ASU to honor Senator Jerry Bookout and
Representative Steve Jones at Legislative Day

Arkansas State University will honor State Senator Jerry Bookout of Jonesboro and State Representative Steve Jones of Marion during the annual Legislative Day activities, Saturday, Oct. 4.

State Senator Jerry Bookout	State Representative Steve Jones

ASU hosts Legislative Day each year in order to honor outstanding members of the Arkansas General Assembly, according to Dr. Les Wyatt, president.

This year’s activities will be held in Little Rock in conjunction with ASU’s football game, the “Rock Classic,” against University of Louisiana at Monroe.  The men will be honored at halftime of the game.

Sen. Bookout served in the House of Representatives from 1967 through 1972, and the Arkansas Senate from 1973 through 1994, when he retired.  He reentered public service in 2003 as a State Senator representing a portion of Craighead County.

            Sen. Bookout serves as chair of the Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee; Joint Committee on Health Insurance & Prescription Drugs Committee; and the Legislative Joint Auditing- Counties and Municipalities Committee.  He also serves as a member of the ALC/Higher Education Subcommittee, Legislative Facilities Committee, Joint Public Retirement & Social Security Program Committee, and the Senate Public Transportation Committee.

               Bookout received a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Arkansas State University, and he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus at ASU in 1997.  He served three years active service in the U.S. Army and retired as a full colonel after 30 years in the Arkansas National Guard.  Bookout serves as Chair of the AHEC Advisory Committee for Northeast Arkansas and is a member of the Board of Trustees for Baptist Medical Systems, American Legion, Retired Officers Association, Masonic Lodge, and the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce.

            Bookout and his wife, the former Loretta Langford, have one son, Paul, who serves in the Arkansas House of Representatives; a daughter, Jill Rogers; and three grandchildren, Morgan and P.J. Bookout and Rachel Rogers.  They are members of First Baptist Church in Jonesboro.

Representative Steve Jones of Marion is serving his third term in the Arkansas General Assembly representing a portion of Crittenden County.

            Jones is Chairman of the PEER/Review Subcommittee of the House of Representatives.  He also serves on the Aging Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee; House Rules Committee; Joint Budget Committee; and the House Public Transportation Committee.

            Jones served as a member of the Earle City Council from 1986-1990.  He is a former chairman of the Delta Services Corps Board and past vice chairman of the AETN Commission.  He is a charter member and was first president of the Earle Chamber of Commerce, and he is a current board member for the West Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce.  Jones attended Arkansas State University where he studied communications and business.  He is the general manager for Crittenden Publishing Company in West Memphis.

            Jones and his wife, Dr. Susan Jones, have two children.  They are members of the Earle Church of God in Christ.

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