Senate Floor

January 10, 2020

 

Lt Gov Griffin: The Senate will come to order. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Oh, I want to recognize Senator Leding.

 

Sen Leding: Leave for Senator Flowers.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: Without objection. Anyone else on leave? Okay, Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

 

Madam Secretary: Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Chesterfield, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Leding, Love, McKee, Murdock, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: Everyone please stand, including the two that are in the gallery. Unless you have someone else, I’ll lead us in prayer. Okay? Everyone, please bow their heads for a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to live in this country. Thank you for all of our many blessings. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Help us follow your guidance, follow your will in our lives. Help us do what you would have us do each and every day. Be with us as we go through the ceremonies this day. In Jesus name, amen.

 

audience: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: Senator Johnson has already moved to dispense with the reading of the journal.

 

Sen Hester: Can I be recognized?

 

Lt Gov Griffin: Senator Hester, president pro tem of the 94th. It’s your assembly.

 

Sen Hester: Members, we’ve done this one other time. But with almost no notice, Lieutenant Governor Griffin agreed to come down here the last two days and lead us. And I just wanted to thank him for coming down. This will be the very last time, and he’s going on to important stuff.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: You’re going to make me cry. Let’s keep going. Thank you. I really am a sensitive guy. Senator Johnson.

 

Sen M Johnson: Point of person privilege.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: Yes, sir. You’re recognized.

 

Sen M Johnson: Thank you, Mr. President. It is my deep honor to introduce to the Senate my new friend. Some of you know about this lady, but you get to meet her. Her name is Lynn Fitch. She is the attorney general of the great state of Mississippi and was the one who argued the Dobbs case before the US Supreme Court. Please welcome General Fitch. One more. And I have one more special guest, international guest. The tall gentleman in the doorway with our friend Rick Edwards, is Prince Lorenzo de Medici of Italy. Y’all know that name. It’s a historical name, of course. But he’s a great ambassador to the state of Arkansas, helps tremendously with many of the charities in our state, and even across the river with St. Jude’s in Memphis. So please welcome Prince Lorenzo de Medici.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: I think this is the first time we’ve had a general and a prince in the Senate chamber all at once. Welcome, y’all. Appreciate y’all being here. Any items at the desk, Madam Secretary?

 

Madam Secretary: No, sir.

 

Lt Gov Griffin: Any announcements? Any announcements? Seeing none, so we’re going to recess now. We’ll reconvene later. We’re going to all move down for the joint session.

 

[RECESS]

 

Sen Hester: All right. The Senate is now in order. Secretary, is there anything to read across the desk?

 

Madam Secretary: Yes, sir. House Concurrent Resolution 1004 by Representative Shepherd and Senator Hester, providing that the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 94th General Assembly may recess on Thursday, January 12, 2023, and reconvene on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. House Concurrent Resolution 1004.

 

Sen Hester: Calendar. Is there anything else to come before the body today? Are there any announcements? We do have a Rules Committee meeting at 1 o’clock today in 309. Rules Committee, 1 o’clock today at 3O9. Yes, Senator English?

 

Sen English: There is a Senate Education Committee meeting tomorrow at 11 o’clock.

 

Sen Hester: Senate Education will meet tomorrow at 11 o’clock. 1 o’clock Rules Committee today. We are now adjourned until 10 AM tomorrow morning. We’ll be back in session, subject to clearing of the desk. We are adjourned.