Greg Leding

Greg Leding
Leding addresses a Washington County Democrats rally in Springdale, Arkansas, in July 2016
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2011
Preceded by	Lindsley Armstrong Smith
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 86th district
Minority Leader of the Arkansas House of Representatives (2012-2014)
Personal details
Born	(1978-04-10) April 10, 1978 Spingdale, Arkansas, USA
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Emily Ironside (m. 2013)
Children	1
Alma mater	University of Arkansas
Religion	Roman Catholic Church
Website	Official website

Greg Leding (born April 10, 1978) is a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives serving the 86th district in Fayetteville, the state's third-largest city, which includes Fayetteville High School, the West Dickson Street Commercial Historic District, the Fayetteville Historic Square, the Washington-Willow Historic District, and the University of Arkansas, the state's largest university. Fayetteville is located in Washington County.

A lifelong resident of Arkansas, Leding graduated from Springdale High School and holds a bachelor's degree from the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.^[1]

First elected to the Arkansas General Assembly in 2010, Leding, a member of the Democratic Party, served as Minority Leader during his second term (2012-2014).^[2]

The 91st General Assembly

The 91st General Assembly will convene on Monday, January 9, 2017. Leding has pre-filed legislation, including HB1014 and HB1009.

HB1014, the Teacher's Classroom Investment Deduction,^[3] would allow Arkansas teachers to claim up to a $500 deduction on their state taxes for out-of-pocket expenses for their classrooms.

HB1009^[4] is part of a package of ethics bills sponsored by Arkansas Democrats. The bill would prevent a member of the General Assembly from forming more than one approved political action committee (PAC).

Arkansas General Assembly

Committee Assignments for the 91st General Assembly

The 91st General Assembly will convene on Monday, January 9, 2017. Additional committee assignments will be made at that time.

Member

• Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC)
• House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
• House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative, and Military Affairs

Committee Assignments for the 90th General Assembly

Co-Chair

• Higher Education Subcommittee of Arkansas Legislative Council

Vice-Chair

• Electronic Filing Systems for Campaign and Finance Reports Subcommittee of Arkansas Legislative Council
• House Insurance Permanent Subcommittee of Insurance and Commerce

Member

• Arkansas Legislative Council
• ALC-Joint Budget Committee Budget Hearings
• Hospital and Medicaid Study Subcommittee of Arkansas Legislative Council
• Girls State
• Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs
• House Committee on Education
• House Early Education Permanent Subcommittee of Education
• House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
• House Insurance Permanent Subcommittee of Insurance and Commerce
• Legislative Joint Auditing Committee
• State Agencies Subcommittee of Legislative Audit

Committee assignments for the 88th and 89th General Assemblies can be found here.

Legislative Work

During his first term, Leding passed The Jason Flatt Act, a measure to reduce youth suicide in Arkansas.^[5] In his second term, during which he served as the House Minority Leader, Leding worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass a bipartisan package of bills to prevent human trafficking in Arkansas.^[6] Other bipartisan legislative achievements in 2013 include The Landowner Notification Act, a measure to protect landowners living in the Fayetteville Shale, co-sponsored by Senator Jason Rapert (R-Conway),^[7] as well as bipartisan legislation to better protect the Buffalo National River, co-sponsored by Representative Kelley Linck (R-Flippin).^[8] In 2015, bills passed by Leding included the Student Online Personal Information and Protection Act^[9] and a bipartisan bill to help the families of firefighters who die of job-related cancers.^[10] Other legislative efforts have included a 2015 bipartisan measure to end juvenile life without parole, co-sponsored by Senator Missy Irvin (R-Mountain View); efforts in 2015 to address privacy issues,^[11] establish the Arkansas New Jobs Training Program,^[12] and add the words "sexual orientation, gender identity" to the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993;^[13] efforts in 2013 and 2015 to establish paid family leave^[14] and to address Arkansas's landlord-tenant laws (including its lack of any warranty of habitability^[15] and its criminal eviction statutes); and efforts in 2011, 2013, and 2015 to address wage theft.^[16][17] Leding is also working with Arkansas veterans to secure hyperbaric oxygen therapy as means of treatment for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury.^[18]

In August 2015, Leding launched two interim studies, one concerned with student debt in Arkansas^[19] and one examining sexual assault on the state's college and university campuses.^[20] Final reports for each are due in July 2017.

Caucuses

Leding is a member of the Arkansas Legislative Hunger Caucus, the Arkansas Veterans Caucus, the Arkansas Education Caucus, the Arkansas Sportsmen's Caucus, and the Arkansas Aerospace Caucus.^[21]

National Conference of State Legislatures

From August 2012 until August 2014, Leding served as a vice chair of the Natural Resources and Infrastructure Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).^[22] He was elected to the NCSL Executive Committee in August 2014.^[23] In May 2015, he was named to the NCSL Legislative Task Force on Military and Veterans Affairs.^[24] In May 2016, he was named to the NCSL Task Force on International Relations.^[25]

National Institute for Civil Discourse

In 2015, Leding became involved with the National Institute for Civil Discourse, a nonpartisan center for advocacy, research, and policy, and its Next Generation program for state legislators.

Elections

State House

Leding first ran for the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2010, defeating J. W. "Bill" Ramsey in the Democratic Primary by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent.^[26] He won re-election in 2012, defeating Republican Brian Scott by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent.^[27] Leding ran unopposed in 2014^[28] and 2016.

Awards and Recognition

Among the awards Leding has received during his time in office are the Citizens First Congress "Champion Legislator" award (2011), the Arkansas Support Network "Community Distinction Award" (2011), the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition "Rising Star" award (2011), the Northwest Arkansas Workers' Justice Center "Prophetic Leader" award (2013), the National Association of Social Workers (Arkansas Chapter) "Elected Public Official of the Year" award (2013), the Northwest Arkansas Tobacco-Free Coalition "Smoke-Free Advocate of the Year" award (2013), the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association "Champion of Advanced Energy" award (2013), the Public Policy Panel "Champion Legislator" award (2013), the Arkansas Municipal League "Distinguished Legislator" award (2013), the AARP "Distinguished Legislator" award (2013), the first Washington County Democrats "John Logan Burrow Democratic Leadership" award (2014), the Kids Count "Legislative Leadership Award for Juvenile Justice" (2015), the Kids Count "Legislative Leadership Award for Family Economic Security" (2015), the Arkansas State Firefighters Association "Legislative Chair Award" (2015), the Arkansas State Employees Association "Outstanding Legislator" award (2015), the Community Clinic of Northwest Arkansas "Community Health Center Champion" award (2015), the Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education (AGATE) "Presidential Award" (2016), and the Graduate Student Congress of the University of Arkansas "Civic Ally of the Year" award (2016).^[29]

In January 2013, Talk Business Arkansas listed Leding among the "Top 10 Legislators to Watch".^[30] In May 2013, Talk Business Arkansas listed Leding among the "Talk Business Arkansas' Top 10 State Legislators".^[31]

Boards

Leding joined the Hope Cancer Resources Foundation Board of Directors in February 2015 and the Fayetteville Adult Education Center Advisory Board in June 2016.^[32]

Personal life

The oldest of three children, Leding and his wife, Emily Ironside, have one daughter. They live in Fayetteville.

See also

List of members for the 90th General Assembly of the Arkansas House of Representatives

References

External links

• Official website
• Representative Greg Leding: District 86 at The Arkansas State Legislature