House Convenes

I invite the members, staff, press, and guests in the galleries to stand and be led in prayer by house chaplain, Brother Richard Hamlin, Faith Baptist Church of Cabot and to remain standing for the Pledge of allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean. Heavenly Father God, we are, first of all thankful travels that, uh, we have experienced, those of us who've driven in today and we continue to pray for that safety is, uh, for those of us who'll be going home, and I know we just ask you to watch over everyone, uh, we pray also, God, you'd watch over the first responders, our Uh, security forces around the state experience, uh, that provision, uh, you have told us through the writing of the book of Hebrews that, uh, Uh, we can boldly say, God, we can boldly say, God, that you are our helper. You tell us or any man. We're thankful for that truth, that because, Lord, we fear you, we don't need fear any other man, anybody. And God, for those who don't, I Members, please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Has everyone declared their presence. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. There are 94 members present. The chair sees a quorum. Are there any requests for leave? Representative Hall, for what purpose? Eve you're recognized. Leave for Representative Barry I leave granted for Representative Stan Berry. So ordered Representative Allen, for what purpose? Leave, you're recognized. Leave for Representative Ken Ferguson. I leave granted from Representative Ken Ferguson. So ordered. Representative Kavanaugh, for what purpose? You're recognized Representative Sonia Barker. His granted for Representative Sonia Barker, so ordered Representative Gonzalez for what purpose? You're recognized Representative Womack is leave granted for Representative Womack. So ordered Representative in it for what purpose? You're recognized. Leave for representative Steele. I granted for Representative Steele? So ordered Representative Clowney, for what purpose? You're recognized the representative Eaves, although we marked him inadvertently present, but he would like leave. Let the uh his leave granted for representative. thieves So order let the record reflect that Representative Eaves is marked with leave rather than present. Representative Carr, for what purpose? Leith, you're recognized. Uh, leave for Representative John Milligan. His leave granted for Representative Milligan. So ordered. Let the record reflect 93 members present. Constitutes a quorum. Representative Matthew Shepherd moves that we dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal. With no objection, so ordered. Are the reports from select committees. Are the reports from standing committees. Madam Clark, you're recognized. Mr. Speaker, we your Committee on Agricultural, Forestry and Economic Development to who was fired House Bill 1413 vaguely report with the same consideration here return with the same recommendation that it do pass as Amendment number one, respectfully submitted. Representative Jeremiah Moore, vice chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development, to whom was refer House Bill 1450, House Bill 1487. Begley report we under consideration here for time with the same recommendation that it do pass, respectfully submitted. Representative Moore, vice chair. Mr. Speaker, we're your committee on Insurance and commerce. was a House Bill 1307 vaguely report and same consideration here it's time the same recommendation that it do pass respectfully submitted Representative Steiner, vice chair. Mr. Speaker, we're your committee on Insurance and commerce to whom was referred to House Bill 1405 vaguely reporting the same consideration here returned with the same recommendation that do pass as amendment number 3. Respectfully submitted Representative Steinmel, vice chair. Madam Clark, any unfinished business. You have communications from the executive. Please read the letter from the governor. To the Speaker of the House, Dear Mr. Speaker, this is to inform you that on February 18, 2025, I reviewed and approved the following measures from the regular session of the ninety-fifth General Assembly. House Bill 1138 Act 98, House Bill 1278 Act 99. House Bill 1205 Act 101, House Bill 1220 Act 102. House Bill 1310 Act 104, House Bill 1214 Act 105. House Bill 1. 067106. House Bill 11:45 Act 107, House Bill 1324 X 108 hospitals 1263 Act 109. House Bill 1282 Act 110, House Bill 1311 Act 111. House Bill 1317 Act 112, House Bill 1318 Act 113, House Bill 1199, Acts 118, House Bill 12:15, Acts 119, how spell 1074, Act 121. Sincerely, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor of Arkansas. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, if you would, I'd like to direct your attention to the back of the house chamber. Welcome today our Arkansas state troopers. We have with us Sergeant Zach Owens, the administrative Services Division and Corporal Trey Keller of the Highway Patrol Administrative Division, both of Little Rock. Gentlemen, thank you very much for your service. To all of our Arkansas state troopers, we give a great Amount of gratitude today for the service that they are providing our state last night during the hazardous weather in today. I don't know. Representative Scott Richard Richardson recommends that we concur in Senate amendment number 1 to House Bill 1071. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Amendment 1. Amendment number 1, the House Bill 1071. Representative Richardson, you are recognized to explain Amendment One. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, colleagues, I bring for your consideration and recommend that we do concur in Amendment 1 for House Bill 1071, an act to amend the Frank Boroughs Publicity Rights Protection Act of 2016. And we found a small issue when it got over to the Senate side, um, in reference to, uh, federal law non aligning with the, the current Frank Bras Act associated with, uh, uh, intellectual property, uh, that's been posted online. So this amendment, uh, rectifies that challenge and, uh, gets us taken care of. I'd be happy to answer any questions as best I can. With that, I'd appreciate a good vote. Does anyone wish to speak against the amendment? Does anyone wish to speak for the amendment? Representative Richardson, his closed for the amendment, the question before the House is the concurrence and Senate Amendment number 1 to House Bill 1071. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 92, 0, nay, 0 present. You have concurred in Senate amendment number 1 to House Bill 1071. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1475 House Bill 1475 by Representative Carr to authorize the use of green lights to amend the restrictions on lamp colors to amend the colors of lights that may be used by emergency vehicles and to define a roadway construction or maintenance vehicle. Representative Carr, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. House Bill 1475, this just solidifies the statute that our dot is able to use green lights. The importance of green lights is they are high visibility during rain, fog, and snow. And that way, they just want to make sure that their maintenance and their construction, roadway vehicles are seen by traffic. I'd entertain any questions. Representative Carr has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Carr is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1475. the machine, Madam Clerk. So everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. a vote of 92 ya, 1 nay, and zero present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1486. House Bill 1486 by Representative Burks to amend the law concerning the market values certain surplus property acquired by the State Highway Commission. Representative Burkes, you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. Um, House Bill 14 and you might recall that in 2021, we passed a similar bill. Our plus right of way property. In 2021, the market value of those capital asset properties when they go to sell them, they only had to get two appraisals. And those are external in-house team as well. So what we're looking at now, we didn't at that time, but we should have, um, applied the same standard to the surplus right of way property. And so this bill simply says instead of getting market value of that surplus right of way property, they only have to get 2 outside, um. And that is the bill. So. I asked Representative Burkes has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone I speak for the bill? Representative Burks is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1486, repair the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 91, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1479. 1479 by Representative Warren to amend the law concerning scrivener's affidavits and allow a licensed engineer, surveyor, or notary public to execute a record of scriber nurse affidavit in certain circumstances. Representative Warren, you are recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this bill will amend the statute with respect to who may execute and record a Scribner's affidavit. Some of you may not be familiar with this. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, a Scribner's affidavit is a legal document that corrects errors in a previously written document. It's a sworn statement made by the person who drafted The original document. Uh, use these in one of two situations. One to correct minor error in legal papers, contracts, or other written documents. Or number 2 Which I use this in title business to clarify the chain of title to recorded land. To uh examples of that. One, it will allow a licensed engineer or surveyor to file a scrivener's affidavit to correct the basic error. Let's say with an engineer on a platte or a surveyor, if they provided a survey, and they've got maybe a direction wrong, change south to north. Uh But it will allow them to correct, uh, a detail in a recorded document they filed and then record it. Uh, if a notary public has an error in their part, misspelled name allows them to prepare Scribner's affidavit and correct that. It remains consistent with the statute and that the correction needed must be made by the author or drafter of the document or uh document or the error made. Uh, that's the limit of the bill. Basically, it's allowing engineers, surveyors, and notary publics to join title companies and attorneys in being able to Make these, uh, Affidavits, uh, scrivener's affidavits, and then be able to also file them right now only title answer any questions. Yes, sir. Representative Richardson, for what purpose? Question for a Warren, I understand that the, this is only for individuals to caresses that part of the statute stays the same. Thank you. I would appreciate a good vote. Representative Warren has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill Representative Warren is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1479. Prepair the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. Uh, vote of 93, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1447. As 1447 by Representative Long to exempt the septic system installer license under the Arkansas Sewage Disposal Systems Act from licenser as a plumber. Representative Long, you were recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I've always wanted to say this about a bill. This one has no known opposition. It, um, basically it's, it's kind of correcting a decades-long problem, uh, years ago, uh, in the plumbing code. Um, they put in when you're installing a septic system. The connection between the house and the tank was supposed to be installed by a plumber. Well, the plumber's already left the job, and they really don't want to come back. And the installer for all these decades have been basically the person to install that pipe. But while they were doing it, they were breaking the law. Um, to protect inspectors for not enforcing the law and to protect the installers from basic breaking the law, um, I'm proposing this, this, uh, basically two sentence long bill to correct that. It's going to give the installers permission to do only this one part of the work and be exempt from the plumbing code. And um, if you have any questions, I'll be happy to try to answer them. Seeing that I'd appreciate a good vote. Y'all have a good day. Representative Long has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Long is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1447. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 93, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1478. Hospital, 1478 by Representative Schultz to repeal the registration of disease intervention specialists. Representative Schultz, you recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues. This is actually a pretty simple bill. In the early 90s, there was a big push nationwide to develop something called the Disease Intervention Specialist. As a result of that, in 1993, Arkansas passed a law. That created the state Board of Intervention Specialist. Uh, that board was to establish standards, a registry, and establish a fee. Unfortunately, this nationwide push never came to fruition. So sitting here with, with this board, uh, This board never developed standards and never developed a registry. In 2023, at 365 abolished this inactive board. But it did not remove The, uh It did not remove the responsibilities. Those moved to the Department of Health. Who, by the way, are fully in support of this bill that I'm presenting today. Currently, disease intervention specialist is not an occupation. The federal occupational handbook does not identify disease intervention specialist. 0 states have a registry. Or a lozenger for this type of thing. And there's zero evidence to be found of any individuals in the nation who market themselves as a consultant or for hire for this type of, of, of job. Uh, there's zero evidence of any schools that have curriculum for this. So the goal of this bill is to eliminate obsolete legislation. Eliminate confusion on a non-existent registry. And to clear Arkansas code of, of old and obsolete law. Seeing none, I appreciate a good vote. Representative Schultz has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill Representative Schultz is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1478. prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. So everyone voted Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, madam clerk. By a vote of 938, 0 nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1166. 1166 by Representative Gramlich to clarify the types of epinephrine for the use of in elementary and secondary schools in the state. Representative Gramlich, you're recognized to explain your bill. Uh, thank you very much. So, uh, House Bill 1166 does one thing. Currently, it's typically always been an auto-injectable pen, put in their leg, you know, um, what this, there's a new drug that allows for our nasal injection doing is allowing, um, students. Representative Gramlich has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Grahamled is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1166. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Everyone voted Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 93, 0, nay, and zero present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1167. 1167 by Representative Johnson to modify the signature authority for advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants and to clarify the deer, durable medical equipment includes diabetic shoes and a shoe insert. Representative Johnson, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. Currently, it's clear that uh our advanced nurse practitioners can have signature authority for durable medical equipment. What hasn't been clear is whether durable medical equipment includes diabetic footwear, prosthetics, orthotics, almost all definitions of DME are included there. There's been some issues with nurse practitioners being allowed to sign for this. We're just clarifying to say yes indeed, nurse practitioners are trained and allowed and supporting them in this signature authority, and I'm saying that I appreciate you about it. Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1167. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. By a vote of 93, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1254. I suppose 1254 by Representative Johnson to authorize a licensed psychological practitioner to practice independently in this state and to remove the independent practice privileges from psychological examiners. Representative Johnson, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, uh, you may remember last session, uh, we removed the moratorium on training for master's level license practice license psychological examiners. There was a, a process by which they could practice independently from psychologists with extra training. Part of that process last session was compromised between the LPEIs, the license psychological examiners independence and the psychologist. What I agreed to in helping negotiate that bill last session was to come back within In this session and come up with, uh, agreed-upon scope of practice bill. So we've been working with both of these groups to come to some agreed upon terms. What this bill effectively does is it removes the term LPEI and creates a new term called a licensed psychological practitioner. Lots of words, but the LPP is now the new LPEI and they're training is the same and it just extends and keeps that open. And again, lots of negotiations back and forth, but it was very productive and to my knowledge, there's no known oppo po s ition to this bill and I'd be happy to try to answer any questions. Seeing that, I appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1254. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted, so everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 93, 0 nay, 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1256 1256 by Representative Wooldridge to require the Arkansas Board of Examiners and counseling to issue a provisional license for a licensed associate counselor and a licensed associate marriage and family therapist. Representative Wooldridge, you are recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this bill does exactly what it says in the title. It creates a path or requirement for the Arkansas Counseling Board to create a provisional license, uh, for LACs and marriage and family therapists. This will allow them to, uh, go into the field, solve some of our workforce issues, give them a year to take their exam. And then if they're unable to pass their exam at the end of that, this automatically revokes that, uh, provisional license. With that I'll answer any questions. See none, I'd appreciate a good boat. Representative Wooldridge has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Waridge is closed with the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1256. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted, everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 92 ya, 1 nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 12581258 by Representative Johnson to create the Community Health Worker Act and to establish a statewide certification for community health workers. Representative Johnson, you are recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, community health workers have been providing care in the state for well over a decade. They're great members of the healthcare team, there are, if you don't know, community health workers help, uh, individual patients and, and individuals in our community navigate the health system. It's very complicated health system and they help us facilitate communication, help, uh, make sure people understand how to take their medicines, how to get to appointments, how to apply for different programs. What this bill does is creates a certification pathway, uh, to be recognized in the state as a certified. Uh community health worker. In addition, it ties some reimbursement requirements to this, uh, as you recall, this was part of the governor's, um, uh, maternal health initiative was to try to include both doulas and community health workers, uh, in the process of carrying, uh, for our mothers across the state, but they also play an important role in caring for lots of individuals. And so we worked with Archwa, which is the Arkansas Community Health Workers Association to come to come to agreed-upon language about what is a fair and reasonable approach to certification. One of the Questions I got in committee, which I thought was a good question, is, do you have to go through the Department of Health to become certified. The answer to that is no. There are two approaches to certification. One is through the Department of Health, but then one is also through Artua, which is the long-standing association of Community Health Workers. Both those, uh, processes mirror each other, but that way if there's an individual who wants to go directly to the Department of Health, they can, um, again, it's a, a good agreed upon bill with lots of good negotiations back and forth between Archin and the Department of Health, and I'd be happy to try to answer any questions. See now I appreciate you. Oh yes, one question. Go ahead. Representative Gonzalez Worthen, for what purpose? Um, so I was wondering in terms of compensation to them as well or only for arena, the bill that I drafted requires a reimbursement process for commercial payers DHS through all, uh, work avenues that they would work in. If they're certified. Uh Are there any other questions? Seeing that I appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Johnson has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Johnson is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1258. Prepair the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With a vote of 89, 2 nays, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1154. 14 by Representative Warren to enact the Arkansas Teacher retirement Systems generally, general omnibus and to declare an emergency Representative Warren, you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. House Bill 1154 is teacher retirements, omnibus bill. It does 4 things. It makes technical corrections needed to correct typos and errors in current law. Number 2, it removes references to repeal laws, 3, it removes redundant and outdated language and provisions, and then 4th, It makes application timelines consistent throughout, uh, their code. There is no fiscal impact. Representative Warren has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? the bill Representative Warren is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1154. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Has everyone voted? Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. With a vote of 93, 0 nay, and 0 present. The bill and the emergency clause has passed. Madam clerk, please read House Bill 1155. 155 by Representative Warren to create a rebuttal presumption of qualification for disability retirement benefits under the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and to declare an emergency. Representative Warren, you are recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this bill allows, uh, teacher retirement to accept a 100% service connected disability rating from the US Department of Veterans Affairs as creating a rebuttable presumption of qualification for disability, retirement benefits. Current law provides the same for 100% disability findings from the Social Security Administration. So this bill would provide equal treatment, uh, to veterans association. Uh, the systems actuaries have found that any cost of this bill would be small and would not have material impact on teacher. Representative Warren has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. the bill Representative Warren is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1155. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Mad clerk. With a vote of 92, 0, nay, and 0 present, the bill and the emergency clause have passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1156. 16 by Representative Warren to amend the law concerning the eligibility of a surviving spouse for survivor annuity benefits under the Arkansas Teacher retirement system and to declare an emergency. Representative Warner recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last one for me, then you get two new faces on teacher retirement bills. So, House Bill 1156 shortens the waiting period for when a new spouse can become eligible for survivor benefits from 2 years preceding the member's death to one year. Uh, this change will mirror the one-year waiting period in current law for ushers and for Lopy, uh, APpers actually has a waiting period of just 6 months, uh, when teacher retirement brought rules revisions to the Joint retirement Committee last year. Several legislators on the committee raised, uh, this issue and asked that teacher retirement consider legislation to reduce the waiting period. Uh, the system's actuaries have found that any cost of this bill would be very small and would not have material impact on teacher retirement. So I think this is a really good move, taking the, will be really good for members. Representative Warren has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? the bill Representative Warren is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1156. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With a vote of 93, yeah, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill and the emergency clause have passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1157. Representative Perry to amend the law concerning survivor annuity benefits for dependent children under the Arkansas Teacher retirement systems and to declare an emergency. Representative Perry, you're recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The next two bills are for, from uh Arkansas Teacher retirement. House Bill 1157 will make two changes, uh, regarding the survivor annuity benefits. The first change is it allows us surviving child to collect survivor benefits through age 22. The current law, they actually stop at age 18 unless, of course, that child's in, in the military, goes into apprentice or instead is continued school. If they're in school now, it still allows them to carry to uh continue those benefits to age 22. And, uh, the other change it makes, it allows um the survivor benefits for children of deceased members who were on disability retirement. The current law limits survivor benefits to eligible children, uh, deceased active members, Tro participants and retired members who have returned to work or uh work for an ATRS covered employer. So, with that, I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Perry has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. You wanna like speak for the bill. Representative Perry, closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1157. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. So everyone voted, members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. The vote of 82, yeah, 11, nay, and 0 present. The bill and the emergency clause has passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1158. I spell 1158 by Representative Perry to amend the law concerning the election of distribution option under the teacher deferred retirement option plan and to declare an emergency. Representative Perry, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. House Bill 1158 modifies the code concerning the election, the distribution options under the Trop. So this change allows a member to cancel their distribution election before the end of the 2nd full month. Provided the member did not elect to receive all are part of the balance as a lump sum and it has not previously changed their election. Basically, this gives them a Well, about a two-month chance to, for a do-over. So, with that, I appreciate a good vote. Representative Perry has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Perry is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1158. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 92, 0, nay, and 1 present. The bill in the emergency clause has passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1160. House 1160 by Representative Kendra Moore to amend the law concerning permissive service credit for gap year service under the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and to declare an emergency. Representative Moore, you're recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, House Bill 1160 is an Arkansas teacher retirement bill that amends the law for service credit for gap years. So currently, if you're a classroom teacher and you leave the teaching profession for a period of time, then come back to the classroom. As a classroom teacher, based on current law, you're allowed to purchase those service years back. The service credit purchase was allowed in Act 125 and 2023, but this act only allows you to buy back full years, not a portion of a year. Arkansas teacher retirement system members expressed the desire to be allowed to purchase service credit, but have not missed an entire year. So for example, a teacher that maybe took a semester off from maternity leave. This would allow that teacher to buy back credit and not the full year. So the bill changes the term gap year to gap period in multiple places in the code to allow members to purchase as little as 1 quarter of a year of service. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Moore has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Moore is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1160 pair the machine, Madam clerk. Remembs your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 93A, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill and the emergency clause have passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1161. 11 by Representative Moore to clarify the law concerning an election to change annuity options within one year retirement under the Arkansas Teacher retirement System and to declare an emergency. Represented Moore, you're recognized to explain. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, House Bill 1161 is another Arkansas teacher retirement bill. This is just a cleanup bill that cla clarifies current law that allows an Arkansas teacher retirement system member to change their annuity option within one year of their retirement. When a member retires, they're paid that monthly payment called an annuity when the member applies for retirement, they're given the opportunity to choose from one of 4 different retirement options. If a member decides to change from their original option to a new option. This bill just makes it explicit that that option change does not become effective until a month after the member has submitted all the required forms and has paid the cost difference that is owed for the change. Current law is a little bit ambiguous to this point. So that's just running questions. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Moore has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. the bill Representative Moore is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1161. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Remembers, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Everyone voted Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, madam clerk. With a vote of 93 y, 0 nay, and 0 present. The bill and the emergency clause has passed. Members at the request of Representative Moore, we are passing over Senate Bill 97 today. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 170. Representative Gazaway to make technical technical corrections to Title One of the Arkansas Codec concerning general provisions. Representative Gazaway, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, again, um, These are technical correction bills that come to us from the Bureau of Legislative Research based on, uh, hearings that we had over the interim and the code revision commission. These are similar to the House bills that we've already passed. We, uh, vetted these bills in the judiciary Committee, uh, they were extensively vetted page by page, line by line, and they all passed the judiciary Committee unanimously, uh, with it being clearly determined. That these are all purely technical in nature and not substantive. And so with that, I'm happy to go through an explanation of each one of these bills, but I don't really think that you all want to hear that. And so, With that, uh, Senate Bill 170, uh, simply makes technical corrections to title one of the Arkansas code. If you have any specific questions about exactly what it does, I'm happy to answer them. Seeing none, I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Against the bill some guys away, you're recognized clothes for the bill. He's clothes for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 170, prepare the machine, Madam clerk. Because everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 90, 0, nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 171. 171 by Representative Gazaway to make technical corrections to Title 4 of the Arkansas Codec concerning Business and commercial law. Representative guys the way you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, simply makes technical corrections to title 4. Of the Arkansas code, I will tell you, it, uh, corrects the grammatical error. And I don't think you want to go through the specifics of that, but that's all it does. Happy to answer any questions, seeing none, I appreciate a good vote. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill, Representative Gazaway is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 171. Where the machine, Madam Clerk. Is everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. By a vote of 98 0 nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 172. about 172 by Representative Galway to make technical corrections to Title 6 of the Arkansas Code Concerning Education. Representative Gazaway, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleague simply makes Technical corrections to Title 6 of the code, includes things like deleting obsolete language, repeals the section, corrects a grammatical error. And, uh, other minor technical corrections, happy to answer any questions, seeing none, appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Gaway is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 172. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. So everyone voted, so everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. vote of 908, 0, nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 173. 173 by Representative Gasway to make technical corrections to Title 7 of the Arkansas Code Concerning elections. Recent gaaway you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, simply makes technical corrections to Title 7 of the code. Um, it merges two acts from the regular session. This was just ratifying a decision by the Code Revision Commission. I will make this point. Uh, for those of you who may have, uh, watched the committee or have some, uh, familiarity with this. When the code revision commission makes a decision. About clarifying the law or making a technical correction. That, that does change is made upon the decision of the Code Revision Commission. However, we come to the legislature to ratify those decisions. And so some of these bills are simply ratifying changes that have already been made and that are already reflected in the code and that's what with this particular bill, all three of the changes or changes that have already been made by the Code Revision Commission were simply ratifying those changes. If you'd like more explanation, I'm happy to answer. it, but I don't think you do. Seeing no questions, I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill, they wouldn't like to speak against the bill. For the bill, Representative Gazaway is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 173. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Passed up the ballot. A vote of 91, 0 nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 174 14 by Representative Gasway to make technical corrections to Title 8 of the Arkansas Code Concerning environmental law. So guys away you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, simply makes technical corrections to Title 8 of the code. So why not give you an explanation. On this one, we simply insert a verb may to correct a grammatical error. And in section 2, we add the word nuclear to be consistent with the reference to spent nuclear fuel as a section relates to. Nuclear fuel. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions, seeing none, I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill. Representative Gazaway is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 174. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. Everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With a vote of 91 ya, 0 nay, and 1 present. bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 175. 175 by Representative Gazaway to make technical corrections to Title 11 of the Arkansas Code Concerning labor and industrial relations. Representative Gazaway, you're recognized technical corrections, Title 11, simply ratifies a decision made by the Arkansas Code Revision Commission that is already reflected in code. would appreciate you ratifying that decision, and I'm happy to answer any questions. Seeing that I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Gazaway has explained to Bill, would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill, Representative Gazaway is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 175. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. With a vote of 90, 0 nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 176. Representative Gasaway to make technical corrections to Title 15 of the Arkansas Code Concerning Natural Resources and economic development. Representative guys the way you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, simply makes technical corrections title 15. I think this one deserves an explanation. In section one, we simply clarify a reference to golf lessons. In section 2, we add clarifying language concerning a minimum investment so that it's consistent with language that's found in subsection B1. And in section 3, we delete obsolete language and update references. The initial selection of organizations occurred before July 1, 2012 and the current process is set out in language. That is not being deleted. And with that I'm happy to answer any questions. Seeing none, I would appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? the bill Representative Gazaway is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 176, Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. With a vote of 90, 0 nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 177 Gasway to make technical corrections to Title 17 of the Arkansas Code Concerning Professions, occupations, and businesses. Representative Gazaway, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this actually is the most extensive of the technical correction bills that we have, it makes a number of changes, but once again, uh, these have all been approved by the judiciary Committee and the Code Revision Commission, and I don't think that you want me to go through each one of those. So with that, if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them. Seeing none, I would appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Gazaway has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Gazaway is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 177. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot With a vote of 91, 0 nay, and 0 present. Bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 214. 14 by Representative Underwood to add 2nd degree murder to the list of offenses that are ineligible for notorious furlough. Representative Underwood, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Um, as the title says, this bill just makes 2nd degree murder ineligible for uh the meritorious furlough program. So currently, um, You could, if you're to be eligible for the program, which is basically getting out of prison for good behavior for up to 5 days. Uh, the first criteria to be eligible for that is not being listed in, uh, in not being convicted of any of the crimes in 1229102. And so all this does is add second degree murder to that, which is an intentional killing. I'm happy to try to answer any questions. See, I appreciate a good vote. Representative Underwood has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Underwood is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 214. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. As everyone voted? Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. by a vote of 86, 2 nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 134134 representative Longstrom to amend the law concerning the public school employee health benefit advisory Commission and to amend the law concerning the state employee health benefit advisory Commission. Representativestrom, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you. This simply amends the frequency of meetings for public school health employee commission. Currently, they meet 12 times a year at $500 a meeting. Plus travel. This takes it down to 4 times a year and $100. Any questions? Thank you. Representative Lindstrom has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Lundstrom is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 134. the machine, Madam Clerk. So everyone voted, everyone voted. Cast up the ballot The vote of 90, 0 nay, and 2 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 500 Representative Wayne to require a legislative study of workforce and social services reform and to require consideration of legislation necessary to address issues identified during the study. Representative Wing, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, SB 50 is the result of some work that really began right after our last session. We had multiple conversations with constituents of mine and probably a few constituents of yours as well who are coming up with issues, and this is for folks who are for the primarily on midterm, long-term government assistance and wanting to get off of that assistance. They're doing everything that we want them to do, uh, with the assistance they're receiving. They're trying to get education, they're trying to learn and grow, but we found Through the multiple routes of people to receive assistance that sometimes they actually conflict with each other and form some unintended consequences. And so what would happen is, is somebody, like for instance, this happened to a constituent of mine. Got a $2000 raise, which was great. The boss was recognizing their good hard work, but the problem was by receiving and accepting that $2000 raise, they were going to lose $4000 in benefits. So it was a net negative and so that has a harmful effect on what we're trying to achieve with the assistance as well. So what SB 50 does is it addresses this situation in a comprehensive way. And what we do is we set up a, uh, through our existing Legislative framework, uh, through an ALC subcommittee, which is the hospital and Medicaid Studies subcommittee. They would be on a quarterly basis receive input from government resources outside of government resources, and then we'd come together at the end of quarterly meetings so that we would have recommendations available for the next legislative session on how to deal with this, to eliminate these fiscal cliffs. These again are unintended consequences, well intended, but we're talking about things like SNAP benefits, TANF, uh, CHIP, many of the others. And so when they received these, we have a situation where these fiscal cliffs and the one that I experienced, uh, with, uh, with our constituent of 2000 and 4000, sometimes it's multiple. People have to earn maybe $10,000 more just to get to that next hitch. So this has uh received widespread support, uh, in the committee we had, uh, people testifying, uh, from everybody from Arkansas Advocates for Children and Family to, uh, the mayor, uh, Mayor Dunbar of Louisville came and gave some wonderful testimony about how this can affect the rural community as well. We want to address this for two reasons. One is obviously financially, we, uh, we have a, we have a huge financial uh section of our budget that is attributed to this, but really it's about the human. Capital. It's about people achieving the best and the most that they can. And when we put these artificial limits unintended artificial limits against them. It, it stifles that progress. And so if we can get, um, through collaboration. An opportunity for a critical mass of like-minded people together to, uh, uh, come up with a good result, which is self-reliance and self-sufficiency for our citizens. That's what SB 50 does. Happy to take any questions. I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you. Representative Wing has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. For the bill Representative Wing is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 50. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. As everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With a vote of 89 0 nay, and 2 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 137 Representative Acre to permit healthcare providers to maintain medical records in an electronic format. Representative Acer, you are recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this bill, uh, permits for healthcare providers to store, uh, their electronic, their records, uh, patient records electronically as long as the information is reproducible and legible and can produce the exact same, uh, I guess, content that is in the hard copy. So there are some federal preemptions, um, that this would not impact. But again, this is a simple bill that just allows uh for if you can produce an electronic copy that is as legible and carries all the same content as the hard copy. You do not have to be forced to hold hard copies. no Representative Bakker has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Representative Bakker is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of Senate Bill 137. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. With a vote of 93, 0, nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 180 180 by Representative Ladyman to exempt providers in the program of all inclusive care for the elderly from the licensing requirements for home health care services. Representative Ladyman, you are recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, colleagues, we have 3 hospitals in the state, uh, Saint Bernard's and Jonesboro Baptists and Little Rock and Washington Regional up in Fayetteville that run a program they call all-inclusive Care for the elderly. It's primarily a day program, um, What this bill does, it basically just codifies what they're already doing, uh, they operate now without a license, and they've discussed whether we need a license or not need a license. They've talked about getting a, uh, Uh, home healthcare services license, but that don't fit. So basically all this bill does is says they can continue to run the programs that they run as they do. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Ladyman has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. before the bill Representative Ladyman is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 180. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. The vote of 91, yeah, 0 nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 213. Centinel 213 by Representative Pilkington to create the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Acts, and to amend Arkansas law to improve maternal health in this state. Representative Pilkington, you recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is the exact same bill that we passed a few weeks ago. It, this house version just was passed out of the Senate. Uh, it's gonna be signed by the governor tomorrow afternoon. This is just a companionen version. So just vote the way you voted last time. Thanks. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Pilkington has explained the bill, would anyone like to speak against the bill. Representative Mayberry, you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I know I've already done this, and I know you've already heard it, and I know you'll probably vote the exact same way. I'm not trying to influence any of you. We all have to answer to our constituents, and that's all I'm trying to do, because when my constituents here that I voted against a healthy mom's healthy, healthy babies bill, they're gonna be quite confused because all that's in this bill up until the last 3 lines, I'm abs, but when you get to the last three lines of this bill. On page 4 That is the line. I cannot cross. I have stood here before you and before people all across the state saying that I value life in the womb. As valuable. As life outside the womb. And with these three lines here. This changes in our law in the state that's considered the number one pro-life state in the Union. We are now Making it to where If an incident happens during childbirth, before the child takes a first breath, that that child has less rights. than the child After being born. I just wanna make sure you all understand that. Because that's the way this is going to be interpreted from here on out. You can If a if an incident, uh, malpractice happens after the baby's born. You have up until The child is 11 years old. But if it happens during childbirth. You haven't told a child is 5. And again, I'm gonna point out And I've talked to a whole bunch of kindergarten teachers over the last few days. A lot is not determined till until the child is over 5. At 5 is when you enter kindergarten. You're seeing some professionals for the first time. You're seeing that school teacher, and OT, a PT. A speech therapist. And you can't even get a neuropsych test until you're over the age of 5, and I actually had a teacher who said, lucky if you get it at 5, it usually doesn't even happen until after that. So we won't even be able to evaluate really what is the long-term effect. Of what may have happened. Before the child. Y'all vote your conscience. I love each and every one of you, but I have to explain why I'm a no on a really fantastic bill otherwise. Representative Mayberry spoke against the bill. Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Against the bill Representative Pilkington, you're recognized to close for the bill. Once again, just like to say, this is the exact same bill that we, we already passed. Uh, I, I, I know these things have been deliberated, uh, before, but I, I just want to let you know that, you know, we have this language and it's, it's during the act of childbirth is what we're talking about the limit of 5 years. We have to win around surrounding states. Louisiana, it's one year, Tennessee, it's one year. The average is around 6 years, we chose 5, You know I, I can understand the concern. Um, I have many friends who have children who are in speech therapy, occupational therapy, who have young kids who are below the age of 5 who are in these programs, but Their pediatrician. Who was trained any medical doctor is the one who did this and, and I trust those pediatricians to help determine those things and The lawsuits happens before their 5th birthday, it starts something called trolling, I believe I'm pronouncing that correctly, uh, if there is a concern, they can bring it then and then that starts the process and I think a way to think about it is pause the clock, so that there's ways to be remedied, um, I, I can appreciate representatives, uh, concerns about letting teachers identify these issues, but, uh, I'm putting my faith in the pediatricians who see these kids, so but that asks for a good vote. Representative Pilkington is closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 213. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. As everyone voted, So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. With a vote of 76 6 nay, 9 present. The bill is passed. Representative Meeks, for what purpose? motion. You're recognized in accordance with House Rule 33M. I move we adjourn until 11 a.m. tomorrow morning. That's a proper motion. It's non-debatable. All those in favor say aye. Josene, guys have it. I have announcements from committees. Representative Jean, for what purpose? Announcement. Recognized a joint budget will meet at 9 a.m. Uh, Big Mac A. Representative Cozart, for what purpose? Announcement. 10 o'clock in room 138. Representative Underwood, for what purpose? You're recognized House Judiciary will meet tomorrow at 10 o'clock. Representative Wooldridge, for what purpose? Announcement you're recognized. Public health will meet tomorrow morning room 1:30, 10 a.m. Representative Pierce, for what purpose? You're recognized. Speaker. The Arkansas State Police reception is canceled for tonight, postponed until Monday the 24th, this. Any other committee announcements. Seeing none of the desk will remain open as needed for the reading of the bills and upon completion of the items named in the adjourned motion. The House will be adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow. Representative Schultz, for what purpose? You're recognized.