House Girls State Meeting
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Transcript
Bills discussed (1)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1001
Act 2
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “…for the bill the question before the house is a passage of house bill 1001. prepare the machine Mister Clark. Has everyone voted Every…”
|
AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATION FOR … | Evans | Notification that HB1001 is now Act 2 |
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- October 2, 2026
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
32:54
steel and to remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to be led by representative Duffield. please join
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
33:05
me in prayer dear Lord, thank you for bringing us here today to be able to talk about the things that we're passionate about and get some legislation done for ourkansans so that we can help our constituents. Please
please help us to be kind and debate these bills with with reverence to
Speaker 128
33:34
you and with respect for our fellow representatives in your name I pray amen
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
34:05
Members please indicate your presence by pushing your yellow present button.
Speaker 133
34:08
Prepare the machine Mr clerk Cast up your ballot,
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
34:27
Mister Clark. with 99 members present the chair sees a quorum.
Chair
Unverified
34:57
Motion Representative Mckenzie for what purpose motion state your motion mayy
Speaker 140
35:04
we take off our advisors that's a proper motion it's
Chair
Unverified
35:11
not debatable all in favor sayy aye any oppose ne motion carries. You may remove your visors.
Mr Clark, please read House Bill1001. bypresentative Burge to prohibit over the counter diet pills from being sold, transferred
or otherwise furnished to a person who is under 18 years of
age Representative Burge, you are recognized to explain the bill. while
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
36:22
she's coming up real quickly ladies I skipped over this part you are the representative's name in front of you well we we have no way of learning everyone's names with
beforehand so when she calls on you to be recognized it'll be the person's name where you're sitting just fyi Representative Birs you're
Speaker 156
37:03
recognized thank you madampeaker good morning members of the house today I'm presenting a bill about over the counter diet drugs. I am for this bill and I hope that this bill states that over the counter pills should not be given to people under the age of 18. Diet pills
should not be sold or unlawfully s given to people yeah, I just think this is probably immoral to give to people over the diet pills because diet pills can lead to eating disorders diet pills can lead to
Speaker 158
38:07
So if this was given to people they would give
Speaker 156
38:13
receive a $2000 fine for getting the pills I just really think we need this in our state and our community due to the fact again eating disorders if one person was to go up to a counter and receive the diet pills or get the diet pills they could be taken too far and could probably also be seen as addictive
so that really is in me against it for me it could probably relate to me personally and us as teenagers because we see this constantly in cafeterias and other things we see people we see it happening we recognize it but this would help us tremendously in the act that we just wouldn't be able to sell it under the age of Representative Burge has
Speaker 129
39:08
explained the bill. I am open to questions would anyone like to speak against the bill representative stele for what purpose Iqueue recognizecogd I was wondering in this prohibition of selling to minors who would be fined in this
Speaker 169
39:38
situation the seller or the receiver? the seller I believe thank Representative shepherdue you're recognized. What about when it is referred to by a doctor not prescribed because then it would no longer be
Speaker 170
39:55
over the counter but referred to as a doctor because that person who needs to go on a diet and they are overweight and it's too expensive to get the prescribed stuff I believe they would still be given if it's a prescription
it's not a prescription it's thought you said prescription no it's not a prescription and it's like well you can if it's too expensive to get the prescribed stuff, what
Speaker 156
40:20
do you do then? if someone can't afford it is
Speaker 170
40:23
that what you're saying if somebody cannot if it's not prescribed and somebody cannot afford it, what are we going to do about those people when they need over the counter diet
Speaker 156
40:34
pills because they've been referred by the doctor I believe they should be
referred by the doctor like they I'm sorry I'm just really not understand Is there any
Speaker 169
40:47
I know I'm sorry recommendcommended but not prescribed excuse
Speaker 156
40:49
me so they went to the doctor they got recommended by
Speaker 169
40:54
it and it's no longer in don't believe they would get
Speaker 156
40:57
the pills The doctor knows the law so they shouldn't recommend it they should prescribe it thank you thank you
Chair
Unverified
41:13
Representative Burge has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill for the bill Representative Long, do you you are recognized to speak for the bill
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
41:52
thank you I'm speaking for this bill because I was the cosponsor this bill prohibits the selling of diet pills to anyone under the age of 18. I believe this bill is very important because the obesity rate in Arkansas is one of the highest and a lot of that is in teens and these teens should not be able to buy these drugs because most likely they will abuse them and in their
developmental age all of the chemicals in these drugs are not good for their development in their bodies so I would please ask for your vote to pass this bill thank you Representative Long
Chair
Unverified
42:38
has spoken for the bill would anyone wish to speak against
the bill Representative Hocom you are recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
43:00
It says that they're not selling until 18 years of age. I believe that should be 21 because at 18 years old you are not living on your own yet. I mean most of us are still in high school. I don't want any seniors going out and getting that drug I cannot vote for this bill while it's still 18 years of age I believe that the amendment should be made and when it is 21 I am able to vote for this bill p re
Chair
Unverified
43:22
s ent ative ho l com b has spoken against the bill anyone like to speak for the bill
Represent Representative Nazarenko you are recognized to speak for the bill
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
43:53
good morning everyone with the rise of social media and influencers on Tikok, Instagram and other platforms teenage girls are more impressionable
than ever and many of these pills and other things that are being given out online are very impressional to young teenagers like other representatives have said before teenagers don't have their brain development or anything ready yet so getting these citing pills can really affect their body and their mental health which lead to accidental suicides and overdoses in the future please vote on this bill to protect our teenag ers and our loved ones Representative Nazarenko has spoken for the bill
Chair
Unverified
44:34
does anyone want to speak against the bill? Representative waitpresentative shepherd you're recognized to speak against the bill. thank
Speaker 170
44:51
you madampeaker so this bill cannot be passed because these over the counter diet pills are used for other things besides just trying to get skinny by social media my math teacher actually has a condition and so does her daughter who was a teenager in
high school a sophomore to be sure that she cannot like the gaining weight is not like her fault it is a disease that she does have and the other kind of the pills are the things that help her stay like in the same thing and or go down in wait without them she would have to pay for an expensive expensive prescribe that probably would double her insurance and as a math teacher that pay is already low so how much more can the insurance go up so I please vote that you do not vote this bill because other people need it due to money and it will help with themselves
Chair
Unverified
45:40
representative Shephpard has spoken against the bill for what purpose Representative Long? he left the well Quickly
Speaker 60
45:59
if you have a question somebody has to be in the well to take it if it's if whoever has spoken for or against or even the presenter is left there's no one to take the question so that's why not that we don't want her to ask the
question but there's no one there to take it
Speaker 62
46:16
well but no yeah that's true sorry I misunderstoodpresentative Vug you don't have to stay for questions but it's kind of a courtesy
Chair
Unverified
46:30
if you do you want to speak for the bill Representative Allen we've been recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
46:55
Hi everybody so I just wanted to go ahead and clear up a couple of things on this p re
Speaker 198
47:00
s ent ative s against the bill have brought to our attention the first thing was that we should be 21 types of medicine but you're able to buy other prescriptions and other medicines at the age of 18 why should this one be any different? And you're also a legal adult at the age of 18. so therefore you should be able to be trusted and you should be in
the quote right mind in order to purchase these pills. also I really like the point that Representative shepherd brought up. I do understand that a lot but also I think that's an instance where the parents will purchase the pills and not necessarily the kid. This is about the kid it's themselves purchasing these diet pills so I just wanted to go ahead and clear that up as well that's all I have to say I am for this bill. Representative Brown for what purpose you're recognized
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
47:58
so you said that you would approve of parents buying the like pills over the counter for their underage minor
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
48:05
for the specific instance that Miss Shepherd brought up with whenever it comes
Speaker 198
48:08
to these types of illnesses where it is
Speaker 202
48:11
really really hard for these kids to lose weight and it's genuinely for a health concern. so do you think that if
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
48:17
this bill is passed and this law is passed that the parents should be breaking the law by giving their child that's not this law is over if
Speaker 198
48:28
you are able to buy the prescription if these if you have a legitimate health concern like Miss Shepherd brought up and your parent as a parent your duty is to help protect your child that's not going against this bill that's simply providing the resources that your child needs it's not necessarily the child buying these pills it's the parent providing it for these kids with these illnesses if that kind of clears it up thank you
Chair
Unverified
48:59
Representative Holliday, what's the purpose? you're recognized as of right
Speaker 207
49:03
now this bill currently says it talks about the purchasing but also the transferring of these drugs. So with the way it's written currently parents that you are now saying can buy these things for medical concerns are breaking the law and so if this bill were to be passed it would need to be amended in order to ensure that we're not putting ouransans in a situation where they need to break the law.
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
49:30
right so I00% see that and I completely agree. So now I ask you
Speaker 198
49:34
please pass this bill to help us amend it because this is a legitimate concern that I do see for this bill but I also see this bill coming in so much use. We cannot allow our students and our kids to be purchasing these pills it will cause eating disorders it will harm our youth so yes now I ask you please pass this bill and we will work to amend it. we will work on it
but this this is a legitimate issue and it has to be settled
Chair
Unverified
50:07
thank you Representative Burge, do you wish to close your bill? Recog
Speaker 156
50:24
OK thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this bill. in answer to the question up there, they can
be transferred by the seller but they can't be transferred like from the parents so I think this is a great opportunity for miners in general it helps all of us engage and yes thank you for oh yes thank you for this and I appreciate your vote for my bill. Thank you so much
Chair
Unverified
51:07
Representative Burge has closed for the bill the question before the house is a passage of house bill 1001. prepare the machine Mister Clark. Has everyone voted Everyone voted
Cast up the ballot Mister Clark for the by the vote of42 yes and55 names and two presents the bill has failed Mr Clark, please read House Bill1002
Speaker 216
52:16
1002 by Representativeoltz an act to allow a lottery
Chair
Unverified
52:24
winner to remain confidential. Representative
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
Unverified
52:28
Gazaway you're recognized thank you madampeaker and colleagues I rise today colleagues the intent of this bill is very vital. It protects ouransans from harassment, deceit and financial targeting after winning a major lottery win
setting the threshold at half a million dollars to be protected to have your rights protected leaves many Americans like many Archanans accessible to have that pri and if if an Arkansas family were to receive500,000 dollars that would be a really good sum of money and that would help them in their lives a lot and if with this possibility there are so many threats that contribute
to them being in danger of scams and just of so many things that can hurt their family some may argue that without with this threshold like lowering this threshold to remain an honest it might hurt government transparency because some people believe they have the right to know you know who wins the lottery to make so that they can prove that it's not rigged. However, we must rely that public trust should be on state audit and regulatory oversight and we should not place this pressure on the lottery winners
by lowering by making sure that this that Arkansans can remain anonymous. we can make life way more accessible to everyday citizens we can make sure that they have a voice and that they can choose to remain anonymous and it's like imagine a hardworking orkansan winning the lottery instead of celebrating their phone is being constantly ranged with people who are calling them scamming them fake people trying to reach out and we should advocate for those
people because it should be to the state to make sure that our lotteries are safe and it should not be on the people who win the
Chair
Unverified
54:32
lottery Representative Motz has explained the bill. Representative Bburkes for what is your purpose? recognizecognise
would anyone like to speak against the bill Representative Burkes you're recognized Speak against
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
55:16
the bill Hello my fellow representatives I was originally going to ask
this question I am in fact a cosponsor on this bill but as our
Speaker 226
55:23
representative stated whatever she was describing this bill she stated that it was500,000 dollars we have amended this bill so it is $100,000. That is the new value and you can see that in your bill I was just clearing that up for you thank you would anyone
Chair
Unverified
55:39
like to speak for the bill Representative Brown you're recognized
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
55:54
thank you madam Speaker. I'm also a cosponsor on this bill and I would like to get your vote for this bill because we want everybody who like wins the lottery to have a chance to get
Speaker 232
56:06
their taxes done and they might bump a tax bracket if they win said money over $100,000. so if we have people bugging them all the time about oh I want to get you because you have this much money that is not something ethical and something that we should allow our citizens to have to go
through and then I would also like to bring up the elected official side of this bill where elected officials have six months to come out into the public about their sum of money that they've come into. I feel like this is a great way to keep a transparent government with all of our representatives so that everybody knows who they're voting for and what they're doing and so I feel like a way to have the whole entire state of Arkansas trust us is to be able to do this if somebody in a position of power were to come into a sum of money from the lottery
Chair
Unverified
56:58
that's why I would like you to vote for this bill and I will stay in the well
Speaker 237
57:08
forre questions Representativeduffield what is for what is your purposeues you're recognized so for apologize for
Speaker 239
57:13
my voice I lost it at the rally so as for like these lotteries I'm not sure if there's like different kinds of lotteries but it's just all lotteries across the board so like Arkansas like
Speaker 232
57:28
scholarship lottery and like go like scratch offs everything yes perfect that was
Chair
Unverified
57:40
my question representative Grammlich for what is your purposes you are recognized when you're describing
Speaker 243
57:45
elected officials are you saying they have6 months to come out to our Kansans to tell us that they won the lottery and then you are transparent like the lottery people are transparent or did like after
six months they like then the lottery people tell them do they have6 months to come out and tell
Speaker 232
58:11
everybody is it their job or do the lottery people just tell them after six months so it says in our bill that however the records or information of a lottery winner shall be of the section only6 months if the lottery winner is an electric an elected official or somebody that is an individual who is related to
and then answerswer they basically this whole thing is saying that we are going to keep them confidential and that we are not going to say anything about them winning the lottery, but that will come out if like said like lottery winners are like oh I can't you can't come at me
So keeping it confidential obviously means that we're not gonna tell anybody that you won the lottery like the lottery companies can't tell you anybody that they won the lottery but if six months happens and the lottery company were to say this elected official or somebody like they're married to or related to were to have won the lottery back six months ago
Speaker 247
59:20
they can do that and can't get penalized for it. thank you
Chair
Unverified
59:34
Representative Brown has spoken for the bill. anyone who want
Speaker 157
59:41
to speak against the bill Remove them ward la
Representative Jeff Wardlaw
Unverified
59:55
w you are recognized if this is just for elected officials I believe
Chair
Unverified
59:59
that lottery companies should provide aid and training on how to detect
these sccams instead of just throwing their names out into the open. I do very appreciate the idea of like that time buffer and give them their own time to come out but I also believe that if you enter the lottery you are already forfeiting some of your privacy because lottery winners enter it expecting and wanting to win. and so with that if you are wanting and expecting to win you know your name's gonna come out at some point
so entering that lottery and getting your name thrown out there is highly likely and should be prepared for in advance rather than become a problem later down the road. So I think with aid and training provided which could be by the lottery company or
Speaker 252
1:00:54
an outside source that this could be prevented and Representative Wardlaw has spoken against
Chair
Unverified
1:01:03
the bill. does anyone to speak for the bill
Representative Walker you are recognized pe ak for
Representative Steven Walker
Unverified
1:01:26
the bill Studies analyzing past winners of the lottery indicate that the average demographic skews male roughly60% and slightly
Speaker 256
1:01:31
older with an average age around55. Upon researching the lottery to help study for my bill and supporting it's amendments reading that statistic did
concern me. If the main winners of the lottery are older than how we should especially try and protect their rights and their privacy as we all know we all have grandparents like we know that they are a little more susceptible they're not as new to technology they don't really know how to weed out scams they don't know how to tell that somebody isn't the most trusting person. I feel this makes them more vulnerable and a little more gullible to certain things I fully support this bill and its amendments because I think the citizens of Arkansas should have their privacy protected for at least6 months until after their
yeah this should be at least6 months until I think we should try and protect their privacy as long as possible hopefully forever. I hope nobody gets harassed after they win the lottery. I hope nobody gets scammed out of their money that they won and so I do believe that all this bill and it's amendments should be passed and I hope you guys all vote for it so we can help protect the privacy and the peace of ouransans. I will now stay
Chair
Unverified
1:02:39
for questions Representative Burough for what is your purpose?ues
Speaker 259
1:02:43
you are recognized at the end of the bill it is stated that records of information filed with the office of Arkansas Lottery and the treatment of as confidential under subdivision A3A of this section shall become public after three years. Can you please explain that? believe that that means that anyone who has won
Representative Steven Walker
Unverified
1:03:03
the lottery and checked it with the office of the Arkansas lottery that it is treated as confidential until
Speaker 256
1:03:09
three years and then their information could be released I
think I said months earlier I misspoke I meant to say three years and then their information can be released and so I hope that this bill by then people have forgotten about it and nobody will want to harass whoever won
Chair
Unverified
1:03:32
the lottery and that they can stay protected
Speaker 261
1:03:36
Representative Long for what is your purpose? you are recognized motion for immediate consideration Wapresentative
for what purpose? motion get your motion motion for immediate consideration that's a proper motion that's not debatable all
Chair
Unverified
1:03:58
in favor say I any opposed nay motion pass Question
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:04:08
for the house Ohue question before the house is
Chair
Unverified
1:04:17
passage of bill one House Bill1002. prepare the machine Mr clerk Has everyone voted Has everyone voted Cast up her ballot Mr Clark
Speaker 263
1:04:48
by a vote of79yya and 17 naves and one present the bill is passed. thoroughly confused
Speaker 264
1:04:56
about what just happened? right what happened is we we had a motion
Speaker 60
1:05:01
but we had to wait till the s till the person that had controlled the well had the floor had to leave because we don't take procedural motions when someone still is in the well when she left p re s ent ative Long a adequately and properly stood up and asked for immediate consideration some of you that are that are part of
parliamentary teams in your school and others it's preview of move previous question it's an immediate vote it ends all debate when it passes it has to pass with a 2/3 majority so67 voices need to ring out in that case there were a lot of voices thank you thank you for catching that in the back back there it took there was no nay vote so it's gonna pass it's the decision of the chair how it does but when it does it ends vote and we immediately move in and vote the bill in that
case with a tremendous majority it was gonna pass but if it's it it the the the motion itself can be tactical strategic because what it does is it eliminates the sponsor's ability to come back and close so if there were a lot of questions there were a lot of issues that needed to be cleared up in the clothes you cut that off so if you were against it for it depending on your preference on the bill you could use it and use it properly but that's that that's what happened in that case and we when it hits it hits quick we vote the motion we move immediately into the bill if if
the motion had failed we've gone right back into the debate so
Speaker 266
1:06:31
be be mindful of that as we go Mr Clark, please read
Chair
Unverified
1:06:37
House Bill1003 bypresentativeiermann to require all schools in Arkansas to provide resources and courses on laws regarding children in the workplace. Representative beardmann you're recognized
Speaker 269
1:07:05
Hey guys I'm back again. my fellow Arkansas representatives every year thousands of teenagers enter the workforce for some it's for independence for summits for a little extra money in their back pocket but regardless, so many teens enter jobs without the proper
Speaker 198
1:07:25
knowledge necessary to protect themselves or succeed in this new professional environment while this might seem farfetched and just flat out untrue the
Speaker 269
1:07:35
data backs it up. Studies show that55% to80% of teens and young adults report struggling with work, school and life balance of research studied by the Nationallibrary of Medicine only confirms the hard truth that adolescents are consistently surrounded by workplace violence otherwise known as WPV and don't know what to do in these situations in addition many employers report that over 1 3rd of their Gen Z employees lack basic communication and
customer service skills and last but certainly not least, the US Chamber of Commerce states that 84% of hiring managers agree high school students are not prepared
Speaker 198
1:08:16
for the workforce. This is why I am proud to sponsor this bill requiring a short online readiness course before employment. I know it sounds like just another responsibility for these busy kids. but this online program will not only help teens secure jobs but keep our peers, our friends our families safe.
no matter if they attend public, private, charter
Speaker 269
1:08:41
or homeschool because this program is fully online, not only will these teenagers be able to complete this course on their own time and who at their own time and place but implementation costs would remain low after initial development. Funding will continue through existing work readiness and education programs ensuring that students receive important workplace training without placing a financial burden on families and schools. whenever you're voting on this bill today
Speaker 198
1:09:09
I want you to keep this in mind. this bill is not
Speaker 269
1:09:13
about creating another obstacle for these teens. It's about ensuring that generations of workers are informed, prepared and confident before even stepping into the workplace or the workforce because trust me that's a
Speaker 198
1:09:27
force to be reckoned with adolescents should be required to complete this program to ensure the safety and ensure success throughout our youth. Please vote for this bill. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:09:40
Representativeiermann has explained the bill was in a brown for what is your purpose? or recognize so
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
1:09:48
is this bill is it a law to make sure that they have education on just the law because
Speaker 232
1:09:53
it made you so it made it sound like that you were giving them communication skills and everything else to get jobs but that would be different than just educating
Speaker 201
1:10:03
them on the law about child labor. so it's
Speaker 204
1:10:06
going to go over multiple things. it'll go over
things that'll help prepare them for the workforce and also we'll go over the law as you stated. Also I'm going to leave the well would anyone like
Chair
Unverified
1:10:34
to speak against the bill? Representativeolcom you are recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
1:10:51
I say in a bill it says that a child is at least 14 years of age but not more than 16. For me personally I am 17 and I already have a job but whenever I got my W4 form I had no clue to do it then I handed it to my mom. Same with everything else that I do. I had no clue about taxes I didn't know what a pay stub was I didn't even know what the letters on my pay stub mean. I feel that we should raise the age and I'd love to vote for the amendment because I feel like it is very beneficial for it but I feel like we should raise the age to 17 or 18 to allow this to properly be better
Speaker 188
1:11:22
for the more adequate workers which will be
Chair
Unverified
1:11:26
in the workforce as Representativeiermann has spoken against the bill. anyone like to speak
for the bill Representativehudson you're recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:11:54
the purpose of the bill is to be used for those who are uneducated about working and just wanting to have a job to help support their family to get that education purpose in school while they are learning a resource that could be provided by the schools is having paid internships this is a very safe way and it is authorized like by the school like they'll be looked over by teachers and
adults to help provide for their families or simply simply having pocket change of course they would have to do safe internships like you wouldn't like there'll be like you wouldn't be able to be a mechanic or you wouldn't be allowed behind stoves because of the liabilities but just having having paid internships in school allows for them to gain workplace responsibility and experience that is all that'll stay for questions.
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:12:59
Representative Duke, for what is your purpose? you are recognized so would this be
Speaker 278
1:13:06
job or would it be just like yes this is not a requirement. this
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:13:13
is only for kids who are might be struggling financially or just want to help their mom and dad pay the bills this is not a requirement but it would essentially be a course given in schools if you are interested. thank you
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:13:32
p re s ent ative beatty for what is your purpose?ues or recognizeco I do completely agree
Speaker 190
1:13:39
with students and stuff understanding the laws but shouldn't it be changed because it seems like you we also
Speaker 280
1:13:44
want them to know the skills that they need. So shouldn't it be changed to laws and skills like is this just gonna to teach them the laws or is it also skills that we're teaching
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:13:56
them? the course provided in schools would essentially teach them the laws just so they have an
understanding of it when they do go out into a workplace that's not authorized by teachers or just safe for adults you know they'll they'll understand how to not get pulled over and like regular workplaces and then the skills is to help them get a head start if they if they are wanting to while they're still in school or underage like 14 because many people don't hire 14 year olds because they are such a liability. Thank you. Senative Burkes you're recognized wait
Chair
Unverified
1:14:39
would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Wwooldridge you're recognized speak against
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
1:14:58
the bill. OK thank you for recognizing me to speak against this bill although it sounds fine and dandy on paper and I do agree that we do need more workforce training for kids in schools my
thing that why I'm against this is because how are we going to support our teachers in order to ensure that they know how to prepare our kids for the best future. how are we going to ensure that all the things on top of everything that teachers have to deal with that they have time to support this course and you did say I can't remember who spoke about it but you did say that there was an online option and I do think that that is a very viable option but I also
think that like our teachers already being on top like of everything and especially admin too like how are we going to just ensure that everyone is supported through this process and yeah that's all I have to say I'll stay for questions
Chair
Unverified
1:15:58
Thank you Representative Wwooldridge has spoken against the bill Representative Brown for what is your purpose
state your motion proper motion not debatable all in favor signify and say aye any opposed Mas have it one wish to speak for the bill Representative Cclowney
Speaker 114
1:16:49
OK so while I agree that maybe the age should be raised to 17 and 18 but I think it should stay at 14 for these education courses on exploitation of children because it happens everywhere with specifically 14 and 15 year olds because they do not know their rights and the laws of child labor so I believe there should be an amendment on the age to increase it from starting at 14 to18 but I am entirely for the bill on
educating the youth in child labor laws and I'm leaving the
Chair
Unverified
1:17:25
well would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative hawk you are recognized to speak against the bill Thank you madamurkesperson.
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
1:17:50
St stepping into the work program as a minor you know the responsibilities of handling a job while maintaining school. I feel as though if you're uneducated on a topic take time to educate yourself before becoming employed. I am 17 years old I got my first job when I was 16 fresh freshly six and I knew all the responsibilities that we're gonna come with getting a job so young I also wasn't even driving but I knew that was also going to be one of the steps into growing up
and I just feel as though taking a course over it is kind of in a way unnecessary because work on your timing if you're not ready to handle school and a job just don't do it And I'm stepping out
Chair
Unverified
1:18:34
the well Representative Allen would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Richardson you are recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
1:19:00
Thank you for what the person in front of me said sorry for my voice she said you should learn on your old time like they said it is online so you can do it on time and the teachers are just recommending it to you they're not gonna teach you but they're gonna recommend it to you as a source like a person before said that when they were 17 they didn't know exactly what they were doing when they got a job and this can help provide the information because a lot of 14 year olds don't really know about the workforce their laws they're kind of just going in it for the money and I feel like this can kind of help them give it a little bit of what they're gonna go into when they
get into the workforce and they'll add to their knowledge so they won't miss out on anything or or job opportunities when
Chair
Unverified
1:19:40
it's too late and I'm staying for questions Representative Grammlich for what is your purpose not at
this time Representative oh wait would anyone like to speak
For ahpresentativeholcomb for what is your purpose motion take your motion I move for a motion of consideration Immediate consideration it
that's a proper motion not debatable all in favor say aye any opposed? o ce an carries Question before the house
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:20:34
my great the question before the house is the passage of house bill 1003. Prepare the machine, Mister Clar has everyone voted Has everyone voted Cast of the ballot Mister Clark
by a vote of 22 yea and73 nays and three presents the bill is failed has failed Mister Clark please read House Bill14. Hospital
Chair
Unverified
1:21:32
104 wherepresentative Burchfield to create the Arkansas Head Injury Act and to require protective headgear for all passengers and operators of motorized cycles.
Representative Burchfield, you are recognized to explain the
Speaker 301
1:21:59
bill. Hello, my name is Abbby Burchfield and I'm representing the the actc to to create the Arkansas Head Injury Act. I think we can all agree that motorcycle helmets greatly increase their survival rate in the case of a motorcycle wreck.
this bill would make it mandatory for every motorcycle operator and passenger to wear a helmet approved by the national highway traffic Safety Administration I will as three main reasons why is she give an affirmative vote to this bill ber one the safety of the operator.2, the safety of other drivers and number3 the safety of first responders My first reason is for the safety of the motorcycle operator This role is where life is most threatened. Other drivers are most likely to be in cars and
first responders have traffic control but on a motorcycle there is no seat belt no airbag and no metal shell between you and the road. in many cases a helmet is all that stands between you and death. My second reason is for other drivers in the is for other drivers in the case of a fatal motorcycle crash the other person will have to live with the guilt of taking life even if they weren't at fault if they weren at fault they would also have to deal with
severe legal action that would have been more lenient and less painful if the individual had survived. my third and final reason is for the safety of our first responders when there's a major motorcycle when there is a major motor vehicle accident, the entire road must be shut down for an extended period of time occasionally a vehicle will try to bypass the roadblock and get through. when that happens everyone on the scene is in danger. Aside from that there's the mental stress of trying to save a life even when you know it's hopeless.
first responders give their all to save their patients. They volunteered to see gruesome things not because they want to but because they know others don't. And to throw your life away is not only devastating for your friends and family but it affects the people you don't even know You might say that helmets are expensive so is your life. You should factor in the cost you should factor in the cost of a helmet when you buy a motorcycle You might say that it encroaches on our free will. We already have seat belt laws and it is short jump to say that helmets are the seat belt of a motorcycle of the motorcycle
world y giving an affirmative vote to this bill you will save many lives and spare many more from unnecessary pain. Once again thank you for giving me the opportunity to
Chair
Unverified
1:24:35
speak I will take questions Representative Jean you're what is your purpose? ue s you're recognized
Speaker 305
1:24:41
what would be the consequence for not abiding Probably a ticket specific
Speaker 301
1:24:54
I don't know like the amount of the ticket or
Chair
Unverified
1:24:57
anything but it would be similar to not wearing a seatbelelt. Representative shepherd for what is your
Speaker 170
1:25:04
purpose?ues you're recognized just for clarification it has crossed out that unless the person is 21 years age they don't have to wear protective so does this pertain this is pertaining to all ages around no matter what if you're in
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:25:17
the pastor thank you p re s ent ative Duffield for what is
Speaker 239
1:25:21
your purpose?ues you're recognized I just wanted to
ask about in section three subsection B subsection two it talks about the helmets must be equipped with like protective glasses, goggles or transparent face shields. what is the purpose of that because it's the head injury Act right? so it's like goggles and protective glasses I'm assuming that that would prevent like like external damage on your face but it's are you asking why there
Speaker 301
1:25:52
should be goggles or transparent face
shields like yeah yeah ok if you are in a wreck um, many times debris will come and it might get in your eyes and damage them or even when you're
Speaker 239
1:26:09
just driving just normally. OK so would someone get the ticket you mentioned if they had a helmet that
Speaker 301
1:26:15
didn't have that if it was not a approved helmet then they they might thank you
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:26:28
Representative Se Steil for what is your purpose?ues you're recognized I might have missed this
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
1:26:32
but how are we ensuring that like the protective glasses like stay on like it will be something to go around it because I feel like if they're in a wreck and they're being thrown all over the road the
Speaker 301
1:26:43
glasses aren't going to stay on they're they're special made helmets where if you have goggles, the helmet is designed to have them stay on and they're also
Speaker 312
1:26:49
the helmets with the face shields they're attached. OK thank you. thank you
Chair
Unverified
1:27:01
Representative Burchfield has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill Representative Whittaker you are recognized to speak against the
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
1:27:29
bill I think that this bill is a good
idea. I just want to know like if it's just for the helmet that does help with protection but it doesn't help necessarily with all of the problems that could happen.
Speaker 315
1:27:40
I feel like there needs to be more requirements on there because say what if you're wearing that safety helmet because it's required but then for some weird reason you're wearing flip flops or something you know and then you go to stick your leg down while you're waiting and then you get your leg all ripped up or something because of it so I feel like there should be more I feel like there should be like jackets that you're supposed to wear a good leather jacket,
maybe some good pants and some really good protective shoes too. that's what I have
Chair
Unverified
1:28:13
to would you like to speak for the
bill Representative Acre, you are recognized to speak for the bill
Speaker 318
1:28:40
Hello, I would like to speak as a personal testimony because this is a very personal issue for me that I know many in this room as motorcycles are frequently used is a common issue and protective wear is not common I had my dad was very close to a man at our church who was a huge leader in our church and he had two sons. He was older aged, very grown man knew what he was doing. He went out for a leisurely night ride was
not thinking of the consequences he did not wear a protective helmet and he died in a fatal accident. This accident has caused turmoil in our city. He impacted our entire town he was a huge member of his son's schools a huge advocate for people in our church and he impacted his sons greatly and inspired them in many many ways. His death has caused so many people to suffer and go through pain
because he did not follow Recommended guidelines this would provide a law to standby and it will help like someone brought up yes we did discuss that there should be further protection that could be amended to be worn but this at least starts more safety with motorcycles we know that it is a
fun activity. it feels nice, it feels freeing but it is also extremely dangerous in these deaths are extremely common and are not something that are rare These deaths affect so many more people than just the driver. We believe that this helmet law would help the proceeding of more cautionary things to be put in place this is my personal testimony please
would ask you to carefully consider this and vote yes because it affects communities, peoples, family and children of these loved ones who choose to unwisely or subconsciously not take these safety measures. will stay for questions Representative shepherd for what
Chair
Unverified
1:31:06
is your purpose? you're recognized. Hi
Speaker 170
1:31:09
so my dad also had an accident like that word scripted his entire leg up
so if we say yes to this bill will it be amended to get full protection gear all throughout their body to concern because it's not just for their head it can scratch up their entire body break their arm break their leg
Speaker 318
1:31:25
and this is also consequential for them and their family yes ma'am that is something that we discussed and we were planning to amend it but we also did not know if some people in this room would say that requiring that would cost more money and then where would that funding come from? So we wanted to keep it simple with the helmet at the start so that if people would like to go to that extent we can get it amended or if they would just like to
realize that helmets are a good start and they should be even more protective. This would lead to many recognizing this problem more by passing it the first time and then amending. Thank
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:32:00
you. p re s ent ative Holliday
Speaker 321
1:32:06
for what is your purpose? Not yet Would would anyone like to speak against
Chair
Unverified
1:32:16
the bill Representative Hudson you're recognized to speak against the bill
Speaker 322
1:32:28
for what purpose Immediate consideration that's a
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:32:35
proper motion that's not debatable all in favor
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:32:48
any opposed motion carries the question before the house is passage of house house bill 1004. ok
Speaker 133
1:32:59
prepare the machine Mr Clark. Has everyone voted has
Chair
Unverified
1:33:19
everyone voted Cast of the ballot Mr Clark by a vote of 94 yay four nays and0 present the bill is passed
Mr clerk please read house bill 105.
hospital 15 bypresentative Mayweather to create the adult preparedness actct. Representative Mayweather, you
are recognized to speak to explain the bill
Speaker 303
1:34:05
thank you madam speaker good morning members of the house. I am presenting the adult preparedness Act this bill will require high school students to complete a yearlong personal finance course before graduation. The course would teach important real world skills such as budgeting, taxes, credit saving money and responsible spending. Many students graduate without knowing how to manage money, apply for loans or build credit. These are skills students will use for the rest of their lives and no matter what career path they choose by providing financial literacy
education in schools we can better prepare students for adulthood and help prepare future financial struggles this bill isn't just about money it is about creating confident, prepared and responsible young adults. thank you I'm now leaving the will Oh she's up to well
Chair
Unverified
1:34:54
would anyone like to speak against the bill Representative Eaves you are you're recognized to speak against the bill
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
1:35:10
Good morning good morning everyone. I speak against this because I learned a lot of this from quantitative reasoning ivvi civics and economics we learned this I don't know how people may retain it but we most of the time we do learn this we learn this in
Speaker 327
1:35:22
our other classes so I don't feel as if there is a need to add another class for it I will stay behind for questioning Representative Perry for
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:35:35
what is your purpose? Oh I know at a lot of schools
Speaker 329
1:35:40
quantitative is notues sorry ok I know in a lot of schools quantitative is not an honors and at my school it is not so how would you being against it be like oh you can take it if you take quantitative but then you don't get the honors track. can you repeat the question? sorry your mic at a lot of schools honors is not like on the honors track quantitative is not on there and you don't have to take civics and economics
because you can take a college history and at my school it is so how can you say that you don't like you have other options but this would give you an
Speaker 333
1:36:22
actual option where it's required I see what you're saying but at most of the schools I have been at civics andconomics is mostly required towards 9th and 8th grade. Every student was required to take a civics and economics to be able to move on to further classes in that course. Representative Beck for what is your purpose?
Speaker 226
1:36:46
you are recognized. let's say for private schools you're not coming from somewhere that's it it's required to take economics especially in middle school. what would you
Speaker 334
1:36:55
do then for high school going into private high schools as well that are not required to take some of these other basic classes in some of the other ones all right so unfortunately
Speaker 333
1:37:06
I'm unable to answer this question because I do not have the experience of a private school. I have attended public school where these classes are are required so
I don't have the I don't have the experience of a private school so I'm so
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:37:30
sorry I'm not able to answer your question. Representative Burkes for what
Speaker 337
1:37:36
is your purpose? question ford even though we have economic and civicconomists just glide over how our the economics of the United States works it it just glide over the
saving for us and budgeting. I don't
Speaker 338
1:37:52
feel like it's focused enough so that's
Speaker 333
1:37:56
why we should have another class for it right and from my personal experience because I am speaking on personal experience. we in my civics andconoms class we went over obviously the stock market but we also went over taxes and how we need to pay taxes and how we need to pay bills. So and then quantitative reasoning that also dived into taxes refunds ins and everything like interest everything that needed to be gone over
Speaker 337
1:38:24
I understand that but with that we don't know how to open the savings account or nothing in economic class and there's like no guideline on what economic would teach
Speaker 338
1:38:33
specifically or go in depth into it right I see what
Speaker 333
1:38:42
you're saying unfortunately I can't really answer that because I am speaking from personal experience my quantitative reasoning showed me how to open a bank account and how to pay my bills and everything so
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:38:58
I don't know I'm sorry thank you
Speaker 340
1:39:03
Representative carr for what is your purpose? you are recognized so I noticed it says that it's going to start the 20262027 school year and me personally I did take both economics and civics but in such a short like time span how are you going to ensure that well when I took it my teachers like they didn't have much training on it and really they were just forced to teach it by admin so how are you
going to ensure that teachers know how to teach both of
Speaker 331
1:39:31
the classes. that can go the same way for this how do we know teachers will teach this how do we know what teachers will stand in civics and economics and do their job I believe that is what you're asking me
Speaker 340
1:39:43
like how are y'all going to ensure that they actually know like what they're trying to teach us. like they know
Speaker 333
1:40:00
This can go as a've previously stated this can go both ways how do we know they're going to teach us in civics and economics the same way they're going to teach us in this class every teacher is supposed to be prepared and ready to teach a class but I do not
Chair
Unverified
1:40:18
know how we are going to insure this thank you didn't you like to speak for the bill Representative MickcElroy you are recognized to speak for the bill
Speaker 344
1:40:45
I think that this is a very important bill because not like everyone has those classes
Speaker 346
1:40:50
like there's many people that are in private schools and don't have those types of classes to take and like I don't know where she was but she said that those are personal experiences and not everyone has those types of personal experiences. I want this bill to pass because so many high schoolers leave high school without having any idea
how to function like in the real world. like sure some people like some people have jobs and like can see their tax dollars being taken out but after they like graduated high school they don't really know what else like what else happens with their taxes knowing how to save money and knowing how to find like important places like the revenue office and like all those things is a very important and the young adults that know how to do these things are most likely to be successful in life and having these classes would
like help our future generations with their future. and also this bill wouldn't just be insuring for like financial things it would also be for like how to cook or how to properly like write checks and like even things like mechanics like how to fix your car if you need help with that and how to sign up for insurance Yeah voting for that we just have
better future Representative McClure for what is your purpose?ues you
Chair
Unverified
1:42:24
are recognized my problem isn't with the bill itself but the short amount
Speaker 347
1:42:29
of time it gives schools to prepare for this how can you kind of
Speaker 348
1:42:33
what she was saying early how can you ensure that teachers are prepared to teach this course and that students because a lot of what are you what do you do for the seniors like many of us are
gonna be how do you ensure that seniors have time to fit two full semesters
Speaker 349
1:42:56
of this into their schedule. so that's a great question but I would say just getting this bill
Speaker 346
1:43:01
passed is just just the biggest step like just getting it passed in general is just a big step and we can amend those things later like for the seniors this year like I know that's it's kind of a problem so maybe we can amend it to like be like shorter or like
maybe like an like an extra class so you can take like outside of school hours or something but yes I just think getting the bill passed is the most important would
Chair
Unverified
1:43:35
anyone like to speak against the bill Representative meeks you are recognized to speak against the bill
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:43:54
Good afternoon. While I am speaking against the bill, I am in support of it and I'd be happy and willing to vote for it if amendments were made to specify for example, who exactly is gonna be teaching this this two courses what's it going to cost the school who's going to provide the curriculum could the year it's implemented be changed to the 2728 school year instead of the 2627 school year to help the timeline so
I would be happy to vote for the bill if some of these amendments were made. thank you. would anyone like
Chair
Unverified
1:44:33
to speak for the bill? Representative warren you're recognized to speak for the bill
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
1:44:57
Thank you senator of the House of Representatives for letting
Speaker 355
1:45:04
me to speak for the bill. there's a common stereotype for enzers saying that they don't know how to be adults that they lack communication skills that they don't know how to do simple things like filing taxes or maybe just making a bank account and high school was a place where we are supposed to grow these skills where we're
supposed to learn real life skills or help us in the future to help us prepare outside of high school because let's be honest I am still having trouble navigating what my life is going to look like after I go
Speaker 356
1:45:47
outside of high school. So I believe that passing this bill
Speaker 355
1:45:51
will allow high school students to gain those actions to gain those skills necessary such as budgeting financial services and the like
However, I do agree that the time is quite short and a lot of seniors are already prepared the schedule that they can't exactly fit those two consecutive semesters because I'm assuming most of us have our schedules planned already for the year of 2026 and2027 so I would go for the vote just to get this in place and amend it further down the line for perhaps one semester or even just a online course recommended by teachers so thats they're starting the year 2028 students can plan
their schedules accordingly while also getting those skills necessary to navigate life after high
Speaker 356
1:46:36
school. I will be standing for questions.
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:46:40
Representative Duke, for what is your purpose? you're recognized. OK so for
Speaker 357
1:46:45
me my schedule has been full for like all four years of high school like I have not had any electives to where I could fit this into my schedule. so
could it be incorporated into like economics or something rather than being a full course like itself because it being required but me not being able to fit into my schedule would be very difficult. I will agree with you that
Speaker 355
1:47:18
economics and quantitative reasoning should be classes where we are taught like real life schools such as a representative I mentioned earlier that she learned a lot from her quantitative reasoning but that curriculum is not the same throughout different schools so I believe that
implementing this bill will require classes such as economics civics and quantitative reasoning to teach those life skills within the curriculum
Speaker 356
1:47:38
as to not put as much stress on teachers thank you Representative gonzalez for what is
Speaker 133
1:47:46
your purpose? motion state your motion not proper at this
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:47:58
time OK Representative Springer for what is your purpose?ues
Speaker 305
1:48:04
recognizecog so are you saying that we eliminate quantitative reasoning and those other classes and put this in place or are we adding this with all of those other
Speaker 355
1:48:14
classes available I believe what I'm trying to get at is within those like classes such as quantitative and economics there will be a specific course like a unit perhaps that will be going into those real life skills so as to not overwhelm teachers for the for the seniors but also be begin integrating these skills that are necessary I would like to have a course where I'm
learning real life skills before I get out and graduate from high
Speaker 356
1:48:39
school. so just to clarify is it a unit or a course I would believe
Speaker 355
1:48:43
it'd be some part of the course such as the unit course it'll just I believe just scheduled in whatever way is appropriate for the high schools. OK thank you Would anyone
Speaker 364
1:48:51
like to speak against would anyone like to speak against the bill
Chair
Unverified
1:49:06
Representative Barnett you're recognized to speak
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
1:49:16
against the bill Hello fellow fellow representatives
Speaker 366
1:49:18
I did not come prepared to be very passionate about this so we're saying that we're gonna add another class to our already packed schedules and are already overloaded teachers which I don't really feel like that's necessary when we could mandate economics and civics classes to
just teach these in their units. Me personally, my school has a class like this and I feel like it was just for better words useless I learned more in my civics and economics classes this year about personal finance and taxes and maybe that's just my teacher and how he taught but I feel like the board ofation could maintain or we could mandate that these classes be taught like more like this but also while teaching you know
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
1:50:07
normal economics. I feel that the rest of the things like balancing a checkbook or opening a savings account. those aren't
Speaker 366
1:50:13
things that need a whole class to be taught. You can google those things you can watch a video. So I feel that
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
1:50:20
the department of Education could promulgate the roles that we are trying to get enforced and I will not be taking questions would
Chair
Unverified
1:50:31
anyone like to speak for the bill
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
1:50:38
Representative Brooks, you are recognized to speak for the bill. OK hi everyone so I attend Cabot high school and this is my personal so a cabbot we always offer these classes for our freshmen that are just now coming into the high school and just now starting to get jobs in the adult world and we need to teach
them you know like the building blocks of how to become an adult and the next steps to becoming one. So how Cabot does it is we do it as two semesters but we split it in half and the first class was it's either Keystone or professional communications and in professional communications we learned public speaking and how to properly speak with other adults and have job interviews as well as in Keystone we learned how to write our own
bill or to write our own checks and we learned how to like access our banking accounts and checking accounts. And overall I just feel like it was very effective and I understand like the funding does depend like on areas but I feel like it should be taken into consideration
Chair
Unverified
1:52:03
thank you Representative pilkington for what is your purpose? State your motionmmediate consideration
that's a proper motion not debatable all in favor sayy aye any oppose motion carries the question before the house is passage of House Bill105. prepare the machine Mister clerk.
Has everyone voted has everyone voted Cast up the ballot, Mister clerk by a vote of35yya 6 A ' s and4
presents this bill has failed Mr Clark, please read House Bill6.
House1006 by Representative Holland to increase the amount
of the income tax deduction allowed for
a teacher's classroom investment. Representative Holland, you are recognized to explain
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
1:53:41
the bill Thank you madam speaker Members, this bill is for teachers. Every year teachers work tirelessly for their students to have the best
education possible and unfortunately sometimes the school is unable to provide certain classroom amenities. Currently teachers are allowed to deduct500 dollars per year from their income tax for classroom improvements and this bill allows for teachers to deduct up to $1000 from their income taxes my mother is a teacher. She teaches a career readiness class for the freshman at my high school.
if she were able to provide a clause at the end of the semester the students have an interview and a lot of them don't have the proper clothes necessary to be able to dress appropriately for this interview and if my mother were able to use this her paycheck to be able to create a closet for these students she would be able to deduct that from her income tax it would be greatly
helpful to many teachers across the state and I urge you to vote yes for this bill. Thank you. Representative Holand has explained the
Chair
Unverified
1:55:03
bill. would anyone like to speak against the bill? would anyone like to speak for the
bill Representative Mcair, you're recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:55:30
Hello, I think we should all really consider this bill and vote yes because as we all agree school is supposed to be enjoyable that's the only way we're gonna truly be successful in it because we're not really going to want to do anything if it's not enjoyable. And even though teachers are well well teachers are the ones most responsible for making it enjoyable for us. Yes, there's our friends. yes there's our extracurriculars but teachers are the root of it all
and I think we can all agree when they go out of their way to do classroom parties in elementary school in middle school and even now just to make school enjoyable for us, most of that is coming out of their own pocket and even necessities like the representative just said the classroom supplies I've known many teachers that have had to go out of their way to order more pencils, more notebook paper just so we can be successful in their class. So when considering this bill please remember that
they're using a lot of their personal money to make sure we're successful and have the best life we can. I'm open
Speaker 157
1:56:41
to any questions Representative McElroy for what is your
Speaker 346
1:56:47
purpose you are recognized question I like this bill but my question is like is this just for teach or for teachers who like have a teaching license and stuff because like personally my mom she's a she's a technology teacher so she doesn't have an
actual like actual teaching license so would this just be for anybody who teaches a class or just people who
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:57:09
have actual teaching license. I'm not too sure about the exact parts but I know when you're filling out like your tax forms you put your employment on there you put employer so I think they would be able to look at that I'm not too sure should don't quote me on anything but I think they would be able to look at that until you're a teacher. thank you're welcome Representative Aker for what is
Speaker 94
1:57:32
your purpose?ues you are recognized just had a small question I noticed that it said
Speaker 318
1:57:37
that the pay is increased to 2000 to2,000 dollars for people who are married and I was wondering what the purpose of that
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:57:47
was, but I am a fan of this bill. I'm not too sure but I'm guessing it's because they're supporting a family also and not just themselves and so like I'm not saying they have to have children if they're married but there are two people living in a household or two people they're
Chair
Unverified
1:58:02
responsible for so I would guess that's why thank you you're welcome Representative Whittaker
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
1:58:17
for what is your purpose? you are recognized I just want you to read clarify this because maybe I'm just reading it wrong but I'm a little confused as to exactly what this is for like the whole bill. like I understand it's for the teachers but like the money is it for
when they're buying stuff personally or like what exactly
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:58:36
is it's to support them overall because teachers don't get paid enough already and so I think it's just giving them an opportunity to get more money back instead of like getting the little that they are on top of the little bit that they're already getting paid because they do sometimes take it out of their own pocket if we're gonna
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
1:58:57
pass this so you're gonna make that very clear yes, I'm sure we can take it back there and amend it and
Chair
Unverified
1:59:05
reclarify you'm sorry but thank you so much would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative shepherd you
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:59:21
are recognized to speak against the bill for what purpose motion you are recognized immediate
Chair
Unverified
1:59:27
consideration that's a proper motion not debatable all in favor say aye. any oppose
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:59:36
motion the question before the house is the passage of bill 106 repairre the machine Mister clerk by a vote of
Chair
Unverified
2:00:07
pass up the ballot Mister clerk By a vote of 97 yea zero nays and one present the bill is passed Without objection we're passing over House Bill number7 and going straight to house bill number 8.
Mister Clark, please read House Bill1008. by Representative Hoggins to encourage entrepreneurial businesses to grow in towns and cities across
Arkansas. Representative Hoggins you are recognized to explain the
Speaker 386
2:01:02
madam Speaker, to my fellow consecutives I am speaking on behalf of my fellow delegates and also people from small rural
areas throughout years large franchises have become more of a threat to these areas which threaten local businesses and the character of our towns limiting larger franchises will protect small businesses keep money in the community and ensure sustainable growth that benefits residents for generations. Representative Hoggins has explained the bill.
Chair
Unverified
2:01:29
would anyone like to speak against the bill would anyone like to speak for the bill
Speaker 170
2:01:41
Representative shepherd you're recognized to speak for the bill. madam Speaker. so this bill is pertaining to the local shops and restaurants that are in the small towns orn in even big cities that are supporting big families or even small ones throughout Arkansasy putting big franchises right behind or near a local business it runs the business out quickly and this can risk their family's jobs and
lives at stake. This happened to me in El Doredo I have a Larry's pizza and a Chick fil A got placed directly I mean like right behind it this business has caused it to decrease even though this is a lovely and everyone loves Larry the guy who runs it and everybody loves his food why would we take that away from him that's his that's his heart and soul put into that foundation and that restaurant and that shop in there and by putting a franchise it is all over Arkansas that you can drive30 minutes to get to another one this diminishes their their this this takes away their
business and their life that they've built I'm
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:02:49
here for questions Representative Hall for what is your purpose ue
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
2:02:53
s you're recognized just for clarification this is just where those large businesses can take place Yes yes it is Representative
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:03:08
Tosh for what is your purpose?
Speaker 389
2:03:16
you're recognized so I'm reading it right now and it says to operate within an economic zone of the municipality to one national franchiseuss per economic zone. how large is the economic zone that we're talking about so I would assume this would be
Speaker 170
2:03:34
like decided by the city county as they are council as they are close to these these people who run the local shops and restaurants so this is determined to where they want to put them like in order to keep the business the local
Chair
Unverified
2:03:47
businesses and shops running. right thank you Representative Allen
Speaker 204
2:03:53
for what is your purpose? you are recognized question sorry you're recognized perfect I am for this bill like I think this is a really great idea. I just wanted
Speaker 198
2:04:06
a little bit of clarification on what is considered a small business versus the national business because that I know there are businesses within my town one of them is idtown Coffee and it has
it is still considered a small business but it does have those other franchises and other locations spread throughout Arkansas. So I just want a little bit of clarification like what ' s the difference between like a small
Speaker 202
2:04:30
business and then a national business right so I'm gonna
Speaker 392
2:04:33
like give a little estimate here Layer's pizza is actually located in other places. I think like conway and Benton as well and they are really well franchised but places like Chick fil A have over thousands in places like this. So I'm
Speaker 170
2:04:45
going to assume around like the like 1000 up mark in a state
just in a state like that state that
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:04:55
would be considered a big franchise. OK, perfect thank you Representative Lynch for
Speaker 395
2:05:01
what is your purpose? you're recognized so it says that you can only have one national franchise in the
Speaker 396
2:05:07
businesses per economic zone what if there's already like the big na the mer the franchise business have to take all of them down and only let there be one or the ones that are become a law yes I think the
Speaker 392
2:05:22
ones that are already standing there that have already been built and purchased in like because if we take away that that takes away jobs for kids and a young adults who like have already like been there for months and months so I would assume that those would just
Speaker 170
2:05:36
stay but just maybe if anything like a relocation an easy relocation only if it would
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:05:41
be easy relocation thank you Representative magie for what is your purpose? you are
Speaker 397
2:05:46
recognized. Of these small businesses have higher prices in larger national franchises this often leads people to choose the larger
franchises due to affordability. How or would this be addressed? So I would assume like the small
Speaker 392
2:06:00
local businesses they have been there for a while so they know the prices really I think that would just depend on the family. I'm not quite sure if I can like answer a question clear enough for you. I'm sorry for that but I do think like as a loc as their local businesses that is what they need their prices to be at in order to function together and like to build continue their household. So I really think that it was just depend
Speaker 170
2:06:20
like on the person itself. I'm sorry if I can't answer a question you
Speaker 140
2:06:27
Representative Wwooldridge for what is your purpose? you are recognized so I am in support of this bill but I do have a question. So if you
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
2:06:36
know we're encouraging entrepreneurial businesses, how are you going to like how is that in relation to like eminent domain like government properties taking down buildings that belong to the cities like properties all that kind of stuff can you rephrase the ending really quickly so like how are we going to encourage entrepreneurial businesses but
also like you said like it's kind of hold on let me find it like it's based off of like the zones and stuff but how are you going to like manage like imminent domain like government properties as well pushing out those entrepreneurial businesses I think that's also
Speaker 170
2:07:10
something that the city council would have to deal with as well as like people like I guess you could like protest for like push for as the city like does. but if the government does on it, I do assume that we would have to push even harder for something like that than we usually would for like something that are the city let in itself then like the
Chair
Unverified
2:07:28
bigger government did. OK. thank you Wouldn't anyone would anyone like to speak against the bill Representative Barnett you're recognized to speak against
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
2:07:51
the bill. I am from a small town just like most of y'all are probably we're all in Arkansas for this bill it's saying that there's only
one national you know franchise labeled and everyone just keeps talking about food. What about Dollar General and Walmart and all the other places that we have in our towns
Speaker 366
2:08:08
my town has a family dollar and a dollar general. that's more than the limit. like why is it just food we're all talking about food why are we not talking about Walmart and Dollar General and all the other national franchises that actually help the community. I get most of my groceries from Dollar General and there's one there and then the Walmart
that's the one that everyone gets like their clothes if because we don't have a lot of shops because we don't have local businesses but are we limiting just food or are we limiting retail and grocery stores as well because there's not a lot of local grocery stores Representative rose what did you say
Chair
Unverified
2:09:03
would anyone like to speak for the bill Representative burkes you're recognized to speak for
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
2:09:21
the bill. Hello my fellow representatives I am a cosponsor of this bill and I really enjoy the message
Speaker 226
2:09:27
it does bring to these small towns because aspresentative Barnett did say yes we do have a
lot of chains that do help us but think about how those change those chain franchises may be suppressing people who want to open those local grocery stores and with the opening of local grocery stores comes local food into your tables into your restaurants making you healthier because you're not eating the chemical induced produce from the Walmart or from theart or from your dollar general and that's kind of what I'm trying to get at here because these large franchises are just coming
into more money to put out more locations and knowing this does not give the opportunity for small business owners who would like to broaden their horizons into different towns to come into that opportunity because they are
Chair
Unverified
2:10:21
being steamrolled by these large corporations Representative rye for what is
Speaker 401
2:10:27
your purpose? you are recognized do agree on like keeping it local and everything such as that and all the chemicals of our food
and Arkansas is already such a local state and I'm very grateful for that but the expenses to pay a local like even at a farmer's market it is expensive as a consumer to buy things and if we
Speaker 402
2:10:54
were to practically demonize these big companies and like dollar general you know many of us need it because of its handiness and it's there when we need it and it's relative smaller
company not companies but businesses homemade whatever whatever and also the fact that there are no
Speaker 401
2:11:20
big businesses in the state of Arkansas that have more than 1000 stores so
Oh, wouldn't you agree that that they that there big businesses have less than 1000
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
2:11:56
Yes, Arkansas is a small state compared to a lot of the
Speaker 402
2:12:01
other states in the United States. so as previously
Speaker 401
2:12:05
asked about the the big big businesses where would we draw the line between pushing the smaller ones
because a lot of the smaller ones have maybe 100 stores but sort of the big businesses where would we draw that or push that one like
Speaker 405
2:12:24
we said with the people of like having we're going to stop with the chains who are already in these towns like
Speaker 226
2:12:31
we're not going to make them relocate or close down their doors like they can stay so like the Walmart in your town it can stay the dollar general it can stay but it's just new businesses coming in because with more businesses coming in the less that the
Speaker 247
2:12:46
local people can come in as well so it gives an opportunity for these locals to have
Chair
Unverified
2:12:54
a chance to start their own businesses thank you Representative innit for what
Speaker 406
2:12:58
is your purpose?ues you are recognized hi I just have a general question what specifically
Speaker 407
2:13:03
do you mean by encourage entrepreneurs because I personally feel like there are other ways to encourage local businesses without making it mandatory becau I mean obviously like not all the time
it's gonna work but I just feel like it's not really like necessary to make it mandatory for these local businesses to be encouraged when there are other ways to do it without like making it
Speaker 405
2:13:29
a lawful thing you're saying but the easiest way for the people who did come up with this bill and us as cosponsors and us who wrote it we saw it as that whenever you don't have
Speaker 226
2:13:41
more options coming in these businesses can thrive because you're not having more opportunities to go
Chair
Unverified
2:13:47
somewhere else if that makes sense you you're welcome all right I'm leaving the well thank you would anyone would anyone like to speak against the bill Representative Duffield you're recognized to
Representative Matt Duffield
Unverified
2:14:14
speak against the bill. thank you madam Speaker my fellow representatives, I
Speaker 239
2:14:21
adore the concept of supporting small businesses. I do understand that preventing larger more financially like national businesses does promote the growth of small businesses however, I feel that the passes a passage of this bill focuses more on the growth of small businesses and less on the impact that it has on the people living in rural
areas specifically like what was previously mentioned with like dollar General and Family dollar this is where most people are getting their groceries and with like larger businesses they are cheaper the prices are cheaper because we have like manufactured goods so the prices are cheaper versus like local businesses that are making
handmade homemade goods and also I guess something that I really don't understand about this bill is I try to get this question asked but with an an economic zone I'm not really sure what makes up an economic zone but from what I understand like if even if we're looking at like a more urban area that has more poverty stricken like if if we're looking at like a New York
where there's areas that are very poor if it's based on how much in like the economic stability of that area, then I'm not yeah, I guess they just yeah I'm open to questions
Chair
Unverified
2:16:17
Representative Bre your reg what is what is your purpose you're recognized
Speaker 365
2:16:22
stated in a former thing talking
about relocating. is it true that like with
Speaker 411
2:16:29
this passing bill it will affect jobs of those who are a part of larger corporations
Speaker 239
2:16:35
I would assume so because if this bill was passed it's only allowing one national franchise in the area which would mean the closing of more of them. So like if you had5 in an area and you're only allowed 1 then4 of them would have to close down which means that all the people in those
Chair
Unverified
2:16:58
four businesses would not have that job
anymore. would anyone like to speak for the bill Representativeenan you are recognized to speak for the bill. Oh, Representative Jean, what is your purpose?motion state your motion immediate consideration proper motion
nondebatable all in favor say aye any opposers the question motion carries the question before the house is passage of house bill 1008. Prepare the machine Mister clerk. Has everyone voted has everyone voted
Cast up for ballot Mister Clark. by a vote of 23 yea69 nays,6 presents the bill has failed Mr Clark, please read House Bill1009.
9 by representative of Springsteen to establish a blue envelope program Representative
Springsteen you are recognized to explain the bill.
Representative Joy Springer
Unverified
2:18:48
I'm here to summarize this bill for you all and explain it
Speaker 318
2:18:52
to you. so this bill is in simple just terms it is for a blue envelope program to be created and made and developed for people with intellectual disabilities to be able to have the option if they'd like to be provided with a blue envelope and a sticker that can go on their license so
that police officers if they pulled them over for some sort of reason it can ease communication and when they give their license it can show the police officer that they are intellectually disabled and it can help their interaction with one another I want to clarify a few things about this it is not required it is also yeah it's optional and that was something that we were worried
that you guys might be like is it required? no it and we also wanted it to not become something that is just like unknown we would make it something that law enforcement is trained on to make sure like the Miranda rule it is something that they are required to know and it will be specifically in their training
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:20:12
Representative Sholz for what is your purpose? Oh question
Speaker 88
2:20:20
you're recognized so would you consider police offer like officer training for to like specifically accommodate for autism people on the autism spectrum. this bill originally said specifically autism
Speaker 92
2:20:30
and we have made sure that it says intellectual disabilities so that
Speaker 318
2:20:34
it can broaden the spectrum and not just to autism. Thank you. yes Representative
Chair
Unverified
2:20:52
would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Wardlaug, you are you are
Speaker 399
2:21:08
recognized to speak for the bill. Fellow representatives, I don't know about y'all but I personally if I were
Chair
Unverified
2:21:13
to get pulled over immediate tears I'm gonna panic because I'm gonna be thinking like what did I do to get pulled over and all of this
is coming from someone who I'm very privileged not to have said intellect So imagine that and take that and put it in the context of some people struggle with social situations that they haven't been in before or communication errors where they may not be able to display their thoughts or just hysteria to where they can't speak putting that tag on the license
plate and providing that blue envelope, putting the tag on the license plate specifically would help the officers to know like hey like this person could be in like in their emotions and not be able to speak clearly. I need to remember my training and prepare them for the situation that they're walking into. but not only that the blue envelope would provide a moment of clarity and calm because blue is a very recognizable color but blue is also the color of calm
and it's used to soothe so with the blue envelope they would get in their glove box and they would see that and it's there and it's present and it's calming and it's clarity it signifies everything that they don't have control over bring brought back into control. it's not unheard of for people to scramble to get their license and registration and then get their hands back on the wheel all before the officers get to the car. In that scramble if we provide the blue envelope that would reduce it honestly
reducing that scramble could honestly save someone's life because I know in today's society and in today's world it's a very present concern that reaching in the glovebox could be reaching for a weapon and both for the officer safety and for the citizens safety that envelope and that quick transfer would help clear up some of that miscommunication as well as opening this up to someone who not just people on the autism spectrum but other mental disabilities would provide a wider reach
and providing that with the diagnosis of the person either to the parent or to the citizen would push this out further and provide those resources further thank you for listening would anyone like to speak for
the bill Representative Hall, you're recognized to speak for the p re s ent ative ha ll for what is your purpose
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
2:23:55
motion state your motion motion for immediate consideration
Chair
Unverified
2:23:59
proper motion I not debatable all in favor say aye any opposers motion carries the question before the house is the passage of House Bill1009. re pa re the machine, Mister Clark. has
Speaker 133
2:24:21
everyone voted? has everyone voted Cast up the cast up the ballot
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
2:24:36
present the bill is passed Mr clerk please read House Bill110
Chair
Unverified
2:24:52
hospitalspi 110 bypresentative Yarrington to increase the income tax credit for Arkansas families supporting a child with special
Representative Yarrington, you are recognized to explain the bill Thank
Speaker 315
2:25:14
you madam Speaker I would also like to thank the house and all of our wonderful representatives for
Speaker 389
2:25:19
being here this morning In October of2019 my younger brother Michael was born. I was so excited to be a big sister after his birth, however, it turned out that he had had Down's syndrome. He is my biggest inspiration and my light to keep moving forward. Being in a family who has a
child with special needs does however have its downsides as he was growing we needed to purchase out of our own pockets many things that would help his quality of life for example he had to wear ankle braces until he was5. The money we used for that came from us his heart surgery that he had had caused too much to bear and his occupational physical and other various therapies were costly. and he began to burn holes in my family's pockets. and a question do you know that
the tax credit families receive if they have a special needs child has not been updated since 1977 that was almost 50 years ago in 1977 families would receive500 dollars if they chose to utilize this tax credit. because of inflation over the course of49 years 50 $0 in1977 equals roughly $2750 today. and I oh my bad and since we have roughly500 million dollars
in surplus money each year. I believe that we have enough money to accomplish the goal of giving families who have special needs children $1000 instead of500 dollars so they have more tools to take advantage of any opportunity they may be presented that may be presented to them the importance and urgency of this bill is clear, giving them a better quality of life and a life of a neurotypical and or non disabled child. we are building
Speaker 420
2:27:01
a we are building future generations and this bill is just the beginning of their thank you
Chair
Unverified
2:27:11
thank you Representative Yarrington has explained the bill would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Barnes you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Speaker 276
2:27:42
Hello I do agree with this bill and I think it's a very wonderful idea to give money for any child who needs special needs but I think an even better idea would to be spread this to any adults who have special needs because there's it's not only children who are living with their parents with special needs a lot of adults can't live on their own and need support from their parents. So I think an amendment we can make and a way to support this bill would just be to increase the age from just children which I don't know exactly well like I
said until 18 but to increase it to any adult who's also living with her parents or someone else who needs money for support of their other medical expenses or other things they
Chair
Unverified
2:28:27
need thank you Representative wouldn't even like to speak for the bill Representative Ferguson you're recognized to speak for the bill
Speaker 423
2:28:47
Hi so I'm from southside in Fortsmith and Southside that's my school and they have a really good program for these kids at my school and we have a whole hallway of them but that's the thing they all have to move to my city to have that education and it's really hard for them to have that money and I think it would be a great way to give money more to them so that they're able to have that education or more just for the medication that they need and not so like having them suffer with all this stuff because they can't really control what they have at all so I think
it'd be a great way for this bill and to have more money for
Chair
Unverified
2:29:22
them thank you. Representative Yarrington do you wish to close for your bill Representative Yarrington has closed the The question before the house
is the passage of House Bill1010. pair of the machine Mister clerk
Speaker 133
2:29:53
has everyone voted has everyone voted Cast up a
Speaker 263
2:30:03
ballot, Mr clerk by a vote of 88 yea 6 nays,4 present the bill is passed No with no further business
Agenda
No agenda available.
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
Speaker 128
Speaker 133
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 140
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
Speaker 156
Speaker 158
Speaker 129
Speaker 169
Speaker 170
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
Speaker 60
Speaker 62
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
Speaker 198
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
Speaker 202
Speaker 207
Speaker 216
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
Unverified
Speaker 226
Speaker 232
Speaker 237
Speaker 239
Speaker 243
Speaker 247
Speaker 157
Representative Jeff Wardlaw
Unverified
Speaker 252
Representative Steven Walker
Unverified
Speaker 256
Speaker 259
Speaker 261
Speaker 263
Speaker 264
Speaker 266
Speaker 269
Speaker 201
Speaker 204
Speaker 188
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
Speaker 277
Speaker 278
Speaker 190
Speaker 280
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
Speaker 114
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
Speaker 301
Speaker 305
Speaker 312
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
Speaker 315
Speaker 318
Speaker 321
Speaker 322
Speaker 303
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
Speaker 327
Speaker 329
Speaker 333
Speaker 334
Speaker 337
Speaker 338
Speaker 340
Speaker 331
Speaker 344
Speaker 346
Speaker 347
Speaker 348
Speaker 349
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
Speaker 355
Speaker 356
Speaker 357
Speaker 364
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
Speaker 366
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
Speaker 94
Speaker 386
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
Speaker 389
Speaker 392
Speaker 395
Speaker 396
Speaker 397
Speaker 401
Speaker 402
Speaker 405
Speaker 406
Speaker 407
Representative Matt Duffield
Unverified
Speaker 365
Speaker 411
Representative Joy Springer
Unverified
Speaker 88
Speaker 92
Speaker 399
Speaker 420
Speaker 276
Speaker 423