[2:10] is he back here don't know
[2:15] right members if you could go
[2:16] ahead and grab your seat we're
[2:17] going to get started
[2:51] right members are calling this
[2:52] meeting to order
[2:55] good morning good morning
[2:56] members at this time I want to
[2:59] recognize senator Stone for a
[2:59] morning prayer. Senator Stone
[3:11] Thank you praise your holy name
[3:13] dear Lord. I just pray that
[3:14] everything that's said and done
[3:15] here in this committee meeting
[3:17] today will bring glory and honor
[3:18] to you thelord let just let us
[3:20] be mindful just ask that you be
[3:21] with our country and our
[3:23] nation's leadership dearlord we
[3:25] just ask these things in Jesus'
[3:26] name amen
[3:31] thank you senator and members
[3:32] in your packet is an
[3:35] minutes from the last meeting I
[3:37] need a motion to adopt those we
[3:38] have a motion second all those
[3:41] in favor say aye opposed ayes
[3:42] have it and at this time we're
[3:43] gonna recognize Doctor
[3:45] Carlossilva for the presentation
[3:47] of the August 2026 revenue
[3:48] report Doctorsilva if you would
[3:48] please you're recognized.
[3:57] Thank Mr Charman carlossilva
[3:58] Burereau of legislative Reearch
[3:59] today I'm here to present the
[4:02] August 2026 monthly revenue
[4:03] report we thought gross
[4:05] collections for this month at
[4:08] $1.34 billion there's up50
[4:10] million dollars from the last
[4:12] fiscal each day those first two
[4:12] months of the last fiscal years
[4:13] around
[4:17] uh3.9% above there as we start
[4:18] looking down the line and we we
[4:19] take it all those off the tops
[4:22] you're gonna have a1.8 bill $18
[4:24] billion for this first two
[4:25] months of the fiscal year that
[4:27] is57 million dollars above
[4:29] fiscal year today and that
[4:33] is5.1% above those those first
[4:34] two months where we're gonna see
[4:35] here in the bottle we have
[4:36] include unemployment rate and
[4:37] labor force participation is the
[4:39] latest numbers we have at the
[4:40] time this report has been put it
[4:42] out as we look into the second
[4:42] page we're gonna see
[4:45] our accumulative deviation from
[4:48] the F andA latest forecast we
[4:49] have a a slight increase there
[4:52] of4.5 million dollars above
[4:53] forecast for this month
[4:54] continuing that that positive
[4:57] trend but if you look into
[4:58] just the month we're gonna have
[5:02] $14.1 million from the august to
[5:04] August difference as we're
[5:05] looking through our page three
[5:07] and page4 we're gonna have our
[5:09] general revenue collections
[5:11] our first page as we we talked
[5:12] about last month the cigarette
[5:12] paper tax you're gonna see that
[5:13] that that
[5:15] difference there we had last
[5:16] month was a a positive
[5:17] difference now we have negatives
[5:19] just the adjustment last month
[5:21] we have the overpayment if
[5:23] you want to think about this on
[5:24] on that specific account now has
[5:25] been ad addressed if looking to
[5:27] the ear today you're not gonna
[5:29] see that the large difference
[5:31] and then as we're moving on
[5:31] should should the other pages
[5:33] you're gonna continue to see the
[5:35] large difference on the dW
[5:37] wiring statement fees and fines
[5:39] and penalties due to the change
[5:42] by Ac 969 of2025 with the
[5:45] I will take any further
[5:45] questions related to this report
[5:51] we have a couple of questions
[5:52] here. Senator Hester you
[5:52] recognized
[5:57] thank you on on page four line
[5:58] three
[6:00] the real estate transfer tax it
[6:03] it looks like from 2005 to2006
[6:06] like they're consistent the
[6:07] market may not feel that way but
[6:09] our numbers are showing they're
[6:10] consistent do you know if that's
[6:13] is it consistent like
[6:15] residenttially or maybe big
[6:16] corporate things are selling do
[6:19] you have any breakdown on that?
[6:20] get it gets capped if you want
[6:23] to think about it there if
[6:24] you look into those tru months
[6:25] difference we eventually gonna
[6:27] reach that that the number of $2
[6:29] million but I do not have any
[6:31] sight right now specific for the
[6:33] real estate but I'll be happy to
[6:34] talk to you later on ok thank
[6:34] you
[6:37] thank you senatorpresentative
[6:38] wooten you're recognized
[6:40] thank you Mr Chairman. Do on the
[6:45] inflation, how much you
[6:47] know gasoline's dollar quarters
[6:49] a gallon more groceries are
[6:51] higher food higher
[6:55] utilities are increasing what
[6:59] how much how much of the five
[7:02] point 1% increaseries do you
[7:02] think is due to inflation
[7:06] we do not have any breakdown
[7:07] specific to the inflation
[7:09] again if there's something that
[7:10] you would like us to look into
[7:11] what how much of that is
[7:13] inflation but definitely there's
[7:14] inflationary pressures that
[7:15] would feel part of this report
[7:18] but there's no specific breakout
[7:19] as we need to break out specific
[7:20] regions and and how that's been
[7:21] working on but yes sir I'll be
[7:23] happy to look at that if that's
[7:24] we like it
[7:26] thank you thank you Mr Chairman.
[7:28] all right thank youpresentative
[7:31] members seeing no other
[7:31] questions Doctor Silva, thank
[7:33] you for the report. Reember that
[7:35] takes us down to item E, the
[7:37] executive subcommittee I'm going
[7:38] to recognize my co-chair Senator
[7:38] Boy
[7:41] Thank you Mr Chair
[7:44] the executive subcommittee met
[7:47] Tuesday, September 15th and took
[7:48] the following actions
[7:50] recommended adoption by the full
[7:53] ALc of interim resolution
[7:56] 2025-009 by Senator Missy Irvin
[7:57] which is attached to this report
[7:59] and approved a motion to
[8:01] authorize payment of per diem in
[8:03] mileage to members elect for
[8:05] atten attendance at interim
[8:06] legislative committee meetings
[8:07] following the special or general
[8:09] election in which the member
[8:10] elect successfully ran
[8:14] in addition the subcommittee
[8:15] heard the following announcement
[8:17] concerning the October ALC
[8:18] meeting schedule due to the
[8:19] schedule for fall budget
[8:21] hearings the ALc subcommittee
[8:23] meetings for October will be
[8:25] canceled with the exception of
[8:27] peer review and administrative
[8:29] rules which may meet concerning
[8:31] imminent need items on Monday,
[8:33] October 12th and in the
[8:35] afternoon on Thursday, October
[8:36] 15th.
[8:38] mattertters normally submitted
[8:39] to to the other subcommittees
[8:41] that have been determined by the
[8:43] ALc co-chairs of an imminent
[8:45] need such that they cannot wait
[8:47] until November Alc subcommittee
[8:49] meetings may be added to the
[8:51] calendar or taken up directly by
[8:53] the full ALC at itsoctober 16
[8:56] meeting aggency imminent need
[8:58] requests for October should be
[8:59] submitted to the appropriate
[9:01] subcommittee staff who will
[9:02] convey it to the Alc co-chairs
[9:03] through Director Garrty.
[9:07] Reports and requests for action
[9:08] usually submitted for
[9:09] consideration by the full ALc
[9:11] should be provided torector
[9:13] Garrty as usual
[9:19] I move adoption of the report
[9:20] including adoption of the
[9:21] interim resolution.
[9:23] all right members any questions
[9:24] on this item
[9:27] seeing none do we have a motion
[9:28] or we have a motion from Senator
[9:29] Boy in a second. all those in
[9:31] favor say aye oppose the ayes
[9:32] have it
[9:35] thank you senator. It takes us
[9:37] down to administrative rules
[9:37] uhpresentative Shepherd
[9:38] you're recognized
[9:43] thank you Mr Chairman. the
[9:43] administrative rules
[9:45] subcommittee met on Thursday,
[9:47] September 17,2026 the
[9:49] subcommittee received agency
[9:50] updates on outstanding
[9:53] rulemaking from the 2023 and2025
[9:55] regular sessions all rules were
[9:57] reviewed and approved as noted
[9:58] in the report. I would also
[10:00] mention since we we have a
[10:01] number of agencies here today
[10:05] that Senator deeses reminded
[10:07] the agency to get their
[10:09] reports in by the first of the
[10:10] month so that those
[10:13] can be properly included by
[10:15] staff and just as when to make
[10:17] that reminder here today. So I
[10:18] would move adoption of the
[10:18] report
[10:20] thank you Representative
[10:21] shepherd.embers any questions on
[10:22] this item?
[10:23] all right seeing none we have a
[10:26] mos and degree second we have a
[10:27] second all those in favor excuse
[10:29] me any discussion, excuse me.
[10:31] all right seeing none all those
[10:32] in favor say aye oppose the ayes
[10:33] have it
[10:37] item three claims review. I'm
[10:38] going to recognize senator
[10:38] dotson
[10:39] thank you Mr Chair
[10:43] The claimsview litigation
[10:45] reports oversight subcommittee
[10:46] met on Monday, September
[10:46] 14,2026.
[10:49] the subcommittee reviewed 11
[10:51] litigation reports and approved
[10:53] one litigation settlement. One
[10:55] claim was held by the
[10:56] subcommittee pending receipt of
[10:57] further information from the
[10:58] claims commission
[11:00] the subcommittee affirmed the
[11:01] decision of the claims
[11:02] commission as to all other
[11:03] claims on the agenda. I move
[11:04] adoption of the report
[11:07] Thank you, Senator. M members
[11:08] any questions on this item?
[11:09] all right seeing none we have a
[11:11] motion. can I get a second? It
[11:13] was second any discussion seeing
[11:14] none all those in the paper say
[11:14] aye
[11:15] opposed ayes have it
[11:19] down to uhame and fish state
[11:20] police and recognize Senator
[11:20] Urban at this time?
[11:23] thank you Mr Chair.
[11:25] The game and fish statelice
[11:27] subcommittee met on Monday. we
[11:28] heard testimony from the
[11:29] Arkansasame and Fish Commission
[11:31] regarding enforcement protocols
[11:32] and I move adoption of the
[11:33] report
[11:37] all right thank you senator
[11:38] members any questions on this
[11:38] item?
[11:41] seeing none we have a motion.
[11:42] Can I get a second? the second
[11:43] in the discussion seeing none
[11:45] all those in favor say aye
[11:46] oppose guysy have it.
[11:50] I'm gonna recognize Senator
[11:51] Bryant for the hospitals
[11:53] medicaid andvelopmental
[11:54] disability study.
[11:56] good morning Mr chair. The
[11:57] hospital Medicaid and
[11:58] Developmental Disability St
[11:59] studyies subcommittee met on
[12:01] Monday to hear testimony on the
[12:02] following items an update on the
[12:03] reimbursement rates under Living
[12:05] Choices Assisted Living waiver
[12:08] by DHS and presentation onorked
[12:09] consulting and workforce
[12:10] advisory group recommendations.
[12:13] the subcommittee met again on
[12:14] Thursday to adopt the attached
[12:16] enema report which is F7 in your
[12:18] binder on recommendations
[12:19] concerning the Arkansas
[12:20] legislative study on workforce
[12:20] and social reform
[12:25] to meet October 1st,26 deadline.
[12:26] An additional update will be
[12:27] provided at the final ALC
[12:29] meeting of 2026 to inform ALC of
[12:31] further progress. Mr Chair, I
[12:32] move adoption of the report.
[12:35] all right thank you senator. Any
[12:36] any questions on this side of
[12:36] members?
[12:38] all right seeing none we have a
[12:40] motion. Can I get a second? No
[12:42] second any discussion? right
[12:43] seeing none all those in favor
[12:44] say aye oppose the ayes have it
[12:49] at this time recognized
[12:49] Senator Wallace for the
[12:51] occupational licensing review
[12:52] report you recognize.
[12:54] thank you Mr chairir
[12:56] Mr Chair the occupational
[12:58] licensing revieweittee met on
[13:00] Thursday and we received reports
[13:01] on various occupational
[13:03] authorization entities in group
[13:05] one. I move adoption of this
[13:06] report.
[13:08] all right thank you senator
[13:09] members any questions on this
[13:10] item?
[13:11] all right seeing no we have a
[13:14] motion. can I get a second? Any
[13:15] discussion seeing none all those
[13:17] in favor say aye opposed the
[13:18] ayes have it
[13:21] and would recognizepresentative
[13:22] Wardlaw for the peer report
[13:25] you Mrir of the peer
[13:27] subcommittee met on Tuesday,
[13:29] September 15th. the subcommittee
[13:30] reviewed reports reviewed
[13:31] requests and approved the
[13:33] following various temporation
[13:34] temporary appropriations
[13:35] American rescuelan Act
[13:37] appropriations infrastructure
[13:39] investment and Jobs Act
[13:40] appropriations
[13:42] and appropriation transfers and
[13:43] restricted reserve fund
[13:44] transfers. I movedoption of the
[13:44] report
[13:47] all right thank you
[13:49] Representative Bordlaw. we have
[13:50] a couple of questions. Senator
[13:51] Tucker you re you're
[13:51] recognized
[13:53] thank you Mr Cha. I just have a
[13:55] couple of questions for someone
[13:56] from AdE on the on the learns
[13:56] money.
[13:57] all right
[13:59] let me get some of them for the
[14:00] department up here please
[14:17] or ning when you get settled in
[14:18] just introduce yourself for the
[14:18] record and we'll get on to the
[14:19] questions.
[14:22] Good morning Courtneyallisfod
[14:22] chief of staff department of
[14:23] Education.
[14:25] greg rogers department
[14:26] ofducation.
[14:28] Darrell Smith Department of
[14:29] Education.
[14:32] right thank you Mr Chair. I
[14:34] just, I really have we not the
[14:35] first time y'all sat at that
[14:36] table in this meeting and I
[14:37] really have very similar
[14:39] questions to what I've I've had
[14:41] before the first man is for this
[14:43] 2627 school year how many
[14:46] approved students we have on
[14:47] the private school side and then
[14:48] the homeschool side.
[14:51] thank you so right now we're
[14:53] looking at just over 28,000
[14:55] students in private schools and
[14:57] just over 21,000 homeschools so
[15:01] about49,000 approved overall and
[15:03] then you know a question I've
[15:05] asked before and we had had a
[15:08] little conversation about his is
[15:10] comparing the costs and I guess
[15:11] I'm curious from both the
[15:13] budgetary perspective and a cost
[15:15] incurred perspective of
[15:17] a student who's going to private
[15:18] school as opposed to a student
[15:19] who's going
[15:21] to homeschool if we've run any
[15:23] analysis about what the
[15:24] budget should be for a
[15:25] homeschool student relative to a
[15:27] private school student and then
[15:29] second that kind of forward
[15:30] looking and then also backward
[15:32] looking for the costs incurred
[15:34] how much those students in
[15:37] homeschool actually pay out
[15:38] compared to students in private
[15:38] school.
[15:41] right so as you know the law
[15:43] provides for 90% of foundation
[15:45] funding to be in an EFA account
[15:47] regardless of whether they're
[15:48] private school or homeschool.
[15:49] so we have not looked
[15:51] specifically at what is the cost
[15:53] of of an average say homeschool
[15:55] student versus private school
[15:56] student because the law allows
[15:58] the equal amount for for each.
[16:00] um, I can say though that
[16:01] very soon probably within the
[16:03] next few weeks the
[16:05] University of Arkansas is
[16:07] putting out a report looking at
[16:08] all of the past expenses so
[16:10] and it will have it broken down
[16:11] by like how much was used for
[16:13] tuition and fees how much it was
[16:15] used for curriculum and so I
[16:17] think that will give us a good
[16:18] idea of where the majority of
[16:20] funding is going and and it'll
[16:21] be good information for you all
[16:23] to have if you wanted to look
[16:25] at putting any limits on
[16:27] anything that are not already in
[16:29] statute. OK that's helpful.
[16:30] thank you and so I understand
[16:32] that the law authorizes the same
[16:32] amount for both. Does it direct
[16:33] that
[16:36] does it mandate that? Yes it
[16:37] provides that anyone who is
[16:39] approved for an EFA account gets
[16:41] 90% of foundation funding
[16:43] because of course the full
[16:44] amount I think it makes sense
[16:45] not to give the full amount
[16:47] since you're not having
[16:47] buildings and overhead and
[16:49] things like a public school does
[16:51] but yes so as long as they
[16:54] are submitting eligible expenses
[16:57] so the the curriculum fees,
[16:59] tuition, supplies things like
[17:01] that they can spend up to that
[17:02] full 90% amount. OK. all right
[17:03] thank you very much
[17:05] thank you senator Representative
[17:07] Wooten, is your question for
[17:08] this department?
[17:09] all right you're recognized
[17:11] thank you chairman
[17:17] how much how much is the70
[17:22] million in addition to the379
[17:25] million or is it all how much
[17:27] money are you asking for? I know
[17:29] you ask you got70 million here
[17:32] but how many wants the total
[17:32] amount
[17:37] right so with the addition of
[17:39] the70 million it's379 million
[17:42] total yes sir so just short
[17:42] of400 million
[17:46] how how much
[17:49] each one of them gets 90%
[17:55] of foundation foundation money
[17:57] OK. what's the total amount of
[17:58] foundation money this year
[17:59] not not per student
[18:07] oh per student it's or the total
[18:09] in public school fund so the
[18:10] total amount per student this
[18:12] year is $8,034 how much
[18:22] $8000 last year it was 8020re0
[18:23] last year
[18:27] so there's a reduction in the
[18:29] amount of money that we're
[18:30] paying
[18:34] and we we're picking up the
[18:35] health insurance, correct?
[18:36] Correct.
[18:41] yeah the foundation funding went
[18:42] down just because we are pick
[18:44] the state is picking up 100% of
[18:47] the employer portion of the
[18:49] state of the teacher insurance
[18:52] how much what is the national
[18:53] average for public education
[18:56] on the foundation money
[19:01] don't don't know it's $12,000.
[19:05] what is ours 8084 that's just
[19:07] foundation funding if you
[19:09] include the categoricals and
[19:09] everything else we get close to
[19:11] the 15 I know exactly what it is
[19:17] it's $8084 per student in the
[19:21] national average is 12,000 and
[19:23] we're spending400 million. can
[19:27] you can you justify that once
[19:28] again would say that
[19:29] that the governor supports they
[19:31] can you justify that can you
[19:35] justify400 million dollars going
[19:37] to private education and
[19:39] we're4,000 dollars per student
[19:40] chart below
[19:42] the national average for
[19:42] foundation money
[19:45] Representative Wooton, the
[19:47] question for us today is the
[19:48] transfer of that70 million
[19:49] dollars we're not relitigating
[19:50] loans at this point if you want
[19:51] to do that offline you're
[19:53] welcome to realize that Chairman
[19:55] but I think it needs the fact it
[19:59] needs to be an explanation given
[20:02] to this body why we can spend400
[20:03] million dollars on a
[20:04] recommendation
[20:06] and asked for70 million more
[20:09] because the legislature approved
[20:10] that with the Learns Act.
[20:16] well they're biased but that's
[20:17] that's all we've got to say
[20:18] about it
[20:24] Senator hickey you're recognized
[20:25] I'm assuming this is not the
[20:27] group you're looking for right
[20:28] you
[20:29] you guys are excused thank you I
[20:31] believe we're gonna need
[20:33] Secretaryhudson and someone
[20:35] from DHS is that rightsenator
[20:36] that's correct
[20:38] just to kind of give everybody
[20:41] an explanation I in no way
[20:42] believe that we need to stop
[20:43] this of course I think we all
[20:45] know all know that we did I sit
[20:46] on the pier and I take full
[20:48] responsibility that we didn't
[20:49] discuss this. I think a lot of
[20:51] us knew what was going on. I
[20:52] literally walked out of here,
[20:53] went to lunch and thought you
[20:56] know we just took over a
[20:57] quarter of a billion dollars out
[20:59] of restricted reserve and didn't
[21:00] have any discussion for the
[21:01] public to know so that's my
[21:03] intent here today. so appreciate
[21:05] you you all both being down here
[21:06] if you would please just
[21:06] introduce
[21:07] yourselves so we have it on
[21:08] record and then we'll get to the
[21:10] questions you bet Jimhutson
[21:10] secretary DFfa.
[21:13] good morning Janet Mayn
[21:16] Secretary DHS I'll try to roll
[21:18] pretty quick. first of all
[21:20] though I'm on a guest for Miss
[21:21] mann. so
[21:25] and and Mrhudson so I went back
[21:27] and looked and we know that the
[21:28] trust fund's been higher but at
[21:29] the beginning of Fy26 we're
[21:31] at492 million thereabouts
[21:35] so in the report that you always
[21:37] do that we have you to do to
[21:38] come out with with the medicaid
[21:38] trust fund
[21:41] it's showing that we're about
[21:41] 120 million
[21:42] this month
[21:45] Now one question I have for
[21:47] Misss mann is this I went back
[21:49] and tried to tried to see have
[21:51] we paid the hospital assessment
[21:52] out of that that we normally pay
[21:52] quarterly
[21:55] because it looked like to me the
[21:56] last one we had done was May.
[22:00] yes sir we are current on the
[22:02] hospital assessment. We pay
[22:03] it every quarter. Matter of
[22:05] fact, this quarter's payment
[22:07] will occur next week. OK, so
[22:08] it's not out but it's not out of
[22:09] the 12ies is what I'm trying to
[22:10] say.
[22:11] So,
[22:15] so the 120 may be a little bit
[22:16] high because what is that nor
[22:17] normally30 or35 million?
[22:21] it's what it looks like look
[22:23] like yes sir the total payment
[22:25] for the entire year on the
[22:27] access payments to the hospitals
[22:30] is around400 million. so the
[22:31] state's share is around
[22:36] 120 total so it would be about30
[22:38] million dollars a quarter so it
[22:39] looks like that we're a little
[22:40] high because I believe their
[22:41] funds have already came into the
[22:44] fund and we just haven't sent
[22:45] them back out. so it appears
[22:46] like to me
[22:48] that we should we're probably
[22:48] around 90 million
[22:53] on the hospital on the hospital
[22:56] fund they keep a quarter in in
[22:57] their funds so that they can we
[22:59] can draw it and pay it and then
[23:03] they will reimburse or pay back
[23:04] their assessment the following
[23:07] quarter. so it's it's an inflow
[23:08] and an outflow yes sir. So do
[23:09] you think the true net amount
[23:10] right now is still 120 million
[23:11] or are we closer to 10re0?
[23:15] as of august 1st we were at 120.
[23:17] I I can't tell you what it is
[23:19] today I think it's probably
[23:21] supposed to be around 90 is the
[23:22] way I say 90 to100 because we
[23:23] haven't paid that out because
[23:25] we, I had the bureau staff and
[23:25] stuff to look so
[23:27] and
[23:29] unless you tell me that you all
[23:31] paid it and it just showed up
[23:33] somewhere else but it I just
[23:35] know that it has not been paid.
[23:36] not
[23:37] not been paid for this quarter
[23:39] but it is current yes sir and
[23:41] I'm not trying to say it's
[23:41] behind I'm just trying to I'm
[23:42] just trying to say that we're
[23:43] show
[23:45] ing 120 the last one we made was
[23:46] in May.
[23:49] but I would say you know, enator
[23:50] hickey we provide
[23:53] you know this committee every
[23:55] single month the snapshot on it
[23:56] and so I want to be very careful
[23:57] about trying to pick a
[23:59] particular day in the month and
[24:01] try to you know say here's the
[24:04] balance as of today so let's
[24:05] mean I think we can work off
[24:05] what the end the end of the
[24:07] month reporting is that we send
[24:09] to y'all that shows you all the
[24:11] cumulative activity for the
[24:13] trust fund in that month. OK
[24:14] again I'm I'm I'm just trying to
[24:16] make sure that we've got about
[24:18] what it is because like I say we
[24:20] started and and I'm going back a
[24:20] little bit further like I say
[24:21] the
[24:24] at 26 we had492 so now we're
[24:24] about 100 million
[24:29] you know is isish yeah we all
[24:30] know how this thing moves it's
[24:33] so big also for DHS there's been
[24:35] some talk of course and I think
[24:37] we all know this that we have
[24:37] some other accounts that you all
[24:39] have had and historically
[24:41] they've showed like some higher
[24:43] balances have we also been
[24:47] paying those down and if so, and
[24:49] I'd have to have you to come up
[24:50] and I'm just asking for round
[24:50] numbers
[24:53] approximately how much have we
[24:54] used of that
[24:57] sayy in the last year or
[24:59] biennial and I'm not I'm just
[25:00] wanting to know I'm not saying
[25:02] if it's 12 million or if it's
[25:03] 100 million you know don't know
[25:07] for the past year if that really
[25:08] has been much of a of an issue
[25:11] you know we really worked hard
[25:13] two fiscal years ago to make
[25:16] sure those paying accounts did
[25:19] not maintain a high balance that
[25:20] you know we kept it in the trust
[25:21] fund until it was actually
[25:22] needed and then move it into the
[25:25] paying account. So I don't, I
[25:25] don't think there's an issue of
[25:27] having other funds out there
[25:28] that are holding large account
[25:29] balances that we're separately
[25:30] spending on it's it really
[25:30] should be a clearing account at
[25:31] this point.
[25:36] that's not exactly exactly what
[25:37] I asked but I'm sure it's
[25:39] because I wasn't clear so
[25:41] historically though it appears
[25:42] like we've always carried a
[25:43] balance there and now we're not
[25:45] carrying those balances and I
[25:46] assume that we've
[25:49] we've transferred that and used
[25:51] that no fault of your own. I
[25:53] mean we understand costs are up
[25:55] so it's it is what it is at this
[25:57] point. So do we know what those
[25:58] other accounts that we've spent
[26:00] down like historically have we
[26:00] kept
[26:03] a certain dollar amount in there
[26:05] and now they're down cumulative
[26:08] total to a lower amount and if
[26:08] so about how much?
[26:13] I'm just trying to come up give
[26:17] a balance or a dollar amount we
[26:19] we did work with the DFNA over
[26:21] the past 24 months. we started
[26:23] with the paying accounts that
[26:25] had balances to make sure that
[26:27] we were spending those and also
[26:28] working to make sure that those
[26:29] were state and federal funds
[26:31] paying those bills appropriately
[26:33] for the matching principle, then
[26:36] we do have some funds that we
[26:38] use every year. We use pharmacy
[26:39] rebates, we use provider fees
[26:43] we use a few other accounts
[26:45] that are in the operating
[26:47] process of of medicaid every
[26:49] year. I mean we would have to go
[26:51] back and scrub those to tell you
[26:53] exactly what was spent again
[26:54] I'll make sure we're we're we're
[26:55] talking about you know the right
[26:57] things here because sometimes we
[26:59] use the term fund we're
[27:01] referring to traditional funds
[27:05] that all agencies have for them
[27:07] it really is reflected in that
[27:09] medicaid trustst report that has
[27:10] multiple funds in it
[27:13] their temporary paying accounts
[27:16] really were funds that would
[27:17] accounts that would receive fund
[27:19] transfers from the trust fund in
[27:21] order to pay their obligations
[27:25] those accounts historically had
[27:27] had higher balances we thought
[27:28] that they should stay in the
[27:29] trust fund until they were
[27:31] actually needed held for a
[27:33] minimum amount of time in the
[27:35] temporary paying accounts just
[27:36] to clear the obligations but
[27:37] don't keep you know an average
[27:39] balance in there. I think it's
[27:40] better to have all the money
[27:42] in one place so you can see
[27:42] really what's in there
[27:45] and we've done that work over
[27:46] the past couple of years. I
[27:49] don't I I totally, I totally
[27:49] agree with your logic on what
[27:51] you're saying. And again, I know
[27:52] budget hearings are coming up so
[27:53] we can kind of get into that but
[27:56] what I'm saying is is that if
[27:57] those were carrying a balance
[28:00] and yes we went ahead and paid
[28:01] them down. we're not seeing
[28:02] where it come out of the trust
[28:03] fund. it may have had some
[28:05] balances and we used them to pay
[28:07] so we've actually spent more so
[28:09] that's all I was after but I
[28:11] agree with your thought process
[28:12] as long as we do that from now
[28:12] and all the way in the future
[28:16] that we don't start maintaining
[28:18] balances in them then yes I
[28:20] would rather do that it's since
[28:21] I've been secretary that's been
[28:23] my approach. OK? and again and
[28:25] the next question for you
[28:27] Mr.hudson I already you and I've
[28:29] already discussed this of this
[28:32] 200 million, you know what my
[28:33] understanding was is that we
[28:35] think that it is going to be
[28:37] used by the end of the calendar
[28:38] year or maybe
[28:40] just a little bit after is what
[28:43] we discussed we will use the 200
[28:47] million in this fiscal year and
[28:49] it it will get us into you know
[28:50] calendar year you know,2027.
[28:53] I can't really give you a date
[28:55] at this point but you know it
[28:56] will be it will not get us to
[28:57] the end of the fiscal year let
[28:59] me say that well the other day
[29:01] or two days ago it was my
[29:03] understanding that we're we're
[29:03] fully talking about calendar
[29:05] year that we think we're going
[29:06] to spend this $200 million
[29:09] in this calendar year. or or
[29:11] maybe into January so that's
[29:12] that I think again what I just
[29:13] said is that I think it will get
[29:16] us into early 2027. I can't tell
[29:18] you what the exact exact date is
[29:19] don't expect you and I can't
[29:20] tell you what the exact need
[29:22] would be beyond that
[29:23] but that was my next question
[29:25] I guess that's my next question
[29:27] then. so we're not going to have
[29:29] very much money left in the in
[29:31] the trust fund we're gonna
[29:33] pretty much have used up the the
[29:34] 200 million right here
[29:38] so we have to anticipate that
[29:39] we're going to have the rest of
[29:41] the fiscal year which you
[29:43] know, ends June30th.
[29:44] so
[29:47] what what all are you going to
[29:48] be asking for you think to
[29:49] finish out that fiscal yeargain
[29:51] I I think as you already noted
[29:53] we're going to go into the
[29:54] budget hearings next month
[29:57] the governor's going to present
[29:59] her balanced budget in November.
[30:00] you know, I think when she
[30:01] presents that she'll address all
[30:03] the needs that are required you
[30:04] know to be able to fund state
[30:05] programs. I'm not going to get
[30:07] ahead of her on that. My
[30:08] commitment though is this
[30:11] I think there are three things
[30:12] that we have to be looking at
[30:14] one we need to make sure that
[30:15] medicaid is adequately funded
[30:17] for its current operational
[30:19] obligations to get us through
[30:21] the fiscal year. I think we have
[30:23] to look at what are the
[30:25] recurring revenue needs in
[30:27] medicaid there are some that we
[30:28] need to address in the fy 28
[30:29] budget and then thirdly we need
[30:31] to look at the trust fund and
[30:33] make sure the trust fund is
[30:35] adequately capitalized to deal
[30:37] with any you know, surprises
[30:37] that occur in the future. Those
[30:38] three things I think are things
[30:41] that we need to be focused on as
[30:44] we get into budget today we're
[30:45] talking about the 200 million
[30:47] that will is the immediate need
[30:48] but those other things need to
[30:49] get talked about too at the
[30:51] right time. I just can't speak
[30:52] to the particulars at this
[30:53] stage. OK I just know that we're
[30:55] gonna have to address it though
[30:56] since we're not towards the end
[30:58] of the fiscal year so I I'll
[30:59] quit asking my questions and
[31:00] just kind of say this
[31:03] and and I think this is what you
[31:05] said but I want to make sure. so
[31:07] it's going to be our intent of
[31:08] course the way that we've been
[31:08] doing this with
[31:12] this by taking out these
[31:14] restricted reserves and whatever
[31:16] has been in the trust fund of
[31:17] course that hasn't run through
[31:18] RSa or our budget
[31:21] so the thing is is it's really
[31:22] not a true p picture out there
[31:23] of the public because you know
[31:25] whenever we say that state
[31:27] government's only grown x%
[31:30] actually it's more because this
[31:30] stuff for recurring
[31:33] expenses and I think we're all
[31:36] gonna say that medicaid is
[31:37] recurring
[31:37] so
[31:41] is it going to be our intent to
[31:42] try to get a very true pitcher
[31:43] during budget hearings
[31:47] to make sure that we're totally
[31:49] running all of this in RSA into
[31:50] the future
[31:52] And I under and I heard what you
[31:53] said about the trust fund
[31:56] but that would just be for
[31:57] surprises so this time next year
[32:01] we're not sitting here and
[32:02] saying well we've used all that
[32:02] up
[32:05] we put extra money into the
[32:06] trust fund at
[32:08] I think you and I are thinking
[32:11] $250 to300 million I don't know
[32:11] what everybody else here is
[32:13] thinking, but we're still
[32:15] thinking that our goal is is
[32:17] just to maintain that running
[32:19] balance of that 300 in there at
[32:21] all times and not and not put
[32:23] any more money in if we can. I
[32:24] think we ought to strive for a
[32:27] stable balance in the trust fund
[32:28] that it would have some
[32:29] oscillations in it but largely a
[32:31] stable balance that's that's
[32:33] something I'd love to see us be
[32:35] able to do it but I do want to
[32:36] challenge the premise
[32:36] respectfully
[32:40] now seriously because I mean
[32:41] this this is this is a good
[32:42] conversation it's a serious
[32:45] conversation but the the the
[32:45] idea that 100%
[32:48] of the state's share
[32:51] for medicaid should be in the
[32:53] RSA would be a novel proposition
[32:56] because I look back 10 years in
[32:59] the past 10 years not a single
[33:00] year
[33:04] have we put 100% of the state's
[33:07] share in the RSA and if we were
[33:09] to do that and we had a very hot
[33:10] year, I mean it's a hot year in
[33:12] general temperature wise but it
[33:13] was really a hot year for
[33:17] Medicaid for F-26 and the spend
[33:18] increased400 million. we really
[33:20] are talking about from a cash
[33:21] flow perspective more of an
[33:23] expenditure issue then we're
[33:24] talking about a revenue issue
[33:29] 40 $0 million in 19% increase in
[33:31] one year the previous three
[33:32] years combined4%.
[33:37] so we shed a lot of cash in that
[33:39] one year. Now if I would have
[33:40] come to you when we were doing
[33:42] budget hearings for Fy26 and I
[33:44] would say to you you know
[33:45] there's a chance we may need400
[33:47] million dollars for the state's
[33:50] share. let's increase DHS's
[33:51] budget by400 million dollars. I
[33:53] y'all would have thrown things
[33:54] at me
[33:56] I don't, I just don't think that
[33:59] we can really view what is a $10
[34:02] billion insurance company as
[34:04] something that we fund 100%
[34:05] through ourA we've never done
[34:08] that we don't do that with Ebd
[34:09] we don't do that with retirement
[34:11] plans there needs to be a
[34:13] component to this that is
[34:15] recurring revenue in please hear
[34:17] me be in agreement with you that
[34:19] we do need to look at increasing
[34:21] the recurring revenue to
[34:23] medicaid. there needs to be a
[34:24] piece of it as well that
[34:26] is just in reserves and we have
[34:27] to have adequate reserves to
[34:29] deal with that too the
[34:31] conversation as to the relative
[34:32] mix of that I think is
[34:34] appropriate for budget there's
[34:35] another category we haven't
[34:36] talked about it is the expense
[34:36] side
[34:39] and I said that two or three
[34:40] times during during fiscal
[34:43] session this cannot just be a
[34:45] conversation about revenue it
[34:46] needs to be a conversation about
[34:48] our expenses as well just one
[34:49] more comment I know we've got to
[34:50] go
[34:53] that's your analogy of that's
[34:54] fine but this is what I'll say
[34:56] and maybe it requires
[34:59] legislation and and and DHS
[35:00] you're not the only one we can
[35:01] sit here and talk about the
[35:03] freedomccos because if we take
[35:04] those out of restricted reserve
[35:05] and it appears that they're
[35:08] going to be recurring those
[35:11] those also are making it
[35:12] whenever we say state government
[35:13] hasn't grown as much that it
[35:14] really has.
[35:16] so maybe it's something that we
[35:17] need to look at as this
[35:19] legislature that if there are
[35:21] things like that and like the
[35:23] trust fund that if we are taking
[35:25] things out of restricted reserve
[35:26] for what we all know is
[35:31] recurring stuff that whenever we
[35:33] report those numbers out there
[35:35] to the public about how much
[35:36] state government's grown that we
[35:38] need to include those. I think
[35:39] that's the most fair and
[35:42] transparent way, because we
[35:45] all know that it should be an
[35:46] RSA but maybe there are certain
[35:47] times but at least we need to
[35:49] report that and put that
[35:50] percentage in there that that
[35:50] took it up another
[35:54] whatever it whatever it does so
[35:54] anyway thank you sir
[35:57] thank you senator thank you
[35:59] senator members we've got about4
[36:01] members in the queue. I would
[36:01] like to remind you that the
[36:03] question we're really debating
[36:05] today is the transfer of this
[36:07] 200 million so Senator Flippo
[36:08] you're recognized
[36:11] thank you Mr. Chairman and if
[36:13] you'll forgive my informalities
[36:14] Jim Janet you know I like you
[36:15] guys you've always been very
[36:17] honest with me. I'm not nearly
[36:18] as smart as ent hickey but I'm a
[36:19] little bit more in line with
[36:23] brevity so I'll get to it on
[36:25] a scale of 1 to10,10 being the
[36:28] most healthy how healthy is our
[36:29] Medicaid trust fund currently?
[36:33] you know our medicaid trust fund
[36:33] needs to be plussed up
[36:37] it needs to be plussed upive me
[36:38] a number to t
[36:40] that's going to be in the budget
[36:41] process this is the governor's
[36:44] budget you know is it healthy?
[36:44] Is it sick
[36:48] Is it knocking on won't put a
[36:49] healthy or sick label on it this
[36:50] is math
[36:51] right? I think what we have to
[36:53] look at is the total resources
[36:55] that we have available as a
[36:56] state to meet meet our
[36:59] obligations and we have adequate
[37:00] more than adequate resources to
[37:00] be able to do that
[37:02] I'll take that as a4 or5.
[37:10] Senatoreyton, you're recognized
[37:11] thank you Mririr
[37:16] Mrhudson I hope I can articulate
[37:16] this well but
[37:19] I think I heard you say
[37:22] that we knew this was coming
[37:27] and planned on pulling it rather
[37:28] than including it in the budget
[37:32] so in regards to the two00
[37:33] million dollars transfer
[37:37] is that something that we knew
[37:39] was coming and just decided to
[37:43] not mention it during the budget
[37:44] process
[37:47] that sorry senator that's not
[37:49] accurate. We we actually had the
[37:51] $200 million you know approved
[37:53] in the budget process we talked
[37:55] about the $200 million during
[37:57] fiscal session that there would
[37:59] be a need and I said at the
[38:01] table multiple times there would
[38:03] be a need to infuse cash in
[38:05] medicaid in this fiscal year.
[38:07] Now what I will say is different
[38:09] is they actually ran as I said
[38:11] earlier they ran a little hotter
[38:13] in terms of their expenses and
[38:13] so they had a tremendous
[38:15] amount of expense that we do not
[38:16] foresee
[38:19] for fy 26 that is part of the
[38:20] issue that we have going on here
[38:23] so when you talk about looking
[38:24] back for 10 years and that
[38:28] we have depended on the trust
[38:28] fund
[38:32] or other means rather than
[38:33] include in RSA
[38:37] that's it's a mixture of both
[38:39] sir it's it's both you know they
[38:40] get 1.8
[38:42] billion roughly let me get my
[38:43] question out
[38:45] so the question I've got
[38:49] is whether or not those upcoming
[38:51] transfers
[38:53] are known or unknown
[38:57] during the RsA and budget
[39:01] process I mean if if we're if we
[39:03] hold money and reserve and trust
[39:06] accounts that's smart expecting
[39:07] that there's something's gonna
[39:09] happen and we're gonna need that
[39:10] money or we might need extra
[39:10] money
[39:13] but if we know that there's an
[39:14] expense coming
[39:16] and we're ignoring that in Rsa
[39:19] and not including it in the
[39:20] budget
[39:23] then I think we need to take a
[39:25] real close look at that practice
[39:28] that's all and I think that if
[39:29] if we would know exactly what
[39:30] our claims experience was going
[39:31] to be
[39:33] and we could plan that like if
[39:35] we're buying staples or or paper
[39:37] clips it would be much easier
[39:39] but we don't know until after
[39:40] the fact
[39:43] you know what the claims are you
[39:44] know what the acuity of the
[39:46] claims are the number of claims
[39:48] you know we have trends but the
[39:51] recent trends did not point to
[39:52] a400 million dollars increase
[39:56] for fy 26 so you're saying
[39:57] mostly this was kind of
[39:58] unexpected
[40:00] in terms of the claim side of it
[40:01] there was a little bit of drop
[40:03] off in revenue from the FM map
[40:04] rate changing the federal F
[40:06] mapping rate changing but that's
[40:07] not the bulk of it the bulk of
[40:09] it is we we had an unfavorable
[40:11] year in terms of experience Well
[40:13] thank you I I may have
[40:14] misunderstood what you stated
[40:16] earlier but I appreciate you
[40:17] saying you was probably a poor
[40:19] communicator sir. so I'll just
[40:20] take the the responsibility for
[40:21] that. right thank yousenator we
[40:23] have one last remaining question
[40:24] and I'm going to give this to
[40:25] Representative wooten if you
[40:25] would please keep your remarks
[40:29] based on this $200 million
[40:30] transfer we're talking about to
[40:31] the Medicaidrustund if you would
[40:33] please sir you're recognized
[40:35] thank you Mr Chairman and I'll
[40:36] maintain that advice
[40:42] did I understand you correctly
[40:43] that the 200 million
[40:45] will be out of reserve funds
[40:51] will you pay that out of reserve
[40:55] funds the 200 million is in a
[40:56] set aside in restricted reserve
[40:57] the general assembly approved
[40:59] that during the fiscal session
[41:01] this would transfer that money
[41:03] to the medicaid program to be
[41:04] able to use for their current
[41:07] obligations. yes sir. So give us
[41:08] the definition of where you're
[41:09] occurring. what what what
[41:13] reoccurring is that in other
[41:13] words it's not in the RSA
[41:17] when I said we need to look at
[41:19] increasing recurring revenue
[41:20] for Medicaid
[41:23] that that would be a place to
[41:27] put that in RSA for medicaid the
[41:31] question I had I have is it's
[41:33] not shown in RSA how how much
[41:35] money is offsa
[41:39] how much money is in there
[41:41] that's not not should that we
[41:43] actually don't see because I
[41:46] asked for a report on money
[41:46] outside of RsA
[41:51] how how many millions are we
[41:53] talking about and and is that
[41:56] basically surplus money no sir
[41:59] the the bulk of state government
[42:00] is funded outside of RSA.
[42:05] it is a combination of special
[42:07] revenue and federal revenues RSA
[42:09] does not fund the majority of
[42:11] state expenses and I think you
[42:13] know that really but what is the
[42:14] total dollar amount
[42:15] of what of reoccurring
[42:20] in the whole state budget that's
[42:20] out of ourS a
[42:25] must the total amount of
[42:26] expenditures
[42:31] 667 billion is the RSA budget
[42:33] for Fy27
[42:35] so
[42:41] the 200 million that you're that
[42:44] we approved that is not
[42:47] considered a part of RSA, ir. if
[42:49] you look at the act this general
[42:50] assembly passed
[42:53] the todddily act is the revenue
[42:53] stabilization actct.
[42:57] that is where it's at. now is it
[42:59] it's not in the RSA allocation
[43:01] for Medicaid but this general
[43:03] assembly when it approved the
[43:04] balanced budget for the state of
[43:06] Arkansas approved that $200
[43:07] million set aside. Y'all voted
[43:08] for that
[43:09] it's there
[43:13] Well I recognize it's there but
[43:15] is it going to be a reoccurring
[43:19] expenditure as indicated the
[43:22] the the governor will present
[43:23] her balanced budget. it's not my
[43:24] balanced budget it's her
[43:26] balanced budget she will present
[43:28] that according to statute in
[43:30] November what she's proposing to
[43:33] do for all RSa and then that'll
[43:34] be you know subject for debate
[43:34] obviously as we get into session
[43:39] thank you thank
[43:41] youpresentativeooten members
[43:42] seeing no other questions thank
[43:42] you for coming down.ppreciate
[43:43] it.
[43:46] hang on just a second. Senator
[43:46] rice did you have a question
[43:49] all right just a second
[43:59] Senator rice we have a motion to
[44:01] adopt this report do you have a
[44:02] substitute motion?
[44:02] right
[44:03] yeah there you go
[44:07] Thank you Mr chairir. I
[44:09] appreciate the discussion on the
[44:11] medicaid and I think it shows
[44:12] budget
[44:14] hearings coming up that we've
[44:15] got some serious things to talk
[44:19] about my request is on the EFA's
[44:23] ond2 a lot of people our
[44:25] whole goal is to educate kids
[44:27] and we want to find the best way
[44:29] a lot of concern that we need
[44:31] to tap the brakes and come up
[44:35] with some parameters so I
[44:37] would ask that d2 on the EFAs be
[44:38] pulled out for a separate vote
[44:39] my motion
[44:55] right so the motion is to pull
[44:57] out the item d2 for the EFAs for
[44:59] a separate vote that we'll also
[45:01] include the the adoption of
[45:03] the report is that correct
[45:04] right
[45:05] all right members you've heard
[45:08] that motion we have a 2nd 2nd
[45:10] all those in favor signify by
[45:13] saying aye all those opposed
[45:15] knows habitpresentative Wardlaw
[45:17] has the original motion to
[45:19] approve the entire report
[45:20] including the album we just
[45:21] mentioned. do you have a second?
[45:24] right you have a second in
[45:25] discussion seeing none all those
[45:26] in favor say aye opposed
[45:29] the ayes have it. right. thank
[45:31] you members that takes us down
[45:32] to item 12. we're going to
[45:32] recognize Senator Mcee at this
[45:33] time.
[45:36] Thank you Mr Chairman. The
[45:37] revenue subcommittee met on
[45:39] Tuesday and reviewed methods of
[45:41] finance alternative delivery
[45:42] method procurements
[45:43] discretionary grants one
[45:46] ratification RfQ approvals
[45:48] service contracts and received
[45:50] reports all items were reviewed.
[45:51] I moved the adoption of the
[45:52] report
[45:53] all right thank you senator
[45:55] members any questions on item 12
[45:59] seeing none we have a motion we
[46:01] have a 2nd 2nd any discussion
[46:03] seeing none all those in favor
[46:04] say aye oppose the ayes have it
[46:07] I'm gonna recognize Senator
[46:09] Petty for the state insurance
[46:10] programme's report. you
[46:12] recognize. Thank you Mr chairir.
[46:13] The city insurance programmes
[46:14] oversight subcommittee met on
[46:16] Wednesday and they reviewed the
[46:17] employee benefits division
[46:19] contract amendment with Navidus
[46:21] Health Solutions Lllc
[46:22] subcommittee also heard a
[46:23] presentation from Doctor Wayne
[46:25] Weingarten with Pacific Research
[46:27] Institute. I may I move for
[46:28] adoption of this report.
[46:30] all right members you heard the
[46:31] report. many questions?
[46:33] seeing none we have a motion.
[46:33] Can I get a second? I have a
[46:35] second any discussion saying
[46:37] none all those in favor say aye
[46:38] opposed the ayes have it
[46:41] senator Davis you're
[46:41] recognized for the personnel
[46:42] report
[46:45] Mr Chair the personnel
[46:47] subcommittee met Wednesday
[46:48] September 16th and reviewed the
[46:49] request and reports listed as
[46:51] items 1 through7 on the
[46:53] personnel committee report, I'll
[46:54] take any questions and have a
[46:55] motion for adoption at the
[46:56] proper time.
[46:59] all right members you've heard
[46:59] the report any questions?
[47:03] seeing none we have a motion.
[47:04] Can I get a second? we have a
[47:05] second. any discussion seeing
[47:07] none all those in favor say aye
[47:09] opposed the ayes have it members
[47:10] if you would please turn
[47:11] to page two of your agenda we
[47:13] have some review of
[47:14] communications there's no action
[47:16] to be taken on these so if
[47:18] there are no questions on any of
[47:18] those items
[47:22] I'd like to recognize Senator
[47:23] Urvin for a moment.
[47:27] you're recognized
[47:33] so members a part of the
[47:35] executive subcommittee report
[47:37] if you look at that report
[47:39] attached to that is a resolution
[47:41] the resolution was passed to
[47:43] executive subcommittee level.
[47:45] the resolution has to deal with
[47:47] our duck population there was
[47:49] a change at the federal level to
[47:51] a proposed change to some
[47:53] rules at the federal level that
[47:55] would have devastated the duck
[47:57] population to thanks to the
[47:58] good work of
[47:59] our director of the Arkansas
[48:01] Game and Fish, our game and fish
[48:02] commission and I think also the
[48:04] governor's office and others
[48:07] may have helped in this but
[48:09] to basically say no don't change
[48:10] the language because it will be
[48:11] devastating to the state of
[48:14] Arkansas. so this interim of
[48:16] this resolution is really our
[48:17] opportunity as a legislature to
[48:19] also speak to that and be part
[48:20] of the public record at the
[48:21] federal level so that if these
[48:23] changes are considered in the
[48:25] future to that federal rule
[48:27] change then we are on record as
[48:28] to saying that we
[48:29] agree with our Arkansas game and
[48:31] fish commission and Arkansasame
[48:33] andish director that we need
[48:37] to keep the rule intact and
[48:39] and make sure that conservation
[48:41] and our duck population can be
[48:43] as strong as possible because
[48:44] as you know that's very
[48:45] important to the economy of the
[48:47] state of Arkansas. so that is a
[48:49] that's the purpose of the
[48:52] resolution and I can take
[48:53] any questions but this was a
[48:54] report that came out of our
[48:55] subcommittee and I felt like it
[48:57] was a good thing for the
[48:58] legislature to also speak to
[48:59] this and be part of the federal
[49:01] public record thank you thank
[49:03] you Senator Irvin. Members,
[49:03] there is no other business for
[49:05] this committee. thank you for
[49:06] your participation we are
[49:06] adjourned