Arkansas 2025 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 398 — TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING INITIATIVE PETITIONS AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS; AND TO ALLOW A CURE PERIOD FOR INSUFFICIENT SUBMISSIONS.

Last action — Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

In plain language

The bill allows a cure period for insufficient initiative and referendum petitions in Arkansas.

This bill amends Arkansas law to provide a 30-day cure period for sponsors of insufficient initiative and referendum petitions to correct identified issues. The Secretary of State must notify sponsors of any insufficiencies and must review corrections within 10 days.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

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AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill allows sponsors of initiative and referendum petitions a cure period to address deficiencies in their submissions.

  • Arkansas Code § 7-9-111

    (j)(1) If, while ascertaining and declaring the sufficiency or insufficiency of a statewide initiative petition or statewide referendum petition, or the signatures in support of such a petition, the Secretary of State determines that the petition, or signatures in support of the petition, are insufficient for any reason, the Secretary of State shall immediately notify the sponsor in writing through his or her designated agent and shall identify the insufficiency. (2) The sponsor shall have thirty (30) days from the date of the delivery of the notice from the Secretary of State to cure the insufficiency identified under subdivision (j)(1) of this section to the Secretary of State. (3) The Secretary of State shall ascertain and declare the sufficiency or insufficiency of each petition or signature resubmitted under subdivision (j)(2) of this section within ten (10) days of the resubmission of the petition or signature and notify the sponsor whether the resubmitted petition or signature is sufficient or insufficient. (4) If the Secretary of State determines that the petition or any number of signatures resubmitted under subdivision (j)(2) of this section are sufficient, he or she shall proceed with the processing of the petition or with the counting of signatures that were not counted due to the determination of insufficiency by the Secretary of State. (5) For all signatures determined to be insufficient under subdivision (j)(1) of this section, if feasible, the Secretary of State shall also immediately notify an individual who signed the petition that his or her signature was found to be insufficient.

    This adds a process for petition sponsors to correct deficiencies in their submissions.

  • Arkansas Code § 7-9-126(b)

    A petition part and all signatures appearing on the petition part shall not be counted for any purpose by the official charged with verifying the signatures, including the initial count of signatures, if one (1) or more of the following is true: → Except as provided in § 7-9-111(j), a petition part and all signatures appearing on the petition part shall not be counted for any purpose by the official charged with verifying the signatures, including the initial count of signatures, if one (1) or more of the following is true:

    This clarifies that the rules regarding counting signatures are subject to the provisions of the new cure period.

  • Arkansas Code § 7-9-126(d)

    If the initial count of signatures under this section is less than the designated number of signatures required by the Arkansas Constitution and statutory law in order to certify the measure for the ballot and the deadline for filing petitions has passed, the official charged with verifying the signatures shall declare the petition insufficient and shall not accept and file any additional signatures to cure the insufficiency of the petition on its face. → If Except as provided in § 7-9-111(j), if the initial count of signatures under this section is less than the designated number of signatures required by the Arkansas Constitution and statutory law in order to certify the measure for the ballot and the deadline for filing petitions has passed, the official charged with verifying the signatures shall declare the petition insufficient and shall not accept and file any additional signatures to cure the insufficiency of the petition on its face.

    This specifies that the inability to count certain signatures is also subject to the provisions of the new cure period.

Action History

  1. Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.

  2. Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 136 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (136)

136 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

elections
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 398?
SB 398 is sponsored by Jeremy Wooldridge and Clarke Tucker.
What is the current status of SB 398?
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 398?
Track SB 398 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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