SB584

Senate Bill 584 modifies Arkansas statutes governing local initiative and referendum petitions to align them more closely with statewide petition procedures. The bill mandates that sponsors of local measures submit drafts and ballot titles to the county clerk for review and approval, granting the clerk authority to reject proposals deemed misleading or in conflict with higher laws. It imposes new administrative requirements on the hiring and registration of paid canvassers for local petitions, requiring lists of canvassers to be filed with the county clerk. Furthermore, the bill introduces stricter penalties and verification requirements for canvassers, including the mandatory filing of a 'true affidavit' certifying compliance with state election laws. It also restricts sponsors from submitting multiple conflicting measures during the same election cycle. These changes aim to standardize the regulatory framework for both local and statewide ballot measures.