The bill amends existing laws regarding local initiative and referendum petitions in Arkansas, introducing new definitions and requirements for the circulation and verification of these petitions. Notably, it defines "local" as referring to a county or municipality and establishes that both statewide and local initiative and referendum petitions must be filed with the appropriate authorities, namely the Secretary of State for statewide petitions and the county clerk for local petitions. The bill also specifies that sponsors must provide a list of paid canvassers to both the Secretary of State and the county clerk, ensuring compliance with regulations regarding the hiring and training of canvassers.

Additionally, the bill enhances penalties for violations related to the canvassing process, including falsification of signatures and misrepresentation of petition purposes. It mandates that signatures collected by canvassers who violate laws regarding canvassing will not be counted, and it requires a legal review of petitions before circulation. The amendments aim to ensure transparency and integrity in the petition process, thereby strengthening the framework for local initiatives and referendums in Arkansas.

Statutes affected:
SB 584: 7-9-101, 7-9-104, 7-9-105, 7-9-103(a), 7-9-103(c), 7-9-103(e), 7-9-107, 7-9-111(j), 7-9-601(a), 7-9-601(b), 7-9-601(f), 7-9-601(g), 14-14-915(a), 14-14-915(b)
Act 768: 7-9-101, 7-9-104, 7-9-105, 7-9-103(a), 7-9-103(c), 7-9-103(e), 7-9-107, 7-9-111(j), 7-9-601(a), 7-9-601(b), 7-9-601(f), 7-9-601(g), 14-14-915(a), 14-14-915(b)