State Rep. Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, said Monday he’ll be a candidate for 2015 House speaker.
Shepherd, a 37-year-old attorney who is chairman of the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee, joins state Reps. Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia; Kim Hammer, R-Benton; and Fred Love, D-Little Rock, in seeking the post.
The 100-member House will elect a speaker-designate at the end of the 2014 fiscal session, which begins Feb. 10.
Republicans hold 51 seats in the House, with the Democrats having 48 seats and the Green Party one.
After Republicans won control of the House for the first time in 138 years in November 2012, the House ousted Rep. Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock, as House speaker-designate and then selected Rep. Davy Carter, R-Cabot, over Rep. Terry Rice, for the post. Most Democrats joined a band of Republicans to elect Carter, whose election was confirmed by lawmakers in January.
Shepherd, who has served in the House since 2011, said Monday that he’s informed his colleagues in the past few weeks that he is running for House speaker, after some colleagues encouraged him to seek the post.
He said he would provide “strong leadership,” adding that he has a strong record of working with both Democrats and Republicans on legislation.
Among other things, Shepherd cited his measures to exempt clothes and school materials from the state’s sales tax for two days each August through Act 757 of 2011 and make the office of prosecuting attorney a nonpartisan office through Act 1110 of 2013.
As chairman of the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee, he said he ran fair and even-handed hearings earlier this year on legislation to authorize a $125 million bond issue for Big River Steel’s proposed steel plant near Osceola.
Hammer, co-chairman of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee and a hospital chaplain, said Shepherd is one of several good candidates for speaker.
Gillam, chairman of the House Management Committee and a farmer, said Shepherd is a good friend and “a great representative.”
Love, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, said Tuesday that he “looks forward to a spirited race.” Love, a grants administrator for Pulaski County, said lawmakers will have to choose from several capable candidates.
Earlier this year, Gillam, Love and Shepherd voted for legislation authorizing the state to use federal Medicaid money to purchase private health insurance through health-care exchanges for about 250,000 uninsured Arkansans, while Hammer voted against the measure.
The speaker appoints committee chairmen and decides to which committees bills are sent. He presides over debate in the House, choosing which members will be allowed to speak for or against bills or make motions affecting House action on the bills.
Arkansas, Pages 7 on 10/30/2013