Petition Precision: Legislation Filed to Clarify Arkansas’ Initiative Laws
Legislation has been filed clarifying Arkansas’ laws concerning petitions to place initiatives on the ballot.
The Arkansas Constitution lets canvassers circulate petitions to place measures on a general election ballot. Since 2008, organizations placed — or attempted to place — measures like the Arkansas Lottery amendment, Arkansas Casino Amendment, marijuana legislation, an abortion amendment, and others on the ballot via the petition process.
H.B. 1221 and H.B. 1222 by Rep. David Ray (R — Maumelle) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) clarify Arkansas’ laws concerning initiatives and referendum.
H.B. 1221 makes it clear that petition signatures expire at the end of a General Election cycle. This would prevent canvassers from collecting signatures across multiple election cycles and help ensure sponsors don’t submit old signatures that are outdated or more likely to be invalid.
H.B. 1222 clarifies that the Arkansas Attorney General cannot approve a measure’s sponsors to begin collecting signatures to place a measure on the ballot if the measure conflicts with the U.S. Constitution or federal law. The bill also prevents sponsors from asking the attorney general to certify conflicting measures.
Currently, the Arkansas Attorney General must review each ballot measure to ensure the measure’s title and wording are clear and consistent before canvassers can begin collecting petition signatures to place it on the ballot.
H.B. 1222 would help ensure the A.G.’s office is not asked to approve measures that are unconstitutional or run afoul of federal law.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
