Jim Hendren

James Paul "Jim" Hendren
Member of the Arkansas Senate from the 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2013
Preceded by	Randy Laverty
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 1st district
In office January 1995 – January 8, 2001
Succeeded by	Kim Hendren
Personal details
Born	(1963-08-12) August 12, 1963 Gravette, Benton County Arkansas, USA
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Tammy Claire Hendren
Relations	Father Kim Hendren Uncles Tim and Asa Hutchinson Cousins Jeremy and Timothy Chad Hutchinson Former aunt by marriage Donna Hutchinson
Children	Daniel, David, Nick, and Molly Hendren
Parents	Kim and Marylea Hutchinson Hendren
Residence	Sulphur Springs, Benton County
Alma mater	University of Arkansas
Occupation	Engineer; Businessman
Religion	Baptist
Military service
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Rank	LtCol

James Paul Hendren, usually known as Jim Hendren (born August 12, 1963) is a Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate from District 2 and the Senate Majority Leader. He resides in Sulphur Springs in Benton County in northwestern Arkansas.

Background

A native of Gravette in Benton County, Hendren graduated in 1984 with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. From 1984 to 1992, he served in the United States Air Force. A former F-15 fighter pilot, he flew in six intercepts of planes of the former Soviet Union over the Bering Sea. Since 2003, he has been a senior offensive duty guard in the Arkansas Air National Guard. He owns Hendren Plastics Company. He and his wife, Tammy Claire Hendren (born 1964), have four children, Daniel, David, Nick, and Molly. He is Baptist.

Political life

Hendren was elected to the Gravette School Board in 1992. He served on the school board until 1997.

Hendren defeated Representative Railey Steele for the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1994. He served from 1994 until 2000. He passed several pro-life pieces of legislation, including a ban on Paritlal Birth Abortions in 1996 and the Fetal Protection Law in 1999.

In 2003, Hendren returned to military service joining the MO Air National Guard. He still is a member of the 157 AOG and has the rank of Lt Col.

In 2012, Hendren ran unopposed for the state Senate; his four-year term expires on December 31, 2016. He serves on the Education Facilities Oversight Committee and the Arkansas Legislative Council. He is also a member of four other Senate committees: Budget, Children & Youth, Education, and Energy . Hendren passed legislation exempting All Active Duty and National Guard Personnel from State Income Tax in 2013. He was also appointed chairman of a Joint Task Force charged with reforming Public School and Arkansas State Employee Insurance programs.

His father, Kim Hendren, is also a former member of the Arkansas Senate and in a second stint in office a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from at least 2015 to 2017. Through his mother, the former Marylea Hutchinson, his cousins include fellow State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson of Little Rock and former State Representative Timothy Chad Hutchinson, sons of former Senator Tim Hutchinson, and Hutchinson's first wife, Donna.

References

Preceded by Randy Laverty	Arkansas State Senator from District 2 (Benton County) James Paul "Jim" Hendren 2013–	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Railey Steele	Arkansas State Representative from District 1 (Benton County) James Paul "Jim" Hendren 1995–2000	Succeeded by Kim Hendren