Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee - Senate
Video
Transcript
1 document
Bills discussed (57)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1643
Act 369
· 4 mentions in transcript, agenda, chapter
Matched: “tell us which number you're Um 1643. House Bill 1643.”
|
TO ALLOW A CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYER TO DISCLOSE SUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE OR … | Dalby | Notification that HB1643 is now Act 369 |
|
HB1575
Act 376
· 3 mentions in agenda, chapter, transcript
Matched: “…ACT; AND TO REPEAL THE SMALL BUSINESS REVOLVING LOAN FUND. HB1575 Lundstrum TO PROHIBIT A PERSON THAT IS EMPLOYED OR HAS A DI…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A PERSON THAT IS EMPLOYED OR HAS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTEREST IN … | Lundstrum | Notification that HB1575 is now Act 376 |
|
HB1131
Act 959
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1131 Pilkington TO AUTHORIZE AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NUR…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE TO DELEGATE CERTAIN TASKS TO MEDICAL ASSISTANTS AND … | Pilkington | Notification that HB1131 is now Act 959 |
|
HB1167
Act 431
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1167 L. Johnson TO MODIFY THE SIGNATURE AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCED P…”
|
TO MODIFY THE SIGNATURE AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS; AND TO … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1167 is now Act 431 |
|
HB1169
Act 383
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ERT SYSTEM; AND TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS PURPLE ALERT SYSTEM. HB1169 L. Johnson TO CLARIFY THE ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR AN INVOLUN…”
|
TO CLARIFY THE ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR AN INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO INCLUDE A PERSON WHO IS … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1169 is now Act 383 |
|
HB1254
Act 433
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1254 L. Johnson TO AUTHORIZE A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTITION…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTITIONER TO PRACTICE INDEPENDENTLY IN THIS STATE; AND TO REMOVE … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1254 is now Act 433 |
|
HB1257
Act 434
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ISH A STATEWIDE CERTIFICATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. HB1257 L. Johnson TO REMOVE THE LIMITATION OF THE PRACTICE OF NEUR…”
|
TO REMOVE THE LIMITATION OF THE PRACTICE OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGY FROM TECHNICIANS EMPLOYED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS; AND … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1257 is now Act 434 |
|
HB1258
Act 435
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…DEPENDENT PRACTICE PRIVILEGES FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINERS. HB1258 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ACT; AND T…”
|
TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ACT; AND TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE CERTIFICATION FOR COMMUNITY … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1258 is now Act 435 |
|
HB1291
Act 385
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…estrictions designating areas as 'Members and Staff Only'. HB1291 Wing TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM…”
|
TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM THE DEFINITION OF "EMPLOYEE" UNDER THE MINIMUM … | Wing | Notification that HB1291 is now Act 385 |
|
HB1576
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 3/17/25 @ 7:50AM) Moved HB1576 to Regular Agenda Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfar…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL TO BE PLACED OVER A KARST TOPOGRAPHY. | Lundstrum | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1586
Act 386
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…S IN A MENTAL CONDITION AS A RESULT OF A MEDICAL CONDITION. HB1586 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE MEDICAID WAIVER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM…”
|
TO AMEND THE MEDICAID WAIVER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO CLARIFY THE NUMBER AND TYPE … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1586 is now Act 386 |
|
HB1673
Act 436
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1673 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING BARBERS.”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING BARBERS. | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1673 is now Act 436 |
|
SB367
Act 735
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB367 Irvin TO REPEAL THE SMALL BUSINESS REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR…”
|
TO REPEAL THE SMALL BUSINESS REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR POLLUTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION TECHNOLOGIES ACT; … | Irvin | Notification that SB367 is now Act 735 |
|
HB1171
Act 625
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…L BEDS WITHIN PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES. HB1171 K. Moore TO MODIFY THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE…”
|
TO MODIFY THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT; AND TO AUTHORIZE AN ABBREVIATED INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT … | K. Moore | Notification that HB1171 is now Act 625 |
|
HB1185
Act 799
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EQUIRE PAIN RELIEF PARITY IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM. HB1185 L. Johnson TO ADOPT THE DIETITIAN LICENSURE COMPACT IN ARKA…”
|
TO ADOPT THE DIETITIAN LICENSURE COMPACT IN ARKANSAS. | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1185 is now Act 799 |
|
HB1186
Act 960
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ING LOCATIONS FOR AND GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF A HOSPICE AGENCY. HB1186 Vaught TO CREATE THE PAIN RELIEF PARITY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE…”
|
TO CREATE THE PAIN RELIEF PARITY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PAIN RELIEF PARITY IN THE … | Vaught | Notification that HB1186 is now Act 960 |
|
HB1251
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LOW PSYCHOLOGY TECHNICIANS TO BE EMPLOYED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS. HB1251 L. Johnson TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSIS…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT ACT; AND TO PROVIDE FOR LICENSURE OF ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS. | L. Johnson | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1285
Act 856
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AND TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS STATE BOARD OF NATURAL MEDICINE. HB1285 L. Johnson TO ESTABLISH AN EXEMPTION PROGRAM FOR AMBULANCE…”
|
TO ESTABLISH AN EXEMPTION PROGRAM FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE'S OPERATORS FOR CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES. | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1285 is now Act 856 |
|
HB1382
Act 481
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…VIDE A CATEGORY FOR BENEFICIARIES WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE. HB1382 Ladyman TO REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING BY THE DESIGNATED PROT…”
|
TO REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING BY THE DESIGNATED PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY AGENCY FOR THE STATE AND … | Ladyman | Notification that HB1382 is now Act 481 |
|
HB1403
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…E PERCENT OF PREMIUMS ON HEALTHCARE CLAIMS AND WAGE CLAIMS. HB1403 Pilkington TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ME ACT OF 2021 TO ALLOW NONHOSPITAL … | Pilkington | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1428
Act 855
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SET AN ANNUAL REIMBURSEMENT CAP FOR ADULT DENTAL SERVICES. HB1428 Steimel TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PUBLIC LODGING; AND TO P…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PUBLIC LODGING; AND TO PROVIDE A BED HEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR … | Steimel | Notification that HB1428 is now Act 855 |
|
HB1429
Act 854
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ENTITIES TO BE COMMUNITY BRIDGE ORGANIZATIONS. Page 3 of 4 HB1429 M. Shepherd TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY WHILE ENSURING QUALIT…”
|
TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY WHILE ENSURING QUALITY FOR CERTAIN FACILITIES PERFORMING MAMMOGRAPHY SERVICES; AND TO AMEND … | M. Shepherd | Notification that HB1429 is now Act 854 |
|
HB1439
Act 853
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NEFICIARIES ENROLLED IN A RISK-BASED PROVIDER ORGANIZATION. HB1439 Ladyman TO REMOVE THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS OF THE DEPARTME…”
|
TO REMOVE THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FROM LICENSURE AS A … | Ladyman | Notification that HB1439 is now Act 853 |
|
HB1454
Act 674
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ENT. HB1673 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING BARBERS. HB1454 Bentley TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING CRIMINAL HISTORY RECOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS CHECKS FOR EMPLOYEES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS; TO … | Bentley | Notification that HB1454 is now Act 674 |
|
HB1456
Act 852
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…OF HUMAN SERVICES FROM LICENSURE AS A PRIVATE CARE AGENCY. HB1456 Rose TO AMEND THE STATE KIDNEY DISEASE COMMISSION TO BE AN…”
|
TO AMEND THE STATE KIDNEY DISEASE COMMISSION TO BE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE DEPARTMENT … | Rose | Notification that HB1456 is now Act 852 |
|
HB1458
Act 851
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SION TO BE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. HB1458 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "CREDENTIALING INFORM…”
|
TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "CREDENTIALING INFORMATION" WHEN THE ARKANSAS STATE MEDICAL BOARD IS PROVIDING … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1458 is now Act 851 |
|
HB1471
Act 966
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AND TO ESTABLISH PHARMACEUTICAL PATIENT FREEDOM OF CHOICE. HB1471 Wooldridge TO AMEND THE EXPIRATION DATE OF ALL LICENSES OF…”
|
TO AMEND THE EXPIRATION DATE OF ALL LICENSES OF THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE … | Wooldridge | Notification that HB1471 is now Act 966 |
|
HB1523
Act 951
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…IOLOGIST ASSISTANTS. REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1523 Vaught CONCERNING MISSING PERSONS ALERTS; TO CODIFY THE ARK…”
|
CONCERNING MISSING PERSONS ALERTS; TO CODIFY THE ARKANSAS AMBER ALERT SYSTEM; TO CODIFY THE ARKANSAS … | Vaught | Notification that HB1523 is now Act 951 |
|
HB1537
Act 850
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RD IS PROVIDING INFORMATION TO CREDENTIALING ORGANIZATIONS. HB1537 Ladyman TO REPEAL THE LOCATION ACT FOR COMMUNITY HOMES FOR…”
|
TO REPEAL THE LOCATION ACT FOR COMMUNITY HOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. | Ladyman | Notification that HB1537 is now Act 850 |
|
HB1559
Act 632
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…hnson TO ADOPT THE DIETITIAN LICENSURE COMPACT IN ARKANSAS. HB1559 McGrew TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO SEEK…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO SEEK A WAIVER TO THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID … | McGrew | Notification that HB1559 is now Act 632 |
|
HB1570
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “to House Bill 1570. 5. Is that correct? This Bill has 2 points in it. First of…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DISPOSITION OF NARCOTIC DRUGS OF A DECEDENT. | Childress | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
SB117
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ATION LAW THAT RESULTED FROM INITIATED MEASURE 1948, NO. 4. SB117 C. Penzo TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT;…”
|
TO CREATE THE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR LICENSURE OF NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN … | C. Penzo | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB120
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 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. |
|
SB121
Act 968
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO PERFORM ADDITIONAL CARE AND DUTIES. SB121 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT; TO APPLY THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB121 is now Act 968 |
|
SB122
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…URE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. SB122 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT; TO APPLY THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL … | C. Penzo | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB2
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…A KARST TOPOGRAPHY. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle SB2 C. Penzo TO REPEAL THE STATEWIDE FLUORIDATION PROGRAM; AND…”
|
TO REPEAL THE STATEWIDE FLUORIDATION PROGRAM; AND TO REMOVE THE MANDATE FOR WATER SYSTEMS TO … | C. Penzo | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB217
Act 969
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ULANCE SERVICE'S OPERATORS FOR CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES. SB217 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO REQ…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO REQUEST A WAIVER TO EXCLUDE CANDY AND … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB217 is now Act 969 |
|
SB221
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT TO PHYSICIANS. SB221 B. Davis TO PROHIBIT RISK-BASED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS FROM…”
|
TO PROHIBIT RISK-BASED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS FROM USING CERTAIN TYPES OF CONTRACTING PRACTICES WHEN CONTRACTING WITH … | B. Davis | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB225
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…GANIZED CARE ACT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. Page 2 of 4 SB225 J. Scott TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO PROVID…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A CATEGORY FOR BENEFICIARIES WITH SICKLE CELL … | J. Scott | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB235
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AND THE DESIGNATED CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE STATE. SB235 J. Boyd TO CREATE THE VOLUNTARY PORTABLE BENEFIT ACCOUNT AC…”
|
TO CREATE THE VOLUNTARY PORTABLE BENEFIT ACCOUNT ACT. | J. Boyd | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB255
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…FOODS UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SB255 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "DRUG" WITHIN THE FOOD,…”
|
TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "DRUG" WITHIN THE FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT; AND TO … | C. Penzo | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB262
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. SB262 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE CORPORATE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE DOCTRI…”
|
TO AMEND THE CORPORATE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE DOCTRINE; AND TO AUTHORIZE A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL … | C. Penzo | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB264
Act 483
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…R ACT; AND TO CLARIFY FOOD DONATION LIABILITY AND IMMUNITY. SB264 Irvin TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS PRIMARY CARE PAYMENT IMPROV…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS PRIMARY CARE PAYMENT IMPROVEMENT WORKING GROUP. | Irvin | Notification that SB264 is now Act 483 |
|
SB269
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RD OF EXAMINERS IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY. SB269 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING LOCATIONS FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING LOCATIONS FOR AND GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF A HOSPICE AGENCY. | C. Penzo | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB287
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION OF FACILITIES FOR MAMMOGRAPHY. SB287 J. Payton TO MODIFY CERTAIN ATTORNEY FEES FOR CONTROVERTED…”
|
TO MODIFY CERTAIN ATTORNEY FEES FOR CONTROVERTED MEDICAL EXPENSES, APPEALS, AND CHANGES OF PHYSICIANS UNDER … | J. Payton | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB306
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP UPON AN INACTIVE LICENSE OR RETIREMENT. SB306 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO APP…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO APPLY FOR A HOME- AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES … | C. Penzo | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB311
Act 772
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…WAIVER FOR THE AGING AND ELDERLY POPULATION IN THIS STATE. SB311 C. Penzo TO CREATE THE END ORGAN AND GENOMIC HARVESTING ACT…”
|
TO CREATE THE END ORGAN AND GENOMIC HARVESTING ACT; TO PROHIBIT COVERAGE OF CERTAIN HUMAN … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB311 is now Act 772 |
|
SB312
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EQUIRE DIALYSIS CENTERS TO HAVE A BACKUP GENERATOR ON SITE. SB312 Stone TO REMOVE THE MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OR ADDIT…”
|
TO REMOVE THE MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OR ADDITION OF ANY ADDITIONAL BEDS WITHIN PSYCHIATRIC … | Stone | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB347
Act 1025
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…DIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. SB347 C. Penzo TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO INCREA…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO INCREASE REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CERTAIN DENTAL SERVICES AND … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB347 is now Act 1025 |
|
SB348
Act 567
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RTAIN GENETIC SEQUENCERS AND GENETIC ANALYSIS TECHNOLOGIES. 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 |
|
SB371
Act 653
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TO ENSURE CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR VULNERABLE AGING ADULTS. 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 |
|
SB418
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…R INPATIENT TREATMENT SERVICES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. SB418 J. Payton TO AMEND THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW THAT RESUL…”
|
TO AMEND THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW THAT RESULTED FROM INITIATED ACT 4 OF 1948; AND … | J. Payton | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB440
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…CRITERIA FOR ACTIVATION OF THE ARKANSAS AMBER ALERT SYSTEM. SB440 D. Wallace TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERA…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE … | D. Wallace | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB444
Act 970
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. SB444 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE MEDICAL ETHICS AND DIVERSITY ACT. HB…”
|
TO AMEND THE MEDICAL ETHICS AND DIVERSITY ACT. | K. Hammer | Notification that SB444 is now Act 970 |
|
SB460
Act 697
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…HE ARKANSAS PRIMARY CARE PAYMENT IMPROVEMENT WORKING GROUP. SB460 Irvin TO MODIFY THE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY PANEL; TO REPEAL TH…”
|
TO MODIFY THE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY PANEL; TO REPEAL THE MARKETING RECYCLABLES PROGRAM OF THE COMPLIANCE … | Irvin | Notification that SB460 is now Act 697 |
|
SB9
Act 622
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…E MANDATE FOR WATER SYSTEMS TO MAINTAIN A FLUORIDE CONTENT. 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 |
|
SB95
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…G FOR SALE A FOOD PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS CERTAIN SUBSTANCES. SB95 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS ATHLETIC TRAINERS ACT; AND T…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS ATHLETIC TRAINERS ACT; AND TO CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF "ATHLETE" WITHIN … | C. Penzo | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
Machine transcript
May contain errors. Verify important quotations against the official video.
About transcript accuracy
- Source
- SliQ live captions
- Model
- SliQ live ASR
- Processing date
- October 2, 2026
uh, take a moment of prayer, uh, for the victims of the tornado that occurred Friday night, um, we, we suffered some damage and Stone County and the community of Oni and 56 and also North in the Sylamore, Allison area, um, and I know that Senator Payton's district, my former district was hit really hard in Cave City, and then I also know Northeast Arkansas was hit pretty hard as well, um, up near Senator. Johnson's district and Frank
Kavanaugh's district. So, um, at this time if I'm going to ask Senator Payton to pray, uh, for our tornado victims, if you will, um,
I'll stand and join us in a moment of prayer. Senator Peyton.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
1:07
Dear God in heaven Lord. We love you. Thank you, Lord. Living in such a great state, great people. God is a So the damage Friday
night and the people already out there in the middle of the night cutting trees and helping neighbors. It was.
It's really an amazing thing to see that. And the daylight came Saturday and we saw the devastation that To say that there wasn't any more loss of life. We know your hand was in it for whatever reason we have to trust your will. Amen. Uh I thank you that we live amongst the people that are so willing to help each other. We know that You're a loving God That you promised that all things work together good. They trust your plan, we trust your will. We ask for safety for those that are up there working
to. Clear the debris or just pray that you Yeah Let's get provisions to board. to work safely and quickly and. Or just thank you for so much of the. Great response we see. and Jesus name. Thank you, Senator. And Senator
Love, has a group here,
uh, I want to recognize him to introduce.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
2:25
Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee, um, and we'll be seeing this group again on
the floor. I have a resolution, but I have the uh the greater Little Rock Jack and Jill chapter, uh, if you could just wave your hands. This is, this is my group, group of good looking young scholars, and they're here to observe us in the legislative process throughout the day. So if you all could welcome them.
In the, in the really good looking young scholar in the back with all the hair
that young scholar belongs to me, so. We're so happy to have you. We will be nice to your daddy. Thank
you, Madam Chair. That's awesome, great. OK. Members today, uh, we're gonna try to move through noncontroversial bills as best we can. We've got a lot of bills on our agenda, so the purpose of this morning really is to try to do that. If we run into a snag, what we may do is ask you to pull your bill down and we'll reschedule it for a later time
or for special order of business, um, on Wednesday, it'll be Senate bills primarily. We do have one special order for Representative Ladyman, um, but it'll be all Senate bills on Wednesday. Uh, so if you have a bill that's on the that you want to keep on deferred, let me know. Otherwise, all Senate bills are going to be moved to regular agenda on Wednesday, OK? All right, seeing that, I'm gonna just go down the line, uh, we have, uh, folks here that I've got to get back to committees as
well, so, um, I'm gonna start over here with Representative Dalby, and we're just going to move down the line. If you'll just
Speaker 23
4:09
tell us which number you're Um 1643. House Bill 1643.
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
4:14
Thank you, Madam Chair. It is House Bill 1643. You're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair, Carol Darby, District 100. House Bill 1643 in which Madam chairs the Senate sponsor on this bill came to us from the Department of Corrections.
Uh, currently the Department of Corrections is engaged in the process of gaining compliance with the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act and federal regulations require that the department to make their best efforts to contact former employers concerning substantiated allegations of sexual abuse and sexual harassment regarding individuals applying for employment with the department, current Arkansas law list a number of
matters that, that people can inquire into, but this one is not on the list, so all this bill does is add the language where uh simply substantiated allegations of sexual abuse and sexual harassment adds that to the list of things that can be looked into and with that, I'll take any questions. Thank you.
Are there any questions, Senator Peyton, you're recognized for questions. Thank you,
Senator John Payton
Unverified
5:26
Madam Chair. Can you just give us a little definition of substantiated allegation. Sure,
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
5:33
it's kind of, it's more of a legal term. Uh, it's not going to be something he said she said it's going to be a matter in which there was an actual investigation, found out that that individual uh did commit those things or or maybe was terminated because of them. It's not going to be just a he said, she said, but it's gonna be after a formal. Uh, look into it. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other
questions from members of the committee, see none. Is there anyone here
to speak for or against this bill. There are none. You recognized. I'm sorry, do
you want to speak? For the bill. For the bill, please come forward. Thank you. Yes ma'am, come to the end of the table and um representative Dalby will help you. Uh, with your microphone and if you'll just state your name for the record, you'll be recognized. Um,
Delaney Davis
Unverified
6:29
my name is Delaney Davis, uh, I'm 15 years old and I attend, uh, Central High School.
I'm with uh Jack and Jill and I am, I'm for this bill because um I'll be eligible for the workforce at 16 in November. And uh statistics show that females aged to 16 to 19 or 4 times more likely to be sexually assaulted, experience, rape or attempted rape, and since I'm African American and I'm above the age of 12, um, I'll be more likely to be raped and sexually
assaulted than anyone else. So I think this bill is really important and I hope everybody votes for
it. Thank you. That was very brave of you and we very much value your testimony being here today and speaking on
behalf of that bill. And, uh, our prayers will be with you and with all young individuals. Um, as you try to navigate this world. Are there any questions from the members of the committee for the witness.
All right, see you then. Thank you so much for being here.
All right. Represent Doby, you're recognized to clothes for your
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
7:45
bill. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm closed for a bill and would ask for a motion to
do pass and a good vote. motion to pass, and 2nd, all those in favor say aye and opposed I have it. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, members of the committee you Representative Lindstrom.
And then on deck will be represented Pilkington. And then Representative Johnson. State your name for the record,
and then um what bill are you going to present first, I
Speaker 41
8:17
believe 1576. OK. And you do have an amendment. Yes, ma'am, that out. State
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
8:27
representative Robin Lundstrom, District 18, and I believe there is an amendment to this bill. Yes, ma'am,
we're passing that out right now. You want to go ahead and explain your amendment while
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
8:38
we're passing it out. The amendment comes from ADEQ. They helped me refine what a car topography is.
OK. A motion to adopt the amendment, so moved and second, all those in favor say aye and opposed as habit amendment is adopted, you may proceed with House
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
8:58
Bill 1576 as amended. Thank you. First of all, Arkansas has 222 different counties that have cars formations. Some are very deep, some are different. We define these as the boon topography, and I believe there's one other one, Saint
Joe, um, basically a landfill should not be built over something that's going to be saving water. Cars topography is very rock that has cracks and fissures in it, the water goes down, forms caves like and, and actually we have towns named after Cave Springs, Elm Springs, Springdale. That type of thing. Unfortunately, many, many years ago, 40 plus years ago, we put a landfill right over our car's topography in northwest Arkansas. This just says in the future we won't make that mistake again. It does not affect the current landfill, doesn't affect their permitting
process. What's done is done, but in the future we'll do
a better job. Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the committee? Senator Payton, you're recognized for
Senator John Payton
Unverified
9:59
the question. Thank you, Madam Chair. So this is just going to prevent Them from putting a landfill over Karst to the future, so. Uh, if it's down there at any level, or does your bill have limits in it as to how shallow the car has to be. That's why they added the
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
10:19
boon and Saint Joe because those are the shallow ones. And that's my understanding of it.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
10:24
I'm not a geologist. So you're saying you're limiting it to geographical locations in the bill where are
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
10:29
those where that car's topography is Saint Joe and Boone. Are you saying that's the only place that it is there's other cars, it's, it's more dense. This is the one that would impact the most when it comes to water. So this
Senator John Payton
Unverified
10:43
bill only affects those two counties. No, that's the type of cars
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
10:49
Boone and Saint Joe. I'm sorry, I didn't make that clear. Those are the car topography areas. And their their name is Boone and Saint Joe. OK, so
Senator John Payton
Unverified
11:00
can you tell us the counties that would be affected by this. It's
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
11:03
mostly Northwest Arkansas because I'm in Cape City is in
Senator John Payton
Unverified
11:07
my district I have a cave, yes, mammoth Springs is closed, I think
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
11:13
if you ever have a landfill, you better look out and be, be very wary of that. Well, I think they've had
landfills for and they may be decades and they may be fine, but in this, these two areas, it's not fine. And this just says in the future, we're not going to do this and these. areas.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
11:31
Do you have a map or anything that shows those two
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
11:34
areas? I'm sorry, I do not. I have looked at
Senator John Payton
Unverified
11:39
all that. I just don't want to pass a bill that affects A bunch of counties in North Arkansas without seeing a map of what we're affecting how about I run the other bill, I'll come
back in just a minute with a map. I'd appreciate that. You're welcome. OK, we'll pull this down for right now, Amendment is still adopted and we'll go
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
12:06
to House Bill 1570. 5. Is that correct? This Bill has 2 points in it. First of all, it is House Bill 1575 Robin Lindstrom State Representative District 18. The first part is that the pollution and control and ecology board would not have anybody on the board who represents a firm
landfill. That they're there to make to be a referee. You should not work for an entity that represents a landfill, and the same goes for your local um Your county or your district landfills. Currently those are all represented by elected officials, and if the elected official appoints someone, it needs to be somebody that works for the city, not for a landfill. Are there questions from members
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
12:52
of the committee? Senator Hill, you're recognized for questions. Representative Landstrom, would you give us a little more detail on that? Why, why are we saying that these people are not eligible
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
13:07
for the board position. What's what's bringing this on? Well, we've had some problems where give us some details sir we've had a little bit of an issue on one of the boards someone works for a law firm that represents a landfill. That's a direct conflict of interest.
Um, on the area regional landfill boards. Some mayors have actually appointed the landfill supervisor to be on the board in their place. Again, a direct conflict of interest. So those boards are set up to be the referees, and they're not to have any dog in the fight. They're just there to protect the people. So if you have somebody there that's putting their finger on the
Speaker 41
13:44
scale, that's not right. And this just pulls that back. Question can just continue on
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
13:55
that, let's say if someone decides to appoint someone that's with the EPA or something like that, should they have a conflict of interest as well as the other side. I think we're setting a single standard side on this. I think if you're gonna do it and you want an independent decisions, you need to go both ways. You know,
Speaker 75
14:13
I didn't look at it from that because we don't normally appoint somebody that's
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
14:17
on an EPA type situation or anyone like that that's affiliated with or associated with. This
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
14:21
is the board that supervises all of the decisions. If there's a conflict of
interest between the citizens and ADEQ. This is the board that sits over all of it. So they should not represent a landfill if they're the law firm that represents a landfill, that's a direct conflict of interest because those are the two parties that are having the argument. So it needs to be a fair board. And, and that's what I'm saying. I'm not, not
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
14:44
disagreeing with you on that. I'm just saying I think we need to be fair on both sides that they should be fair and impartial all the way all the way around. I'll accept that point.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
14:59
Senator Love, you're recognized for question. Madam Chair, can we hear from, can we hear from
the Department of Energy in regards to Senator Hill raises a good issue. Can we hear from them in regards to this question, this specific
question, if you'll come forward please and state your name for the record. Lauren Ballard, chief of staff, Department of Energy and Environment. Thank you. Recognize
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
15:23
Senator Love. Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Ballard, I just want to know, so in this instance, uh, Senator Hill
raised. With someone, do you all have any, any um guidelines or or I guess um. I'm, I'm not gonna say regulations, but I guess it would be employment policy that prevents someone from from your department and serving in one of these capacity or one of these roles. From our department specifically yes, just say if it was
a state agency, you you're talking about a
Speaker 84
16:00
Or affiliated with you all. So right now, um, the pollution control and ecology
Speaker 80
16:05
Commission as uh Representative Lindstrom pointed out that is the body that supervises decisions from the director of Environmental Quality, uh, division of the Department of Energy and Environment. Right now there are seats that are, I believe there's 4 seats that represent the different congressional districts in the state, and then there's 3 additional seats, I believe that are state agencies, but I don't believe at this point there's anybody from the Department of. Energy and environment
representing anyone on that board. I believe it's a, I think there's a, a designee from Department of Health. Game and fish in the Department of Agriculture along with those 4. Representatives from
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
16:46
across the state. Does that answer your question? and that, that kind of goes into. I see, I see
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
16:54
your concern. OK. A DEQ this is what the board that supervises, so having somebody from them on the board
would be a conflict of interest. This is who breaks up the fights if there's
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
17:05
a disagreement and that's what, yeah, so from your agency would serve on this board, correct.
Speaker 80
17:09
I do want to clarify though, um, there are existing state laws if, if you have an individual who is on a border commission who is participating in a decision in which they would have some sort of conflict of interest is a good term. There's already a requirement that the core requirements that they recused or otherwise not participate from those considerations. The issue with that that we're
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
17:31
trying to address is if you have a conflict of interest and you're constantly recusing yourself from the vote, you're not doing your job. So if you have a conflict of interest, maybe you shouldn't be on the board in the first place. This is an important board, so not having a conflict of interest is critically important. OK. All right. Thank you. Senator Payton, you're recognized
Senator John Payton
Unverified
17:54
for question. Thank you, Madam Chair. I, I pretty much agree with your reasoning, but I worry about how broad this paragraph is when it
says employed by a farm business organization that owns, operates, represents, or applies for
a solid waste. License I don't know how many. I don't know what label they wear as far as understanding this area, but I'm just going to say engineer type people or or you know geologist or whatever. I don't know how many there are. That may have some. Arm's length. Relationship to a landfill because the landfill probably
has to hire geologists and things like that from time to time, but those, those people that are educated in this field are the type of people we want on the
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
18:49
decision making team. I would agree to a point if you are a law firm or an engineer that works for a landfill. Oh, I apologize. If you're a law firm or an engineer that works for the landfill, you're going to have a conflict of interest. Now if you're retired, obviously not. But the conflict of interest is real and it's an issue that needs to be addressed. OK.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
19:09
So you think there's a large enough pool that would that would be autonomous from that area. OK, thank you. Senator Hill, did
you have questions for Ms. Ballard? OK. All right. Any, any other questions? All right, is there anybody here to speak for or against this bill? No, there's not. OK,
no more questions. You're recognized to close for your bill. I've said this before
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
19:32
and I'll say it again, ADEQ may not be the sexiest agency to ever walk the planet of the Earth, but it's also one of the most
important. They sit over our water, our air, our soil, our landfills, and so if there's a conflict of interest on that board, that individual doesn't need to be serving on the board. This doesn't affect anybody currently. It affects only in the future. So with that, I would appreciate a good vote. Thank
you. Motion to pass 2nd, all those in favor say aye and a as have it congratulations. Thank you, colleagues, and
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
20:04
I'll get you a map, Senator Payton. Yeah, I was trying to look online and I know that
Cersey County, Marion County are part of that Saint Joe formation, because I'm pretty familiar with this, but I'm probably certain, come back with a map if you can. I'll about the boon one. Thank you, colleagues. Thank you for your time. All right, thank you so much. Um, OK, Senator, I mean Representative Pilkington. House Bill 1131 and I do we have a an amendment. We have an amendment for It just adds, I think Senator
Speaker 102
20:43
Penzo as a Senate sponsor. Is that correct?
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
20:54
The second one. Yes. OK. So 1131, yes.
You said you had the amendment. OK. It just adds Senator Pennzo as a Senate sponsor. Is there a motion to adopt the amendment. Second, all those in favor say aye
and opposed, I have it amendment is adopted. Please proceed with House Bill 1131 as
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
21:13
amended. Thank you. Thank you, committee. Um just a quick reminder, uh, HB 1131 was a bill to remove unnecessary barriers to patient care in Arkansas right now, physicians in our state can delegate certain routine tasks like drawing blood, administering medications to train medical staff. unlicensed app, but APRNs can't. This is simply mirroring Act 479 to 2009, which gave the authority of positions, allowing an APRNs to do the same. I know last time we had this discussion there were kind of two issues. One was the telephone aspect of
it and the other was the phlebotomist part of it, uh, for clarification on the phlebotomy, um, they are trained and certified in Arkansas that there is uh the state does not require a civic license to work. So I think that is when we're talking about unlicensed. That's, that's the group we're talking about, and then on the telephone once again it's, it's merely they have to be under the direct supervision of the APRN while administering this obviously telehealth, uh, you know, the provider can be via teeth, but the EMA is in the
actual clinic, be in the hands of the provider, um, but all those does not change the scope. It does not lower safety standards or anything like that, and so that's just hopefully want to add a little clarification of the last time it's been a long day. We're kind of going through a few, few parts, and so I just I want to add that clarification and ask committee for a good vote. This is very similar to the PA delegation bill that passed out of the Senate a week or two ago, so Senator Peyton, you're recognized for questions.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
22:39
Thank you, Madam Chair. So if they're unlicensed, what do you mean by scope? They have no scope of practice if they're
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
22:44
unlicensed. Well, I talk about the scope of the APRN, not the MA. So the MA is working underneath
the apiary and when I was referring to the scope change, it's the scope of the APRN.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
22:54
There's no change in the scope for the AP, OK, so on page 1 line
29, when it says without limitation. Then we're saying that these untrained, unlicensed people can perform the whole scope as long as it's delegated to them. the APRN.
Speaker 107
23:15
I'm not understanding, understanding the question, Senator. Well,
Senator John Payton
Unverified
23:17
I mean, I don't know why you put a list in there of what they can do if you're going to start off by saying no without limitation because without limitation means it could be anything. It's followed by a list, but the list means nothing because if we say without limitation, it can mean anything. On
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
23:37
line 29 I see what you're saying. I mean this was, this was copied directly from the 2009 Act, um,
and of course there is the uh the board does have the authority board does have the authority to make rules over this, so I, I, I guess it's just uh Uh I don't understand why that without limitation is in there um. But from my understanding, the drafters took that directly from the 2009 Act, so I'm not understanding I guess I'm not seeing the issue. Well First The issue I have is the fact
Senator John Payton
Unverified
24:10
that it can be over the phone, so then I really worry about how
broad the list is and what we're going to delegate to them. I'd hate to see an APRN. Not on site and delegating the majority of their practice to somebody that's unlicensed, so. And I don't know that there's any bad actors out there, but usually you can find one
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
24:34
if you look hard enough. Sure, well, these are only certain tasks. It's the diagnosis, the treatment, I mean, those are all still under the APRN um and, and like I said, we're just mirroring what we're currently doing with with providers or MDs
and DOs, so it's, I don't think the idea that there's going to be a provider who's just never in the clinic and the whole, the whole time they're being treated by an MA I just, uh, that's not happening right now. I don't see that as a Possibility of that happening. That's not the way there's an MD doing that right now in the state. I think we would know about it. But wouldn't you agree that they could? I
Senator John Payton
Unverified
25:09
do not agree that they could when it says without limitation, I don't see I don't interpret it that way though, sir, so thank you.
Are there any other questions from members of the committee? No,
to sign the, Senator Pence is not here to sign the amendment. Let's see. OK. I'm sorry, we adopted the amendment, but Apologize.
Speaker 21
25:51
OK. We need your signature, sir. would be nice. And do you have a pen? OK, while he's doing that,
we do have 2 people here to speak for the bill. Um
Julia Ponder. If you'll just set your name for
Speaker 123
26:32
the record, that you're recognized. Julia Ponder, I am here to represent the Arkansas nurse practitioners Association as a member of their board of directors. Um, we do, please ask uh for a good vote on this. This does not change the task that can be delegated by an APRN it only changes the who and um to answer the previous question
down on page 2 line 24, it says this section does not preempt. repeal any law or things that are already in that are already listed and so that may be something that's welcoming to you all, um, who are in concern again this this does not change the what can be delegated. It only changes the who and it's who made the APRN delegate to um and again the tasks are the same, and only those that are allowed because oftentimes in institutions, people have to be
credentialed for the tasks that they they are performing anyway, so you cannot delegate a task that is not already credentialed by the person who's performing it. And
so hopefully that will help to ease your concerns on that.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
27:42
We have Senator Love and Senator Peyton. Senator Love, so now tell me,
Speaker 126
27:47
tell me where you were in the bill. What page 2, I
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
27:52
believe it was line 2. Thor, or repeal. OK.
All right, I guess it doesn't it to me it doesn't kind of put me
at ease because when you do put without limitations, that means any any part of your scope you can delegate to anybody that's, I mean that's what I mean whether or not, whether or not I would say, um, That what the APM will do, it's what's in the law and what can be done, and I think, I think that was.
Senator Payton's um Senator Payton's concern and so I guess what I'm gonna ask you this. Who would you uh delegate to your scope of practice to in your in just say in
Speaker 123
28:45
your clinic. So currently under the board of nursing rules, there are only certain tasks that a PRNs or RNs are allowed to delegate anyway, and those aren't really our scope um task. Those are just
tasks that any nurse can perform under their current licensure within the state and so even if this says you can delegate anything. You can still only delegate things that are listed under your licensure that you must follow your state board of nursing rules as a nurse and so there's no way that you can delegate your scope to someone else. This is only talking about delegating task. OK. All right, thank you.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
29:34
Senator Peyton, you recognize? Thank you, Madam Chair, and thanks for your testimony. Um, So I guess based following up on what he was just asking you. You said that the nursing board has a list of tasks that you
Speaker 129
29:51
can delegate. They're not listed. You can delegate. An RV you can delegate this and that. They're they're larger, broader list of tasks, but yes, overall it's all of the change that because they make their
Senator John Payton
Unverified
30:05
rules based on the laws that we pass. And if we pass a law that says without limitation. Then the board would change their rules and then in regards to the two lines that you pointed out, do you have a copy in front of you? On my phone, yes, sir. OK, so they're on line 24 and 25. I see what you say about this section does not preempt or repeal any law. OK, number one, that's wrong. Anytime we do an amendment, we're amending a law, but that's not what I wanted to point out.
The the first word in the, in the next line is authorizes. So this section does not preempt or repeal any state law that authorizes. So if there's a state law that limits or prohibits, then this can alter it. You see what I'm saying with all due respect, I
Speaker 134
30:54
am not a lawyer. I am a nurse. I'm not either. I just get to
Speaker 123
30:59
play one of the little Rock, So part of the BLR this was not meant to change any task that can be delegated only who those
Senator John Payton
Unverified
31:08
tasks can be delegated to. Well, I serve a very rural area. We have several APRNs doing great work in local clinics and, and I've talked to several of them. I want to support this effort, but when I've talked to them about the details that troubled me in this bill. They have the same. Concerns, especially over the over the phone stuff, uh, so I'm worried about the language of this bill, not the intent. And I, I think we need. To Not say.
Without limitation. I think that's way too broad. And I don't think that these lines you pointed out give me cover because they specifically use the term authorized, and I'm sure there's some law out there that prohibits and maybe some rules that prohibit, and I think we would be changing that. So I would appreciate. Um, the sponsors considering. Getting rid of that language, it says without limitation. But I want to, I want to support the effort, but I don't think
that we can. Just say that an APRN can delegate any tasks they want to. To an unlicensed person. Over the telephone. So
I can't go that far. Yes, sir. So
Speaker 123
32:23
I did listen to the testimony the last time this bill was heard and I reached out to many of my APR and colleagues because I do not perform telehealth and um what I was told by many of them is that there's really not tasks to be delegated while you're in a
telehealth appointment that oftentimes if a lab is ordered or a medication is ordered either a home health agency is going to go to to give that, which again credential. task, people cannot perform things if they're not credentialed by the facility which they work, um and in response to the board of nursing, obviously I don't work for them, but they are here to protect the public, um, and so my thought is a nurse who's practiced for over 30 years is they're definitely not going to
change things in favor of the nurse, they're going to do it in favor of the
Speaker 140
33:15
public and your concerns are absolutely great concerns for our public and to ensure that they do
Senator John Payton
Unverified
33:20
receive the best care possible. I appreciate that, but we're telling the Board of Health what guidelines to use.
Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions for this witness? All right, see Nunn. Thank you so much for being here. Appreciate you. Um, we also have Melinda Ry Rhines,
Melinda Rhines, if you'll come forward and state your name and who your're associated with. You
are recognized to speak for the bill. And we only have One person, Melinda Rhys, yeah.
Speaker 143
33:52
I can she not, can she not stay? Oh, that's fine. Yeah, I asked her to
stay. Well, but we've already dismissed her as a witness.
Speaker 144
34:03
I apologize. I just don't want to get, OK, OK, thank you, Melinda runs, um, the immediate past president of Arkansas Society of Medical Assistants, and I am a certified
medical assistant, um, so I think I might be able to answer some of those questions that y'all were having, um. I can't speak to as why the bill was stated that way because I was not privy to the bill being written initially, um, but I can speak as a certified medical assistant and know some of the um problems that we've um had in the past, um, for instance, we typically work under the um
scope of practice of a licensed medical physician, um, and sometimes we have. a verbal order from a physician to call in a prescription even to a pharmacy, uh, for a refill, um, sometimes the pharmacist would not even a pharmacy technician would not even receive our order because we were not licensed. Um, sometimes if we were calling
in a prescription refill from our physician and we were calling in the prescription to a nursing home, uh, and we were giving it to an RN. They would not take our that order, even though it was directly a direct verbal order from a physician and we were doing a verbal order from the physician, they would not take it because we were certified medical assistant, and we were giving it to a RN. They would not accept the order. So that's where I think some of the verbal order, the telephone
orders might come in play. It's not necessarily maybe to give that patient a prescription right then or a medication right then and administer it right then, it could be simple, a simple refill or a verbal order for a refill. So it may not be administering a medication immediately right there, like the APRNB separate. It may be that we're giving a Uh, a refill medication to a nursing
home or, you know, to a pharmacy and so that may be the telehealth aspect of it. It may not be just a, you know, the APRN is separate than the medical assistant. Does that make any sense? Does that help a little bit, Senator Payton,
Senator John Payton
Unverified
36:34
you're recognized for questions. It makes perfect sense. I had that discussion with one of my APRNs in Cave City. Why can't we? List those things that we're trying to accomplish.
Those things that are benign instead of just having the door wide open for whatever somebody can dream up. That we're not intending to do. So I'm saying that there are very specific instances that have been related to me where this bill could definitely help situations. Yes. But I think it's important what language we put in there, and if we can identify these circumstances, why can't we
Speaker 144
37:18
create the list? And I think, I think the bill was again going back to the previous one that they modeled after. I think it was written with a broad vision and then the medical board first of all with the previous bill was written down the more uh stringent. rules and then this, with this bill, the nursing board will Uh, write down the more tighter rules.
Senator John Payton
Unverified
37:49
Well we could say in this bill that the nurse nursing board should, we could compel them to create a list and we're not doing that. It doesn't say
Senator John Payton
Unverified
38:01
think their intentions will do that. It doesn't say that if they create a list that the APRNs will be limited to that list. It says without limitation. And so even if the nursing board creates a list. APRNs would by law would not be,
Speaker 143
38:16
I, I know personally I've had
discussions with the Arkansas Nursing Board, and that is their intentions to have a the rules set up after this, if this
Speaker 144
38:25
passes, that they have rules set up to make sure that they have those guidelines just like there are rules for the from the nursing board and whether
Senator John Payton
Unverified
38:34
or not We could put language in here that we let them
create from the I'm assuming that would be the Department of Health. So
Mr. Gilmore or Ms. Shu, either one, if you could come up. Are there any other
questions for the member for this witness? Is there, is there anybody else? No, OK, the Arkansas
Speaker 144
38:55
Society and Medical Assistants and all medical assistants in the state of Arkansas or for this bill. OK, thank you so much
for your testimony and being with us today, uh, Senator Payton, you're recognized for questions. Mr. Gilmore, if you'll state your name for the record, you may proceed. Matt Gilmore, Department of Health. Thank
Senator John Payton
Unverified
39:12
you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Gilmore. So is it possible to create a
list and is it possible to put language in this bill that would Limited to that list, or do
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
39:30
you think it's already accomplished. I think y'all can put whatever you want to in a bill, but as far as a list, I, I do feel personally confident that they won't, um, uh, that the rules will limit to what that person is certified to or to what the board feels comfortable with, but I mean, I can just speak to what I would expect and what I would
Senator John Payton
Unverified
39:51
think they would do. So do you think that a border commission can write rules that are more restrictive than what we allow them to write in in code. They shouldn't, but um
OK, let me phrase it this way. If challenged in court, A boards or commission's rules.
State restrictions that are not justified by the code. Would, would that challenge be
Speaker 161
40:30
upheld or not, Senator, you know I'm not an attorney, so I can't speak to what would happen there. I think every court's going to be different situation's gonna be different. clarity
would be better, but we do have an attorney. State your name for the record, please.
Speaker 164
40:48
Laura, I'm general counsel for the Board of Health and the Department of Health. I
don't represent the nursing board, but with regard to your question, we, um, write the rules in accordance with the law. You all passed several laws in the past sessions to limit the scope of what we can draft in our rules. So our rules are limited to the, the parameters of the law. Please proceed. Thank you, Madam Chair, and
Senator John Payton
Unverified
41:15
thank you for your testimony. So if we say in the law without limitation.
Um The board is going to create a list that limits what you can do is, would that be in conflict with the law? In
Speaker 166
41:32
my opinion, without limitation is broad. OK. I don't know
Senator John Payton
Unverified
41:36
any other way to state it. Thank you.
And I have a question. Have we had Agencies, boards, and commissions create rules outside of the legislation.
We do have third-party rulemaking procedures and processes. And so have rules and regulations been promulgated. And brought before ALC that are not directly tied to legislation. Yes. In the, in the
Speaker 164
42:08
past, Senator Ervin, I believe that has occurred, but of course with the checks and balances that are provided by the constitutional amendment that allowed for the legislature to um review and approve rules, uh, that system provides the checks and balances
for agencies if in, in the legislative opinion, it goes outside of what the law provides, you all can vote against a rule if it goes outside the, the parameters of
the law. Thank you. Senator have pinso then love. Thank you,
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
42:44
Madam Chair. Um, Without limitation to just means that the list isn't complete, um, so in
Chiropractors, physicians, they have authority to delegate tasks, do
they not? Generally, yes, yes, sir. Is, is there, did they use
their judgment, uh, based on that, or can they is there a cap on, on uh where the scope is cut off, or do they use their judgment and don't uh uh delegate a task that is outside the um capabilities of the person being delegated to.
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
43:26
My experience has been they typically, and I think they should stick to what their scope is and then whatever training that individual. has and national certification or
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
43:37
something like that, right, right, so, so if this is limited to the APR, the practitioners, uh, scope of practice, and they know, they know what their employees' capabilities are, their license is responsible for that employee's actions. So therefore they, they won't delegate something that they aren't confident that that
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
43:57
employee can perform, correct? Yeah I think that'd be the expectation of the licensing
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
44:07
board. Yes, sir. OK, thank you. Senator Levier, um, you know what, Madam Chair, I, I hope
mine for discussion. Thank you. Thank you. All right, see, no more questions for them. Thank you so much. We have
nobody else on the list. Representative Pilkington, you're recognized to close for your bill.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
44:28
Thank you committee, and I appreciate the discussion. Um, once again,
uh, without limitation just merely means that this is non-exhaustive list. This is something we see in a lot of healthcare legislation time and time again, but something else during the discussion I wanted to bring up was you look on page 2 line 9. The board shall adopt rules regarding the delegation of nursing tasks under this section. I mean, we're, we're going to have it that rules will be made around this. This is a bill that is supported by the Arkansas Medical Society, by the APA Nursing Association,
I would say outside of some questions in this room, I don't know if any opposition to this bill from anyone. We're following something that's done by 40 plus states in the entire country. So we're just trying to follow suit, make it easier on him, make it easier to practice in rural Arkansas, um, because a lot of times you will have clients with an APRN an MMA and a front desk person, that's all there is in that small little town and so we're just trying to make it to where it's a little easier on those providers. So with that, I asked
for a good vote. OK, thank you. What's the will of the committee? Motion to
pass. 2nd discussion. I think you asked for that, Senator Love, as
Speaker 92
45:37
amended, yes. Thank you. OK, thank you. And I think, you know, here's here's the concern, and I
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
45:44
think uh I'll be honest, I think we probably made an oversight, uh, with the physicians as well is that. I understand the concern that Senator Peyton has and and I'm beginning to
share it as well because we're, you know, we can
say that, hey APRN will not delegate their in that hey we can set up rules to restrict. But this is in black and white without limitations and without limitations means it's without limitation, so we can argue about the intent. But the intent is the legislative intent is nowhere in this bill. So the intent to me is what we're going to pass and put in black and white, which is
without limitations, so. Hm I hear what everybody's saying. But in 15 years when we're not here. And somebody wants to challenge this, it is without limitations. It's, it's as it is written by law and so whatever rules and regulations we want to set up if somebody wanted to challenge it, they could use this piece of legislation that says, hey, that an APRN can
Without limitations delegate their entire scope to someone, and we could just hope that they're delegating it to somebody that can that can, you know, they're delegating it within the. The scope of that person, so I will say this, it is gonna be hard for me to support this. I understand the intent of the bill and I'm supportive of the intent, but the language is different than what we're seeing the intent is. Thank you, Senator Peyton. You're
recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you,
Senator John Payton
Unverified
47:36
Representative Pilkington. I understand why there's no opposition. We all want to accomplish this. I don't know of anybody that, that's against your motive or what you're going after. I want a bill I can vote for. I'm perfectly comfortable saying that the medical board, nurses board, whatever board that has the knowledge that that they can create a list. Or that they can set limits. But
I feel like for us to pass this bill without A language change. We're telling that board that they cannot restrict it. And, and I. Totally trust all the APRNs I know. I'd go to him for medical care. But And I've also seen instances where there were bad performers and And I want a bill that in here and when it hits the Senate floor, I can vote for. I don't want to have to go home and
explain to all the APRNs why I voted against the bill. So I mean I would appreciate that we delegate the list-making. To the board that everybody has a lot of confidence in. And we
do it in the language of the law instead
of saying without limitation anyway. Thank you, Senator Penzo, you're
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
49:00
recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, we've, we've passed a lot of delegation. Uh
Type legislation out of this committee not
just I mean, but, but I think the majority of the bills have said this exact language because it's understood that the cap is the scope of the of the person that's allowed to delegate. So, um, I think, I think this is probably what we've done for every other profession that we've expanded their ability to delegate tasks, um, and that person's license. Um
I wouldn't, I wouldn't jeopardize any of my licenses, uh, and to somebody that I didn't fully trust was capable of doing, uh, the, the particular task I was delegating to them, so, um, I personally think the wording is right, because that, that is limited to that section, nursing tests to be delegated under this section. So it's, it's without limitations because not everything can be listed in the bill, so I think it's
worded properly in my opinion, so. Any other discussion? OK, no, all those in favor
say aye and opposed. I do not hear 5 votes, so Bill fails this time. All right. Go back to Representative Johnson.
Representative Johnson, if you will state your name for the record. Representative Lee Johnson,
Speaker 179
50:48
District 47. Which bill are you starting with? We can
just start at the top and work down, OK. House Bill 1167. Sorry,
OK, they do have amendments. Uh, I think it's just to add, uh, me as your Senate sponsor. I'm just, I'm picking up all your
Speaker 184
51:11
bills. I hope they're good. Thank you. Just we just need to be in this
committee this morning volunteer to be your sentence. OK, so motion to adopt the amendment, and second,
all those papers say I am opposed, I have it. You
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
51:33
may proceed with the Thank you, Madam Chair, if you look at the bottom of this bill, there are a list of things here, uh, that, uh, signatures are allowed for for nurse practitioners, we are
clarifying the bottom part of that list. So one of the things that's come up is we currently allow them to sign for authorization for durable medical equipment. There's been some question as to whether that counts for diabetic footwear, for orthotics, prosthetics, uh, any definition you look up for DME. Things are included, but there have been a times where nurse practitioners have not been able to sign for those things. I fully think they're capable and able and should be able to sign for those things. I think it removes barriers of care. If you're a diabetic living in
a rural area and your PCP is practically speaking the nurse
practitioner, they ought to be able to sign for your diabetic footwear. I don't know of any opposition to this bill. I'd be happy
to answer any questions. All right, questions from members of the committee. We don't have anyone to speak for or
Senator John Payton
Unverified
52:33
against Senator Payton, you're recognized. I feel obligated to bring up this without limitation there, uh. I
think I understand that we're pretty limited because it is item H in a list of other things, but can you explain to us what might not be in this list that could come into it
Speaker 190
52:51
since we say without limitation. Yes, is that, is that my new language you know I'm saying that that
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
52:57
does conclu without limitation. Yeah, so, uh, Again, after the conversation we just had, I'm happy to pull this down and strike that language if it makes members uncomfortable, I
would say that what we're talking about since it's under DME, it's, it's limited to DME and then just saying including, like we're saying here, here's DME it's anything anybody can conclude to be DME, including
this list. So I don't think you're opening it wide up for anything. I think it's anything that's DME. Here's our here's some examples of DME. The list could be exhaustive of other examples of DME. So for me, I'm comfortable with that in the fact that it's, it's, it is limited under H which is authorizations for durable medical
Senator John Payton
Unverified
53:42
equipment, so we're OK with them. Signing and authorizing. Anything that would come under the scope of durable medical equipment.
Speaker 190
53:49
I am, yes, because I think it's already clear in
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
53:54
statute, and we're saying durable medical equipment. We could, we could also have gone back up and tried to make a definition of that, but there's pretty accepted just general practice definitions of what durable medical equipment is.
Speaker 190
54:06
Can you give me any examples that are not on this list of what DME is of what
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
54:11
a DME is it might not be on this list. So there are, um, so not really because orthotics and prosthetics is pretty broad in themselves, you know, there are foot inserts that uh people use that have uh foot deformities that wouldn't necessarily be a
diabetic foot insert, uh, but I would personally consider that to be a orthotic, um, trying to
think of some of the DME, you know, wheelchair is not on that list. Wheelchairs, DME crutches is not on that list. Crutches is DME, uh, but we, no one argues
that those are not durable medical equipment. So crutches and wheelchairs, walkers, those would be examples of things that are in without limitation part but not specifically listed
Senator John Payton
Unverified
54:51
and this is just a requiring a signature. That's it. OK, thank you. Uh
So Authorizations for durable medical equipment is already in statute. Correct. I'm just
clarifying I mean it it to me it seems like they would have been already able to
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
55:12
sign for orthotics and this is a, a boots and suspenders top legislation. There, I'm the reason that we brought this forward is because we're hearing from vendors of prosthetics and orthotics and
diabetic footwear that that they're not allowed, they're
having patients come in, the nurse practitioners signed it. They're having to go. find a physician to sign it because there's not clarity with certain insurance payers that this counts as DME. We would all say it does, so we're saying for sure, like really orthotics, prosthetics, diabetic shoe inserts, these are examples of DME. So we have a definition of durable medical equipment and statute.
If we do, I don't know know about it. Health department and you know
the answer to that question. Don't know, OK. Um, all right. Any other questions, members of the committee, right see none. There's nobody here to, I'm sorry, Senator, motion do pass? Is there a second? Second as amended, all those in favor say aye and opposed. I have it. Congratulations, pass House Bill 1167 as amended. All right, next one you have
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
56:29
this house for 125454, an amendment. Members, if you recall last session, there had been a moratorium on what we call a current statute LPE OS, which is last and psychological examiner dash independent. There had been a moratorium on licensing those up until last session, um, last session we came in and removed that moratorium to open the door for more LPEIs to get licensed
in the state of Arkansas. These are examiners that have independent licensing, uh, independent authority to practice free from a psych log ist under a certain scope, uh, part of, part of the agreement I made when I helped bring that bill forward between psychologists and LPEIs was that I would come back this session with a better defined scope bill. This is something I started working on in October with psychologists and licensed professional examiners, the bill that you see in front of you is the result of many months of collaboration and negotiation
between those two groups. So this is agreed to language between the LPEIs and psychologist. Basically what we're doing is we're removing the term LPEI and creating a new term that's agreed upon called LPP. That's a psychological class professional psychological and I'm I'm gonna botch the word Lawson uh psychological practitioner. This is the new agreed to term to replace licensed psychological examiner independent.
And so the the the old language you're seeing is striking the references to both the moratorium and the LPEI, the new language is establishing the criteria for LPP, which is going to be the new term for LPEI and then defining that scope within that there's also a caveat that they that they'll be reimbursed, which is at the bottom of that list, and I'd be happy to answer any specific questions about the bill. OK, questions about this piece of legislation.
seen no questions. Is there anyone here to speak for or against the bill. There is not, uh, you recognize
the clothes for your clothes for my bill. Uh, then we adopt Do we
adopt the amendment? I thought we did. The motion to adopt the amendment 2. All those in favor say aye, uh, and opposed amendment is adopted. Thank you, Senator Flippo. Motion to pass as amended. Second, all those in favor say I am opposed, I have it. Congratulations. House Bill 1254
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
59:07
as amended is passed next bill. House Bill 1258, and
I think there's an amendment for that. Adding House Bill 1258, the amendment again is to add a Senate sponsor. motion to adopt the amendment. Second, all those in favor say aye and opposed, I have it. Amendment is adopted. Please
proceed 1250 House Bill 1258 as amended members of this bill
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
59:32
establishes a process for certifying community health workers in Arkansas. We've had community health workers working
in the state for over a decade. I worked with Archwa, which is a community health workers association and the Department of Health to come up with the language that everyone could agree on as appropriate pathways to certification and then we also linked this as well to reimbursement piece. This is part of following through on some of the legislation we passed earlier around maternal health. To reassure us that there are going to be community health workers certified in the state and that they will be reimbursed for their services. I'd be happy to answer any questions on the bill and how it's crafted. All right, any questions from
members of the committee. This, yeah, this is kind of part of that package for the maternal health bill, um, Senator Payton, did you have a question? Yes And Senator Love, did you
have a question? No, OK. There's nobody here to speak for or against this
bill. You recognize the clothes for the. What's the will of the committee motion to pass as amended. Second, all those in favor say aye and opposed, I have it. Congratulations, you have passed House Bill 1258 as amended.
125315757. All right, so you're recognized a House Bill 1257. We do have an amendment, which is to add a Senate sponsor. Uh, motion to adopt the amendment. 2nd, all those in favor say aye and opposed as habit and then it is adopted, you may proceed with House Bill 1257 as amended. Members of my discussions
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:01:06
with the LPEIs and psychologists one opportunity came up that we thought would be good to improve access to care
was to expand what there's currently in statute, there's a person defined as a neuropsych technician. This is a person who's got a bachelor's in psychology plus some additional training. They are only allowed in our state to practice under a neuropsychologist in discussions, there was the feeling that we could lessen that restrictions some and make these folks what we would now call sack tech, so instead of a neuropsychological technician. It would be a psychological technician and then broaden them to allow them to work under a psychologist and not just a neuropsychologist, so we're
reducing the the the qualifications for a neuropsych to just having a psych degree and we're reducing the supervision from a the neuropsychologist to a psychologist, so we're broadening access to who can qualify as a psychology tech. There's a lot of individuals out there who have a psychology degree who would qualify to meet this workforce need and opening it up to psychologists will also help expand their ability to extend themselves in a safe way. Um, one of the things this, this added in here is the ability to
allow these so techs to work with psychologists under their supervision to administer parts of the fitness to proceed exam. That's that creates a lot of bottlenecks at our county jails because there's just a limited number of workforce to do those exams, so we're trying
to additionally address that to some degree with this bill, and I'd be happy to answer any questions on the
bill. So, uh, I know on page 5, we talked about that they would be able to provide
um through Medicaid programs. So you did work with Arkansas Medicaid on
this bill, and this was part of the forensic mental health evaluations, legislation that we passed just to, again, allow for more workforce to be able to perform these fitness to proceed examination. Correct. And to be clear, there are, now that I've
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:03:00
learned a little about these fitness perid exams. I mean, there are parts of the exam. That are pretty, pretty straightforward to a minister, certainly could be administered by someone with the training that the techs will have. There are parts of it that are not. They will, they'll be doing this under the supervision
of the psychologists, and they're not responsible in any way for interpreting the exam. So just administering the, you know, asking the questions, recording some of the answers just to facilitate the workflow. OK. Are
there any questions, Senator Love. Thank you, Madam. Um, so, so what
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:03:36
other, I mean. I, I hear you talking about that, but what other um responsibilities will they have? What other? task and duties can they perform? It's a, it's a really
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:03:49
good question and I'm, I'm gonna say that uh as I'm looking through this bill, I'm not certain that I have to find
in here other than the, you know, task that that uh psychologists would, would relay to them.
Um, I feel like there's and I have to look, I feel like there's some. Just. I feel like there's some existing code
that we that's already there defining what they did. We didn't get in and try to
change what a neuropsych person can do, we just struck some of the, some of the neuroso requirements, so I'm trying
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:04:30
to look through that and find that for you. OK, so, so they're gonna be working with
psychologists, I mean, Under the supervision of a psychologist and are they gonna be billing so when they
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:04:43
when they be. So, if you go down to like uh 17 through 13 on the last page 7. The supervising psychologist
Shell he asked us to practice
psychological assessments. No, that's in which the technician undertakes, so there's that doesn't really explain it.
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:05:15
It's uh so I, I'm, I'm thinking about the duties of a psychologist may
have that they may be able to delegate. Uh, they're gonna,
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:05:30
they're gonna be billing is, are they gonna be billing won't be directly attacked. It'll be like a like a physician or a nurse practitioner using a nurse, so we don't bill directly for nurse services. We're billing under us, so the billing would
be as to what a psychologist could do, not to the technician itself. So it's not a situation where a psych tech could set up his own business and Bill and collect for their services. The services are build and collect under the
psychologist. And that was some amendment we had to change I think that's I think that's part of the amendment. Yeah, I'm sorry, I understand what you're saying now. I think that's actually part of the amendment that was passed out and we thought it was just adding
a co-sponsor. Do you see the language there? Yes. Yes, on page 5, line 21. If you'll see the
amendment, it did more than just add a Senate sponsor. It clarified that language that he just referred to, so that it's the psychologist and not the technician.
921. OK. All right, thank you. Thank you. Any other questions from members of the committee? See none.
Speaker 194
1:06:37
Nobody's here to speak to if I make one more comment just
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:06:41
to your question, if so if you look on the top of the page 128, 128. I think where we're getting to their actual stuff down at line 31, uh, she'll only practice under the supervision of Alaskan psychologist in the
following areas and that's where they're defined as what they can do. So there is no limit without limitation. They can only practice in these areas administering scoring of standardized psychological tests, manualized cognitive intervention services and administration of fitness to proceed examinations. Uh, those are the only areas where they can participate and care. You see what I'm talking about? That's first page, so starting about line 33. That there's a list there. There's a little little one
little I 2, Little I 3. That's, that's the specific task. Sorry, I didn't
have that quick at hand. And then it continues on page 2,
at the top of page 2. Any other questions from members of the committee, seen none, you recognized clothes, clothes, madam chair. What's the will of the committee? motion to pass as amended. Second, all those in favor say aye.
And he opposed. OK. No opposed, OK, uh, motion, uh, passes House Bill 1257 as amended is passed. Next, I'd like to
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:08:09
to present 1169, and I think that one has, I think Senator Davis is my co-sponsor there. OK,
we don't have an amendment for it. OK, House Bill 1169 this a bill
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:08:23
that was brought to Senator Davidson and I by a
neurologist that was working her community, um, he had some concern about current law around when you can and cannot hold a patient uh who might be a threat to themselves or others against their will. It's been an interesting topic to dive into. It felt like it felt a fairly simple thing as I got into it and then I, uh, every time I filed the bill or changed the bill, I kept running into groups that had questions or concerns. I think what we have now is something that has been agreed to by the neurologist, the psychiatrist, and the judges in the state. There are 2 different.
sections of that bill. There's some voluntary commitment and then there's immediate confinement for 72 hours. These, these are two different sections in code, um, and the concern that the neurologists were
having was when you have someone with dementia, that's a medical condition, but in statute there was no allusion to medical conditions, only mental conditions, and so there was some concern that the neurologists might not have protection if there was
a patient with dementia that tried to wander off the ward.
And that they, if they held them, which they should do, all of us would agree if someone's not in the right mind if they help them, that the law didn't protect them
because there was no caveat for medical conditions and so what we've tried to do is parse out the difference between a mental and medical condition, and we've ended up defining the term behavioral
behavioral impairment. So the judges, when we started doing this, felt like there was also room to improve the statute around this definition of behavioral impairment, and so you'll see at the top the definition this was language brought to.
by the judge's judges association, you'll see the part about involuntary commitment that was worked on with the psychiatrist and the neurologist and the
judges, and then you'll see a section around uh immediate confinement for 72 hours. That's the language that's just clarifying again for me even as an ER physician, if I've got someone there with me that I think is a threat to themselves or others because they have encephalitis or dementia or some other medical issue that's not necessarily schizo. ph re n ia or depression or some
behavioral mental condition, I can hold them for 72 hours until we can sort out their medical issue and make sure they're not going to hurt
themselves or hurt someone else. OK, I
have a question about this. What if they're out in the community? And it's being displayed like a sheriff or a law enforcement officer rolls up on a domestic issue, um,
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:10:52
so, so that person there's a couple of different
things that could happen. That person could come to the ER. They could bring that person to the ER, and if that person in
the judgment of the medical professional they are assessing the person is at risk to themselves or others to a medical or mental condition, we can put them in the hospital and hold them for 72 hours to get evaluation. to the emergency and that happens not infrequently. They can call an ambulance. The ambulance come get him and bring him in, and then the idea behind the 72 hour confinement is to give times for people, you know, to seek if they need one power of attorney and a longer involuntary commitment if they're a person that's not competent to care for
themselves, that 72 hour time frame gives you that opportunity, and then there's some language in there that that we added that was new. Again, there's been this 72 hour confinement forever and statute, but we added some Texas
in there to assure that someone's being reevaluated every 24 hours by a physician so that you're not having someone, you know, just being held, right? And and that's always the risk
and concern on my part over the years. Like I've been put in a position many times to make a decision like this person's walking out the door. Are we going to restrain them, right?
And if we do, that's a bold thing for me to do because if they're not incompetent, I've just assaulted someone and held someone against their will, right? And so um it's not something that's done lightly, but that
be the path and then if if there was an involuntary commitment sought for that person that was out in the community this language that we've created provides more clarity, I think, for the judges, um, and the prosecuting attorneys, the other people
involved, that's why they wanted me to have this behavioral impairment definition. It was interesting
as I got into this because it was clear with everyone that reached out to me, this, this statute needed to be improved.
It was just about, it was just about who you were hearing from. trying to Did it,
you know, for everyone involved. I agree. Any questions from members of the committee, Senator
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:12:53
Love here. Thank you. Uh, no, we're not touching anything in regards to a treatment for anybody, no, this is about clarifying if
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:12:59
you're, if you as a healthcare provider or if you now as a
judge and are trying to put an involuntary commitment. These are
the conditions. There's medical conditions, dementia, etc. There's physical, mental conditions, depression, schizophrenia, but not anything to do with the
treatment. It's just about what, what, what gives us protection to hold somebody. Well then let me, let me ask
Speaker 217
1:13:22
you, do, do we have any legislation around treatment? If we do, I haven't delved into that. Uh, there's,
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:13:29
you know, as with any bill, this is this, this bill is contained in a
larger statute, and so you're only seeing portions of the statute, um, I, I do think like in in now that I've kind of gotten into this a little bit. I do think there's opportunity down the road to take it even deeper dive into that statute. I think there's probably this is a great start, I think, for some, for clarification,
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:13:53
but I think there's opportunity to do more. OK, well, I just kind of that was. I had a concern. I, I like this, but I, I
had a concern like we're not trying to give anybody
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:14:05
treatment with this, we're just holding them in and the other thing that was brought up the concern that we tried
to address was we're also not trying to push people with medical conditions into behavioral health hospitals. That's not where they belong. We're just clarifying in an acute care setting. Um, you
can hold these folks, I mean, sometimes you have somebody who's just out of control. They're just, they're on a, uh, they're just out of control and, and they are going to be a
risk to somebody else or to themselves, and so,
Not knowing if they're on any medication. I mean, there's a lot of unknowns sometimes in a lot of these instances. And so they get brought to the emergency room, and that gives the ability to kind of assess the situation and then hopefully get them treatment if they need the treatment that, you know, they, they need
Speaker 184
1:14:54
that treatment, so there's nothing in here that does anything with treatment. It's just
about. Yeah Right. Any other questions? Members of the committee see none. Nobody's here to speak for or against the bill, no
amendment. You recognize clothes. I'm clothes from a motion do pass 2nd, all those in favor say aye and opposed, as have a House Bill 1169 is passed. OK.
All right, thank you. Do you have any
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:15:27
more? I have one more. This is a House Bill 1586, Senator Davis is also on this bill. There's no amendments
to this bill. OK, you're recognized to proceed with House Bill 1586
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:15:40
members in 2021, I think we we were the
only state in the in the United States that required 3 disciplines to diagnose autism, so there was speech therapist, physician and psychologist. So if you had
an individual that was suspected an autism, they had to go to each one of those different professions. That was a bit of a barrier to care and we're the only ones that were requiring that, so we changed the statute to say you
could go to 2 out of 3 of these individuals. The problem we've run into is we weren't clear that what we intended was like you needed to
go to 2 out of 3 of the disciplines, so you, you know, a psychologist and a speech therapist or speech therapist and a physician, but you couldn't go to a physician and a physician, and so we're just clarifying in this statute that what we mean is to out of 3 disciplines, not 2 out of 3 across the board. I have, yeah, I'd be happy to answer your questions on that
bill. Are there any questions from members of the committee? motion to pass. Is there a second? 2nd, all those in favor say aye and opposed, I havoc
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:16:43
Chair, I do have one more that should also be quick. It's, it's an agency bill. I forgot
about it. It's at the bottom. House Bill 1673.
OK. Happy to present that bill if the committee would let me. It does have an amendment. I think we're just adding a co-sponsoring a co-sponsor motion to adopt the amendment. And second, All those in favor say I am opposed, I have
it amendment is adopted. Uh, please proceed 1673.
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:17:14
Remember this is reducing some requirements for our barbers to get license that that were felt to be not
consistent with the requirements we have with cosmetologists and some other professions, we're taking away the requirement that they actually have to present a physical copy of their Social Security card. We're also taking out the requirement for notarization and we're creating some reciprocity language. I'd be happy to answer questions if, if, if, if I'm able, if I'm not, we definitely have someone here, I think from labor that answer questions. Are there any questions from members of the committee on this bill?
See none. You have a question? Motion to pass as amended. Second, I'll do some favor, say I and opposed, I have it, motion passes. House
Bill 1673 passes as amended. Thank you committee. Appreciate
it. OK. All right. Representative Lindstrom, let's see, is representative anybody running, she's here. Go ahead. Represent
Lunstrom, you want to come back? Do you have your map OK, do you have another bill that you want to, that you're here for. OK, uh, let's see. House Bill 1291, Representative Wing. House Bill 1523, who's run in 1523. Uh, OK. To do 15, what, what number is yours? 1291, sorry. 1291.
record. I love the pill. House Bill 1291. You'll state your name for the record you recognize to
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
1:19:09
present House Bill 1291. Penzo District 31 Springdale, uh. House Bill 1291. His uh A bill that's
Been brought forth by the Major League Baseball and minor league baseball, uh, it's agree to language between uh The players and their uh Association, there was a collective bargaining agreement. Um We've got the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, which is a minor league team for the KC rules and the Arkansas Travelers here, uh, that, uh, speeder team for the Seattle Mariners
and, uh, the, the collective bargaining agreement, uh, pretty much doubled their salaries, gave them all kinds of benefits, um, in order to get anything in line, we needed to put this language in. Uh, it's a grade 2 language and uh I'd be happy to answer any questions if anybody has them.
Are there any questions from members of the committee? You have a question. Yes, Senator Lavierre recognize for
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
1:20:17
question. I see that we're that we're dealing with the initiated
with the minimum wage, right? So. I guess I'm trying to, I'm
trying to see is the is the collective bargaining agreement paying them less than the minimum
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
1:20:33
wage? Is this why we, it's it's just getting rid of all the paperwork and the tracking hours that they wouldn't have to do underneath, uh, minimum wage laws currently, so they'd have to, you know, practice work is the game work is traveling work hours, there's just eliminates having to track all of those those hours. And they're, they're well over double what they were
before, so there's, there's no issue with making below minimum
wage. OK. All right, thank you. My question, this is specific only to the baseball players, right? OK. Any other questions,
Senator John Payton
Unverified
1:21:15
Senator Payton? Thank you, Madam Chair. Senator Penzo, I guess it, it, it seems to me like if they contract, they're not subject to minimum wage. Anyway, but it looks like. They've reached some collective bargaining agreement, which is going to change them from contract.
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
1:21:32
To wages and hourly. Is that your understanding? Yeah, salary now instead of instead of contract labor. Yeah, OK, thank you.
That was part of that agreement. And my last question, because it's an initiated act. Does this require like a different on the floors, different. Is there a different voting threshold because it's an initiated act that we're amending on the floors, like on the Senate floor. Do you
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
1:21:58
know? Yeah, I'm assuming it will be, so we'll, we'll clarify that
with treat, but I'm pretty sure it will. No, no. All right,
you're, nobody's here to speak for or against the bill, um, your clothes, uh, motion do pass 2nd, all those in favor say aye and opposed I have it. House Bill 1291 is passed, um, House Bill 1454 and House Bill 1440 is anyone running those bills for Representative
Bentley. Can you look at those, please? Like to clear my calendar. That's a Senator Wallace's bills. 1454. She does not have a Senate sponsor on that. Has anybody spoken with Representative Bentley about this bill?
OK, and Representative Vogt and Senator Davis. All right, if, uh, we can get Senator Davis or
Senator Wallace in here. I know education is meeting, but I'm gonna, I'll run, um, Senate Bill 367. If we can have somebody Go and ask them if they can come and run their bills. Senator Davis and Senator Wallace
I'm 1523, OK, for that one in our pocket. No, OK, uh, any information on 1440.
Yes, thank you, Blake Eds. We'll go and ask for Senator Wallace. OK. Uh, let's see. Senator Flippo needs to take the chair. Is that correct? Yes. OK. Senate Bill 367.
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
1:24:18
All right, Senator, if you'll introduce yourself for the record, you'll be
recognized to present Senate Bill 367. Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the committee, M C Irvine, Senate District 24. This is Senate Bill 367 on behalf of Arkansas Energy and Environment, uh, this bill discontinues the small business revolving loan fund for pollution control and prevention technologies. Uh, this program was not successful and is no longer useful or beneficial at E&E. The funding required.
this funding required any energy and environment to act as a lender and enforce collections when not
paid. Uh, energy and environment intends to use the fund ballots, which is approximately $1,780,000 into a series of grants to award to Arkansas entities that may include school laboratory cleanups, waist tire, abatement and assistance to small businesses with environmental remediation, any modification in the fund. Use will require further
approval by the legislature through ALC. I'll be happy to answer any questions. All
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
1:25:27
right, members you've heard an explanation of the bill. Any questions from the committee? Right, so no questions, don't see anybody sign it, speak for or against this bill. Senator,
you're going to exclo for your bill. I'm closed for my bill. Appreciate a good vote. I'll make
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
1:25:38
a motion to pass. All right, it's got a motion to pass. It was seconded by Senator Peyton. All in favor say aye. opposed. Congratulations, Senator, your bill passes. Thank you.
OK, uh, let's see, we'll see if we can get Senator Wallace in here,
Speaker 244
1:26:01
um, if No, no, uh, no, I mean. Well, the, uh, I
don't have them in the bill packet. So members, OK, what we'll do is we did good work today, huh. So, uh, on Wednesday, all Senate bills are going to be moved to regular agenda on Wednesday and last you want to keep your bill
undeferred. So if you've got a bill and you want to keep them on deferred, let me know. I know there are some members that do, so, um, but if not all the Senate bills that are on deferred. only Senate bills, House bills that are undeferrred are going to stay on on deferred for Wednesday just because we need a clear Senate bills, OK? And I want to spend our time on Senate bills on Wednesday. Uh, we will meet Wednesday morning, uh, if we need to meet upon adjournment, we will do so on
Wednesday because I want to try to get to every single Senate bill that's, that's assigned to the committee on Wednesday, OK? We will have one special order. of Ladyman's house bill will be a special order at the very beginning of the meeting because he has waited and asked to have that scheduled for weeks and weeks and weeks, so. OK, Senator Wallace is busy with education bills, so we'll just put the heads on for Wednesday.
Nope, I think we're good. All right, see you no more further business to come before the committee, we're adjourned. Thank you.
Agenda
CALL TO ORDER
HB1131 Pilkington TO AUTHORIZE AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE TO DELEGATE CERTAIN TASKS TO MEDICAL ASSISTANTS AND OTHER UNLICENSED STAFF.
HB1167 L. Johnson TO MODIFY THE SIGNATURE AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS; AND TO CLARIFY THAT DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDES DIABETIC SHOES AND SHOE INSERTS.
HB1254 L. Johnson TO AUTHORIZE A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTITIONER TO PRACTICE INDEPENDENTLY IN THIS STATE; AND TO REMOVE THE INDEPENDENT PRACTICE PRIVILEGES FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINERS.
HB1258 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ACT; AND TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE CERTIFICATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
HB1257 L. Johnson TO REMOVE THE LIMITATION OF THE PRACTICE OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGY FROM TECHNICIANS EMPLOYED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS; AND TO ALLOW PSYCHOLOGY TECHNICIANS TO BE EMPLOYED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS.
REGULAR AGENDA
HB1169 L. Johnson TO CLARIFY THE ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR AN INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO INCLUDE A PERSON WHO IS IN A MENTAL CONDITION AS A RESULT OF A MEDICAL CONDITION.
HB1586 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE MEDICAID WAIVER FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
CLARIFY THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS TO DIAGNOSE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.
HB1291 Wing TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM THE DEFINITION OF "EMPLOYEE" UNDER THE MINIMUM WAGE ACT OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS IMPACTING THE LAW RESULTING FROM INITIATED ACT 5 OF 2018.
SB367 Irvin TO REPEAL THE SMALL BUSINESS REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR POLLUTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION TECHNOLOGIES ACT; AND TO REPEAL THE SMALL BUSINESS REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
HB1575 Lundstrum TO PROHIBIT A PERSON THAT IS EMPLOYED OR HAS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTEREST IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT OWNS, OPERATES, REPRESENTS, OR APPLIES FOR A SOLID WASTE LICENSE OR PERMIT FROM SERVING AS A MEMBER ON CERTAIN BOARDS.
HB1643 Dalby TO ALLOW A CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYER TO DISCLOSE SUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE OR HARASSMENT BY THE CURRENT FOR FORMER EMPLOYEE TO A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER UPON WRITTEN CONSENT.
HB1673 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING BARBERS.
HB1576 Lundstrum TO PROHIBIT A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL TO BE PLACED OVER A KARST TOPOGRAPHY.
ADJOURNED
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — PUBLIC HEALTH WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE, Mar 17, 2025 | Agenda | 4 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Senator Missy Irvin Chair
Unverified
Senator John Payton
Unverified
Senator Fredrick J. Love
Unverified
Speaker 23
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
Delaney Davis
Unverified
Speaker 41
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
Senator Ricky Hill
Unverified
Speaker 75
Speaker 84
Speaker 80
Speaker 102
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
Speaker 107
Speaker 115
Speaker 21
Speaker 123
Speaker 126
Speaker 129
Speaker 134
Speaker 140
Speaker 143
Speaker 144
Speaker 142
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
Speaker 161
Speaker 164
Speaker 166
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
Speaker 92
Speaker 179
Speaker 184
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
Speaker 190
Speaker 194
Speaker 17
Speaker 217
Speaker 227
Senator Scott Flippo
Unverified
Speaker 244