# Arkansas SB578: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EARLY VOTING; AND TO ALLOW A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS TO CLOSE CERTAIN EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.

Arkansas SB578, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EARLY VOTING; AND TO ALLOW A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS TO CLOSE CERTAIN EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bart Hester (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-18 (Notification that SB578 is now Act 766) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB578-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB578
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EARLY VOTING; AND TO ALLOW A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS TO CLOSE CERTAIN EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-31
- Last action: 2025-04-18, Notification that SB578 is now Act 766
- Sponsor: Bart Hester (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (126 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Early voters face weather closures with safeguards: mixed, low. Arkansas county election boards can close one or more early voting locations for one or more days because of bad weather. The board must hold an emergency meeting, in person or electronically, and vote unanimously to approve closures. At least one early voting location in the county seat must stay…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bart Hester (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-14 | House | House Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 3:21:36 PM | pass | 92 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025-04-07 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 3:09:21 PM | pass | 34 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-04-18: Notification that SB578 is now Act 766 (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-04-14: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-09: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-04-07: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-04-07: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-04-07: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB578 - Introduced, 2025-03-31: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB578.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=766.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
- [SB578 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB578.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=766.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-SB578-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).