Arkansas State Representative

Matthew J. Shepherd

Republican  •  97th District 95th General Assembly
Party
Republican
Past Service
House 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, Speaker of the House 2018, 2020, Speaker-designate 2022
Seniority
3
Religion
Southern Baptist
Occupation
Attorney
Download Headshot
Matthew J. Shepherd
About Rep. Shepherd

Rep. Matthew J. Shepherd is serving his 8th term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 97 which includes El Dorado and portions of Union County.

Rep. Shepherd was the longest-serving Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives serving as Speaker from June 2018 to January 2025.  Shepherd lives and practices law in El Dorado at the law firm of Shepherd & Shepherd, P.A.


He was born and raised in El Dorado and graduated from El Dorado High School in 1994. Shepherd went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in History and Political Science from Ouachita Baptist University in 1998 and received his J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2001. He is a member of the Union County, Arkansas, Louisiana Bar Associations, and is licensed to practice in the state courts of Arkansas and Louisiana; the United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Arkansas, and the Western District of Louisiana; and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.


Shepherd is the former two-term Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and is a member of the Joint Budget Committee, the House Public Transportation Committee, the House Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee, and the House Management Committee. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Arkansas Code Revision Commission.
Shepherd has received a number of awards and recognitions for his legislative service.


Shepherd is a member of the First Baptist Church of El Dorado, where he is a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher. He is currently a board member of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado, and El Dorado Fifty for the Future, and serves as President of the El Dorado Boys & Girls Club Alumni Association and the Murphy USA Classic football game. He formerly served in the Arkansas Bar Association’s House of Delegates, and on the boards of Union County Habitat for Humanity, Hope Landing, the Union County Community Foundation, the United Way of Union County, and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and is a former member of the El Dorado Civil Service Commission, the El Dorado Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Union County Election Commission.


Shepherd and his wife, Alie, have three children.


Elected Terms

2025 (Jan 12th, 2025 — Dec 31st, 2026) 2023 (Jan 1st, 2023 — Jan 12th, 2025) 2021 (Jan 11th, 2021 — Jan 1st, 2023) 2019 (Jan 1st, 2019 — Jan 10th, 2021) 2017 (Jan 1st, 2017 — Dec 31st, 2018) 2015 (Jan 1st, 2015 — Dec 31st, 2016) 2013 (Jan 1st, 2013 — Dec 31st, 2014) 2011 (Jan 1st, 2011 — Dec 31st, 2012)

Newsroom

Fighting Food Insecurity

This week, several members of the Arkansas House of Representatives traded their suits for aprons an...

Committees Review Maternal Health Rules

From reviewing proposed healthcare rules to tracking revenue trends and conducting vital audits, it...

Human Trafficking Prevention

Every day, across Arkansas and our nation, human trafficking silently preys on the vulnerable, explo...

Honoring Our Veterans

Each year on Memorial Day, Arkansans come together to honor the men and women who made the ultimate...

2025 Transportation Legislation

Transportation is more than just a matter of convenience — it’s about safety, infrastructure, and su...

2025 Maternal Health Legislation

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we are reminded of the vital role mothers play in the stre...

2025 Education Legislation

In the 2025 Regular Session, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed a series of impactful laws...


Contact Representative Shepherd

Matthew J. Shepherd
matthew.shepherd@arkansashouse.org



, AR
870-862-2087
Fax: 870-862-2747