Arthur “Art” M. Hamilton

Biographical Information

Journal of the House, 31st Legislature, 1st Regular Session, 1973, p. 9 (January 8, 1973):

The Committee on Credentials submitted the following report:

Your Committee reports that Art Hamilton of Maricopa County is not entitled to be a member of this body and is not entitled to be seated as a member of this body by reason of the fact that he is not 25 years of age as required by the Arizona State Constitution, and that a vacancy exists in District 22.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors proceeded to appoint Art Hamilton to fill the seat to which he had already been elected and, on his 25th birthday, Art Hamilton returned to the House.  Journal of the House, 31st Legislature, 1st Regular Session, 1973, p. 104 (January 19, 1973):

The Committee on Credentials submitted the following report:

Mr. Speaker:

Your Committee on Credentials reports that it has examined the credentials of Mr. Art Hamilton, appointed to fill the vacancy in District 22, Maricopa County.

The Committee has come to the conclusion that the vacancy does exist and that Mr. Hamilton is entitled to be seated as soon as he has been administered the Oath of Office by Speaker Akers.

...Speaker Akers administered the Oath of Office to Mr. Hamilton, after which the Sergeant at Arms escorted him to his seat....

The following is from ALIS for the 43rd Arizona State Legislature (1997-1998):

State Representative Art Hamilton
Democrat -- District 22
Office number: 320
Phone:602-542-3392
E-mail: [email protected]
Home City: Phoenix
Occupation: Community Relations Representative: SRP
Member Since: 1973

Committee Assignments:
Rules
Ways & Means

The following is the Hon. Art Hamilton's BIOGRAPHICAL RESUME from the firm he helped to found at:  http://www.supreme.state.az.us/ajc/MeetingMaterials/2005/062005/purpose.pdf
 
ART HAMILTON
BIOGRAPHICAL RESUME
Art Hamilton is a founding partner in the firm Hamilton, Gullett, Davis & Roman.  Hamilton, Gullett, Davis & Roman specialize in integrated communications, public affair strategic thinking and tactical solutions for businesses and other ventures.  Prior to the founding of his current firm in 2002, Art Hamilton served 26 years in the Arizona House of Representatives, with consecutive years as the Democratic leader in the Arizona House. He was the first African-American and only Arizonan to be elected President of the National Council of State Legislatures.  NCSL represents all 50 state legislatures, all 4,400 state legislators, and all 30,000 legislative staff members in their dealings with the Federal government. Hamilton led NCSL task force to re-write states’ policies on how state governments deal with families and individuals wrestling with problems of the developmentally disabled.  Hamilton is also currently an employee of Salt River Project, where he has worked for 34 years.

Hamilton also currently serves as an at-large (non-lawyer) member of the Arizona State Bar Board of Governors, having been appointed to that position by the Arizona Supreme Court.  He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Labor’s Community Service Agency for Maricopa County, and as a member of the Board of Directors for Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he chairs the Board’s Committee of Advocacy of Government Relations.

Hamilton is also a 30-year-plus member in good standing of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local #266 and he is a “Life Member” of the Maricopa County branch of the NAACP.

In 1985 the Murphy School District named one of its elementary schools the “Arthur M. Hamilton School,” which is a continuing source of great pride in the Hamilton family.

Hamilton is a native of Phoenix, Arizona and was educated at Carl Hayden High School and Phoenix College.  He has three children and four grandchildren and resides in Phoenix.

Education

Juris Doctorate, Arizona State University Law, 1971

Bachelors: Chemistry, Arizona State University, 1964

Additional Information

Jeremy Duda.  “Q&A with Arizona State Treasurer Dean Martin.”  Arizona Capitol Times, June 26, 2009:

I turned 26 two days before the primary election (for Senate in 2000).  But I don't hold the record as being the youngest legislator ever.  That title is held by Art Hamilton, who was 24 when he was elected to the House.  He holds the all-time record in the House, but I hold the all-time record in the Senate.

Is the rule in the Legislature that you have to be 25 years old to be a member?

The Arizona Constitution states that legislators have to be at least 25 (Note: Hamilton had to wait until he was 25 to serve in the House).

See also:  Rep. Robert Richard Hathaway who was underage when elected.

Employment

Arizona Legislative Service

Sources

U.S. Public Records Index, location: HGDR bio: Art Hamilton

Education: 1998 Guide to the Legislature (Greenbook)