# Arkansas SB296: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION BY THE COUNTY CLERK.

Arkansas SB296, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION BY THE COUNTY CLERK., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-12 (Notification that SB296 is now Act 282) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB296-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB296
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION BY THE COUNTY CLERK.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-25
- Last action: 2025-03-12, Notification that SB296 is now Act 282
- Sponsors: Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (101 yes, 27 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Arkansas voters get new polling location rules: mixed, low. The county clerk’s designated early voting site must be within the county seat. The clerk must receive a suitable room there, at the courthouse or another site, for absentee and early voting duties. For qualified voters, early voting at the clerk’s site starts 15 days before a preferential primary…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Kim Hammer (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-10 | House | House Vote - Monday, March 10, 2025 3:33:48 PM | pass | 72 | 21 | 3 |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, March 4, 2025 2:07:41 PM | pass | 29 | 6 |   |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-03-12: Notification that SB296 is now Act 282 (Senate)
- 2025-03-11: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate)
- 2025-03-11: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-03-10: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-03-05: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-03-04: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-03-04: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-03-04: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB296 - Introduced, 2025-02-25: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB296.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=282.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
- [SB296 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB296.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=282.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)
- [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills)
- [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB296-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).