Bruce Cozart
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Assumed office
March 11, 2011
Constituency
  • 24th district (2011–23)
  • 91st district (2023–present)
Personal details
Born (1955-10-03) October 3, 1955
Pearcy, Arkansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Children2
OccupationBusinessman

Bruce Alan Cozart (born October 3, 1955) is an American politician and businessman who has been a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives since 2011.

Early life and education

Cozart was born on October 3, 1955.[1] Cozart graduated from Lake Hamilton High School in 1973.[1]

Early career

Cozart founded Bruce Cozart Construction, Inc. in 1977.[1] He is a general contractor for commercial and residential buildings.[2] Cozart served on the Lake Hamilton school board from 1991 to 2001.[1][2]

Political career

2011 election

Cozart won a special election against Jerry Raphon on March 8, 2011.[3]

2011-12 Legislature

During the 2011-12 Legislature Cozart served on the following committees:[4]

  • Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs
  • Public Transportation

2012 election

Cozart won re-election 7,778 votes to 4,624 against Jimmie Harmon.[4]

2013-14 Legislature

During the 2013-14 Legislature Cozart served on the following committees:[4]

  • Joint Energy
  • Education
  • City, County and Local Affairs

2014 election

Cozart ran unopposed in the 2014 election.[4]

2015-16 Legislature

During the 2015-16 Legislature Cozart served on the following committees:[4]

  • Education, Chairman
  • Insurance and Commerce
  • Legislative Joint Auditing

2016 election

Cozart ran unopposed in the 2016 election.[4]

2017-18 Legislature

During the 2017-18 Legislature Cozart served on the Following committees:[4]

  • Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development
  • Education, Chairman

2018 election

Cozart won re-election 6,460 votes to Kallen Peret's 2,913.[4]

2019-20 Legislature

During the 2019-20 Legislature Cozart served on the Following committees:[4]

  • Academic Facilities Oversight Committee, Co-chairman
  • Legislative Council
  • House Education Committee
  • House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee

In February 2019, Cozart sponsored a bill that would raise minimum teacher salaries across the state of Arkansas.[5] The bill was passed by the Arkansas House of Representatives.[6] There were funding concerns about the bill before it passed.[7]

2020 election

Cozart ran unopposed in the 2020 election.[4]

2021-22 Legislature

During the 2021-22 Legislature Cozart serves on the Following committees:[4]

  • House Education Committee, Chairman
  • House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
  • Joint Performance Review Committee
  • Legislative Council

In February 2021, Cozart sponsored a bill that would allow parents to challenge curriculum they did not like.[8] It came less than a day after a failure of a bill that banned the 1619 Project from being used in schools.[9] The bill passed and became law.[10] Cozart, alongside Missy Irvin in the Arkansas Senate, helped get another teacher pay increase bill passed in both the Arkansas House and Senate in April 2021.[11] The bill would aim to increase median teacher salaries across the board.[12] Governor Asa Hutchinson signed the bills on April 12, 2021.[12]

Personal life

Cozart is married and has two sons.[2] Cozart is a follower of the Assembly of God faith.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Bruce Cozart's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "ARKANSAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE Bruce Cozart - Republican • 91st District". Arkansas House of Representatives. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ "2011 Special General Election for the Office of State Representative District 24". Arkansas Secretary of State. March 10, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Bruce Cozart". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  5. ↑ Field, Hunter (February 6, 2019). "Arkansas House set to tackle teacher-salaries bill". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  6. ↑ Field, Hunter (February 8, 2019). "Arkansas House passes bill to raise minimum teacher salary". Arkansas Online. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  7. ↑ Kellogg, Sarah (February 5, 2019). "Bill To Raise Arkansas Teacher Salaries Passes Committee Despite Funding Questions". KUAR Online. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ Herzog, Rachel (February 16, 2021). "Bill would let parents challenge classwork". Northwest Arkansas Gazette. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  9. ↑ Brantley, Max (February 10, 2021). "1619 Project fallout: A process to challenge school material". Arkansas Times. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  10. ↑ Herzog, Rachel (February 28, 2021). "House panel advances school curriculum bill". Arkansas Online. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  11. ↑ John Moritz; Michael R. Wickline; Rachel Herzog (April 6, 2021). "STATE CAPITOL NEWS IN BRIEF: Senators back rise in teacher salaries". Northwest Arkansas Gazette. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Arkansas governor signs teacher salary hike into law". Microsoft News. April 13, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
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