House Public Health committee

January 21, 2025

 

Representative Cameron Cooper [00:00:00] ...there with the Human Service field. I work as a behavioral health consultant with those individuals, so hopefully I can bring some knowledge and insight on that population to this committee.

 

Representative Lee Johnson [00:00:13] I'm Representative Lee Johnson. I represent District 47 in Sebastian County. I'm a practicing emergency medicine physician when I'm not legislating. And happy to be on the committee.

 

Representative Aaron Pilkington [00:00:24] Hey, everyone. I'm Representative Aaron Pilkington, District 45. Don't know a lot about health care, so I'm just excited to learn.

 

Representative Fred Allen [00:00:32] Representative Fred Allen, District 77. I've always been passionate about health care issues. Glad to be here.

 

Representative Ken Ferguson [00:00:42] Representative Ken Ferguson, District 64, parts of Jefferson and Lincoln County. As Representative Fred Allen, I have a passion for health care, having family members who have survived cancer and heart attacks. I just hope that I can make a contribution in this committee. Thank you.

 

Representative Mary Bentley [00:01:04] Representative Mary Bentley, District 54, Central Arkansas. This is my 10th year in this committee. Registered nurse, business owner. That covers everything. I care about and love this committee and happy to be a part.

 

Representative Steve Magie [00:01:18] Representative Magie, District 56, in Conway. I have a little bit of interest in health care as I am a physician here in Arkansas also.

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:01:29] Representative Gramlich, you presented to us late, so we'll come back to you, I guess.

 

Representative Zack Gramlich [00:01:36] I just wanted to follow it up and put a good stamp on everything. My name is Zach Gramlich. I represent District 50, which is the central part of Fort Smith. And I'm a public school teacher for middle school as a day job. Thank you.

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:01:49] We're going to get you guys from Fort Smith a better watch, I think. So, members, I'm much like Representative Pilkington. I'm just here to learn. I don't know much about what we do in here, but we'll figure it out as we go. All sponsors of bills that have bills in this committee, we sent an email out last week and asked you to respond to the staff on when you would like to run those bills. 

We will not have another meeting going forward until three or more sponsors let us know that they want to run a bill. We're going to run a very efficient committee. There's no reason to drag in 20 of you and the crowd to this room unless there's going to be business to be held at hand. We got very little responses back on those emails. So if you would, if you still can find that email in your box, go back and answer it if you have a bill in this committee so that we know when to call a committee meeting going forward. Representative Allen, you have a question?

 

Representative Fred Allen [00:02:44] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Isn't it true we can't run a bill until we get a fiscal impact statement?

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:02:51] On certain bills, yes.

 

Representative Fred Allen [00:02:52] Okay. So if I wanted to run my bill, I could run it?

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:02:55] If your bill doesn't require fiscal impact, yes.

 

Representative Fred Allen [00:02:57] But it does.

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:02:58] Do you have the fiscal impact back?

 

Representative Fred Allen [00:03:02] No, but I can give you one.

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:03:04] We need the official fiscal impact back first. All right. Members, I appreciate you guys coming. I appreciate you organizing. We have a lot of agencies to answer to us in this committee. Familiarize yourself with those agencies and be ready to go to work. Right now, I can't tell you when our next committee meeting is. I don't have enough responses to do that, but be watching for the announcements on the floor and we'll be responding out to e-mails to the committee. Representative Gramlich, you're recognized.

 

Representative Zack Gramlich [00:03:31] Who is it we are going to be receiving an email from.

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:03:34] Ms. Shanice Davis.

 

Representative Zack Gramlich [00:03:36] Okay. Thank you.

 

Representative Jeff Wardlaw [00:03:38] Thank you. Seeing no further business, we stand adjourned.