House Convenes

I invite the members press staff and press in the gallery to stand to be led in prayer by house chaplain Brother Richard Hamlin, senior pastor of Faith Baptist Church of Cabot, and to remain standing for the Pledge of allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we're so thankful for your many blessings to us, and the one that we so often take for granted is our health. And today I want to pray like John did for the beloved Gaius so long ago when John was in prison on Patmos. Thank you that our prayers can never be imprisoned because he prayed for Gaius that he would in all things. Be able to prosper and be in health even as his soul prospered. And so today, God, I want to pray for this legislative body, for their families, their spouses, their children. The staff for everyone here. That you'd watch over them and that you would help them to enjoy this blessing of good health during this session. Uh, so many in our state are sick and suffering right now, and we want to lift them up to you because you are the God of all healing. And we pray you to comfort the hearts of those who are struggling during these times of illness. And we pray these things in Jesus' name. Damien. Members, please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, Madam clerk. So everyone Notify their presence. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With 99 members present. Che Cesar Quorum. Or any requests for leave. Representative Rye, for what purpose? Like You're recognized. Yes, sir, lady for Representative Harlem Bro. Is Lee recognized for Representative Harlan Bro. So ordered. Representative Matthew Shepherd moves that we dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal with no objection, so ordered. Are there any reports from select committees about a clerk you're recognized. Speaker, on rules, to whom was referred House Bill 1056 beg leave report. We're under the same consideration here for term and same recommendation do pass. Do pass to concur in Senate Amendment number 1, respectfully submitted. Representative Pierce, vice chair. Mr. Speaker, we're your committee on House rules to whom was referred? House Bill 1318, vaguely report that we have the same consideration here for time with the same recommendation that do pass, respectfully submitted. Representative Pierce, vice chair. Thank you Madam Clark are the reports from standing committees. You're recognized. Mr. Speaker, we your Committee on State agencies and Governmental Affairs to whom was referred Senate Bill 3. Vaguely report we have the same consideration here for terms same recommendation that it do pass respectfully submitted Representative Gazaway, Chair, Mr. Speaker, we your committee on Insurance and commerce, to whom was referred House Bill 1378, Senate Bill 133 beg leave report with the same consideration here for the same recommendation that it do pass respectfully submitted. Representative Maddox's chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on Insurance and commerce, to whom was referred House Bill 1184, House Bill 1193, House Bill 1287, House Bill 1309. Vaguely report the same consideration here for the same recommendation that do pass respectfully submitted. Representative Steiner, Vice Chair. Mr. Speaker, we're a committee on agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development to whom was referred House Bill 1279 vaguely report that the same consideration here the term and same recommendation that it do pass is amended. number one, respectfully submitted, Representative Jeremiah Moore, vice chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on agriculture, forestry, and Economic Development to whom we House Bill 1278, House Bill 1372, House Bill 1373. House Bill 1374, House Bill 1375. House Bill 1376. House Bill 1377, House Bill 1385. Vaguely report that we have the same consideration here with the same recommendation that it do pass respectfully submitted Representative Lynch, chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on City, County and local affairs, to whom was referred House Bill 1:45, House Bill 1196, House Bill 1311. House Bill 1324, beg leave report. We're in the same consideration here with the term same recommendation that do pass respectfully submitted. Representative Gonzalez, chair. Thank you, Madam Clark, is there any unfinished business? Any executive communications. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, we have several guests with us today. First, I'd like to recognize Our state troopers, Sergeant Zach Owen, Corporal Trey Keller, both of Little Rock. Gentlemen, thank you very much for your service. Members in the East gallery we have with us today Perigold Youth Leadership Group. They are guests of Representatives Wooldridge, Kavanaugh, and Gazaway. I'll ask you to stay in and please be recognized. With us in the north gallery, we have the Garland County Sheriff Darryl Mahoney in the Independence County Sheriff, Kevin Jeffrey, they are guests of Representative McGrew, Warren, and Cozart, along with Representative Schultz and Pierce. Please make them welcome. In the north gallery, we have with us today, uh, Miss Jenna Ronquist. She is an intern with Delta Waterfowl and is here shadowing Representative Wardlaw today. If you can please make her welcome. Also in the North gallery today, we have Miss Suzanne Houlte. She is our liaison with NCSL. Please make her welcome. Maybe we have one other group that's on their way to join us, but we'll come back to them when they arrive. It's a, it's a group that we certainly want to make sure we get recognition to. Representative Painter moves that we place a Senate Bill 45 back on second reading for the purpose of amendment. Without objection, read amendment number one, Madam Clerk. Amendment number one by Representative Painter. Represent painter you were recognized for your motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, all this does is just add, adds me as a house sponsor, uh, to this great bill of the session. Appreciate a good vote. Representative Painters explained the motion. Would anyone like to speak against the motion? For the motion Representative painter's clothes for the motion. Question before the house. Play Senate, Amendment number one, Senate Bill 45 back on for second reading. All those in favor say aye. nays have it, your motion is passed. Madam Clark, please send that to gross. There's that's the end of the morning hour. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1181. 1181 by Representative Bentley to amend the full practice authority of a certified nurse midwife to allow admitting privileges. Representative Bentley, you're recognized to explain your bill. Speaker, colleagues, I don't have to tell any of you what we are facing in our state with maternal mortality and our infant mortality across the state. It's something that we have been focusing on quite a while. Some of our new members may not understand that in 2019, this body passed a bill to to require the, uh, establishment of the commission for Maternal Mortality Review Committee, so we're gonna find out why women are dying in Arkansas and how important it is that we look at the statistics and see what we can do to change things. So, during that time, I started really studying it. I had actually studied it. before it's a passion of mine, maternal health without a doubt. So, looking at other states and we wanted to look at one of the best things we have in our in as a state legislators looking at what other states are doing, what are other states doing that have much better maternal health than us and one of the biggest things that they were doing was establishing certified nurse midwives in Arkansas. I had no idea, was the most restrictive state in the entire nation when it came to certified nurse midwives, who had the least amount of certified nurse midwives. We had the least amount of deliveries by them was really was affecting our maternal health. So, uh, in 2021, we passed a bill to give full scope, authority to certified nurse midwives, but unfortunately in the bill, I did not give them admitting and discharge privileges so they cannot admit patients. So, this bill fixes that, and I know some of you aren't aware of the difference between a certified nurse midwife and a and a midwife that delivers at home. A certified nurse midwife has a bachelor's degree and she works for a couple of years and the, uh, labor and delivery, and then she goes on to get her master's and becomes a certified nurse midwife with another 2.5 years of experience and another 840 hours of practice, so she's a very experienced, very knowledgeable, and they do an amazing job. I was able to have a certified nurse midwife my first two deliveries, and I can tell you, the next tool with with that, with a physician. I much prefer a certified nurse midwife, so I want to see if that option to women in in Arkansas. So, with that, pretty simple bill, but I'll take any questions if anybody has any. See, and I thank y'all for a good vote. Representative Bentley has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Bentley is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1181, prepare the machine, Madam clerk. As everyone voted, So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk, the vote of 96 years, 2 nays, and 0 present, the bill has passed. Madam Clerk, Please read House Bill 1245. 145 by Representative Clowney to create the Arkansas Behavior Analysts Registration Act. Representative Clowney, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this bill deals with behavior analysts who are a group of professionals who work with children with autism. This may look familiar to some of y'all. If it does, it's because we worked hard on licensure last year, uh, for this group last session, excuse me, that bill made it through the House and the Senate and was vetoed by the governor, um, who did not want to present any barriers to people working in this field, um, to continue doing so. So over the interim, we got to work and came up with this solution at the governor's office is. is now good with. So, the problem is, Sorry, I'm trying to get this microphone right. The problem is that these, uh, individuals work, as I said, with children with autism. This is a highly vulnerable population and right now there is no place for parents of these children to go in Arkansas, uh, to receive oversight of the care they are providing. Uh, this bill aims to provide that oversight in two ways. So let me just explain to you what it does. This bill creates not a mandatory license, but an entirely optional registration. Providers of behavior analysis can register with the state. Uh, that registration then falls under the oversight of the psychology board, uh, to whom parents will be able to take complaints. This does not prohibit anybody who is currently practicing behavior analysis from doing so if they don't register, that is totally their decision. Um, it balances that liberty to practice what they're already practicing with the ability of parents to kind of on the front end, know. the provider that they are choosing for their child. On the front end, if parents want to know that they can go to an Arkansas board for oversight. They can go to this registry and choose a provider, um, but again, it does not prevent anybody who was already practicing from doing so. uh, and that's basically what the bill does in a nutshell, but I'm happy to answer any questions. Representative Underwood, for what purpose? You're recognized for a question. Rosa McClarney, you said that the governor's office was good with the bill. Does that mean that they are supportive of the bill or they're just not against the bill? Uh, well, I mean, we worked on the solution together. I wouldn't want to put words in their mouth, but I was told, uh, governor's office is great with the bill. I got a text confirmation of that, um, just a few hours ago. OK. Representative Richardson, for what purpose? recognized. Uh, I, I'm a little curious. We are using the term registered in this and we're, we're being very specific to say anyone who's not on this list is cannot use the term registered. Is there any other requirements from an education process or anything else that would elevate the an individual to a status of registered for this particular purpose. No, it's simply registering with the state, um, the requirements are that you have to pass the national certification. which, um, everybody who practices already has, um, and then submit to a criminal background check with the state of Arkansas as well. Um, this, the surety that these are good providers comes on the back end, right? When they have been on the registry for a number of years and have not had complaints filed against them or disciplinary actions taken. Representative Lundstrom, for what purpose? You're on the registry and who, I believe it says the psychology board supervises it, but what is the cost? The psychology board will determine that. It just kind of depends what the fees are that they need to cover things like the criminal background check. Follow up. He recognized that that's passed through the state government will supervise that? Will there be a discussion on what that amount is to register. I believe that will come through rules. Yeah. OK, thank you. Thank you. Representative in it for what purpose? I speak for the bill. We'll, we're not to that yet, but you will be recognized. members any other questions? Seeing what anyone uh representative. Clowney has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative in it, you're recognized. Come to the well. Representative Clowney, would you like to close for your bill? Representative Clowney is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1245, prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted everyone voted. Cast up the ballot The vote of 75 e, 15 nays, and 4 present, the bill has passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1310. House Bill 1310 by Representative Gramlich to amend the newborn umbilical cord Blood Initiative Act to abolish the Arkansas Commission for the newborn umbilical cord Blood Initiative and to declare an emergency. Representative Gramlich, you're recognized to explain your bill. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Uh, House Bill 1310, um, simply abolishes initiative commission, um, the commission, the commission did a great job bringing our, uh, and Bill poured blood bank into existence. It's no longer necessary. It hasn't met in 3 years, no new appointments, um, ultimately, all the power would fall under UAMS and the ADH. Representative Grammich has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Gran much is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1310 for the machine, Madam clerk. Remember's your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. With a vote of 96 ye, zero nays, and zero present. The bill and the emergency clause has passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1199. 1199 by Representative Barker to repealed the statute concerning the prohibition against the school district board of directors granting a legal transfer under certain conditions. Representative Barker, you're reckon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, House Bill 1199 deals with board to board transfers. Regarding schools that are under some type of a DIG related court order, removing the language changes nothing in the school's responsibility under that DSEG order. It can't, but it doesn't, just to assure you, what it does do is it closes a loophole for bad actors, and it supports and strengthens the integrity of the board's vote, both boards, they're releasing school board and the receiving school board. Um, the department is in support of it. It came out of how E unopposed, I don't know of any opposition, but I'd be happy to try and answer any questions. I'd appreciate it. Representative Barker has explained the bill, but he would like to speak against the bill. Anyone likes to speak for the bill. Representative Barker is closed for the bill. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1199. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot. The vote of 95 yeah, 0 nay, and 1 present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read House Bill 1236.36 by Representative Joey Cars to allow a public school employee to be released from his or her contract by a certain date upon his or her written request and to declare an emergency. Representative Carr, you're recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 12:36, it creates a statewide timeline to, uh, implement and for human resources and contract with public school employees. Right now, the school district's kind of on their own. They're not calibrated. This will calibrate them. When I came up with this idea, I started talking with the AAEA Doctor Hernandez, and a group of Uh, superintendents that serve on the legislative committee within the AAEA, uh, they like the idea because this puts it across the board the same way, it helps them to schedule. And what it does is for teachers, uh, or public school employees to, uh, if they have an opportunity to go to a different district, whether it be to promote within in the event, uh, they want to take up, uh, and promote and become an administrator out of the classroom or if they could find some uh district that they could teach at that's closer and would shorten up their commute. This would provide that opportunity so I started with the superintendents and work my way toward the teachers, uh, the date we came up with is May 15th. That calibrates them for all across the state. It creates an opportunity for teachers. And the superintendents are in agreement with this day. And I would just like to say I appreciate the uh 20 to 0 unanimous vote in the House a Committee. I'm entertaining. Representative Carrs explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative cars closed for the bill. question before the house. The passage of House Bill 1236. repair the machine, madam clerk. Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. So everyone voted. Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With a vote of 95 ya, 0, nay, and 0 present, the bill and the emergency clause has passed. Representative Steinel, for what purpose? point of personal privilege, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to start off, uh, in the East gallery here we have, uh, the Salem Greyhounds High School football team, if y'all would please stand. A lot of kids were 3A school, isn't it? We're here to celebrate their season-long accomplishments that ended with a 12-win season and being crowned 3A state champions. The first in their school's 100 plus history. While it's definitely a team effort, they had several key All-State players from Skyler Payne, Caleb Liering. Caden Hollis, And Keegan Sanderson. You would please wave wave your hand. Great accomplishment and with Jackson Taylor earning MVP honors. In the final game of the season. They would not be here Without the dedication and support of coaching staff. Being led by Arkansas Sports Network, Coach of the Year. Putin's Football coach of the year, along with multiple other coach of the Year honors, Josh Watson, If you would please raise your hand. The House of Representatives would like to congratulate and recognize the Salem Greyhounds football team as a class. 3A state champions in 2024. Congratulations, please, if you would give them a round of applause. I would, I would like to further add that, uh, we're, when we're her in '58, uh, of these folks through the Capitol, give them a tour, went through, uh, the Treasury office, went through the state Capitol. They got nothing but compliments on how they conducted themselves, and we've had Salem school down here a, a few times. So congratulations and there again, you should be proud of your student and athletes up there. Thank y'all. Representative Jean, Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, we've got, uh, one supplemental appropriation. That's gonna be the first one, House bill. 11:28. Uh, this is Leg audit, what they're doing is adding 10 more. Part-time student, uh, help to try to train to get some more auditors interested in the, the business. So this is gonna be help $47,000 is what we're adding to their budget for the rest of this year. Any questions? Your one vote is for the bill, the mercy clause, Mr. Speaker, the clerk read the bill a 3rd time. Madam Clark, read the bill for the 3rd time. the Machine, Madam Clerk. Members your one vote will be recorded for both the bill and the emergency clause. Everyone voted. Everyone voted Cast up the ballot. About a 97, 0, nay, and 0 present the bill and the emergency clause has passed. Representative Jean Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, we're gonna take the 2nd bill up by itself. This is House Bill 1153, Department of Agriculture, they used to be free-standing bills. These are all now, all the promotion check-offs. Uh, when I go, Uh, sell some cattle at the sale barn. Ah, after everything is deducted out of my money, I pay $1 for these promotions. Same thing for the cash, uh, catfish, same thing for the rice board, same thing for the soybean boards. Uh, it's not general revenue. It's not adding to the cost of beef. This is coming out of the producer's pocket only. Any questions? Your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause, Mr. Speaker, had the clerk read the bill for the 3rd time. Madam Clerk, read the bill for the 3rd time. You would like to speak against the bill. For the bill. in jeans closed with the bill. Prepare the machine, Madam Clerk. Remember your one vote will be recorded for the bill and the emergency clause. Everyone voted. Asked if the ballot mattered clerk. Vote of 96, 1 nay, and 2 present the bill and the emergency clause is passed. Representative Jean, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The rest of these are either 4-year institution or 2-year institution of higher education. This is the appropriations of the governor has already Uh, declared What their money will be on the, when we hit that balanced budget back in November, uh, as I recall, Uh, when you took Uh, tie in the 4 and 2-year schools. It's about $200,000 less. Than it was, uh, a year ago. So when it comes to RSA there is no increase. Uh, in the budget overall for higher education. Uh, I've had a member. Uh, asked to pull one out of the batch, we're gonna batch all of them. Uh, 1265, University of Arkansas, Little Rock. A member request that we pass over that for the day and we'll, we'll honor that request, but we're gonna pick up at, uh, House Bill 1225, House Bill 1226, House Bill 1227, House Bill 1228, House Bill 1229. House Bill 12:30, House Bill 1231, House Bill 1233, House Bill 1234, House Bill 1247, House Bill 1248, House Bill 1249, house built 1260, House Bill 1261, House Bill 1264, and skip to Bill 1266. Do I need to pull any of those out for any reason out of the batch. Seeing none. You're voting on the batch and your one vote. is for that Bill and the mercy clause, Mr. Speaker of the clerk read the bill, 3rd time. Madam Clark, read the bills for the 3rd time. 1226, 1227, House Bill 1228, House Bill 1229. House Bill 12:30, 12:34. High school 1247. High school 1248. High 12:49, house Bill 1260, House Bill 1261. House Bill 1264, House Bill 126. Thank you, Madam Clark. Madam Clark, please prepare the machine. Members on this batch, your vote will be recorded for both the bill and the emergency clause. Everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. The vote of 99, 0, nay, and zero present. The bills and the emergency clause have passed. Members will go back to the red calendar. Madam Clark, please read Senate Bill 16. 16 by Representative Rose. To amend the law concerning the discharge of a firearm at a train and to increase the fines that may be imposed for the discharge of a firearm at a train or for throwing other objects at a train. or for throwing other objects at a trainer to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues, SB 16 is an act to amend the law concerning the discharge of firearms at trains. This is a law that's been on the books since 1893. And we are simply modernizing Arkansas Code 23-12-804. And the focus of this is to simply modernize a law that we do need on the books. Uh, this Says we're not OK with people shooting at trains or throwing other objects at them as well. There are instances around the country, uh where these things have happened, lead to train derailments, loss of life. It is fairly rare, but this came at the recommendation of the 2nd Amendment Task Force and the Game and Fish Subcommittee. Uh, at this time, I will take any questions. Representative Pilkington, for what purpose? You're for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Representative Rose, I'm a little confused here. So are you telling me currently the way the law is, I can go outside and shoot at a train and not get in trouble. You would get in a slight amount of trouble and the fine ranges from $25 to $250. the price of 250 bucks, I can shoot at a train. OK if we pass this law, it becomes a, uh, an a misdemeanor and, uh, the fine, uh, is then on par with a misdemeanors. Representative Rose has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Rose, closed for the bill. The question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 16. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted. So everyone voted. casts up the ballot, Madam clerk. The vote of 91, 2 nays, and zero present. The bill is passed. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 15. Bill 15 by Representative Beatty Junior to amend the law concerning negligent discharge of firearms while hunting deer and to repeal code 1543205. Representative Beta, you're recognized to explain your bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I have to present Senate Bill 15, which is an act to basically repeal, uh, the law concerning negligent discharge of firearms while deer hunting. This law dates back to 1947, 1965. And if you read the, read the bill, it gives the history of it, that there were, there was negligent discharge. Uh, basically, it would shoot and then see what you shot. Uh, so this is a, a law that has, uh, been on the books since 65. You look at it, it was very serious, um, nature, uh, the fine at the time was a $100 fine in 1965, it would be equivalent to a $1000 fine and up to $10,000 in today's, in, in today's money. Uh, so it's basically repeals this law. We have other laws on the books for negligent discharge, deer hunting was the only type of hunting that, that has a log. negligent discharge. It's an outdated, unneeded law, and we're repealing that with your vote today. So I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Beatty is explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone likes to speak for the bill. Representative Beatty is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 15. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted, has everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. about a 97 ya, zero nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Members we're going to pass over Senate Bill 13 today. Madam Clerk, please read Senate Bill 46. Senate Bill 46 by Representative Holliwell to reflect a merger between the University of Arkansas and East Arkansas Community College by changing the name of East Arkansas Community College to University of Arkansas, East Arkansas Community College. Representative Holliwell, you're recognized to explain your bill. Uh, thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, this is a real simple bill. This just reflects the merger between University of Arkansas and East Arkansas Community College, by changing the name of East Arkansas Community College too, the University of Arkansas, East Arkansas Community College. So all it does is just change the name, so I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Holliwell has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. But anyone likes to speak for the bill. Representative Holliwell's closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of Senate Bill 46, Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. voted 97 yeah, 1 nay, and 0 present. The bill is passed. Representative Milligan for what purpose? You're recognized 3. I move we adjourn to 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. That's a proper motion. It's non-debatable. All those in favor say aye. Osna, the ayes have it. Do I have any announcements from committees. Representative Jean, for what purpose? Announcement you're recognized a joint budget will meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, Big Mackay. Representative Underwood, for what purpose you recognized Judiciary tomorrow at 10 a.m. Representative Kavanaugh, for what purpose you're recognized our ribbon tax will meet at 9:30 on the steps for a picture tomorrow. Representative Wooldridge, for what purpose? Announcement, you're recognized. Public health will meet tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., room 103. Representative Brooks, for what purpose? Announcement, you're recognized. House education will meet you in the morning at 10:00 a.m. Representative Maddox, for what purpose? Announcement you're recognized insurance and commerce will meet in 15 minutes in room 149. Any other announcements from committees. Seeing none, the desks 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 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. Representative Rose, for what purpose? Announcement and, uh, in the absence of our chairman, I believe we were instructed state agencies we're gonna be meeting after adjournment, uh, today as well. In, uh, the room 151.