The Ninety-Forth Arkansas General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Arkansas in 2023 and 2024. The Arkansas Senate and Arkansas House of Representatives were both controlled by the Republicans. In the Senate, 29 senators were Republicans and 6 were Democrats. In the House, 82 representatives were Republicans and 18 were Democrats.
Sessions The Regular Session of the 94th General Assembly opened on January 9, 2023. It adjourned sine die on May 1, 2023.
A special session was called by Governor of Arkansas Sarah Huckabee Sanders to begin September 11, 2023 to consider tax cuts and changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law. It ended after four days. The special session ended with an amendment to the FOIA law exempting information regarding travel on the state airplane, operated by the Arkansas State Police for use by the Governor of Arkansas and other constitutional officers. Several other provisions proposed by the governor to be exempted from FOIA, including deliberations among state officials, policy recommendations, and other information, were withdrawn after receiving broad bipartisan opposition.
The legislature assembled for the fiscal session on April 10, 2024. Governor Sanders' proposed $6.31 billion budget in 2024, with a 2% increase for 2025. The budget included large increases to fund school vouchers created by the Learns Act, as well as the Arkansas State Police and Arkansas Department of Corrections, with reductions to higher education. The budget was approved, but a standoff emerged over setting a potential cap on the salary for the director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The fiscal session adjourned May 9, 2024 without establishing funding for the commission, the first time the legislature had failed to fund a state agency during a fiscal session in over 30 years.
A second special session was called by Governor Sanders to cut taxes and fund the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on June 17, 2024. The legislature reduced the top individual income tax rate to 3.9% and the state’s top corporate income tax rate to 4.3%, with no changes to lower income and middle income earners. Due to a disagreement about a cap on the director's possible salary, the legislature had allocated $0 to the Game and Fish Commission in the fiscal session, which typically received over $100 million to fund operations. Though the House and Senate had ultimately concurred on a compromise, the House had adjourned before it was approved during the fiscal session, requiring reconvening in a special session for ratification. The House also passed a resolution urging voters to vote against the Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative's initiated constitutional amendment (which was ultimately not on the ballot in Arkansas). The special session adjourned June 19, 2024.
Major legislation The legislature passed 889 new laws during the regular session. The signature legislation included Governor Sanders' campaign priorities of education reform (Arkansas Learns Act), tax cuts, and culture war issues like transgender rights to book access at libraries.
Senate Leadership Officers Office Officer Party District President/Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge Republican N/A President Pro Tempore of the Senate Bart Hester Republican 33 Assistant Pro Tempore, 1st District Dan Sullivan Republican 20 Assistant Pro Tempore, 2nd District Clarke Tucker Democrat 14 Assistant Pro Tempore, 3rd District Jim Dotson Republican 34 Assistant Pro Tempore, 4th District Breanne Davis Republican 25
Floor Leaders Office Officer Party District Majority Leader Blake Johnson Republican 21 Majority Whip Ricky Hill Republican 11 Minority Leader Greg Leding Democratic 30 Minority Whip Linda Chesterfield Democratic 12
Senators
District Name Party Residence First elected Seat up Term-limited 1 Ben Gilmore Rep Crossett 2020 2024 2032 2 Matt Stone Rep Camden 2022 2026 2034 3 Steve Crowell Rep Magnolia 2022 2026 2034 4 Jimmy Hickey Jr. Rep Texarkana 2012 2024 2028 5 Terry Rice Rep Waldron 2014 2022 2030 6 Matt McKee Rep Pearcy 2022 2026 2034 7 Alan Clark Rep Lonsdale 2012 2024 2028 8 Stephanie Flowers Dem Pine Bluff 2010 2024 2026 9 Reginald Murdock Dem Marianna 2010 2026 2026 10 Ron Caldwell Rep Wynne 2012 2024 2028 11 Ricky Hill Rep Cabot 2018 (special) 2024 2034 12 Linda Chesterfield Dem Little Rock 2010 2022 2026 13 Jane English Rep North Little Rock 2012 2024 2028 14 Clarke Tucker Dem Little Rock 2014 2024 2032 15 Fredrick Love Dem Mabelvale 2010 2026 2026 16 Kim Hammer Rep Benton 2018 2022 2034 17 Mark Johnson Rep Little Rock 2018 2022 2034 18 Jonathan Dismang Rep Beebe 2010 2024 2026 19 Dave WallaceRep Leachville 2016 2024 2032 20 Dan Sullivan Rep Jonesboro 2014 2024 2030 21 Blake Johnson Rep Corning 2014 2022 2030 22John Payton Rep Wilburn 2012 2026 2028 23 Scott Flippo Rep Mountain Home 2014 2022 2030 24 Missy Irvin Rep Mountain View 2010 2022 2026 25 Breanne Davis Rep Russellville 2018 (special) 2024 2034 26 Gary Stubblefield Rep Branch 2012 2022 2028 27 Justin Boyd Rep Fort Smith 2014 2026 2030 28 Bryan King Rep Green Forest 2013 2026 2034 29 Jim Petty Rep Van Buren 2022 2026 2034 30 Greg Leding Dem Fayetteville 2018 2026 2034 31 Clint Penzo Rep Springdale 2016 2024 2032 12 Joshua P. Bryant Rep Rogers 2020 2024 2032 33 Bart Hester Rep Cave Springs 2012 2024 2028 34 Jim Dotson Rep Bentonville 2012 2026 2028 35 Tyler Dees Rep Siloam Springs 2022 2026 2034
House of Representatives Leadership Officers Office Officer Party District Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives Matthew Shepherd Republican 97 Speaker Pro Tempore Jon Eubanks Republican 46 Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 1st District Charlene Fite Republican 24 Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 2nd District Jack Ladyman Republican 32 Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 3rd District DeAnn Vaught Republican 87 Assistant Speaker pro tempore, 4th District Fred Allen Democratic 77
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
Representatives
District Name Party First elected Term-limited1Rep202220342Rep202220343Rep202220344Rep201620325Rep201420306Rep201820347Rep202220348Rep201620329Rep2022203410Rep2022203411Rep2022203412Rep2022203413Rep2022203414Rep2014203015Rep2014203016Rep2020203217Rep2020203218Rep2014203019Rep2022203420Dem2018203421Dem2018203422Dem2012202823Rep2022203424Rep2012202825Rep2022203426Rep2020203227Rep2022203428Rep2022203429Rep2020203230Rep2016203231Rep2016203232Rep2014203033Rep2020203234Rep2022203435Dem2014203036Rep2016203237Rep2016203238Rep2014203039Rep2022203440Rep2022203441Rep2012202842Rep2010202643Rep2014203044Rep2018203445Rep2016203246Rep2012202847Rep2018203448Rep2022203449Dem2018203450Rep2022203451Rep2018203452Rep2014203053Rep2022203454Rep2014203055Rep2022203456Dem2012202857Rep2018203458Rep2014203059Rep2018203460Rep2016203261Rep2022203462Rep2012203063Dem2012202864Dem2014203065Dem2014203066Dem2018203467Rep2014203068Rep2018203469Rep2020203270Rep2016203271Rep2022203472Dem2018202873Dem2018203474Dem2018203475Dem2020203276Dem2020 (special)203677Dem2016203278Rep2020203279Dem2022203480 Dem 2019 (special) 203481Rep2022203482Rep2020203283Rep2014203084Rep2016203285Rep2020 (special)203686Rep2016203287Rep 2014 203088Rep2016203289Rep2014203090Rep2012202891Rep2011†202892Rep2016203293Rep2012202894Rep2010202695Rep2020203296Rep2016203297Rep2010202698Rep2022203499Rep20102026100Rep20162032
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