Ron McNair (Arkansas politician)

Ronald D. McNair, known as Ron McNair (born c. 1950),^[1] is an automotive repairman in Alpena, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 98 in Boone and Carroll counties in the northern portion of his state.^[2]

McNair graduated c. 1968 from Alpena High School in Boone County and has since 1983 operated Ron's Auto Service there. He is the father of two and lives in Alpena with his wife, the former Phyllis Snow.^[2] He is a former member of the Alpena Town Council and School Board. In 2002, he was the president of the Arkansas School Board Association. He is a member of the advisory board of North Arkansas College in Harrison. He is the president of the Alpena Cemetery Board. He is affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and the National Rifle Association. He is a member of the Church of Christ denomination.^[3]

In 2014, McNair entered the Republican primary held on May 20 to choose a successor to the term-limited John Burris of Harrison, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Arkansas State Senate. McNair won the nomination by 36 votes over intra-party rival, Jeff Leonard Boggs (born c. 1969) of Green Forest in Carroll County, 1,344 (50.7 percent) to 1,308 (49.3 percent). He was then unopposed in the November 4 general election.^[4]

McNair is assigned to the House committees on: (1) Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development, (2) Public Transportation, and (3) Legislative Joint Auditory Committee.^[2]

In February 2015, McNair supported House Bill 1228, sponsored by Bob Ballinger of Carroll County, which sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion.^[5] The measure passed the House, seventy-two to twenty.^[6] One of the opponents, Democratic Representative Camille Bennett, a former city attorney for Lonoke, Arkansas, called for a reworking of the legislation.^[7] Bennett claimed the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.^[8] The measure was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Governor Asa Hutchinson.^[9]

That same month, McNair joined dozens of his fellow Republicans and two Democrats in co-sponsoring legislation submitted by Representative Lane Jean of Magnolia, to reduce unemployment compensation benefits. The measure was promptly signed into law by Governor Hutchinson.^[10]

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