An act TO CREATE THE DIRECT DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2025, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas      As Engrossed: H1/16/25 H1/23/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                 A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                           HOUSE BILL 1042

4

5 By: Representatives A. Collins, D. Garner, T. Shephard, Springer, Gonzales Worthen, Barnett

6

7

8                        For An Act To Be Entitled

9             AN ACT TO CREATE THE DIRECT DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2025; TO

10            REPEAL THE ENSURING ACCESS FOR ALL ARKANSANS AND

11            VOTER PROTECTION ACT OF 2023; TO AMEND THE PROCEDURE

12            FOR THE FILING OF A BALLOT INITIATIVE PETITION AND

13            REFERENDUM PETITION; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING

14            STATEWIDE PETITIONS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

15

16

17                       Subtitle

18                       TO CREATE THE DIRECT DEMOCRACY ACT OF

19                       2025; TO REPEAL THE ENSURING ACCESS FOR

20                       ALL ARKANSANS AND VOTER PROTECTION ACT

21                       OF 2023; AND TO AMEND THE PROCEDURE FOR

22                       THE FILING OF A BALLOT INITIATIVE

23                       PETITION AND REFERENDUM PETITION.

24

25 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

26

27  SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Title.

28  This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Direct Democracy Act

29 of 2025".

30

31  SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 7-9-126(e) and (f), concerning the count of

32 signatures for initiative petitions or referendum petitions, are repealed.

33  (e) In order to certify a measure for the statewide election ballot,

34 the official charged with verifying the signatures on an initiative petition

35 or referendum petition shall also verify:

36            (1) For a statutory initiative petition or referendum petition,

    *SSS015*                                                      01-23-2025 09:52:38 SSS015
    As Engrossed: H1/16/25 H1/23/25                 HB1042

1 that:

2                     (A) Petitions are filed from at least fifty (50) counties

3 of the state; and

4                     (B) The petitions bear the signature of at least one-half

5 (�) of the designated percentage of the electors of each county represented

6 in subdivision (e)(1)(A) of this section; and

7        (2) For an initiative petition for a constitutional amendment,

8 that:

9                     (A) Petitions are filed from at least fifty (50) counties

10 of the state; and

11                    (B) The petitions bear the signature of at least one-half

12 (�) of the designated percentage of the electors of each county represented

13 in subdivision (e)(2)(A) of this section.

14       (f) If the requirements of subsection (e) of this section are less

15 than the designated number of signatures or counties represented by petitions

16 required by the Arkansas Constitution and statutory law in order to certify

17 the measure for the ballot and the deadline for filing petitions has passed,

18 the official charged with verifying the signatures shall declare the petition

19 insufficient and shall not accept and file any additional signatures to cure

20 the insufficiency of the petition on its face.

21

22                                   /s/A. Collins

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

                                     2              01-23-2025 09:52:38 SSS015