Key resigning from state Senate for UA job

Sen. Johnny Key, R-Mountain Home, presents a bill dealing with school choice during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Education at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Wednesday, March 27, 2013. The measure passed. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
Sen. Johnny Key, R-Mountain Home, presents a bill dealing with school choice during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Education at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Wednesday, March 27, 2013. The measure passed. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

LITTLE ROCK — State Sen. Johnny Key is stepping down from his seat to take a lobbying job with the University of Arkansas system.

State Senate officials on Wednesday released a letter Key submitted earlier this month resigning his seat. In the letter, dated July 18, Key writes that his resignation will be effective Thursday. He wrote that he will begin work on Friday as the UA system's associate vice president for university relations.

The Republican lawmaker from Mountain Home had decided against seeking re-election this fall after applying to be UA's vice chancellor for governmental relations. He was instead hired for the UA system post, a job he initially said he wouldn't start until after his term ended this year.

Key has served in the state Senate since 2009.

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