12-02-2025
Additional Arkansas constitutional amendments filed in legislature
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Additional constitutional amendments were filed in the Arkansas legislature on Tuesday and Wednesday, on the heels of multiple amendments filed Monday.
Constitutional amendments are filed as joint resolutions. If they pass legislative review, they are placed on the ballot for voter approval before they become law. The most recent filings would affect gubernatorial appointments, economic development, a taxpayer bill of rights, ballot initiatives, removing the tax on food, voting rights and an updated version of the judicial candidate disclosure amendment filed on Monday.
GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS
House Joint Resolution 1013 adds the offices that can be appointed by the governor when there is a vacancy. In the past, the governor could appoint U.S. Senate assignments and state, district, circuit, county and township offices.
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The resolution would add the ability of the governor to appoint members of Congress, Lieutenant Governor and General Assembly members. It removes the ability to appoint for county offices.
This resolution has cleared the House floor and is in committee.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Senate Joint Resolution 15 would empower the General Assembly to loan or grant money to economic development projects.
It also permits the development of economic development districts and the issuance of bonds to finance them. An economic development district would be an area designated for development promotion.
TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS
Senate Joint Resolution 17 would create a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. It would mandate that no deficit spending can occur in setting the state budget, that taxes can not be established, increased or extended without a three-quarter vote of the General Assembly, and that laws dictate how state set-aside funds are used.
BALLOT INITIATIVES
Two amendments here: House Joint Resolution 1016 would remove the ability of an initiative sponsor to amend the petition after it has been found insufficient. House Joint Resolution 1017 would require a majority of voters, then a majority of voters in the state's counties to approve it, and would be rejected if a majority of general election voters were against it, regardless of counties.
FOOD TAX
Senate Joint Resolution 19 is one sentence long, removing the excise tax on food and ingredients.
VOTING RIGHTS
House Joint Resolution 18 intends to create the 'Citizens Only Voting Act,' meaning that only a U.S. citizen can vote in national elections held in Arkansas, and only an Arkansas resident can vote in Arkansas elections.
JUDICIAL CANDIDATES
Unlike Senate Joint Resolution 13, which wasfiled on Monday, allowing judicial candidates to add a political party with their name on ballots, House Joint Resolution 1015, filed Wednesday, would require judicial candidates to list their political party on ballots.
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The House resolution has a significantly larger sponsor list.
Wednesday is the deadline to enter constitutional amendments for this legislative session.
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