Bruce Cozart
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{infobox officeholder
|name= Bruce Cozart
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1955|10|3}}
|birth_place= Pearcy, Arkansas, U.S.
|office=Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
|term_start=March 11, 2011
|constituency = {{ubl|24th district (2011–23)|91st district (2023–present)}}
|party= Republican
|occupation = Businessman
|children = 2
}}
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.{{cite web |title=Bruce Cozart's Biography |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/128788/bruce-cozart#.Uqx2oxXnYfQ |website=Vote Smart |access-date=August 10, 2021}} Cozart graduated from Lake Hamilton High School in 1973.
Early career
Cozart founded Bruce Cozart Construction, Inc. in 1977. He is a general contractor for commercial and residential buildings.{{cite web |title=ARKANSAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE Bruce Cozart - Republican • 91st District |url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/district/91 |website=Arkansas House of Representatives |access-date=January 11, 2023}} Cozart served on the Lake Hamilton school board from 1991 to 2001.
Political career
=2011 election=
Cozart won a special election against Jerry Raphon on March 8, 2011.{{cite web |title=2011 Special General Election for the Office of State Representative District 24 |url=https://www.ark.org/arelections/index.php?ac:show:contest_statewide=1&elecid=251&contestid=1 |website=Arkansas Secretary of State |access-date=August 10, 2021 |date=March 10, 2011}}
=2011-12 Legislature=
During the 2011-12 Legislature Cozart served on the following committees:{{cite web |title=Bruce Cozart |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Bruce_Cozart |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=August 10, 2021}}
- Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs
- Public Transportation
=2012 election=
=2013-14 Legislature=
=2014 election=
=2015-16 Legislature=
=2016 election=
=2017-18 Legislature=
=2018 election=
=2019-20 Legislature=
During the 2019-20 Legislature Cozart served on the Following committees:
- 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.{{cite web |last1=Field |first1=Hunter |title=Arkansas House set to tackle teacher-salaries bill |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2019/feb/06/house-set-to-tackle-teacher-salaries-bi/ |website=Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=February 6, 2019}}
The bill was passed by the Arkansas House of Representatives.{{cite web |last1=Field |first1=Hunter |title=Arkansas House passes bill to raise minimum teacher salary |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/feb/08/house-passes-bill-to-raise-minimum-teac-1/ |website=Arkansas Online |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=February 8, 2019}} There were funding concerns about the bill before it passed.{{cite web |last1=Kellogg |first1=Sarah |title=Bill To Raise Arkansas Teacher Salaries Passes Committee Despite Funding Questions |url=https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/bill-raise-arkansas-teacher-salaries-passes-committee-despite-funding-questions |website=KUAR Online |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=February 5, 2019}}
=2020 election=
=2021-22 Legislature=
During the 2021-22 Legislature Cozart serves on the Following committees:
- 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.{{cite web |last1=Herzog |first1=Rachel |title=Bill would let parents challenge classwork |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2021/feb/16/bill-would-let-parents-challenge-classwork/ |website=Northwest Arkansas Gazette |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=February 16, 2021}}
It came less than a day after a failure of a bill that banned the 1619 Project from being used in schools.{{cite web |last1=Brantley |first1=Max |title=1619 Project fallout: A process to challenge school material |url=https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2021/02/10/1619-project-fallout-a-process-to-challenge-school-material |website=Arkansas Times |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=February 10, 2021}} The bill passed and became law.{{cite web |last1=Herzog |first1=Rachel |title=House panel advances school curriculum bill |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/feb/28/house-panel-advances-school-curriculum-bill/ |website=Arkansas Online |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=February 28, 2021}}
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.{{cite web |author1=John Moritz |author2=Michael R. Wickline |author3=Rachel Herzog |title=STATE CAPITOL NEWS IN BRIEF: Senators back rise in teacher salaries |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2021/apr/06/union-legislation-headed-to-governor-senators/ |website=Northwest Arkansas Gazette |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=April 6, 2021}} The bill would aim to increase median teacher salaries across the board.{{cite web |title=Arkansas governor signs teacher salary hike into law |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/arkansas-governor-signs-teacher-salary-hike-into-law/ar-BB1fzYZQ |website=Microsoft News |access-date=August 11, 2021 |date=April 13, 2021}}
Governor Asa Hutchinson signed the bills on April 12, 2021.
Personal life
Cozart is married and has two sons. Cozart is a follower of the Assembly of God faith.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Arkansas House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cozart, Bruce}}
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly
Category:American construction businesspeople
Category:Assemblies of God people
Category:Businesspeople from Arkansas
Category:People from Garland County, Arkansas
Category:Republican Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives