Senate Floor

Jan. 18, 2023

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: The Senate will be called to order. Are there any requests for leave at this time? Senator Johnson, please rise. You’re recognized.

 

Sen B Johnson: Senator Flippo.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, sir. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

 

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 Rutledge: Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber would please rise for prayer led by Senator Stone, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Sen Stone: Dear God, we’re just thankful for the opportunity that we have to just to come before You and pray. Dear Lord, we just want to acknowledge You as the one and only true living God. Dear Lord, I just pray that everything that’s said and done here today will bring glory and honor to Your holy name. Dear Lord, just be with us and just be with our country. I just ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you. Yes, Senator Chesterfield, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Chesterfield: Thank you, Madam Chair. Point of personal privilege, if I may come to the well?

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: You may.

 

Sen Chesterfield: Thank you. Madam Chair, ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, it is my distinct honor to present to you our doctor for the day, and I’ll tell you why; because when I went to him, I was probably at 60% of my breathing ability. This is my allergist. This is my friend. This is our doctor of the day. Please welcome Doctor Jim Ingram. And what is a delight is he’s now my constituent, that of Representative Scott and me. The inimitable Brenda Hewitt is our nurse of the day. We should welcome her as well. Thank you both so very much for being with us today. Thank you, Madam Chair.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, Senator Chesterfield. And ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas Senate. It is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today’s proceedings. Without objection, the rules will be suspended and the Senate will dispense with the reading of the journal. Morning hour has now begun. Are there any announcements or introductions at this time? Senator Hester, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Hester: Members, I just want to go over something really quick here. When you want to be recognized to speak, we don’t push our button in here. You just kind of get the lieutenant governor’s attention or if you stand up. But if you push your button, it sends feedback to people watching online. The only time you push your button is when you are finished talking. Then you turn it off. It’s that simple. Rob is watching, and he will turn you on. When you’re recognized by the governor, then he will turn your mic on. Good enough? Thanks.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, Senator. We’ll all try to do the best we can. Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk?

 

Secretary: Yes, ma’am. We your committee on Engrossed Bills to whom was referred to Senate Bill 42 by Senator Sullivan compared the engrossed copy to the original and find signed correctly engrossed.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Public Health?

 

Secretary: Senate Bill 71 by Senator Sullivan, to prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment of the state of Arkansas and other public entities. Senate Bill 71.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: State Agencies.

 

Secretary: Senate Bill 72 by Senator Hickey, amend the law concerning reimbursement of county costs for holding state inmates, probationers, and parolees, and declare an emergency. Senate Bill 72.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: City, County, and Local.

 

Secretary: Senate Bill 73 by joint budget, An act for the Department of Education, Arkansas School for the Blind and School for the Deaf appropriation for 2023-2024 fiscal year. Senate Bill 73.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Joint budget. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Is there any further business to come before the body in the morning hour? If not, the morning hour has expired. We will now start the business agenda. Madam Secretary, please read the Senate bills before us today. Senator Dismang, you’re recognized also.

 

Secretary: Senate Bill 10 by joint budget, an act for the Arkansas Catfish Promotion Board appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Senate Bill 12, an act for the Arkansas Beef Council appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. and Senate Bill 46, an act for the Office of Governor legislative liaisons appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Senator Dismang, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Dismang: All right. Thank you. Members, just to give you a heads-up, we’re going to do these– we only have three of them. We’re going to batch them just so we can make sure the machines work. Staff has got some questions; just want to make sure everything’s going to flow properly on the machines. So with that, we have two Senate bills– Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 12. Those are both promotion bills, one for beef and then one for catfish promotion. The last is the governor’s office liaisons, and it’s for per diem, $226,000. And with that, we’re going to vote those in batch. If you’d like to pull one out from the vote or the batch, just let me know. So again, I’m going to read those quickly. Senate Bill 10, would anyone like to pull it out? Senate Bill 12? Senate Bill 46?

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Senator Dotson, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Dismang: All right, we’re going to pull out Senate Bill 46 for a separate vote. That means we’re still batching 10 and 12. And again, mostly, we’re doing this to make sure we don’t have any issues with the machines. All right.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Are there any other questions for the senator on the first batch?

 

Sen Dismang: You good? All right.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Is there any objection to rolling the vote? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.

 

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 Rutledge: At this time, do any senators desire to vote who have not voted or change their vote at this time? Senator Dotson, you’re recognized. Do you wish to–?

 

Sen Dismang: No, no, I–

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: I’m sorry.

 

Sen Dismang: Members, we’ve already read it across. So any questions on Senate Bill 46? Be able to take them. Sorry. Oh, I’m sorry.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: May I, Senator Dismang?

 

Sen Dismang: No, ma’am.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Madam Secretary, cast up the ballot.

 

Sen Dismang: On catfish and promotion? 10 and 12? Yeah, that’s next. Oh, on the batch. Okay.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: And that’s why I was recognizing you, Senator Dotson, because I believe that you wanted to change your vote to a no. Thank you.

 

Sen Dismang: All right. I’d like to make a motion to expunge the vote by which Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 12 passed.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Without objection, the vote is expunged.

 

Sen Dismang: All right.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.

 

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.

 

Sen Dismang: Anyone like to vote or change your vote?

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: I got it. Do any senators wish to vote who have not voted or change their vote at this time? Senator Dotson, you’re recognized to change your vote to a nay. Any other senators? Madam Secretary, please cast up the ballot. By a vote of 33 yea, one nay, the bill passes, and please transmit to the House. The what? And the emergency clause is adopted. Please transmit to the House. Now, Senator Dismang is recognized for Senate Bill 46.

 

Secretary: Senate Bill 46 by joint budget, an act for the Office of the Governor legislative liaisons preparation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Senator Dismang, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Dismang: Appropriations for $226,250 allows for the payment of per diem for 9 legislative liaisons. And it’s no change from prior administration, just a carryover.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Are there any questions for the senator? Without objection, Madam Secretary, is there any objection to rolling a vote? Without objection, Madam Secretary, please roll the vote.

 

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 Rutledge: Do any senators who did not vote wish to vote or change their vote at this time? Senator Flowers, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Flowers: Present.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Senator Flowers noted as voting present. With a vote of 33 yea, 0 nay, 1 present, it has passed with emergency clause in effect. Transmit to the House. Any other business? Senator Hill, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Hill: I just want to let everyone to know that if you have an Insurance and Commerce bill that you’re going to file that’s going to affect our retirement systems, they must be turned into the committee by the 27th because we have to have a third-party feasibility study completed on them before we can pass them. So keep that in mind, and the 27th is next week. EBD. Yeah. Any of the benefits on that. Thank you, Missy. So keep that in mind.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Any other announcements? There are no other announcements. The Senate is adjourned. We will convene at 10 AM tomorrow, January 19th subject to reading across the desk.