I thought the process had something to do with signatures for extracting a bill. I may be making that up in my mind, but can we speak to that if
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:53:11
that's made up or not we do have a process that we call signing a bill out of committee that the extraction and signing out can be done if you do not have the ability to for the bill to have been heard in committee, you could go get 5 signatures starting with the chairperson. Uh, the chairperson doesn't have to, uh, before the signing out, but they have to acknowledge they know that it's being signed out of committee. This is a very different process. This is extracting straight out of committee onto the floor. Again, it takes 18 votes sometimes if somebody wants to suspend the rules to extract, that takes 24 votes, but that has not been the ask to ask of this body with 18 votes is to extract House Bill 1180 from committee All those in favor signify by saying I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Motion fails. I see 5 hands, Madam Secretary, please call the road. And please speak up. Mo Bowen
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Speaker 195 3:54:22
Brant. Caldwell. Caldwell. Clark Crowell. Crawl
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Speaker 15 3:54:29
Davis days. This man Datsun English Flippo. Flip
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Speaker 278 3:54:44
out. Flowers, Flowers. Gilmore.
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Speaker 15 3:54:53
Hammer. Hester, no. Hickey. Hi. Irvin leave, Blake
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Speaker 278 3:55:05
Johnson. Mark Johnson. King lighting. Love.
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Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified 3:55:11
McKee McKee Murdoch. Peyton Pennzo Patty. Hattie
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Speaker 278 3:55:26
Rice. Scott Stan Stabber fail. Sullivan. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Would any member like to vote that
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:55:43
has not or changed their vote. Seeing none, Madam Secretary, cast up the ballot by a vote of 11 years and 15 nays, the motion has failed. Senator Penzo, would you like to be recognized? Senator Hill, you are
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Senator Ricky Hill Unverified 3:56:18
recognized. For a motion Uh Senator Hill, you're recognized. I motion to withdraw SB 562 from state agencies and re-refer SB 562 to the Committee on Public Transportation.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:56:29
Members, you've heard an explanation of the motion, all those in favor signify by saying aye. say no. Motion carries. At Senate Bill 562 has been re-referred from state agencies to transportation.
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:57:02
Budget calendar. What's that? All of them's members, we have 4 Senate bill amendments or amendments to Senate bills and then um from the Joint Budget Committee and there's one amendment to the pay plan, which is to add
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Speaker 113 3:57:24
a code sponsor. Remember to the Senate Bill 92.
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:57:27
This movement adds 450,000 the preparations of visions, operations, appropriation.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:57:35
Are there any questions? Any questions on the amendment, seeing that all those in favor of the minute signify by saying I. I say no amendment adopted it to engrossing.
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Speaker 113 3:57:48
Remember to the Senate Bill
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:57:51
93. Uh, this amendment adds new preparation line for Adams totaling 300,000 AD shared services appropriation increases the existing appropriation for the educational freedom accounts by $180 million to bring the new appropriation to
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:58:06
277 million members, you've heard an explanation. The amendment. All those in favor signify by saying aye. opposed say no. Motion carries amendment adopted. Senate to
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Speaker 113 3:58:17
engrossing. Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 106. Uh,
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:58:20
this amendment adds $2000 to each of the 68 county fair budgets. Members, you've heard an
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:58:27
explanation of the amendment. All those in favor signify by saying aye, opposed, say no Motion carries amendment adopted sent to engrossing.
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:58:39
members, this amendment reinstates 3 additional vias. Chancellor positions for the 2026. got one
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Speaker 113 3:58:44
more. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 130. Sorry. All right,
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:58:50
about 3 vice chancellor positions for the year 2026 that currently exists. They had mistakenly requested one vice chancellor position when they intended to request for. They currently haven't acted. Remember you've heard an explanation. The amendment.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:59:04
All those in favor of the amendment signify by saying aye, opposed say no. Motion carries Amendment adopted sent to engrossing.
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Speaker 176 3:59:17
Amendment 1 is Senate Bill 392. This
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Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified 3:59:21
amendment adds Senator, I'm sorry, let's hope not. Representative Wooton as a co-sponsor. You've heard an
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 3:59:27
explanation. The amendment. All those in favor signify by saying aye. opposed say no. Motion carries, Amendment adopted, send to engrossing. Are there any Is there anything else, Senator Hill, you recognized? Transportation is meeting right away. Hey, members, I, I wanna, I wanna say something. So, uh, over the next couple of days, uh, our calendar is pretty full, but sometime around 5 o'clock, even if we're not finished, I will move to adjourn us so we can get to committees. I think some most important work we got, we can do this work week is make sure we're getting all Senate bills heard. So if we reach the 5 o'clock hour tomorrow or Wednesday, I will, I will come to a sometime around that point, find a good stopping point and ask us to adjourn. That's just so we can plan, certainly as chairman and chairwoman of our of our committees. So if we reach somewhere around 5 o'clock the next 2 days, I will be asking us to uh to adjourn at that point.
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Speaker 438 4:00:49
Senator McKee, you are recognized. Special language 9 o'clock tomorrow
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Senator Jim Dotson Unverified 4:00:55
morning. Big Mac. Senator Dodson, you're recognized. Joint retirement 8 a.m.
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Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified 4:01:00
MacB in the morning. Any other announcements? I Seeing that other
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Speaker 54 4:01:05
items at the desk? Will your Committee on
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 4:01:08
gross bills to his first sent 117 by Central Pennzo compared the ross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed was first Senate Bill 290 by Senator Blake Johnson compared to the gross copy of the original same correctly and engrossed on was first sent 440 by Central Wallacear the gross copy of the ritual and find the same correctly
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Speaker 61 4:01:31
engrossed 448 by Central Petty compared the grossed copy with ritual correctly engrossed. I engrossed his first Senate bill 464 by Senator Clark, made the ressed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 4:01:46
calendar Committee on gross pills to as far as symbols 469 Pinz out compared the engross copy of the original advance sign correctly
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Speaker 61 4:01:55
engrossed calendar spills to first sent 483 but sent to Irving compared the engrossed copy with the Rachel advance same correctly engrossed calendar. I spoke to his 1st 486 by Senator Blake Johnson could barely engross copy of the original and I correctly engrossed. State agencies to first symbol 505, a central brighter then gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed calendar on gross bills to House Bill 1555 by Senator Hester compared the gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed your committee on Judiciary to him was Time was first sent about 355 Iri Brian recommend to pass calendar Committee on gross bills to vote in for 26 by Senator um Uh Hester recommend due passes amid number 2 calendar on a bills to his first in 42 how many on judiciary who 1st 427 by Central Bryant recommended to pass as a number one on Judiciary who was 1st 428 the center right recommend DuP pass onciary who was first sent 429 by Central Front recommend to pass. Calendar judiciary and starts 4:30 by center right recommend do pass judiciary to him his 1st 4:31 by Bronant recommend to pass as submitted number 1 and 2. Committee on Judiciary in his recommended pass Judiciary and the symbol 511 by Blake Johnson recommend Du pass. Calendar judiciary to him as far as the Senate Bill 512 by Central Blake Johnson recommend new pass judiciary to him his 1st 513 by Senator Blake Johnson recommend new pass on judiciary to him his 1st 514 with central Stubberfield recommend new pass on Judiciary who was first Senate Bill 537 and Senator Gilmore recommended passes me number one, our judiciary to who was first sent will 39 Gilmore recommend to pass the amended number one. Calendar Committee on the Judiciary to him his first sent House Bill 1745 by Representative Hawk recommend Duin estimated number one. Committee on Judiciary to who was
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 4:04:39
referred hostile 1757 Representative Carr recommended Du pass. Calendar 588, my central Penzo. To establish a winery, private club permit, Senate Bill 588. City County Lomb 589 Central Pennzo to create a 340B program transparency Act and to amend the law concerning transparency and accountability for certain 340B covered entities Senate Bill 584589591 century Gilmore to create the the reduction system within the Department of Corrections declare an emergency. Senate Bill 590. Judiciary. one by Central Penza to prohibit race selection, abortion in the state, and creates a race discrimination by abortion prohibits prohibition Act 591. 592 with Senator Wallace to require financial institution to renew certain certificates of deposit at the highest interest rate closest to the term of the previous certificate of deposit and for the same terms, 592 insurance and commerce en Boyd to amend the Arkansas Pharmacy Benefits Manager Laener Act and to create the pharmacy services administrative organization Avi 593. Insurance and commerce. 4 of us sent from McKee to amend the law concerning the exemptions for certificates of public convenience and necessity for new construction to supply a private, a public service or to extend a public service, Senate Bill 594. Insurance and commerce 595 by central lighting to provide for our minor's right to consult with his or her parent or guardian before a custodial interrogation
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Speaker 239 4:06:39
595. Judiciary. Huh? I know. Uh,
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Speaker 538 4:06:45
return of Senegal. 227 from
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Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified 4:06:50
the house as passed as amended return of Senate Bill 320 from the house as passed as amended judiciary return of House Bill, I mean the Senate Bill 324 from the house that passed as amended calendar. Return from my house and passed and this will be ordered in row. Senate Bill 91 from the return from the house as passed roll it from the house as pass. Senate Bill 232 roll it from the house that's passed Senate Bill 271 roll it return from the house as passed Senate Bill 275 roll it from the house this past symbol 280. Enroll it from the house says pass 319 and roll it from the house this past 327. And roll it from the house this past symbol 329 and roll it return the house has passed Senate Bill 344 and roll it from the house has passed and 368. And roll it return from the house is passed Senate Bill 378 roll it from the house this past symbol 380. And roll it from the house this past symbol 388. Can you roll it from the house this fasting before 8401. Can roll it return to the house this past 403 roll it the House has passed it before 14 roll it
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Speaker 61 4:08:38
from the house has passed before 32 roll it. That's it.
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Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified 4:08:43
Any other announcements at this time? Seeing none, we are adjourned subject to clearing of the desk.
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Agenda

Call to Order

3:58
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Roll Cal

4:19
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Prayer

5:01
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Pledge of Allegiance

6:01
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Introductions of Senate Pages

6:47
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Announcements

8:32
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Doctor of the Day

26:02
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Items to be Read Across the Desk

10:26
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SCR6 TO RECOGNIZE THE NORTH LITTLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL CHARGING WILDCATS VARSITY CHEER TEAM FOR WINNING THE CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

24:09
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SENATE BILLS WITH SENATE AMENDMENTS

30:28
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SB117 #4 C. Penzo Penzo TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR LICENSURE OF NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN ARKANSAS; AND TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS STATE BOARD OF NATURAL MEDICINE.

30:29
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SB440 #1 D. Wallace Wallace TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES.

30:53
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SB448 #1 J. Petty Petty TO AUTHORIZE THE FINANCING OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDING RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, AND WATER CONSERVATION IMPROVEMENTS.

31:14
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SB464 #1 A. Clark Clark TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING SALES OF RAW MILK; AND TO ALLOW SALES OF RAW MILK AND RAW MILK PRODUCTS AT LOCATIONS OTHER THAN THE FARM WHERE THE RAW MILK OR RAW MILK PRODUCT IS PRODUCED.

32:50
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SB469 #1 C. Penzo Penzo TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COUNTY CAMPAIGN POLITICAL PARTY COMMITTEES; AND TO AMEND PORTIONS OF INITIATED ACT 1 OF 1996.

31:46
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SB483 #1 Irvin B. Johnson TO REPEAL CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE SECURITIES DEPARTMENT; AND TO REVISE CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.

31:59
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SB505 #1 J. Bryant Bryant TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL PLANNING; AND TO REQUIRE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR CHANGES TO THE ZONING OR DISTRICT DESIGNATION OF PROPERTY IN CERTAIN INSTANCES.

32:30
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SB290 #1 TO PROHIBIT A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IN WATERSHEDS AND OTHER BODIES OF WATER.

25:49
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HOUSE BILLS WITH SENATE AMENDMENTS

44:15
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HB1555 #1 Painter Hester TO ESTABLISH UNIFORM PROCEDURES FOR FILLING A VACANCY IN A MUNICIPAL OFFICE.

44:16
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SENATE BILLS FOR THIRD READING AND PASSAGE

35:20
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SB9 B. Davis TO CREATE THE MAKE ARKANSAS HEALTHY AGAIN ACT; AND TO PROHIBIT MANUFACTURING, SELLING, DELIVERING, DISTRIBUTING, HOLDING, OR OFFERING FOR SALE A FOOD PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS CERTAIN SUBSTANCES.

35:21
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SB120 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE LICENSURE FOR ALL PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES IN THIS STATE; AND TO ENSURE CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR VULNERABLE AGING ADULTS.

44:34
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SB123 G. Leding TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COVERAGE FOR MAMMOGRAMS AND BREAST ULTRASOUNDS.

45:17
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SB238 J. Payton TO AMEND THE USED TIRE RECYCLING ANDACCOUNTABILITY ACT.

46:46
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SB325 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989; TO AMEND THE CHILD MALTREATMENT ACT; TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING REINSTATEMENT OF PARENTAL RIGHTS; AND TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE CHILD MALTREATMENT CENTRAL REGISTRY.

1:10:49
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SB326 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989 AND THE CHILD MALTREATMENT ACT; TO MODIFY GUIDELINES FOR A JUDGMENT MADE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD; AND TO AMEND PROCEDURES AROUND REPORTING CHILD MALTREATMENT.

1:20:20
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SB331 G. Leding CONCERNING COVERAGE FOR GENETIC TESTING FOR INHERITED CANCER MUTATIONS; AND TO CREATE THE GENETIC TESTING ACT.

1:23:20
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Point of Personal Privilege

1:25:40
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SB348 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE ANNUAL CAP FOR DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY SERVICES WITHIN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

1:26:21
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Point of Personal Privilege

1:32:58
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SB371 J. Scott TO ESTABLISH A STANDARDIZED SYSTEM TO AID IN THE SEARCH OF MISSING CHILDREN WHO DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR ACTIVATION OF THE ARKANSAS AMBER ALERT SYSTEM.

1:33:34
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SB410 B. King TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE DISCLOSURE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR FORMER STATE EMPLOYEES AND FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS.

1:37:40
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SB410 - Motion to Expunge the Vote by which SB410 Failed

1:55:01
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SB459 G. Leding TO AMEND THE MINIMUM AGE NECESSARY TO ADJUDICATE A JUVENILE DELINQUENT.

1:55:26
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SB463 M. McKee TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO APPROVE OR DENY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS CONCERNING CLOSING OR ELIMINATING ELECTRIC GENERATION UNITS OR TRANSMISSION ASSETS.

1:57:06
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SB471 A. Clark TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CANDIDATES FOR NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS; AND TO ALLOW CERTAIN CANDIDATES FOR NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS TO USE THE TITLE OF THE NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICE ON THE BALLOT.

2:00:47
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SB473 Stone TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BOARD; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ARKANSAS FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES BOARD TO ADVISE THE ARKANSAS FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY ON CERTAIN MATTERS.

2:02:50
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SB479 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING VOTER ASSISTANCE; AND TO REQUIRE A PERSON ASSISTING A VOTER WITH A DISABILITY TO PRESENT IDENTIFICATION.

2:14:16
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SB480 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE INVESTMENT OF STATE FUNDS.

2:16:19
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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.

2:18:32
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SB491 K. Hammer TO REQUIRE A VENDOR THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT FOR SERVICES FOR THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS DIVISION TO SUBMIT DATA FOR VERIFICATION BY AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

2:19:28
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SB510 J. Boyd TO ALLOW FOR THE CROSS DEPUTIZATION OF MUNICIPAL, COUNTY, STATE, AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ON FEDERALLY-RECOGNIZED TRIBAL LAND WITHIN THE STATE.

2:21:54
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HOUSE BILLS FOR THIRD READING AND PASSAGE

2:23:47
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HB1327 Warren Penzo TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN RETIRED EMPLOYEES UNDER THE STATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOL LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.

2:23:49
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HB1382 Ladyman Wallace TO REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING BY THE DESIGNATED PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY AGENCY FOR THE STATE AND THE DESIGNATED CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE STATE.

2:25:52
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HB1444 Pilkington Dismang TO AMEND THE SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR DATA CENTERS.

2:30:06
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HB1509 Beaty Jr. Gilmore TO CREATE THE SECOND AMENDMENT FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT; AND TO PROHIBIT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FROM USING CERTAIN DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

2:36:19
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HB1574 Vaught Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PAID CANVASSERS; AND TO REQUIRE DOMICILE IN ARKANSAS.

2:39:16
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HB1590 J. Moore Caldwell TO COMBINE THE OFFICES OF TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR IN WOODRUFF COUNTY.

2:47:11
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HB1591 J. Moore Caldwell TO COMBINE THE OFFICES OF TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR IN ARKANSAS COUNTY.

2:48:18
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HB1637 Ray M. Johnson CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION OF FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE FISCAL IMPACT OF STATEWIDE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM MEASURES AND LEGISLATIVELY REFERRED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

2:49:25
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HB1669 Bentley Clark TO CREATE THE KEEP KIDS FIRST ACT; AND TO PROVIDE FOR PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION FOR ADOPTION AND FOSTER CARE PROVIDERS ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH SINCERELY HELD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

2:55:40
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HB1693 Hawk Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE BALLOTS; AND TO ALLOW THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS TO PROMULGATE RULES REGARDING THE DUPLICATION OF DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE BALLOTS.

3:22:25
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HB1669 - Motion to Expunge the Vote to which HB1669 Failed

3:22:46
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HB1180 - Motion to extract HB1180 from Senate Education Committee to the Senate Chamber Floor

3:25:21
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SB562 - Motion to withdraw SB562 from Senate State Agencies Committee to Senate Transportation Committee

3:56:09
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Bills to be Amended and Re-referred to Joint Budget Committee

3:57:11
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SB92 #2 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

3:57:32
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SB93 #2 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

3:57:48
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SB106 #3 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

3:58:16
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SB130 #1 AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

3:58:37
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Bills to be Amended

3:59:15
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SB392 #1 TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

3:59:16
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Items to be read across the desk

4:01:03
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Announcements

4:00:55
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Adjourn

4:08:46
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Documents

No documents posted.

Speakers

Chair Unverified
201 segments
Senator Mark Johnson Chair Unverified
35 segments
Speaker 15
34 segments
Representative Justin Gonzales Unverified
33 segments
Speaker 24
2 segments
Senator Justin Boyd Unverified
7 segments
Senator Bart Hester Chair Unverified
69 segments
Senator Steve Crowell Chair Unverified
134 segments
Speaker 54
6 segments
Speaker 61
10 segments
Speaker 73
2 segments
Senator Jane English Unverified
3 segments
Senator Jamie Scott Unverified
17 segments
Speaker 102
5 segments
Speaker 7
2 segments
Senator Clint Penzo Unverified
40 segments
Senator Dave Wallace Unverified
1 segment
Senator Jim Petty Chair Unverified
10 segments
Speaker 125
9 segments
Speaker 135
1 segment
Senator Breanne Davis Unverified
30 segments
Senator Terry Rice Unverified
6 segments
Senator Greg Leding Unverified
9 segments
Senator John Payton Unverified
43 segments
Speaker 206
1 segment
Senator Stephanie Flowers Unverified
11 segments
Speaker 134
5 segments
Speaker 224
4 segments
Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr Unverified
21 segments
Speaker 248
2 segments
Senator Alan Clark Unverified
77 segments
Senator Clarke Tucker Unverified
28 segments
Speaker 278
17 segments
Senator Kim Hammer Unverified
22 segments
Senator Reginald Murdock Unverified
4 segments
Senator Bryan King Unverified
35 segments
Senator Jim Dotson Unverified
11 segments
Senator Ricky Hill Unverified
8 segments
Speaker 340
1 segment
Senator Matt McKee Unverified
5 segments
Senator Matt Stone Unverified
22 segments
Speaker 389
1 segment
Speaker 195
3 segments
Speaker 319
1 segment
Speaker 366
1 segment
Speaker 321
2 segments
Senator Tyler Dees Unverified
7 segments
Speaker 25
1 segment
Senator Jonathan Dismang Unverified
25 segments
Speaker 427
1 segment
Speaker 432
1 segment
Senator Ronald Caldwell Unverified
2 segments
Speaker 264
1 segment
Speaker 62
1 segment
Speaker 509
3 segments
Speaker 510
1 segment
Senator Ben Gilmore Unverified
1 segment
Speaker 524
1 segment
Senator Dan Sullivan Unverified
3 segments
Speaker 113
4 segments
Speaker 176
1 segment
Speaker 438
1 segment
Speaker 239
1 segment
Speaker 538
1 segment