News & Notes - 2023 Ballot Issue Newsletters

2023 Newsletters

AG Rejects Freedom of Information Act Proposals - December 2023
The authors of a pair of proposed ballot issues related to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act will have to tweak their submissions and try again after the Attorney General's Office cited in its rejections this month numerous problems with the proposals.

AG Rejects Wording of Abortion, Paper Ballot Issues- November 2023
Five years ago, when the Attorney General was last in charge of certifying ballot issue titles, citizen initiative groups had already raised over $1 million for their campaigns. As of this month, no ballot issue group has reported raising or spending any funds ahead of the 2024 general election. There has been a flurry of activity though this month with multiple groups submitting proposed constitutional amendments to the Attorney General's Office. Below is a summary of where potential 2024 ballot issues stand.

Period Group Working on Signatures for 2024, FOI Group Hosting Meetings - October 2023
A group seeking to end state and local sales taxes charged on period products and diaper purchases can now collect voter signatures for their proposed 2024 ballot issue. Meanwhile, another group has hosted several public meetings to build momentum for their cause, putting the state's Freedom of Information Act into the Arkansas constitution.

Group Seeks to End Sales Tax on Tampons, Diapers - September 2023
Supporters of a state law to remove sales tax from menstrual products turned in a new ballot title Wednesday, and added diapers to the list of items they seek to exempt from local and state taxes.

Referendum Bid Ends With Incomplete Paperwork - August 2023
A new education law that increases teacher pay and allows parents to use public dollars for private schooling in Arkansas went into effect this month without a voter referendum.

LEARN Referendum Group Pushes Up To Deadline, Suspects Just Shy of Law - July 2023
Volunteers hosted drive-through signature events late into the evening Sunday and then were back out Monday morning to squeeze out the last hours before the 5 p.m. deadline to turn in LEARNS Act petitions.

Referendum on Education Law Kicks Off - June 2023
At 8,154 words long, the ballot title for a potential referendum on the Arkansas LEARNS Act is the longest in Arkansas history.

Clock Ticking on Arkansas LEARNS Referendum - May 2023
May 1 marked the official end of the 94th Arkansas General Assembly's legislative session and the start of a 90-day marathon for a group of citizens who want to put a new educational law on the ballot for voters to decide.

Lottery Proceeds on 2024 Ballot - April 2023
For the first time in nearly 40 years, Arkansas legislators sent only one constitutional amendment to voters. And it's an issue voters have seen before: lottery proceeds.

Lawsuit Filed Over 50-County Rule - March 2023
Requiring voters from 50 counties to sign citizen-led ballot initiative petitions is unconstitutional, opponents to Act 236 claimed in their March 10 lawsuit they filed days after the governor signed the bill into law.

Ballot Issue Groups Face 50 County Rule - March 2023
Arkansas legislators haven't started talking about potential constitutional amendments yet, but they are close to approving a major change to the citizen initiative process.

Elections and Taxes Dominate Proposals for 2024 Ballot - February 2023
Arkansas legislators have more than a dozen topics to consider for the 2024 ballot after the Feb. 8 filing deadline for constitutional amendments passed with 33 different resolutions filed.

Arkansas Lawmakers Submitting Ideas for 2024 Ballot Issues - January 2023
Arkansas legislators have reached the point in the 2023 legislative session where they file proposed amendments to the Arkansas Constitution.