Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the Arkansas
Constitution.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/27/23
2 94th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2023 HJR 1013
4
5 By: Representatives V. Flowers, F. Allen, Beck, M. Berry, Clowney, A. Collins, Cozart, Crawford,
6 Duffield, Ennett, Eubanks, Evans, D. Ferguson, K. Ferguson, D. Garner, Gazaway, Hudson, Jean, L.
7 Johnson, Magie, McCollum, McCullough, Milligan, J. Moore, Nicks, Pilkington, J. Richardson,
8 Richmond, Scott, T. Shephard, Springer, Vaught, Wardlaw, D. Whitaker, Womack
9 By: Senators L. Chesterfield, A. Clark, Hester, G. Leding, R. Murdock, C. Tucker
10
11 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
12 AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO REPEAL
13 THE EXCEPTION TO THE PROHIBITION OF SLAVERY AND
14 INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE.
15
16
17 Subtitle
18 AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION
19 TO REPEAL THE EXCEPTION TO THE
20 PROHIBITION OF SLAVERY AND INVOLUNTARY
21 SERVITUDE.
22
23
24 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
25 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND BY THE SENATE, A MAJORITY OF ALL
26 MEMBERS ELECTED TO EACH HOUSE AGREEING THERETO:
27
28 THAT the following is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of
29 the State of Arkansas, and upon being submitted to the electors of the state
30 for approval or rejection at the next general election for Representatives
31 and Senators, if a majority of the electors voting thereon at the election
32 adopt the amendment, the amendment shall become a part of the Constitution of
33 the State of Arkansas, to wit:
34
35 SECTION 1. Intent of amendment.
36 (a) Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 27, permits slavery and
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 As Engrossed: H3/27/23 HJR1013
1 involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime.
2 (b) As the Arkansas Constitution is the moral and legal foundation of
3 our state, abolishing all forms of slavery in the Arkansas Constitution
4 represents the fundamental values held by the citizens of Arkansas.
5 (c) If a prisoner is working, he or she should be compensated for that
6 labor with money or "good time" to aid his or her re-entry into society.
7 (d) The intent of this amendment is to repeal the portion of Arkansas
8 Constitution, Article 2, § 27, allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as
9 a punishment for crime to fully abolish slavery in the State of Arkansas and
10 recognize the moral and economic benefits that will result from ending this
11 practice.
12
13 SECTION 2. Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 27, is amended to read
14 as follows:
15 § 27. Slavery — Standing armies — Military subordinate to civil power.
16 There shall be no slavery in this State, nor involuntary servitude,
17 except as a punishment for crime. No standing army shall be kept in time of
18 peace; the military shall, at all times, be in strict subordination to the
19 civil power; and no soldier shall be quartered in any house, or on any
20 premises, without the consent of the owner, in time of peace; nor in time of
21 war, except in a manner prescribed by law.
22
23 SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This amendment shall be effective on and
24 after January 1, 2025.
25
26 SECTION 4. BALLOT TITLE AND POPULAR NAME. When this proposed
27 amendment is submitted to the electors of this state on the general election
28 ballot:
29 (1) The title of this joint resolution shall be the ballot
30 title; and
31 (2) The popular name shall be "A Constitutional Amendment to
32 Repeal the Exception to the Prohibition of Slavery and Involuntary
33 Servitude".
34
35 /s/V. Flowers
36
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