House Convenes

I invite the members, staff, press, and guests in the galleries to stand and be led in prayer. My Passor Shiloh Gober, family of ministries, family ministries, Faith Baptist Church in Cabot and remained standing for the Pledge of allegiance to be led today by Representative David Whittaker. Would you pray with me? Heavenly Father, we come to you and we're thankful for this day. God, we give it to you. Yeah, we know that before the stars were in the sky that you had a plan. And God, we trust you with that plan. God, even today, I pray that you would be with these members that are before me. God give him grace and strength to do what you've called them to do. Got to pray you continue to be with them as they make decisions. God, give them wisdom that can only come from you. Got to pray that today that your name will be lifted high. God I pray that you would be with each member of this house as they move forward this year. God I pray you give them the strength that they need to do the things that you've called them to do. I pray you bless their families. Watch over their spouses, be with their children as they are here conducting this business. Y'all, we know that all power comes from you. God I pray that these. People before me Lord would look to you for the things that they need in their lives. God I pray that you would continue to be with the great state of Arkansas. Lord, as we move forward, God I pray that you would give us a new vision and a new hope. God pray you continue to guide these people in this great state. God, I pray you be with our law enforcement officers who protect Lord, our citizens day in and day out. God I pray you continue to be with them and their families. God pray you would be with, uh, our governor. I pray that you would give her what she needs and her staff what they need. God I pray you be with those who are hurting in our state. Those who've lost loved ones, Lord, even here in this body. God pray you give them an extra blessing. Or do you know the needs of these people? I pray you would hear their prayers and hear their thoughts and answer them and the only way that you can do. And we give this all to you. Members, please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone recorded their presence, cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. 98 members present. chair sees a quorum. Are there any requests for leave, Representative Whittaker, for what purpose? Leave. Representative Lane Jean. Leave granted for Representative Lane Jean. Representative Marcus Richmond, he recognized. Leave Request leave for Representative Holcomb. Is leave granted for Representative Hokakum. Ordered Representative Matthew Shepherd moves that we dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal, no objection, so ordered. Madam Clark, are there any reports from select committees? Mr. Speaker, will your committee on house management to Humes was fired House resolution 1004 vaguely report that we have the same consideration here's the term the same recommendation that it do pass as amended, Amendment number one, respectfully submitted. Representative, Mr. Speaker, we your committee on house management. To whom was ad House Resolution 1006, House Resolution 1008. House resolution 1009, report that we have the same consideration here for the same recognition that it do pass, respectfully submitted the chair. Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Madam Clark. Is there any reports from standing committees? Mr. Speaker, we your Committee on Education who wasre House Bill 1005 vaguely report into the same consideration here at the turn, same recommendations that it do pass respectfully submitted, Keith Brooks chair. Mr. Speaker, we your committee on Judiciary, to whom was right House Bill 1071 vaguely report when the same consideration and hears return with the same recommendation that do pass, respectfully submitted, Carol Darby, chair. Like Madden Park, is there any unfinished business? Are there any reports, uh, executive communications. Members recognize today in our presence from the Arkansas State Police, Sergeant Chuck Lewis with the administrative Services Division, Sergeant Austin Ley from the Regulatory Service Division, both of them from Little Rock. Gentlemen, thank you for your service to us in this state. Would you please welcome into the chamber? Members also with us today, our doctor of the day is Doctor Catherine Stamba, Doctor of Obstetrics. She is here from Representative Tipy McCulloch's district. Would you please welcome her here today. And members of our nurse of the day is Ms. Lee Fazio. Thank you for your service to the house. Members of the Morning hour has ended. We'll now go to your red calendar. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1133. I was 1133 by Representative Unger to authorize Northwest Technical Institute to appoint a president with an industry background as to declare an emergency. Representative Unger, you're recognized to explain the bill. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh, this weighty bill is really one sentence long. If you look at line C, the Northwest Technical Institute may appoint a president who has a background in industry in lieu of a background in education. Colleagues, I ask you for a good vote. Representative Unger has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill. Representative Unger, do you wish to close for your bill? Representative Hunger is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1133 members, this is, uh, uh, also has an emergency clause on it. Madam Clerk, please prepare the machine. Remembers your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause as everyone voted. As everyone voted. Any member wish to, uh, change their vote. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. With a vote of 81, 8 nays, 0 present, the bill in the emergency clause has passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1006. 16sentative Painters who redesignate the 4th Judicial District as a division of judicial district as it relates to prosecuting attorneys and to declare an emergency. Representative painter, you're recognized to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. Uh, the 14th judicial district is one of the 3 only part-time judicial districts that we have in our state. The other two are the 9th and the 15th. At the request of the prosecuting attorney due to the case load in the backlog they're requesting to become full-time. And so, that's all this bill does. I'd be glad to take any questions. Representative Painter has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? For the bill Represent a painting your clothes for your bill. Members, the question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1006, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted So everyone voted. Do you remember like to change their vote. So you not cast up the ballot, Madam clerk. With a vote of 96, 0 nays. Bill has passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1137. Is 1137 by Representative Walker, an act to separate the offices of sheriff and tax collector in Cercy County. Instead of Walker, you're recognized. Alright, like all of them, this is an easy bill. This is House Bill 1137 proposes to separate the officers of sheriff and tax collector and Cercy County, um, be effective January 1st, 2027, which allows the election to take place in 2026. Currently, these responsibilities are combined under a single office but growing complexities in both law enforcement and tax collection, um, warrant there separation, like all the other counties are starting to do. The bill I received strong local support, including a formal resolution from the county which gave us time for the public to come out, speak for against it, ask questions, which we did have a lot of questions. We had the county attorney there to also help help with it, and we had no opposition in the local community against this, um, but anyway, this demonstrated the community's desire for change, but I'm open for questions if there are any. Representative Walker has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? anyone I speak for the bill. Representative Walker, do you wish clothes for your bill? Walker is closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1137. Prepare the machine, madam clerk. So everyone voted. Everyone voted. Any member like to change their vote? Seeing non cast at the ballot, Madam Clerk. With the vote of 97 ye, zero nays, and 0 present. The bill has passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1050. House Bill 1050 by Representative Tosh to separate the offices of sheriff and tax collector in Poinsett County. Representative Tasha Rick. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Spiel is uh just like Representative Walker, the one he ran for his respective county. This is for Poinsett County in the district in which I serve is to separate the sheriff's office and the tax collector's office. Uh Portset County, uh, the county judge, they had a court meeting. There was, they passed a resolution. There was no opposition to this bill. There's complete support with the sheriff and also the lady that is the tax collector now. Uh During the general election of 2026. She will have to file for office. He or she will, and, uh, they'll take office in January of 2027. You know, they, uh, The, uh, Constitution, I believe it's Amendment 55 gives this General Assembly. They have to have our authority to be able to separate these two offices, and currently here in the state of Arkansas there are 75 counties as we all know, 51 of those counties have already separated these two offices, but they have to do it through this legislative body is why we are bringing these bills or why I'm bringing my representative walk abroad here. Uh, we passed both of these, then, uh, that will be 52 and 53. But under the amendment, this is required under Amendment 55 statute 12-12-1204 says that we can either combine them or we can separate them. So, um, You know, we need to let the sheriffs get back to doing what uh they're elected to do, and that's public safety, and that's why I would ask for a good vote on this, and, uh, with that, I would take anything none. I appreciate you both. Thank you. Representative Tosh has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill. And when I speak for the bill. Representative Tosh, was closed for your bill. So Tas is closed for the bill. Members, the question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1050. Prepare the machine, madam. So everyone voted. Do you remember like to change their vote. Cast up the ballot, Madam Clerk. The vote of 98 ya, zero nays, and 0 present. The bill has passed. Madam Clark, please read House Bill 1075. Poss 1075 by Representative Ra to prohibit a local government from regulating the sale or use of a law lawn care device or imposing a tax or fee on the use of a line care device in certain circumstances. Representative Ray, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, uh, House Bill 1075 is a pretty simple, narrowly tailored preemption bill that would uh prevent local governments from banning the sale or use of a lawn care machine based on the type of fuel or energy that it consumes. I had several people who were curious as to what prompted this. And so I'll try to explain that real quickly, uh, across the country, there are well over 100 cities, cities like Washington DC, Ann Arbor, Michigan. In many different states that have actually taken the seemingly very strange step of banning people from using lawn care machines like mowers, weed eaters, leaf blowers, snow blowers, etc. simply because they're gas-powered. Um, they're doing this ostensibly for the purposes of combating climate change, but the reality is that this sort of a policy needlessly meddles with the free market, infringes on individual freedom. Limits consumer choice and access and harms the small businesses that rely on these machines to make a living. Um Really, it shouldn't be any of the government's business, what type of weed eater you choose to use to weed eat your yard. Um, thankfully, we don't have a lot of, we don't have any cities or counties in Arkansas that are currently doing this, but as we know, a lot of times when an idea like this takes root in one state, um, people try to export it to other states. And, uh, this bill would prevent that from being the case here in Arkansas. With that, I'd be happy to take. Representative Wootton, for what purpose does the bill is a representative Wooton Representative Wooten, is this a question? You're recognized for a question. Does the bill specifically no, it says the bill says that um you on page two, line 7, it says that, um, they cannot restrict it on the basis of, uh, based on the energy source. So it's written in a way that is energy source neutral. You couldn't, you couldn't ban anything on the basis of it being battery powered, you couldn't ban it on the basis of it being gas power. Right That's right. So like electric. No, no, they couldn't, not under this bill. You're recognized. I believe that local control is an important value, but that it shouldn't be unfettered. There are a lot of instances, um, in which local governments try to limit the rights of individuals when they frustrate state policy, or when they act in ways that Um, are really incompatible with basic American concepts like freedom and liberty, in which They shouldn't have unfettered control. And this is an area of the market where I don't believe it's appropriate for the government to be meddling and, uh, so that's the reason for the bill. So We pick and choose. In other words, we're, we're to the point where we're that thing I'm not trying to control what lawnmower anyone chooses to purchase. What I'm trying to do is prevent local governments from making that decision on behalf of the citizens that we represent. Representative Wootton, was that your final question? Yes, sir. Any other questions? With that, I'd appreciate a good vote. Representative Ray has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? You will like speak for the bill, Representative Ray. closed for the bill. Question before the house is the passage of House Bill 1075, prepare the machine, madam clerk. Everyone voted Everyone voted You remember like to change their vote? Madame Clark cast up the ballot. The vote of 76, 17 nays, and 4 present. The bill has passed. Representative Pilkington. You're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for recognizing me for a point of personal privilege, um, as many of you are probably unaware of today is National Maternal Health Awareness Day. Uh, I plan on having a resolution, but with timing and everything, I wasn't able to get it filed, uh, in time, but uh I did want to take time to recognize some of the esteemed guests we have in the East gallery, uh, who are with us today, uh, Arkansas for improving maternal Health, excelled by a Healthy steps and AI. Uh, are in the East gallery. So please give them a round of applause. I was told I could just read my resolution, but to spare you all that since I know I'm the only thing that's preventing you from leaving here for the weekend. I, uh, I'm gonna be quick. I think we all know that maternal health is an important issue. This session, I'm very excited about the work that we've done in the last 2 years between the governor's office, the House and the Senate to do the improvements we've made. I'm very excited about the improvements we will make, continue to make this session, and I look forward to working with all of you and working with these fantastic organizations that are putting moms and babies. Uh, first here in Arkansas. So thank you and thank you for allowing me this person. Represented Meeks for what purpose? Motion, please. Hear your motion. After the announcements, reading of the bills, transferring the bills, placing the calendars on the desk, members amending their own bills with their own amendments. Members are drawing their own bills, finalizing resolutions, reading communications, and any remaining committee reports. I move that we adjourn until 1:30 on Monday afternoon. Motion is non-debatable. All in favor say aye. nay, motion carried. There are any announcements for committees. Representative Woodridge, for what purpose? Announcement. You're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and, uh, public health will meet Tuesday, 15 minutes upon adjournment. Representative Eaves, for what purpose? Announcement, recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, uh, since we were off Monday, some of the bill filing deadlines have changed. So, uh, certain healthcare legislation set out under joint Rule 15, which is mostly scope of practice. That bill filing deadline is now January 27th, uh, the retirement legislation deadline is January 31st, and bills affecting EBD health plans has a deadline now of January 31st. Any other announcements from committees. Seeing none, the desk will remain open as needed for the reading of the bills upon completion of the items named in the adjourned resolution. The House will be stand in adjournment until 1:30 on Monday.