Deadline nears for Arkansas' citizen-led initiative petitions
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Arkansans hoping to vote on several issues in November have until Friday to sign petitions.
Why it matters: The Natural State is among 25 that allow citizen-initiated ballots to change or reject laws enacted by the state legislature. But getting on the ballot requires a percentage of registered voters to apply ink to paper by July 5.
The big picture: Several grassroots groups are working to refine state laws, including eliminating the so-called tampon tax and modifying absentee ballot procedures.
All of the initiatives are important, but a few in particular connect with the heart of debate among people on all sides of the political spectrum:
1. The Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024, spearheaded by Arkansans for Limited Government, would allow abortion through the first 18 weeks of pregnancy with certain exceptions for rape, incest and fatal fetal anomaly, or if the mother's life or health is in danger.
- Read coverage, where to sign.
2. The Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024, drafted by For AR Kids, would deny state or local money to any nonpublic school that fails to meet the same academic standards, standards for accreditation or assessment requirements as public schools.
- Read coverage, where to sign.
3. The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment and the Arkansas Government Disclosure Act by Arkansas Citizens for Transparency seek to ensure citizens have a constitutional right to transparency and broaden portions of the state Freedom of Information Act.
- Read coverage, where to sign.
4. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 would mostly relax regulations, like allowing medical professionals other than doctors to sign off on medical marijuana cards. Read more.
Between the lines: Signature requirements vary for each of the three forms of citizen-initiated proposals, based on a percentage of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election.
- State statute changes require 8% (72,563 signatures); constitutional amendments require 10% (90,704); and veto referendums require 6% (54,422). No veto initiatives are circulating now.
The bottom line: A new law requires signatures to be collected from registered voters in at least 50 of the state's 75 counties, up from the previously required 15.