Kenneth Ferguson
| Kenneth Bernard Ferguson, Sr. | |
 | |
Arkansas State Representative
for District 16 (Jefferson and Lincoln counties) | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | James Word |
|---|---|
| Born | August 4, 1951 Place of birth missing |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Cassandra Ferguson |
| Children | Four children |
| Residence | Pine Bluff, Jefferson County Arkansas, USA |
| Religion | Baptist |
Kenneth Bernard Ferguson, Sr. (born August 4, 1951),[1] is an African-American retiree from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who is a Democratic state representative for District 16, which includes Jefferson and Lincoln counties in the southeastern portion of his state. Ferguson has held his legislative seat since January 2015.[2]
Ferguson was elected in 2014 in House District 16 to succeed the term-limited African-American Democrat James Word, also of Pine Bluff. In the primary election, Ferguson led two opponents but was forced into a runoff contest with intraparty rival, Win Trafford (born c. 1972), also of Pine Bluff, whom he led by nineteen votes. In the second round of balloting with a low turnout, Ferguson prevailed 1,170 (54.5 percent) to Trafford's 978 (45.5 percent). Ferguson faced no opposition in the November 4 general election.[3]
Representative Ferguson holds these committee assignments: (1) Revenue and Tax Committee and (2) City, County, and Local Affairs.[2]
In February 2015, Ferguson was one of twenty legislators who opposed House Bill 1228, authored by Republican Bob Ballinger of Carroll County in northwestern Arkansas,[4] which sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion.[5] Representative Camille Bennett, a Democrat from Lonoke, called for a reworking of the legislation.[6] She claimed that the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.[4] The measure was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Governor Asa Hutchinson.[7]
Ferguson is a former resident of Roanoke in Denton County in North Texas, dates unavailable.
References
- ↑ Kenneth Ferguson. Mylife.com. Retrieved on February 5, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kenneth B. Ferguson. arkansashouse.org. Retrieved on February 4, 2021.
- ↑ District 16. ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on February 5, 2021.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Opponents of Religious Freedom Bill Point Out Law Differences, Possible Unintended Consequences," Fox Channel 16 (Little Rock), April 1, 2015.
- ↑ HB 1228. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on February 5, 2021.
- ↑ Indiana, Arkansas try to stem religious objections uproar. Atlantic Broadband (April 3, 2015). Retrieved on April 14, 2015; material no longer on-line.
- ↑ "Gov. Hutchinson signs revised religious freedom bill; HB 1228 recalled," KTHV (Little Rock), April 2, 2015.
