Senate Convenes

right. Senate will be called to order. Are there any requests for leave at this time, Senator, you're recognized. Leave requests for Senator Clark, Senator King. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Please call the roll. Hm Bo, Brant, Caldwell, Clark, Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismay, Dotson, English Flippo, flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Mike Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Lee, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, stone, Stubberfield. Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would please rise. We will be led. By a prayer by Senator Dee's followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Des you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Members, let's pray today, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna read Proverbs 3 in a prayer if, if you don't mind this morning. Lord, thank you for today. Thank you for, um, Giving us the ability to be here today and every day is not guaranteed. We don't know what tomorrow brings, but we can trust that you are before us, and so we ask that you keep our eyes fixed on you. And as your word says in Proverbs 3, we ask that you do not let us forget your teaching. We keep your commands that we know that it'll bring peace and prosperity and that the most important thing that we trust in the Lord with all of our heart and and lean not on our own understanding in all our ways that we submit to you. We know that you'll keep our path straight and so Lord, that's our prayer today, that's our heart. We want to be attuned to you and who you are, because we know that that that's the most important thing, Lord, we ask that you give us your wisdom, not man's, not our own understanding. We know that you have given us a chance to represent the fine people of Arkansas, and we don't take that lightly. And so we asked for your help in doing that. As for the help of, of you first and each other second, that we do that, do that well. in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to. States of America and it's for which it stands. Yeah. So. Thank you, Senator Dees for those words, ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas State Senate. It is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum during today's proceedings and govern yourselves accordingly. Without objection, the rules will be suspended and the Senate will dispense with the reading of the journal. The morning hour has now begun. Don't believe we have any Senate pages today. We do, and OK, Senator Rice, you're recognized to introduce our senator, our Senate pages for today. Thank you, Madam President. These 3 pages of today are from uh Senator Love's district, and we welcome them, Angelica Escobar. Is that correct? You'll come up and stand right here. Carl Weston. Did I do right and Langston Lewis, these are all from Hall West High School. Please welcome them to the Senate today. Y'all for me. Thank you, Senator Rice and welcome to our pages for today. Are there any other announcements or introductions at this time. Senator Stone, you're recognized for an announcement or introduction. Uh, yes, um, um, Governor today is nurses's Day at the Capitol, and we have 50 nurses students from Southark College, which is located in El Dorado in my district, they're up here in the gallery today, so I would y'all please stand? I just want to recognize these young men and women that are going to school to learn how to be our nurses. We need our nurses in the hospital. We appreciate y'all and thank you for thank you for being here today. Thank you so much. Senator, thanks, Senator Stone, and thank you to these students and future nurses. Any other announcements or introductions. See no other Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk? Were your Committee on grossed bills whom wed Senate Bill 1403 by Senator King compared the gross copy of the ritual and finds them correctly engrossed judiciary. We a committee on gross bills to his first sent Bill 202 by Senator Hickey compared the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Transportation. We'reit on gross bills who referred House Bill 1245 by Senator Irving and Representative Clowney, uh, compared the engrossed copy of the original and find I correctly engrossed. Public health. Senate Bill 224 by Central Stone to repeal the law concerning the natural organic fertilizers, Senate Bill 124 224. Agriculture. Senate Bill 225 by Centra Scott to require the Arkansas Medicaid program to provide a category for beneficiaries with sickle cell disease by 225. Public health symbol 226 by Senator Letting. To amend the sudden cardiac arrest Prevention Act and to modify the requirements for professional development in school districts related to student cardiac arrest symbol 226. Education Any other items at the desk. Other announcements. Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized for an announcement. I think many of our county clerks are here today. I have Phyllis Rhys and Rhonda Blevins appeared in the West Gallery, you might, you might find somebody you know up there and they have some of their deputies. Welcome, welcome today and, and give, give them a hand. Thank you, Senator. Any other announcements or introductions. If no further business to come before the body in the morning hour. The morning hour has expired. We will now begin the business agenda. We will begin with Senate resolution 14. Senator Hammer. Senate Resolution 14 by Senator Hammer and Senator King to recognize February 9 through 15, 2025 as Eureka Springs, FBLA week. Senator Hammer You're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't see Senator King, but if he's here, and I just don't see him on leave. Sorry. Thank you. Uh, gentlemen and ladies of the Senate, this is a resolutionrecognizing February 9th through the 15th as Eureka Springs, FBLA, whereas the future business leaders of America, also known as the FBLA as a nonprofit education organization whose first high school chapter was established in Johnson City, Tennessee, and whereas I we became the first state chapter of future Business Leaders of America. Ea Springrings High School officially chartered its local chapter on on the future business leaders of America on October 31st, 1972. This is a recognition of their established leadership. They were unable to be here this week due to some concerns about the weather earlier, but we wanted to go ahead and get them recognized while we were during this week of which we want to recognize them. I will make it on a personal note. Eureka Springs will always hold a special spot in my heart, uh, because when my wife and I got married, 46 years ago we honeymooned at the Crescent Hotel, and so it's always been a special spot in our heart, and we did not haunt it, I promise you. So with that, I'd ask for a good vote on this resolution, please. Thank you, Senator Hammer. All those in favor of Senate resolution 14 to recognize February 9th through 15, 2025 as Eureka Springs FBLA Week, please signify by saying I, and he opposed as habit, Senate resolution 14 is adopted. We will now take up Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 17. Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 17. Senator Love, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor, uh, members, this is an amendment that was put on for the state prosecutors. I appreciate a good vote. Thank you, Senator Love. All those in favor, please signify by saying I, any opposed, I habit, Amendment is adopted, please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 186. Amendment one, the Senate Bill 186. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, members. This is just an amendment to strike through some language that was originally supposed to have been struck to before I sent it in for introduction, so it's just making sure the language is corrected. Thank you, Senator Bryant. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye, and he opposed, I have it. Amendment is adopted. Please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to House Bill 1049. Senator Caldwell. Amendment 1 to House Bill 1049. Senator Caldwell, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. This just corrects some sponsors and co-sponsors or co-sponsors on it, so I asked for a good vote. Thank you, Senator. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? I have it. Amendment 1. To House Bill 1049 is adopted, please send to engrossing. Amendment 1 to House Bill 1075. Amendment 1 the House Bill 1075. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, members. This is a bill that I ran last week that we referred to City County Local for amendment, um, got the amendment, had the discussion, so this is just the result of that. Thank you. Thanks, Senator Bryant. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed, I have it. Amendment 1 to House Bill 1075 is adopted policing. engrossing. We are passing over Senate Bill 12. We will take up Senate Bill 90 Senator English. Senate Bill 90 by Centra English. To require members of the public to be afforded the opportunity to present public comment at each meeting of a school district board of directors. Senator English, you're recognized. Thank you very much. So members basically what this bill does is it requires school boards to have a comment period. Many, unfortunately, many of the school boards around the state of Arkansas do not have an opportunity for their um Taxpayers to come and voice their opinion about things that are on the agenda. Some of them don't even have an agenda. So what this does is it requires that every school board have an opportunity, a comment period for taxpayers to come and do how long that people get to talk or what who gets to talk that's strictly up to the local board, but basically this just says they have to have a comment period. Any questions for Senator English. Senator Hammer, pardon me, not me. I was like, No, you're send her English. You're not Sinerhammer. Sinderhammer, you are recognized for a question. Thank you, ma'am. Would you clear up one thing for me, Senator English, certainly not post to the idea at all, but the question was raised to me about is does is it mandated in the law that it has to be done at the beginning of the meeting, or can it be later? Yes, that's what the law says at the beginning at the beginning of the Me and it can't be a personnel issue. It can't be talking about a teacher or a student or anything like that, it has to be on the agenda. OK, and I'm sorry, I was not the education meeting were there any concerns expressed that a lot of times students will come and they'll get their awards and then, you know, they're allowed to leave. How is it addressed in committee that students that might be there for special awards or things such as that nature that may not want to stay around but would have to stay around in the event that there was excessive public comment before that and how is that addressed? I think that the school board can work that out. I don't think that there's anything that says they can't have that, but this is before a business meeting so they can have all of those things happen and still have opportunity for public comment. OK, thank you. I see Senator Stone and Senator Mark Johnson. Senator Stone, you're recognized. Senator English. I have the same concerns that Senator Hammer had, but the way I read it, it looks like it's mandatory that they start with the remarks before the business meeting, right, so they need to recognize students, they have the flexibility to do that. Well, I'm good with the bill then. Thank you. Senator Mark Johnson, I see Senator Hickey. Thank you, Madam President. Senator English I vote for this bill. I just needed some assurances from you about some things. I did get some inquiries from some of my school board members in my district, and they have a comment period, but I did learn that we have many districts around the state that not only don't have that, they don't think they have to listen, and I'm, I was dismayed to understand we have school boards that don't know that the First Amendment's not just about freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but it's also about the public to petition their government for redress of grievance, and I found that one large district, a little bit north of your district, uh, required people to register 10 days in advance and had some serious limitations, and I, I think it's a good bill, but I want to be able to guarantee my folks that they control the process and just like in your committee or any other committees we have here, the chair can do things to facilitate the One of the fears that my school board members' voiced was that an organized group that wanted to disrupt or had some problems with policies could get 30 people to show up, each getting 3 minutes of time or something and how it would totally disrupt it. Is there anything in the bill that would prohibit them from coming up with rules to just like we have to do in committees where we have a limited amount of time that it be cut off and allowed those people maybe to come back later. Is that permissible under this? I mean, basically this isn't telling you what what they have to do, um, and it doesn't set a time limit, they could decide one minute or you just like we do in our in our in our sessions, but I'm with you. I was just absolutely amazed that there are school boards across the state that don't have that opportunity, and they don't even have an agenda for published ahead of time, so this is basically saying that have to do it, how they do it is up to them. I think that makes it a good bill. I did find one person that said that they had a school board member or two that said they didn't believe they were public officials, and I think this is probably a good reason why we've moved the school board elections to the regular election time so everybody remembers they are elected officials and accountable to the public. Thank you, Senator. Very good. Senator Hickey, you're recognized for a question. Senator English, I hear what you're saying. But I guess, maybe I'm reading it wrong or maybe, maybe I'm reading this different. So you said that somebody cannot speak as it would relate to a personnel matter or a student, correct? But the way I'm reading is different. Because if you look at page, or excuse me, on the first page lines 33 or 34. I'll just use 33 just so it says public comment that prejudice is a board of directors concerning a student or personnel matter that is on the agenda. So, so the thing is, as I understand you you couldn't talk about one if it was actually on that day's agenda, but I see nothing here that's gonna limit somebody from coming in and talking about a student. Just, you know, if if that's not on the agenda, they probably can't do it. Well, but we're, but we're allowing them We're allowing them up in line 28. We are we're actually making the board that says any member of the public shall be afforded the opportunity to give public comment on, on the matter. So then the only limitation that I see powers and duties of the board of directors. Well, that would be personnel matters also though is what I'm saying. I think basically we've we've tried to cover that, that people do not get an opportunity to just to come in and and start talking about a teacher or a coach or a student or whatever the case may be, and I appreciate that, but I don't, I don't read it that way. I read it the exact opposite. I read that, that that specific instance on 33 and 34 has to be on the agenda so that it can't be Talked about. But no, but if it's not on the agenda, everything's open. I beg your pardon if it's not on that day's agenda. In any and all discussion is open. No, I don't think I think we're talking about what's on the agenda. Everybody gets sees the agenda within 24 hours before the meeting. They know what's on the agenda and they get just like at our committee meetings, they get to come and make a public statement on the agenda items, and it, but it can't be on the personnel. Well, respectfully, the, the bill doesn't say this. It, it says, however, a member of the public shall not provide public comment that prejudices the board of directors concerning a student or personal matter that is on the agenda for the board of directors' consideration of a disciplinary or employment action. So If I'm on, if I'm on there for a personnel matter if I'm unemployee, then you couldn't, then if you wanted to get public comments, you couldn't talk about me. But if you wanted to come in and start talking about Senator Irvin, and I'm using an employee or if she was a student, if she's not on the agenda, you're going to be allowed to talk about her the way I read it according to this bill that way. I'm sorry. Yes, ma'am. That's not how I see it. and then Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Madam President. Senator, English I too support the objective here. I'm concerned about the language, uh, line 28 when it says any member of the public shall be afforded the opportunity to give public comment. That seems to individualize that. And in your opening comments you stated, you know, that they could still set the constraints and time frame or whatever, but based on the language there where it says any member. If any member of the public was denied the opportunity to speak. Then it would violate that sentence that says any member shall be, and so that's coming down to every individual that wants to speak shall be afforded the opportunity to speak and that could go on indefinitely, uh, I'm concerned about that language. Can you clarify that any? Well, if you look at our own committee meetings, sometimes they run lengthy because we have people who want to speak, but as a committee chair, I can set the time limit on how long people can speak and, and I, I think we're looking for, sometimes we look for the 200 people that are going to show up when most school board meetings don't have one or two people maybe that show up and in today's world right now, a lot of people don't ever show up because they don't know about it, maybe, and they aren't given that opportunity. And so if that were worded to say the public shall be afforded a time to speak, then that that's fine, but a lot of times in our committee meetings we run out of. and there are people who are there who don't get to speak and the way that language on line 28 says any member, that seems to speak to every individual instead of just in general I have heard some, some folks who have some concerns about who the who that might be. That really could be a, you could say it had to be somebody that lived in that school district or somebody who lived in the state and not somebody who lives in Alaska coming to talk that that could be a decision who that who that who could be that group. Well, again, I appreciate the objective. I'm more concerned about the language. Thank you. all of it. Thank you, Madam President. So um I'm speaking to Senator Hickey's point and the line before that. And that he makes in line 29 shall be afforded the opportunity to speak to public comment on any matter that is within the powers and duties of the board. I don't know if it's within the powers of the duty of the board to speak publicly. In the general meeting. And that would kind of may constrain the line after that. I'm not sure, but that's the way I would read that. Senator Petty, you're recognized for a question. Thank you Madam President. I, like everyone else, I, I agree with what we're doing, what we're attempting to do here, just a clarification, you, I think, answered one of my questions, but just to make sure I fully understood you're, you're allowing the local board to say if it's on the agenda, then they can speak to it and if it's not on the agenda or if it's about an individual, then they, they, the chair of the board can say no, no can do as well as uh what You just said regarding who could speak. You couldn't have somebody from California that's, you know, really doesn't have a vested interest unless maybe they had a grandchild at the school or something, but it's it's still up to the local jurisdiction, the local board, to determine who they will allow in their in their policies, OK? All right. Thank you. Try to make it as simple as possible, so leave it up to the locals to make those decisions for themselves, but the fact is they have to have a board meeting and they have to let people speak. Senator Martin Johnson, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President, and I don't want to belabor the point, Senator English, but uh and I, and I, I like the language in Section 1, it says that uh any member of the public shall be afforded the opportunity to give public comment on any matter that is within the powers and duties of the board of directors as provided under 613, 620, which means to me, something doesn't have to be on their current agenda for them to be able to make comment. am I reading that correctly and I I know Senator just made so while there's some, you can't talk about a personnel matter or it's kind of an ad ad hominem thing about a teacher or student or something. I, I get that. But if it's a, a generalized thing that's within the jurisdiction of the school board, this would allow them to come in and say, hey, I've noted this issue and I want to speak to you so that I am correct in interpreting it. OK, thank you, Senator. Thank you, Madam. President. Any other questions for Senator English? Anyone wish to speak against? Anyone wish to speak for the bill. Senator English, Senator English has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Objection noted. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Bo Bo Boen Brant. Caldwell, Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowe, Crowe, Davis. This, this man, this mine This, this man, this man Datson English Flipper flowers. Gilmore. Hammer, Hester, Hickey Hill. Irvin. Irvin Blake Johnson, Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson, King Le letting love, McKee. McKee Murdoch. Murdoch? Titan. Penza Right Patty. Rice rice Scott. So. Saba Phil. Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senator wished to vote who did not vote or which change your vote. I see Senator Kroll present. I see Senator McKee. I I see Senator Rice. I Senator Caldwell present. Any other senators wish to vote who did not vote, wish to change your vote. Senator Johnson present. Senator Blake Johnson, that is. Any others. Seeing no others, please cast up the ballot by vote of 24 yeah, 1 nay, 2 not voting, 6 present and 2 on leaves. Senate Bill 90 passes, please transmit to the house. Senate Bill 135. Senator Boyd. Senate Bill 135 by Senator Boyd to amend the election requirements in the case of an unchanged rate of an annual adverlarum poverty tax levied at by a public school district board of directors. Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Thank you. So this bill in, I don't know about everybody's school district, but in Fort Smith, we had a situation where there was an unopposed millage election. So what happens with millage elections is there is a constitutional requirement that requires an election every, every year. So what happens is even whether the people vote for the village or against the village, it doesn't change anything. And so people show up and they vote and it's confusing. Because they voted for something or against something and nothing changes. The only way with a millage election that something changes is if there's actually a change, and then you, then your vote does matter. So what this bill does is it creates a process by which if there's an unchanging village that the school board, it outlines several thing uh two or three things that a school board can do to create an unopposed election just like we do with a post school boards and so that that said, I'm this bill maintains transparency, follows the constitutional mandate of having an election while minimizing resources to fund what amounts to basically a public opinion poll by maintaining a process for an unopposed election just like we do with unopposed school board elections. Questions for Senator Boyd. Saying no questions anyone wish to speak against or for Senator Dimaying is recognized to speak against. Uh, thank you, and we had a brief brief conversation about this prior to I guess, you know, running this bill, but my, my, my concern is, is like I understand it's public opinion poll, and I understand that it's problematic when there is no other election, but I do think school boards should know how people feel about the spending of these dollars, and it is a place for the public to have the right to do that. Um, I don't know if there's another way to fix it so that if there is nothing else on the ballot and we're having to have an election just for this sole issue, that's one thing we should talk about and, and as far as school board elections, that that is also problematic in and of itself. You have districts in the state that have almost outright prevented school board elections from occurring again, so I, I want the public engaged and involved as they want to be. I completely understand that we don't need to have elections for this type of thing that may have 5 people show up, but if it were tied to a general election or something else, then I think it would be completely necessary and something that should be seen. Anyone wish to speak for or against. Seeing no one, Senator Boyd, you're recognized to close. Thank you, Madam President. So, um, I think that what I'm gonna ask the body as much as I really, really did not want to go back to education. I'm going to it pains me to have to go back to education, but I'm going to ask to pull this down today and see if we can't work out some amendments because Senator Dodson also pointed out there's a problem in the process that we were going to fix on the house in, but I'm not confident we can solve Senator Disma's concern down on the House end, I think we're going to have to solve that before we bring it back. So with the body's permission, I'd like to pull it down and re-refer it to education for amendments. Right, Senator Tucker, you are recognized. I believe that you have a. Thank you, Madam President. I'm asking that we move all of the bills that I'm the sponsor up to the bottom of the Senate agenda. Thank you with that objection, we're going to move all of Senator Tucker's bills that he is sponsoring to the bottom of the Senate agenda today. We will go down to Senate Bill 180. Senate Bill 180 by Centra Sullivan. To exempt providers in the program of all-inclusive care for the elderly from the licensing requirements for home health care services. Senator Sullivan, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Folks, many of you are familiar with the PACE program. That's what, uh, all-inclusive care means they have been providing these in-home and services for the elderly for years. Uh there became some question whether they were qualified through Medicaid and Centers for Medicaid just asked that we run a bill to clarify that they are an approved provider for Medicaid. That's all this bill does. It ran in public health yesterday. No comments or opposition. for Medicaid or others, and I would ask for a good vote. Any questions for Senator Solomon. Seeing no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote. Saying none, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismay, Dotson English flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love McKee Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Hetty, rice, Scott, stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33A, 0 nay, Senate Bill 180 passes, please transmit. To the house. Senate Bill 203. Symbol 203 by Centra Hester to amend the law concerning outdoor recreation activities and recreational tramways and to create a recreational tramway system for a state parks and for other locations in the state. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, we know that Arkansas is we've had this great natural state initiative, Arkansas is continuing to grow in our recreation and hospitality and all the great things the state has to offer on the outdoors. In continuing to add on to that. We know that Arkansas is now the number one mountain biking destination in the world and to continue to add on to that, we have had a great announcement last week for the the the intent to build two what I would call a bike lift, the same as we see at ski resorts where you get on a uh a lift that takes you up to the top of the mountain to ski down. There's been an announcement for two bike lifts in the state of Arkansas. Uh, one would be in Bella Vista. and the the big one, the fancy one, will be in Mina, Arkansas, and it's gonna be transformational for that area. But for somebody to come invest significant amounts of money in these. We understand that there are inherent risks when you get on top of a mountain and you get on a bicycle to go down the mountain. There are going to be a crashes, and they're gonna be lots of crashes, but what we are, the intent here is to say that we We want these people to come. We want this outdoor recreation, but we also want to give them some protections from some of the liabilities when people ultimately crash. Now I think there's something important about this bill to understand. It does not remove liability from the owner or operator if they act in a negligent way if they do some, if they fail to do something they should have done, right? If, if they act negligently or fail to do something they should have done, they absolutely are still held responsible. So there's two ways that we're going to make sure that this happens. There's a national standards uh for aerial tramways, aerial lifts, surface lifts, tows, conveyors, and safety requirements. This is what they are today, 207 pages of regulation that we are putting in our standards that they have to meet and see standards. OK, if they meet ANSI standards, which is this today 207 pages. Um, that they That they are qualify to be able to get these uh protections from liability. OK, how do you meet these? How do you, how, how do you become anti-certified? Well, number one, you meet these standards, but one of the most important parts is you agree to one of two things, an annual inspection. Uh, to meet these standards with somebody that understands ski lifts or bike lifts, uh, or, you know, these toes and conveyors. Or every annually or every 2000 hours of its operation. So it could be more than one time a year. So that means you meet the ANSI standards, right? Somebody goes, they do a full inspection of, of the whole operation, uh, that, and that could be an independent inspector that will be somebody that has an understanding of this. That person may or may not be representing the state of Arkansas. OK, it could be a third party inspector. Uh, the other way is we allow Department of Labor and Licensing. OSHA, they can go anytime they want to go, right? If there's a call, if there's a concern, if there's an accident, if there's a death, they might go 365 days in a year to these. So it does not remove the government's oversight of this. Now, do I know what that will look like? I do not. Does labor and licingly know what that will look like? They do not, because we don't have it yet. But if we start to build these things, labor and licensing will produce rules. that they believe are appropriate. Those rules will come to this legislature, and we will agree. So their rules may say that they want Every 500 hours or quarterly that the state wants to come and look. So we, we are leaving it open for the state labor and licensing to determine what is appropriate on a state's perspective for safety for the people. But at the end of the day, I think far more compelling than that is our commitment to meet these American national standards, uh, for safety. And this is why we've seen recently a couple of um airplane crashes, right? And if there's one, we may not think much about it, but if there's 2 or 3, we all start to worry a little bit about airplanes. Right? In the same way, if we read about one failure on a ski lift or a bike lift somewhere else, you think, uh, but if there's 2 or 3 somewhere, we start to really become concerned. And we don't want to be concerned, right? We want to be able, we want people to be able to come in or the state to invest significant amounts of money in these lifts to be safe and to be operating uh operating really well. So we pulled these, we pulled this bill that we're doing is something that is, it's not Standard, but it's typical language that we've pulled from other states that are doing this like Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, uh Alaska. Utah, a lot of other states, Idaho, have this very similar language. Arkansas has our own. We took parts from all of them. But that's where we came up with what we've got. I'm happy to answer any questions. Questions for Senator Hestra I see Senator Payton. You're right. Thank you, Madam President, uh appreciate the good presentation there. I don't see a fiscal impact. So are we expecting this to all be private investment, privately operated and if does this bill that we're voting on today create any bonds or or Incentives or anything that would create a fiscal impact to us down the road, or is that all going to be voted on down the road if it's proposed, right? Yeah, this bill has zero fiscal impact. This is only to do if someone invest, invest, uh, invest in a project. I, I, I currently expect that the announcement that was this past week was, there will be one that is privately owned in Northwest Arkansas, and there will be one that will be on some state land uh at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. And around the Mina area, uh, that that will be on state or federal land, mostly on federal land, and at that point, that will be owned by that, but will be leased out in a vendor situation, which we do on all of our state parks, so the expectation is privately owned, privately operated, and invested with without any state grants or anything that are currently being proposed. Well, again, I will say that has nothing to do with this bill on the funding currently correct. No, no state funding. OK. Thank you er fiscal impact. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Blake Johnson, you'll recognize her question, Senator, this might be a, would you agree question, but, uh, would it be safer for someone to come back in eastern and southern Arkansas where the where the worst you can do is, is wear a life jacket if you hit a ditch or or a helmet. I, I would agree that would be safer and it would also be way less fun. Thank you. One. Any other questions for Senator Hickey. You're recognized for. Thank you, Senator Hester, and I appreciate you looking up the ANC code and looking at the other states because that was a The point that we wanted to find out, and it sounds like they have to be independent and the only thing, and I'm not looking to hold it up here, I just want us to make 100% sure. It says within the anti code, I think that you just said, and again, I just heard that that every 2000 hours, the only thing that I would want us to make sure is that on page 7, Uh Lines 89, and 10. We did, we did put in there that that provided, however, that the compliance of the ANC ski lift code in effect within the preceding 6 months shall be sufficient to comply with the subdivision, which is correctly above or is exactly right above. It says that that would be sufficient. So the only thing is if somebody wants to really get to going and they operate more than, you know, if they go 10,000 hours or 8000 hours or something. I just, I don't know why we put that one paragraph in there because if somebody's doing a whole lot of hauling they might exceed 2000 hours. No Well before that 6 months. So this, I know that would have been unintentional, but since we have now heard it, it's supposed to be every 2000 hours, and that is an ANSI requirement. I just want to make sure that we have not somehow eliminated that requirement with that paragraph, if that makes sense. That paragraph is actually talking about if antsy, as they tend to do update their standards that we have, you have 6 months to become, to becoming compliant. If update their standards and the standards change, you're only responsible with what standards were there 6 months ago. Uh, because if they vote today, clearly it might take somebody, you know, 30 days or 60 days. We're giving them 6 months to becoming compliant with the standards, um, and still have this protection from liability. OK, so that would just be if they were to were to change the standards and go to 1000 hours in the preceding one would would still allow for the 2000. That's right. That makes sense. Thank you, sir. Any other questions for Senator Hester, Senor Love, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, um, Senator Hester, I'm, I'm, I'm looking and I'm thinking about this, but I haven't been able to read it and not, and in the spirit of it, I, I'm, I'm there with you. But then I began to think about the liability, so we're talking about inspectors and then you, you, you stated that they could be independent inspectors or inspectors out of The Labor Department with that does the state pick up any liability if if something goes awry with one of these lifts or trammies or. Right. So I, I believe the state has no additional liability because we're not changing what they're normal expectations are. The state are going to do the inspections that they want to do, uh, when they want to do them, how they want to do them. Uh, the reason for the two inspections are one of them is, uh, for anti-certification, and we're just saying that does not require a state employee. We're saying a third party, maybe somebody that specializes in trams or bike lifts can come do that inspection for the, for the anti c er t ific ation but that does not remove any responsibility of the state to do their own inspections. OK, but what I'm saying I guess here's what I'm saying. Say for instance, I'm going up on a tray, right? Something happens, it crashes. I don't, I don't know what what can go around, but it does. Now, When someone brings soup. It's a potential that they may bring suit against the state of Arkansas because Arkansas. Labor Department inspected it and said it was OK. I guess that's what I'm, I'm trying to figure out. Do we, do we pick up any liability to this because the state inspector is out there from the Labor Department. I guess that's that, I mean, I always, uh, I'm always thinking about our what happens in the worst case scenario. I just, I can't help to think about that, but I'm just thinking, does the state have any liability in that if we're sending our inspectors out there. My answer to that would be that this clearly, as we see with many of the lawyers in Arkansas, you can get sued for anything for any reason, whether it's valid or not. Uh, but you, but ultimately we, we know that the Constitution of Arkansas protects the state. You can't sue the state in its own courts. OK. All right. Thank you. Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Hester, this looks like a good bill, but when you, I was reading the definition. Are you familiar with something called a cog railway. I am not. Well, it's, it's an interesting thing and I've written on a couple of them, but basically where you have a railroad that wants to go up a mountain, obviously the wheels would spin if it's too too steep a line, but they have it where there is a center track that is like a geared thing and there's actually a gear that pulls itself up, and this can go up very steeply. I love them. But I want to make sure that the bill would cover if someone wanted to do that, which I think is inherently safer than the cable thing and I like those too. I just want to know, would that be considered a tramway. The fact that it rides on rails instead of a cable. I would say it would be included because it says aerial tramways, aerial lifts, surface lifts, tower and conveyors, and safety requirements. So uh in in my opinion, it would be included in that because it's surface. That's right, right. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Penzo, you're recognized. When you, when you said the Landon Mina was public land, um, I'm pretty sure the people in Mina are going to be happy to have a park like this. It seems like it would draw a lot of people got, got me thinking, um, with this bill enable Uh A resort or something like this to be placed on a national river designation like the buffalo. Um, this doesn't talk about resorts at all. Well, I mean, or a tramway or whatever. I mean, it, it would be like a resort because you're gonna have ski lifts. There's going to be amenities around it, um, um, this, that just popped in my head as a potential concern that this might be an attempt to put one on the Buffalo River. Uh, and that that would be a big concern for me. Now I, I appreciate you're extremely hostile question in trying to turn this to a direction it's not at all, but look, this took a question. I just, it just popped in my head. I hadn't thought of it. I was all about this till I thought about the Buffalo River. Sure. Well I appreciate that and and in this particular case, the any resorts or things that would be built in Mina will be built on private land, most likely, uh, but if, if, if somebody chose to go Through the more than the 4 year effort that it took to get this permission to do in Mina, then someone would have the right to spend 4 years dealing with the federal government on something near the Buffalo River. OK, thank you. And like I said, this wasn't a hostile question I would have asked you about it before if it. Your comment made me think of it. Thank you. OK, thanks. Any other questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Hester, you are recognized to close. So members, this is, I think this is a, a, a great deal for the state of Arkansas. I mean, I hope it's something that almost all of us, all of us could support, um, what's good for any part of Arkansas is good for all of Arkansas. Uh, this is something that's going to be a real win for Mina. We're going to get it, it's added on to a lot of the biking attractions in Northwest Arkansas, so we're excited about that. This is a, this is a massive win for Mina. What they're going to be building there is going to be Significant in comparison to what's happening in Northwest Arkansas. So I hope we can all support it. This is a real win for the whole state. Thank you. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Seeing no objection. Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, Dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wished to change his or her vote. Send her flowers present, Senator Murdoch not voting. Any other senator. Tender love present. Seeing no others, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 29, 0, nay, 1 not voting, and 3 present. Senate Bill 203 passes, please transmit to the house. We will now take up The emergency clause only on Senate Bill 209. Again, this is the emergency clause. From yesterday on Senate Bill 209. Senate Bill 209 by Senator Hammer to disqualify signatures obtained by a canvasser under certain circumstances and declaring an emergency. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. This is the emergency calls that was on 209 debated yesterday passed, but it passed about the emergency clause would appreciate a good vote to let the emergency clause go through so that the department can begin to facilitate what needs to be done and also we can move it down to the House. Appreciate a good vote. Any questions, saying no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, lots of objections noted, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. But what? Brant Brandt Caldwell Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowe Davis. Days. Dema Dotson English flippo flowers. Gilmore, Hammer Hester. Yes. Hicky Hill Irvin. Like Johnson. Mark Johnson, King Le letting. Love, McKee Murdoch. Murdoch. Hayden Pena penzo. Patty. Patty, rice, Scott Stone Stuberfield Sullivan Tucker, Wallace senator wished to vote who did not vote, who wish to change your vote. I see Senator Bryant. Yes. Sender Penzo, no. Any other sender who did not vote or who wishes to change his or her vote. Seeing no others, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 22, 8, nay, 3, not voting, the emergency clause to Senate Bill 209 is not adopted. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you. motion to expunge the vote by which the emergency clause failed on Senate Bill 209 and to continue to hold the bill here, not be sent to the house, please. You all heard the motion, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. And he opposed have it motion carries. Mercy clause to Senate Bill 210. Senate Bill 210 by Senator Hammer to require the signer to read the ballot title of the petition in the presence of a canvasser and declare an emergency. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Governor. Same thing on Senate Bill 210. Appreciate a good vote on the emergency clause, so we can go ahead and send the bill down to the House with the emergency clause on. I appreciate a good vote. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Bowen rant. Brant Caldwell Caldwell Clark Le Crowe. Crowe, Davis. Davis Days, this man, Dotson, English. Flipper flowers. Gilmore Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Leloding love. McKee. Murdoch. Hayden. Penza. Patty. Hetty, Rice Scott Stone Stuber Phil Sullivan Tucker. Wallace. Any senator wished to vote who did not vote to wish to change your vote. um Senator Crow, I, any others, Senator Bryant, I And the others Seeing no others, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 22 ya, no nay, 2 not voting. Emotion to adopt the emergency clause to Senate Bill 210 fails, emergency clause is not adopted. Senator Hammer, you're recognized for a motion. Thank you, Madam Governor. Once again, make a motion to expunge vote by which Senate Bill 210 failed to continue to hold it in the House. You all have heard the motion. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. I have it, motion carries. Senate Bill 214. Senate Bill 214 by Central Bryant to add 2degree murder to the list of offenses that are ineligible for notorious furlough, Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. remembers this, this bill was brought to us by a constituent up in northwest Arkansas. She reached out to her local representative about a circumstance she was experienced, whereas in 2019, an individual had murdered the father of her child. He received a a sentence under 2nd degree murder of 20 years to be incarcerated and fast forward into 2024. She gets a call from a loved one who is walking down the streets of the local community and sees the individual that murdered her. Her loved one. Obviously with her confusion, um, and being upset, she gets to the bottom of it and finds out that he was on furlough from the penitentiary. So we, she obviously reached out to her local representative who contacted me as well, and we got to the bottom of it and realized that we have a meritorious furlough program. We have a work release program, and we have an emergency leave program within our prison system. Of those requirements of meritorious release. You just have to have been convicted, have not been convicted of one of the offenses within the statute, of which I'm attempting to add second degree murder. You must have been in the custody of the Department of Correction for one year, not had any major disciplinary actions within 6 months before applying, not every received furlough within the last sixpence of applying do not have any pending felony detainers. Have a willing sponsor, have been approved by your immediate supervisor at the penitentiary and not be serving a life sentence unless you get a higher level of authority. So it begs the question of if we, if we mean what we say that we will not tolerate these types of criminal acts and that if you get sent to prison, you will remain in prison and not maybe potentially after one year, be eligible for a meritorious furlough of such a high crime and second degree murder is intentional murder. It's just not premeditated, and a lot of these are just ple down to that to save the victim or to save the court system, the process and it's accepted by by the willing of the Incarcerated So I would, I would ask that we add this murder in the second degree to be on the list of offenses to include what's already there, which is capital murder, murder in the first degree, kidnapping, rape, stalking, and other offenses of the sexual nature. So with that, I'll be glad to take any questions. Questions for Senator Bryant, Senator Ervin, you're recognized. I would remind members, thank you. Thank you under number 6, any other offense concerning sexual offenses under 514101 with human trafficking be included in that? That's an existing language, um, I do not know what 5:14 101 is. OK, I, I'm supportive of your bill. I would actually ask you to add human trafficking. Into the list. OK, I'm working and as you know on human trafficking, I would, I would love to make sure we're including that. Thank you. You know the questions for Senator Bryant. Seeing no other questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for the bill. Senator Bryant, you're a recognized clothes. Thank you, members. I appreciate your. Thank Senator Bryant. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Seeing no objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, this man Datsun English flippo flowers Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Lee, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice, scotch, stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. My vote of 33, yeah, zero nay, Senate Bill 214 passes, please transmit to the house. We will now take up Senator Tucker's bill, Senator Tucker, you're recognized for emotion. Thank you, Madam President. I've got 8 technical corrections bills here, members, and the good news is I don't think they will take more than 10 minutes each. Um, now I know that's not what, I know that's not what the appetite is with the leadership of Senator Dees and Senator Blake Johnson in committee yesterday. We batched these bills and so in a moment I'm going to make that motion to batch the bills with one exception, Senate Bill 173. Before I do that, I just want to remind the members, all of these bills are technical corrections bills. They come out of the code revision commission. The other legislative members of that committee are Senator Bryant, along with Representative Shepherd and Representative Gazaway, and there are some citizen members as well, and we are very careful about the bills that we categorize as technical corrections if we think there's a substantive change in the law at all. We even if we support it and we say, OK, that's fine, but legislators going to have to run that bill separately because it's a substantive change. All the bills that come out of Code Revision Commission. I'll just give you, and I, I'm happy to answer any questions that any member has, of course, about any of the bills. But for example, in Senate Bill 170, the first one, it simply repeals a section that has expired, so nothing substantive in any of these bills according to the Code Revision Commission. So that's the process that we go through. We divided them equally this session between the House and the Senate, so these are the Senate bills. We'll have the House bills coming later. Senate Bill 173 has a different voting threshold because it amends an initiated act. It actually restores the language back to where it was, so that requires 4 votes, so I would like to do Senate Bill 173 1st and then we can batch the remaining 7 bills, but before I do that, I just want to give any member the opportunity to ask a question about any bill or pull any bill from that batch. Any questions, any requests to pull any other bills from the batch. OK seeing that, then I, I request to batch. I moved to batch Senate bills 170, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176 and 177 after I present Cenel 173. That's the motion. You all have heard the motion, all those in favor, please sign saying I. Any opposed? I have it. We will now take up Senate Bill 173. Senate Bill 173 by Senator Tucker to make technical corrections to Title 7 of the Arkansas Code concerning elections. Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, members. This is the one that requires 24 votes, which is why it's separate. Again, we're just restoring that language back to where it was. I appreciate a good vote. Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, that objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd Brynt Caldwell, Clark Lee, Kroll, Davis, Des, Dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love McKee, Murdoch, Cayton, Pennzo, Petty, rice, stone, Scotstone, Stubberfield, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33, yeah, zero, nay, Senate Bill 173 passes. We will now take up the batch. Senate bill, um 170 by Senator Tucker. To make technical corrections to Title 1 of the Arkansas Code concerning general provisions. Senate Bill 171 by Senator Tucker. To make technical corrections to title 4 of the Arkansas code concerning business and commercial law. December 172 by Senator Tucker to make technical corrections to Title 6 of the Arkansas Code concerning education. 174 by Senator Tucker to make 0 corrections title 8 of the Arkansas Code Concerning environmental law. Senate Bill 175 by Senator Tucker. To make technical corrections to Title 11 of the Arkansas Code concerning labor and industrial relations. Symbol 176 by Senator Tucker, to make technical corrections to Title 15 of the Arkansas Code Concerning Natural resources and economic development. December 177 by Senator Tucker to make 10 corrections to Title 17 of the Arkansas Code concerning professions, occupations, and business. Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, this is a batch. Appreciate a give up. In that in questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. Any objection rolling the boat, seeing none, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, this my thoughts in English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey Hill, Irvin Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King leave letting love M Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wished to change his or her vote on the batch. Seeing no one. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 yeah, 0, nay, Senate bills 170, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176, and 177 all pass, please transmit those to the house. We will now move to House bills. We are passing over HB 1048. We will move to House Bill 1071. Have Hale 1071, my representative Scott. see where the title is. Brown. Senator Bryant, you're Representative Scott and Senator Bryant to amend the Frank Burls Publicity Rights Protection Act of 2016 and to provide protections for an individual whose photographed voice or likeness is is reproduced through means of artificial intelligence and used commercially. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members Representative Richardson brought this to me for my support and to to run it by this body in 2016, we passed the the Frank Boyles Act, which protected the name image and likeness of Arkansans to be not be exploited for commercial gain in 2016, we probably did not envision what technology could do a short 8 years later. If you've ever been to a conference on AI. They can literally take a picture or a video you walking and then manipulate it through AI to look like you are continuing to do things that you are absolutely not doing. So this amends the Frank Boys Act to include without limitations things of likeness that is generated through AI and additionally it adds the ability for AI to manipulate voice to do radio ads, and it only applies to if you are getting commercial gain from the unauthentic version of your voice. And then lastly, an amendment that I added to this, so we'll need to go back to the house for their concurrence, but There was a provision at the end that basically allowed uh a federal, a federal section of code, Section 230, to not consider our property as our Kansass through the Frank Boys Act to be intellectual property by what the federal government said. I disagree with that. I think if we are saying that our name image and likeness is our intellectual property than it should withstand in federal courts as well as our own. So with that, I'll be glad to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Bryant? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Send her your recognized clothes. I'm clothes, Madam President, I appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismaying Datsun English flip of flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester Hickey, Hill, Irvin, like Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wished to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33, yeah, 0, nay. House Bill 1071 passes. Please return to the house. House Bill 1074. Houseville 1074 by Representative Ryan Centra Crowell to amend the property tax relief Trust Fund and require a higher vote threshold for using monies in the property tax relief Trust Fund for purposes other than property tax relief. Senator Crowe, you're recognized. Hey, colleagues, this is exactly what it says. This is to raise the threshold if we wanted to reappropriate the money from the property tax trust fund and do something else with it, which we have done in the past to a very large amount. So this, uh, I believe when the people voted this in and Act 79 in 1999 for property tax relief, that's what they wanted this for. So we are going to go from this this bill will make it go from 50. to 3 quarter to of us to vote to take the money out of the fund, and it can only be used for property tax relief. Any questions for Senator Crow? Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Without objection, Madam Secretary, would you please roll the boat? Right. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King leave, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice, Scott Stone, Steerfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, I see Senator Dotson, no. Any other senator? Seeing no other, Madam Secretary, please cast up the ballot, by a vote of 32 1 nay. House Bill 1074 passes. Please return to the house. House Bill 1145. House 1145 by Representative Whitman, Senator Hill, to increase the purchase amount authorized for additional aftermarket equipment for a new motor vehicle purchased by a county or municipality. Senator Hill, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Colleagues, this bill is just pretty simple. It catches up with inflation. It allows makes them the same cities and counties the same and allows them to go up $2000 on a purchase over the fleet price for accessory parts on their vehicles. That being said, I'll take any questions. Questions for Senator Hill, Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Hill, I think you may recall we had some Audits come through, uh, county municipality committee that had to do with things that were added to vehicles, some, I would say, oversized rims, wheels, and big tires, and I mean I'm not saying that's what it is, but what is the intended and what kind of aftermarket equipment or we were referring to generally and the intent in, in general, any any of that stuff can happen like you just referred to, but on the flip side, you'd be looking at adding a grill. to a truck, a big metal grill or something like that, bumpers, specialized bumpers on the back, that type of equipment, or like 1/5 wheel connection or something like that very well could be. Thank you, Senator Hill. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Dodson, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam Governor. Senator Hill, on this, when you're talking about aftermarket, is this the state bid is for where the vehicle is, but then add-ons before they receive it from Whoever they purchased it from, it can be done that way or it can be From another day, another auto repair shop or accessory place in town, not necessarily on the state bid or through that original purchaser that you were purchasing off of and so it very well could be that as well, and it's a maximum of $2000 not $2000 per accessory. That is correct. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Hill? Say no other questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Hill has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. That objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice, Scott, stone, Stubberfield Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator change his or her boat. Seeing no one please cast up the ballot. My vote of 338 0 name House Bill 1145 as passes as amended, please. Return to the house. House Bill 1199. House Bill 1199 by Representative Barker and Senator Bryant to repeal the statute concerning the prohibited prohibition against a school district board of directors granting a legal transfer under certain conditions. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Remember this uh repeal of language is brought to us by Representative Barker, uh, by way of the plastic Plasky County school system. Currently in statute, there is a rule that requires every member of the school board by affidavit on both the outgoing and receiving school of a student asking for a student transfer on a board to board transfer. To sign an affidavit agreeing that it does not violate a desegregation order. What that does is give veto power to one member of the board regardless of the intent of that transfer. Now any order that's on our schools that is a desegregation order by by way of student transfer of which there's 21 in El Dorado, one in Camden, that is covered by the federal court order, and those members are advised there's a court order to prohibit certain transfers, but there are several schools that are under a federal court order for desegregation has nothing to do with transfers eligibility of a student. It may be facility related or otherwise. With that being said, those schools are still required to sign by individual affidavit every member that they understand the intent of what their counsel is advising them, so any one member could could basically hold up that request. So what this does is repeal the language. The federal court order is still supreme over any action of the state, and those lawsuits, if, if desired will come if somebody attempts to violate it. This just allows those schools not under any type of student DSEG order by the courts to just by majority vote of the board allow those transfers to occur. So with that, I'm happy to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Bryant. Say no questions. Anyone wish to speak against. Or 4. Senator Bryant, you're a recognized clothes. Thank you, Madam President. I appreciate a good vote. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the vote. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Madam Secretary, there was an objection. I'm sorry, no objection. OK, if you make a hand motion at me, I think there's an objection, so I apologize. Hm well, it was this, which is generally considered a hand motion, senator, so, so, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote. There is no objection. Boyd Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Lee, Kroll, Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo Flowers Gilmore, hammer, Hester, Hickey Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Lee letting love, McKee, Murdoch, P. pins out petty rice, Scott stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote, seeing no one please cast up the ballot by a vote. And we do have Senator Flowers present. Any others? Ballot's been cast up by a vote of 31, 1 nay. And one present to House Bill 1199 passes as amended. Please return to the house. Senator Crow, you're recognized. Yes, everybody, I'd like to the Nevada County leadership is up in the VIP. I'd like to welcome them, give them a good welcome, please. Sender hammer, you're recognized for a point of personal privilege also. Thank you, Madam Governor, Senator Matt McKee and I would like to welcome the Sling County leadership class. I think they're in the West gallery. They're they're up there if y'all would give them a warm welcome to Sling County leadership class. We will now take up House Bill 1214, House Bill 1214 by Representative Bentley and Senator Irving to amend the definition of primary instructor within the long-term care aid Training Act. An urban, you're recognized. Thank you. Happy to have our nurses with us today as well. Um, Members, what this does is it amends the definition of primary instructor within the long-term care aid Training Act, uh, we worked with the long term care industry on this piece of legislation, uh, and then an extends, um, and puts a little bit more qualifier into uh the next page two, for those that are going to be instructors, so that we can ensure that those that are instructing have had ample um experience in the long term. care setting. Appreciate any questions. Appreciate a good bit. Any questions for Senator Ervin? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark Leaf, Kroll, Davis, Des, Dima Datsun English flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King leave, letting love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott. Stone, Stuberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace, any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. My vote of 32 yeah zero nay. House Bill 1214 passes. Please return to the house. House Bill 1215. 1215 by Representative Bentley and Central Bryant to authorize the coach of athletics personal personnel member of the opposite sex to address, supervise, or treat student athletes in a multiple occupation restroom or changing area under certain conditions. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members within section of the code 621 120 designates use of public restrooms within the school system based on sex. What this bill does is allow under certain circumstances, especially as defining in the definitions that athletic personnel, meaning directors or other individual individuals actively involved in organizing training, training or coaching events may enter. A restroom of the opposite sex as long as there is they are accompanied by a parent, and it serves the purpose of what activity is going on at that time. So an example would be just going in at halftime if you have, so you have a men's sporting event and you have a female coach and under the current law there'd be a questionable result if that female coach went into the men's restroom or changing area. What this does is give that female coach protections as long as there is another parent present and there's nobody in a state of undress inside the restroom, so this cleans up, gives some protection to our athletic personnel in our schools. Any questions for Senator Bryant. Senator Love, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Governor. Have have we had an instance where this this law is going to be addressing. No, no, none that I've heard of. I think school districts have reached out to represent Bentley based on the bill in 2023 about opposite sex in the different restrooms and just wanting these added protections so there is no question and increases clarity. OK, all right, thank you. Any other questions for Senator Bryant? Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator Bryant, you're a recognized clothes. I am closed, Madam President. Appreciate a give up. Center has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boront Caldwell, Clark Lee, Kroll, Davis, Des, Dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Pennzo, Petty, Bryce, Scott Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. The senator was to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 32, yeah, zero nay House Bill 1215 as mended passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1263. House for 1263 by represent Unger and Senator McKee to create the offense of unlawful the bus. Senator McKee, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, we're all aware of the situation that we have with overcrowding in our jails and prisons, and so any options that we have for alternatives to incarceration, you know, we're looking for those things and want to be able to utilize them as often as possible. This is simply a tool in the toolbox of our prosecuting attorneys that they can use when people are under the supervision of a monitoring device and they purposefully damage or do not. charge the device so it can't track their location, this is just a tool the prosecutors can use to hopefully ensure that that doesn't happen but possibly recoup the cost of the device and hold those people accountable. Appreciate a good vote. Any questions for Senator McKee. Say no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat? Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Lee, Crowell, Davis, Des, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 33 0 nay House Bill 1263 passes please return to the house. House Bill 1282. House 1282 by Representative Richardson and Senator Boyd concerning the unauthorized practice of law. Senator Boyd, you're recognized. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. So this bill is much simpler than the last one. So basically what this does is it changes a direct economic benefit to any economic benefit. We had a situation, I don't know and I'm not gonna get into all the details, but they're individuals called chiropractic runners. And so what they do is they work for a chiropractor and usually like after a car accident or something like that, they go find people that were in the car accident and then they uh convinced them to go to the doctor. Well, In this situation, there was more than just directing someone to a chiropractor or other healthcare or anything like that. They were actually the person was actually practicing law. The challenge was that the way this law is written today is it says a direct economic benefit and in this situation, what was happening is the runner was being paid by the chiropractor who was being paid by the insurance company, and so it was kind of a struggle. So this just wants to be clear. if you're being paid by if you're being paid to practice law, you need a law license to do that. Any questions for Senator Boyd, Senator Martin Johnson, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. Having been, maybe I shouldn't say the victim of one of these runners, uh, uh, Accosted by one or more of these runners. Is there any way to Stop this other than assuming that they're practicing law illegally, and I'm not asking your legal opinion, Senator. I'm just wondering, is this, can we broaden this maybe a little bit. Well, I would love to say that right here at this podium from the well, I can offer an opinion, though it might not be a legal one, you know, ultimately courts decide what is legal and what is not, despite what I think. Uh, so what I would say is rep this is a significant issue in Fort Smith area. It's also an issue in central Arkansas. It might be an issue other places in the state, other legislation is coming, but this is what we're focused on right here today is in this case there was someone who It was clear was actually practicing law but did not have a law license, but they were not being paid by the person to whom they were giving legal advice directly. It was coming in directly. OK. All right. Thank you, Senator. Thank you, Madam President. Any other questions for Senator Boyd. Anyone wish to speak against or for? Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat. Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. For Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Crowell Davis, Des, Dismay dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, like Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wished to change his or her vote? Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot. My votes at 33, yeah, zero nay House Bill 1282 passes. Please return to the house. House Bill 1311. 1311 by Representative Lundstrom and Senator Petty to direct the legislative auditor to develop a comprehensive financial management system for appropriated funds of cities of the second class and incorporated towns. Senator Petty, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Members, this is a pretty straightforward requirement in this act. To standardize our account system, our numbering system, so we have that in our counties. We have it in our state government, but this would standardize for cities. So if this city posted their sales tax revenue to a certain account, 1000, then it would go to whatever the standard account is for all cities, and if you've sit in any of these audit committees, you know that we have a lot of issues around accounting. This would standardize. it would help a legislative audit and other clerks to to help each other, uh, there is no known opposition to this. There is a provision in our statute that allows you to opt out for various reasons cost or or otherwise, so, but with that I'm happy to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Petty. Seeing no questions. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator, you are a recognized clothes. I'm close. Sender has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark Lee, Carl Davis Des dismaying Datsun English flippo flowers, Gilmore hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King leave, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one, please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33 yes, 0, nay, House Bill 1311 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1317. House for 1317 by Representative Shepherd and Senator Gilmore to amend laws concerning fraud against the government to include fraud against a state-supported retirement system and declare an emergency. Senator Gilmore, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Members, pretty straightforward bill comes to us from the retirement systems, basically this just explicitly criminalizes materially false statements that are made from those or and and adds a penalty. Class D from a class A misdemeanor for those who are trying to defraud our retirement systems, um, I think the, I think it's pretty straightforward to understand why we would do that. Um, this could have a wide reaching effect on a lot of people and if you're trying to defraud our system, then I think we need to treat it with the seriousness that is due. So with that, have you to take any questions. Any questions for Senator Gilmore. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed any objection rolling the boat. Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Clark, Lee, Crowe, Davis, Ds, dismaying dots and English flippo flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Le letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice, scot stone, Stubberfield Sullivan, Tucker Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Saying no one please cast up the ballot by vote of 330 nay, House Bill 1317 passes in the corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please return to the house. House Bill 1318. High school 1318 by Representative Collins and Central English to amend the excursion train permit to include excursion boats. Send her English, you're recognized. Thank you very much. So a couple of sessions ago, we, uh, passed a bill that would allow an excursion train up in northwest Arkansas, which would be An opportunity for people to gather on the, on the train ride it up to somewhere, come back and have dinner and drinks on that, on that train. Today this bill basically amends that and adds for an excursion, a boat. So North Little Rock and Little Rock, we used to have a paddle boat that went up and down the Arkansas River on a cruise, and this is basically the same thing as what would that would be is an opportunity for a kind of a dinner cruise which most of us have been on. So this bill would allow it to amend the bill and adds excursion ship boat. Questions for Senator English, Senator Sullivan, you're recognized for a question. where this. Beg your pardon Kerr. It's going to be probably in the North Little Rock, Little Rock. You used to have one a long time ago. This is going to be a paddle boat like what we've got around Memphis that has dinner cruises on it. OK, thank you. Any other questions for Senator English? Senator Payton, you're recognized. Madam President. I mean, basically this laws for the whole state, any navigical body of water. somebody could decide to operate an excursion boat specifically meant for this and it's an alcohol permit for that boat. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator English? Anyone wish to speak against or for? I'm closed. Senator has closed any objection to rolling the boat? Objection noted. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Boyd Objection noted. Madam Secretary, please call the roll Boy Brant. Grant Caldwell Sparkle Crowe, Crowell. Davis. Days, this man Dodson, English. Flippo flowers. Gilmore. Hammer Hammer. Hester Hickey Hill Irvin. Like Johnson. Blake Johnson. Mark Johnson. King leave letting. Love the key Murdoch. Murdoch, yes. Hayton. And so. Patty. Rice Rice Scott stone. Stop a Phil Sullivan. Tucker. Wallace. Any senator who did not vote, who wishes to vote, or wishes to change his or her vote. I see Senator Bryant, yes. Senator Hill, yes. Senator Rice, no. Senator Davis, yes, Senator Blake Johnson. Yes Senator Hammer present. Any other senators Please check the board. Any other senators. Seeing no others, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 26, 5 nay, and 2 present House Bill 1318 passes, return to the house. Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk? Committee, your committee on gross bills, who was first Senate Bill 17 by My senator for Love compared to the grossed copy of the ritual and find the same correctly engrossed. Calendar. We come on gross bills who was first sent by 186 by Centra Bryant compared the engrossed copy of the original and I correctly engrossed calendar Committee on Groth pills to as for House Bill 1049 or Tash copy of the original and find the same correctly and grossed calendar Committee on ross bills, so who was referred house 1075 by Representative Ryan Senator Bryant, with original and find the same correct language calendar. Were your committee on joint budget, to whom was first sent Bill 20, a joint budget recommend to pass. Calendar on drop budget to was first sent 23 by joint budget recommended calendar Committee on Budget who was first single 28 by joint budget recommended pass calendar Committee on Joint Budget who was first sent 31 by joint budget recommended pass calendar Committee on Joint Budget who was first sent about 65 by joint budget recommend to pass calendar Committee on Joint Budget team was first Senate 74. By joint budget recommended pass calendar Committee on Trump mentioned him his first Senate Bill 116 by joint budget recommended to pass calendarit on joint budget who was first sent by 199 by joint budget recommend to pass calendar. Senate Resolution 24 by Central English to recognize the Arkansas Council for Military Children for its contributions to and successes in serving military families in Arkansas. Senate Resolution 24 calendar, Senate Bill 227 by Senator Tucker to amend the Freedom of Information Act of 1967 and to amend the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act of 1967 concerning public meetings. Senate. 27 state agencies. Any other announcements, Senator Gilmore, you're recognized for an announcement. Hey, members, if you would pay attention for a second because it's, it matters. Deadline to file a lottery funded scholarship legislation is Monday, February 17th, so keep that in mind that it's Monday, February 17th, if it's lottery funded scholarship legislation. Thanks, Senator Gilmore, Senator Petty, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. I know you guys are hungry by now. There's catfish being provided by the Boys and Girls Club and our regional youth of the year winner is uh there as well today at Capitol Hill. Any other announcements. Seeing no others, Senate will stand in adjournment subject to the clearing of the desk until February 17, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.