Support for Arkansas Week provided by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

The Arkansas Times and CRF M89.

And hello again everyone.

Thanks very much for joining us the Arkansas General Assembly is on track to complete its agenda and action on the governors next week, then are assess and a return eventually to consider legislative redistricting and perhaps some other matters will get an assessment from both sides of the aisle in a moment.

First, the view from the executive Branch Governor Hutchinson this week pronounced himself satisfied with the legislature's work, but somewhat less so on two other fronts.

The covert immunization rate and the direction of his own Republican Party.

We spoke with the governor on Thursday.

Governor thanks very much for making this time for us.

Thank you for making yourself available.

Session is session is very near an end.

You have got esentially what you wanted in terms of it appears.

Anyway, at this point in terms of fiscal amount of budgetary matters, and also appropriations.

Are you satisfied with it?

You know I am satisfied in terms of the success of the session.

Very pleased with what we've done in the area of education, particularly with a very innovative way of raising teacher salaries in Arkansas and helping the rule in lower income school districts to up their teacher pay.

You know, we continue down the Computer science initiative and elevated that once again through legislation and support, and then you look at our public safety issues.

You look at our tax cuts.

You look at the.

The budget that will be voted on hopefully early next week.

These are huge success stories that we have in the session coming out of a pandemic.

We're in a very strong position.

Obviously there's been controversial bills that have come out that have overshadowed some of the successes, but it is really important to focus on the agenda that we set that we've accomplished and even hate crimes which people said we have a very hard time getting past.

There was a compromise worked out.

It's a very unique approach that's been taken and that was a success story.

And then there was a lot of pundits that said we were not going to be able to get the votes necessary for the reauthorization of our Medicaid expansion program, which was Arkansas works.

And now it's our home we have to go and get that reauthorized and we got that authorized through the legislation as well as the appropriation bill passed, which takes a 3/4 vote so.

Enormous success stories coming out of this session.

I cannot recall Sir, a session in which the legislative branch asserted itself more than it has in this past session, both in terms of its its questioning of executive authority.

It's hesitation on some executive appointments, and also the proposed amendment that would permit the General Assembly to call itself into session.

I'd like to ask you sort of reflect on this.

This sudden shift in legislative attitudes.

And it's it's almost entirely comprised of your party.

That's right, I think there's a couple ingredients there.

I mean one Conservatives and Republicans are very passionate about their ideas, and so whenever they're in the legislature, whenever they have a responsibility of handling the budget, they take it seriously whenever they have the responsibility of oversight, they take it very seriously.

And so you've got two strong branches of government that is naturally going to have some friction.

And that's exactly the way our Founding Fathers designed it that there.

Will be some tension between the branches, so that's healthy.

But in Arkansas, as you know, you know structurally the legislative branch is very powerful in and of itself, but I think what you've seen this session is coming out of the pandemic.

They believe that they were on the sidelines, which they were not.

They had the opportunity to gather together.

You know, we talked about having a special session, but.

We reached an agreement that it was not necessary because I could do it by an executive order and that was providing liability immunity and so, but they're still coming out of the pandemic.

I think they wanted to assert themselves they've done that and we've worked through it.

The Emergency Powers Act revisions.

We came to an agreement on that I'm satisfied with it.

That'll protect the properties of future governors to lead during emergency, and that's the critical thing that the executive, the governor has flexibility to lead during emergency and that.

Rocket is still in place.

Did you in an interview earlier this weekend?

Credit where it's due with with our friend Roby Brock.

You emphasize some just some dismay.

Anyway, minor dismay.

Well, this may put it that way at some of the legislation which you termed unnecessary.

My question, Sir, in its emphasis on social issues, transgender gay rights, that sort and also firearms.

Have we overemphasized these social issues at the at the expense of smooth and efficient governance?

And the state's image for that matter.

Well, I mean, I'm a social conservative, but I'm also a conservative that believes in a restrained role of government.

And we've lossed the debate.

We've lossed the analysis of is this the proper role of government?

Should we address this social issue through our community through our church?

Through our family?

Where we instill the values that we hold dear, want to cling to rather than.

Utilized the power of government to enforce that value, and you know, I look at some of the things that were mandated, whether it's in the schools or or whether it's micromanaging healthcare.

These are things that we have to look at other means to accomplish versus simply a legislative or governmental mandates that come through.

And so I just want that to be a part of the conversation.

As you know, I've signed the girls in sports Bill that protects.

Women in sports so that you're not competing against biological males.

I've signed pro-life legislation, but I did veto one bill that interfered with the health care provided toward those that are minors that have the consent of their parents that are under the counseling of physicians, and I don't think the legislature needs to jump right in the middle of that decision.

I got over ruled on that, and that's created a debate that I think it's a good debate.

That we want to show ourselves both as conservative, but also as tolerant of the diversity of our state and nation.

Anan also that we understand and live by that principle of a restrained government, and so that's the message I've tried to communicate.

But let me let me go back to Sir, to hate crimes if I could.

The version which you accepted you described as unique and a success story.

You're aware, Sir, that it's been.

Dismissed by some interest groups.

Some individuals organizations.

As a sham.

Your response.

Well, I disagree with that.

I think the authors of it were very genuine, trying to protect groups that are identifiable from being attacked.

The cause of who they are.

And that's the fundamental principle of it.

I wanted to make sure that whatever category you're in, whether it's a racial minority or whether you're the cause of your gender or other issue, that you're being viciously attacked and targeted for violence.

That's who we wanted to protect.

This bill does that, and I think it's all going to depend upon its application, how prosecutors use it.

I want them to use it when the circumstances call for it, and that will be the proof of what we've done that it is a meaningful exercise.

I did want a different version of it.

I don't get everything that I want.

I wanted to have specific categories identified because they're the ones that have been harmed in in in the past, in our nation, but this bill.

Accomplishes that same purpose and I applaud Speaker Shepherd and Senator Protem Hickey, that worked hard to get this through and had we not worked **** ** it in that fashion, we wouldn't have anything through.

So this is a very significant step forward.

If I could move on to health care, Sir, you are soon to observe the one millionth immunization.

I believe in Arkansas for COVID-19 an yet the state still were nowhere near where you and health experts want the state to be.

Uh, what is the problem here, Sir?

Is there?

Is there a surge in resistance here or what in your estimation?

Or there is a surge in resistance saying I don't know that it's unique to Arkansas.

I talked to my fellow governors across the country and they're running into the same problem and part of it is, I think the resistance that is enhanced in a real state.

We have to do incredible amount of education and then you know the J&J pause has caused some increased hesitancy that we've seen.

And so we've done the easy work.

Probably the first one million Arkansans.

Not easy.

It's been very hard, but it's going to be a lot easier to get there than it will be to get to the second million that we need.

And so we have a lot of work ahead of us.

We're scratching our heads as to how can we incentivize.

How could we encourage?

How can we educate?

Because as yesterday we saw our cases go up.

I hope we don't see him go up again, but that's the warning sign to us that vaccination is the way out of this.

We need everybody to get it, and quite frankly it doesn't help.

Whenever we have laws being passed that prohibits people from requiring vaccinations.

I don't support a vaccination passport for travel purposes.

I'm not going to mandate it from government, but at the same time, let's make sure that our private sector has the ability to protect their workplace and so signals that we send are very important.

We need to do everything we can to encourage Arkansans to get vaccinated.

Well, that takes me back sort of the General Assembly and the legislative executive tension there.

Have you had the partner that you really needed in the in the legislative branch in tackling the pandemic?

Well, let me emphasize that this has really been a good session in terms of our working my working relationship with the leadership of the House and Senate.

We've communicated well, we've worked together.

We've resolved the issue.

So I'm very pleased with that.

The success of that in terms of some of the bills that came out, I've got a lot on my desk that I'm wrestling with as to whether they are constitutional, whether they're taking our state of the right direction, those are decisions yet to be made, but let me talk about one specific.

Saying he ran, that is the debate on a constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to call themselves into session.

And it was pointed out in that debate that I think it's you know more than half of the states across the country do have the ability of the legislature to call themselves into session.

So it's not that unusual.

I would point out that in every one of those states, they also have a meaningful veto of the governor.

And that's the balance that's needed if we're going to give more power to the legislature in different areas, then you've got to give the governor of this state a meaningful veto, which should be 2/3 veto.

Rather than simply a majority override and the people of Arkansas, I don't believe really understand how easy it is to override the veto with a simple majority.

I don't plan on fighting that battle myself, but I hope it's a mantle that people are educated about and that that is something that if you're going to have the legislature call them in together by their own authority, then you also need to give the governor that additional power.

On a meaningful veto, well, let's move on to another battle, Sir, that you indicated this week that you're prepared to fight, and that's in the midterms in 2020.

You want to have an active voice in the future of your party, exactly.

I took that to mean, Sir, that you want to attack your party a bit more toward the center than it has been in recent years.

Am I correct?

I would characterize it this way.

I want to demonstrate through my national leadership efforts.

That conservatism can be tolerant.

Conservatism can understand the necessity of diversity in our nation.

Conservatism can reflect listing to the other side, or it can also reflect working in a bipartisan way on certain issues and not abandon your principles.

This is the conservatism that I hold dear, that I believe reflects the conservatism of Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln that.

Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote about the team of Rivals where Abraham Lincoln brought in those that actually opposed him and made up his cabinet.

This is conservatism to me, that moves our country forward, and so that's my ideal of an America strong and free initiative that I'm going to set up gays for 2022 to make a difference in our country and to be a voice for conservatism that can understand tolerance.

At the same time.

Well, I must say, Sir, when I heard you, uh, earlier this week when you when you disclose your plans things couple of phrases popped into my mind kinder and gentler and compassionate conservatism from 2 from two other Republicans.

That sort of conservatism, Sir, would appear to be.

Out of tune, out of sync with the dominant Republican theme today.

Is it am I wrong?

No, I think that you're right in the sense that we have a conservative.

Republican Party right now that is portrayed and perceived as being angry that is being intolerant.

That is not being compassionate.

And you know, we've got a lot of things we have to fight hard for during the bite administration, so you're not taking away hard fought battles.

But at the same time, there's ways that you can communicate here in the legislative session.

Just to yesterday assigned the bill.

That gave DACA students DACA students the ability to get state licenses for their profession, whether it is engineering, or whether it is nursing, or whether it is teaching.

This is, we could not have done this 1010 years ago, and so we've moved toward a more cat.

Compassion understanding of those immigrants that have come here to our country, and we need them to be productive.

And so that's a good example that we did here in Arkansas that I think is important.

And part of our message and that we can be conservative.

But the same time as you said, George Bush talked about a compassionate conservatism.

Mike Huckabee talked about.

You can be a conservative but you don't have to be mad at the world.

And so that's the message that I think is important today, Sir.

If with all respect, let me give you 15 seconds or less could could this interest group lead to a presidential campaign?

By ASA Hutchinson?

Is that under consideration?

That's not under consideration.

What's under consideration is 2022.

We'll see where that leads, but that is the critical next turning point for our country, and I think my voice is important in that, and I want to make a difference during that election cycle, and that's while I'm governor.

I think that's important for Arkansas, and I think it's important for our nation.

Well, I think you took 20 seconds, Sir, but we hope you come back anyway.

Thank you very much for your time, thank you.

And we'll be right back.

And we're back.

Tuesday is the target date for the legislature to stand in recess, though the work will resume in earnest in only a few months, joining us now.

Republican Representative Mary Bentley of Perryville and Senator Joyce elegant, Democrat of Little Rock.

We may have as our guests the most generally regarded most Liberal member of the General Assembly and one of the, if not the most conservative members.

If you don't know which is which state tiered.

Miss Bentley, it was a session by anybody standard.

It was a session for Conservatives, particularly social Conservatives.

Mr Hutchinson is indicated that at times your block went too far.

Do you concur?

Is there?

Is there anything to that?

I think that our block really represents the people of Arkansas.

We had a 78 majority in the House of Republican members and we're very pro life state and we I think we very well represented the thoughts and the feelings of our constituents.

And I have been even this morning brought Flowers for my constituents that are very supportive of what we've passed this session in.

My constituents are very happy with what we got.

We put forward how much of what you were able to achieve.

Legislatively is likely to withstand judicial review.

I mean some.

Any number of organizations are already.

Promising lawsuits.

Well, we knew that we knew that going in right very much so busy with the Attorney General's office and from my visits with Attorney General's office, they feel very much in favor of everything that we've passed so far.

Senator Elliott.

Well, I think being in favor of something is one thing, but whether or not it's good for the people of our state, or whether or not it is, it is legal and won't cost us millions of dollars which were set up for.

I mean, I, I think of the things that bothered me the most, and there were some good things that happened, but just in response it is.

It is not to be a good idea.

You know all of the the legislation we passed that people with the best interest at heart.

I assume what we're doing.

The transgender kids people in this state are not.

That by and large, the people in this state or not for voter suppression, but by and large, and the people of this state, of course have not been for many many years.

Constantly telling women what to do with their bodies or interfering with families when they have to make reproductive or life life changing decisions.

So we continue to concentrate on social issues when we have so many other issues like healthcare like housing education, whether not our kids are going to have a great start.

We didn't do anything for the most part to move the ball forward for those things that really matter to the quality of life, I I think we actually went backward because I am really so concerned about what's happening to our kids who are LGBTQ but mainly transgender.

What well your colleague from Perryville has appointed.

As you know, this is a General Assembly that was elected, after all by a stunning majority of Arkansans already.

That is exactly right, but when I think people the difference I began to see that people.

Did not were not elected thinking they were going to go to come to the Capitol and do the damage that we did because most most of the Republicans I talked to voted in a way that they did not believe, for example, so many people didn't did not vote this way.

I'm talking bout legislators, but they didn't think it was OK for what we're doing to transgender kids.

And not everybody was for the voter suppression bills, so that we have out there.

Many don't think I would disagree with that.

Well, you should have to be your coats.

I don't have any problem with your disagreeing with it.

I'm just saying that for Arkansas to move forward, I know for sure that most people have been stuck in this state.

Would rather have good housing, great schools, highways, network, Internet service that works.

These are things in people's everyday lives.

And let's say we won't know selves do.

I appreciate it really.

But we did miss Bentley.

Now give her.

Yeah, I think we passed a great bill yesterday on housing.

Represents talks brought up with the bill to have help with habitability.

Yesterday we were, I think, extremely **** ** broadband last session.

This session we have done great things to move broadband forward.

We worked very **** ** that.

We've worked **** ** education and Joyce.

You help me pass a bill just late in the night on Tuesday night for healthy active Arkansas to help in our schools.

I think we are moving the ball forward.

I think we've done some great bills and I I guess I wholeheartedly disagree.

I think we've done some great things to move our state forward.

My constituents love children.

We all love children.

We think that we're doing a great.

Service to help our kids.

So I I guess I would disagree with that.

I think we're moving the ball forward.

I think my constituents and my colleagues.

I've not heard any of them voiced the thoughts that you have, and I know Joyce, that you represent your district well.

Let your constituents love you.

They have re elected you and done a great job.

But my constituents and the constituents of my colleagues are very happy and that's what I'm hearing.

In fact, like I said, even got Flowers delivered to me this morning.

I couldn't go through the grocery store on Sunday for people stopping me and thanking me for sharing their values.

And we think it'll move Arkansas forward.

And I know that, you know.

Disagree.

In a good manner, Joyce at you I can disagree to move things forward and do we need to do more?

I wholeheartedly agree with you that we need to do more for education in our state and I look forward to doing that.

And I look forward to women moving the ball forward even more.

For kids in are Kansas, 'cause we would definitely just got started.

Joyce without a doubt on health and all those things.

Let me ask, Miss Bentley you, you're presenting.

You were one of them or one of the more forceful advocates on the transgender front for restrictions on.

OK, right, that your position would seem to put you this and the state in terms of legislation proposed.

And enacted out of step with much of corporate America and in many other states, that your response to that.

Well, my response is a look at the Arkansas seal in Arkansas.

Seals is the people rule.

The seal doesn't say that corporates rule, and you know, I, I worked at Arkansas Children's Hospital for 14 years.

I love kid my whole heart on that Bill was to protect children.

I think that's exactly what we did and as many of my colleagues said, were out there to protect children as a decision that should be made later in life and life.

Changing decisions should not be making it made it childhood.

And I I love children.

Like I said, I worked at children's to protect children's lives and I think that I have done exactly that.

This session protected children's lives and give them a chance to move forward.

I'm very concerned that the suicide rate in our state is been going up for years and some different things that we did look at that.

I think that we've done things to move that in the right direction as my as my colleagues do in the House.

But any response though to the to the great reservations expressed by some of the major corporations in America, not only in Arkansas to Arkansas policies, but in.

Social policies social legislation in other states as well, particularly in the South.

Could this wind up damaging the state?

I think this is great.

It's really great question Steve and I have been troubled by.

I am all about Arkansas making sure that we have a good tax policy for businesses that we create a good workforce that they have found people to work at their business.

But I have a real problem with with corporations that deal with China that deal with a country that has great human rights tragedies and we know who we're talking about.

Those people deal with China and encourage things that are going on in shining for them to try and to correct me ethically.

I haven't really had a problem with that and I think my constituents do as well.

Alright, the gentleman from Little Rock is going to get the last word because we're low on time.

Senator Elliot well I I missed some of what we said but the thing I want to Arkansas is to have a North Star and we can look at these things in terms of social values and matter.

But these are things that should not be legislated.

I just want us to for once come to the Arkansas Legislature and think about the quality of life for all of us.

We of course disagree on some things that are needed, especially in the social arena, but I think all of us understand those things that are needed for great quality of life is what should be concentrated on an for by all means.

We need to when we get back into the session in 2020, what 23?

I guess we really should look at the voter suppression bill that we passed.

The 'cause that is the foundation.

People have an access to.

The ballot is the foundation for everything we do and I know that people of the state are going to be pleased with some of the things we did.

But from for the most part we went way too far and I think going back to the 20th century of whatever century you might want to name, we are just so much better when we.

When we work together to move families forward, not getting their business and is true represented Bentley and I did work.

We we pass that bill out and one that she had in the committee where I was sharing in the Education Committee.

It was about people's quality of life, and those are the kind of things that we can work on as opposed to many of the social issues that we that we put into legislation.

And we're going to have a huge tax bill because all of this is going to be going to court, etc.

I have to I have to enter apologize to both of you have to end there because we're simply out of time.

A pledge will have both of you back soon.

I would love that.

Alright, good thank you.

Anne, we thank you as always for joining us.

See you next week.

Support for Arkansas Week provided by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

The Arkansas Times and CRF M89.