More of the proposed bills for amendments
The listing of the 34 proposed bills to change the Arkansas State Constitution continues. Here are the bills that will be debated for inclusion on the 2024 November General Election ballot.
The legislature can, by law, submit up to three of these proposed bills for the general public. Or none. Or just one or two, but only up to three of these bills for the public to vote upon as Constitutional Amendments.
• HJR 1011 by Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, that would require two-thirds of the votes cast by voters rather than a majority vote for approval of a proposed constitutional amendment submitted by Arkansans or the Legislature and a reduction of the number of proposed constitutional amendments that the Legislature may refer to voters from three to two during each regular session.
• HJR 1012 by Rep. Scott Richardson, R-Bentonville, that would allow the General Assembly to enact laws exempting property from taxation, in addition to property exempt from taxation under the Arkansas Constitution.
• HJR 1013 by Rep. Vivian Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, that is aimed at repealing part of the Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, Section 27, “allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime to fully abolish slavery in the State of Arkansas and recognize the moral and economic benefits that will result from ending this practice.”
• SJR 1 by Sen. Bryan King that would require the governor, attorney general and secretary of state that make up the state Board of Apportionment to appoint three members apiece to the Arkansas Apportionment Commission to redraw legislative district boundaries after each federal decennial census and approve or reject the reports issued by the commission.
• SJR 2 by Sen. John Payton, that would create a procedure for recalling state lawmakers, state Supreme Court justices, state Court of Appeals judges, circuit judges, district judges, prosecuting attorneys and the state’s seven constitutional officers, including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor and land commissioner.
• SJR 3 by Sen. Alan Clark, under which an “individual shall not be denied the right to conduct a transaction based upon his or her personal opinions or beliefs, including without limitation his or her religious beliefs.”
• SJR 4 by Sen. Clarke Tucker, that would require the General Assembly to enact laws establishing an election process in which candidates in a primary, special primary or election for nonpartisan office appear on a single ballot regardless of political party, and the two candidates for each office advance to the general or special election.
• SJR 5 by Tucker under which a county, city, town or other municipal corporation may fund and administer a water system customer assistance program.
SJR 6 by Clark that would allow the state to be made a defendant in any of its courts if the legal action against the state asserts that the state has violated the U.S. Constitution or the Arkansas Constitution — including a legal action seeking injunctive, declaratory or monetary relief — or is authorized by state law.
• SJR 7 by Sen. Jim Dotson, that would require the State Highway Commission to be governed in the same manner as all other state agencies.
• SJR 8 by Dotson that would create the Arkansas Taxpayer Bill of Rights and change the Arkansas Constitution to provide for limitations on governmental spending.
• SJR 9 by Sen. Ben Gilmore, that would amend the Arkansas Constitution “concerning boards and commissions governing state institutions.”
• SJR 11 by King that would create a five-member Board of Pardons to grant pardons after convictions as deemed appropriate by the board. A person may apply for a pardon to either the governor or the board under this proposal.
• SJR 12 by Sen. Greg Leding, that would create an implied warranty of habitability and provide protections to Arkansas tenants.
SJR 13 by Sen. Joshua Bryant, that would amend the Arkansas Constitution to legalize marijuana “for the purposes of craft or home growing and adult use by Arkansas residents of a certain age.”
• SJR 14 by Sen. Kim Hammer, that would amend the Arkansas Constitution Amendment 78, Section 2 “to allow additional options for the financing of fire equipment.”
• SJR 15 by King that would amend the Arkansas Constitution “concerning the membership of the State Highway Commission.”
• SJR 16 by King that would amend the Arkansas Constitution “concerning the powers and duties of the Independent Citizens Commission.”
• SJR 17 by King that would amend the Arkansas Constitution “concerning the ethics requirements for certain state elected officials.”
• SJR 19 by King that would amend the Arkansas Constitution “concerning the requirements for passage of initiated acts and constitutional amendments referred to voters.”
• SJR 20 by Dotson that would amend the Arkansas Constitution “concerning the manner in which judicial elections are conducted.”