Senate
January 15, 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. For everyone in the chamber and in the galleries would you please rise for a prayer led by Senator Steve Crowell, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Crowell, you're recognized.
Senator Steve Crowell [Prayer]
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thank you, Senator Crowell, for those encouraging words. Ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to your Arkansas State 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. The morning hour has now begun. Are there any announcements at this time? Senator Hester, you're recognized.
Senator Bart Hester Members, if you'll look up to the gallery, we have the Anthony School here and a good friend of ours, as we all know, Marty Sullivan is up here with his daughter. Just want us to recognize him this morning.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Any other announcements? If not, Madam Secretary, are there any items at the desk?
Secretary Senate Bill 58 by Senator Dismang to remove the prohibition on nonprofit tax exempt or governmental funded hospitals holding a licensed pharmacy permit for the sale and retail of drugs. Senate Bill 58.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Public Health.
Secretary Senate Bill 59 by Senator Dismang to provide a public school student with one breakfast at no cost each school day upon his or her request without consideration of the public school students eligibility for a federally funded free or reduced price meal. Senate Bill 59.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Education.
Secretary Senate Bill 60 by Senator Hill to prohibit a digital asset mining business from being located within a 30 mile radius of a military facility and declare an emergency. Senate Bill 60.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge City County Local.
Secretary Senate Bill 61 by Senator Hill to authorize veterinary telemedicine in the state and to set certain standards for veterinary telemedicine. Senate Bill 61.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Agriculture.
Secretary Senate Bill 62 by Senator King to terminate the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me program, to transfer all beneficiaries in the program Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me program to the Traditional Arkansas Medicaid programs. Senate Bill 62.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Insurance and Commerce.
Secretary Senate Bill 63 by Senator Hickey to amend Arkansas law concerning reports by the Secretaries of Cabinet level departments of the state of their departments. Senate Bill 63.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge State Agencies.
Secretary Senate Bill 64 from Joint Budget an act for the Department of Education Educational Television Division Appropriation for the 2025 2026 fiscal years. Senate Bill 64.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 65 from Joint Budget an Act to the Department of Parks and Heritage and Tourism Capitol Zoning District Commission Appropriation for the 2025 2026 Fiscal Year. Senate Bill 65.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 66 by Joint Budget an Act for the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System appropriation for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. Senate Bill 66.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Bill 67 by Joint Budget an Act for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission Appropriation for the 2025 2026 year. Senate Bill 67.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Joint Budget.
Secretary Senate Resolution 2 by Senator Irvin, to congratulate the Arkansas Medical Society and to create 2025 as The Year of the Arkansas Physician. Senate Resolution 2.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Calendar. There are no further items at the desk. Is there any other business to come before the body in the morning hour? If not, the morning hour has expired. We will now begin the business agenda. We will now take up the House Concurrent Resolution 1003. Senator Hester, you're recognized.
Secretary House Concurrent Resolution 1003 by Senator Hester and Representative Evans providing that the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 95th General Assembly may recess on Thursday, January 16th, 2025, and reconvene on Tuesday, January 21st, 2025.
Senator Bart Hester Thank you, Madam President. Members, as we know, we can recess for three days without having to do a joint resolution with the House. But because we want to recess for four days coming up, meaning Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then Martin Luther King Day. A few of our members are going to the new inauguration. So because we're going to recess for four days, we've got to pass this joint resolution. So I'm happy to answer any questions.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Any questions for Senator Hester? Seeing none, all those in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 1003, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed. Ayes have it. Return to the House. Announcements. Senator Tucker, you're recognized.
Senator Clarke Tucker I just want to say thanks to Senator Hester. He's giving me my birthday off on Monday. So thanks. Thanks to everybody. I'd like to introduce our doctor of the day, Dr. Bill Simon. He's a family and preventive medicine doctor at the Arkansas Department of Health. Welcome, Dr. Simon. And then I also, as we all know, our stalwarts, our long time nurses of the day, retired last year. And so we have a new nurse who's going to be with us here this session. So we want to extend her a very special welcome as well. Leigh Fazio. So thank you for being here. And welcome to both of you.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thank you, Senator Tucker. Other announcements. Senator Hill, you're recognized.
Senator Ricky Hill Thank you. Thank you, Governor. Colleagues, if you look on your desk, you should all have a bulletin for an orientation with ARDOT today. Goes from 2:30 to 4:30. And so if you get a chance to drop by, they will be presenting an orientation or a presentation just to get to know the legislators and get to know them.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thank you, Senator Hill. Senator Irvin, you're recognized.
Senator Missy Irvin Members, if you're on the Ethics Committee, we're going to have a meeting upon adjournment down in the Old Supreme Court Room. So Ethics Committee members downstairs, Old Supreme Court Room upon adjournment of this session. Thanks.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thank you, Senator. Any other announcements? Senator Caldwell, you're recognized.
Senator Ron Caldwell Thank you, Madam President. Senate Agri will meet tomorrow at 9:30, was posted at 10. There was a conflict. So make note of that. We changed it to 9:30.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thanks, Senator Caldwell. Senator Flippo, you're recognized.
Senator Scott Flippo Thank you, Governor. Members, State Agencies, we're gonna be having our organizational meeting tomorrow morning at 9:30. Looking at you, Senator Payton. Don't come in with that mumbo jumbo.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thanks, Senator Flippo. Senator Hickey, you're recognized.
Senator Jimmy Hickey Again, Revenue and Tax is going to have their organizational meeting tomorrow at 9.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge Thank you, Senator Hickey. Any other announcements? If no other announcements or business before the body, the Senate will stand in adjournment, subject to the clearing of the desk, until 10 a.m. January 16th, 2025.
