Camille Bennett

Camille Williams Bennett (born c. 1960)^[1] is a lawyer from Lonoke, Arkansas, who is a Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Distritct 14, which includes Lonoke, Jefferson, Pulaski, Arkansas, and Prairie counties in the mostly central portion of her state.^[2]

Background

Bennett's father, Randall L. Williams (1924-2010), was a member of the Arkansas House for Drew County, dates not available, and was a circuit judge for the 11th District from 1970 to 1993, with duties in Arkansas, Jefferson, Desha, and Lincoln counties.^[3] The Randall L. Williams Correctional Facility west of Pine Bluff in Jefferson County is named in his honor.

Bennett received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Arkansas in the capital city of Little Rock and her legal degree from the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, Missouri. She is a member of the All Souls Church, the American Heart Association, and the Central Arkansas Rescue Efforts for Animals.^[2] She is married to Wayne Otis Bennett, Jr. (born 1948), of Lonoke.^[1][3]

Political life

Bennett is a former elected city attorney for Lonoke, with service dating back to at least 2009. In that capacity, she received a $2,000 annual retainer for attendance at council meetings and as legal counsel to the mayor and the council.^[4] Bennett narrowly overcame the statewide tide for Republicans in the general election on November 4, 2014. By 86 votes, she defeated her GOP opponent, Buddy Fisher, 4,252 votes (50.5 percent) to 4,166 (49.5 percent). Fisher had won the May 20 Republican primary with 64 percent of the votes cast over intra-party rival, Trent Eilts. The position opened when the Democrat Walls McCrary, also of Lonoke, was term-limited and could not seek a fourth term.^[5]

Representative Bennett holds these committee assignments: (1) Judiciary and (2) State Agencies and Governmental Affairs.^[2]

In February 2015, Bennett opposed House Bill 1228, authored by Republican Bob Ballinger of Carroll County in northwestern Arkansas,^[6] which prohibits government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion. The measure passed the House, seventy-two to twenty.^[7] Bennett called for a reworking of the legislation.^[8] She claimed the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.^[6] The measure was subsequently signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.^[9]

In March 2015, Bennett hugged to console a Republican colleague, DeAnn Vaught of Horatio in Sevier County, when Vaught spoke in support of legislation dealing with the reporting of cases of child maltreatment and referred to her own experiences regarding the issue.^[10]

References