SB188

Senate Bill 188 amends Arkansas law regarding the process for statewide initiative and referendum petitions. The bill mandates that, after the Attorney General certifies a proposed measure, the sponsors must submit the full text, certified ballot title, and certified popular name to the Secretary of State within five business days of beginning to gather signatures. The Secretary of State is then required to publish this information on their official website. This information must generally remain posted until the day after the next general election, though the Secretary of State may remove it under specific conditions, such as if a measure fails to qualify for the ballot or is removed by a court. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of State to obtain and post this information independently if a sponsor fails to submit it while actively circulating a petition. Finally, the bill specifies that a sponsor's failure to comply with these filing requirements does not invalidate the measure or any individual signatures collected.