All Roll Calls
Yes: 105 • No: 20
ArkansasSB5842025 Regular SessionSenate
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LOCAL INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS.
Sponsored By: RJ Hawk (Republican), Kim Hammer (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
New review rules for local petitions
Before collecting signatures, local petition sponsors must send the county clerk the full draft, ballot title, and popular name. With county civil attorney assistance, the clerk has 10 business days to approve or replace and certify the title and name. The clerk may reject misleading petitions or those conflicting with federal law or the U.S. Constitution. County petitions also need written review by an Arkansas-licensed attorney before circulation, covering form, title, legality, constitutionality, and ordinance conflicts. Every county petition signature page must show the full ballot title at the top. Before filing, sponsors must meet the required draft-filing and paid-canvasser rules.
No signature-based pay for petition canvassers
The law bans payment based on the number of signatures obtained for statewide or local initiative or referendum petitions. People cannot pay, offer to pay, receive, or agree to receive payment tied to signature counts.
Stricter rules for paid local canvassers
Local petition sponsors must give the county clerk paid-canvasser lists with current addresses before paid signature collection starts. Sponsors must update the lists when adding paid canvassers and submit signed statements, final lists, and signature cards when filing. They must also certify that employed canvassers have no disqualifying offenses. A canvasser, sponsor, or sponsor agent commits a Class A misdemeanor by paying or accepting value for obtaining signatures while knowing the canvasser’s name or address is missing from the filed county list.
Tighter counting rules for local petitions
Local petition canvassers must file a truthful sworn statement certifying compliance with Arkansas canvassing and signature-gathering laws. The county clerk cannot count their signatures until that statement is filed. After filing, canvassers cannot collect more signatures unless the clerk finds the sponsor eligible to amend the petition. The clerk must exclude signatures collected and witnessed by a canvasser found to have broken covered laws during the current election cycle. That finding must rest on the greater weight of evidence and cover canvassing, perjury, forgery, fraudulent practices, or applicable constitutional rules.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
RJ Hawk
Republican • House
Kim Hammer
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/14/2025
House Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 3:26:16 PM
Yes: 73 • No: 20
Senate vote • 4/3/2025
Senate Vote - Thursday, April 3, 2025 4:07:21 PM
Yes: 32 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB584 is now Act 768
4/18/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
4/15/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4/15/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
4/14/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed.
4/14/2025SenateReturned to the Senate as passed.
4/14/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
4/14/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
4/9/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE
4/3/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
4/3/2025HouseOrdered immediately transmitted to the House.
4/3/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/3/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
4/1/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE
3/31/2025SenateFiled
3/31/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB584 - Introduced
3/31/2025
Act Version
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