# Arkansas HB1223: TO ALLOW A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OR JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS WHO IS SERVING IN THAT POSITION AS AN APPOINTEE TO USE THE TITLE OF THAT POSITION AS A PREFIX ON THE BALLOT.

Arkansas HB1223, TO ALLOW A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OR JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS WHO IS SERVING IN THAT POSITION AS AN APPOINTEE TO USE THE TITLE OF THAT POSITION AS A PREFIX ON THE BALLOT., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Ben Gilmore (Republican), David Ray (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-02-20 (Notification that HB1223 is now Act 126) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1223-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas HB1223
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO ALLOW A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OR JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS WHO IS SERVING IN THAT POSITION AS AN APPOINTEE TO USE THE TITLE OF THAT POSITION AS A PREFIX ON THE BALLOT.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-24
- Last action: 2025-02-20, Notification that HB1223 is now Act 126
- Sponsors: Ben Gilmore (Republican), David Ray (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (126 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Appointed judges can use titles on ballots: benefit, low. Arkansas allows qualifying appointed judicial candidates to use their office title before their name on nonpartisan election ballots. This covers Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, circuit judges, and district judges. Candidates must currently serve as appointees and have served in th…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Ben Gilmore (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: David Ray (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, February 17, 2025 3:05:19 PM | pass | 33 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-06 | House | House Vote - Thursday, February 6, 2025 3:09:38 PM | pass | 93 | 1 |   |

## Actions (13)

- 2025-02-20: Notification that HB1223 is now Act 126 (House)
- 2025-02-18: Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office. (House)
- 2025-02-17: TO BE ENROLLED (House)
- 2025-02-17: Returned from the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-02-17: Returned to the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Received from the House. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-02-05: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-01-27: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-01-24: Filed (House)

## Bill text

- HB1223 - Introduced, 2025-01-24: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1223.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=126.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related bills

- HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted)
- HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed)
- HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed)
- SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed)
- HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed)
- HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed)

## Sources
- [HB1223 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1223.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=126.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related
- [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025)
- [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025)
- [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025)
- [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025)
- [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025)
- [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1223-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).