48th Arkansas General Assembly explained

48th Arkansas General Assembly
Before:47th
After:49th
Chamber1 Image:Arkansas Senate Arch 35d.svg
Chamber1 Image Caption:Senate party standings
Chamber1:Arkansas Senate
Membership1:35 (35 Democratic Party)
Control1:Democratic Party
Chamber1 Leader1 Type:President of the Senate
Chamber1 Leader1:Lawrence Wilson (D)
Chamber2 Image:Arkansas House Arch 99d1r.svg
Chamber2 Image Caption:House party standings
Chamber2:House of Representatives
Membership2:100 (99 Democratic Party, 1 R)
Control2:Democratic Party
Chamber2 Leader1 Type:House Speaker
Chamber2 Leader1:Irving Neale (D)
Session1 Start:January 12, 1931
Session1 End:May 12, 1931
Session2 Start:October 7, 1931
Session3 Start:March 15, 1932
Session3 End:April 12, 1932

The Forty-Eighth Arkansas General Assembly was the legislative body of the state of Arkansas in 1931 and 1932. In this General Assembly, the Arkansas Senate and Arkansas House of Representatives were both controlled by the Democrats. In the Senate, all 35 senators were Democrats, and in the House, 99 representatives were Democrats, with one Republican. It was the first General Assembly to use redistricted legislative districts from the 1930 United States Census.

Major events

Vacancies

Appointments

Legislative summary

The 48th General Assembly generally dealt with routine matters. They created the county highway fund[1] and abolished the elected office of Arkansas State Superintendent of Public Instruction, converting the office to the Arkansas Commissioner of Education, which was appointed by the Arkansas Board of Education.

Governor Parnell sought approval from the legislature to send a government reorganization plan to the voters. The plan would have reduced all state elections to once every four years, with only the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general remaining as elected officials and reorganizing the executive branch into twelve departments. The plan was viewed as an increase in the governor's power and never gained traction with the legislature.[2]

A special session was called in October 1931 to reduce 1932 acreage in cotton cultivation by 30% from 1931 levels (to reduce overproduction).[3] A second special session was called in March 1932 for a myriad of subjects. The legislature ratified the lame duck amendment to the United States Constitution and dealt with various financial matters in the state, some caused by the Great Depression in the United States. Though the governor's stated matters had been dealt with, the House voted 82-7 against adjourning on April 12. Governor Parnell then declared the session over, overriding the vote. However, a rump group of 69 House members persisted until the Arkansas Supreme Court disbanded the proceedings on April 14.[4]

Senate

The senate was controlled completely the Democratic party. Eighteen senators were lawyers, five were farmers, three were merchants, with one each listing their occupation as: cotton buyer, insurance man, editor, banker, manufacturer, minister, car dealer, and doctor.[5]

Leadership

Senators

DistrictSenatorPartyFirst electedCounties
1 Democratic 1928 Clay, Craighead, Greene
2 Democratic 1928 Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp
3 Democratic1922 Boone, Marion, Newton
4 Democratic 1930 Johnson, Pope
5 Democratic 1920 Washington
6 Democratic 1930 Independence, Stone
7 J. L. ShaverDemocratic1930 Cross, Woodruff
8 Democratic 1928 Logan, Yell
9 Democratic 1928 Grant, Hot Spring, Saline
10 Democratic1926 Perry, Pulaski
10 Democratic1930 Perry, Pulaski
11 Democratic 1916 Jefferson
12 T. P. AtkinsDemocratic1930 Lonoke, Prairie
13 Elmo ChaneyDemocratic1928 Arkansas, Monroe
14 John M. QuarlesDemocratic1928 Lee, Phillips
15 Democratic1930 Ashley, Chicot
16 Tate McGeheeDemocratic 1928 Cleveland, Dallas, Lincoln
17 W. F. NorrellDemocratic1930 Desha, Drew
18 Duvall L. PerkinsDemocratic1928 Bradley, Union
19 Charles L. PooleDemocratic 1930 Calhoun, Ouachita
20 Lawrence L. MitchellDemocratic1930 Hempstead, Nevada
21 Ned A. StewartDemocratic1930 Columbia, Lafayette, Miller
22 Democratic 1930 Howard, Little River, Sevier
23 William H.V. WahlquistDemocratic1928 Baxter, Fulton, Izard
24 Mike I. ShusterDemocratic 1930 Carroll, Madison
25 Democratic1928 Crawford, Franklin
26 Guy WallsDemocratic1930 Conway, Cleburne, Searcy, Van Buren
27 W. H. AbingtonDemocratic1930 White, Faulkner
28 J. F. BrewerDemocratic1924 Sebastian
29 R. A. NelsonDemocratic1928 Jackson, Mississippi, Poinsett
30 Fletcher McElhannonDemocratic1930 Clark, Pike
31 Granville JonesDemocratic1928Garland, Montgomery
32 Marvin B. NorfleetDemocratic1930 Crittenden, St. Francis
33 J. A. ThorntonDemocratic1924 Polk, Scott
34 Storm O. WhaleyDemocratic1930 Benton

House of Representatives

The House was controlled by the Democratic party, with only one Republican member. Democratic hegemony was typical in Arkansas and throughout the American South during the Solid South period. Thirty-three members of the House were lawyers, with 21 farmers, 5 insurance men, 4 teachers, 4 doctors, 4 bankers, and three ministers. The remaining members held a variety of occupations, including one homemaker, Ethel Cole Cunningham, the only female member of the 48th General Assembly.

Leadership

Representatives

CountyRepresentativePartyFirst elected
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
BaxterDemocratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Benton Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
BradleyDemocratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Clark Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1928
Columbia Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Conway Democratic 1929 (App)
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Crawford Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1926
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Franklin Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Garland Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Hempstead Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Independence Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Jefferson Democratic 1930
Jefferson Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Lee Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Logan Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Lonoke Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1923
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Phillips Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Pope Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Pulaski Democratic 1930
Pulaski Democratic 1930
Pulaski Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Republican 1930
Democratic 1924
Sebastian Democratic 1930
Sebastian Democratic 1930
Democratic 1928
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1926
Washington Democratic 1928
Washington Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
White Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Democratic 1930
Yell Democratic 1930

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Development of Highway and Transportation Legislation in Arkansas . A Review of the Acts Relative to Administering and Financing Highways and Transportation in Arkansas . 18 . Arkansas Department of Transportation . Little Rock . Governmental Relations Office . 2018 . August 28, 2022 .
  2. Book: Herndon, Dallas Tabor . Annals of Arkansas . 1947 . Historical Record Association . . 1 . 272-273 . 3920841 . .
  3. .
  4. .
  5. News: . Assembly Sidelights . Fayetteville . Democrat Publishing Company . Fayetteville Daily Democrat . January 13, 1931 . 37 . 44 . 4 . 18126013 . NewspaperARCHIVE .
  6. News: Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat . Neale Speaker 48th General State Assembly . Fayetteville . Democrat Publishing Company . Fayetteville Daily Democrat . January 12, 1931 . 37 . 43 . 1 . 18126013 . NewspaperARCHIVE .