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Lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
Arkansas House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| 94th Arkansas General Assembly | |
| |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | 16 Years (both houses) |
| History | |
| Founded | January 30, 1836 |
New session started | January 9, 2023 |
| Leadership | |
Speaker pro tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 100 |
 | |
Political groups | Majority
Minority |
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article 8, Section 2, Arkansas Constitution |
| Salary | $39,399.84/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| 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 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]
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]
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.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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% | ||||
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.
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