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{{Infobox officeholder
| name=William H. "Bill" Sample
| birth_date=April 16, 1946
| residence=Hot Springs, Arkansas
| birth_place=Hazen, Prairie County, Arkansas
|office=[[Arkansas]] State Senator for<br> District 14 (Garland and Saline counties)
| term_start=2013
| preceded=Paul Bookout (switched to District 21; resigned 2013)
| succeeded=
| office2=Arkansas State Senator for District 19
| term_start2=2011
| term_end2=2013
| preceded2=Terry Smith
| succeeded2=David Wyatt
| office3=Arkansas State Representative for District 30
| term_start3=2005
| term_end3=2011
| preceded3=
| succeeded3=Bruce Westerman
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| alma_mater=University of Arkansas at [[Little Rock]]
| occupation=Owner of a pest-control business
| religion=[[United Methodist]]
| spouse=Betty Ann Owen Sample
| children=Two daughters, Cleta and Brandi}
}
'''William H. Sample''', known as '''Bill Sample'' (born April 16, 1946), is the operator of a pest-control business in Hot Springs in west central [[Arkansas]] and a [[Republican Party|Republican]] state senator. Since January 2013, he has represented Senate District 14, which includes Garland and Saline counties; previously he represented District 19 from 2011 to 2013.<ref name=bio/>
==Background==
Sample was born in Hazen in Prairie County in east central Arkansas. He attended a year of instruction at the University of Arkansas at [[Little Rock]] during the time that the institution was private. Sample and his wife, the former Betty Ann Owen (born 1956), have two daughters, Cleta and Brandi. He is affiliated with the [[United Methodist Church]].<ref name=whsample>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/27839/bill-sample#.UqJL3xXnYfQ|title=Bill Sample's Biography|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=December 9, 2020}}</ref>
==Political life==
Sample was elected to the Senate in 2010 from District 19 to succeed the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Terry Smith. He defeated another Democrat, Gene Shelby, 14,071 votes (57.1 percent) to 10,550 (42.9 percent). In 2012, Sample was switched to District 14 through [[redistricting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ballotpedia.org/Arkansas_State_Senate_elections,_2012|title=Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012|publisher=ballotpedia.org|accessdate=December 5, 2013}}</ref> From 2005 to 2011, he served in District 30 in the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]],<ref name=whsample/> having been succeeded in that position by fellow Republican Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs., since the [[U.S. Representative]] for Arkansas' 4th congressional district.
Sample is vice chair of the Arkansas Legislative Council and a member of these Senate committees: (1) State Game and Fish Commission Oversight, (2) Budget, (3) Efficiency, (4) Legislative Joint Auditing, (5) Revenue and Tax, and (6) Public Retirement and Social Security Programs.<ref name=whsample/> He is affiliated with the [[Conservative (politics)|conservative]] [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC) and the Council of State Governments.<ref name=bio>{{cite web |url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Member%20Profiles/Missy%20Irvin.pdf|title=Biography of the Honorable Bill Sample, Arkansas State Senator|publisher=arkleg.state.ar.us|accessdate=December 5, 2013}}</ref>
Sample opposes [[abortion]], having voted to ban the practice after twenty weeks of [[gestation]] or whenever fetal heartbeat is determined. He opposes allowing abortion to be covered in health-care plans.<ref name=votingrecords>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/27839/bill-sample#.UqJQ3hXnYfQ|title=Bill Sample's Voting Records|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=December 9, 2020}}</ref> In 2008, as a House member, Sample voted to raise [[severance tax]]es on four categories of natural gas, with the funds allocated for state highway improvements. In 2009, Representative Sample joined a one-third minority in opposing an increase in the state [[minimum wage]]. In 2011, Senator Sample did not vote on a bill to ban [[cell phone]]s in school zones on grounds of safety considerations.<ref name=votingrecords/>
In 2013, Sample joined the Senate majority to amend state [[income tax]] rates. He did not vote on legislation to reduce the amount of weekly unemployment compensatio] benefits, but he did support a related bill to require the recipients to be screened for illegal use of [[narcotics]]. He voted successfully to override Democratic then [[Governor]] [[Mike Beebe]]'s [[veto]] of a bill to require photo identification when one casts a ballot in Arkansas. He opposed legislation to make the office of prosecuting attorney in Arkansas a nonpartisan position. He voted to allow handguns to be carried on church properties and to forbid the release of information on the holders of concealed carry permits. He voted to allow university staff to carry concealed weapons. He did not vote on a bill to permit the sale of [[pasteurization|unpasteurized]] whole milk within the state and on another bill to require a racial impact statement regarding crimes.<ref name=votingrecords/>
Sample was re-nominated to the state Senate in the Republican primary held on May 20, 2014; he defeated
Jerry Neal, 5,712 (55 percent) to 4,650 (45 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.katv.com/story/12801589/katv-election-results|title=Arkansas Primary Election Results, May 20, 2014|publisher=[[KATV]]|accessdate=May 21, 2014}}</ref> Neal based much of his campaign on Sample's vote for the "private option" [[Medicaid]] program by which the state purchases health insurance for its most needy citizens.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.katv.com/story/25745732/flippo-beats-burris-in-arkansas-state-senate-race|title=Flippo beats Burris in Arkansas state Senate race|date=June 10, 2014|publisher=KATV ([[Little Rock]])|accessdate=June 17, 2014}}</ref>
In the general election held on November 4, 2014, Sample won a four-year term in the state Senate by defeating the Independent George Pritchett, 20,899 votes (71 percent) to 8,460 (29 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/53237/149792/Web01/en/summary.html|title=2014 election Results|publisher=Arkansas Secretary of State Elections Page|accessdate=December 26, 2014}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sample, Bill}}
[[Category:Arkansas]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:State Senators
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:United Methodists]]
Created page with " {{Infobox officeholder | name=William H. "Bill" Sample | birth_date=April 16, 1946 | residence=Hot Springs, Arkansas | birth_place=Hazen, Prairie County, Arkansas |office=..."
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=William H. "Bill" Sample
| birth_date=April 16, 1946
| residence=Hot Springs, Arkansas
| birth_place=Hazen, Prairie County, Arkansas
|office=[[Arkansas]] State Senator for<br> District 14 (Garland and Saline counties)
| term_start=2013
| preceded=Paul Bookout (switched to District 21; resigned 2013)
| succeeded=
| office2=Arkansas State Senator for District 19
| term_start2=2011
| term_end2=2013
| preceded2=Terry Smith
| succeeded2=David Wyatt
| office3=Arkansas State Representative for District 30
| term_start3=2005
| term_end3=2011
| preceded3=
| succeeded3=Bruce Westerman
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| alma_mater=University of Arkansas at [[Little Rock]]
| occupation=Owner of a pest-control business
| religion=[[United Methodist]]
| spouse=Betty Ann Owen Sample
| children=Two daughters, Cleta and Brandi}
}
'''William H. Sample''', known as '''Bill Sample'' (born April 16, 1946), is the operator of a pest-control business in Hot Springs in west central [[Arkansas]] and a [[Republican Party|Republican]] state senator. Since January 2013, he has represented Senate District 14, which includes Garland and Saline counties; previously he represented District 19 from 2011 to 2013.<ref name=bio/>
==Background==
Sample was born in Hazen in Prairie County in east central Arkansas. He attended a year of instruction at the University of Arkansas at [[Little Rock]] during the time that the institution was private. Sample and his wife, the former Betty Ann Owen (born 1956), have two daughters, Cleta and Brandi. He is affiliated with the [[United Methodist Church]].<ref name=whsample>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/27839/bill-sample#.UqJL3xXnYfQ|title=Bill Sample's Biography|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=December 9, 2020}}</ref>
==Political life==
Sample was elected to the Senate in 2010 from District 19 to succeed the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Terry Smith. He defeated another Democrat, Gene Shelby, 14,071 votes (57.1 percent) to 10,550 (42.9 percent). In 2012, Sample was switched to District 14 through [[redistricting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ballotpedia.org/Arkansas_State_Senate_elections,_2012|title=Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012|publisher=ballotpedia.org|accessdate=December 5, 2013}}</ref> From 2005 to 2011, he served in District 30 in the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]],<ref name=whsample/> having been succeeded in that position by fellow Republican Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs., since the [[U.S. Representative]] for Arkansas' 4th congressional district.
Sample is vice chair of the Arkansas Legislative Council and a member of these Senate committees: (1) State Game and Fish Commission Oversight, (2) Budget, (3) Efficiency, (4) Legislative Joint Auditing, (5) Revenue and Tax, and (6) Public Retirement and Social Security Programs.<ref name=whsample/> He is affiliated with the [[Conservative (politics)|conservative]] [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC) and the Council of State Governments.<ref name=bio>{{cite web |url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Member%20Profiles/Missy%20Irvin.pdf|title=Biography of the Honorable Bill Sample, Arkansas State Senator|publisher=arkleg.state.ar.us|accessdate=December 5, 2013}}</ref>
Sample opposes [[abortion]], having voted to ban the practice after twenty weeks of [[gestation]] or whenever fetal heartbeat is determined. He opposes allowing abortion to be covered in health-care plans.<ref name=votingrecords>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/27839/bill-sample#.UqJQ3hXnYfQ|title=Bill Sample's Voting Records|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=December 9, 2020}}</ref> In 2008, as a House member, Sample voted to raise [[severance tax]]es on four categories of natural gas, with the funds allocated for state highway improvements. In 2009, Representative Sample joined a one-third minority in opposing an increase in the state [[minimum wage]]. In 2011, Senator Sample did not vote on a bill to ban [[cell phone]]s in school zones on grounds of safety considerations.<ref name=votingrecords/>
In 2013, Sample joined the Senate majority to amend state [[income tax]] rates. He did not vote on legislation to reduce the amount of weekly unemployment compensatio] benefits, but he did support a related bill to require the recipients to be screened for illegal use of [[narcotics]]. He voted successfully to override Democratic then [[Governor]] [[Mike Beebe]]'s [[veto]] of a bill to require photo identification when one casts a ballot in Arkansas. He opposed legislation to make the office of prosecuting attorney in Arkansas a nonpartisan position. He voted to allow handguns to be carried on church properties and to forbid the release of information on the holders of concealed carry permits. He voted to allow university staff to carry concealed weapons. He did not vote on a bill to permit the sale of [[pasteurization|unpasteurized]] whole milk within the state and on another bill to require a racial impact statement regarding crimes.<ref name=votingrecords/>
Sample was re-nominated to the state Senate in the Republican primary held on May 20, 2014; he defeated
Jerry Neal, 5,712 (55 percent) to 4,650 (45 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.katv.com/story/12801589/katv-election-results|title=Arkansas Primary Election Results, May 20, 2014|publisher=[[KATV]]|accessdate=May 21, 2014}}</ref> Neal based much of his campaign on Sample's vote for the "private option" [[Medicaid]] program by which the state purchases health insurance for its most needy citizens.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.katv.com/story/25745732/flippo-beats-burris-in-arkansas-state-senate-race|title=Flippo beats Burris in Arkansas state Senate race|date=June 10, 2014|publisher=KATV ([[Little Rock]])|accessdate=June 17, 2014}}</ref>
In the general election held on November 4, 2014, Sample won a four-year term in the state Senate by defeating the Independent George Pritchett, 20,899 votes (71 percent) to 8,460 (29 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/53237/149792/Web01/en/summary.html|title=2014 election Results|publisher=Arkansas Secretary of State Elections Page|accessdate=December 26, 2014}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sample, Bill}}
[[Category:Arkansas]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:State Senators
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:United Methodists]]