Bruce Holland (Arkansas politician)
| Franklin Bruce Holland | |
Arkansas State Senator for District 6 (Sebastian and Logan counties)
| |
| In office 2011–2013 | |
| Preceded by | Ed Wilkinson |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Gary Stubblefield |
Arkansas State Senator
for District 9 (Sebastian County) | |
| In office 2013 – January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Hendren |
| Succeeded by | Terry Rice |
| Born | June 11, 1968 Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Single |
| Residence | Greenwood, Sebastian County |
| Alma mater | University of Arkansas |
| Occupation | Cattleman and Engineer |
| Religion | United Methodist |
Franklin Bruce Holland, known as Bruce Holland (born June 11, 1968), is a self-employed cattleman and a Republican former state senator for District 9 in his native Sebastian County in western Arkansas.
In 2016, he began serving as the executive director of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. (ANRC).[1] .
Background
Born in Fort Smith, Holland attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, having received a degree in chemical engineering.[1] He is a United Methodist. He is a member of the National Rifle Association, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Sebastian County Historical Society, and the Sebastian County Farm Bureau. He is single and resides in Greenwood in Sebastian County.[2]
Political life
Holland was elected to the Senate from District 6 in 2010 for a two-year term when he defeated the Democrat John Paul Wells, a former state representative from Paris in Logan County, 14,838 votes (60.7 percent) to 9,602 (39.3 percent_.[3] Shifted to the District 9 seat vacated by the term-limited Republican Kim Hendren in 2012, Holland defeated Rick Green in the Republican primary, 2,438 (52.6 percent) to 2,201 (47.4 percent). He then prevailed over the Democrat Tracy Pennartz, 13,414 (56.2 percent) to 10,472 (43.8 percent) in the general election. The two-year term expired at the end of 2014.[4]
Holland is the Senate assistant president pro tempore for the Third District, a post also held by Kim Hendren prior to 2013. He is the chair of the Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee, and a member of the Budget, Education, Energy, and the Academic Facilities Oversight committees.[2] Holland opposes abortion, having voted to ban the practice after twenty weeks of gestation or whenever fetal heartbeat is determined. He voted to allow university staff to carry concealed weapons.[5]
In 2013, Holland joined the Senate majority to reduce the amount of weekly unemployment compensation benefits and to test the recipients for illegal use of narcotics. He voted successfully to override Governor Mike Beebe's veto of a bill to require photo identification when a voter casts a ballot in Arkansas. He voted against successful legislation to make the office of prosecuting attorney in Arkansas nonpartisan. Holland voted to allow handguns to be carried on church properties and sponsored a bill to forbid the release of information on the holders of concealed carry permits.[5]
In the Republican primary election held on May 20, 2014, Holland was unseated for his party's nomination by outgoing District 21 state Representative Terry Rice of Waldron, Arkansas. Rice prevailed with 3,457 votes (56 percent) to Holland's 2,710 (44 percent).[6]The two differed over the private option version of Medicaid expansion.[7]
He has been employed as quality assurance supervisor for the Gerdau MacSteel aerospace and automobile steel mill in Fort Smith. Prior to his ANRC tenure, he was the executive director of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Holland Commissioner Holland attended the University of,Fort Smith and as an Arkansas cattle rancher Bruce Holland. State of Arkansas. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bruce Holland's Biography. votesmart.org. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
- ↑ Arkansas State Senate elections, 2010. ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
- ↑ Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012. ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bruce Holland's Voting Records. votesmart.org. Retrieved on December 4, 2013.
- ↑ Arkansas Primary Election Results (May 20, 2014). Retrieved on May 21, 2014.
- ↑ Max Brantley. The Republican victory in Jonesboro proves Obama's enduring value in Arkansas. The Arkansas Times. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
