Lawsuit challenges new Arkansas direct democracy laws

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

A lawsuit has been filed challenging new restrictions on Arkansas’ direct democracy process.

The League of Women Voters of Arkansas filed suit Monday seeking to block a slate of new laws putting restrictions on the petition process. The lawsuit comes less than a week after the informal adjournment of the 2025 General Session of the Arkansas Legislature.

“For decades, Arkansans of all political persuasions have utilized the ballot initiative process to pass popular reforms in our state. Now, the legislature wants to kill the process. It’s not only anti-voter but is also completely illegal,” Bonnie Miller, president of the League of Women Voters of Arkansas, said in a statement. “We urge the court to strike down these laws and reaffirm Arkansans’ right to direct democracy.”

Lawsuit challenges new Arkansas direct democracy laws

League of Women Voters seek to ‘reform’ ballot initiative process

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The League of Women Voters of Arkansas (LWV) has submitted a proposed constitutional amendment it says is designed to counter recent legislative efforts that “weaken and dismantle” the ability of citizens to place amendments on the ballot.

According to a LWV press release issued Tuesday (March 11), the amendment and ballot title presented to Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin “aims to reform the state’s ballot initiative process and address concerns over transparency and accessibility.”

The LWV action follows attempts by the Arkansas Legislature to add more requirements to citizen initiatives. One of those was SB 211, filed by Rep. Kendon Underwood, R-Cave Springs, which requires a signature canvasser to file an affidavit with the Arkansas Secretary or State “certifying that the canvasser has complied with the Arkansas Constitution and all Arkansas law regarding canvassing, perjury, forgery, and fraudulent practices in the procurement of petition signatures during the current election cycle.”

League of Women Voters seek to ‘reform’ ballot initiative process

Petition measures, maternal health bills pass Senate; sports raffle act fails in committee

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas Senate on Wednesday (Feb. 12) passed five measures to alter the petition signature gathering process, while also advancing the governor’s maternal health package. In the Arkansas House, members pushed forward a companion maternal health bill, but a key committee defeated a high-profile sports raffle bill.

Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, is the lead sponsor on SB 207, SB 208, SB 209, SB 210 and SB 211 – a package of bills that puts new stipulations on canvassers of citizen petitions. The bills require canvassers to disclose that petition fraud is a misdemeanor; require photo IDs before obtaining a petition signature; require a petition signer to read the ballot title in the presence of a canvasser; and sets conditions for the disqualification of signatures if laws are violated.

Hammer, who has announced he will seek the office of Secretary of State in 2026, told colleagues the canvassing bills aim to provide integrity and guardrails in the process of collecting signatures for ballot initiatives.

Petition measures, maternal health bills pass Senate; sports raffle act fails in committee

Arkansas Term Limits Files Suit Against Voter Petitioner Limits

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas Term Limits and other plaintiffs filed suit Friday (May 28) in the federal Eastern District of Arkansas to overturn a new state law that limits who can gather signatures for citizen-led constitutional amendments and other initiatives.

Act 951 by Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, and Rep. Michelle Gray, R-Melbourne, limits paid petitioners to state residents, which Arkansas Term Limits said in a press release is not required for any other political job or for petitions used to gather signatures for candidates to run. It passed with an emergency measure.

The ban applies to gathering signatures for citizen-led constitutional amendments; initiatives, which have the force of law; and referenda, which allow voters to rescind a law passed by the state Legislature.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/05/arkansas-term-limits-files-suit-against-voter-petitioner-limits/