Arkansas House of Representatives

Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
94th Arkansas General Assembly
	Seal
Type
Type	Lower house
Term limits	16 Years (both houses)
History
Founded	January 30, 1836
New session started	January 9, 2023
Leadership
Speaker	Matthew Shepherd (R) ; since June 15, 2018
Speaker pro tempore	Jon Eubanks (R) ; since January 12, 2015
Majority Leader	Marcus Richmond (R) ; since January 9, 2023
Minority Leader	Tippi McCullough (D) ; since January 11, 2021
Structure
Seats	100
Political groups	Majority Republican (82); Minority Democratic (18);
Length of term	2 years
Authority	Article 8, Section 2,; Arkansas Constitution
Salary	$39,399.84/year + per diem
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	November 8, 2022; (100 seats)
Next election	November 5, 2024; (100 seats)
Redistricting	Arkansas Board of Apportionment
Meeting place
	House of Representatives Chamber; Arkansas State Capitol; Little Rock, Arkansas
Website
	Arkansas House of Representatives

The Arkansas State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 29,159 according to the 2010 federal census. Members are elected to two-year terms and, since the 2014 Amendment to the Arkansas Constitution, limited to sixteen years cumulative in either house.^[1]

The Arkansas House of Representatives meets annually, in regular session in odd number years and for a fiscal session in even number years, at the State Capitol in Little Rock.^[2]

History

During the Reconstruction era that followed the American Civil War, the Federal government passed the Reconstruction Acts and African Americans were enfranchised with voting rights. African Americans were elected and served in the Arkansas House although the numbers eventually declined as the Democrats retook control and were able to restore white supremacy. By the start of the 20th century African Americans were largely barred from holding in the Arkansas House and across the southern states.

John Wilson, the first Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, stabbed Representative J. J. Anthony to death during a legislative debate on the floor of the chamber in 1837. Wilson was later acquitted. The Old State House is said to be haunted to this day.^[3]^[4]

In 1922, Frances Hunt became the first woman elected to a seat in the Arkansas General Assembly when she was elected to a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives.^[5]

Leadership of the House

The Speaker of the House presides over the body and is elected by the membership every two years. Its duties include the supervision and directing the daily order of business, recognizing members to speak, preserving order in the House, deciding all questions of order and germaneness, certifying all measures passed, assigning committee leadership, and naming members to select committees. In the Speaker's absence, the Speaker Pro Tempore presides.

Officers

Office	Officer	Party	District
Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives	Matthew Shepherd	Republican	97
Speaker Pro Tempore	Jon S. Eubanks	Republican	74
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 1st District	Jack Ladyman	Republican	32
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 2nd District	Fred Allen	Democratic	77
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 3rd District	Charlene Fite	Republican	24
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 4th District	DeAnn Vaught	Republican	87

Floor Leaders

Office	Officer	Party	District
Majority Leader	Marcus E. Richmond	Republican	52
Majority Whip	Jon Milligan	Republican	33
Minority Leader	Tippi McCullough	Democratic	74
Minority Whip	Vivian Flowers	Democratic	65

Current composition

82	18
Republican	Democratic

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)				Total

	Republican	Democratic	Ind	Green		Vacant
End of the 90th General Assembly	68	31	1	0	100	0

Beginning of the 91st General Assembly	76	24	0	0	100	0
End of the 91st General Assembly	76	24	0	0	100	0
Current	82	18	0	0	100	0
Latest voting share	82%	18%

Current membership

District	Name	Party	First elected	Term-limited
1	Jeremy Wooldridge	Rep	2022	2034
2	Trey Steimel	Rep	2022	2034
3	Stetson Painter	Rep	2022	2034
4	Jack Fortner	Rep	2016	2032
5	Ron McNair	Rep	2014	2030
6	Harlan Breaux	Rep	2018	2034
7	Brit McKenzie	Rep	2022	2034
8	Austin McCollum	Rep	2016	2032
9	DeAnna Hodges	Rep	2022	2034
10	Mindy McAlindon	Rep	2022	2034
11	Rebecca Burkes	Rep	2022	2034
12	Hope Hendren Duke	Rep	2022	2034
13	Scott Richardson	Rep	2022	2034
14	Grant Hodges	Rep	2014	2030
15	John P. Carr	Rep	2020	2036
16	Kendon Underwood	Rep	2020	2036
17	Delia Haak	Rep	2014	2030
18	Robin Lundstrum	Rep	2014	2030
19	Steve Unger	Rep	2022	2034
20	Denise Garner	Dem	2018	2034
21	Nicole Clowney	Dem	2018	2034
22	David Whitaker	Dem	2012	2028
23	Kendra Moore	Rep	2022	2034
24	Charlene Fite	Rep	2012	2028
25	Chad Puryear	Rep	2022	2034
26	Mark H. Berry	Rep	2020	2036
27	Steven Walker	Rep	2022	2034
28	Bart Schultz	Rep	2022	2034
29	Rick McClure	Rep	2020	2036
30	Frances Cavenaugh	Rep	2016	2032
31	Jimmy Gazaway	Rep	2016	2032
32	Jack Ladyman	Rep	2014	2030
33	Jon Milligan	Rep	2020	2036
34	Joey L. Carr	Rep	2022	2034
35	Milton Nicks Jr.	Dem	2014	2030
36	Johnny Rye	Rep	2016	2032
37	Steve Hollowell	Rep	2016	2032
38	Dwight Tosh	Rep	2014	2032
39	Wayne Long	Rep	2022	2034
40	Shad Pearce	Rep	2022	2034
41	Josh Miller	Rep	2012	2028
42	Stephen Meeks	Rep	2010	2026
43	Rick Beck	Rep	2014	2030
44	Stan Berry	Rep	2018	2034
45	Aaron Pilkington	Rep	2016	2032
46	Jon S. Eubanks	Rep	2010	2026
47	Lee Johnson	Rep	2018	2034
48	Ryan Rose	Rep	2022	2034
49	Jay Richardson	Dem	2018	2034
50	Zachary Gramlich	Rep	2022	2034
51	Cindy Crawford	Rep	2018	2034
52	Marcus Richmond	Rep	2014	2030
53	Matt Duffield	Rep	2022	2034
54	Mary Bentley	Rep	2014	2030
55	Matthew Brown	Rep	2022	2034
56	Steve Magie	Dem	2012	2028
57	Cameron Cooper	Rep	2022	2034
58	Les Eaves	Rep	2014	2030
59	Jim Wooten	Rep	2018 (special)	2034
60	Roger Lynch	Rep	2016	2032
61	Jeremiah Moore	Rep	2022	2034
62	Mark McElroy	Rep	2012	2030
63	Deborah Ferguson	Dem	2012	2028
64	Ken Ferguson	Dem	2014	2030
65	Vivian Flowers	Dem	2014	2030
66	Mark Perry	Dem	2008	2030
67	Karilyn Brown	Rep	2014	2030
68	Brian S. Evans	Rep	2018	2034
69	David Ray	Rep	2020	2036
70	Carlton Wing	Rep	2016	2032
71	Brandon Achor	Rep	2022	2034
72	Jamie Aleshia Scott	Dem	2018	2034
73	Andrew Collins	Dem	2018	2034
74	Tippi McCullough	Dem	2018	2034
75	Ashley Hudson	Dem	2020	2036
76	Joy C. Springer	Dem	2020 (special)	2036
77	Fred Allen	Dem	2008	2026
78	Keith Brooks	Rep	2020	2036
79	Tara Shephard	Dem	2022	2034
80	Denise Ennett	Dem	2019 (special)	2036
81	R. J. Hawk	Rep	2022	2034
82	Tony Furman	Rep	2020	2036
83	Lanny Fite	Rep	2014	2030
84	Les Warren	Rep	2016	2032
85	Richard McGrew	Rep	2019 (special)	2036
86	John Maddox	Rep	2016	2032
87	DeAnn Vaught	Rep	2014	2030
88	Danny Watson	Rep	2016	2032
89	Justin Gonzales	Rep	2014	2030
90	Richard Womack	Rep	2012	2028
91	Bruce Cozart	Rep	2011 (special)	2028
92	Julie Mayberry	Rep	2014	2032
93	Mike Holcomb	Rep	2012	2028
94	Jeff Wardlaw	Rep	2010	2026
95	Howard Beaty	Rep	2020	2036
96	Sonia Eubanks Barker	Rep	2016	2032
97	Matthew Shepherd	Rep	2010	2026
98	Wade Andrews	Rep	2022	2034
99	Lane Jean	Rep	2010	2026
100	Carol Dalby	Rep	2016	2032

Past composition of the House of Representatives

Committees

The House has 10 Standing Committees:

CLASS A

Education
Judiciary
Public Health, Welfare & Labor
Public Transportation
Revenue and Taxation

CLASS B

Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs
Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development
City, County and Local Affairs
Insurance and Commerce
State Agencies and Governmental Affairs

HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEES

Rules
House Management

JOINT COMMITTEES

Budget
Energy
Performance Review
Public Retirement and Social Security Programs
Advanced Communication and Information Technology

CURRENT COMMITTEES INCLUDE:^[6]

Advanced Communications And Information Technology
Aging, Children And Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs
- Veterans' Home Task Force
- House Leg., Military & Veterans Affairs
- House Children & Youth Subcom.
- House Aging Subcommittee
Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development
- House Parks & Tourism Subcommittee
- House Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resources Subcom.
City, County & Local Affairs Committee
- House Planning Subcommittee
- House Local Government Personnel Subcommittee
- House Finance Subcommittee
Education Committee
- House K-12, Vocational-Technical Institutions Subcommittee
- House Higher Education Subcommittee
- House Early Childhood Subcommittee
House Management
House Rules
Insurance & Commerce
- House Utilities Subcommittee
- House Insurance Subcommittee
- House Financial Institutions Subcommittee
Joint Performance Review
Judiciary Committee
- House Juvenile Justice & Child Support Subcommittee
- House Courts & Civil Law Subcommittee
- House Corrections & Criminal Law Subcommittee
Public Health, Welfare And Labor Committee
- House Labor & Environment Subcommittee
- House Human Services Subcommittee
- House Health Services Subcommittee
Public Transportation
- House Waterways & Aeronautics Subcom.
- House And Rail Subcommittee
- House Motor Vehicle & Highways Subcom.
Revenue & Taxation
- House Sales, Use, Misc. Taxes & Exemptions Subcom.
- House Income Taxes-Personal & Corporate Subcom.
- House Complaints And Remediation Subcom.
State Agencies & Govt'L Affairs
- House State Agencies & Reorgan. Subcom
- House Elections Subcommittee
- House Constitutional Issues Subcommittee

Each Representative serves on two Standing Committees, and each committee has 20 members. Standing Committee chairmen and vice-chairmen are selected from respective committee rosters by the Speaker.

Two Select Committees operate exclusively within the House. Members of the committees are appointed by the Speaker. The House Select Committees are the House Committee on Rules and the House Management Committee.

The Committee on Rules considers all proposed action touching the House rules, the joint rules and the order of business. The Committee also considers all legislation dealing with alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco, tobacco products, coin-operated amusement devices, vending machines, lobbying, code of ethics, pari-mutuel betting and similar legislation.

The House Management Committee works with the Speaker of the House to direct and oversee operations of the House of Representatives. Its duties include the hiring and supervision of the House Staff, the development of personnel policies and procedures, and the monitoring of facility usage and maintenance.

Representatives also serve on five committees that operate jointly with the Senate. They are Joint Budget, Joint Retirement and Social Security Programs, Joint Energy, Joint Performance Review and Joint Committee on Advanced, Communications and Information Technology

House members of the Joint Budget Committee are chosen by their peers from respective caucus districts. House members on other Joint Committees are appointed to their positions by the Speaker.

References

^ "Home - Arkansas House of Representatives". www.arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
^ "Arkansas House of Representatives". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
^ [1] Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ "Wilson-Anthony Duel - Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
^ "Women". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Arkansas: The Central Arkansas Library System. 2010. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
^ "Arkansas House Committees". Open States. Sunlight Foundation. April 9, 2014. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2014.