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, 01:16, February 19, 2021
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Lance Ronaco Eads
| birth_place=
| birth_date=August 5, 1968
| residence=Springdale, Arkansas
| death_date=
| death_place=
| death_cause=
| resting_place=
| office=[[Arkansas]] State Representative<br> for District 88 (Washington County)
| term_start=January 2015
| term_endJanuary 2017
| preceded=[[Randy Alexander]]
| succeeded=[[Clint Penzo]]
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| alma_mater=Ouachita Baptist University
| occupation=[[Business]]man
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]<br>
| spouse=Kim Hufford Eads
| children=Two children<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Vol Leroy and Joyce Gail Eads}}
'''Lance Ronaco Eads''' (born August 5, 1968)<ref name=inteli>{{cite web|url=
http://www.intelius.com/results.php?ReportType=1&formname=name&qf=Lance&qmi=&qn=Eads&qcs=Springdale%2C+AR&focusfirst=1|title=Lance Ronaco Eads|publisher=intelius.com|accessdate=April 11, 2015}}</ref> is a vice-president of the [[Chamber of Commerce]] in Springdale, [[Arkansas]], who is a [[Republican Party|Republican] former one-term state representative for District 88 in a portion of Washington County in the northwestern portion of his state.<ref name=lre>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansashouse.org/member/358/Lance-Eads|title=Lance Eads|publisher=arkansashouse.org|accessdate=April 11, 2015}}</ref>
==Background==
Eads is the son of Vol Leroy and Joyce Gail Eads of Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 1992, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in professional education from the Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia in Clark County in southern Arkansas. He resides with his wife, the former Kim Hufford, and their two children in [[suburb]]an Prairie Grove in Washington County.<ref name=lre/><ref name=pvs>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/141580/lance-eads#.VSlL08stEqQ|title=Lance Eads|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=February 18, 2021}}</ref> In 2003, he was named a business development manager for a federal credit union; in 2010, he joined the chamber of commerce in Springdale.<ref name=pvs/> He previously resided in Gentry in Benton County and in Lincoln, West Fork, and Farmington, and Fayetteville in Washington County.<ref name=inteli/>
Eads is a [[Southern Baptist]] and a member of the mega-church, The Cross Church in Washington County,<ref name=lre/> also known as the First Baptist Church of Springdale. Eads's pastor is [Ronnie Floyd, is a former president of the [[Southern Baptist Convention]].
==Political life==
From 2011 to 2012, Eads was a justice of the peace in Washington County. In 2014, he unseated in the low-turnout Republican [[primary]] election the one-term incumbent, [[Randy Alexander]], also of Springdale, 1,137 votes (58.1 percent) to 817 votes (41.9 percent). Eads then ran without opposition in the November 4 [[general election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ballotpedia.org/Arkansas_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2014|title=District 88|publisher=ballotpedia.org|accessdate=April 11, 2015}}</ref> Eads was assigned to the House committees on: (1) Public Transportation, (2) City, County and Local Affairs, and (3) Joint Performance Review.<ref name=lre/> In February 2015, Eads joined dozens of his fellow Republicans and two [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] in co-sponsoring legislation submitted by Republican Representative Lane Jean of Magnolia, to reduce unemployment compensation benefits. The measure was promptly signed into law by Republican [[Governor]] [[Asa Hutchinson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/bill/19578/51495/129425/reduces-unemployment-benefits#.VR3Zr_l4rGY|title=HB 1489 - Reduces Unemployment Benefits - Key Vote|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=February 18, 2021}}</ref>
That same month, Eads 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/bill/19610/51617/141580/prohibits-government-from-burdening-exercise-of-religion#.VSl8TsstEqQ|title=HB 1228|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=April 11, 2015}}</ref> The measure passed the House, seventy-two to twenty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/bill/19610/51617/141580/prohibits-government-from-burdening-exercise-of-religion#.VSl8TsstEqQ|title=HB 1228|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=April 14, 2015}}</ref> One of the opponents, Democratic Representative [[Camille Bennett]], a former city attorney for Lonoke, Arkansas, called for a reworking of the legislation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atlanticbb.net/news/read/category/General/article/the_associated_press-indiana_arkansas_try_to_stem_religious_objections-ap|title=Indiana, Arkansas try to stem religious objections uproar|publisher=Atlantic Broadband|date=April 3, 2015|accessdate=April 14, 2015; no longer accessible on-line}}</ref> Bennett claimed the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.<ref name=religiousfreedom>{{cite web|url=http://www.fox16.com/story/d/story/opponents-of-religious-freedom-bill-point-out-law/24249/AsrrUGLEdkuquASB01ZrLA|title=Opponents of Religious Freedom Bill Point Out Law Differences, Possible Unintended Consequences|publisher=Fox Channel 16|location=[[Little Rock]], Arkansas|date=April 1, 2015|accessdate=April 14, 2015}}</ref> The measure was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Governor Hutchinson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2015/04/02/house-committee-passes-new-rfra-bill-headed-for-full-house/70828864/|title=Gov. Hutchinson signs revised religious freedom bill; HB 1228 recalled|publisher=KTHV-TV|location=Little Rock|date=April 2, 2015|accessdate=April 14, 2015}}</ref>
Eads did not seek reelection in 2016. Instead [[Clint Penzo]] defeated Isaac Foley in the Republican primary runoff for District 88 and has held the seat since that time.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eads, Lance}}
[[Category:Arkansas]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:State Representatives]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]