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 5, 2026
Speaker 17
2:00
Good morning, ladies. Good morning. Come on. Let's go. Find your seat. You may set where everyone
Speaker 19
2:10
would like. Good morning. It doesn't. Good morning. Good morning.
Speaker 24
4:00
Good morning, how are y'all? Madam Staker, how are you this morning?
Unknown speaker
4:30
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
12:00
there's a couple of girls that we're looking for and we're
trying to see if they're here Treasurer Harrison Harrison, last name Harrison um gazelle gazelle i've already found you already found
Speaker 46
12:34
dallas carly carly's there addie
delta dorinda cadence katie callie carly Okay.
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
13:37
Okay. Because I've got a motion for the advisors whenever. You
want to wait and do that? Yeah. Gavel in. Okay. Good morning, ladies. Let's see. Good morning, ladies. That's much better. We're so excited to have y'all here today. As you can see, I want to make sure that all my reps hold up their hands so if you've got questions, you know who that you're going to go to and ask questions.
Representative Gramlich, raise your hand. Representative Brown, Representative Mayberry, McElindon, Representative Dalby, Representative Hope, Duke, myself, Representative Vaught. So if you have questions as proceedings are going on, grab one of us and ask the question, okay? Representative Brooks, that's right. Representative Brooks will be in here. So, we're excited to have y'all here this morning.
Are you excited to be here? Good, good, good. So, you know, since we don't have as much time, we'll be crunched to get all of our bills done today, all right? Let's kind of keep that in mind whenever we're asking question after question after question. Let's try to get through our 10 bills, all right? That's our goal today is to get through the 10 bills. Well, I'm going to introduce our parliamentarian, Mr. John Fines, who is going to explain a lot of the rules and the etiquettes and the things that take place here on the floor.
Speaker 60
15:14
Thank you, ladies. Good morning. And come on, man, we got to have some gas this morning. Good morning. Here
Speaker 62
15:24
we go. Here we go. I like it. Just a fair warning. I am a girl dad. I have two
Speaker 60
15:32
at the house that are probably still sleeping until noon, but glad you bucked the trend of the youth, and we're here bright and early this morning. Thank you for coming. As mentioned, I
Speaker 64
15:42
am John Vines. I am the House parliamentarian, chief legal counsel, former member, attorney, pick your
Speaker 60
15:49
poison. I have a lot of hats you can learn to dislike I've learned through the years, but glad to have you this one of the best days of the year when you guys come and join us be mindful you're a very elite group we don't let just as you've noticed in here we've got a lot of protocol a lot of uh etiquette if you will but you just don't wander into the chamber you just don't get to sit in those seats because it's an honor to sit in those seats because every one of those seats represents about 30,000 arkansans we have 100 members 3 million uh citizens in this state each
one represents about 30,000 Arkansans so that seat is very important. The people that sit there it's their working jobs it's their working offices you'll see stuff on the desk in the desk be respectful of that please because the minute you guys leave today we're going to have members run right back out here and go to work at those seats and
Speaker 62
16:42
desks doing the work for the people of the state of Arkansas so be mindful of that as we go forward. We want to run through a couple of things so you can get started and have a better day, be more productive.
You got a bunch of bills today. Y'all got excited yesterday, I can tell, drafting and putting bills together, and that's good, but we want to get through as many of them as possible. So remember, be polite, be courteous, just like you would in school, in church, your parents' dinner table, your grandmother's house. Offer that respect that you would offer to others. You're going to see, and I just told our speaker this. Speaker, you don't speak, you don't act, you don't take any action in this body unless you are recognized by the speaker. That's not to be mean, not to be ugly, but with 100 members here,
we have to have organization, we have to have process, we have to have
Speaker 60
17:33
procedures. So if you want to be recognized, stand up. You can't just wave, you can't just wink, you can't just nod your visor, stand up. The speaker will
Speaker 62
17:43
recognize you for what purpose, question, motion, whatever your... um thought is or whatever you have to do uh she'll recognize you you'll state your purpose you'll say you're recognized you get one question whenever you question someone presenting and we present
all bills from the well right here so when your bill is comes up you come down here and present it you get one question if you need another question you follow up now here's what's going to happen it's going to happen it happens
Speaker 60
18:12
every time it happens with our friends standing in the back our members uh we get excited representative duke will get excited and start rattling questions and you have to ask for permission because it's not that we're being to
Speaker 62
18:22
you not that we don't like you because we do it's just we can't because we got whatever you do we've got a saying around here
Speaker 60
18:30
whatever you do times it by 99. so if somebody comes in here and gets to ask four questions guess what 99 others want to ask four or five questions so we've got to have process
Speaker 64
18:42
and continuity and procedure. You'll be recognized. When you recognize Mr. Bryan, our sound clerk, who does an exit job, we'll make sure you're live. Those mics are live.
Speaker 62
18:52
Assume they're live at all times. In this body, there are no secrets. You can hear everything, whether you're in the
Speaker 10
19:10
So if you want to talk about if somebody feels like what you said, don't
Speaker 72
19:16
talk about oh, that person is terrible, that person is ordinary, it's easier to know you're going to be the stuff, and I feel like I do all this stuff all the time. Don't talk about whatever you're a-through, whatever you're on the other side, whatever you need next time, but
Speaker 10
19:32
we hear that. Keep it home point, keep it business life for the next two hours, Because you don't want
Speaker 64
19:37
to say or do anything your mother, your father, your grandmother, your teacher, your principal wouldn't want to hear.
Speaker 67
19:47
So be mindful of that and just be like you are, good, gracious stewards and
Speaker 72
19:59
we vote, real quickly. In front of you, there are a pass on button. You're in here. You want to vote for me in the game. It takes 51 votes to pass a measure that's what we
Speaker 62
20:24
looking for it takes 67 votes if a bill has an emergency clause I don't know if you got into that. I don't know if any of your bills have emergency clauses. Emergency clauses simply mean the legislation is enacted as soon as it's signed by the governor, which is immediate. And what we just got through, anybody watch us online, screen, has anybody seen this before? We just got through the fiscal session, we had all appropriations, those bills take 75 votes, three-quarters of the of the elected officials in the General Assembly for the Arkansas Constitution. So we have
different vote thresholds so you'll hear today I think we've got 100 we're going to see when we do attendance we'll have what's the
Speaker 60
21:05
quorum we had a group in a few weeks ago they had 50 odd people so it dropped it down to 27 28 so it gets a little funky as I told them yes we do have math in the house if you know that scares you don't it's just very simple math we won't be uh doing trig or calculus or any of that fun stuff but we do have math um so that's how we do we vote quickly our friends in DC and in other general assemblies you'll see they have five
minute windows they have 30 minute windows they have our windows to vote we don't when she
Speaker 74
21:36
said when madam speaker says prepare the machine madam clerk or mr. clerk whoever we've got today it's instantaneous the bell goes off you vote we're
Speaker 60
21:44
done in about 60 to 90 seconds and you're going to know whether that bell passes or fails so be mindful be in your seat when it's time to vote now there are going to be times you can't be in your seat we have restrooms ladies room
there's two ladies facilities on this side go right out that door and and
Speaker 62
22:06
do whatever you need to if you need to take a call or you need to talk to somebody get off the floor that happens in here a lot you people say all the time well I watched y'all it didn't look like anybody was in the chamber yes they were yes they were they always are we never operate without a quorum but things happen. We have folks in the hall, we have constituents, not we, the body. You have to have a drink of water, you got to make a call. It happens. Step off the floor. Step off the floor.
No, it happens, doesn't it, Representative Crambler? Step off the floor. That's all we ask. Be courteous to your neighbor. Also, I think you can do it.
Speaker 60
22:46
Everybody's had breakfast, right? Can y'all make it till noon without eating on the floor? Good, because we don't let you eat on the floor. We spent
Speaker 62
22:54
a lot of years and my taxpayer money in the last 10 years renovating this facility and we are very proud of it and we need it to look good for the next 100 years. So be mindful of that. If you need to take a drink of water, we've got water coolers outside. Step out, get a drink,
come back in. You're here for a limited time. You don't want to miss the bill. One last thing before we get started. Be mindful of what I talked about earlier about being courteous and polite. You're going to be live streamed. Once we hit the gavel, you're on. Just like we are every day at 1 o'clock, 1.30, 10 o'clock committee, whatever. Those cameras. And the cameras, much like, do I have any athletes in here that play sports? Baseball's okay, good. You've heard that, the ball will find you.
You've heard that adage before from your coaches and your parents. The ball will find you. Guess what? That camera will find you. I tell the story back in my former life when I was a member in this body. I sat where Representative Hollowell sits. And I had a friend of mine that sat behind me that was very active and passionate. And I kept getting texts going, why are you grimacing? Why are you making all these faces, whatever?
Speaker 60
24:05
Well, the guy sitting next to me was telling me something in my ear that I'm listening to. But it looked like it just didn't give a good impression.
Speaker 62
24:13
So be mindful of it. Even though you may not be on Representative Gassaway, when the camera's on Representative McGrew, you're on. they can see you. When you're in this well, they can see you. Act accordingly. I know you will. I just say that as
Speaker 74
24:28
a dad. Be mindful of your image. You've worked years for reputations to be here. Keep them intact. Show everybody,
Speaker 62
24:36
show the world, show everybody watching home why you're here and why it was a good reason you are here because you are the folks that, let's be honest, someday
down the road some of you will fill these seats and that's a tremendous honor and a privilege and we hope you keep it as such. Happy to answer any questions, but you're probably tired of me talking and you're probably ready to go, but I'm happy to answer any questions if we
Speaker 64
25:02
have any. We good? Oh, see, I didn't look. Representative Suck, pop up. Get your microphone.
Speaker 88
25:14
So, are we allowed to applaud after the speeches, or is that not
Speaker 62
25:20
allowed? it happens but it's not encouraged this is a business office professional setting I'm not saying it's never happened
Speaker 64
25:27
but it usually happens when we recognize dignitaries when the hogs do well sorry when your schools do well but no we typically don't we don't cheerlead we don't respond that's just not what we do okay I just wanted to ask
you'll hear people there'll be people in the galleries It'll do it sometimes, and Representative Dalby might sneak a clap under a desk or something, but we typically don't encourage them to do that. It's kind of against House of the Quorum. Thank you.
Speaker 92
26:01
You're welcome. Good question. Wondering, if we're helping amend a bill or presenting an amendment to
Speaker 94
26:04
a bill, do we wait for them to announce this before we go up, or do we raise our mic and then
Speaker 62
26:11
go up? No. No, we've got a calendar we will work through. I don't know if we're going to do any amendments today.
you do any amendments today per house rule you can't run the bill uh because you would have to amend the bill then have it engrossed so i think any amendments probably need to be on that bill okay without getting too far into weeds um so what will happen is she'll uh madam speaker will say mr clerk read girl state bill number one they'll read girl state bill number one by representative
Speaker 74
26:40
baker that's what your signal to come down here and and present okay stay as well and present it you stay 30 seconds 30 minutes however long you need
you can take questions you don't have to take questions but once you're done exit okay
Speaker 62
27:01
perfect thank you no problem yes if you do happen to sneak one in please make sure there's a lid on your water bottles please don't leave an open container or any sort sort of thing so we have we have members have been here years and years and years and we start to remind them that who else
Speaker 99
27:17
sorry if our parents wanted to watch where could we tell them to watch it those galleries
Speaker 62
27:22
that's a great question our galleries are open i don't know this gallery this gallery is open the east gallery like for the
Speaker 64
27:30
live stream uh go to arkansas house our website watch live and i think You can click right into that. Okay, thank you. Make sure they watch, though. It gets good.
Speaker 67
27:41
Anybody else? We ready to run some bills? Members, representatives, anything else from you guys? Y'all good?
Speaker 62
27:55
That's right. Use these guys. These are your representatives. These are your guys that have stood in every spot you're in in this room. Use them. If you've got a question, reach out to them or come see me or come see, let me introduce our chief clerk. I didn't do this the other day. Chief Clerk Sherry Staggs. Any piece of legislation that runs through here, her hands are all over it.
Speaker 64
28:18
She stamps it, files it, keeps it, stores it, organizes it. She is just what we said. She is our chief clerk of the House. A very prestigious position. Sherry has done it admirably for 17 years.
So, whoa, let me, basically your entire lifetime, Sherry, Ms. Sack has been our chief clerk. And then our fearless leader, the first female chief of staff of the house we've had, Ms. Tina Lockwood. Very important position. She keeps this place rolling. She works directly with the speaker. Every bit of operations, procedure, practice runs through Ms. Lockwood. So if you don't get to know these ladies, introduce yourselves, vast, vast banks of knowledge.
Use them, ask them questions, find out what they did. Both are accomplished in what they've
Speaker 64
29:16
meet others? I guess I can introduce Daniel Lloyd. Daniel Lloyd is our reading clerk today. Does a great job in member services. He's
Speaker 74
29:22
our deputy reading clerk. He wears a lot of hats. I think he worked with a lot of your own legislation. And then Mr. Brian Flores is our sound player. He
Speaker 72
29:31
has multiple jobs. So that's what I need to do in the board.
Speaker 62
29:56
ma'am. The reason I want to make sure is once we hit that gavel, You're live, and everybody everywhere sees everything we do. I think y'all have got a very important motion you're going to take up, but I think we need to gavel in before you can take it up. So whoever is in line to make that very important motion about what may or may not be on your head,
be ready after we register attendance to make that motion. Okay? Good job. Let's go. Good luck, ladies. You got one more question? Sorry.
Speaker 113
30:22
Sponsoring for one of the bills, do we also go up there? No. Okay.
Speaker 62
30:26
Lead sponsor. we lead sponsor now what you can do and and you'll do it a lot of times is co-sponsors will come down to speak for the bill after it's been presented you'll hear the speaker go does anybody wish to speak against the bill which obviously you wouldn't if you were a co-sponsor well you might we've had that before um but typically you'd wait till the the fours and you come down and you wax poetic for
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
30:49
for as long as you need to. We good? Yeah, let's go. Thank you. Good luck. I want to remind you again, if we're going through the proceedings and you have questions, Representative Cooper, please raise your hand. Representative Duke, Representative McElinden, Representative Dalby,
Representative Hudson, Representative Gramlick, and Representative Carol Brown, and myself. If you have questions about anything as we move forward, please grab one of us and ask the question, okay? Before we gavel in, does somebody want to tell them where they can tell their parents go to watch the proceeding before we gavel? arkansashouse.org so if you want to text your parents real quick before we
gavel it's going to be live streamed on arkansashouse.org so if you want to do that real
quick I'll give you just a couple of seconds and then we're gonna start. Representative Steele.
Speaker 47
32:26
All right, Madam Chair, I turn it over to you, Madam Speaker.
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
32:37
the House of Representatives for Arkansas Girls State will come to order. I invite members, staffs, press, and guests in galleries to stand and be led in prayer by the Girls State Chaplain, Steele, and to remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Duffield. - Please
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
33:00
join 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 our Arkansans so that
we can help our constituents. Please, please help us to be kind and debate these bills with reverence to you and with respect
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
33:58
presence by pushing your yellow present button.
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
34:22
ballot, Mr. Clerk, with 99 members present, the chair sees a quorum.
Speaker 1
34:37
motion Representative McKenzie for what purpose motion state your motion may we take
Chair
Unverified
35:06
aye. Any opposed nay? Motion carries. You may remove your visors.
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
35:35
Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 1001. House Bill 1001
Chair
Unverified
35:59
by Representative 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. Hey,
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
36:17
while she's coming up, real quickly, ladies, I skipped over this part. You are the representative's name in front of you. We have no way of learning everyone's names beforehand, So when she calls on you to be recognized, it'll be the person's name where you're sitting, just FYI.
Speaker 156
36:58
speaker 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 are
should not be sold or unlawfully 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 many other things.
Speaker 156
38:08
$2,000 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 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 explained the bill
Speaker 129
39:04
i'm open to questions would anyone like to speak against the representative steel for what purpose um i question recognized i was wondering in this prohibition of selling to minors who would be fined in
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
39:29
the situation the seller or the receiver the seller i believe thank you
Speaker 169
39:37
representative shepherd question you're recognized what about um when it is referred to by a doctor not prescribed because then it would no longer be
Speaker 170
39:50
over the counter but referred to as a doctor because that person needs to go on a diet and they are overweight and um it's too expensive to get the prescribed
Speaker 170
40:03
a prescription it's not a prescription it's oh i thought you said prescription no if not a prescription and it's like well you can take this one like yeah if it's too expensive to
get the prescribed stuff what do you do
Speaker 170
40:18
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 pills because they've been
Speaker 156
40:29
referred by the doctor referred okay um i believe they should referred by the doctor like they've i'm sorry i'm just really not understanding your question is there any i know i'm
Speaker 156
40:52
believe they would get the pills right the doctor knows the law so they shouldn't recommend it they should prescribe it
Chair
Unverified
41:07
representative Burge has explained the bill Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
For the bill? Representative Long, you are recognized to speak for the bill. thank
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
41:48
you I'm speaking for this bill because I was the co-sponsor 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
Chair
Unverified
42:28
bill. Thank you. Representative Long has spoken for the bill. Would anyone wish
to speak against the bill? Representative Holcomb, you are recognized to speak against the bill. It
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
42:53
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 I'm still 18 years of age. I believe that the amendment should be made, and when
Chair
Unverified
43:17
it is 21, I'm able to vote for this bill. Representative Holcomb has spoken against the bill.
Anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Nazarenko, you are recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
43:48
Thank you and good morning, everyone. With the rise of social media and influencers on TikTok, 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 impressionable to young teenagers. Like other representatives have said before teenagers don't have their brain development or anything ready yet so getting these dieting pills can really affect their body and their mental health which will lead to accidental suicides and overdoses in the future. Please vote on this bill to protect our teenagers and our loved ones. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
44:25
Representative Nazarenko has spoken for the bill. Does anyone want to speak against the
bill? Representative, wait, Representative Shepard, you're recognized to speak against the bill. Thank you Madam
Speaker 170
44:46
Speaker. 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 is 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 and wait without them she would have to pay for an 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. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
45:33
Representative Shepherd has spoken against the bill. For what purpose Representative Long. He left the well. Quickly, if you have
Speaker 60
45:54
a question, somebody has to be in the well to take it. If whoever's spoken for or against or even the presenter has 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
Speaker 62
46:11
to take it. Well, yeah, that's true. Sorry, I misunderstood, Representative Vaught. You don't have to stay for questions, but it's kind of a courtesy
Chair
Unverified
46:25
if you do. Anyone want to speak for the bill? Representative Allen, you've been recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
46:39
hi everybody so I just wanted to go ahead and clear up a couple things on this bill that some of the representatives against the
Speaker 198
46:55
bill have brought to our attention the first thing was that we should be 21 and to be able to purchase these 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 Shepard 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 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. Thank
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
47:52
you. Representative Brown, for what purpose? Question. You're recognized. So you said that you would approve of parents buying the pills over the counter
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
48:00
for their underage minor? For the specific instance that Ms. Shepard brought up
Speaker 202
48:06
of illnesses where it is really, really hard for these kids to lose weight and it's genuinely for a health concern.
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
48:12
So do you think that if this bill is passed and this law is passed that the parents should be breaking the law by
Speaker 198
48:22
giving their child? That's not. This law is over if you are able to buy the prescription. If you have a legitimate health concern like Ms. Shepard 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 representative
Chair
Unverified
48:53
holiday what's the purpose you're recognized as of right now this bill currently
Speaker 207
48:58
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 arkansans in a situation there where they need
Representative Fred Allen
Unverified
49:24
to break the law all right so i 100 see that and i completely agree so now i
Speaker 198
49:29
ask you 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 thank you representative burge do
Speaker 156
50:19
for giving me the opportunity to speak on this bill um 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 minors in general. It helps all of us engage, and yes, and thank you for, oh, yes, thank you for this, and I appreciate your vote for my bill. Thank you so much.
Chair
Unverified
50:55
Representative Burge has closed for the bill. The question before the house is a passage of House Bill 1001. of the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted?
Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot, Mr. Clerk. By the vote of 42 yes and 55 nays and two presents, the bill has failed. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 1002.
Speaker 216
52:09
House Bill 1002 by Representative Maltz, an act to allow a lottery winner to remain
Chair
Unverified
52:19
confidential. Representative Gasway, you're recognized.
Representative Jimmy Gazaway
Unverified
52:23
Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues. I rise today to present this bill. Colleagues, the intent of this bill is very vital. It protects Arkansans 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 Arkansans accessible to have that privacy and to keep their family safe and if if an Arkansas family were to receive $500,000 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. It's like imagine a hardworking arkansas winning the lottery instead of celebrating their phone is being constantly rang with people who are calling them scamming them fake people trying to reach out and take their money 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 lottery thank you
Chair
Unverified
54:20
representative moltz has explained the bill Representative Burks, for what is your purpose? Recognized Would anyone
like to speak against the bill? Representative Burks, you're recognized
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
54:51
Speak against the bill Hello my fellow representatives. I was originally going to ask this question. I am in fact a co-sponsor on this bill,
Speaker 226
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but as our representative stated whenever she was describing this bill, she stated that it was $500,000. 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
Chair
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55:34
just clearing that up for you. Thank you. Would anyone like to speak
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
55:48
for the bill? Representative Brown, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm also a co-sponsor 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 their
Speaker 232
56:02
taxes done and they might bump a tax bracket if they win said money over a hundred thousand dollars so if we have people bugging them all the time about oh I want to get you because you had 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 so that's why I would like you
Chair
Unverified
56:58
to look for this bill and I will stay in the well for questions representative Delphi what is for what
Speaker 239
57:06
apologize for my voice I lost at the rally um 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
Speaker 232
57:22
board yes so like Arkansas like scholarship lottery and like you could go like scratch off everything yes okay perfect
Chair
Unverified
57:35
that was my question representative Gramlich for what is your purpose question you are recognized when you're describing
Speaker 243
57:42
elected officials, are you saying they have six months to come out to Arkansans 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? Okay. Do they have six months to come out and tell everybody, is it their job, or do the lottery people
Speaker 232
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just tell them after six months? So it says in our bill that however the records or information of a lottery winner shall be confidential under subdivision of the section.
Only six months if the lottery winner is an elected official or somebody that is an individual who is related to a second degree also. And then, hold on one second, I'm trying to give you a great answer. 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 because okay let me just reset what I'm saying so keeping it confidential obviously means that we're not going to 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 they can
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do that and can't get penalized for it thank you and i'm now
Chair
Unverified
59:27
representative brown has spoken for the bill anyone want to speak against the
Representative Jeff Wardlaw
Unverified
59:50
recognized. - If this is just for elected officials, I
Chair
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59:54
believe that lottery companies should provide aid
and training on how to detect these scams 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 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 an outside source,
Speaker 252
1:00:49
that this could be prevented and not be passed. Thank you. Representative Wardlaw has
Chair
Unverified
1:00:58
spoken against the bill. Does anyone want to speak for the bill?
Representative Walker, you are recognized. Speak for the bill.
Representative Steven Walker
Unverified
1:01:21
- Studies analyzing past winners of the lottery indicate that the average demographic skews male, roughly 60% and slightly
Speaker 256
1:01:26
older, with an average age around 55. Upon researching the lottery to help study for my bill my bill and supporting its amendments.
Reading that statistic did concern me. If the main winners of the lottery are older, then we should especially try and protect their rights and their privacy. As we all know, we all have grandparents. 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 least six months until after their, yeah, this should be at least six months until their information can be released. 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 its amendments should be passed, and I hope you guys all vote for it so we can help protect the privacy and the peace of Arkansans. I will now stay for questions.
Chair
Unverified
1:02:34
- Representative Burrow, for what is your purpose? - Question. - You are
Speaker 259
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recognized. - At the end of the bill, it is stated that records of information filed with the Office of Arkansas Lottery and the treatment as confidential under subdivision A3A of this section shall become public after three years. Can you please explain that? I believe that that means that anyone
Representative Steven Walker
Unverified
1:02:58
who has won the lottery and checked it with the office of the Arkansas lottery, that it
Speaker 256
1:03:04
is treated as confidential until three years
and then their information can 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 with this bill, by then, people will have forgotten about it, nobody will want to harass whoever won
Speaker 261
1:03:31
protected. Representative Long, for what is your purpose? You are recognized. Motion for immediate consideration. Wait, Representative, for what purpose?
Motion. Get your motion. Motion for immediate consideration. That's a proper motion? That's
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:04:03
Any opposed, nay? Motion passes. Question for the House? Oh, question before the House
Speaker 263
1:04:40
has everyone voted cast up her ballot mr. clerk by a vote of 79 days and 17 nays and one president the bill is passed all right is everybody
Speaker 264
1:04:51
thoroughly confused about what just happened? All right, what happened
Speaker 60
1:04:56
is we had a motion, but we had to wait till the person that had control of 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, Representative Long adequately and properly stood up and asked for immediate consideration. Some of you that are part of parliamentary teams in your school and others, it's previous uh move previous question it's an immediate vote it ends all debate uh when it
passes it has to pass with a two-thirds majority so 67 voices need to ring out in that case there were a lot of voices you thank you thank you for catching that in the back back there uh it took there was no no at nay vote so it's going to pass it's the decision of the chair uh 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 going to pass but if it's it 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 close 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'd gone right back into the debate so be be mindful of that as we go forward
Chair
Unverified
1:06:32
by representative beerman to require all schools in arkansas to provide resources and courses on laws regarding children in in the
workplace. - Representative Beardman, you're recognized.
Speaker 269
1:06:59
- 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 some, it's for a little extra money in their back pocket. But regardless, so many teens enter jobs without the
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1:07:20
proper knowledge necessary to protect themselves or succeed in this new professional environment. While this might seem far-fetched and just flat-out untrue, the data backs it up.
Speaker 269
1:07:30
Studies show that 55% to 80% of teens and young adults report struggling with work, school, and life balance, A research study by the National Library 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 one-third of their Gen Z employees lack basic communication and customer service skills.
And last but certainly not least, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce states that 84% of hiring managers agree high school students are not prepared
Speaker 198
1:08:11
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, or homeschool.
Speaker 269
1:08:36
Because this program is fully online, not only will these teenagers be able to complete this course 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, I want
Speaker 198
1:09:02
you to keep this in mind. This bill is not about creating another obstacle for these teens.
Speaker 269
1:09:08
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 force to
Speaker 198
1:09:22
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. Representative
Chair
Unverified
1:09:35
Bierman has explained the bill. Representative Brown, for what is your purpose?
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
1:09:41
They're recognized. So is this bill, is it a law to make sure that they have education on just
Speaker 232
1:09:48
the law? Because 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 204
1:10:01
it's going to go over multiple things. It'll go over things that will help prepare them for the workforce and also will go over the law as you stated. Also, I'm going to leave the will.
Chair
Unverified
1:10:21
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Bolcom, you are recognized to speak against the
Representative Mike Holcomb
Unverified
1:10:45
bill. 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 W-4 form I had no clue
what to do with it and I hand 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
Speaker 188
1:11:16
better for the more adequate workers, which will be in the workforce, as
Chair
Unverified
1:11:21
many teens will. Representative Beerman has spoken against the bill. Anyone like to speak for the bill?
Representative Hudson, you are recognized to speak for
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:11:47
the bill. 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 per 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 will be like you wouldn't be able to be a mechanic or
you wouldn't be allowed behind stones because of the liabilities but just having having paid internships in school allows for them to gain workplace responsibility and experience that is all I'll stay for questions representative duke for
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:12:54
what is your purpose question you are recognized um so would this
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:13:06
uh yes this is not a requirement this is only for kids who are might be struggling financially or just want to help their mom dad pay the bills this is not a requirement but it would essentially be a course given in schools
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:13:27
if you are interested. Thank you. Representative Beattie for what is your purpose? Question. To
Speaker 190
1:13:34
recognize. I do completely agree with students and stuff
understanding the laws but shouldn't it be
Speaker 280
1:13:39
changed because it seems like you we also want them to know the skills that they need so shouldn't it be changed to laws and skills like is this just going to teach them the
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:13:51
laws or is it also skills that we're teaching them yes 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 adults you know they'll they'll understand how to not get pulled over in 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 under age like 14 because many people don't hire 14 year olds because they are such a liability thank
Chair
Unverified
1:14:26
you representative burks you're recognized wait would anyone
like to speak against the bill representative oldridge you're recognized speak against the bill
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
1:14:47
okay 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
Chair
Unverified
1:15:53
I'll save for questions thank you representative Wooldridge has spoken against the bill
representative Brown for what is your purpose motion state your motion immediate consideration proper motion not debatable all in favor signify and say Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Aye. Nays have it.
Anyone wish to speak for the bill? Representative
Speaker 114
1:16:42
Clowney. Okay, 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 to 18, but I am entirely for the bill on educating the youth in child labor laws, and I'm leaving the well. Would
Chair
Unverified
1:17:20
anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Hawk, you are recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
1:17:39
Thank you, Madam Spurksperson. 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, freshly 16, and I knew all the responsibilities that were going to 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 the well. Representative
Chair
Unverified
1:18:29
Allen, would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Richardson, you are recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
1:18:53
Thank you. For what the person in front of me said, sorry for my voice, she said you should learn on your own 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 going to teach you, but they're going to 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 are 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 job opportunities when it's
Chair
Unverified
1:19:35
too late and I'm seeing for questions representative Gramlich for what is your purpose
and not at this time representative wait would anyone
like to speak for a representative Holcomb for
what is your purpose motion state your motion I move for a motion of consideration that's a proper motion not debatable all in favor say aye any Any opposed? Motion carries. Question before the House?
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:20:30
My script. Oh, the question before the House is a passage of House Bill 1003.
Speaker 263
1:21:04
voted has everyone voted cast of the ballot mr. clerk by a vote
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:21:09
of 22 yeas and 73 nays and three presents the bill is failed
has failed mr. clerk please read house bill 1004 house bill 1004
Chair
Unverified
1:21:27
by representative birchfield to create the arkansas head injury act and to require protective headgear for all passengers and operators of motorized cycles representative
birchfield you are recognized to explain the bill
Speaker 301
1:21:44
Hello, my name is Abby Birchfield, and I'm representing the act 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 list three main reasons why you should give an affirmative vote to this bill. Number one, the safety of the operator. Number two, the safety of other drivers. And number three, 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 seatbelt, 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 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 were 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 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 is 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 volunteer 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 of a helmet when you buy a motorcycle.
You might say that it encroaches on our free will. We already have seatbelt laws, and it is a short jump to say that helmets are the seatbelt of the motorcycle world. By 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
Chair
Unverified
1:24:30
opportunity to speak. I will take questions. Representative Jean, what is your purpose? Question. You are recognized.
Speaker 305
1:24:36
What would be the consequence for not abiding by this law? Probably a ticket. Specific?
Speaker 301
1:24:47
I don't know the amount of the ticket or anything, but it would be similar to
Chair
Unverified
1:24:52
not wearing a seatbelt. Thank you. Representative Shepard, for what is your purpose? Question. You're recognized. Just
Speaker 170
1:24:59
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?
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:25:09
Yes. If you're in the pastor? Thank you.
Speaker 239
1:25:16
Representative Duffield, for what is your purpose? Question. You're recognized. I just wanted to ask about in Section 3, Subsection B, Subsection 2, 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 external damage on your face, but is... - Are you asking why
Speaker 301
1:25:47
there should be goggles or transparent face shields? - Like, yeah, yeah. - Okay, if you are in a wreck, many times debris will come and it might get in your eyes and damage them, or even when you're
Speaker 239
1:26:04
just driving, just normally. Okay, so would someone get the ticket you mentioned if they had a helmet
Speaker 301
1:26:10
that didn't have that? If it was not an approved helmet, then they might.
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:26:15
Okay, thank you. Representative Stymel, for what is your purpose? Question. You're recognized. I might have missed this, but how are
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
1:26:27
we ensuring that the protective glasses stay on? like it would 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 glasses
Speaker 301
1:26:38
aren't going to stay on. There are special-made helmets where if you have goggles, the helmet is designed to have them stay on. And there
Chair
Unverified
1:26:47
they're attached. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Representative Birchfield has explained the bill.
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Whitaker, you are recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
1:27:23
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. I feel like there
Speaker 315
1:27:35
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.
Chair
Unverified
1:28:02
That's what I have to say. Would anyone like
to speak for the bill? Representative Aker, you are recognized to speak for the bill.
Speaker 318
1:28:35
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 stand by, 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, and 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. I 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.
Chair
Unverified
1:30:59
I will stay for questions. Representative Shepard, for what
Speaker 170
1:31:04
is your purpose? Question. You were recognized. Hi, so my dad also had an accident like that where it scraped 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. and this is also
Speaker 318
1:31:20
consequential for them and their family yes ma'am that is something that we discussed and we are 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 you. Representative Holliday,
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:31:55
for what is your purpose? Not yet.
Speaker 321
1:32:04
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative
Chair
Unverified
1:32:11
Hudson, you are recognized speak against the bill. For what purpose? Immediate
Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
1:32:30
debatable. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries.
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:32:43
The question before the house is passage of House Bill 1004. Okay. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? Has everyone
Chair
Unverified
1:33:13
By a vote of 94 yeas, four nays, and zero present, the bill is passed. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 1005. House Bill 1005 by Representative
Mayweather to create the Adult Preparedness Act. Representative Mayweather,
you are recognized to speak.
Speaker 303
1:33:43
to explain the bill. - 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 year-long 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, no matter what career path they choose. By providing financial literacy, education, and 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 the will.
Chair
Unverified
1:34:49
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Eves, you are recognized to speak against the bill. Good
Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
1:35:05
morning. Good morning, everyone. I speak against this because I learned a lot of this from quantitative reasoning, civics and economics. We learn this, I don't know how people may retain it, but most of the time we do learn this.
Speaker 327
1:35:17
We learn this in our other classes,
so I don't feel as if there is a need to add another class for it. I will stay behind
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:35:30
for questioning. - Representative Perry, for what is your purpose? - I know at a lot of schools
Speaker 329
1:35:38
quantitative it is not. Oh, question. Sorry. Okay. I know at 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. So 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
1:36:17
actual option where it's required? I see what you're saying, but most of the schools I have been at, civics and economics is mostly required towards ninth and eighth grade.
Every student was required to take civics and economics to be able to move on to further classes
Chair
Unverified
1:36:38
in that course. representative Beck for what is your purpose
Speaker 226
1:36:41
you are recognized let's say for private schools you're not coming from somewhere that's it's required to take economics especially in middle school what would
Speaker 334
1:36:50
you 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
Speaker 333
1:37:01
ones all right so Unfortunately, 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 required, so I don't have the experience of a private school. So I'm so sorry I'm not able to answer your question. Representative
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:37:25
Burks, for what is your purpose?
Question. For recognize. Even though
Speaker 337
1:37:31
we have economic and civic, economics just glide over how the economics of the United States works. It just glide over the saving for us and budgeting. I don't feel like it's focused enough, so that's why we should have
Speaker 333
1:37:51
right. From my personal experience, because I am speaking on personal experience, in my civics and economics class, we went over, obviously, the stark 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, and everything, like interest, everything that needed to be gone over. I understand that,
Speaker 337
1:38:16
but with that, we don't know how to open a saving account or nothing in economic class. And there's, like, no guideline on what economic would teach specifically or go in depth
Speaker 333
1:38:34
unfortunately I can't really answer that because I am speaking for personal experience my quantitative reasoning showed me how to open a bank account and how to pay my bills
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:38:53
representative Carr for what is your purpose
Speaker 340
1:38:58
you are recognized um so i noticed it says that it's going to start the 2026 2027 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 the classes? That can
Speaker 331
1:39:26
go the same way for this. How do we know teachers will teach this? How do we know teachers will stand in civics and economics and do their job? I believe that is what
Speaker 340
1:39:38
you're asking me. How are y'all going to ensure that they actually know what they're
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
1:39:42
trying to teach us? Like they know the material? And this can go,
Speaker 333
1:39:54
as I'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 know how we are going to ensure this. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
1:40:13
What did you like to speak for the bill? Mike Elroy you are recognized to speak for the bill
Speaker 344
1:40:39
I think that this is a very important bill because not like everyone has those classes like there's
Speaker 346
1:40:47
many people that are in private schools and don't have those types of classes to take um 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 um like sure some people like some people have jobs and like can see their tax dollars being taken
out but after they like graduate high school they don't really know what else like what else happens with their taxes um 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 um and also this bill wouldn't just be
ensuring 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 um yeah voting for this bill just makes it ensures that we just have um adults will just have a better future representative mcclure
Chair
Unverified
1:42:19
for what is your purpose question you are recognized um my problem isn't
Speaker 348
1:42:28
gives schools to prepare for this how can you kind of 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 going to be how do you ensure that seniors have time to fit two full semesters of
Speaker 349
1:42:51
this into their schedule so um that's a great question but um i would say
Speaker 346
1:42:55
uh just getting this bill 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 think getting the bill passed is the most important thank you leave the will
Chair
Unverified
1:43:25
would anyone like to speak against the bill representative meeks you're recognized to speak against the bill? Good
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:43:48
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 going to be teaching these 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 27-28 school year instead of the 26-27 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.
Chair
Unverified
1:44:27
Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Warren, you're recognized to speak for
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
1:44:52
the bill. Thank you Senator of the House of Representatives for letting me speak for the bill.
Speaker 355
1:44:59
There's a common stereotype for Gen Zers 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 is a place where we are supposed to grow these skills, where we're supposed to learn real life skills that will 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 gonna look like after I go
Speaker 355
1:45:46
bill 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 have already prepared their schedule, that they can't exactly fit those two consecutive semesters
'cause I'm assuming most of us have our schedules planned already for the year of 2026 and 2027. So I would go for the vote just to get this in place and then amend it further down the line for perhaps one semester or even just a online course recommended by teachers so that starting the year 2028, students can plan their schedules accordingly while also getting those skills necessary navigate life after high school um
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:46:36
what is your purpose question you're recognized
Speaker 357
1:46:40
okay so for me my schedule has been full for like all four years of high school like i have not had any um 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
Speaker 355
1:47:13
I will agree with you that economics and quantitative reasoning should be classes we are we have 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
Speaker 356
1:47:33
within the curriculum, as to not put as much stress on teachers and other courses.
Speaker 133
1:47:41
- Representative Gonzalez, for what is your purpose? - Motion. -
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:47:53
State your motion. - Not proper at this time. - Okay. - Representative Springer, for what is your purpose? -
Speaker 305
1:47:59
Question. - To recognize. - So are you saying that we eliminate quantitative reasoning in those other classes and put this in place, or are we adding this with all of those other classes
Speaker 355
1:48:09
available? - I believe what I'm trying to get at is within those classes, those quantitative and economics,
there will be a specific course, like a unit, perhaps, that we will be going into those real life skills. So as to not overwhelm teachers for the seniors, but also begin integrating these skills that are necessary because I would like to have a course where I'm learning real life skills before I get out and graduate from high school. - So just to clarify, is
Speaker 355
1:48:38
some part of the course, such as unit, course, it'll just have to be,
Chair
Unverified
1:48:58
appropriate for the high schools. Okay, thank you. Would anyone like to speak against the bill?
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
1:49:11
Representative Barnett, you are recognized to speak against the bill.
Speaker 366
1:49:13
Thank you. Hello, fellow representatives. I did not come prepared to speak about this, but I am very passionate about this.
So we're saying that we're going to add another class to our already packed schedules and our 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 of Education could maintain,
or we could mandate that these classes be taught more like this, but also while teaching normal economics. I feel that the rest of the
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
1:50:02
things, like balancing a checkbook or opening a savings account, those aren't things that need a whole
Speaker 366
1:50:08
class to be taught. You can Google those things, you can watch a video. So I feel that the Department
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
1:50:15
of Education could promulgate the roles that we are trying to get enforced and I will not be taking questions.
Chair
Unverified
1:50:26
- Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Brooks, you
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
1:50:42
are recognized to speak for the bill. Okay. Hi, everyone. So, I attend Cabot High School, and this is my personal experience. Oh. Oh, okay, okay, okay. So, at Cabot, 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 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 spread 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 thank
Chair
Unverified
1:51:58
you representative Pilkington for what is
your purpose. State your motion. Immediate consideration. That's a proper motion, not debatable. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Aye. Motion carries. The question before the House is passage of House Bill 1005. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
has everyone voted has everyone voted cast up the ballot mr. clerk by a vote of 35 yeas, 60 nays, and four
presents, this bill has failed. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 6.
House Bill 1006 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 the bill.
Representative Alex B. Holladay
Unverified
1:53:36
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 deduct $500 per year from their income tax for classroom improvements and this bill allows for teachers to deduct up to $1,000 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 Holland has explained
Chair
Unverified
1:54:58
the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to speak for
the bill? Representative McNair, you're recognized to speak for the bill.
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:55:25
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 going to 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 and 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 are successful and have the best life we can. I'm open to any
Speaker 346
1:56:38
purpose? Question. You are recognized. My question, I like this bill, but my question is, like, is this just for teachers who, like, have a teaching license and stuff? Because, like, personally, my mom, 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 for people who have an
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:57:04
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 and you put employer. So I think they would be able to look at that. I'm not too sure, so don't quote me on anything, but I think they would be able to look at that until you're
Speaker 157
1:57:24
a teacher. Okay, thank you. You're welcome. Representative Aker, for what is your purpose question you are
Speaker 94
1:57:29
recognized I just had a small question I noticed that it said that the pay is increased
Speaker 318
1:57:32
to two thousands to two thousand dollars for people who are married and I was wondering what the purpose of that was but I am a
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:57:42
fan of this bill um 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 is two people living in a household or two people they're responsible for so i would
Chair
Unverified
1:58:06
guess that's why thank you you're welcome representative whitaker for what is
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
1:58:12
your purpose you're recognized okay um i just want you to re-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 I think it's just
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:58:31
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. So if we're going to pass this are
Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
1:58:54
you going to make that very clear? Yes I'm sure we can take it back
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
1:58:59
there and amend it and reclarify. Okay thank you. I'm
Chair
Unverified
1:59:04
sorry but thank you so much. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Shepard you
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
1:59:16
are recognized to speak against the bill. for what purpose motion you are recognized
Chair
Unverified
1:59:22
immediate consideration that's a proper motion not debatable all in favor say aye aye any opposed motion carries
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
1:59:33
the question before the house is a passage of bill 1006 prepare the machine mr. clerk By a
Chair
Unverified
2:00:11
By a vote of 97 yeas, zero nays, and one present, the bill is passed. Without objection, we're passing over House Bill No. 7 and going straight to House Bill
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
2:00:31
No. 8. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill 1008.
Chair
Unverified
2:00:36
House Bill 1008 by Representative Hoggins to encourage entrepreneurial businesses to grow in towns and cities across Arkansas.
Representative Hoggins, you are recognized to explain the bill.
Speaker 386
2:00:57
Thank you, 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
Chair
Unverified
2:01:24
has explained the bill. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Would anyone like to
speak for the bill? Representative Shepard, you're recognized to speak for the bill. Thank
Speaker 170
2:01:47
you Madam Speaker. So this bill is pertaining to the local shops and
restaurants that are in the small towns or even big cities that are supporting big families or even small ones throughout Arkansas. By putting big franchises right behind or near a local business it runs the business out quickly and this can risk their families jobs and lives at stake this happened to me in El Dorado 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 in that restaurant and that shop in there and by putting a franchise that is all over Arkansas that can drive 30 minutes to get to another one this diminishes their their this this takes away their business and their life that they've
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:02:44
built I'm here for questions representative Hall for what is your
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
2:02:48
purpose question you're recognized just for clarification this is just where those large businesses can take place? Yes, yes it is.
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:03:03
Representative Tosh, for what is your purpose? You're
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
2:03:10
recognized. So I'm reading it right now and it
Speaker 389
2:03:14
says to operate within an economic of the municipality to one national franchise business per economic zone. How large is the economic zone that we're talking about? So I would assume this would be just like decided by the
Speaker 170
2:03:29
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
Chair
Unverified
2:03:41
the local businesses and shops running. All right thank you.
Speaker 204
2:03:48
Representative Allen for what is your purpose all right so i am in support of this bill you're recognized oh question sorry you're recognized okay perfect um i am for this bill like i think this
Speaker 198
2:04:01
is a really great idea i just wanted a little bit of clarification on what is considered a small verse business versus a national business because i know there are businesses within my town one of them is midtown 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 business and then a national
Speaker 392
2:04:28
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
Speaker 170
2:04:40
i'm gonna assume around like the like a thousand open mark
in a state just in a state like that state that would be considered a big franchise
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:04:50
okay perfect thank you representative lynch for what is your purpose you're recognized so it says
Speaker 395
2:04:56
that you can only have one national franchise in the businesses per economic zone what if there's already like the big national, the
Speaker 396
2:05:02
franchise business where the small businesses are, would you have to take all of them down and only let there be one? Or are the ones that are already standing, are they allowed to stay since this would become a law? Yes, I think the ones that are already standing
Speaker 392
2:05:18
there that have already been built and purchased and like, because if we take away that, that takes away jobs for kids and young adults who like have already like been there for months and months. So I would assume that those
Speaker 170
2:05:31
would just stay, but just maybe if anything like a relocation, an easy
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
2:05:36
relocation only if it would be easy relocation representative Maggie for what is
Speaker 397
2:05:41
your purpose you're recognized often these small businesses have higher prices in larger national franchises this often leads people to choose to larger franchises due to affordability how or would this be addressed so I
Speaker 392
2:05:54
would assume like the small 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 your question clear enough for you i'm sorry for that but i do think like as a low as their local businesses that is what they need their prices to be at in order to function add together and like to build continue their
Speaker 170
2:06:15
household so i really think that it would just depend like on the person itself i'm
Speaker 140
2:06:21
sorry if i can't answer your question thank you representative woldridge for what is your purpose are recognized so i am in support of this bill but i do have a question so if you know we're
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
2:06:32
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 yeah so like how are we going to like 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 eminent domain like government properties as well pushing out those entrepreneurial
Speaker 170
2:07:04
businesses I think that's also 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 doesn't I do assume that we would have to push even harder for something like that than we usually would for, like, something that the city let in itself than, like, the bigger
Chair
Unverified
2:07:29
government did. Okay, thank you. Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Barnett, you're recognized to speak against the bill.
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
2:07:44
Hello, everyone. 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? My town has
Speaker 366
2:08:03
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 in the Walmart, that's the one that everyone gets like their clothes 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.
Chair
Unverified
2:08:48
Representative Rose. What did you say? Would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Burks, you're recognized
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
2:09:16
to speak for the bill. Hello, my fellow representatives, I am a co-sponsor of this bill and I really enjoy the message
Speaker 226
2:09:22
it does bring to these small towns because as Representative Barnett did say, yes, we do have a lot of chains that do help us, but think about how those chains, 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 the
Target 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 being steamrolled by
Chair
Unverified
2:10:16
these large corporations representative rye for what is your purpose you are
Speaker 401
2:10:22
recognized well i do agree on like
keeping it local and everything such as that and all the chemicals of our food um 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 were to practically demonize
Speaker 402
2:10:49
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 relatively cheap and all these smaller companies not companies but businesses are can get expensive because of their homemade whatever whatever and also the fact that
Speaker 401
2:11:15
there are no big businesses in the state of Arkansas that have more than a thousand stores so oh can I
Speaker 401
2:11:40
you agree that um that their big businesses have less than a thousand companies in the state of
Representative Rebecca Burkes
Unverified
2:11:51
Arkansas? Yes, Arkansas is a small state compared to a lot of the
Speaker 401
2:12:00
asked about the big businesses, where would we draw the line between pushing the smaller ones? Because a lot of the smaller ones have maybe
a hundred stores, but sort of the big businesses, where would we draw that line between we need to push this one or push
Speaker 405
2:12:19
that one? Like we said, with the people like having, we're going to stop with the chains who are already in these towns. Like we're
Speaker 226
2:12:26
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 local people can come in as well. So it gives an opportunity for
Speaker 247
2:12:43
these locals to have a chance to start their own businesses thank
Chair
Unverified
2:12:49
you representative in it for what is your purpose question you're recognized
Speaker 406
2:12:53
um hi uh i just have a general question what specifically do you
Speaker 407
2:12:58
mean by encourage entrepreneurs because i personally feel like there are other ways to encourage local businesses without making it mandatory because i mean obviously like not all time it's going to work but i just feel like um 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 a lawful thing
Speaker 405
2:13:24
i understand what you're saying but the easiest way for the people who did come up with this bill and us as co-sponsors and us who wrote it we saw it as that whenever you don't have more options coming in these businesses
Speaker 226
2:13:36
can thrive because you're not having more opportunities to go somewhere else, if that makes sense. Thank you. You're welcome. All right, I'm leaving the well. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
2:13:51
Would anyone like to speak against the bill? Representative Duffield, you're recognized to
Representative Matt Duffield
Unverified
2:14:09
speak against the bill. Thank
Speaker 239
2:14:12
you, Madam Speaker. My fellow representatives, I 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 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. with like larger businesses, there 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 um with an in an economic zone I'm not really sure what uh makes up an economic zone but um from what I understand like if even if we're
looking at like a more urban area that has um more poverty stricken like 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 I just yeah I'm open to questions representative bro you're
Speaker 365
2:16:15
you were recognized um earlier stated in a former thing talking about relocating is it true that like with this
Speaker 411
2:16:24
passing bill it will affect um jobs of those who are a part of larger
Speaker 239
2:16:30
corporations um 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 had five in an area
and you were only allowed one, then four of them would have to close down, which means that all the people in those four businesses would not
Chair
Unverified
2:17:01
have that job anymore. Would anyone
like to speak for the bill? Representative Jean, You are recognized to speak for the bill. Oh, Representative Dean, what is your purpose?
Speaker 261
2:17:16
Motion. State your motion. Immediate consideration. Proper
Chair
Unverified
2:17:25
motion. Non-debatable. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposers? The question, motion carries. The question before the House is passage of House Bill 1008. Prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk.
Chair
Unverified
2:18:03
up for ballot, Mr. Clerk. By a vote of 23 yays, 69 nays, 6 present, the bill has failed. Mr. Clerk, please read House Bill
1009. House Bill 1009 by Representative Springsteen to establish a blue envelope program.
Representative Springsteen, you are recognized to explain
Representative Joy Springer
Unverified
2:18:41
the bill. I'm here to summarize this bill for you all and explain it to
Speaker 318
2:18:47
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 pull 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. 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
2:20:06
Representative Scholls, for what is your purpose? Oh, question.
Speaker 88
2:20:13
You're recognized. So would you consider police officer training to specifically accommodate for people on the autism spectrum? Yes, this bill originally said specifically autism, and we have
Speaker 318
2:20:29
it can broaden the spectrum and not just to autism. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
2:20:50
speak for the bill? Representative Wardlock, you are recognized to speak for
Speaker 399
2:21:03
the bill. - Fellow representatives, I don't know about y'all,
But I personally, if I were
Chair
Unverified
2:21:08
to get pulled over, immediate tears. I'm going to panic because I'm going to 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 intellectual disabilities. 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, this person could be 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 being 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 glove box could be reaching for a weapon and both for the officer's safety and for the citizen's 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 representative hall for what is your purpose
Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
2:23:50
Motion. State your motion. Motion for immediate consideration.
Chair
Unverified
2:23:54
Proper motion, not debatable. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposers? Motion carries. The question before the House is the passage of House Bill 1009. Prepare the
Speaker 133
2:24:16
machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted? has everyone voted cast
Speaker 263
2:24:22
up the cast up the ballot by a vote of 87 yays five nays
four present the bill is passed
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
2:24:31
mr. clerk please read house bill 1000 1010 House Bill 2010 by
Chair
Unverified
2:24:47
Representative Yarrington to increase the income tax credit for Arkansas families supporting a child with special needs.
Representative Yarrington, you are recognized to explain the bill.
Speaker 315
2:25:05
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would also like to thank the House and all of our wonderful representatives
Speaker 389
2:25:14
for being here this morning. In October of 2019, 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 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 was five. The money we used for that came from us. His heart surgery that he had had cost 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 receive $500 if they chose to utilize this tax credit. Because of inflation over the course of 49 years, $500 in 1977 equals roughly $2,750 today. And I, oh, my bad. And since we have roughly $500 million in surplus money each year, I believe that we have enough money to accomplish the goal of giving families who have special needs children $1,000 instead of $500, so they have more tools
to take advantage of any opportunity 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 future generations,
Speaker 420
2:26:56
and this bill is just the beginning of their very bright future. Thank you. Oh,
Chair
Unverified
2:27:08
no questions. 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. hello
Speaker 276
2:27:36
um i do agree with this bill and i think it's a very wonderful idea to give money for any child who has 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, I guess until 18, but to increase it to any adult who's also living with their parents or someone else who needs money for support of their other medical expenses or other things they need. Thank
Chair
Unverified
2:28:18
you. Representative, would anyone like to speak for the bill? Representative Ferguson, you're recognized to speak for the bill. Hi, so I'm from
Representative Kenneth B. Ferguson
Unverified
2:28:40
Southside in Fort Smith and Southside, that's my school and
Speaker 423
2:28:43
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 then 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 the 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 them. Thank you.
Chair
Unverified
2:29:17
Representative Yarrington, do you wish to close for your bill?
Representative Yarrington has closed the bill. The question before the House is a
Speaker 133
2:29:49
passage of House Bill 1010, prepare the machine, Mr. Clerk. Has everyone voted?
Speaker 263
2:29:58
Has everyone voted? Cast up a ballot, Mr. Clerk. - By a vote of 88 yeas, six nays, four present,
Representative Tara Shephard
Unverified
2:30:03
the bill is passed. With no further business, The girls' state house is adjourned, sine die.
Agenda
No agenda available.
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
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Speaker 2
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Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
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Representative Tara Shephard
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Representative Alex B. Holladay
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Chair
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Representative Rebecca Burkes
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Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
Representative Mike Holcomb
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Representative Jason Nazarenko
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Representative Fred Allen
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Representative Matt Brown
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Representative Jimmy Gazaway
Unverified
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Representative Jeff Wardlaw
Unverified
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Representative Steven Walker
Unverified
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Representative Ashley Hudson
Unverified
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
Speaker 277
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Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
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Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
Representative R. Scott Richardson
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Representative David Whitaker
Unverified
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Representative Les D. Eaves
Unverified
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Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Representative Les Warren
Unverified
Speaker 355
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Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
Speaker 366
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
Representative Ron McNair
Unverified
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Representative Brad Hall
Unverified
Speaker 389
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Representative Matt Duffield
Unverified
Speaker 365
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Representative Joy Springer
Unverified
Speaker 149
Speaker 399
Speaker 420
Speaker 276
Representative Kenneth B. Ferguson
Unverified
Speaker 423