Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the Arkansas
Constitution.
*MBM123* 02/10/2025 1:35:09 PM MBM123
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 HJR 1011 3
4
By: Representative S. Meeks 5
6
7
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 8
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION PROVIDING 9
THAT A BILL OTHER THAN AN APPROPRIATION BILL MAY BE 10
CONSIDERED IN A FISCAL SESSION IF THE BILL IS FILED 11
DURING A PERIOD BEGINNING SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE DATE 12
THE FISCAL SESSION BEGINS AND ENDING SEVEN DAYS AFTER 13
THE DATE THE FISCAL SESSION BEGINS; AND PROVIDING 14
THAT A BILL OTHER THAN AN APPROPRIATION BILL FILED 15
OUTSIDE OF THE PERIOD MAY BE CONSIDERED IF TWO -THIRDS 16
OF THE MEMBERS OF EACH HOUSE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 17
APPROVE CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL. 18
19
20
Subtitle 21
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCERNING 22
THE CONSIDERATION OF BILLS OTHER THAN 23
APPROPRIATION BILLS DURING A FISCAL 24
SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 25
26
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL 27
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND BY THE SENATE, A MAJORITY OF ALL 28
MEMBERS ELECTED TO EACH HOUSE AGREEING THERETO: 29
30
THAT the following is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of 31
the State of Arkansas, and upon being submitted to the electors of the state 32
for approval or rejection at the next general election for Representatives 33
and Senators, if a majority of the electors voting thereon at the election 34
adopt the amendment, the amendment shall become a part of the Constitution of 35
the State of Arkansas, to wit: 36 HJR1011
2 02/10/2025 1:35:09 PM MBM123
1
SECTION 1. Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 5(c), concerning fiscal 2
sessions of the General Assembly, is amended to read as follows: 3
(c)(1) Beginning in 2010, the General Assembly shall meet in fiscal 4
session on the second Monday in February of each even -numbered year to 5
consider only appropriation bills. The General Assembly may alter the time at 6
which the fiscal session begins. 7
(2)(A) A bill other than an appropriation bill may be considered 8
in a fiscal session if two-thirds (⅔) of the members of each house of the 9
General Assembly approve consideration of the bill the bill is filed during a 10
period beginning seven (7) days before the date the fiscal session begins and 11
ending seven (7) days after the date the fiscal session begins . 12
(B) A bill other than an appropriation bill that is filed 13
outside of the period under subdivision (c)(2)(A) of this section may be 14
considered in a fiscal session if two -thirds (2/3) of the members of each 15
house of the General Assembly approve consideration of the bill. 16
17
SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This amendment to the Arkansas 18
Constitution is effective on and after January 1, 2027. 19
20
SECTION 3. BALLOT TITLE AND POPULAR NAME. When this proposed 21
amendment is submitted to the electors of this state on the general election 22
ballot: 23
(1) The title of this joint resolution shall be the ballot 24
title; and 25
(2) The popular name shall be "A Constitutional Amendment 26
Concerning the Consideration of Bills Other Than Appropriation Bills During a 27
Fiscal Session of the General Assembly. ". 28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36