Related Posts
Senate
Feb. 17, 2022
Griffin [00:12:40] The Senate will come to order. Madam Secretary. OK, well, he’s chit chatting. Senator Hickey. Do you have something pressing to tell us before we call the roll?
Hickey [00:12:59] Leave for Senator Bledsoe.
Griffin [00:13:01] Without objection. Secretary, please call the roll.
Secretary [00:13:05] [All present except Senator Bledsoe]
Griffin [00:13:37] Everyone please stand, including those in the gallery. Senator Pitsch is going to lead us in prayer.
Pitsch [00:13:47] Please join me as we go to the Lord. Heavenly Father, be among us as we do the work of the people of this great state. Give us wisdom. Give us discernment. Give us the gift of knowing the right thing to do. We pray for your guidance in all things. In your name, amen.
[00:14:29] [Pledge of Allegiance]
Griffin [00:14:29] Senator Pitsch. Senator Pitsch is recognized for an announcement. Any other announcements?
Pitsch [00:14:36] Thank you, Governor. Members, Senator Rice and I would like to introduce the Leadership Fort Smith and the Leadership Crawford County. I don’t exactly know how many we are. I know we’re two busloads, are giving their day to watch you in action. So put on a good show for them like normal. I see Senator Hickey laughing. Welcome among us. I’ve told this group and I tell the folks in the audience, it was 10 years ago today, I sat up there and we decided that some of us were going to come down here and try and be public servants. So enjoy your day watching the festivities. Thank you.
Griffin [00:15:22] Senator Ballinger.
Ballinger [00:15:25] Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to recognize Leadership Franklin County, who is up in the West Gallery. Senator Stubblefield is not here or else he’d be up here. But just want to appreciate them coming down and watching the festivities today. Thank you.
Griffin [00:15:46] Any other announcements? Any items at the desk? OK, we’re going to move into morning hour. Senator Ingram, not here. Somebody going to handle that? Somebody going to handle Senator Ingram’s resolution for him? No? We will pass over that to Senator Hester.
Secretary [00:16:14] Senate bill 1 by Senate Efficiency, an act of the Arkansas Senate Appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Griffin [00:16:23] Senator Hester.
Hester [00:16:25] Thank you, governor. Members, it’s just what it says. It’s our appropriation that funds us for the session in the next years. Happy to answer any questions.
Griffin [00:16:34] Any questions? Senator Irvin, you have a question? A question? Anyone want to speak against? For? Is the senator closed?
Hester [00:16:42] I’m closed.
Griffin [00:16:45] Requires 27 votes. Any objection to rolling the vote? Please roll the vote.
Secretary [00:16:48] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:17:17] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the bill is passed. Transmit to the House. Senator Ingram on SCR 1. Pass over? Senator Irvin. SB 85.
Secretary [00:17:41] Senate Bill, senate Bill 85 by Senator Irvin to clarify the definition of eligible inactive retiree, to modify the eligibility of retirees to participate in the state and public school life and health insurance program and declare an emergency.
Griffin [00:17:55] Requires 18 votes, but it does have an emergency clause. Senator Irvin.
Irvin [00:18:01] Thank you, members. This is part of the packet of the EBD bills. This defines eligibility for state employees who are retired state employees. You can read the language in the bill. That’s really most of what it does. I will say, you know, there’s been– and I’ll, I’ll take an opportunity to say this– there’s been a tremendous amount of work done on these different pieces of legislation. And the Segal Group, I thought, did an excellent job working with our EBD and with the legislators. Senator Hickey and Representative Wardlaw and Senator Rice in particular did an incredible amount of work on this. This is really, really important for us to, to communicate out to folks. But just to let you know we are going to have educational meetings for beneficiaries of the plans, so that information will get rolled out to them in a way that’s appropriate. And that was part of the, the, the, the changes that we insisted on. So all of those videos and all those hearings are online and your constituents can go online and watch all of those meetings for clarity and information. But we’ll be happy to try to put together a list of those different changes to help you with any response that you may need with constituents. Just, with that, I’d appreciate a good vote for this bill.
Griffin [00:19:17] Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for? The senator’s closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Please roll the vote.
Secretary [00:19:23] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:19:52] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the bill is passed, emergency clause adopted. Transmit to the House. Senator Hickey.
Secretary [00:20:02] Senate Bill 86 by Senator Hickey to establish a funding mechanism to ensure solvency of state and public school life and health insurance program and declare an emergency.
Griffin [00:20:12] Senator Hickey.
Hickey [00:20:14] Thank you sir. Members, this is a bill to establish a funding mechanism to ensure solvency of the state and public school life and health insurance programs. I know we’ve talked about this, debated it so much. I could try to recite it backwards if you want me to. But if there’s any questions, I’ll be happy to try to answer those at this time.
Griffin [00:20:32] Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against? For? The senator’s closed?
[00:20:37] Yes, sir.
[00:20:37] Any objection to rolling the vote? Please roll the vote.
Secretary [00:20:39] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:21:07] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the bill is passed. The emergency clause is adopted. Transmit to the House. Senator Rice.
Secretary [00:21:19] Senate Bill 87 by Senator Rice to establish coverage of the diagnosis and treatment of morbid obesity under the State and public school life and health insurance programs and to declare an emergency.
Griffin [00:21:34] Senator Rice.
Rice [00:21:35] Thank you, Mr. President. Members, we covered this the other day in the resolution, of course not always is the whole bill in resolution. But there were no changes as this went through committee. Again, the coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of morbid obesity, including bariatric surgery, replaces a pilot program that was done. It will include diagnosis for the most efficient use for not only financial outcome, but better health. Again, this is part of the three quarters of a billion dollar program that is important to every part of the state. So whether you’ve been in on the last year of getting to hear any of this or not, it is going to affect your state. Again, this has the potential of 35 to 45 percent of savings with correct diagnosis, also can be a cure for diabetes and certain heart diseases. And we look forward to not only again, the improved savings that is required in this program, but better health for our citizens. I’d be glad to take any questions.
Griffin [00:22:56] Any questions? Anyone wish to speak against or for? The senator’s closed? Are you closed, senator?
Rice [00:23:01] Closed.
Griffin [00:23:03] The senator’s closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Please roll the vote.
Secretary [00:23:32] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:23:33] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the bill is passed. The emergency clause is adopted. Transmit to the House. One second, Senator Rice. I just wanted to explain to the leadership groups that are up here watching. You may be wondering why all these bills would go so quickly. These are generally non-controversial bills. The text of the bill was in the resolution earlier, so everybody’s familiar with it. There are really no objections to it. And so I’ll say roll the vote. And instead of calling everybody’s name twice and it taking much longer, waiting for them to respond, when you roll, you call them once, you call them fast. And it’s assumed you’re a yes unless you let us know otherwise. So that’s what’s going on here. So this is an area where these bills, in particular, is where there’s a lot of agreement and no real controversy, and that’s– we’re able to dispose of them more quickly that way. That’s what’s going on right now in case you’re wondering. I know that had I not been in this chair, I’d probably be wondering. OK, Senator Rice.
Secretary [00:24:46] Senate bill 88 by Senator Rice to modify the state contribution to the state and public school life and health insurance programs and declare an emergency.
Griffin [00:24:55] Senator Rice.
Rice [00:24:57] Thank you again, members. All this does is remove the cap. The other bills sets the controls and allows us to look at the health index CPI. Again, goes before the governing boards that’s being set up, also through the Board of Finance and Legislative Council. And it does save changing the statute every year. So I’d appreciate a good vote.
Griffin [00:25:22] Any questions? Senator Garner has a question, Senator Rice.
Garner [00:25:26] Yes, sir, it’s more of a comment. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate Senator Rice, Senator Hickey, and Senator Irvin for all the work they did on the retirement bills. I know it was yeoman’s work and I just want to tell you how much, sincerely, I appreciate what you all do. Thank y’all.
Rice [00:25:38] Thank you.
Griffin [00:25:39] Thank you, Senator Garner. No questions? The senator’s closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Please roll the vote.
Secretary [00:26:11] [All in favor].
Griffin [00:26:12] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the bill is passed. Emergency clause is adopted. Transmit the bill to the House. Senator Clark is recognized before we go to budget.
Clark [00:26:25] Thank you, governor. I’d like you to make welcome and recognize the Hot Spring County Leadership Group in the West Gallery. And I don’t believe the Saline County Leadership Group has made it. Nope, they’re here. The Saline County, part of the Saline County Leadership. Saline County Leadership Group also. Thank you.
Griffin [00:27:02] Thank you, Senator. Senator Ingram, we’re going to keep passing over or do you want to do it? Senator Dismang, budget calendar.
Dismang [00:27:12] Members, just want to kind of go through. You got your sheet on your desk here. We’re going to batch these in a few different– I have a few different batches. So you see your Senate bills, Senate bill 36 through 83. That will be the first batch. The second batch will be House bill 1002 through the end of that page, so 1005. Then the third batch will be all of Page 2. So that’s House Bill 1006 through House Bill 1048. And then the last batch or the fourth batch will be House Bill 1049 through House Bill 1078. If you have any bills– and I’ll stop before each one of these just to make sure there’s not any additions– but would anyone like to pull any of the bills out, the Senate bills out so that’s Senate bill 36 through 83.
Griffin [00:28:02] Senator Rapert is recognized for a question.
Rapert [00:28:04] Yes. Senator on SB 72, is that the full– that says re-appropriation.
Dismang [00:28:12] Reappropriation.
Rapert [00:28:12] We still have a hold that a couple of members have on that.
Dismang [00:28:14] On the actual appropriation. This is for ongoing projects.
Griffin [00:28:19] Any other questions? You want, you want to take questions on all the batches now?
Dismang [00:28:25] I’m going to– let’s just go through and I want to make sure on this first run and then we’ll do it after each one. So then we’re going to move to the second batch, which this House bill 1002 through 1005 at the bottom of the page. Does anyone like to pull any of those out for a separate discussion?
Griffin [00:28:39] Senator Garner’s has a question on batch two.
Garner [00:28:41] Yes, sir, I want to pull out HB– is this– OK, this is a five batch? I thought you had more than that. I’m sorry.
Dismang [00:28:47] This is just the bottom of the House bills on page 1.
Garner [00:28:50] Ok, I’m sorry. I misunderstood.
Dismang [00:28:50] I may have said Page 2, actually. I’m sorry if it did. So, this will be our second batch is just the House bills at the bottom of Page 1. All right. And then batch three will be all of Page 2. So that’s House Bill 1006 through House Bill 1048. Would anyone like to pull any of those out? There we go.
Griffin [00:29:09] Senator Garner is recognized.
Garner [00:29:13] HB 1016, I’d like to vote separately. HB 1016.
Dismang [00:29:23] All right. Any other bills on that page 2? Again, I’ll ask one more time before we have her read them through. All right. And then Page 4, so your last page, it starts at House Bill 1049. It’s going to run through House bill 1078. All right. Seeing none, then I think we’re good to go on the first batch, so I’ll recognize you. Senate Bill 36 and then on through.
Griffin [00:29:51] Senator Sullivan’s recognized.
Sullivan [00:29:54] When someone pulls out a bill, would they mind explaining why they’re pulling it out? Because if we disagree with them, then I would like a chance to speak to or for or against it.
Dismang [00:30:06] Yeah, and that’s what– so if there’s a bill here that you don’t want to vote for– if you don’t want to vote for it, we need to pull it out. That way, you’re not voting against all the bills in the batch just to vote against that one. If you want to speak to a bill or have a question on a bill, then just ask to pull it out and we’ll vote it separate.
Sullivan [00:30:21] Well, I know, but I don’t–
Griffin [00:30:23] I understand the question. He doesn’t have to do that. Senator Garner, do you want to explain why you pulled the bill out for the purposes of informing Senator Sullivan?
Garner [00:30:33] No, you can add it back in. I misread what it is. I’m sorry, there’s a bunch of talking back here.
Griffin [00:30:37] So we now have no bills pulled out. We have four–
Garner [00:30:40] I’m looking for a particular bill with, with Commerce.
Griffin [00:30:42] We appreciate you.
Garner [00:30:43] I’ll have fun with that one.
Griffin [00:30:45] Yeah, there are no bills pulled out. We have four batches.
Dismang [00:30:49] Yeah, OK. OK, so–
Griffin [00:30:53] That was a false flag.
Dismang [00:30:54] All right. She’s going to read across all the Senate bills and then–
Griffin [00:31:00] That’s one. No questions? The senator’s closed? Any objection to rolling the vote.
Dismang [00:31:06] She’s got to, she’s got to read them all.
Griffin [00:31:06] She’s going to read it, okay.
Secretary [00:31:16] Senate Bill 36, an act for the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System appropriation for 2022-2023 fiscal year. Senate Bill 69 an act for the institutions of higher education reappropriation. Senate Bill 70 an act for the Department of Education, Division of Higher Education and Northwest Technical Institute reappropriation. Senate Bill 70 an act from the Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education reappropriation. Senate Bill 72 an act for the Department of Health reappropriation. Senate Bill 73 an act for the Department of Commerce state Insurance Department reappropriation. Senate Bill 74 an Act for Arkansas Public Defender Commissioner reappropriation. Senate bill 75 an Act for the Department of Human Services Division of County Operations reappropriation. Senate Bill 76 an Act for the Department of Energy and Environment Arkansas Ecological Survey reappropriation. Senate Bill 77 an act for the Department of Finance Administration Disbursing Officer reappropriation. Senate Bill 78 an act for the Department of Finance Administration reappropriation. Senate Bill 79 an Act for the Department of Transformation and Shared Services Building Authority Division reappropriation. Senate Bill 80 an act for the Department of Transformation and Shared Services, Arkansas Geographic Information System Office reappropriation. Senate Bill 81 an Act for the Department of Transformation and Shared Services Division of Information Systems reappropriation. Senate Bill 82 an Act for the Department of the Military reappropriation. Senate Bill 83 an act from the Department of Agriculture reappropriation.
Griffin [00:33:09] The senator’s closed on batch one. Any objection to rolling the vote. Please roll the vote.
[00:33:09] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:33:42] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the– all the Senate bills in batch one passed. Emergency clause adopted. Transmit to the House. Batch two, the senator’s closed. Oh, there aren’t. OK, I can’t read. Said bills and their emergency clauses. OK. It says emergency clauses Scratch that. There are none. In any event, batch two. The Senator is closed on batch two. And the clerk is going to read batch two.
Secretary [00:34:22] House Bill 1002 an act for the Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House bill 1003 an act for the Arkansas State Crimes Commission appropriation for the, for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1004 an act for the Ozarka College appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1005 An act for the State Board of Election Commissioners appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Griffin [00:35:00] Any objection to rolling the vote on batch two? Please roll the vote.
[00:35:04] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:35:33] Anyone wish to change their vote. Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the bills– the batch– batch two passed. Transmit– actually, return to the House. Batch three. Senator, we’ve already had any questions on batch three. The Senators is closed on batch three. Any objection to rolling the vote? She’s going to read a lot of bills and then we will roll the vote.
Secretary [00:36:04] House Bill 1006 an act for the Arkansas Court of Appeals Appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1007 an act for the State Department for Social Security Administration disability determination of appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1008 an Act for the Department of Labor and Licensing Boards and Commissions appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1009 an act for the Arkansas Wheat Promotion Board appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1011 an Act for the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1012 an act for the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1014 an act for the Arkansas Public Service Commission appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1015 an act for the Northwest Arkansas Community College appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1016 an act for the Department of Commerce, Arkansas Development Finance Authority appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1017 an Act for the Southern Arkansas University appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1019 an act for the Department of Finance Administration child Support Enforcement appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1020 an act for the Department of Transformation and Shared Services Division of Information Systems appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1021 an act for the National Park College Appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1022 an act for the Department of Agriculture Arkansas Natural Resources Commission appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1023 an act for the Arkansas– North Arkansas College appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1024 and act for the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Commission appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1025 an act for the Commissioner of State Lands appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, House Bill 1029 an act for the Office of the Treasurer of State Assistance to Local Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1030 an act for the Office of the Treasurer of State General Obligation Bonds Appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1032 , an act for the Office of the attorney general appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1038 an act for the Arkansas legislative audit of the Legislative Audit Joint, Joint Auditing Committee appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1039 an act for the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1040 an act for the Department of Commerce Arkansas Waterways Commission appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1041 an act for the Office of the Treasurer of State City County Tourism Meeting and Entertainment Facilities Assistance. appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1042 an act for the Office of the Treasurer of State Animal Rescue Shelters appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1044 an act for the Black River Technical College appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1046 and act for the Henderson State University appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1047 an act for the Department of Energy and Environment Oil and Gas Commission appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1048 An act for the Arkansas North Eastern College appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Griffin [00:40:43] If there’s no objection to rolling the vote? Please roll out when you can.
[00:40:49] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:41:23] Anyone wish to change your vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the batch of House bills is passed. Return to the House. Batch four. We’ve already had our questions. Please, madam Secretary, read the bills.
Secretary [00:41:45] House Bill 1049 an act for the Department of Commerce, State Securities Department of appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1051 an act for the Department of Military appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1052 an act for the Arkansas East Arkansas Community College appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1053 an act for the Department of Commerce State Bank Department appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1057 an act for the Department of Commerce Arkansas Rehabilitation Services appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1073 an act for the Office of the Treasurer of State Appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. House Bill 1078 an act for the Department of Health Health Services Permit Agency appropriation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Griffin [00:42:46] The senator’s closed. Any objection to rolling the vote? Please roll the vote.
Secretary [00:42:49] [All in favor]
Griffin [00:43:18] Anyone wish to change their vote? Cast up the ballot. 33 yeas, 0 nays, the fourth batch of House bills passed. Return the bills to the House. Senator Dismang is recognized.
Dismang [00:43:32] Alright, members, I just want to give an update on what we’ve got going on in budget next week. So on Tuesday, Rules is going to come in at 8 o’clock. I think, I think we’ve got a couple of items that just need to be covered there. Also on Tuesday, Personnel is going to go in at 7:30 in the morning. Wednesday, Peer Review will go in at 7:30, and on Thursday will be Special Language, also at 7:30. If you have any member’s own or whatever it may be, make sure we get those to committee and get them submitted so they can be referred to the right committee or proper committee. And then also we’ll be going in on Tuesday at 9:00 for Joint Budget. With that, thank y’all.
Griffin [00:44:10] Joint Budget, Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. Senator Hickey is recognized.
Hickey [00:44:21] Members, we’re going to do the official swearing in of Mr. Colby Fulfer on February 22nd at 11:30 a.m. We’re going to come in at 12:00. That’ll be done in this chamber by Supreme Court Justice Mr. Dan Kemp. So if you all would, as you all know how special that was whenever you first got here, we would appreciate if you all could, could make plans to be here at 11:30.
Griffin [00:44:48] Senator, so we will not be in session tomorrow, correct?
Hickey [00:44:52] That’s correct.
Griffin [00:44:53] OK. Or Monday? And we will be back here Monday at 1:00– I think Tuesday at 1:00?
Hickey [00:45:01] Noon. Well, we’re going to come– if, if everybody would, it’s not a– you know, we’re not going to be in session for, for the, the swearing in. But if everybody could get– well, I was going to say noon. So I think that would probably be better. If we’re here at 11:30, that will give us– is 30 minutes going to be– I guess everybody wants to eat.
Griffin [00:45:26] I don’t see anybody here that needs to eat.
Hickey [00:45:33] We’ll do one. Thank you.
Hickey [00:45:35] Like I was saying, we’ll be here at 1 on Tuesday. Senator Davis.
Davis [00:45:42] Members, I needed to withdraw SR 18 from consideration. SR 18. Yes.
Griffin [00:45:48] SR 18. Without objection. Any other announcements? The Senate’s adjourned, always subject to the clearing of the desk. So you want 1 o’clock Tuesday.