Bill Addressing Paid Petition Canvassing Heads to Arkansas Senate

Legislation,

On Monday the Arkansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a good bill clarifying the definition of “paid canvasser” in the state’s ballot initiative laws.

The Arkansas Constitution lets canvassers circulate petitions to place measures on a general election ballot. Its original intent was to give citizens a way to function as a “legislative body.” Unfortunately, powerful special interests have used the initiative process to put flawed, misleading, and deceptive measures on the ballot in Arkansas.

If a campaign has enough money, it can hire hundreds of petition canvassers to collect signatures to place a measure on the ballot.

Last month pro-life leaders testified in committee that canvassers for the 2024 Arkansas Abortion Amendment allegedly violated state law and were paid $500 bonuses for “altercations” with pro-lifers who opposed the abortion amendment.

H.B. 1714 by Rep. Ryan Rose (R — Van Buren) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) clarifies the definition of a “paid canvasser” in state law.

Current law says that anyone who receives anything of value in return for soliciting signatures on a petition is a paid canvasser. Paid canvassers are subject to certain laws that do not apply to volunteer canvassers.

H.B. 1714 further clarifies that receiving anything of value includes receiving payment for items like food, lodging, travel, bonuses, fees, gift cards, and other payments associated with obtaining signatures on a petition. This will help bring better clarity to state law.

Arkansas’ ballot initiative process has become the opposite of what it was intended to be, and if lawmakers do not act soon, the problem is simply going to get worse.

H.B. 1714 now goes to the Arkansas Senate for consideration.

The Following Representatives Voted FOR H.B. 1714

  • Achor
  • Andrews
  • Beaty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • S. Berry
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • A. Brown
  • K. Brown
  • M. Brown
  • N. Burkes
  • R. Burkes
  • Joey Carr
  • John Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Childress
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Dalby
  • Duke
  • Eaton
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Furman
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Gramlich
  • Hall
  • Hawk
  • Henley
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Jean
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Long
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • McAlindon
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • B. McKenzie
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Milligan
  • J. Moore
  • K. Moore
  • Nazarenko
  • Painter
  • Pearce
  • Pilkington
  • Puryear
  • Ray
  • Richmond
  • Rose
  • Rye
  • R. Scott Richardson
  • M. Shepherd
  • Steimel
  • Torres
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Unger
  • Vaught
  • Walker
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooldridge
  • Wooten
  • Speaker Evans

The Following Representatives Voted AGAINST H.B. 1714

  • F. Allen
  • Barnes
  • Barnett
  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • Ennett
  • D. Garner
  • Hudson
  • J. Mayberry
  • McCullough
  • McGruder
  • Perry
  • J. Richardson
  • T. Shephard
  • Springer
  • Steele
  • D. Whitaker
  • Gonzales Worthen

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

  • Barker
  • Crawford
  • Duffield
  • K. Ferguson
  • Magie
  • Schulz

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Bill Filed to Protect Physical Privacy in Shelters, State Buildings, Jails

Legislation,

On Monday, lawmakers filed legislation protecting people’s physical privacy and safety in certain shelters, in state and local jails, and in public buildings.

The measure is similar to a law Arkansas passed in 2023 to protect privacy in public schools and on overnight school trips.

S.B. 486 by Sen. Blake Johnson (R — Corning) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) protects physical privacy and safety of Arkansans in showers, locker rooms, changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in government buildings and in state and local jails.

The bill also applies to changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in shelters for victims of domestic violence.

S.B. 486 would require these facilities to be designated for “male” or “female” use. The bill generally requires people to use the facility that corresponds to their biological sex.

Over the years, we have seen efforts to house men with women in jails, let men stay in women’s shelters, and give men access to women’s changing areas, locker rooms, showers, and restrooms.

S.B. 486 is common sense legislation narrowly tailored to protect physical privacy and safety in public buildings and shelters in Arkansas.

You Can Read The Bill Here.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Lawmakers in 19 Other States are Considering Legislation Like These Good Bills Filed in Arkansas

Legislation, , , ,

Lawmakers in 19 other states reportedly are considering fetal development education measures that are similar to good bills filed in Arkansas.

H.B. 1180 by Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) makes it possible for public school students to see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as part of sex-education and human fetal growth and development education courses.

The bill also lets students see a video like Live Action’s computer-animated “Meet Baby Olivia” video that teaches about human development from conception to birth.

S.B. 450 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. Kendra Moore (R — Lincoln) also makes it possible for public school students to see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as part of human fetal growth and development education courses and learn important facts about how unborn children develop in the womb.

Both of these good bills are on the Senate Education Committee’s agenda this week.

Last week our friends at Live Action issued an email statement indicating that lawmakers in 20 states are considering bills similar to H.B. 1180 and S.B. 450, writing,

Arkansas, Texas, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, Missouri, Montana, Indiana, Hawaii, Arizona, Kansas, Florida, and Nebraska are working to advance “Baby Olivia” bills to show students the miracle of human life in the womb from fertilization to birth! They hope to join North Dakota and Tennessee as states that already require education on human development in the womb.

Ultrasound images and educational tools like the “Meet Baby Olivia” video can help demonstrate the humanity of unborn children. As Live Action says, “Abortion becomes unthinkable when these facts are known.”

Below is the “Meet Baby Olivia” video by Live Action. H.B. 1180 would let public schools show a video like this one to students as part of human fetal growth and development education.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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