Nelda Speaks
| Nelda Gean Speaks | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 100th district | |
|
Assumed office January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Karen Hopper |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
c. 1943 Place of birth missing |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Benny Harold Speaks |
| Children | One daughter |
| Residence |
Mountain Home, Baxter County Arkansas, USA |
| Occupation |
Former county treasurer and justice of the peace |
| Religion | Baptist |
Nelda Gean Speaks (born c. 1943)[1] is a retired county official in Mountain Home, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for a part of Baxter County in the northern portion of her state.[2]
Speaks's place of birth, names of parents, former places of residence, educational institutions, and other pertinent information are missing. She is a former treasurer of Baxter County and a justice of the peace. She and her husband, Benny Harold Speaks (born c. 1940), have one daughter.[3] She is active in the Baxter County Republican organization and is the first vice president of the Arkansas Republican Party. She is a member of the National Rifle Association. Speaks lists her religious affiliation as Baptist.[2]
Speaks ran without opposition in the Republican primary held on May 20, 2014. The House seat was vacated by the term-limited Karen Hopper, a university administrator in Mountain Home. In the November 4 general election, she handily defeated the Democrat, Willa Mae Sutterfield Tilley (born c. 1950), 6,550 (63 percent) to 3,850 (37 percent), in a heavily Republican year statewide.[4]
Representative Speaks holds these committee assignments: (1) City, County and Local Affairs and (2) Revenue and Taxation.[2] In February 2015, Speaks joined dozens of her fellow Republicans and two Democrats in co-sponsoring legislation submitted by Representative Lane Jean of Magnolia, to reduce unemployment compensation benefits. The measure was promptly signed into law by Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.[5]
That same month, she supported House Bill 1228, sponsored by Bob Ballinger of Carroll County, which sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion.[6] After critics questioned the constitutiofnaly of the measure, it was revised and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Governor Hutchinson.[7]
References
- ↑ "Nelda Speaks". intelius.com. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Nelda Speaks". arkansashouse.org. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Nelda Speaks's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ↑ "District 90". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ↑ "HB 1489 - Reduces Unemployment Benefits - Key Vote". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
- ↑ "HB 1228". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ↑ "Gov. Hutchinson signs revised religious freedom bill; HB 1228 recalled". Little Rock: KTHV-TV. April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
| Preceded by Karen Hopper |
Arkansas State Representative for District 100 (Baxter County) Nelda Gean Speaks |
Succeeded by Incumbent |