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Arkansas Senate opens session, lists bills for committee review and approves brief recess
Summary
The Arkansas Senate opened its morning hour, introduced a slate of bills including measures on school breakfasts, digital-asset mining near military sites and a Medicaid program transfer, approved a joint resolution to recess Jan. 16–21 by voice vote, and adjourned until Jan. 16, 2025.
The Arkansas State Senate convened its morning session and moved quickly through procedural items Thursday, introducing a package of bills for committee referral, approving a joint resolution to allow a four-day recess and making a series of announcements about upcoming meetings and guests.
Senator Steve Kroll led the chamber in an opening prayer before the presiding officer welcomed visitors and reminded attendees to observe decorum. The secretary then read a slate of bills sent to committee, including measures described on the floor as: Senate Bill 58, which would remove the prohibition on nonprofit or government-funded hospitals holding a retail pharmacy permit; Senate Bill 59, to provide one no-cost breakfast each school day to public school students upon request; Senate Bill 60, to prohibit digital asset mining businesses within a 30-mile radius of military facilities and to declare an emergency; Senate Bill 61, to authorize veterinary telemedicine and set standards; and Senate Bill 62, described as terminating the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me program and transferring beneficiaries to traditional Arkansas Medicaid. The reader also listed appropriation bills for the Educational Television Division (SB 64), parks and heritage capital projects (SB 65), the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System (SB 66) and the Arkansas Public Defender Commission (SB 67), and noted Senate Resolution 2 congratulating the Arkansas Medical Society and designating 2025 the Year of the Arkansas Physician.
Representative Evans presented a house concurrent resolution asking that the two chambers be permitted to recess Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, and reconvene Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Senator Hester explained that a joint resolution was required because the chamber sought a four-day recess that would extend beyond the three-day recess allowable without joint action. The presiding officer called for a voice vote; members responded “Aye,” and the chair announced, “Ayes have it,” indicating the resolution passed by voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded on the floor.
During the announcements period, Senator Tucker introduced the doctor of the day, Dr. Bala Simon, a family and preventive medicine physician with the Arkansas Department of Health, and welcomed nurse of the day Lee Fazio. Senator Hill reminded members of a Department of Transportation orientation scheduled from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.; Senator Urban called an ethics committee meeting to convene in the Old Supreme Courtroom upon adjournment; and several committee organizational meeting times were announced.
With no further business, the presiding officer declared the Senate adjourned subject to clearing the desk until 10:00 a.m. on Jan. 16, 2025.
