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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Committees
The House has 10 Standing Committees:

CLASS A
 * Education
 * Judiciary
 * Public Health, Welfare & Labor
 * Public Transportation
 * Revenue and Taxation

CLASS B
 * Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs
 * Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development
 * City, County and Local Affairs
 * Insurance and Commerce
 * State Agencies and Governmental Affairs

HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEES
 * Rules
 * House Management

JOINT COMMITTEES
 * Budget
 * Energy
 * Performance Review
 * Public Retirement and Social Security Programs
 * Advanced Communication and Information Technology

CURRENT COMMITTEES INCLUDE:


 * Advanced Communications And Information Technology
 * Aging, Children And Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs
 * Veterans' Home Task Force
 * House Leg., Military & Veterans Affairs
 * House Children & Youth Subcom.
 * House Aging Subcommittee
 * Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development
 * House Parks & Tourism Subcommittee
 * House Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resources Subcom.
 * City, County & Local Affairs Committee
 * House Planning Subcommittee
 * House Local Government Personnel Subcommittee
 * House Finance Subcommittee
 * Education Committee
 * House K-12, Vocational-Technical Institutions Subcommittee
 * House Higher Education Subcommittee
 * House Early Childhood Subcommittee
 * House Management
 * House Rules
 * Insurance & Commerce
 * House Utilities Subcommittee
 * House Insurance Subcommittee
 * House Financial Institutions Subcommittee
 * Joint Performance Review
 * Judiciary Committee
 * House Juvenile Justice & Child Support Subcommittee
 * House Courts & Civil Law Subcommittee
 * House Corrections & Criminal Law Subcommittee
 * Public Health, Welfare And Labor Committee
 * House Labor & Environment Subcommittee
 * House Human Services Subcommittee
 * House Health Services Subcommittee
 * Public Transportation
 * House Waterways & Aeronautics Subcom.
 * House And Rail Subcommittee
 * House Motor Vehicle & Highways Subcom.
 * Revenue & Taxation
 * House Sales, Use, Misc. Taxes & Exemptions Subcom.
 * House Income Taxes-Personal & Corporate Subcom.
 * House Complaints And Remediation Subcom.
 * State Agencies & Govt'L Affairs
 * House State Agencies & Reorgan. Subcom
 * House Elections Subcommittee
 * House Constitutional Issues Subcommittee

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.