Senate
January 14, 2025
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge The Senate will be called to order. Are there any requests for leave at this time? Madam Secretary, please call the roll. [Roll call] Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would please rise for a prayer led by Senator Fred Love, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Love, you're recognized. [Prayer and Pledge] Thank you, Senator, for those words.
Ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas Senate. It is our expectation that you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today's proceedings. Without objections, the rules will be suspended. The Senate will dispense with the reading of the Journal and the morning hour has now begun. And Senators, if I may have your attention, I would like to make a couple of announcements before we begin today's business proceedings.
I'm excited to announce some staff changes in the Lieutenant Governor's office. Sandy Hall, who has been the deputy chief of staff for the last two years and has served with me for almost ten years, will be the chief of staff as of today. All right. Sandy has an incredible background in public service. She, in addition to working with me at the attorney general's office and leading our consumer education efforts and working with the public, she's been the deputy chief of staff, working on everything from budget to personnel communications. Sandy also has gone down in history as being the first Hispanic campaign manager of a winning statewide campaign back in 2022. And I believe Sandy is also making history today as the first Hispanic chief of staff to a constitutional officer.
And with Sandy's promotion, I'm announcing that Drew Evans, who has been an incredible chief of staff to me for the past two years and served with me for nearly ten years, will be leaving the lieutenant governor's office to pursue other opportunities. We miss Drew dearly already. He has been instrumental to me. He has been like another sibling to me in this role and a great adviser and a great friend and public servant. Drew served as a law enforcement officer in the Office of Attorney General before being a senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to me. And so we will miss Drew, but we are excited about his future in the private sector. And so please give Drew Evans a round of applause. And so with that, please make sure that you reach out to Sandy Hall, chief of staff to me, should you all need anything. And of course, Lorraine Miller is here with us today as well.
With that, any other announcements? Senator Flippo, you're recognized.
Senator Scott Flippo Thank you, Governor. Colleagues, if you'll please help me recognize the doctor of the day, Dr. Tim Payton with Family Medicine in Mountain Home. Tim is also my mental health provider. He's the one who deemed me mentally competent to serve in office. So for anybody that is having problems with me, you take it up with Dr. Payton.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge If no further announcements, Madam Secretary, you're recognized.
Secretary House Concurrent Resolution 1001 by Senator Hester and Representative Evans for a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 14th, 2025 to declare election results, to administer the oath of office and to hear an address by the Governor.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge All in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 1001, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Ayes have it.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Return House Concurrent Resolution 1001 to the House as concurred. Senator King.
Senator Bryan King Point of personal privilege.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge You're recognized.
Senator Bryan King Thank you. You've seen a lot in the news about the proposed possible prison in Franklin County. There's going to be some Franklin County folks here at 1:00 in 309 to discuss that issue. And if you see what's going on in the news with everything, I think that it's important for everybody to know that when you're making a billion dollar decision, a $1.5 billion decision in the future of our state, that it's going to impact all Arkansans.
So if you've seen in the news media reports, this has been riddled already with incompetence, lying and deception. So I think that it's an important issue. And if you want to talk to some of those people in Franklin County that possibly could have the most impact on their lives, it would be good just to visit with them and know about what they've uncovered with the FOIA documents of the lies and deception and the gross incompetence that we've seen already before we start going with 1.5 billion of our hard earned tax dollars. So they'll be there at 1:00.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Any other announcements? If not, Senator Hester, you're recognized for a motion.
Senator Bart Hester Ann needs to read some stuff first.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Madam Secretary, you're recognized.
Secretary Senate Bill 51 by Joint Budget, an act for the Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator Appropriation for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. Senate Bill 51.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 52 by Joint Budget an Act for the Auditor of State Operations and Unclaimed Property Program appropriation for the 2025 2026 Fiscal year. Senate Bill 52.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 53 by Joint Budget an Act for the Auditor of State Continuing Education of Local Officials appropriation for the 2025 2026 Fiscal Year. Senate Bill 53.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 54 by Joint Budget and Act for the Auditor of State Deputy Prosecuting Attorney's Appropriation for the 2025 2026 Fiscal year. Senate Bill 54.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 55 by Joint Budget an Act for the Arkansas Supreme Court Appropriation for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. Senate Bill 55.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 56 by Senator Dotson concerning the evaluation extension and repeal of administrative rules. Senate Bill 56.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge State agencies. Senator Hester, you're recognized to make a motion.
Senator Bart Hester I've got to actually pass the resolution. Is that right? I make a motion that we recess to go down for the state of the state and then we will come back ten minutes upon adjournment of the state of the state.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Without objection, the Senate will stand in recess to attend the state of the state at the House chamber. We will reconvene ten minutes following the conclusion at the state of the state.
[Recess]
Senator Bart Hester Are there items at the desk? The Senate will be called to order. Are there items at the desk?
Secretary House Concurrent Resolution 1003 by Representative Evans and Senator Hester providing that the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 95th General Assembly by recess on Thursday, January 16th, 2025, and reconvene on Tuesday, January 21st, 2025. House Concurrent Resolution 1003.
Senator Bart Hester Calendar.
Secretary Senate Bill 57 by Senator Tucker To amend the income tax credit for certain individual political contributions and to amend a portion of the Arkansas Code that resulted from initiated Act one of 1996. Senate Bill 57.
Senator Bart Hester Revenue and Tax. Senator Dees, you are recognized.
Senator Tyler Dees Thank you, Mr. President. Members, I want to draw your attention real fast. I've got a group from Siloam Springs up on our gallery today. We are privileged to have Sager Classical Academy and the school where my son and kids go to school. My wife is here today, so I'd like to welcome them with a round of applause to the Senate chamber today. And in case you didn't hear, in case you didn't hear down the hall, get used to having your cell phones put away soon. Okay.
Senator Bart Hester Are there any other members who would like to be recognized for an announcement? Senator Hickey, you're recognized.
Senator Jimmy Hickey Okay. Not tomorrow, but Thursday, Revenue and Tax is going to meet just for the organization. That'll be 9 in the morning. So it should be going on the calendar just so everybody can plan for that.
Senator Bart Hester Senator Matt Stone, you're recognized.
Senator Matt Stone Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I just wanted to bring to your attention the letter that was placed on your desk earlier this morning in regards to the Forestry caucus. We're just taking the time to update the roster of the members who would like to be a member of that and support one of the leading economic industries in our state. If you have any interest, get with me or I'll get with you and we'll get the details worked out. Thank you so much.
Senator Bart Hester Senator Davis, you're recognized.
Senate Breanne Davis Thank you. We will have a Rules Committee meeting tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. in room 309.
Senator Bart Hester Senator Irvin, you're recognized.
Senator Missy Irvin Thank you. We'll have Public Health tomorrow at 10 for an organizational meeting in room 272 and an Ethics committee meeting tomorrow upon adjournment in room 309. Thank you.
Senator Bart Hester Senator English, you're recognized.
Senator Jane English Thank you, sir. Education will meet tomorrow morning at 9:00 in Room 207. Thank you.
Senator Bart Hester Okay. Members, and Senator Irvin, I didn't catch you before. We're going to ask the meetings be held at 9 tomorrow if possible. Because my intent is to come in this chamber at 10 the next two days, and then starting next week when we get back, if this resolution passes that we're out on Martin Luther King Day-- I assume it will pass tomorrow-- we'll start on Tuesday of next week and we will plan to start meeting consistently at 1:30 in the afternoons. We did 1:00 last session. We're going to move it to 1:30 after feedback from members. So 10:00 tomorrow and Thursday. And then next week we will start consistently meeting at 1:30.
Senator Missy Irvin Okay. So 9 a.m. for Public Health?
Senator Bart Hester Yes. So, Senator Irvin, you're recognized.
Senator Missy Irvin So 9 a.m. for Public Health and then upon adjournment for Senate Ethics Committee. Okay. Right. Okay. All right. So 9 a.m. for Public Health in 272 and Senate Ethics upon adjournment in 309.
Senator Bart Hester Any other members? Senator Alan Clark, you're recognized?
Senator Alan Clark Looks like Judiciary will meet at 9:00 in the morning in our normal place, which I think is on the first floor on the east side. Anybody know that room number? 171. Thank you.
Senator Bart Hester Senator Hickey, you're recognized.
Senator Jimmy Hickey Yes. Let me think this through. Weren't we having a Rules meeting at 9 tomorrow? So I don't know if with 9 and Senator Irvin's, there's going to be some conflict with members. So maybe we need to think about this a minute or two.
Senator Bart Hester Maybe we just need to meet at 1:30 tomorrow. Okay. Okay. All right. We're going to pause here for just a second. Members, hey, so I think I feel confident in this if we meet at 10 :00. Just follow the updated calendar to see when Rules and Education and all the other committees will meet. We will work it out when we're meeting and where. We will meet in this room the next two days at 10:00.
But we're going to huddle up here and figure out when the other committees can meet earlier to make it work. The whole point is to try to be respectful of members; time. If we're not doing it, there's no reason to keep all members here all day. Any other members want to be recognized? Senator Davis, you're recognized.
Senate Breanne Davis Thank you, Mr. Chair. Rules will meet at 8:15 in the Old Supreme Court room. If for some reason it's not available, if for some reason it's not available, I will text all the members of the committee. It looks to be available. But 8:15 tomorrow morning, the Old Supreme Court room.
Senator Bart Hester All right. Anything else? Senator Flowers, you're recognized.
Senator Stephanie Flowers So you said after this week, we'll meet at 1:30 with committees. After the committees have finished their business, do we come back in here?
Senator Bart Hester So we will meet at 1:30 for session in this room. Committees will always meet in the morning.
Senator Stephanie Flowers Okay. That's what I was--
Senator Bart Hester Yeah, our normal session, 1:30 starting next week. The rest of this week 10 a.m. Follow the calendar for location and time of your committees. Seeing none, we are adjourned subject to clearing of the desk.
