Linda Collins-Smith

Linda F. Collins-Smith
Member of the Arkansas Senate
from the 19th district
Assumed office
January 2015
Preceded by David Wyatt
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
from the 80th district
In office
January 2011 – January 2013
Preceded by David R. Cook
Succeeded by Charlene Fite
Personal details
Born c. 1962
Political party Democrat-turned-Republican (2011)
Spouse(s) Judge Philip Smith
Children Two children
Residence Pocahontas, Randolph County
Arkansas, USA
Occupation Owner and operator of a Days Inn hotel in Pocahontas

Linda F. Collins-Smith (born c. 1962) is a Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate from Pocahontas[1] in Randolph County in northeastern Arkansas. Since 2015, she has represented Senate District 19.

Prior to her Senate service, Collins-Smith was a one-term member from 2011 to 2013 of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 80.[2] Though elected as a Democrat, she switched parties in August 2011, eight months after taking office.[1][3]

In redistricting, Collins-Smith was moved to the same district as Republican incumbent Lori Benedict. Collins-Smith chose to run for the Arkansas Senate in the 19th district rather than to challenge Benedict.[4] Incumbent Democratic Senator David Wyatt defeated Collins-Smith in the 2012 general election, but on November 4, 2014, Collins-Smith rebounded to win the Senate position by defeating the Democrat James McLean. Wyatt died shortly after th3e 2014 election. Collins-Smith has been openly critical of conservative Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.[5] She is backed by the polarizing group, Conduit for Action, headed by Joe Maynard and Brenda Vassaur Taylor.[6]

Senate Bill 774 "The Physical Privacy and Safety Act"

In 2017, Collins-Smith introduced Senate Bill 774, the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act which would limit transgender individuals in the use of government facilities that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates.[7] In a press release, Collins-Smith said the proposed bill protects the privacy, dignity, and well-being of all Arkansans: "No child should have to worry that their school might change its policy to force them to shower or undress in front of a member of the opposite sex as has been the case around the country," she said.

She said that the bills set a baseline for privacy across the state and would shield public schools from lawsuits by organizations "seeking to impose their anti-privacy agenda on our children."[8]

Governor Asa Hutchinson has stated his opposition to a "bathroom bill" law in Arkansas.[9] A similar law in North Carolina garnered nationwide protests and boycotts that cost the state $650 million dollars in the first six months of implementation.[10]

Arguments in favor of "bathroom bills" cite the general public's safety from sexual predators as a motivation for the legislation.[11] Critics of the legislation cite the lack of evidence that transgender or gender non-conforming individuals are more likely to commit sexual assault.[12] In stark contrast, a study of 2,325 transgender college graduates who responded to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey in 2009 demonstrates that discriminatory law has a profoundly negative effect on the mental health of transgender people. A quarter had been denied access to bathrooms in some way or another. Their suicide-attempt rate was also much higher than that of the general U.S. population —47 percent, compared to about 4 percent for all Americans. Those who had been denied access to bathrooms were 45 percent more likely to have tried to kill themselves, even when controlling for other types of victimization.[13]

Some believe that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people may suffer minority stress as the result of prejudice and discrimination based on their gender non-conformity and sexual orientation.[14]

Personal life

Collins-Smith owns and operates a Days Inn hotel in Pocahontas. Her husband, Philip Smith, is a circuit court judge.[15] They have two children,[2] one of whom is Butch Daniel Smith (born c. 1986).

References

  1. 1 2 Business, Talk (August 8, 2011). "Rep. Collins-Smith Joins Republican Ranks (updated)". Talkbusiness.net. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Local News: Collins-Smith seeks District 80 State Rep position (07/09/09)". Area Wide News. July 9, 2009. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ Demillo, Andrew (August 10, 2011). "Arkansas Rep. Linda Collins-Smith switches to GOP". Deseret News. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  4. ↑ Tammy Curtis (November 26, 2011). "Local News: Collins-Smith announces State Senate candidacy (11/26/11)". Area Wide News. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  5. ↑ Ramsey, David. "Gov. Asa Hutchinson spars with Tea Party Ten; sharp words for Sen. Linda Collins-Smith and Sen. Bryan King". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  6. ↑ Conduit News (2018-01-19), 01 19 Linda Collins Smith, retrieved 2018-02-11
  7. ↑ "New bill specifies use of bathrooms in Arkansas government buildings". Arkansas Online. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  8. ↑ TEGNA. "Ark. legislator proposes 'bathroom bill' after other legislator withdraws previous bill". KTHV. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  9. ↑ "Arkansas 'bathroom bill' would cover government buildings". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  10. ↑ Jurney, Corinne. "North Carolina's 'Bathroom Bill' Has Flushed Away $600 Million In Business And Could Dash Governor's Re-election Hopes". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  11. ↑ "When A Transgender Person Uses A Public Bathroom, Who Is At Risk?". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  12. ↑ "Sexual Assault Misconceptions | Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center". sapac.umich.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  13. ↑ Khazan, Olga. "The Overwhelming Stress of Being Denied a Bathroom". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  14. ↑ Herman, Jody (June 2013). "Gendered Restrooms and Minority Stress: The Public Regulation of Gender and its Impact on Transgender People's Lives" (PDF). Williams Institute of Law. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Hon. Philip Smith". courts.arkansas.gov. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
Preceded by
David W. Wyatt		 Arkansas State Senator for
District 19 (including Randolph County)

Linda Collins-Smith
2015–

Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
David R. Cook		 Arkansas State Representative for
District 80 (Crawford and Washington counties)

Linda Collins-Smith
2011–2013

Succeeded by
Charlene Fite
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