Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
                                           Act 462 of the Regular Session
 1   State of Arkansas
 2   94th General Assembly                        A Bill
 3   Regular Session, 2023                                                             SENATE BILL 277
 4
 5   By: Senators K. Hammer, Dees, M. McKee, Stone, J. Petty
 6   By: Representatives McAlindon, Wing, Achor, Andrews, Barker, Beaty Jr., Beck, Bentley, M. Berry,
 7   Breaux, Brooks, K. Brown, M. Brown, Burkes, Joey Carr, C. Cooper, Cozart, Evans, C. Fite, L. Fite,
 8   Fortner, Furman, Gazaway, Gonzales, Gramlich, Haak, Hawk, Hollowell, Jean, Ladyman, Long,
 9   Lundstrum, Lynch, McClure, McCollum, M. McElroy, McGrew, B. McKenzie, McNair, S. Meeks,
10   Miller, Milligan, K. Moore, Pilkington, Puryear, R. Scott Richardson, Richmond, Rose, Rye, Tosh,
11   Underwood, Vaught, Womack, Wooten
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13                                     For An Act To Be Entitled
14                   AN ACT TO AMEND THE FILING PERIOD FOR POLITICAL
15                   PARTIES; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING POLITICAL
16                   PARTIES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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19                                                 Subtitle
20                           TO AMEND THE FILING PERIOD FOR POLITICAL
21                           PARTIES; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING
22                           POLITICAL PARTIES.
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25   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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27          SECTION 1.       Arkansas Code § 7-7-203(c)(1), concerning dates under
28   election law, is amended to read as follows:
29          (c)(1)       The party filing period shall be a one-week period beginning
30   and ending on the following dates and times:
31                           (A)   For years in which the office of Governor will appear
32   on the ballot at the general election, beginning at 12:00 noon one (1) week
33   prior to the first day in March and ending at 12:00 noon on the first second
34   day in March; and
35                           (B)   For years in which the office of President of the
36   United States will appear on the ballot at the general election, beginning at
     *MLD208*                                                                 2/15/2023 11:00:50 AM MLD208
                                                                                SB277
 1   12:00 noon on the first Monday in November preceding the general primary
 2   election and ending at 12:00 noon on the seventh eighth day thereafter.
 3
 4        SECTION 2.    Arkansas Code § 7-7-205(a)(2), concerning petition
 5   requirements for new political parties, is amended to read as follows:
 6              (2)    The petition shall contain at the time of filing the
 7   signatures of registered voters in an amount that equals or exceeds three
 8   percent (3%) of the total votes cast for the Office of Governor in the
 9   immediately preceding general election for Governor a minimum of ten thousand
10   (10,000) registered voters in the state.
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12        SECTION 3.    Arkansas Code § 7-7-205(a)(4)(B), concerning petition
13   requirements for new political parties, is amended to read as follows:
14                     (B)   No signature that is dated more than ninety (90) days
15   before the date the petition is submitted prior to the first day of January
16   immediately following the general election shall be counted.
17
18        SECTION 4.    Arkansas Code § 7-7-205(a)(6), concerning petition
19   requirements for new political parties, is amended to read as follows:
20              (6)    A new political party that wishes to select nominees for the
21   next general election shall file a sufficient petition no later than sixty
22   (60) days before the party filing period three (3) weeks before the
23   preferential primary election.
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25        SECTION 5.    Arkansas Code § 7-7-205(c)(2)(B), concerning petition
26   requirements for new political parties, is amended to read as follows:
27                     (B)(i)     A convention under subdivision (c)(2)(A) of this
28   section shall be held no later than 12:00 noon on the date of the
29   preferential primary election.
30                              (ii) Certificates of nomination shall be filed with
31   the Secretary of State or the county clerk no later than 12:00 noon on the
32   date of the preferential primary election.
33
34        SECTION 6.    Arkansas Code § 7-7-205(c)(3), concerning petition
35   requirements for new political parties, is amended to read as follows:
36              (3)    A candidate to be nominated by convention shall file a
                                           2             2/15/2023 11:00:50 AM MLD208
                                                                             SB277
 1   political practices pledge with the Secretary of State or county clerk, as
 2   the case may be, during the party filing period no later than 12:00 noon on
 3   the date of the preferential primary election.
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 6                                 APPROVED: 4/4/23
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Statutes affected: 
SB 277: 7-7-203(c), 7-7-205(a), 7-7-205(c)
Act 462: 7-7-203(c), 7-7-205(a), 7-7-205(c)