The bill amends the law regarding initiative and referendum petitions in Arkansas by introducing new requirements for the Attorney General's review process. Specifically, it mandates that the Attorney General assess ballot titles for any conflicts with the United States Constitution and federal statutes. If the Attorney General finds that a ballot title is misleading or conflicts with federal law, they have the authority to reject the entire petition and require the petitioners to revise it accordingly.

Additionally, the bill prohibits the submission of multiple conflicting initiative or referendum petitions to the Attorney General. It allows for exceptions where a sponsor can submit a conflicting measure only after the next general election following the certification of a previously submitted petition or if a petition has been rejected. The Attorney General is tasked with rejecting any petitions that violate this new provision, which aims to streamline the petition process and prevent confusion among voters regarding conflicting measures.

Statutes affected:
Old version HB1222 Original - 1-24-2025 04:14 PM: 7-9-107(e), 7-9-107
Old version HB1222 V2 - 2-6-2025 09:15 AM: 7-9-107(e), 7-9-107
HB 1222: 7-9-107(e), 7-9-107