Arkansas House of Representatives explained

Arkansas House of Representatives
Legislature:94th Arkansas General Assembly
Coa Pic:Seal of the Arkansas House of Representatives.svg
Coa Alt:House of Representatives seal
Session Room:The Arkansas House of Representatives floor.jpg
House Type:Lower house
Term Limits:16 Years (both houses)
New Session:January 9, 2023
Leader1 Type:Speaker
Leader1:Matthew Shepherd (R)
Election1:June 15, 2018
Leader2 Type:Speaker pro tempore
Leader2:Jon Eubanks (R)
Election2:January 12, 2015
Leader3 Type:Majority Leader
Leader3:Marcus Richmond (R)
Election3:January 9, 2023
Leader4 Type:Minority Leader
Leader4:Tippi McCullough (D)
Election4:January 11, 2021
Term Length:2 years
Authority:Article 8, Section 2,
Arkansas Constitution
Salary:$39,399.84/year + per diem
Members:100
Structure1:Arkansas House of Representatives 2022.svg
Structure1 Res:250px
Voting System1:First-past-the-post
Last Election1:November 8, 2022
(100 seats)
Next Election1:November 5, 2024
(100 seats)
Redistricting:Arkansas Board of Apportionment
Political Groups1:Majority

Minority

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 has 100 members elected from an equal number of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 30,137, according to the 2020 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

OfficeOfficerPartyDistrict
Speaker of the Arkansas House of RepresentativesMatthew ShepherdRepublican97
Speaker Pro TemporeJon S. EubanksRepublican74
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 1st DistrictJack LadymanRepublican32
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 2nd DistrictFred AllenDemocratic77
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 3rd DistrictCharlene FiteRepublican24
Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 4th DistrictDeAnn VaughtRepublican87

Floor Leaders

OfficeOfficerPartyDistrict
Majority LeaderMarcus E. RichmondRepublican52
Majority WhipJon MilliganRepublican33
Minority LeaderTippi McCulloughDemocratic74
Minority WhipVivian FlowersDemocratic65

Current composition

8218
RepublicanDemocratic
AffiliationParty

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

Total
RepublicanDemocraticIndGreenVacant
nowrap style="font-size:80%"End of the 90th General Assembly6831101000
nowrap style="font-size:80%"Beginning of the 91st General Assembly7624001000
nowrap style="font-size:80%"End of the 91st General Assembly7624001000
nowrap style="font-size:80%"Current8218001000
Latest voting share82%18%

Current membership

DistrictNamePartyResidenceFirst electedTerm-limited
1RepMarmaduke20222034
2RepPocahontas20222034
3RepMountain Home20222034
4RepYellville20162032
5RepHarrison20142030
6RepHoliday Island20182034
7RepRogers20222034
8RepBentonville20162032
9RepSpringdale20222034
10RepCenterton20222034
11RepLowell20222034
12RepGravette20222034
13RepBentonville20222034
14RepCenterton20142030
15RepRogers20202036
16RepCave Springs20202036
17RepSiloam Springs20142030
18RepElm Springs20142030
19RepSpringdale20222034
20DemFayetteville20182034
21DemFayetteville20182034
22DemFayetteville20122028
23RepLincoln20222034
24RepVan Buren20122028
25RepHindsville20222034
26RepOzark20202036
27RepHorseshoe Bend20222034
28RepCave City20222034
29RepMalvern20202036
30RepWalnut Ridge20162032
31RepParagould20162032
32RepJonesboro20142030
33RepLake City20202036
34RepBlytheville20222034
35DemMarion20142030
36RepTrumann20162032
37RepForrest City20162032
38RepJonesboro20142032
39RepBradford20222034
40RepBatesville20222034
41RepHeber Springs20122028
42RepGreenbrier20102026
43RepCenter Ridge20142030
44RepDover20182034
45RepKnoxville20162032
46RepSubiaco20102026
47RepGreenwood20182034
48RepVan Buren20222034
49DemFort Smith20182034
50RepFort Smith20222034
51RepFort Smith20182034
52RepHarvey20142030
53RepRussellville20222034
54RepPerryville20142030
55RepConway20222034
56DemConway20122028
57RepRomance20222034
58RepSearcy20142030
59RepBeebe2018 (special)2034
60RepLonoke20162032
61RepClarendon20222034
62RepTillar20122030
63DemWest Memphis20122028
64DemPine Bluff20142030
65DemPine Bluff20142030
66DemJacksonville20082030
67RepSherwood20142030
68RepCabot20182034
69RepMaumelle20202036
70RepNorth Little Rock20162032
71RepMaumelle20222034
72DemNorth Little Rock20182034
73DemLittle Rock20182034
74DemLittle Rock20182034
75DemLittle Rock20202036
76DemLittle Rock2020 (special)2036
77DemLittle Rock20082026
78RepLittle Rock20202036
79DemLittle Rock20222034
80DemLittle Rock2019 (special)2036
81RepBryant20222034
82RepBenton20202036
83RepBenton20142030
84RepHot Springs20162032
85RepHot Springs2019 (special)2036
86RepMena20162032
87RepHoratio20142030
88RepHope20162032
89RepOkolona20142030
90RepArkadelphia20122028
91RepHot Springs2011 (special)2028
92RepHensley20142032
93RepPine Bluff20122028
94RepHermitage20102026
95RepCrossett20202036
96RepSmackover20162032
97RepEl Dorado20102026
98RepCamden20222034
99RepMagnolia20102026
100RepTexarkana20162032

Past composition of the House of Representatives

See main article: Political party strength in Arkansas.

Committees

The House has 10 Standing Committees:

CLASS A

CLASS B

HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEES

JOINT COMMITTEES

CURRENT COMMITTEES INCLUDE:[6]

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.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Home - Arkansas House of Representatives . www.arkansashouse.org . February 19, 2019 . September 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180919183040/http://www.arkansashouse.org/ . live .
  2. Web site: Arkansas House of Representatives . Ballotpedia . en . February 19, 2019 . November 7, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181107091447/https://ballotpedia.org/Arkansas_House_of_Representatives . live .
  3. http://www.oldstatehouse.com/educational_programs/classroom/arkansas_news.aspx?issue=30&page=5&detail=945
  4. Web site: Wilson-Anthony Duel - Encyclopedia of Arkansas . May 11, 2018 . https://archive.today/20180511081458/http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5664 . May 11, 2018 . live .
  5. Encyclopedia: Women . 2010 . The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture . The Central Arkansas Library System . March 31, 2010 . Arkansas . March 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306094149/http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=400 . live .
  6. Web site: Arkansas House Committees . April 9, 2014 . Open States . . April 9, 2014 . May 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190530210620/https://openstates.org/ar/committees/?chamber=lower . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Arkansas House of Representatives".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.