{ "id": "ep1gtcsvj3", "slug": "bart-hester", "title": "Bart Hester", "updated": "2026-09-29", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials", "label": "US governors and state officials", "api_url": 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"geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-g-to-hi", "label": "Surnames G to Hi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-g-to-hi" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Bart Hester is an American Republican politician serving as President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, a rare two-term distinction, representing Benton County's District 33 since 2013.", "snippet": "Bart Hester is an American Republican politician serving as President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, a rare two-term distinction, representing Benton County's District 33 since 2013.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-g-to-hi", "markdown": "# Bart Hester\n\nBart Hester is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party who serves as President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, representing Senate District 33.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He was elected to the Senate in 2012 and took the oath of office on the first day of the 2013 session.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He was elected by his colleagues to two consecutive terms as Senate President Pro Tempore, a distinction held by only two other people in modern times.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Party | Republican[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) |\n| Current office | President pro tempore, Arkansas Senate[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/); Arkansas State Senate, District 33 (elected 2012, serving from 2013) |\n| Previous offices | Senate Majority Whip (2017); Senate Majority Leader (2019)[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) |\n| Education | B.S. in Business Management, Sam Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, 2001[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nHester is a Republican.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHester is a native of Green Forest.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He graduated in 2001 from the Sam Walton College of Business at the [University of Arkansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-arkansas) with a bachelor's degree in Business Management.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) While working on his degree in Fayetteville, he lettered for three years for the Razorbacks' varsity baseball team.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) His business interests are in real estate and construction.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Ashley, for 24 years, and they have four children; they are members of First Baptist Church of Bentonville.[2](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n\n## Career\n\nHester represents Senate District 33, which includes the cities of Bentonville, Rogers, Centerton, and Cave Springs in Benton County.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He was elected to the Senate in 2012 and took the oath of office on the first day of the 2013 session.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He served as Senate Majority Whip in 2017 and as Senate Majority Leader in 2019.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) He was elected by his colleagues to two consecutive terms as Senate President Pro Tempore, serving for the 94th and 95th General Assemblies.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) • [3](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senate-history-education/senate-pro-tempores/) Only two other people have served two terms as President Pro Tempore in modern times.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) The President Pro Tem makes numerous appointments to legislative task forces, committees, and commissions, including the state Ethics Commission, the Arkansas Rural Development Commission, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, and the Academic Facilities Oversight Committee.[3](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senate-history-education/senate-pro-tempores/) His committee memberships include the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee, the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth, the Senate Rules, Resolutions and Memorials Committee, the Joint Budget Committee, Arkansas Legislative Council, the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee, and the Legislative Facilities Committee.[2](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n\n## Issues specific to Hester\n\nHester's consecutive election to two terms as President Pro Tempore is unusual in the Senate's history. The Arkansas Senate has traditionally rotated its leadership, electing a new member to serve as President for each new session; Jonathan Dismang, who served consecutive terms from 2015 through 2018, was the first senator since William Norrell, in 1933 through 1936, to serve consecutive terms.[3](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senate-history-education/senate-pro-tempores/) Hester was elected President Pro Tem for the 94th and 95th General Assemblies.[3](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senate-history-education/senate-pro-tempores/) In the 19th century, three men served two or more consecutive terms: J.M. Johnson, from 1868 through 1872; Thomas Fletcher, from 1858 through 1863; and Mark W. Izard, from 1838 through 1841.[3](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senate-history-education/senate-pro-tempores/)\n\n## Positions and voting record\n\n### Taxes and size of government\n\nAccording to his official Senate page, Hester \"believes in holding down the size of government and reducing government debt.\"[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) His page states that he \"has been a consistent sponsor of legislation to lower taxes and reduce regulatory burdens on business.\"[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) In 2015, he co-sponsored legislation to provide $100 million in income tax relief to middle class Arkansas families.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) In 2017, he co-sponsored legislation to provide $50 million in income tax relief to lower-income families.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/)\n\n### Foster care and adoption\n\nHis legislative priorities include bills to improve foster care and adoption services.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) In 2023, during the 94th General Assembly, he sponsored legislation to promote permanency and to strengthen kinship placements for children in foster care.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) • [2](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n\n### Education\n\nIn 2021, Hester co-sponsored legislation that requires public schools to teach about the Holocaust.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) Other bills he sponsored amended eligibility for scholarships and changed the process of getting a driver's permit.[2](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n\n### Tourism and economic development\n\nIn 2025, Hester sponsored legislation to create a recreational tramway in the state park systems, which economic developers had been working for in order to promote tourism.[1](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/) His campaign page states that he also sponsored legislation that promotes tourism in Arkansas.[2](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n\n### Public health and property rights\n\nHester co-sponsored bills on public health directives and property rights.[2](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Senator Bart Hester, Arkansas Senate](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/396/)\n2. [About Senator Bart Hester](https://www.senatorhester.com/about)\n3. [Senate Pro Tempores, Arkansas Senate](https://senate.arkansas.gov/senate-history-education/senate-pro-tempores/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › US governors and state officials › State legislators › Southern state legislators › Surnames G to Hi*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Bart Hester\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Bart Hester](https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester](https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Bart Hester\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/bart-hester. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Bart Hester is an American Republican politician serving as President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, a rare two-term distinction, representing Benton County's District 33 since 2013." }