Arkansas Senate

Last updated

Arkansas Senate
94th Arkansas General Assembly
Seal of Arkansas.svg
State seal
Type
Type
Term limits
Members first elected on or before November 3, 2020: 16 years (consecutive or non-consecutive, both houses), eligible to run again 4 years after their last term ends. Members first elected after November 3, 2020: 12 years (consecutive, both houses), eligible to run again 4 years after their last term ends.
History
FoundedJanuary 30, 1836 (1836-01-30)
Preceded by Arkansas Council (Territorial)
New session started
January 11, 2021
Leadership
Leslie Rutledge (R)
since January 10, 2023
President pro tempore
Bart Hester (R)
since January 9, 2023
Majority Leader
Blake Johnson (R)
since January 9, 2023
Minority Leader
Greg Leding (D)
since January 9, 2023
Structure
Seats35
Arkansas Senate Arch 6d29r.svg
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (29)

Minority

Length of term
4 years normally.
Possibility of 2 years in years ending in 2.
AuthorityArticle 8, Section 2, Arkansas Constitution
Salary$39,399.84/year + per diem
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
 November 8, 2022
(17 seats)
Next election
 November 5, 2024
(18 seats)
Redistricting Arkansas Board of Apportionment
Meeting place
Arkansas State Senate.png
Senate Chamber
Arkansas State Capitol
Little Rock, Arkansas
Website
Arkansas Senate

The Arkansas State Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 83,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have full-time jobs during the rest of the year. During the current term, the Senate contains twenty-nine Republicans and six Democrats.

Contents

History

The Arkansas Senate was created and re-created by the Arkansas Constitution ratified on January 30, 1836. It is now governed by the fifth and current constitution of Arkansas adopted in 1874. [1]

During the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War, the federal government passed the Reconstruction Acts and enfranchised African Americans. Many African Americans served in the Arkansas House and a smaller number in the Arkansas Senate (African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era) until Democrats reasserted white supremacy and barred them from voting and holding office as was done across the American south.

In 1947, the Arkansas Legislative Council committee was created to collect data for legislators and oversee the Bureau of Legislative Research, which is composed of professional, nonpartisan staff to aid in the legislative process. The committee consists of 36 legislators, 16 of which are state senators. [2]

In 1964, Dorathy M. Allen became the first woman elected to the Arkansas Senate. [3] During her time in office, she was the only woman in the Arkansas Senate. [4]

Legislators met biennially until a 2008 ballot initiative created annual legislative sessions. [2] In 1992, voters approved term limits of two four-year terms. [2] In 2014, term limits were extended to 16 years cumulative in either house. In 2020, voters approved a constitutional amendment changing terms limits to 12 consecutive years with the opportunity to return after a 4-year break. [5] This change only affects legislators elected after the November 2020 elections. Legislators elected in the November 2020 elections or earlier can serve 16 years consecutively or non-consecutively and return once 4 years have passed from their last term expiring.

Powers and process

Arkansas state senators are responsible for making and amending the laws of Arkansas in collaboration with the Arkansas House of Representatives and the governor. Senators begin the legislative process by submitting bill requests to the staff of the Bureau of Legislative Research that drafts a bill to conform to the author's intent. Bills are then filed with the Secretary of the Arkansas Senate or an assistant secretary of the Arkansas Senate. [6] The legislative process during the legislative session mirrors that of other state legislatures in the United States. Bills are introduced on First Reading and assigned to a committee, vetted by the committee, undergo Second and Third Readings on the floor of the Senate, go to the opposite house of the legislature, and return or go directly to the governor. The governor has veto power, but two-thirds of the membership of both houses of the legislature can override that veto. [6]

State senators are also responsible for approving the governor's appointments and 16 members of the Arkansas Senate serve on the Arkansas Legislative Council and the Joint Auditing Committee. [6] The Arkansas Legislative Council oversees the Bureau of Legislative Research, which provides professional support services for legislators. [2] It also acts as an organizing committee and members of the council exert a greater degree of influence over the legislative process and outcome. [2]

Terms and qualifications

The senators are usually elected for four-year terms. After the U.S. Census every ten years, all Senate districts are redrawn to ensure that they each have approximately the same number of constituents. After redistricting, every senate position appears on the ballot in the next election. Following this, senators draw lots, and 18 are allotted a two-year term while 17 receive a four-year term. This staggers elections so that only half the body is up for re-election every two years.

Two-year terms drawn by a senator after reapportionment do not count against a senator's service under the term limits amendment, which limits Arkansas state senators to two terms of four years. A senator who draws a two-year term can serve for 10 or even 12 years, depending on when they were elected.

Arkansas Constitution – Article 5. Legislative Department. § 3. Senate.
The Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four years, by the qualified electors of the several districts. At the first session of the Senate, the Senators shall divide themselves into two classes, by lot, and the first class shall hold their places for two years only, after which all shall be elected for four years.

They are also limited to serving no more than two four-year terms.

Arkansas Constitution – Amendment 73. Arkansas Term Limitation Amendment. § 2(b). Legislative Branch.
The Arkansas Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four years by the qualified electors of the several districts. No member of the Arkansas Senate may serve more than two such four-year terms.

Current composition

Composition of the Arkansas State Senate after the 2020 elections. Democratic Party Republican Party Independent Arkansas Senate 2020.svg
Composition of the Arkansas State Senate after the 2020 elections.
  Democratic Party
  Republican Party
  Independent
Composition of the Arkansas State Senate after the 2022 elections. Republican party Democratic Party Senate Partisan Control 2023 Session.png
Composition of the Arkansas State Senate after the 2022 elections.
  Republican party
  Democratic Party


629
DemocraticRepublican
AffiliationParty
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican IndependentVacant
End of 88th General Assembly (2012)20150350
Begin 89th General Assembly (2013)14210350
End of 89th General Assembly (2014)13220
Begin 90th General Assembly (2015)11240350
End of 90th General Assembly (2016)0
Begin 91st General Assembly (2017)9260350
November 15, 2017 [7] 250341
November 16, 2017 [8] 240332
February 9, 2018 [9] 230323
June 19, 2018 [10] 250341
Begin 93rd General Assembly (2021)7271350
Begin 94th General Assembly (2023)6290350
Latest voting share

Organization

The President of the Senate is the presiding officer of the Arkansas Senate, but the President Pro Tempore is the presiding officer in the absence of the Senate president. [6] In practice, the President Pro Tempore generally serves as the presiding officer. Other Senate leadership positions include Majority leader, Whip and minority party positions. Committee assignments are determined by seniority, according to the rules of the Senate. [6]

Officers

OfficeOfficerPartyDistrict
President/Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge RepublicanN/A
President Pro Tempore of the Senate Bart Hester [11] Republican33
Assistant Pro Tempore, 1st District Dan Sullivan Republican20
Assistant Pro Tempore, 2nd District Clarke Tucker Democratic14
Assistant Pro Tempore, 3rd District Jim Dotson Republican34
Assistant Pro Tempore, 4th District Breanne Davis Republican25

Floor Leaders

OfficeOfficer [12] PartyDistrict
Majority Leader Blake Johnson Republican21
Majority Whip Ricky Hill Republican11
Minority Leader Greg Leding Democratic30
Minority Whip Linda Chesterfield Democratic12

Committees

Current committees include: [13]

Current Senators

DistrictNamePartyResidenceFirst electedSeat upTerm-limited
1 Ben Gilmore Rep Crossett 202020242036
2 Matt Stone Rep Camden 202220262038
3 Steve Crowell Rep Magnolia 202220242038
4 Jimmy Hickey Jr. Rep Texarkana 201220242028
5 Terry Rice Rep Waldron 201420242030
6 Matt McKee Rep Pearcy 202220242038
7 Alan Clark Rep Lonsdale 201220262028
8 Stephanie Flowers Dem Pine Bluff 201020242026
9 Reginald Murdock Dem Marianna 201020262026
10 Ron Caldwell Rep Wynne 201220262028
11 Ricky Hill Rep Cabot 2018 (special)20262034
12 Linda Chesterfield Dem Little Rock 201020242026
13 Jane English Rep North Little Rock 201220262028
14 Clarke Tucker Dem Little Rock 201420262032
15 Fredrick Love Dem Mabelvale 201020262026
16 Kim Hammer Rep Benton 201820262034
17 Mark Johnson Rep Little Rock 201820242034
18 Jonathan Dismang Rep Beebe 201020242026
19 David Wallace Rep Leachville 201620242032
20 Dan Sullivan Rep Jonesboro 201420242030
21 Blake Johnson Rep Corning 201420262030
22 John Payton Rep Wilburn 201220242028
23 Scott Flippo Rep Mountain Home 201420242030
24 Missy Irvin Rep Mountain View 201020262026
25 Breanne Davis Rep Russellville 2018 (special)20242034
26 Gary Stubblefield Rep Branch 201220242028
27 Justin Boyd Rep Fort Smith 201420262030
28 Bryan King Rep Green Forest 201320262034
29 Jim Petty Rep Van Buren 202220242038
30 Greg Leding Dem Fayetteville 201820262034
31 Clint Penzo Rep Springdale 201620262032
32 Joshua P. Bryant Rep Rogers 202020262036
33 Bart Hester Rep Cave Springs 201220242028
34 Jim Dotson Rep Bentonville 201220242028
35 Tyler Dees Rep Siloam Springs 202220262038


    Past composition of the Senate

    See also

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    References

    1. ↑ Arkansas General Assembly, Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture (accessed April 28, 2013)
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 Arkansas Legislative Council, Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture (accessed April 28, 2013)
    3. ↑ Smith, Lindsley Armstrong (October 29, 2009). "Dorathy N. McDonald Allen". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
    4. ↑ Johnson, Ben (July 15, 2009). "Modern Era, 1968 through the Present". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
    5. ↑ "Issue 2 - Arkansas Term Limits Amendment". University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Research & Extension. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
    6. 1 2 3 4 5 2013 Senate Rules, Arkansas Senate (accessed April 27, 2013)
    7. ↑ Peppas, Jeremy (November 20, 2017). "Cabot: Governor sets special election to fill Senate seat". Lonoke News. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
    8. ↑ Lanning, Curt (November 17, 2017). "State Sen. Greg Standridge Dead at 50". ARKANSASMATTERS. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
    9. ↑ Wilson, Kristen (January 30, 2018). "Sen. Jake Files sends resignation letter to governor". KATV.
    10. ↑ "State's 2 newest senators sworn in". Arkansas Online. June 20, 2018.
    11. ↑ Wickline, Michael R. (January 9, 2023). "Arkansas Senate elects Hester as president pro tempore; Shepherd elected House speaker for 3rd time". Arkansas Online. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
    12. ↑ Herzog, Rachel; Moritz, John; Wickline, Michael R. (January 12, 2021). "Arkansas lawmakers gather, take first actions of session". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . Little Rock, Arkansas: WEHCO Media . Retrieved February 7, 2021.
    13. ↑ "Arkansas Senate Committees". Open States. Sunlight Foundation. April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

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