The bill amends Arkansas law regarding initiative and referendum petitions by introducing a "cure period" for sponsors to address any insufficiencies identified by the Secretary of State. Specifically, if a petition is deemed insufficient, the Secretary of State is required to notify the sponsor in writing, detailing the reasons for the insufficiency. The sponsor will then have thirty days to correct the identified issues. Following the resubmission of the petition or signatures, the Secretary of State must determine their sufficiency within ten days and notify the sponsor of the outcome.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing provisions related to the verification and initial counting of signatures. It clarifies that, except as provided in the new subsection regarding the cure period, signatures on a petition will not be counted if certain conditions are met. This includes situations where the initial count of signatures falls short of the required number, and the deadline for filing has passed, thus preventing any additional signatures from being accepted to remedy the insufficiency. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the process for initiative and referendum petitions while ensuring compliance with constitutional provisions.

Statutes affected:
SB 398: 7-9-111, 7-9-126(b), 7-9-126(d)