Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1221
4
5 By: Representative Ray
6 By: Senator K. Hammer
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING INITIATIVES,
10 REFERENDA, AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS; TO DECLARE
11 AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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13
14 Subtitle
15 TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING
16 INITIATIVES, REFERENDA, AND
17 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS; AND TO
18 DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
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20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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22 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 7-9-103, concerning the signing of
23 initiative or referendum petitions, is amended to add an additional
24 subsection to read as follows:
25 (e) A signature on an initiative or referendum petition is not valid
26 and shall not be counted for any purpose if the signature was obtained after
27 the date of the next general election following the certification of the
28 ballot title and popular name under � 7-9-107.
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30 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 7-9-107, concerning the filing of the
31 original draft of a proposed measure with the Attorney General before
32 circulation, is amended to add an additional subsection to read as follows:
33 (g) The certification of a ballot title and popular name under this
34 section shall expire on the date of the next general election after the
35 certification of the ballot title and popular name.
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2 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 7-9-126(c), concerning the counting of
3 signatures on initiative and referendum petitions, is amended to read as
4 follows:
5 (c) The following signatures shall not be counted for any purpose by
6 the official charged with verifying the signatures, including the initial
7 count of signatures:
8 (1) A signature that is not an original signature;
9 (2) A signature that is obviously not that of the purported
10 petitioner;
11 (3) A signature that is illegible;
12 (4) A signature that is not accompanied by personally
13 identifying information;
14 (5) A signature for which the corresponding printed name,
15 address, birth date, or date of signing is written by someone other than the
16 signer except under circumstances of disability of the signer;
17 (6) A signature obtained before the submission and approval of
18 the ballot title under � 7-9-107;
19 (7) A signature obtained after the date of the next general
20 election following the certification of the ballot title and popular name
21 under � 7-9-107; and
22 (7)(8) A signature that has any other material defect that, on
23 its face, renders the signature invalid.
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25 SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this act are declared to
26 be severable and the invalidity of any provision of this act shall not affect
27 other provisions of the act which can be given effect without the invalid
28 provision.
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30 SECTION 5. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
31 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the process for citizens to
32 propose initiated acts and amendments to the Arkansas Constitution is
33 critical to a well-functioning democracy in this state; that it is of the
34 utmost importance that the integrity of the initiative process be
35 strengthened through this act so that voters maintain a high degree of
36 confidence in the actions of government; that few things are more important
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HB1221
1 to the public peace, health, and safety than maintaining trust in the actions
2 of government; that the changes to the initiative process under this act are
3 critical to ensure that integrity is maintained in the initiative process;
4 and that any delay in the implementation of this act would disrupt the
5 initiative process for the 2026 general election, which would have a
6 detrimental effect on the public peace, health, and safety of Arkansas.
7 Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and this act being immediately
8 necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall
9 become effective on:
10 (1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
11 (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
12 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
13 bill; or
14 (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
15 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
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3 01/17/2025 10:19:28 AM MBM044Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.