SB398
To Amend Arkansas Law Concerning Initiative Petitions And Referendum Petitions; And To Allow A Cure Period For Insufficient Submissions.
Last Action (May 5, 2025): Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
Senate Bill 398 proposes to amend Arkansas law regarding the process for verifying initiative and referendum petitions. The bill establishes a formal 'cure period' for petition sponsors if the Secretary of State determines that a submission is insufficient. Specifically, it requires the Secretary of State to notify sponsors in writing regarding any insufficiency and grants sponsors 30 days from that notice to correct or amend the submission. The Secretary of State is then required to review any resubmitted materials within 10 days to determine their sufficiency. Furthermore, the bill mandates that, where feasible, the Secretary of State should notify individual signers if their signature was found to be insufficient. The bill explicitly cites Article 5, Section 1 of the Arkansas Constitution as the foundation for these changes, emphasizing the state's obligation to allow for the correction of petition filings.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill are groups, political organizations, and grassroots advocates who sponsor statewide initiative or referendum petitions. By providing a 30-day cure period, these groups gain a procedural mechanism to correct technical errors or gather additional signatures after an initial finding of insufficiency, thereby increasing the likelihood that their proposed measures will successfully qualify for the ballot.
Who Might Suffer?
The bill places additional administrative burdens and operational requirements on the office of the Secretary of State and local election officials. By creating a multi-step review process and requiring outreach to individual petition signers, these government entities may face increased resource demands and stricter timelines for certification during the petition process.
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