Education Committee - Senate
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Bills discussed (9)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SB205
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…avis Sen. Jim Dotson REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle SB205 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CH…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB292
Act 264
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…YPES OF ASSESSMENTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY PROVIDE TO STUDENTS. SB292 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DATE OF AN ANNUAL…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DATE OF AN ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION; TO MOVE THE … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB292 is now Act 264 |
|
SB303
Act 644
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…HOLIDAY IN CERTAIN INSTANCES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. SB303 Dees TO ALLOW A RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERMIT A PRIVAT…”
|
TO ALLOW A RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERMIT A PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN … | Dees | Notification that SB303 is now Act 644 |
|
SB317
Act 351
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB317 B. Johnson TO PROHIBIT AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION F…”
|
TO PROHIBIT AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FROM PARTICIPATING IN CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WITH A PROHIBITED … | B. Johnson | Notification that SB317 is now Act 351 |
|
HB1180
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ICE ACT; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015. HB1180 Bentley TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. SB183 J. Dotson TO A…”
|
TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. | Bentley | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB149
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LOYMENT TAX ACT TO WAIVE THE "REASONABLE ASSURANCE" CLAUSE. SB149 J. English TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE…”
|
TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. | J. English | Died in House at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB215
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…UNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. SB215 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE PERMISSIBLE USES FOR REAL ESTATE DON…”
|
TO AMEND THE PERMISSIBLE USES FOR REAL ESTATE DONATED BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND … | J. Bryant | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB266
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 2/28/25 @ 3:23 PM) Moved SB266 to Deferred Bills Senate Committee on Education Monday, Mar…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR ONE OR MORE STUDENT MENTORS. | J. Dotson | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SCR3
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…BITED FOREIGN PARTY. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle SCR3 J. Scott TO URGE THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO P…”
|
TO URGE THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX … | J. Scott | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
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- October 2, 2026
Senator Jane English
Unverified
0:11
Call this meeting to order and, uh, first thing I'd like to do is to recognize our pages that are here with us this morning. So if you'll stand when I call your name, I appreciate it. Anna McKay from Lifeway Christian School. And Emma Fasci from Lisa Academy. Matthew Fasci from Lisa Academy. And Harrison Bryant from Roger's New Tech High School. Very good. Glad to have you here.
Very good. OK, let's see, first on the list here is Senator Clark. I thought I saw him. Here I thought I saw him. OK. Well then, moving right along, um. Senator Dawson is not here, Kim Hammer is not here, Senator Dees.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
1:17
You have an amendment, yes. I need my. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair and members Tyler Dees, state Senate District 35. Go ahead. Alright, thank you. I
have an amendment that staff is passing out that I'd appreciate adopting to um to the bill. This amendment, uh, basically clarifies and adds the funding stream that would follow the student um to the public school and so it adds the 1/6 foundational funding that would follow to the
resident school district. I have questions from the committee, Senator King. And bring your
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:10
microphone down. Do we have any idea how much this cost?
Speaker 16
2:23
We don't, um, it just depends on how many students would
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
2:29
want to participate. You don't even have a range of how much it's going to cost? Well, I think it'd be similar to what the homeschool students that participate this year that sign up for the um uh Learns Act. would be, but no, I don't have an estimate. Do we not have fiscal
Speaker 21
2:41
impacts with this not for this because it is. Yes, send her flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
3:03
Thank you. Senator Dees, so the 16. Of the state foundation funding would come from that private school and go to the resident school. Have we, have we, uh, As the legislation
for foundation funding yet? No. It will be passed, but it hasn't been yet and maybe for clarity, this,
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
3:26
this is the same language that is under our home school provision out of statute that making sure that it matches for
this when I present, I guess the entire bill. Maybe I can add clarity, but just trying to make sure that that
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
3:41
language is also inside of the entire
Speaker 38
3:48
bill. OK, well, I'll move to adopts. Good, I Second, On paper, uh,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
3:52
thank you. OK. So I have a question. So, Senator
Dees, the what, what are you anticipating that 16. State foundation to be.
I'm sorry, I didn't hear what, what, if anything, you anticipate the 16 Foundation funding to be.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
4:14
Sure, so, um, the, based on the What
we do know is current foundation funding around that $7700 range that would be the foundational funding mark. And so what, what this bill, maybe it would help by um added some clarity to the entire bill. Now, would that help? OK.
Um, so this, this bill is basically intended to help a lot of our smaller schools that have that are starting to pop up in a kind of a post-lens world. We have a lot of homeschool students that today are allowed to participate in AAA affiliated activities inside their public school, but once they microschool or smaller schools, Participate and learn to become accredited, all of a sudden they are no longer allowed to go be in the band or sing in the choir, and so what this, what
this bill does is allows the possibility for a student that's enrolled in a private school to participate in their public school activities, um, but it also with the amendment here adds clarity that funding will follow that student to the private to the public school, um, and also it's permissive language, so the The public school, if for whatever reason they deem it's a capacity issue or whatever issues that they're seeing, they don't have to allow that to
happen. And so what we saw is that students that were homeschooled and here in the last few years and all of a sudden are no longer are now in a an accredited small micro school situation. Those students now cannot go according to AAA rules. They cannot now go to and be in the band or play baseball or being any activities. And so what this would allow is a format, a structure to where those students would be allowed to participate if they're permitted
by the public school and then with the amendment that we added, we, we, we heard from uh from superintendents and school districts that, hey, we want to make sure that that there's a proper funding mechanism so that those students are funded through the school district.
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
6:43
Thank you, Madam Chair. So you just don't, I mean, I don't really have a problem with what you want to do, but it's just the overall cost and not knowing, I mean, because it'd be more general revenue, so you don't know if there's 500 kids or 250 kids that this would apply to and then it would be if they weren't receiving anything at all. Then Uh, then it would be. How much? Extra money on top of this, so that's just the only thing question I have is. You need to know how much it
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
7:14
costs or range to stay within a budget, I think, Senator, to that point, um, The foundational funding is is set and so it it'll be a net neutral in my mind because it'll either be going to the public school or to the private school with any student in this situation. And so if a student wants to participate in activities at the private school, then a portion of that would now follow to the, to the public school. So in a way you could argue that this is actually more beneficial to the public schools because now they have another, another chance to
get more students involved and bring more funding to the public
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
7:48
school. So if you had a public school that's now in a private school, that would be a wash. I can get that, but if you had some of these other situations where they were not receiving any funding before and then it's a new funding, then it's new spending. That's my point. So there's nobody in this class that you're there that was not receiving this or it was getting paid for. That would somehow be new and be extra. I guess there could
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
8:10
be that situation that that wasn't the intent of the bill. The intent was mainly for the situation
just like a homeschool student today, that that's the exact same situation where they are homeschooled and they're enrolled as a homeschool student and they they can participate and it's the same language as the 16 funding that goes to the to the public school. from
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
8:48
Senator What about transportation for these. Students from the private school. Resident school is that Consideration here, is that going to who's going to bear the cost of that. Great question. That would
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
9:05
be all up to the student and their family. So if, if it makes sense and can work with with their situation, then that can be an option, but all of this is, is, I want to highlight that it's
permissive and so if, if it works out for both situations for the family that wants to engage and be a part of different activities, great. And if it, if the public school sees any issues, they can decline or if it's a clean issue,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
9:35
then they can permit. Well, you use the word shell. In this amendment shall be enrolled. So is the
burden on the resident school district for transportation or not.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
9:51
Now, on the show that that ensures that funding is
required, so for example, if, if a the majority of the activities, the larger activities are class periods in public school, and so that covers the foundational funding and is considered enrolled into the public school, but there are a few activities that AAA has that are not considered classes, and so if that's a situation, then they shall, the students shall enroll. Into a class so that they can
ensure insurance coverage, foundational funding, etc. so it's just making sure, you know, an example would be some schools, I believe choir is an afterschool club event and so if if the the private school student wants to just only be in choir and um then they would also have to enroll into another class to make sure that they're truly under the school district's foundational funding metric, that's the shall part
of this, um, what about transportation? Who, who's
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
10:48
going to bear the cost of that. Is that the
Speaker 62
10:52
resident school that would be the student, the student and the family,
Speaker 63
10:57
yes ma'am. OK. Are you sure that that is the. the law now.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
11:04
Um, in terms of who pays. It's transportation. It's my understanding that it would be similar to the homeschool situation. They have to pay, ma'am.
OK. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
11:24
have some concerns just about the micro school situation and if we open up sports, um. To letting students transfer to public schools that it will create maybe even more micros schools popping up with um Easily sending students over. I worry about the abuse long term is what I'm trying to say, not that everybody would be a bad actor, but that there may be some, um, churches that maybe pop up with microschools and say, hey, we can get EFAs and we don't have to offer any extracurriculars, we can just
send kids over to the public school, no problem. Um, do you know the regulations around microschools or maybe if someone from the department can speak to What it takes to be a micro school and how they're regulated. I don't know the details on that. Yeah, yes,
Senator Jane English
Unverified
12:15
please. I think we have somebody probably a very knowledgeable person. In the department if you'd identify yourself, you'll be recognized. Good morning,
Speaker 76
12:26
Courtney Salisford at the Department of Education. So currently there is no definition in law or rule for a microschool, traditionally,
Speaker 78
12:32
it's a group of homeschool students, but there's no existing definition. OK. So they just meet together, um,
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
12:39
at a church or a facility and maybe have a teacher or someone that teaches them. That's sort of my understanding of like sort of like a homeschool co op, but it's called Microschool. It's essentially the same thing.
That's my understanding as well. But again, nothing, there's nothing definitive in law or
rule. OK, OK. Um And they'll start receiving EFAs. I guess this year it'll be universal, so they'll start receiving them. Right.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
13:09
Bye. I think the heart for this is, um, you know, I, I don't expect this to be a large influx of number of kids with simpas, but there are some that have been currently homeschool students and maybe a part of these microschools or co-ops and they're currently able to if their families or if the student wants to participate in band or
choir or baseball, then they can do it, but starting next year they wouldn't be allowed to. And so what this allows is just um the same language around our homeschool students for these situations, these unique situations where they're part of a school district or a a private school that really doesn't have any of those activities already that they can still, if, if it's good with the schedule for the family, if it's good with um that situation, then they can still have access to those, um, and in order to try to make sure that this was mutually
beneficial to both. We try to put this amendment to where, hey, we are going to allow funding to to the public school, um, and we are going to allow the public school to be the final say. It's permissive. If there's a situation where it just doesn't work, it doesn't work and that's OK, but we want to at least have
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
14:18
the opportunity for possibility of that. Um, yeah, I understand that. I, I do, I do have concern long term about, um, like I said, an abuse situation possibly. I mean, if, if part of choice is that you're making choices, I
think. And so if you're choosing to go to a school that doesn't have those extracurricular options, you're, you're making that choice within that micros school or private school, and if you choose to homeschool, like for me it makes sense for homeschool students. There's a few here or there, but in a micro school situation. I mean, if I say, you know, a school in Russellville and they're busting over 20 kids to play football or basketball or track or whatever like what does that look like? They're motivated, I think, to
keep a, keep something going to get funds, but, um, maybe not motivated to offer all of the offerings that they could or should long term because they can easily just divert to the public school, and that that does concern me long term with EFAs and just protecting the integrity of who's getting them and and what they're offering students, and those would just be my comments about it. Thank you, Madam Chair. Senator Sullivan. You, can you tell me how this
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
15:33
impacts charter schools if it does or doesn't, and if so, what way? I, I,
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
15:38
I don't have a clear answer for that. um. I'm not exactly sure how charter schools engage with AAA today. Thank you. Are there further questions from the committee, Senator Flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
16:09
Oh, it just went off. They go 100 days, I'm trying to understand, you know, I'm new to this education committee, so all the little fine details that I'm just not familiar with, but This allows The private student to engage in these activities
only if they do not have those type activities. OK. So
Have you kinda surveyed or Looked at how many private schools we might be talking about besides the micro schools because that was the term. heard of today. But How many private schools would
into This category where they don't have these. Activities in my transfer students to resident schools. I
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
17:13
can try to get you that number. I know the AAA has uh they currently have a mix of private schools that that have all sorts of sports and activities and and that are members of the AAA, and so this would not touch any of those at all because they already have those activities and so it's designed really for the smaller um Smaller programs, smaller things that have really started in the last year or will be starting in the next year or so in which
students already have have access today under home school rules, um, so I don't expect it to be large numbers. I will commit that if there's an issue, I'm happy to bring back and and look at issues of cleaning up anything. That's also why we tried to put the permissive language in there so that if
it wouldn't require us to have to come back, there's always a permissive angle for the public school. There's
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
18:06
an So, and, and, and When you say that they should be enrolled. In a
Course I think In a non-academic class period. Do they get grades for that? Yes, ma'am. So that would appear on. Yes, ma'am, it would. So the resident school would have to
produce a report card just for that one single student and that one single class ma'am,
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
18:39
just like they would be treated just like every other student in the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
18:45
class and do do the um Homeschool children. Are they treated that way too? Get a report card
from resident school. And when you say non-academic class, that's just the For Yes, uh-huh. OK. Thank you. Thank you. Any further questions? There's somebody here speak.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
19:16
Everybody in the audience speak for or against the bill. speaking for
Speaker 100
19:36
or against or on speaking on the bill at this point, Madam Chair, Scott Smith with the Arms Public School Resource Center,
Speaker 101
19:41
a concern we would have. I appreciate Senator Sullivan asking the question is just making it clear.
The charter schools would be treated the same way as school districts in this situation. So if a student wanted to transfer since charter schools are public schools also if they wanted to transfer to a AAA activity at a charter school. Their only option wouldn't be just the school district. Or that student lies and so I think we've asked about that. And I think that was the intent, but the way the bill reads, it talks only about a student who resides in that school district and so we may need some clarity on that point.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
20:19
That question. I'm sorry, but I didn't hear all that you real soft spoken there at the beginning you were saying something. I don't. Know what you said to speak up.
Speaker 101
20:39
Sorry, the issue is whether or not it's clear that if a private school student wanted to transfer from a private school to a public school that would also include a charter school and not just the school district
and the wording in the bill currently looks like it only applies to the school district and not other public schools such as a charter school in that area. So they wanted to go from a private school to participate in football or choir or some other AAA event, and that was available at the charter school also that they wouldn't be denied that opportunity to go to the charter school based on the reading of the language in the bill currently.
Speaker 107
21:19
Are there many charter schools that have these. Activities yes ma'am.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
21:27
And, and tell me what would that affect schools Um, division rating like
5A whatever. Would, would that, would this bear. Some impact on How they are classified. I don't know the answer to
Speaker 111
21:45
that question, but they have to participate under the AAA rules
as do all other schools. You're with the school board.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
22:02
Public schoolsource Center. I wonder how how school districts feel about this. Do you know? I, I haven't spoken to
Speaker 104
22:08
them about this. I don't know that they're opposed to it. Do you know how many kids are students
Speaker 114
22:20
or participating now from the homeschool to the resident school. Senator Deeds, it's
Speaker 101
22:25
his bill. He may know the answers to those questions. I'm not sure, but. Do you
Speaker 117
22:45
know? The like that or. Maybe they don't like the coach
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
22:51
or the choir teacher or something. They drop out of that class. Senator, my
Speaker 101
22:58
understanding of the bill is this is about private schools, students who decide they want to go take an activity over to a public school, AAA activity and so this is only enabling them to go do that activity over at that school and making sure that they get the school gets support for that, and my point was that we just need to make sure that As we're letting them go from a private setting to a public
setting that public setting also includes charter schools, not just school districts. You
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
23:26
know, but Senator Dees. They don't like what happens to that.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
23:48
2 weeks They don't. do this anymore. Or this, this would be an option
for my understanding would be that that situation could happen and the student could Uh Have options and it didn't work out for by both sides, but the funding would follow to the public school. In that case. There would be
no refund. Uh, I, I, I guess no, there's
about refunding the 16, it's there. That's my understanding and I believe how if you look at the code section for that that part, um, it for the public schools they have a daily average student daily average ratio for how that works and so this, this would follow. Their count of daily student averages that they have in their school
district and so there is no refund or prorating metric other than the 16 funding. Uh
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
24:58
To know if the school board association has a Has a position on this if they're in the room.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
25:06
I'm not sure if there's anybody here from the school board association, is there? Or from superintendents. Yes, I
see Mr. Hernandez back there in the back, Doctor Hernandez, maybe you would like to join us at the table. Oh would identify yourself, you'll be recognized. Mike Hernandez
Speaker 128
25:30
from the administrator association, Senator Flowers. I'll try to answer some of your questions the best I can, um. So I do know in reference I'm going back to the funding piece, so the way this has worked with homeschool students is they're enrolled in a course and so if that student enrolls for a period of time, the way that the reporting part works is if they were to leave, they would fall off that reporting and so the school district would not get a full FTE of funding for that 16 during the year, so there is a
kind of a mechanism if they're on campus taking a class or an activity funding flows if they were to leave it then they would only get half of the year of recognition is how the funding mechanism works now, um, hasn't been any issues with all the funding mechanism works. I just know that part covers the cost of the activity and also makes the student eligible for catastrophic insurance if they're participating in a sport where they could receive any kind of injury, that type of thing.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
26:39
So I guess it could be credited. With the
refund from the Insurance then if there's
Speaker 128
26:49
catastrophic insurance is what that's for, um, but as far as the full amount, and I know you didn't ask for a funding explanation, but the way that this works is it's always a year. Behind so they would get some money typically for growth funding that year is a possibility, but that only goes
by certain there's a formula to that, so they wouldn't necessarily receive the full amount of funding in that current year if the student wasn't there the entire year and by virtue of them not being there the entire year, that funding would not continue into the next year if they were to leave, if they were not there a full amount of funding for that year. So there's a lot of nuance
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
27:30
on the year before. In terms of funding, so our funding formula
Speaker 128
27:33
works that way now. It's always based on the prior year unless you're growing that year, then you get some
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
27:40
additional funds when new students show up for that current year. So you can't, you look at what
Last year, enrollment was Then you look at what you have coming in this year and some kind of way it's
Speaker 128
27:58
adjusted. There's a mechanism to adjust funding. Yes, ma'am. That's called, it's the growth funding is what districts recognize that as or what it's called in law. Do you know whether
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
28:11
There have been any schools impacted in terms of division ratings.
Because of these will now home school students coming in to play or to participate in these. Interscholastic I think he calls it do you mean division
Speaker 128
28:32
a 5 day uh I think there there could be, um, you know, because that's a. 16 student, it doesn't count as
a full student and so. If you have enough of them, it
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
28:50
could impact. That typically do you know where this is happening more,
more. In other words, Is there an area of the state or a school district in the
state where you see more students, homeschool students coming to participate at a resident school.
Speaker 128
29:14
I don't know of any specific place where it happens a lot, I think by virtue of the way the program's set up, I don't know that unless you're a, you know, District person really looking at those things, the way it kind of flows is they're just like a regular student when they come in on the team or in that period and so um we don't hear a lot that says, you know, there's a bunch of homeschool students taking advantage of it in this particular district or we get calls questions about it from different areas of the state, making sure they're following
the rules appropriately, but I would, I couldn't say that, yeah, I think this part of the state has a lot of homeschool students taking advantage. Thank you, thank
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
30:01
you, Madam Chair. Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Madam Chair. It sounds like you all, you might be suggesting that the bill could be improved or clarified, am I correct in that? My understanding that Senator
Dees would be willing to consider that, yes. So did you visit with this bill's been out there for a little while.
Have you visited with him prior to this to let him
Speaker 104
30:26
know what your concerns were. We did have an individual visit, I think, but I'm not sure where the Miller, and so I'm not sure where the conversations landed,
Speaker 106
30:33
but I think there's an overall agreement to try and work something out. OK, so Senator, are you suggesting we're going to pull this
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
30:43
down, you know what I would recommend is, let me get clarity
on um seeing how we make sure that it's clear that we're not trying to adversely single out charter schools and make sure that's clear there and I would love to know if there's any other suggestions or anything else anybody else has as well
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
31:00
on the bill. I'm just concerned we we get here to the table and you're presenting your bill and you've been working on this hard and people come
to the table and say, I've got a few suggestions. that they're not reaching out to you ahead of time, uh, when you
have had this, how long has this bill been filed multiple days. I'm not sure how
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
31:19
many now, but yeah, it's been out there all weekend and and so you're OK with pulling it down, is that what you were saying? Yes, I'm definitely OK with that. I want to make sure because there was no intent to have an issue with not including charter schools. We thought it did that, but if we need clarity, I'm happy to do that. Thank you. Senator Flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
31:45
Thank you, Senator Dees. I'd like to know since you're
going to pull it down. For you to Tell us how much actually this will cost. Um, you know, when I think about Kids coming into a
school from outside just for this one activity, you're going to have an issue. And now.
And I'm wondering if that 16 would even take care of that and we don't even know what the 16 is
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
32:33
going to be now yet. I think those are great points, you know,
a couple comments on that. First, the whether a student steps foot on campus or not, 10% of all of that funding follows to the public school district where they participate in activities or not, because when you think about the the EFA accounts only 90 90% follows to a student, and 10% always stays with the with the public school
in that district and then as far as this 1/6, this is additional funding to try to follow back to the public school to cover every you're talking about insurance coverages, needs for facilities for the for the teachers for uniforms, whatever's needed, and so that that was the intent to try to make sure that we are following money back to the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
33:27
public school to make that acceptable. Well, when you come back, I hope you'll be able to speak a little bit more on that. As well as how many. are presently, or at least This year or last year. have participated in this from the home school. I'll probably bring that. I need to get that answer for you. OK, thank you.
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
33:49
Anybody else members? Anybody I want, I want to make sure we get it right and do it, do a good job. I think I'll leave with this.
Thank you for the chance to present it. I'm going to go back and do my homework and get back to this. I think truly this, this, when we say we want choices for all students. That's what we're trying to do. It's exactly what we say in the homeschool portion of the law, and we're just trying to add clarity to that and bring opportunities for
Senator Jane English
Unverified
34:16
all kids across the state. Thank you very much. Thank you. We'll expect you back. Thank you. OK, so moving right along, uh, we have, um, Senator Dawson, are you prepared to do your bill? No.
OK, all right, so then, um, Senator Hammer, would you like to do yours, uh, Senate bill 292. OK You know, identify yourself, you will be
recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Kim Hammer, state senator, District
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
34:59
16. Would you mind if I have Chris join with me, uh, to just answer a few brief questions in case they're asked. If you would identify yourself, you
Speaker 154
35:06
will be recognized. My name is Chris Madison. I'm the director
Chris Madison
Unverified
35:12
for the State Board of Election commissioners. OK to proceed, Madam Chair. I'll
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
35:21
give a brief explanation and Chris can correct me or clean up if I mess anything up. This bill is to address an issue that's coming up this fall. The
election this year is going to fall on Veterans Day, so what this bill would do is set in place that if an election falls on a day that there is a state holiday that it would be moved to the 3rd week instead of the 2nd week, this applies to school board elections and Ma'am Chair, if it's all right, I'll yield to Chris to straighten up anything I said or clarify anything I said, if that's all right.
Chris Madison
Unverified
35:51
He said it perfectly and this follows other statutory provisions we have for special elections that election falls on a state holiday that has moved to the
3rd Tuesday and this is to address the problem that's coming up this coming November. And that's why there's an emergency clause on it also, so that the petition circulation period can adjust with it also. So in summary, we're
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
36:12
trying to get ahead of a problem this fall because otherwise the election's going to fall on Veterans Day. This will allow us to move it
a week back so that we don't conflict with Veterans Day this year. So that with
Senator Jane English
Unverified
36:23
the with this be true for the only it won't be a presidential election year coming up. That's correct. This is only an odd year school
Chris Madison
Unverified
36:32
because schools have elections every year and so this is to cover that gap. Yes. Committee.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
36:38
The bunny in the audience to speak for against the bill. I don't think I don't see anybody. Would you like the clothes for
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
36:48
your bill? I'm closed, ma'am. I think it's pretty simple. We can avoid a problem and I'd appreciate a good
Senator Jane English
Unverified
36:53
vote. What's the will of the committee move seconded on they were Hall. Thank you very
much. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
His Senator Clark around here. He was here. He keeps coming in and going out. All right, so
then we'll move right along to Johnson. If you identify yourself, you'll be recognized.
Speaker 173
37:35
Senator Blake Johnson District 21. Members uh this
Speaker 174
37:41
bill, it uh goes in line with what I've done in the past on the agriculture. Agriculture land being bought. By these foreign entities, uh. And this would prohibit the institutions of higher education from participating in research, the sale of agricultural products, uh, engage in
Speaker 176
38:07
agricultural products, uh, in the production of those products are in a nondisclosure agreements. That's simply what the bill does.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
38:21
Senator Murdoch, did you have a question? Go ahead.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
38:25
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Senator. Maybe you can clear this up for me. My question is,
we have, you have people with approved um um permits.
Uh And working visas to do research, but this will prevent them from doing research to people that's been approved. There are
Speaker 182
38:49
foreigners, if you will. To do research
Speaker 176
38:52
legal aliens are not don't fall into the same category. Oh,
Speaker 174
38:59
what you say now? Legal aliens or have to be treated as citizens.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
39:04
So anyone that has a legal approved.
Um certificate or what, you know, whatever designation
Speaker 174
39:15
may be, this won't prevent them from doing their researches, which is those are those are legal aliens and they they have the same protection under our Constitution is a citizens, OK. Senator flowers. Senator Johnson, I'm trying to
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
39:39
pull up this statute, uh.
That defines prohibited foreign party 1811 8002. Those
Speaker 174
39:49
are the nations. IA international trafficking Arms, federal designation whenever we trade with our defense. And examples of those nations are Russia, China, North Korea, Syria.
There's a list of probably I think 13 is one of them yeah, our enemy, those are our enemies that we don't trade in defense products with. We don't want our intellectual property to be there they governments be enriched by our intellectual. abilities and work. I, I'm really wanting to see this definition of prohibited.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
40:41
Foreign party. Do you have that? For some reason this computer is. not Moving too fast. It says prohibited foreign party means the same as defined in 1811 802. And I'd like to know what 18. 11 802
actually says. Do you have that? I don't have that.
Um, and cheered you had another person to ask a question I'd like to. Wait on
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
41:28
this computer Senator King, I think you had a question. is
that You make your own work. They came out of the chair, so I mean I sport, I get what you're doing on
Speaker 176
41:37
agriculture products, any Talk about technology too or anything like that because that'll fall under those uh agricultural products and the example is, you know, it's it's
Speaker 174
41:45
without limitation of seeds, but that our intellectual properties we want to protect those and and uh this
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
41:51
is not just agriculture, it's like computers, anything. Well, if
Speaker 174
41:55
they're used in our, you know, research or anything like that, that would, you know, they can't bring those. In general research or anything,
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
42:03
I mean. OK. I'm, I'm sure we could go
Speaker 201
42:16
broader with this, but I'm sticking with the agriculture industry right now. So,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
42:35
Madam Chair. Senator Flowers. So this thing is not. Uh, working. But So is this
The prohibited foreign party. Is that a country, a person, a student, what is
Speaker 174
42:56
it? There's corporations or those individuals that that reside or Countries are the ITA nations, that is a federal designation. So
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
43:10
is it one individual that we can bar from participating in these activities.
Oh it's, it's, it's our enemies from being able to I'm trying to figure out who are our enemies? Is it a country? Is it a person who
happens to. To be studying here. That has happened. And so we want to bar the
Speaker 174
43:36
student. If they, if they, if they're here to infiltrate our our knowledge and and and bring that back and
Speaker 176
43:43
still that knowledge then it shouldn't be we shouldn't have it allowed by law.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
43:49
How do we know they're here to infiltrate. If
Speaker 176
43:54
they're here if we don't allow them to participate, they're
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
43:58
not here. Why are we allowing them in the school in
the first place. That's a very good question. Well, that doesn't, this doesn't, uh, I, I don't understand this. If they are admitted to study at an institution of higher learning. They had to have had some type of approval and
Uh I don't know what's wrong with these
Speaker 174
44:31
computers today. OK. This is just, this is just not allowing the university to do business and do research with one of those parties. With corporation or or, you know. Corporation structure or Uh, the one corporation that the
state of Arkansas, which was the first to to. Have to divest from land with Syngenta. So we couldn't do research for Syngenta in our centers. And, and, and have those non-disclosure agreements to develop seed. And, and, and we sell those seed products to Syngenta. Because there's just 3 seed seed companies in the world. seed.
And all the money is is goes to communist China and and
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
45:36
it helps enrich their economy. So
Title 1811. 82. Says prohibited foreign party means A citizen, a resident of a country subject to the international traffic, in arms
regulations. Be A foreign government formed within a country subject to international traffic and arms regulation and see a party other than an individual or a government. That is created or organized under the laws of a Foreign government indeed any. Party other than an individual
or government. That is, and it has some. Things enumerated. Created
Speaker 118
46:29
Organized under the laws of any state. If If it means
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
46:39
a citizen or resident of a country subject to this, I still don't understand how they even here in enrolled in our courses.
Speaker 174
46:54
So, uh, in our institutions. If they're a
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
47:02
citizen there, they're not a citizen
here. I know, but they, they have obviously been allowed to enroll in an institution of higher
Speaker 174
47:12
education. So how are they doing that? This is the university doing work for not an individual. These are, these are doing research or selling seed
or or creating nondisclosure agreement. those things are done. Not with individuals. Conducting research, the activities between the the university and all those, all those foreign
Speaker 176
47:41
Businesses. This is not a student. Individual student
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
47:56
So an individual student, even though they are a citizen of this uh prohibited foreign. Party. Country
Can still do research here. Is that what you're here, but
Speaker 201
48:08
I don't want them to have the secrets that our nation or our state
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
48:13
is developing. So, But and so they cannot conduct research. If this bill allows it,
Speaker 174
48:20
I'm I'm, I'm, I'm good with running another bill that don't.
What? If if this bill allows them to do research that they can gain our secrets. I'm good
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
48:36
with running another bill that does not allow them. Well, research. Can, can. End up Coming up with solutions,
Speaker 176
48:47
don't you think? I agree and and American, I trust our our
Speaker 174
48:52
adversaries and our allies. I don't, I don't trust your adversaries. I trust
our allies doing that research. I don't trust our
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
49:03
enemies doing that research. Well, I, I don't understand how is it that we can consider somebody an enemy that we've allowed into
Speaker 174
49:13
the country to attend a university or college just this is not geared to that individual's status. This is geared to university doing business or or making nondisclosure agreements with with companies and with ties to those those enemy nations. This
is not written in my mind to
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
49:34
that individual students situation. Well, the to me the language here broadens it to uh especially when you consider what the definition of foreign uh prohibited foreign party is an individual of that uh country that We have issues with as far as arms. it's clearly Identifying
In individuals that would be prohibited as well as a country
or I just, I think it's overbroad. I think it, it doesn't. To me it just doesn't uh.
Makes sense, uh, to limit. The ability and Opportunities for research. That might be beneficial.
To our country. are to the
Speaker 219
50:42
world. You understand what I'm saying? Do you, do you hear what
Speaker 174
50:47
I'm saying, Senator Johnson? I understand what you're saying, but I don't think the, I don't think our institutions higher, higher education should uh do a contract with a Chinese nationalists to do research for
for us and, and that's what this bill is on an individual basis, that's what I feel like what this bill would keep from happening. Senator Murdoch.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
51:17
Thank you. Uh, going back to what I said, I think Senator Johnson, what's happening here is
The The word research is really the problem. I understand the business and selling, but that research worked because there are people, students that are
allowed here on legal. Uh, status, visas or whatever or work visas to do things. Specifically research at universities. Now I think the world is really making this overly broad, is that what is
Speaker 174
51:55
in that in that other bill that I passed in our Constitution, I think those individuals who are legal. Have to be considered citizens. In the United States, in our
state of Arkansas. By our Constitution. But they
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
52:11
can be from, see, but this bill says if they're from any of those countries, any of those places. That's what this is, so they can be here and legal and from those places, but you won't let them do research according to this bill because they're
Speaker 174
52:27
from those but our, but our constitution and the law that this references, uh, Allows for those legal aliens to
be considered just like our Constitution does as citizens.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
52:43
So does your bill Conflict that when you don't, I don't, I don't think the research
Speaker 174
52:49
part I don't think it does. I think this would be the university. university could not contract with a Chinese nationalist to do research for the university. That's not the way I would read the
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
53:02
bill because you a Chinese, let's just say a student.
Speaker 174
53:10
That's, that, that's a student doing research in in the college. That's not a contract situation that's a that's a, that's a educational situation. That educational situation is is not is not what I'm considering in this bill. He should not participate in the
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
53:29
following activity with a prohibited foreign party. So that, so that's where you're calling. Yes. versus a student, the student
Speaker 174
53:40
would be doing, I mean, that's not a contract situation they're paying the, they're paying the university to go to school there and and do and do research. Thank you. Thank you. Further
Speaker 176
53:47
questions from the committee. But So her flowers. people here Oh, how
Speaker 228
54:13
How do you think? These students From these prohibited
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
54:18
foreign parties get here in the first place to be enrolled. At an institution of higher ed. How, how is that? You don't know. I
Speaker 200
54:33
guess they want to come to college here. It's Well Uh
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
54:45
When I consider all the things. On a national level that we are doing. Inviting. Russians Into the country. Or particular people
from particular countries that may be on this list. of prohibited
foreign parties. How is this? How
Do you think any federal law might Supersede what you're trying to do. Or undo No. You
don't think that's possible? We don't think Congress can say. Or the president by executive order can say we're going to allow Chinese A Russian Citizens To do research at our
Speaker 201
55:50
university. You don't think that can happen? I don't
Speaker 174
56:01
think that that's. Uh, prohibited now. But you're trying to prohibit it. I'm trying to make the institutions not be able to contract with a Chinese organization to do research and get our our secrets, are those seed technologies or sell those technologies to those uh prohibited foreign actors that are based in China.
But your language that you use, there's nothing, there's nothing in this bill that says uh uh Chinese student with on a on an education visa or where they make them legal cannot do research at the university in any university. This is the universe between the university and those parties. This would be like a contract situation that that you uh that the university contracts research.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
56:53
To develop Well, I differ with that your interpretation of this because lines 29 start off at an institution of higher ed shall not participate in the following activities with the prohibited foreign party conduct research. It doesn't qualify as one of the four things listed as into a non-disclosure agreement engaged another one is engaged in production of agricultural
products and To sell agricultural products including without limitation seeds, but the first one is conduct research. So, uh, I'll give
Speaker 174
57:38
to put A soybean variety in a seed trial. Or or or do research through the university on those seeds. That would be a no go. We don't want
to help, we don't want to help that that Chinese-based company to develop anything. That will compete and and and take our, take our intellectual property and our our education system worked back to China and enrich
Speaker 201
58:09
China or any other, any other adversary or.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
58:25
Any further questions from the committee. Does anybody here, the audience speak for or against the bill? Not seeing any. You like clothes
Speaker 201
58:37
for your bill? Like senators, we, we have to protect. This is a
Speaker 174
58:45
matter of national defense defense and agriculture. There's a limited number of these seed suppliers for for me to buy seed from and
I don't want our, our educational system to be manipulated and uh and and our enemies to be enriched through through the Arkansas's efforts and education systems. I'd appreciate a good vote. What is the will of the committee. Motion
Speaker 152
59:14
do pass 2nd. Beg your pardon? You have a discussion.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
59:26
It's a discussion of clarity, uh, the reason I can support is my understanding, uh, is a prohibited foreign party is not the student
that's here legally. That's the difference that that foreign party is that business that sickness whatever you call that group that would engage with that that's what we stand away from, but the student that's here legally on a work visa or whatever they're doing, they're
able to do that. So that word prohibited foreign
party is not a student that wants to so that student can still conduct research. And do what they're here to do.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:00:12
That's the way I understand it. Senator Flowers. Well, Senator Murdoch, Reading The definition which is referred The section is referred to in this bill, line 28 as defined 1811, 802. It does include an individual. I
don't have it pulled up yet because I don't know what's wrong with this computer that it's not pulling up.
Maybe we need. For party to help us, but uh That's an individual too who is a citizen. Of that foreign uh country
that is prohibited. By this intra trafficking of armed. If, if what you're saying is correct, then I do agree that
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:01:01
that needs to be cleared up at If, if what you're
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:01:05
saying is correct, then I do agree that that needs to be cleared up if you look at the definition, I did that. Well, if
you pull up 1811 802. It includes an individual and not just a party. Right. For party prohibited foreign party is defined. In 1811 802. Madam Chair.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:01:26
May I please have deference to Senator Johnson too, because that's a very critical part of
me supporting this anyway is that that's what the senator is
Speaker 174
1:01:44
bringing up. Senator Johnson But It's Quit a part of The bill that's referenced. Also gives reference to our Constitution. And our Constitution says that you have to treat. A foreign national who is here legally as a citizen. That's all the clarity I can
give, but they're not considered the same. As, as someone who's not, not here on a, you know,
Speaker 176
1:02:13
on a legal basis. That they're they're
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:02:19
they're different under our Constitution. So 1811802, the senator flowers is this is is indicating on line 28 page 1, which she says is inclusive of a individual student. And not just in foreign party but the student from that
country, you're saying. It does not include
the student. Well, If, if
Speaker 174
1:02:43
you're going to, if the university is going to Uh Contract with. Someone to do research that's a different deal. But if it's a student, I think, I mean, that's a totally, totally. Individual basis on education, not, not on the
research to advance something that the university product the university
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:03:17
is. do and did you have something? Thank you, Mr. Chair. Maybe hopefully I can provide
some clarity. I just pulled up that section, the definition that we're referring to prohibited foreign party. It's under. It's under 5A and 1811. 802 um it says a foreign party prohibitive foreign party means
a a citizen or resident of a country subject to international traffic or in arms regulations, be a foreign government formed within a country subject to international traffic and arms regulations, and these are both referencing that US code that that defines who those are, um, see a party other than an individual or government that has created or organized under the laws of a foreign government with a country subject to international traffic in arms.
So, well, it, it said a citizen or resident, however, under D2A, um, it didn't identifies. That individual or citizen has to be someone who is capable. In which a significant interest or substantial control is directly or indirectly held or is capable of being exercised by that individual. So As I'm reading it, my understanding of it is It would only apply to an
individual if they're high up within the government and they have the ability to control something which a student wouldn't qualify for, um, so it's a citizen or resident of a country. So if you have the president of the country wouldn't probably be the a student coming to our our our country, but if they, if they did, then they would be prohibited as an individual, otherwise it's the government as a whole that the university couldn't agree in the
Speaker 174
1:05:06
constitution I could not. Remember until now it's it's considered a resident alien.
So they, the residency would be here, but there are, you know, they're legal. And they're they're also an alien, so that's a resident alien is, is considered in in that region, my original bill and in the Constitution. Go ahead. Thank you, I appreciate
Speaker 176
1:05:26
that. I think I understand the intent of what you're doing. I
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:05:36
understand that intent, but verbish may be a little screwy there, but I understand the intent. I, I'm.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:05:47
What this appears to me, my own opinion. Is
that if a foreign company from from Iran or from North Korea or whatever wanted to contract with UAPB. To provide agricultural research
for them, that would not be allowed. They could not. UAPB could not have a contract with Iran to do research on agricultural, some agricultural thing, a lot of research goes on down at UHEB a lot.
But we would want to make sure that what that research was was not something with another foreign country like Iran or North Korea or China or whatever, but I think this and the student doesn't have anything to do with it. But a student
from Iran. I don't think that that's not what this is saying
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:06:39
is that that's not what this is saying. This is what's that's the clarity, a student from
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:06:44
Iran could do the research at UAPB research if the on on something else, but not a
contract with Iran to do do research they
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:06:53
could be doing other research if they're a
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:06:55
student that's been OK to come here and you know they have a visa and all that. Idam Chair, the narratives. What is conflicting a little bit
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:07:02
is the language in the bill, but I understand the narrative from both of you. I get that. And I can appreciate that part, but I'm a little concerned about the language.
Senator Dawson. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just as far as discussion, a student
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:07:22
would not be prohibited. Unless they were someone of in a position of authority that had significant interest or substantial control. Over That that foreign entities um decision making. So, so if it was the, you know, a member of a foreign governments, uh. Higher, you know, cabinet or or some type of high ranking individual that wanted to come
and be a student at the University of
Speaker 233
1:07:55
Arkansas, then that would be prohibited as I'm reading it under here, but, uh, so just as a matter
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:08:02
of discussion but if, you know, if it's not that person, but there's Junior, their daughter, they're over here. And so then, so the derivative relationships become part of that that doesn't seem to be identified in here. No, but, but it's your point, but I don't see it
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:08:18
identified in here is that someone with a
relationship to is it's an individual who would exercise significant. Authority or control over that foreign entity when they're
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:08:31
trying to do something to invade something they probably gonna be a little secretive and strategic, so they may send over someone else, but anyway, that's all. flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:08:54
So, um, This we're in discussion now and the reading that
I have of this 1811 802. Um It's, it's pretty. Clear prohibited foreign party means and they have listed several
things from A through If All these Uh identities. And the first one is That are prohibited foreign party means a a citizen or resident of a country subject to this international traffic in arms regulation. And then it goes to B and talks about a foreign government,
formed within a country, da da da da. See, and there is no ands
between each of these. Alphabets that identify who is meant by prohibited foreign party. So all I'm saying is I
can appreciate what you're trying to do, Senator Johnson. Uh But To say an individual that's here studying in our institutions.
Can't participate in research and
I'm glad you mentioned Adam Cheer, uh, UAPB because I was contacted by someone from outside the country. They weren't one of these uh citizens of these countries that are prohibited, but they all of a sudden were shut out of participating in research. It and it, I
don't think it was for agricultural purposes, but
what I am saying is this is overly broad
and it needs to be narrowed to Get within that. Class that targeted group that you Don't
want to participate. In things that may harm This country That's all I'm saying, and I think with that first part of that definition. An individual
It's pretty clear, includes an individual. That comes from one of these countries. A citizen from one of those countries. That's all I'm saying. Would you agree
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:11:49
I'd like to know if the sponsor would agree to cleaning up the language so that The real intent, if it is for uh
not to have uh uh seclusion or prohibition on
students that are here. Participating in research. I
Speaker 174
1:12:20
think, I think those instances are considered as resident aliens. If they're legally here and we have allowed them to come here. To to be educated and that is not the intent of this piece of legislation. This is an intent
of this is so our institutions a higher education can't contract and do do research for for people
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:12:44
who are our enemies. Well, I think your bill has some unintended consequences that need to be
cleaned up is all I'm saying. Thank you. Yeah got him over
Speaker 253
1:12:58
here for a second. I just need to. Any other discussion.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:13:09
So we have a motion and a second on the floor. Um, I hear a Yeah or
Speaker 214
1:13:25
nay, yeah, off. All in favor all opposed. The eyes have it.
Speaker 254
1:13:39
Senator Dodson. I Senator Bryant, not voting. Senator Murdoch? Oh No. Senator King, Not voting. Senator Davis. I, Senator Flowers. No. Senator Sullivan, I
Speaker 164
1:14:11
OK, we don't have enough votes. Thank you very much. We will see you back.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:14:20
So what has happened to uh Senator Clark? Oh good. You keep disappearing on me. If you would like, please hit move to the end of the table. We would be glad to hear your or are
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:14:35
you not prepared, but I'm not going to run today. Uh, we checked with the Department of Education and
there are some capacity issues due to Things that were changed two years ago. I'm going to fix those issues maybe a separate bill may be in this bill, uh, I would have liked to have had the superintendents input, but we're going to go ahead without it since they didn't contact me before we ran the bill the first time they haven't contacted me up to now, but we will get that problem fixed. OK, very good. All right. Then it appears.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:15:14
That we have no more business for the day. We are adjourned. Thank you, everybody.
Agenda
Call to Order
SB205 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015.
SB292 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DATE OF AN ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION; TO MOVE THE ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION IF THE ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION IS SCHEDULED ON A STATE HOLIDAY IN CERTAIN INSTANCES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB303 Dees TO ALLOW A RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERMIT A PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITY AT THE RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
SB317 B. Johnson TO PROHIBIT AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FROM PARTICIPATING IN CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WITH A PROHIBITED FOREIGN PARTY.
Adjourn
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE MEETING JOINTLY WITH ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION, Mar 3, 2025 | Agenda | 1 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Senator Jane English
Unverified
Senator Tyler Dees
Unverified
Speaker 16
Speaker 21
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
Speaker 38
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
Speaker 62
Speaker 63
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
Speaker 76
Speaker 78
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
Speaker 100
Speaker 101
Speaker 107
Speaker 111
Speaker 104
Speaker 114
Speaker 117
Speaker 128
Speaker 127
Speaker 133
Speaker 106
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
Speaker 154
Chris Madison
Unverified
Speaker 173
Speaker 174
Speaker 176
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
Speaker 182
Speaker 201
Speaker 118
Speaker 219
Speaker 221
Speaker 228
Speaker 200
Speaker 213
Speaker 152
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
Speaker 233
Speaker 151
Speaker 253
Speaker 214
Speaker 254
Speaker 164
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified