Jonathan Barnett (politician)

Jonathan D. Barnett (born 1955) is a businessman and Republican politician from Siloam Springs, Arkansas, who served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2009 until he was term-limited in 2015. Barnett represented District 97 from 2009 to 2013, and served as the House Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore. Following redistricting, Barnett represented District 87 for his last term from 2013 to 2015. Barnett also served on the Arkansas State Highway Commission from 1999 to 2009. Barnett is the owner of Jonathan Barnett Enterprises, Inc., a general contracting and real estate company.^[2][1]

Political life[]

From 1974 to 1977, Barnett was a member of the Siloam Springs City Council.^[2]

In 2012, he was a member of the Electoral College from Arkansas and cast his vote for the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts.^[3]

Arkansas House[]

Barnett was the chairman of the House Public Transportation Committee and served on these House committee: (1) Advanced Communications and Information Technology, (2) Budget, and (3) Insurance and Commerce.^[4]

Representative Barnett in 2013 co-sponsored a spending cap on state spending, but the measure failed by two House votes. He voted to override Governor Mike Beebe's vetoes of bills to prohibit abortion after twenty weeks of gestation. He supported other pro-life measures, including the ban of abortion once fetal heartbeat is detected, the prohibition of abortion coverage in state employees health insurance plans, and the classification of the death of an unborn child as a felony in certain situations. He voted to override Beebe's veto of the bill requiring photo identification as a condition for voting in Arkansas.

Barnett co-sponsored the measures to allow the staff of religious institutions and universities to engage in concealed carry of firearms for church and campus safety. Barnett backed legislation to prohibit the governor from regulating firearms during an emergency. He supported the bill, signed by Governor Beebe, to permit the sale of five hundred gallons of milk per month directly from the farm to consumers. He voted to establish the tiered system for lottery scholarships. He voted against making the office prosecuting attorney a nonpartisan position.^[5]

In 2011, Barnett co-sponsored the Capital Gains Reduction Act and the reduction of taxes on manufacturers' utilities. He supported the implementation of school dress codes but objected to the banning of cell phone usage in school zones; both measures were approved by the House. He voted to require that driver's license tests be given only in the English language. Barnett did not vote on the bill establishing curriculum standards for Bible instruction in public schools nor on the 2011 U.S. congressional redistricting bill.^[5]

In 2009, Representative Barnett supported the expansion of eligibility for children's health insurance. He voted against allowing unlicensed assistants to perform simple medical procedures. Both measures were passed by the House.^[5]

In the Republican primary held on May 20, 2014, Robin Lundstrum, with 1,588 votes (57 percent), defeated intraparty rival Lucas Roebuck, who polled 1,176 votes (43 percent), for the party's nomination to succeed Barnett.^[6]

References[]