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 As Engrossed: S4/7/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1694
4
5 By: Representative Hawk
6 By: Senator Crowell
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ALTERNATIVES TO
10 ELECTRONIC FILING FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS; AND
11 FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ALTERNATIVES
16 TO ELECTRONIC FILING FOR CAMPAIGN
17 FINANCE REPORTS.
18
19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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21 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 7-6-230 is amended to read as follows:
22 7-6-230. Alternative to electronic Electronic filing of reports.
23 (a)(1) A candidate required to file campaign contribution and
24 expenditure reports in electronic form under � 7-6-207 may file reports in
25 paper form under this section.
26 (2)(A) A candidate filing reports in paper form under
27 subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall submit with his or her first paper
28 report in an election cycle a notarized affidavit on a form prepared by the
29 Secretary of State.
30 (B) The Secretary of State shall:
31 (i) Not accept a report in paper form under
32 subdivision (a)(1) of this section if a notarized affidavit was not submitted
33 with the first paper report in the election cycle;
34 (ii) Provide written notice to the candidate within
35 five (5) business days if the report in paper form was not filed or accepted;
36 and
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As Engrossed: S4/7/25 HB1694
1 (iii) Provide the reason the report in paper form
2 was not filed or accepted.
3 (C)(a) The Secretary of State shall develop electronic
4 reporting forms for campaign contribution and expenditure reports required
5 under � 7-6-207, including without limitation:
6 (i)(1) A cover sheet for a reporting period;
7 (ii)(2) Campaign contribution reports; and
8 (iii)(3) Campaign expenditure reports.
9 (D)(b) The Secretary of State shall develop electronic
10 reporting forms in a manner that allows a candidate to:
11 (i)(1) Fill out an electronic form for each
12 reporting period in an electronic word processing file, portable document
13 format, or equivalent format that may be saved in a read-only format;
14 (ii)(2) Upload the electronic reporting forms
15 electronically by an upload to the internet or delivered by electronic media
16 to the Secretary of State; and
17 (iii)(3) Combine all electronic forms into a single
18 document that is available to the public in an electronically searchable
19 format.
20 (c)(1) In the event of an emergency, the Secretary of State shall
21 allow a candidate to email, fax, or deliver a paper copy of his or her
22 campaign contribution and expenditure report to meet the deadline
23 requirements under � 7-6-207.
24 (2) A candidate submitting a paper copy of a campaign
25 contribution and expenditure report under subdivision (c)(1) of this section
26 shall upload the report electronically to the Secretary of State within ten
27 (10) days of submitting the paper copy.
28 (b)(1) The Secretary of State shall make available to candidates
29 wishing to file reports in paper form under this section:
30 (A) Information on the deadlines for filing required
31 reports; and
32 (B)(i) Appropriate forms and instructions for complying
33 with the deadlines.
34 (ii) The Arkansas Ethics Commission shall approve
35 the forms and instructions used by the Secretary of State to ensure that all
36 required information is requested.
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As Engrossed: S4/7/25 HB1694
1 (2) Reports shall be filed on the forms furnished by the
2 Secretary of State, except that computer-generated contribution and
3 expenditure reports shall be accepted by the Secretary of State and the
4 commission provided that all of the requisite elements are included.
5 (c)(1)(A) A report submitted in paper form under this section other
6 than a preelection report is timely filed if it is either hand delivered or
7 mailed to the Secretary of State, properly addressed, and postage prepaid,
8 bearing a postmark indicating that it was received by the post office or
9 common carrier on the date that the report is due.
10 (B) A preelection report submitted in paper form under
11 this section is timely filed if it is received by the Secretary of State no
12 later than seven (7) days before the election for which it is filed.
13 (2) The Secretary of State shall accept a report via facsimile,
14 provided the original is received by the Secretary of State within ten (10)
15 days of the date of facsimile transmission.
16 (d)(1) The Secretary of State shall make available campaign
17 contribution and expenditure reports submitted in paper form, carryover fund
18 reports submitted in paper form, and affidavits accompanying reports filed in
19 paper form, on a portion of the official website of the Secretary of State.
20 (2) The Secretary of State shall comply with the requirements of
21 � 7-6-214(c) regarding the "paper filer" designation and publication
22 requirements for all reports submitted in paper form.
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24 /s/Hawk
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3 04-07-2025 11:10:59 SSS216Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.