HB1042
To Create The Direct Democracy Act Of 2025; To Repeal The Ensuring Access For All Arkansans And Voter Protection Act Of 2023; And To Amend The Procedure For The Filing Of A Ballot Initiative Petition And Referendum Petition.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill, titled the "Direct Democracy Act of 2025," proposes to repeal the "Ensuring Access for All Arkansans and Voter Protection Act of 2023." It seeks to amend the procedures for filing ballot initiative and referendum petitions within the state. Specifically, it repeals subsections (e) and (f) of Arkansas Code § 7-9-126, which currently outline signature counting requirements for statewide petitions. These repealed sections mandated that petitions for statutory initiatives or constitutional amendments must be filed from at least fifty counties. Additionally, each of those fifty counties must contain signatures representing at least half of the designated percentage of electors. The bill also addresses situations where petition requirements are not met and the deadline for filing has passed, by preventing the acceptance of additional signatures to cure such deficiencies. The overall aim is to alter the existing framework for direct democracy measures in Arkansas.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill, if enacted, would be proponents of ballot initiatives and referendums who may find it easier to meet signature requirements under the new framework. Specifically, groups or individuals seeking to place statutory initiatives or constitutional amendments on the ballot might benefit from the removal of the existing county-specific signature distribution requirements. This could potentially lead to a broader range of citizen-led measures reaching the statewide ballot.
Who Might Suffer?
The groups or entities most directly negatively impacted by this bill would be those who currently rely on the existing signature distribution requirements as a safeguard for ballot initiatives and referendums. This includes citizens who may perceive the repealed provisions as crucial for ensuring broad geographic support for proposed measures across the state. Additionally, elected officials and the general public, who have benefited from the previous law's emphasis on widespread voter engagement across at least fifty counties, may be negatively impacted by the removal of these requirements.