Senate Convenes

Senate will be called to order. Are there any requests for leave at this time, Senator Hammer. People Wow Lead for Senator Crow, sorry, my bad. I'm sorry. Thank you, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Boyd, Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Crowe, Davis, Des, Dima, Dotson, English Flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, letting, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Thank Madam Secretary, if everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would please rise, Senator Hester will introduce our pastor of the day to give a prayer, and then we will remain standing for the Pledge of allegiance. Senator Hester, you're recognized. Members, I'd like to introduce Elder Alan Goldin with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to open us up in prayer this morning. Our dear Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning with gratitude in our hearts for the opportunity we have to be here today. We asked for thy blessing upon those here who serve in various capacities. In the government of the great state of Arkansas. We ask you to bless our lieutenant governor Rutledge, as well as those staff and others who are seated on the dais behind me as well as all these state senators we're grateful for them, these elected representatives and those who assist them. God bless them, bless their families, bless their children, their grandchildren, less their parents and spouses and siblings and their extended families, bless them to be protected, to be uplifted, to be guided and to have thy spirit. guide them as they strive to uphold the standards of this great state and to follow the and their efforts that they make. We're grateful for our many blessings to live in this wonderful state of Arkansas. We pray thy blessings upon those who have lost family and loved ones in the tragic air accident over the Potomac and pray that God bless and comfort and watch over them. We thank thee for um Our many blessings for this beautiful rain and those things that now provides to us each day, and we, we ask these favors and blessings and say these things in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation and invisible with liberty and justice. Thank you, sir, for those words. Ladies and gentlemen, the galleries, welcome to the Arkansas Senate and it's our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today's proceedings. Without objection, the rules will be suspended and the Senate will dispense with the reading of the journal. The morning hour has now begun. Announcements or introductions at this time. I don't see singer. Senator Love, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. You all, I just want to take a personal point of privilege if we can have a moment of silence for the Black Hawk accident that just happened. I think, you know, they're looking for survivors, and I think we really need to just lift that up in prayer. So if if we could just have a moment of silence. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Love for that. It's. In her dismaying. You are recognized to introduce our pages. OK. All right, Senator Scott has a couple of pages here that are based out of the academies of Jonesboro High School. We have Xaben Collins and Isabel Stanton. Let's welcome to the chamber. Let's see. All right, good. Thank you guys. Any other announcements or introductions at this time, Senator Clark, you're recognized. point of point of personal privilege. Oh, bear with me. Try to get past the motion. My best friend from junior high and high school passed this week. His name is Jeff Freeman. And Jeff's got on to me the last 12 years, always joking, but he said, I know that you don't want to have anything to do with me now or be associated with me now that you're a state senator. But from 6th grade on, you put two mischievous boys, two mischievous boys together. There's all kinds of stories and I could go on for hours, but I would like to tell you one short one. I think that the one Jeff would most like you to hear. Senior year, I'm, uh, I had to change schools, so I'm at a different school, but Jeff is starting defensive tackle for Lakeside during their last game, his last football game. They're ahead of SARC 7 to 6 in the fourth quarter with less than a minute left and Cersei's on the 2 yard line, first down. So it looks like Cersei is about to win. I don't think Jeff caused the fumble, but Cersei fumbled. And Jeff picked up the fumble and ran 98 yards. For touchdown, won the game. Coach Chick Austin, who's in the uh Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame now was a very tough little man. Loved him, but great coach and he motioned for he wanted to see Jeff. And Jeff was scared to death. I scared to death because we had been coached from the time we were in the 8th grade that you always fall on a fumble. You never pick it up, and he was sure that he was fixing to get chewed out. He wasn't chewed out, of course, but, but he thought he was going to be chewed out and I've always thought that was hilarious, and he's the hero of the game and he thinks he's fixing to get chewed up by Coach Austin, but anyway, he was a great guy, uh, loyal to a fault and uh just to Had a great heart, always mischievous and uh his service is a big Saturday, a new Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Hot Springs, where he attended from birth, and uh I appreciate your indulgence. Thank you, Senator. It just laugh and chat. Thank you. Announcement sender Petty, you're recognized. Members, there's some uh county judges here in the Capitol today, and I'd like to recognize mine up in the top there, Judge Chris Keith from Crawford County. So if you would welcome him. Any other announcements or introductions, Senator Tucker, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I think we just need to take a moment to wish our colleague Senator Jim Petty, a happy birthday. Any other announcements or introductions. If not, Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk? Yes, we your committee on engrossed bills to whom was referred House Bill 1056 by Representative Evans and Senator Hester compared the engrossed copy with the original and find the same correctly engrossed. State agencies. Notice of withdrawal of Senate Bill 86 by Senator Boyd from further consideration. Do it. We're your Committee on Insurance and Commerce, who was first Senate Bill 48 by Senator Boyd recommend due pass. calendar Committee on Insurance Commerce to whom was first Senate Bill 133 by Senator Boyd recommend due pass calendar. We're your committee on state agencies to whom was referred Senate Bill 12 by Senator King, recommend due pass as amended number one calendar. Senate Bill 143 by Senator King. To authorize the division of Arkansas State Police to coordinate with local sheriffs and divisions of community correction and crime reduction and prevent preventive activities. Senate Bill 143. Judiciary symbol 144 by Centra King concerning the backlog of inmates awaiting transfer to the division of Correction and to allow certain counties to enter into county jail state inmate close to home membership, partnerships, Senate Bill 144. Judiciary symbol. 45 by Senator King to amend the Arkansas law concerning the allocation of funds resulting from litigation involving the use of funds from the general appropriation fund or its successor fund or fund the accounts Senate Bill 145 judiciary symbol 146 by Centra Kroll to amend the definition of recreational purpose as used in relation to the liability of a property owner who makes land available to the public for recreational purposes sent by 146. Agriculture. 147 by Senator Dodson. To in Arkansas law concerning the Department of Transformation and Shared Services and to change the name of the Department of Transformation and Shared Services symbol 147, state agencies, Senate resolution 6 by Senator King, a constitutional amendment to provide that certain proceeds from the sale of medical marijuana and casino game gaming shall be used for crime reduction and prevention programs and to assist for post relate. release uh supervision services Senate joint resolution 6. State agencies Juan Resolution 7 by Senator King to an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to amend Arkansas Constitution Amendment 98 concerning medical marijuana joint resolution 7. State agencies joint resolution 8 by Senator King, an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to amend the Arkansas Constitution Amendment 100 concerning casino gaming. resolution 8 state agencies. Send her love. You're recognized. Thank you, Governor. There, there, we're trying to get some things coordinated, but I do, I want to make sure that we did recognize the Church of Latter-day Saints. I know that they had the elder prey but uh there's some ladies also standing in the back of the room and I'm going to tell you the work that the church is doing in maternal health with the babies for me project is just phenomenal. And so I think there there are if you all want to stand up. If you all to give them an applause. There's work. I know that there are some, there are some others that are coming over from the house, but I just want to make sure that we recognize them and recognize the work that they're doing because they're going to be putting in money, people to make sure that our mothers are safe in Arkansas, so I just wanted to make sure that I did recognize you also. Thank you for the work that you're doing. Thanks, tender love. There's no further business to come before the body in the morning hour. Morning hour has expired. We will now begin the business agenda. Senator Bryant. You are recognized. Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to motion to re-refer House Bill 1075 back to committee for purpose of amendment. You all heard the motion. All those in favor, please signify by saying I any opposed, I have it, motion passes. Now take up Amendment 1. To Senate Bill 58. Amendment 1, the Senate Bill 58. dismaying, you're recognized. members, uh, this is Senate Bill 158 or so Senate Bill 58 deals with nonprofit tax-exempt and governmental hospitals. Currently they're prohibited from having retail pharmacies. This amendment is really anything and everything that the pharmacy Association asked for that could be accomplished is in this amendment. I am happy to take questions on that, but it will still allow access increase for our nonprofit tax exempt. And governmently funded hospitals. Any questions? For Senator Dimay. If not, Senors closed. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed As habit amendment. Passes, please send to engrossing. Whether amendment is adopted, policing to engrossing. We'll now take up Senate Bill 14. Senate Bill 14 by Senator Wallace. To allow for the direct payment or delivery of property to a parent owner under the unclaimed Property Act in certain circumstances. Senator Wallace, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Members, our auditor Dennis Milligan and his team continued to a really great job of pushing money that belongs to the citizens of Arkansas back to those citizens. This bill is simply enabling language for automatic milling of unclaimed property checks value between $50 to 500,000. It's, it's hard in the system that we have now for folks that actually have money in the system that they're unaware of sometimes they become aware of it, and so it just sits there, um, we've got 359,000796 eligible properties valued at $83 million. 59 million of that is less than 1000. And what our audit team wants to do a team wants to do is send that money out to the people who we owe it to. They've done a great job of of making sure that they verify who these folks are. They've they've used that by a company called LexisNexis. They've used RS tax identification verification, the national change of address, and they're calling and checking, so all this bill does is folks, many of them elderly, might not know how to use the internet that well. To get money back that belongs to them. With their, I stand by for your questions. Any questions for Senator Wallace. Senator Bryant, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Walls, just out of curiosity if if the auditor sends, sends the payment, and there was an error. They, they just got it wrong and it was deposited by the recipient who is not the intended recipient and the intended recipient made a claim to the auditor looking for that payment. Uh, who would be liable in that instance, do you know? Well, the, the, the person with the money belongs to will always be protected. The person and that check is gonna be made out directly to that person. So anybody that cashes that check, just like if they cash one of our chicks and use our name, uh, that individual would be responsible, but the law will always protect, and this bill will always protect the innocent person who the money actually belonged to, and that, and that would apply to the individual, but what about checks made to corporations or LLCs that have multiple members that just deposit it, uh, as a issuance from the state of Arkansas because that's how these checks come is through, through the treasury, uh, as deposited from the state of Arkansas. They deposit it and then the original LLC says, you know, we're, where's that $50,000 claim, um, I was waiting for the company that closed that issued the check to the state of Arkansas to put it in the depository and an error was made. Checks are cashed. Time has passed. Does that, does that make sense? I'm just curious that's Bill for another day. In this case, this is simply aimed at the, at an individual person, uh, doesn't have anything to do with LLC or or C Corp or anything else. OK, so they're going to limit it just, just to the individual person. OK, thank you. Any other questions for Senator Wallace. Anyone wish to speak against or for Senator has closed. I am closed. Any objection to rolling the boat, Madam Secretary, please roll the boat. Bowen Front, Caldwell, Clark, raw on leave, Davis, Des Desma, Dotson, English Flippo flowers, Gilmore, hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Payton, Penzo, Patty, rice, scot, stone, Stubberil, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her vote. Seeing no one please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 yeah, zero nay, Senate Bill 14 passes, please transmit to the house. House Bill 1005. Houseville 1005 by Representative Ray and Senator Hill to amend the law regarding tuition waivers for Arkansas National Guard soldiers and airmen to include programs of study leading to a postsecondary certificate or credential. Senator Hill, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Colleague, this is a pretty simple bill. All we're doing is expanding for the National Guard, where they can use their, their money, their grants and their money on a post-secondary credential or certificate instead of just a 2 or 4 year college, and so they can use it for workforce. I'll be glad to take any questions, any questions for Senator Hill. Anyone wish to speak against Or 4 Senator, you're recognized clothes. Senator has closed. Any objection to rolling the boat? Madam Secretary, please roll the boat forward, front, Caldwell, Clark, curl on leave, Davis, Ds, Dima Dotson, English Flippo flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King Lating, Love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Pennzo, Petty, rice, Scott, Stone, Phil Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator wished to change his or her vote. Seeing no one please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 34 yeah, 0 nay, House Bill 1005 passes, please return to the house. House Bill 1006. How about 1006 by representative uh Painter and Senator Flippo. To, to redesignates the 14th judicial district as a judicial division of judicial district as it relates to prosecuting attorneys and declare an emergency. Sender Flippo, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Members, what this bill does is going to take the 14th Judicial District, which is Baxter, Marion Boone in Newton Counties and reclassify it from a Division B to a Division A, which will be a part-time to a full-time fiscal impact is $40,796 funding comes out of central services. I believe there are 2, maybe 3 judicial districts that are still Class B, so this would take it from 3 to 2. Any questions for Senator Flippo? Anyone wish to speak up, Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized for a question. Have you read the totality of the emergency clause. Thank you. I have not read the mercy cloth, but I was able to get through the context of the three lines of the bill last night, so. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it though. And OK. Senator Clark, you're recognized for a question. So you can work Yes, sir, when we were presenting the bill, it was a very laborious process last night, but I was determined, I get my word in committee yesterday that I would have read the bill before today and so I made it through the three lines. Now is it true Cent Flippo that you almost challenged the judiciary Committee yesterday to fail your bill today it was not my best moment, Senator Clark. Or my smartest. Thank you. Anyone wish to speak against or for. Senator has closed. That objection, but I asked Madam Secretary to row the boat. Please row the boat. Bo, Bryant Caldwell, Clark, Curl on leave, Davis, D's, Disma Dotson, English Flippo flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Any senator wish to change his or her boat. Seeing no one please cast up the ballot by a vote of 34 yeah, zero, nay, House Bill 1006 passes and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted, please return to the house. Send Irvin, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President, Members on your desk, you have the ethics committee has met repeatedly. They've come up with this proposal, it's titled by Myself and Senator Johnson, however, it was the work from the entire committee. So I'm happy to answer any questions, um, if you'll just read the top, what we're proposing to do is number one, redefine the financial interests to only include interests of a senator and his or her her spouse. Number 2, narrow the application. various conflict and conduct conduct provisions to only senators and their spouses, and number 3, clarify the scope and nature of a conflict for clarify and standardize the disclosure process and 5, make disclosures available to senators and the public alike, um, happy to answer any questions, and I would move to um adopt this amendment and then further adopt the code of ethics with this amendment included. Any questions, Senator Martin Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Senator Urban, I, I haven't had a chance to go over this with a fine tooth comb, but on the number 3 and I, I just want you to clarify. And this is a general generalization. We, we tend to move between Disclosure and For being forbidden to do something. Does this say that the senators shall not knowingly participate in a discussion of a question of committee or on the floor, and then it shows the, the matters of, of the conflict, uh, does this prohibit one from from speaking, in other words, must someone recuse or is disclosure still adequate disclosure. be the adequate response. You can participate so long as you disclose. My preference has generally been if I was in doubt, I would recuse. And sometimes that's come back and bitten me, but I would rather err on the side of being not just transparent but recusing. So that's we're still maintaining that uh concept. OK, thank you, Senator. Thank you, Madam President. Yes, Senator, Senator Love, you're recognized for a question. Thank you. So I'm looking, I'll just quickly look at this. Is there a reason why we just went with just a spouse and excluding we took out the family was there something that that I think as the committee deliberated, it was looking at what would be a direct financial interest, and if you're sharing a bank account with somebody or within that household, you're in that household reasonably, I think what we did was we decided it would should be limited to just spouse. Um, it gets kind of complicated when you have other financial interests. Again, this is a guide. You, each of us are guided by our own set of ethics, our own instead of standards that we will set for each other and for ourselves. And so I think narrowed it, it's the proper route to go. It just clarifies it, makes it very specific. Um, we did keep family as the definition as it relates to For instance, members of your family working for the Senate. So we did keep that in place for the extension of family members. OK. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions for Senator Urban. Anyone wish to speak against or for the motion. Senator, you're free to close. I'd appreciate a good vote. Thank you. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. And he opposed. I have it. Motion to adopt the Senate Code of ethics passes. Yeah. I think I need to do 2 Philip, do I need to do 2 motions? Adopt the amendment and the code of ethics, or are we good with just one motion to adopt. As amended, OK, OK, thank you. Senator dismaying you're recognized. Thank you, members, I'd like to withdraw Senate Bill 59 from the Education Committee for purpose of amendment. This is the free breakfast. Bill All in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye. And he opposed as habit, motion carries. Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 59 members, I'd like to adopt Amendment one today because I want to ask you over the weekend if you'd like to be a co-sponsor, there are some, you know, substantial changes to it, number one, just kind of directing how we utilize the medical marijuana money so that we are prioritizing the programs that are already in place, plus this one, so it does that and also sets a limit on how much will be paid for a breakfast. And that would match essentially what the allowance on the federal level again that way there's some caps and limitations in place. This has been really the request of the governor's office and, and, and happy to do it because I think it makes a lot of sense. But with that, I just appreciate a good vote on adopting the amendment, just so I can have it incorporated so you can read a full bill before you would sign on if you choose to sign on. Any questions for the senator on the amendment. It's not All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. And opposed as habit amendment isn't is adopted, please send to engrossing. Announcements, introductions, Senator English, you're recognized. Thank you. The Senate and House Education Committee will have a joint meeting in the Big Mac, uh building uh room as soon as we finish in Sidney County and they finish in the house. Other announcements, Senator Blake Johnson. You're recognized. Just another reminder for all members if you hadn't done your SFI forms or the Senate Ethics forums, please get those in by the end of this week. Other announcements. Senator Hammer, you're recognized. Senator Flippo, you're recognized. Thank you, Governor. Just member state agencies, we are meeting 10 minutes upon adjournment. Senator Clark, you're recognized. Judiciary Committee will not meet Monday. We will meet again at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. Any other announcements? Senator Stubblefield, you're recognized. Thank you. Thank you, Governor. Uh, City County Local had just a Taiwan City County Local likes just a few minutes for uh to finish up in there, so we'll be meeting um upon adjournment here in the Senate. Thank you, Senator, Senator Mark Johnson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Um, not sure the room number, it will probably be 171, but Joint Energy will meet 15 minutes upon adjournment of both houses on Tuesday. There's some legislation in there. I know some of you have been asking about, but we will have that meeting, but it will be on Tuesday, uh, 15 minutes after adjournment, so I see him in the afternoon. Thank you, Madam President. And the announcements, Madam Secretary, Ar there items at the desk? Will your committee on gross bills who was first Senate Bill 58 by Cen dismay the engrossed copy of the ritual and find the same correctly engrossed. Public health, if no further announcements, Senate will stand in adjournment subject to the clearing of the desk until February 3rd, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.