WEEK 4 UPDATE

February 5, 2021

The fourth week of the Session continued with the first real sign of working together between the Executive and Legislative branches. As can only happen in , it came in the form of an announcement that the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University will play football in 2025! Representative (R, Jonesboro) took a point of personal privilege to go to the well of the House at the same time it was being announced on the Senate floor. Both of those speeches as well as articles in the newspapers on Thursday referenced the involvement of members of the General Assembly as well as Governor Hutchinson. Applause broke out in the chambers when the announcement was made!

Liquor continued to be a topic this week, but instead of trains, it was delivery. SB 32 by Senator Jane English and Rep. was amended in House Rules on Wednesday to include breweries and microbreweries along with retail liquor stores to allow their employees to deliver alcohol to customers in wet counties. This has been allowed during the emergency declaration. The bill originally only carried this forward for liquor stores, but breweries and microbreweries had to be amended into to the bill in order to get the necessary votes in House Rules Committee.

So far, Committee Chairs have been sticking to the rules of not hearing bills that were not on the agenda. However, in House Public Health Thursday, the Chairman explained that there had been some “miscommunication” that kept a bill off the regular agenda. Members were very reluctant, but after having time to read the bill, they agreed to suspend the rules and hear the bill. It was good to see the members initially pushing back on the Chair.

SB24 - Stand Your Ground – by Senator Bob Ballinger and Representative was heard in House Judiciary Committee this week. Lengthy testimony was given, including more then 20 citizens speaking against the bill. Debate was limited to 5 minutes per person. After everyone had spoken and the vote was taken, Chairman ruled that the bill had failed and immediately gaveled the meeting adjourned without giving the opportunity for a roll call vote. A plan was initially put in place to attempt to pull the bill out of committee by suspending the rules on the House floor (takes 2/3rds of a quorum), but Rep. Pilkington decided against that effort and instead asked the members of the House to please come and visit with him. The bill remains in House Judiciary and can be heard one more time.

Our UPL bill passed out of the Senate Committee and off the Senate floor this week. There were a few questions on the floor, mostly from a very conservative, new Senator who initially viewed this as a “money grab” for ambulance services. We have had several conversations with him, and also asked him to visit with Senators Rapert and Johnson about what is going on in Perry County. We talked with Rep. Johnson, the House sponsor and have full confidence that he will not have any issues with the passage of this bill. You may also note that our fines fund appropriation has passed and is now Act 48!

As always we appreciate your continued faith and confidence in DBH Management and are available to you 24/7!

Bruce, Camie, Lee Ann & Michael

1 WEEKLY TRACKING REPORT FOR ARAA 02-05-2021 - 10:07:20

[ ] HB 1129 Joint Budget( ) Appropriates funds to the Treasurer of State for assistance to local law enforcement and emergency medical services for fiscal year 2021-2022.

Last Action: 2- 2-21 G Signed by the Governor (Act: 48) [ ] HB 1152 Gazaway, Jimmy(R) Authorizes emergency medical services personnel to Wallace, David(R) transport a police dog injured in the course of a duty to a veterinary hospital.

Last Action: 1-25-21 H Amendment 1 adopted [ ] HB 1177 Johnson, Lee(R) Amends the Emergency Medical Services Act to establish procedures for coordinated care plans for individuals with specific health conditions; authorizes emergency personnel to administer personal prescriptions for specific conditions. Last Action: 1-13-21 H Introduced and referred to H-Public Health, Welfare and Labor [ ] HB 1204 Tosh, Dwight(R) Expands the definition of certified peer support Wallace, David(R) member with regard to emergency services to include any individual, regardless of profession, who has received the approved certified training. Last Action: 1-19-21 H Introduced and referred to H-Judiciary [ ] HB 1212 Ladyman, Jack(R) Authorizes the director of the Department of Irvin, Missy(R) Workforce Services to noncharge unemployment benefits paid, including retroactively to April 2020, to the separate account of each employer if the benefits paid are the result of declared disasters. Last Action: 2- 3-21 S Received in the Senate - Referred to S-Public Health, Welfare and Labor [ ] HB 1349 Warren, Les(R) Establishes the Every Arkansan Retirement Plan Hammer, Kim(R) Opportunity, a multiple-employer voluntary retirement savings plan for eligible employees of

2 participating eligible employers as defined; includes numerous related provisions and options. Last Action: 2- 1-21 H Introduced and referred to Joint Retirement [ ] HB 1373 Collins, Andrew(D) Requires the staff and supervisors of a public safety Bledsoe, Cecile(R) answering point or dispatch center be trained in telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including specific protocols and continuing education; personnel are shielded from civil liability. Last Action: 2- 2-21 H Introduced and referred to H-State Agencies [ ] SB 16 Sullivan, Dan(R) Amends the Workers' Compensation Law as it applies Gonzales, Justin(R) to employers, employees and first responders under COVID-19.

Last Action: 1-11-21 S Introduced and referred to S-Public Health, Welfare and Labor [ ] SB 145 Gilmore, Ben(R) Makes changes to the Emergency Management Beaty, Howard(R) Assistance Compact in compliance with the national standard, stating that the Governor is not obligated under the compact to send requested assistance and amending liability provisions. Last Action: 2- 2-21 S Enrolled in the Senate - Sent to Governor [ ] SB 189 Teague, Larry(D) Adds nonemergency ambulance services to the Johnson, Lee(R) definition of 'medical transportation' regarding the assessment fee and program on medical transportation providers. Last Action: 2- 3-21 H Received in the House - Referred to H-Public Health, Welfare and Labor [ ] SB 199 Bledsoe, Cecile(R) Allows a certified registered nurse anesthetist to administer anesthetics in a critical access hospital under the supervision of or in consultation with a licensed physician or other person lawfully entitled to order anesthesia. Last Action: 1-25-21 S Introduced and referred to S-Public Health, Welfare and Labor [ ] SB 236 Dismang, Jonathan(R) Exempts from income tax 2020 and 2021 Jett, Joe(R) unemployment compensation benefits paid from federal unemployment funds or from Title IV of the Social Security Act. Last Action: 2- 4-21 H Received in the House - Referred to H-Revenue and Taxation

Camie Boggess 501-354-3086 (O) 501-765-6666 (M) www.dbhmanagement.com

207 East Church Street

3 Morrilton, AR 72110

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