Bill > SB188

This bill amends Arkansas law regarding initiative and referendum petitions by establishing new requirements for public transparency and reporting. Specifically, after a proposed measure is certified by the Attorney General, sponsors must provide the Secretary of State with the full text of the proposed measure, its certified ballot title and popular name, and the certification letter within five business days of beginning signature collection. The Secretary of State is then required to post this information on their website within five days of receiving it, and the information must remain publicly available until the day after the next general election. The bill also provides circumstances under which the Secretary of State may remove the posted information, such as if the measure fails to qualify for the ballot, signatures are no longer being collected, or the measure has been legally challenged. Additionally, the bill grants the Secretary of State the ability to independently obtain and post the required information if a sponsor does not comply, and explicitly states that a sponsor's failure to comply will not impact the sufficiency of the proposed measure or its signatures. The changes aim to increase public access to information about proposed ballot initiatives and referendums in Arkansas.

Government Affairs

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb188&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R