House Convenes

I invite the members, staff, press, and guests in the gallery to stand and be led in prayer by house chaplain, Brother Richard Hamlin, senior pastor, Faith Baptist Church in Cabot, and to remain standing for the Pledge of allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean. Members, please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button, prepare the machine, Madam clerk. Cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. With 100 members present, the chair sees a quorum. Representative Matthew Shepherd moves that we dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal. No objections so ordered. Madam Clark, are there any reports from select committees? Any reports from standing committees, you're recognized. Mr. Speaker, were your committee on House Public Transportation to homes and House Bill 1046 Bakeley report the same consideration here at the same recommendation that it do pass respectfully submitted, Mike Holcombe, chair. Mr. Speaker, we're your Committee on Reverend Tax and who was referred House Bill 1074 beg leave report. We have the same consideration here for time, the same recommendation that they do pass respectfully submitted. Representative Kavanaugh, chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on Judiciary, to whom was referred House Bill 1204 Baley report. We understand consideration here the term the same recognition that it do pass respectfully submitted Carol Darby, chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on Education to whom was referred House Bill 1085 vaguely report that we have the same consideration here with the term, same recommendation that it do pass as amendment number one, respectfully submit it. Representative Keith Brooks, chair. You Madam Clark. Is there any unfinished business? Madam Clark, any um executive communications. Madam Clark, please read the corrected letter. To the Speaker of the House. Dear Mr. Speaker, to whom this is to inform you that on January 27, 2025, I reviewed and approved the following measures from the regular session of the ninety-fifth General Assembly, House Bill 1080 Act 2, House Bill 1001 Act 3, House Bill 1108, Act 4, House Bill 1109. Act 5, House Bill 1110, Act 6. House Bill 1111, Act 7, House Bill 11:13, Act 8, House concurrent resolution 1002. Sincerely, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor of Arkansas. Thank you, Madam Clark. Members, uh, I'd like to welcome into the House chamber today, our state troopers, Sergeant Austin Ley with the regulatory division, Little Rock, and also Corporal Trey Keller and the Highway Patrol Administration, both of Little Rock. Gentlemen, thank you for your service. Members our doctor of the day is Doctor Steven Davis, ophthalmologist from Little Rock, Representative Ashley Hudson's district. We welcome you, sir. Also, our nurse of the day is Lee Fazio. Please thank them for their service. Members, uh, if you'll, uh, direct your attention to the North Gallery. Uh, we have with us today, uh, Randolph County District Judge Alex Bigger, accompanied today by his wife, Grayson Bigger. She is the executive director of the North East Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority. They are guests with us today of Representative Trey Steinmel. Representative Jean, for what purpose? Mr. Speaker, I move that, uh, we recall the House Bill 1122 from the governor's office. Pepper Gene, that's proper motion. It is debatable. You recognized to explain House Bill 1102. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, I think, uh, last week, we, uh, past a couple of the, uh, bills out of here, and one of them was for the deputy prosecutors. I think there's been an agreement worked out that 25% of their salaries were, were Paid by the county government, the state has agreed to pick them up, but in that language, Uh, it was determined that it may be 25% every year reduction, and that was not the intent. It was just the, the first time 25. So, we're asking to recall that back, uh, so I, I appreciate a good vote. Representative Jean has explained the motion. Would anyone like to speak against the motion? Anyone likes to speak for the motion. Representative Jean you closed. Question Madam Clark, please prepare the machine. So everyone voted. Everyone voted, cast up the ballot, vote of 98 yeah, 0 no, nays, and 0 present. motion is passed. Chief Clark has been directed to recall the bill. Representative Jean My indication is that it is back in the house, and we simply have a, um, a motion to re-refer this back to joint budget. Appreciate a good vote. Proper motion, it is debatable. You wouldn't like to speak against. Emotion Or the motion Representative Jean you close for the motion. Question before the house is a re-referral of House Bill 1102 back to joint budget. All those in favor say aye. nay, I have it. Motions. We will let the record reflect that it was received more than 51 votes, presented Meeks, for what purpose? Motion, please. You're recognized after the announcements reading of the bills, transferring the bills, placed in the calendars on the desk, members amending their own bills with their own amendments, members withdrawing their own bills, finalizing resolutions, reading communications, and any remaining committee reports. I move that we adjourn until 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. That's a proper motion. It's non-debatable. All those in favor say aye. nay, you guys have it. You have any committee announcements? Representative Lynch, for what purpose you're recognized? Alright. A committee be meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. in room 138. Also, if you're available, we'd like to do the committee picture at 9:40 a.m. on the Capitol steps. Representative Kendra Moore, for what purpose? Announcement you're recognized retirement will meet 15 minutes upon adjournment in Mac A. Representative Pilkington, for what purpose? organized for an announcement. Pierre will meet tomorrow at 8 a.m. Representative Eubanks, for what purpose? Announcement, you're recognized rules will meet tomorrow, 15 minutes upon adjournment. Representridge, announcement. Public health will meet today 15 minutes upon adjournment downstairs room 130. Representative Gazaway, for what purpose? Announcement, you're recognized. State agencies will meet tomorrow at 10 a.m. we will do a committee picture at 9:45 a.m., room 1 Representative, for what purpose? You're recognized. Prayer caucus will meet tomorrow at 7 a.m. in the old Supreme Courtroom. We will hear from the great Fred Allen. Representative Maddox, for what purpose? That's recognized for announcement. Insurance and commerce will meet tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in room 149. Representative Walker, for what purpose? Announcement you're recognized management will meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Representative Meeks. Announcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The technology committee will meet tomorrow at noon over in Big Mac B. We are going to get an update on the status of broadband deployment from across the state. So if you're on that committee or if you're just interested in knowing where we're at with broadband, noon tomorrow. Seeing no other business, the desks will remain open as needed for the reading of the bills and upon completion of the items named in the adjourned resolution, the House will adjourn until 1:30 tomorrow afternoon.