Senator Ben Gilmore was elected to the Senate in November 2020 and was sworn in on January 11, 2021.
Senator Gilmore represents District 1, which includes Ashley, Bradley, Chicot and Cleveland Counties and parts of Drew, Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln Counties.
Senator Gilmore is vice chair of the Arkansas Legislative Council and the Joint Energy. He is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee and the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth, the Joint Budget Committee and the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee.
During the 93rd General Assembly in 2021, Senator Gilmore was a member of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development. He also served on the Joint Performance Review Committee and the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee.
Senator Gilmore sponsored the Workforce Expansion Act of 2021 to waive licenses and fees for start-up businesses. He was a co-sponsor of the Arkansas “Stand Your Ground” Law, which allows the legal use of physical force or deadly physical force in self-defense.
Senator Gilmore was the Senate sponsor of legislation allowing pharmacists and their technicians to administer vaccinations and flu shots. He also co-sponsored legislation that exempts state income taxes on any unemployment insurance benefits to a person claimed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Senator Gilmore was a co-sponsor of the law that allows medical professionals to refuse to perform procedures that go against their conscience.
He was co-sponsor of laws banning transgender boys from participating in girl’s sports and he also co-sponsored a series of bills updating election laws.
He was the Senate sponsor for House Concurrent Resolution 1002, to encourage greater collaboration among healthcare providers, law enforcement officers, educators, elected public officials and community leaders in reducing the abuse of prescription drugs in Arkansas.
Senator Gilmore lives in Crossett. He attended Liberty University and the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He was a field representative for U.S. Congressman Bruce Westerman and then worked as the Deputy Chief of Staff/Communications Director for Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin.
He is a Marketing and Communications Consultant.
Senator Gilmore is a member of First Baptist Church of Crossett. He is a member of the Crossett Chamber of commerce, the National Rifle Association (NRA), Arkansas Farm Bureau and the national Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB.)
