# Arkansas SB297: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSING TO ELECT COUNCIL MEMBERS; AND TO REQUIRE FILING OF THE ORDINANCE DESCRIBING THE ELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH THE COUNTY CLERK.

Arkansas SB297, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSING TO ELECT COUNCIL MEMBERS; AND TO REQUIRE FILING OF THE ORDINANCE DESCRIBING THE ELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH THE COUNTY CLERK., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Rick Beck (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-12 (Notification that SB297 is now Act 283) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB297-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB297
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSING TO ELECT COUNCIL MEMBERS; AND TO REQUIRE FILING OF THE ORDINANCE DESCRIBING THE ELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH THE COUNTY CLERK.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-25
- Last action: 2025-03-12, Notification that SB297 is now Act 283
- Sponsors: Rick Beck (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (120 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Arkansas cities face new council-election rules: mixed, low. Arkansas first- and second-class cities must file ordinances choosing ward or citywide council elections with the county clerk by August 31 of the year before the election. Cities with these ordinances must file by January 1, 2026; cities that do not file must elect council members citywide. After…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Rick Beck (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 2:48:20 PM | pass | 93 | 0 | 4 |
| 2025-03-03 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, March 3, 2025 2:44:05 PM | pass | 27 | 1 | 5 |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-03-12: Notification that SB297 is now Act 283 (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)
- 2025-03-03: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-03-03: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-03-03: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-03: 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 CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB297 - Introduced, 2025-02-25: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB297.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=283.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
- [SB297 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB297.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=283.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-SB297-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).