Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 218 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H2/20/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 207 3
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By: Senator K. Hammer 5
By: Representative Underwood 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INITIATIVE AND 9
REFERENDUM PETITIONS; TO REQUIRE A CANVASSER TO 10
DISCLOSE THAT PETITION FRAUD IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE; 11
AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INITIATIVE 16
AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS; TO REQUIRE A 17
CANVASSER TO DISCLOSE THAT PETITION 18
FRAUD IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE; AND TO 19
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 7 -9-103(a), concerning the requirements of 25
canvassers, is amended to add an additional subdivision to read as follows: 26
(7) A person acting as a canvasser shall not obtain a signature 27
for a petition without disclosing to the potential petitioner that petition 28
fraud is a criminal offense before the potential petitioner signs the 29
petition in the custody of the canvasser by: 30
(A) Verbal notification; or 31
(B) If verbal notification is impossible, written 32
notification with a document that is provided separately from all other 33
petition materials. 34
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 7 -9-103(c), concerning the penalty for 36 As Engrossed: H2/20/25 SB207
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falsification of materials related to signatures for an initiative or 1
referendum petition, is amended to read as follows: 2
(10) As a canvasser, fails to disclose to a potential petitioner 3
that petition fraud is a criminal offense before the potential petitioner 4
signs the petition in the custody of the canvasser as described under 5
subdivision (a)(7) of this section. 6
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SECTION 3. DO NOT CODIFY. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this act 8
are declared to be severable and the invalidity of any provision of this act 9
shall not affect other provisions of the act which can be given effect 10
without the invalid provision. 11
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SECTION 4. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 13
General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the process for citizens to 14
propose initiated acts and amendments to the Arkansas Constitution is 15
critical to a well-functioning democracy in this state; that it is of the 16
utmost importance that the integrity of the initiative process be 17
strengthened through this act so that petitioners and voters maintain a high 18
degree of confidence in the soundness of their right to legislate as citizens 19
of Arkansas; and that this act is immediately necessary because any delay in 20
the implementation of this act would disrupt the initiative process for the 21
2026 general election, which would have a detrimental effect on the public 22
peace, health, and safety of Arkansas. Therefore, an emergency is declared to 23
exist, and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the 24
public peace, health, and safety shall become effective on: 25
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 26
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 27
the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 28
bill; or 29
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 30
overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 31
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/s/K. Hammer 33
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APPROVED: 2/27/25 35
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