Tag: arkansas
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Seven candidates have filed to appear on Arkansas’ Democratic presidential primary ballot
The filing deadline for the Arkansas Democratic presidential primary passed on Nov. 14, 2023. Seven candidates have met the initial qualification criteria to appear on the March 5, 2024, ballot. In order to file, candidates had to submit paperwork to the secretary of state and state party, and submit either a petition with 5,000 signatures…
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Nine candidates have filed to appear on Arkansas’ Republican presidential primary ballot
The filing deadline for the Arkansas Republican presidential primary passed on November 14, 2023. Nine candidates met the initial qualification criteria to appear on the March 5, 2024, ballot. In order to file, candidates had to submit paperwork to the secretary of state and state party, and pay a $25,000 filing fee to the state…
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Arkansas veto referendum on LEARNS Act falls short of required signatures
Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) submitted signatures on July 31 to place a veto referendum on the Nov. 2024 ballot to repeal the LEARNS Act, an education bill signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). To qualify for the ballot, 54,422 valid signatures are needed from 50 of Arkansas’ 75 counties. A…
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Group submits signatures for veto referendum to overturn Arkansas LEARNS Act
Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) submitted signatures to place a veto referendum on the Nov. 2024 ballot to repeal the LEARNS Act, an education bill signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). CAPES turned in signatures on July 31 and said they expected to be about 500 signatures short of the requirement.…
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Arkansas laws opposing ESG take effect
Two new state laws in Arkansas creating an oversight committee to develop a list of companies using ESG in investment or boycott decisions go into effect on August 1. State and public entities “could no longer conduct business with the companies” on the list, according to The Center Square. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition…
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Language for veto referendum challenging the LEARNS Act is the longest ballot title in Arkansas history
Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) began filing ballot language for a proposed veto referendum with the Arkansas attorney general in May after the Arkansas State Legislature adjourned its 2023 legislative session. After two previous attempts were rejected, Attorney General Tim Griffin certified the ballot language submitted by CAPES. The ballot title contains…
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Arkansas voters to decide constitutional amendment in 2024 concerning grants and scholarships for vocational-technical schools
Arkansas voters will decide on a constitutional amendment in 2024 to allow the state’s lottery proceeds to be used to fund grants and scholarships for vocational-technical schools and technical institutes. The amendment was introduced as House Joint Resolution 1006 on February 7, 2023. It was passed in the House on April 4, 2023, by a…
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Arkansas enacts law reducing length of unemployment insurance benefits
A new Arkansas law effective March 6, 2023, will limit the maximum length of unemployment insurance benefits from 16 weeks to 12 weeks starting Jan. 1, 2024. The bill passed with veto-proof majorities in both chambers (29-3 in the Senate and 79-15 in the House). The law will also reduce the new employer unemployment insurance…
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Arkansas increases the signature distribution requirement for citizen-initiated ballot measures
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) signed House Bill 1419 (HB 1419), which increases the signature distribution requirement for citizen-initiated ballot measures, on March 7. Under HB 1419, campaigns will be required to collect signatures from 50 of 75 (67%) counties. Previously, the requirement was 15 of 75 (20%) counties. For citizen-initiated state statutes, the…
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Arkansas school board requires students to use bathroom consistent with sex assigned at birth
The school board for the Conway School District in Arkansas on October 11, 2022, unanimously approved policies regarding gender identity in public schools. One of the policies requires that students use the restroom that matches their sex assigned at birth, though each district school must provide an accommodation to any individual who does not want…