Feb. 22: Joint Budget transcript

Joint Budget Committee

Feb. 22, 2022

 

Jean All right, members, we’re going to call Joint Budget to order. The first item on the agenda is the Rules Subcommittee. Senator Flippo, you are recognized. 

 

Flippo Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Rule Review Subcommittee met on Thursday, February 17, to continue its discussion of the Arkansas Racing Commission’s Rule 20 after its recess the day before. The review was– the rule was reviewed and approved. And I move adoption of the report. 

 

Jean Any questions? I have a motion to approve the report. And a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. It is approved. The next item on the agenda is Item C, which is going to be your supplemental appropriations and we’re going to take them– we’re going to batch the House bills and Senate bills. Mr. Anderson, if you’ll explain, Item C. 

 

Anderson Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Item C is a list of all the supplemental appropriation bills that we received from Governors Letter Number 1. And basically, this is for the current year– spending authority for the current year for revenues that the agency carried over from last year. There is also one from the Treasurer of State. It was in a letter that was approved to allow them to, to increase their appropriation authority to disburse local– to reimburse sales and tax that runs through the state Treasurer to counties and municipalities. That’s all of them, Mr. Chairman. Do you want to do one group at a time? So on Item C, House Bill 1101 through House Bill 1116 are all supplementals for the current year. 

 

Jean Representative Springer, do you have a question on the supplementals?

 

Springer Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would just like to know the amount of the public school fund that’s supplemental. 

 

Jean Which bill are you talking about? 

 

Springer On Senate Bill– I apologize. I’m sorry. Senate Bill 88– Senate Bill 90. 

 

Jean Senate Bill 90? 

 

Springer Yes. 

 

Jean Do you have that, Mr. Anderson? Hold on just a second. 

 

Anderson So if you look in the Senate packet is where I’m getting this information– in the S in the upper right hand corner– on Page 24, you’ll see Senate Bill 90, the summary for it. And you can see it appropriates $46,359,000 for this fiscal year. This is for the public school network computer network. 

 

Springer Okay, I understand. So I’m asking you about, that’s the supplemental amount? 

 

Anderson Yes, ma’am.  

 

Springer Okay. All right. Thank you. 

 

Jean Good? OK. All right. We’re taking up the House bills from House bill 1101 all the way down to 1116. We’re going to batch these. Do we need to pull any of these out of the batch? Do we have a motion to approve? We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. Now we’ll do the Senate bills. 

 

Anderson Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That’s Senate Bill 89 to the Senate Bill 100 is ready. 

 

Jean OK, do we need to pull any of these out of the batch? Any questions? Motion to approve the batch. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? All right, Mr. Anderson, we’re going to the House bills. 

 

Anderson Yes, sir. 

 

Jean It’ll be the H on the corner. We’ve got a couple of House bills and a few Senate bills today. You’re recognized, Mr. Anderson. 

 

Anderson Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the House packet, Page 7 is where the first one is that’s ready. You’ll see on Page 7, this is House Bill 1027, Treasurer of State, Amendment 74 Property Tax Appropriation. 

 

Jean House Bill 1027. Do we have a motion? I have a motion and a second. Any discussion or questions? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. It is approved. 

 

Anderson Mr. Chairman on Page 8, on Page 8, House Bill 1033. This is also Treasurer of State, Refund of Local Taxes Appropriation 

 

Jean House Bill 1033. We have a motion? Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. It is adopted. 

 

Anderson On Page 9, House Bill 1037. This is turn back for counties and municipalities. 

 

Jean Turn back aid, House bill 1037. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. It is approved. 

 

Anderson Mr. Chairman, the last one in the House packet is on Page 17. On Page 17, House Bill 1067, State Library. 

 

Jean State Library 1068. Do we have a motion? I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor, say aye. Any opposed. It’s approved. We’re going to the Senate package. 

 

Anderson Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There’s only two. The first one is on Page 11 in the Senate packet. This is Senate Bill 41 Assessment Coordination Department. Senate Bill 41 on Page 11. 

 

Jean Senate Bill 41. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. It is approved. 

 

Anderson Mr. Chairman, the last one is on Page 23. On Page 23, Senate Bill 84, Department of Commerce. This is a re-appropriation. 

 

Jean Senate Bill 84. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Senator Ballinger, you’re recognized. 

 

Ballinger Yes. Thank you. Is this appropriation with the Department of Commerce, is it the, the one that also includes the, the funding for the office in China or is that something to separate? OK, and I’m sorry. I apologize for not paying attention. 

 

Jean It does not. 

 

Ballinger Thank you. There is no appropriation for China anymore. 

 

Anderson No, no, there is. Yeah, he’s got a hold on it.

 

Jean Oh, OK. OK. I thought we did away with that. OK. All right. All right, Senate Bill, 84, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed. All right, members, before we get into announcements, just to let you know, yesterday was the speaker’s 46th birthday. Speaker Shepherd. So we would like to congratulate him on another year. And that’s a speaker jacket. That’s not a, that’s not a George Bush fighter jacket he’s got on. So you’re looking, looking quite fashionable today. Anyway, all right, members, this afternoon upon adjournment of House State Agencies, we’re going to meet here for Rules Committee– subcommittee will meet here. Subcommittee. Tomorrow morning, we’ll meet here at 9 o’clock. Wednesday and Thursday of this week will be Members Day. So we’re opening up two days for Members Day. On Thursday, if the weather permits, Special Language will start at 7:30 and will be extended till if need be till 10:00. And on Thursday, we won’t come into Joint Budget until 10 o’clock. 9 o’clock tomorrow, 10 o’clock Thursday. Also tomorrow morning, Pee and Review meet at 7:30 in the morning on your subcommittees. But hey, if you get confused, just check the website and it’ll all clear it up. Anything else need to be brought to Joint Budget? We are adjourned.