Arkansas General Assembly

Legislative branch of the state government of Arkansas

Arkansas General Assembly
94th Arkansas General Assembly
Seal of Arkansas
Type
Type
Bicameral
HousesSenate
House of Representatives
History
FoundedSeptember 12, 1836
(187 years ago) (1836-09-12)
Preceded byGeneral Assembly of Arkansas Territory
New session started
January 9, 2023 (January 9, 2023)
Leadership
Leslie Rutledge (R)
since January 10, 2023
Senate president pro tempore
Bart Hester (R)
since January 9, 2023
Speaker of the House
Matthew Shepherd (R)
since June 15, 2018
Structure
Seats135 voting members
  • 35 senators
  • 100 representatives
State Senate political groups
  Republican (29)
  •   Democratic (6)
    • House of Representatives political groups
    Elections
    Last State Senate election
    		November 8, 2022
    (17 seats)
    Last House of Representatives election
    		November 8, 2022
    Next State Senate election
    		November 5, 2024
    (18 seats)
    Next House of Representatives election
    		November 5, 2024
    Meeting place
    Arkansas State Capitol
    Little Rock
    Website
    www.arkleg.state.ar.us
    Constitution
    Arkansas Constitution of 1874

    The General Assembly of Arkansas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house Arkansas Senate with 35 members, and the lower Arkansas House of Representatives with 100 members. All 135 representatives and state senators represent an equal number of constituent districts.

    The General Assembly convenes on the second Monday of every other year. A session lasts for 60 days unless the legislature votes to extend it. The governor of Arkansas can issue a "call" for a special session during the interims between regular sessions. The General Assembly meets at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock.

    History

    The General Assembly of Arkansas is authorized by the Arkansas Constitution, which is the state's fifth constitution. The first constitution was ratified on January 30, 1836, and the current constitution was adopted in 1874.[1] The constitution has also been amended throughout the state's history since 1874.[1]

    Originally, legislators met biennially, but today meet annually.[2] In 1922, Frances Hunt became the first woman elected to a seat in the General Assembly when she was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives.[3]

    Powers and process

    The General Assembly of Arkansas is responsible making and amending the laws of Arkansas. The legislative process is similar to that of other state legislatures in the United States. Bills undergo committee review and three readings on the floor of each house of the legislature. The governor has veto power, but a simple majority of both houses of the legislature can override that veto.[4]

    Legislators also select 20 state representatives and 16 state senators to serve on the Arkansas Legislative Council, which oversees the Bureau of Legislative Research and acts as an organizing committee for the legislature.[2]

    Terms and term limits

    Amendment 73 of the Arkansas Constitution, approved by voters in the 1992 state general elections, set term limits for representatives and senators. representatives were limited to three two-year terms (six years); senators were limited to two four-year terms (eight years).

    Amendment 73 also set term limits for U.S. senators and representatives, but this part of the Amendment was found unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton. As Section 4 of the Amendment included a severability clause, the remainder of the amendment remained in force.

    This was replaced to a large extent by Amendment 94 in 2014, which extended the total years that could be served to 16 in any combination of House and Senate seats.

    The law was changed again in 2020 by a referendum removing the lifetime limit of 16 years in the legislature and switching to 12 consecutive years, with the option to return after a four-year break.

    See also

    • flagArkansas portal

    References

    1. ^ a b Arkansas General Assembly, Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture (accessed April 28, 2013)
    2. ^ a b Arkansas Legislative Council, Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture (accessed April 28, 2013)
    3. ^ "Women". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Arkansas: The Central Arkansas Library System. 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
    4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

    External links

    • Official website Edit this at Wikidata
    • Media related to Arkansas General Assembly at Wikimedia Commons
    Preceded by Legislature of Arkansas
    September 12, 1836 – present     		Succeeded by
    Current
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    flag Arkansas portal
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    Members of the Arkansas Senate
    94th General Assembly (2023)
    President of the Senate
    Leslie Rutledge (R)
    President pro tempore
    Bart Hester (R)
    Majority Leader
    Blake Johnson (R)
    Minority Leader
    Greg Leding (D)
    1. ▌Ben Gilmore (R)
    2. ▌Matt Stone (R)
    3. ▌Steve Crowell (R)
    4. ▌Jimmy Hickey Jr. (R)
    5. ▌Terry Rice (R)
    6. ▌Matt McKee (R)
    7. ▌Alan Clark (R)
    8. ▌Stephanie Flowers (D)
    9. ▌Reginald Murdock (D)
    10. ▌Ron Caldwell (R)
    11. ▌Ricky Hill (R)
    12. ▌Linda Chesterfield (D)
    13. ▌Jane English (R)
    14. ▌Clarke Tucker (D)
    15. ▌Fredrick Love (D)
    16. ▌Kim Hammer (R)
    17. ▌Mark Johnson (R)
    18. ▌Jonathan Dismang (R)
    19. ▌David Wallace (R)
    20. ▌Dan Sullivan (R)
    21. ▌Blake Johnson (R)
    22. ▌John Payton (R)
    23. ▌Scott Flippo (R)
    24. ▌Missy Irvin (R)
    25. ▌Breanne Davis (R)
    26. ▌Gary Stubblefield (R)
    27. ▌Justin Boyd (R)
    28. ▌Bryan King (R)
    29. ▌Jim Petty (R)
    30. ▌Greg Leding (D)
    31. ▌Clint Penzo (R)
    32. ▌Joshua P. Bryant (R)
    33. ▌Bart Hester (R)
    34. ▌Jim Dotson (R)
    35. ▌Tyler Dees (R)
    • v
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    94th General Assembly (2023-present)
    Speaker of the House
    Matthew Shepherd (R)
    Speaker pro tempore
    Jon Eubanks (R)
    Majority Leader
    Marcus Richmond (R)
    Minority Leader
    Tippi McCullough (D)
    1. ▌Jeremy Wooldridge (R)
    2. ▌Trey Steimel (R)
    3. ▌Stetson Painter (R)
    4. ▌Jack Fortner (R)
    5. ▌Ron McNair (R)
    6. ▌Harlan Breaux (R)
    7. ▌Brit McKenzie (R)
    8. ▌Austin McCollum (R)
    9. ▌DeAnna Hodges (R)
    10. ▌Mindy McAlindon (R)
    11. ▌Rebecca Burkes (R)
    12. ▌Hope Hendren Duke (R)
    13. ▌Scott Richardson (R)
    14. ▌Grant Hodges (R)
    15. ▌John P. Carr (R)
    16. ▌Kendon Underwood (R)
    17. ▌Delia Haak (R)
    18. ▌Robin Lundstrum (R)
    19. ▌Steve Unger (R)
    20. ▌Denise Garner (D)
    21. ▌Nicole Clowney (D)
    22. ▌David Whitaker (D)
    23. ▌Kendra Moore (R)
    24. ▌Charlene Fite (R)
    25. ▌Chad Puryear (R)
    26. ▌Mark H. Berry (R)
    27. ▌Steven Walker (R)
    28. ▌Bart Schulz (R)
    29. ▌Rick McClure (R)
    30. ▌Frances Cavenaugh (R)
    31. ▌Jimmy Gazaway (R)
    32. ▌Jack Ladyman (R)
    33. ▌Jon Milligan (R)
    34. ▌Joey L. Carr (R)
    35. ▌Milton Nicks (D)
    36. ▌Johnny Rye (R)
    37. ▌Steve Hollowell (R)
    38. ▌Dwight Tosh (R)
    39. ▌Wayne Long (R)
    40. ▌Shad Pearce (R)
    41. ▌Josh Miller (R)
    42. ▌Stephen Meeks (R)
    43. ▌Rick Beck (R)
    44. ▌Stan Berry (R)
    45. ▌Aaron Pilkington (R)
    46. ▌Jon Eubanks (R)
    47. ▌Lee Johnson (R)
    48. ▌Ryan Rose (R)
    49. ▌Jay Richardson (D)
    50. ▌Zachary Gramlich (R)
    51. ▌Cindy Crawford (R)
    52. ▌Marcus Richmond (R)
    53. ▌Matt Duffield (R)
    54. ▌Mary Bentley (R)
    55. ▌Matthew Brown (R)
    56. ▌Stephen Magie (D)
    57. ▌Cameron Cooper (R)
    58. ▌Les Eaves (R)
    59. ▌Jim Wooten (R)
    60. ▌Roger Lynch (R)
    61. ▌Jeremiah Moore (R)
    62. ▌Mark McElroy (R)
    63. ▌Deborah Ferguson (D)
    64. ▌Ken Ferguson (D)
    65. ▌Vivian Flowers (D)
    66. ▌Mark Perry (D)
    67. ▌Karilyn Brown (R)
    68. ▌Brian S. Evans (R)
    69. ▌David Ray (R)
    70. ▌Carlton Wing (R)
    71. ▌Brandon Achor (R)
    72. ▌Jamie Aleshia Scott (D)
    73. ▌Andrew Collins (D)
    74. ▌Tippi McCullough (D)
    75. ▌Ashley Hudson (D)
    76. ▌Joy Springer (D)
    77. ▌Fred Allen (D)
    78. ▌Keith Brooks (R)
    79. ▌Tara Shephard (D)
    80. ▌Denise Ennett (D)
    81. ▌R. J. Hawk (R)
    82. ▌Tony Furman (R)
    83. ▌Lanny Fite (R)
    84. ▌Les Warren (R)
    85. ▌Richard McGrew (R)
    86. ▌John Maddox (R)
    87. ▌DeAnn Vaught (R)
    88. ▌Danny Watson (R)
    89. ▌Justin Gonzales (R)
    90. ▌Richard Womack (R)
    91. ▌Bruce Cozart (R)
    92. ▌Julie Mayberry (R)
    93. ▌Mike Holcomb (R)
    94. ▌Jeff Wardlaw (R)
    95. ▌Howard Beaty (R)
    96. ▌Sonia Eubanks Barker (R)
    97. ▌Matthew Shepherd (R)
    98. ▌Wade Andrews (R)
    99. ▌Lane Jean (R)
    100. ▌Carol Dalby (R)
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    34°44′48″N 92°17′21″W / 34.7467387°N 92.2892220°W / 34.7467387; -92.2892220