Senate Convenes

That's it. now. The Senate will be called to order. Are there any requests for leave at this time, Senator Petty, you're recognized. Senator Petty, you're recognized. We're asking if there are any leave for requests at this time. Thank you. Yeah Thank you, Senator Petty. Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Oh Caldwell Clark, Crowell, Davis, Des, Dema Dotson, English, Flippo, flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King on leave, letting, love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty. Brice, Scott Stone Stubberfield on leave, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace. Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would please rise for The prayer and pledge, Senator John Payton will be introducing our pastor, Pastor Alan Jackson, Senator Payton, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, colleagues. It's, it's my pleasure to introduce Pastor Alan Jackson. Uh, just real quickly, I'll, I'll tell you, he's a new friend of mine just met him this morning, but um my son-in-law is in the ministry, my daughter and their family, uh visited his church in Greenbrier and, and he has, he's he's part of a large group of pro-Israel people across the United States. They're looking to develop some government relations and so he came to the Capitol this morning. I've been showing him around. Hopefully you get a chance to introduce yourself to him, but uh he's with Faith Baptist Church in Greenbrier, Arkansas, and it's uh called BZ PAC, uh, is the pro-Israel group that he's with, but please welcome him as he leads us in prayer. Thank you for having me today. Let's pray. Fathers, we come before Your throne of grace. We want to thank you, Lord God, for this day. Thank you, Lord God, for the privilege of knowing you in the free pardon of sin through through the Lord Jesus Christ. And Father, we thank You, Lord, for these men and women are our senators, Lord God, who willingly serve our state and give of themselves and fathers, they meet today and throughout the session, I pray, Lord, you said if we any of us lack wisdom, let us ask of you, and you'd give it to us. And so Lord, we need wisdom. These men and these women need wisdom. Pray you fill them with your Holy Spirit. I pray you give them guidance, leader, leadership and direction, probably help them make the right decisions that they need to make. Father, pray the Holy Spirit of God would hover over and Lord God, everything will be done to glorify and honor you in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. United States. which is one. Yeah. Thank you, Pastor for your encouraging words to begin this day. Ladies and gentlemen in the gallery, welcome to your Arkansas State Senate. It is 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. Are there any announcements at this time? If not, Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk? Yes, ma'am. Your committee on grossed bills who first Senate Bill 5 by Senator King compared the gross copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed. Judiciary where your committee on gross bills, who was first Senate Bill 6 by Senator King, compared the engrossed copy of the original and find the same correctly engrossed judiciary. Well, your committee on rules who was first Senate concurrent resolution won by Central Hester recommend due pass calendar. Senate Bill 71 by joint budget. An act for the administrative office of the courts, court person, personal personnel. Appropriation for the 2025, 2026 fiscal year Senate Bill 71. Joint budgetin Bill 72 by joint budget, and after the administrative office of the courts appropriation for the 2025, 2026 fiscal year Senate Bill 72. Joint budget 73 by Senator Blake Johnson to create the access to credit for a rural economy Aer Act and to provide An income tax deduction for certain agricultural loans, Senate Bill 73. Revenue and tax, symbol 74 by joint budget, an act for the Department of Veterans Affairs Appropriation for the 2025, 2026 fiscal year sent to 74. Joint budget symbol 75 by joint budget, an act for the Department of Education, Arkansas School for the Blind, and Arkansas School for the Deaf appropriation for the 2025, 2026 fiscal year and it was 75 Joint budget. Senate resolution 2 by Senator Irving. To congratulate the Arkansas Medical Society. Oh, this is on the calendar. This is already. Thank you, Madam Secretary. There's no further business or announcements. Morning hour, the morning hour has expired. I apologize, Senator dismaying. Did you have an announcement? We will now start the business agenda, and we will begin with budget calendar. Or does she want to begin with the resolution? We'll begin with the budget which HB 1002. 1002 by joint budget, the general appropriation Act of the 2025, 2026 fiscal year. Send her dismaying you're recognized members, this is what we vote on joint budget yesterday at general appropriation Act's going to allow for interim reimbursements for the House and Senate. Any questions for the senator. See none, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Is there without objection? We will roll the boat. Oh right. Caldwell, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Des, Dima, Dotson, English Flippo, flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, like Irving, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King on leave, letting love, McKee, Murdoch, Peyton, Penzo, Petty, rice, Scott, Stone, Stubberfield on leave. Sullivan Tucker Wallace. Any senator who wishes to change his or her vote or who did not vote and wishes to vote at this time. Seeing no one. Please cast up the ballot by a vote of 33, yay. er name, House Bill 1002 passes and the corresponding emergency clause is adopted. Please transmit to the house. Rather please return to the house. We'll now take up It. Senator Urban, we will now take up Senate resolution 2. Senate Resolution 2 by Senator Irving to congratulate the Arkansas Medical Society and to celebrate 2025 as the year of the Arkansas physician. Senator Ervin, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, colleagues, members of the Senate, uh, it is really my distinct honor and and and pleasure to uh to commemorate, um, the 150 years of celebrating the Arkansas Medical Society. I'm not going to read the whole resolution, but I just want to highlight a few things. And so this resolution that I am presenting today is to congratulate the Arkansas Medical Society and to celebrate 25 as the year of the Arkansas physician, 150, whereas 150 years ago, in October of 1875, 225 Arkansas physicians formed what is now the Arkansas Medical Society, and whereas the, from the inception of the Arkansas Medical Society, the physician members of the society have made it their mission to advance the art and science of medicine and improve health and well-being of the citizens of the state of Arkansas, and whereas Over the past 150 years, the physicians of the Arkansas Medical Society have been instrumental in addressing the health needs of the state and the monumental efforts of these physicians, while often obscured by the passage of time, deserve our lasting appreciation, um, with the effort, some of these I will highlight, the creation of the state's first Board of Health in 1879, the development of the first medical licensing laws in 1893 and 1903, the establishment of the Arkansas tuberculosis sanitarium in 2009, educational efforts to alleviate typhoid fever and malaria in 1917. The creation of the medicalractice Act in 1929. The creation of Arkansas Blue Cross in 1948, sponsorship of the statewide polio vaccination program in 1958 and supporting the establishment of what is now the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Society. of medical sciences. And throughout the years, the physicians of the Arkansas Medical Society have supported this General Assembly in its efforts to enact legislation that's designed to improve public health and access to medical care. Including the patient Protection Act of 1995, the Arkansas Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006, the development of the statewide trauma system in 2009, and common sense reforms designed to reduce burdensome insurance carrier practices that delay the delivery of medical care. And during the coronavirus pandemic, the Medical Society in cooperation with the governor's office, organized a statewide distribution effort to provide PPE to medical clinics that were struggling, um, and over 50 years, they have provided medical, volunteer medical care to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The state capitol staff and visitors to the state capital during the sessions of the General Assembly through what is now known as the Doctor of the day program. They do that by volunteer, uh, while every day while we're in session, they provide us with medical care. Um, whereas the doctor H. Elvin, Sheffield Capital Infirmary sponsored by the Arkansas Medical Society is located on the 3rd floor of the state Capitol. It was officially dedicated by the seventy-second General Assembly on April 16, 1890, um, members, I would just say that's just a list of some of the things that they have really been in partnership with us and our previous colleagues that have served in the General Assembly, and they've led the way on all of these really important things uh to um to, to, to promote and advance healthcare and well-being of our citizens. And so, it's an honor to be here with the executive Committee of the Arkansas Medical Society. Doctor Connor is the president. I will say that my father, Doctor Jerry Thomas, has served as well, but my mother at that one time was president of the Arkansas Medical Society Auxiliary, which were all the spouses that also pushed forward legislation. um, particularly on teenage pregnancy and back in the day because I was here lobbying with you guys when I was a teenager, so, uh, with that, I would just ask for a good vote for this resolution and give them a round of applause for all that they've accomplished over these 150 years. Thank you. Thank, thank you, Senator Ervin, for that and all those in favor of Senate Resolution 2 to to congratulate the Arkansas Medical Society and to celebrate 2025 as the year of the Arkansas position, please signify by saying aye, and he opposed I have it, Senate Resolution 2 is adopted. Congratulations and thank you. Yeah. Christmas. Yeah or at least the first few. Yeah, I'm not. Yeah. Yeah. I can. Yeah should be. announcement I do. Senators, that concludes our business agenda or their additional matters. To be taken up for announcements to be made, Senator Ervin. You're recognized Uh, members, um, I just, um, here as chair of Senate Ethics Committee, the Senate Ethics Committee met yesterday to consider changes to and the adoption of the Senate Code of ethics. The committee voted to recommend to the Senate the adoption of the Senate Code of ethics with two changes, and those changes are on your desks in front of you, uh, quickly, um, the, the change That is listed under Senators Hammer and Tucker. Just cclarifies the attorney's role, um, and our staff's role and uh the proceedings of, of any type of a claimant or respondent. And then the second one, Senator Tucker changed um since we have decoupled or split the code of ethics away from the Senate rules. It's no longer Rule 24 of the Senate rules. It's its own standalone, alone, um, policy. We have to uh include this language so that we are operating under the Senate rules for any changes made to the the code of ethics. Um, and so, That's just making us consistent with our Senate rules, but it's not part of the rules anymore. Um, so I can try to clarify that, uh, if you have any questions, happy to take any of those questions. The committee met yesterday, um, and approved these two changes, uh, with the recommendation that we now adopt the code of ethics with these two changes. So we are going to continue our work on the code, uh, next week, with some additional changes that we just didn't come to a consensus on. So, uh, with that, I think it's important to go ahead and get something in place now with these two changes, and uh I'm happy to answer any questions. Any questions for Senator Urban. Seeing no questions. OK, I move that the Senate adopt the Senate code of ethics as recommended by the Senate Ethics Committee. Thank you, Senator. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. And he opposed. I have it. It is adopted. Tender, Senator Blake Johnson, you're recognized. I need to meet with the Republican caucus just for a moment after we get done in 309. Thank you, Senator. Any other announcements? Senator Mark Johnson. Thank you, Madam President. Uh, joint Energy is scheduled to meet in 179 for 178. I'm blanking out in the room for the uh organizational meeting, it says 15 minutes after adjournment, I know that Senator Blake Johnson has a brief meeting of the caucus, but I'm sorry, 171, yeah. And it, it's down here, but that's both houses, so I don't know where the house is. on their adjournment schedule, but if you're on joining energy, just we'll be down there when we can all get down there. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Johnson. Other announcements, Senator Dodson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Joint Energy will meet upon adjournment of both chambers on Tuesday, sorry, did I say innerios joint retirement, joint retirement will meet upon adjournment of both chambers on Tuesday, and keep in mind the deadline for filing retirement bills is quickly approaching, I think it's January 27th. Any other announcements, Senator Irvin. Um Members today at 1:30 in the rotunda is a press conference, uh, celebrating the 150 years of the Medical Society. So if you're around, please attend. We'd love to have you. Any other announcements, seen no other announcements, Madam Secretary. Are there items at the desk? Yes, Senate Bill 76 by Central Blake Johnson to amend the law concerning miscellaneous prohibited practices under the Arkansas Insurance Code and to clarify fees collected by certain brokers. Senate Bill 76. Insurance and commerce. Any other announcements or business before the body? If not, the Senate. We stand in adjournment subject to the clearing of the desk until Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.