House Aging, Children and Youth Committee

February 1, 2023

Rep Mayberry: Gotta turn on the mic. First thing you need to know. Good morning, members. Thanks for making it in, braving the streets. Hopefully, everyone had a safe drive here. The Chair sees a quorum and we are going to pass over HB 1166 this morning and move on to HR 1008. Representative Breaux, you are ready to present your bill.

Rep Breaux: Did you say perform? That’s okay.

Rep Mayberry: Yeah, you know, we got these mics on, are you going to sing for us too?

Rep Breaux: No, I’ll get Johnny Rye for that. But anyway, what I’m doing here today, I’m want to really get some recognition. It’s a House Resolution for this fellow by the name of Vincent Eastwood. He’s a veteran himself but he has gone above and beyond what a lot of people do for helping veterans. Being one himself, he was in the Gulf War, he’s in several battles, he was injured over there, severely injured. And anyway, when he got out, he was determined he was going to help all the rest of them. And this guy, well, I couldn’t brag on him enough. The details are in here, you may have read some of this but you name it, he’s done it and with very little resources.

Let me give you one of the best illustrations that comes to mind, but this Christmas, he just got a few dollars, just a little bit of money from talking to people and he got a little over $1,000. He found 10 people, just veteran’s families that was really in need and sent them with a $100 gift certificate to go to the grocery store and get whatever they wanted. So I mean, just stuff like that. He needs more money but he’s doing a lot with what he has.

Rep Mayberry: Okay, are there any questions by the Committee? Representative Springer.

Rep Springer: Good morning. Thank you, Madam Chair. Is he related to Clint? 

Rep Breaux: I call him that quite often. Although I call him that quite often he don’t mind.

Rep Mayberry: Any other questions? Okay, is there anyone in the audience to speak for this bill or against this bill? Okay, are you closed for your bill?

Rep Breaux: I am closed.

Rep Mayberry: Okay and you are not a member of this committee, so what’s the wish of the Committee? Representative Springer do pass. Is there a second? I don’t need a second. Good reminder. All those in favor of this bill say aye. Anyone opposed? Congratulations, you have passed your resolution.

Rep Breaux: Thank you very much.

Rep Mayberry: Okay, and we’re going to move on to the next one and that’s actually a bill that I have. So I’m asking Representative Fite to come up and Chair that meeting.

Rep C Fite: Representative Mayberry, you’re recognized to present your bill.

Rep Mayberry: Thank you, Representative Fite. I apologize, the person who was supposed to be with me today to help present this bill, David Cook is with the Arkansas Alzheimer’s Association, and the weather has kept him home but in the sake of just moving things along, hopefully, I can answer all the questions. I do also want to say that we have in the audience Jeff Williams from DHS, if there are questions about cost or anything that gets into the weeds, that he’s willing to come up and answer.

This is a bill that I shared with them and the Health Department, and I have had no objections to it. So let me tell you what it does, we all know that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is a growing concern in our state and we have had a committee that has been looking at this thanks to a bill that Representative Charlene Fite passed last session. And we have been meeting, I’ve been Chair of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Advisory Council for the past probably year and a half. We’ve been meeting sometimes monthly to discuss some things that we can do to improve outcomes and help families who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 

And this is one of the ideas that has come up, and it’s to ensure that some of the training that we have specifically is for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia for in-home caregivers. The training, they’ve already been doing this type of training, this is not new training but we wanted to outline exactly what should be included in that training. They’re already required to do 40 hours, we’re just saying that 4 of those 40 hours that they already have to do, we want to make sure that these things are covered. I’d be happy to take any questions.

Rep C Fite: Are there any questions by members of the Committee? Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for the bill? Anyone in the audience to speak against the bill? We have no one signed up. Representative Mayberry. Oh, did you have a question Representative? Motion at the proper time? Okay, Representative Mayberry, are you closed for your bill?

Rep Mayberry: I am closed for my bill.

Rep C Fite: Okay, Representative Springer, we’ll take that motion. I’m seeing a motion do pass. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. And the bill has passed.

Rep Mayberry: Thank you. Thank you, members.

[silence]

Rep Mayberry Next up on our agenda is Representative Crawford with HR 1010. You are recognized to present your bill.

Rep Crawford: Thank you, Madam Chair. Cindy Crawford, District 51. I come to you today members, and I want to talk to you about a resolution for pregnancy help organizations in Arkansas. As I’m sure you are aware, Arkansas has been named for the third year in a row as the most pro-life state in the nation. That didn’t just come from our great legislation, it started long before the first pro-life bill was ever introduced. It started in the hearts of the citizens of Arkansas. 

Arkansas has an extensive network of over 60 pregnancy help organizations that are dedicated to saving women, serving women and saving unborn children. They help expectant mothers to choose life. These non-profit organizations which include pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies, and non-profit life-affirming social service agencies provide a range of services for women and families facing unplanned pregnancies.

Pregnancy resource centers are typically faith-based and non-profit entities offering pregnancy counseling, community referrals, ultrasound, STI testing, pregnancy tests, tangible things like diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, nursing supplies, baby clothes, maternity clothes, cribs, and car seats. They also have classes to help the mothers. 

As of 2019 across the United States, pregnancy centers provided numerous services to over 1,848,000 clients, totaling an estimated $266 million at no cost. These services included but not limited to, were consulting new clients, pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STIs, and 4 million baby items. I would hope that I could get a do pass on this but I will take any questions if there are any.

Rep Mayberry: Are there any questions? Representative Painter?

Rep Painter: Make a motion at the proper time.

Rep Mayberry: Okay, Representative Fite?

Rep C Fite: Thank you, Madam Chair. I noticed that you have asked the staff to send this to approximately 70 people. Is there someone who will be helping our staff, they’re really overburdened right now during the session and it’s unusual to ask a resolution to be sent out to so many organizations and so many additional people. So I’m just wondering will you be offering them some kind of help?

Rep Crawford: I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s some confusion there. I haven’t asked the staff to send anything.

Rep C Fite: At the end of the resolution, it states send this to all pregnancy help centers, and the Governor, the Vice President, the President, the Secretary of State. I think it lists about 70 people if I counted them right.

Rep Crawford: Okay, this was taken from a 2015 resolution that Mary Bentley did. There will not be anything sent out. So if there is I’ll take care of that myself. We actually are inviting the pregnancy centers to come to the Capitol February 15th. The majority of those that come, we can hand out items to them. If this were to be done since it’s already in there and I will take care of that myself.

Rep C Fite: Thank you.

Rep Mayberry: Are there any other questions by any members? Anyone here to speak for or against this bill? No one was signed up, so what is the will of this committee? Oh, would you like to close for your bill?

Rep Crawford: Yes, I’m closed. Thank you.

Rep Mayberry: Okay. Now, what is the will of this Committee? Representative Painter already said do pass on this bill. All those for say aye. All those against? Thank you very much. Representative Crawford, you have passed your resolution.

Rep Crawford: Thank you. And thank you, Madam Chair, thank you Committee. 

Rep Mayberry: Okay. And I am told that we are going to hold on SCR3 for the time being as well. So seeing nothing else on our agenda we are done unless there’s any discussion by anybody. Okay, and we are adjourned.