Arkansas House speaker to resign for university job

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas’ House speaker is resigning this month to take a job with the University of Central Arkansas.

Speaker Jeremy Gillam on Wednesday said he’ll resign effective June 15 to take the job as UCA’s director of governmental affairs and external relations. The House will meet on June 15 to elect an interim speaker to lead the chamber for the remainder of the year. Gillam said he expected the chamber would choose Rep. Matthew Shepherd, who was elected earlier this year to serve as speaker beginning in 2019.

Gillam, a Republican, has served in the House since 2011 and as speaker since 2015.

Gillam will be paid $130,000 a year in his new position at UCA. He currently makes about $47,000 a year as speaker.

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