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Arkansas Senate Bill SB353

Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SB353 Compare Versions

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11 Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2-Act 405 of the Regular Session
3-*SSS199* 03-12-2025 10:10:46 SSS199
4-
5-State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S3/10/25 S3/12/25 1
2+*SSS199* 03/03/2025 10:10:18 AM SSS199
3+State of Arkansas 1
64 95th General Assembly A Bill 2
75 Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 353 3
86 4
97 By: Senator Hester 5
108 By: Representative Wooldridge 6
119 7
1210 For An Act To Be Entitled 8
13-AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE DATES FOR 9
14-ELECTIONS; TO AMEND THE DATES OF PRIMARY ELECTIONS, 10
15-SCHOOL ELECTIONS, AND CERTAIN SPECIAL ELECTIONS; TO 11
16-CHANGE THE DATE OF THE FISCAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL 12
17-ASSEMBLY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
11+AN ACT TO AMEND THE DATE OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION; TO 9
12+PROVIDE THAT THE PREFERENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION SHALL 10
13+BE HELD IN MARCH; TO CHANGE THE DATE OF THE FISCAL 11
14+SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND FOR OTHER 12
15+PURPOSES. 13
1816 14
1917 15
2018 Subtitle 16
21-TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE 17
22-DATES FOR ELECTIONS; TO AMEND THE DATES 18
23-OF PRIMARY ELECTIONS, SCHOOL ELECTIONS, 19
24-AND CERTAIN SPECIAL ELECTIONS; AND TO 20
25-CHANGE THE DATE OF THE FISCAL SESSION OF 21
26-THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 22
19+TO AMEND THE DATE OF THE PRIMARY 17
20+ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE 18
21+PREFERENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION SHALL BE 19
22+HELD IN MARCH; AND TO CHANGE THE DATE OF 20
23+THE FISCAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL 21
24+ASSEMBLY. 22
2725 23
2826 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
2927 25
30- SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -14-102(a)(1)(A), concerning the date of 26
31-the annual school election, is amended to read as follows: 27
32-(a)(1)(A) The annual school election shall be held in each school district 28
33-of the state: 29
34- (i) In even-numbered years, on the date of the: 30
35- (a) Preferential primary election; or 31
36- (b) General election; and 32
37- (ii) In odd-numbered years, on the: 33
38- (a) Second Tuesday in November; or 34
39- (b) Second Tuesday in May First Tuesday after 35
40-the first Monday in March . 36 As Engrossed: S3/10/25 S3/12/25 SB353
28+ SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 7-7-203(a) and (b), concerning the dates of 26
29+the general primary election and preferential primary election, are amended 27
30+to read as follows: 28
31+ (a) The general primary election shall be held : 29
32+ (1) For years in which the office of Governor will appear on the 30
33+ballot at the general election, on the third Tuesday in June preceding the 31
34+general election; and 32
35+ (2) For years in which the office of President of the United 33
36+States will appear on the ballot at the general election, on the Tuesday four 34
37+(4) weeks following the preferential primary election. 35
38+ (b) The preferential primary election shall be held : 36 SB353
4139
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41+ (1) For years in which the office of Governor will appear on the 1
42+ballot at the general election, on the Tuesday four (4) weeks before the 2
43+general primary election; and 3
44+ (2) For years in which the office of President of the United 4
45+States will appear on the ballot at the general election, on the first 5
46+Tuesday after the first Monday in March. 6
47+ 7
48+ SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-203(c)(1), concerning the dates of the 8
49+general primary election and preferential primary election, is amended to 9
50+read as follows: 10
51+ (c)(1) The party filing period shall be a one -week period beginning 11
52+and ending on the following dates and times: 12
53+ (A) For years in which the office of Governor will appear 13
54+on the ballot at the general election, beginning at 12:00 noon one (1) week 14
55+prior to the first day in March and ending at 12:00 noon on the second day in 15
56+March; and 16
57+ (B) For years in which the office of President of the 17
58+United States will appear on the ballot at the general election, beginning at 18
59+12:00 noon on the first Monday in November preceding the general primary 19
60+election and ending at 12:00 noon on the eighth day thereafter. 20
61+ 21
62+ SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-304(a)(1), concerning the names to be 22
63+included on the ballots in a preferential primary, is amended to read as 23
64+follows: 24
65+ (a)(1) The Secretary of State shall certify to all county boards of 25
66+election commissioners full lists of the names of all candidates who have 26
67+filed party certificates with him or her to be placed on the ballots in their 27
68+respective counties at the preferential primary election not less than : 28
69+ (A) Seventy-five (75) days before a preferential primary 29
70+election that is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 30
71+ (B) Ninety-two ninety-two (92) days before a preferential 31
72+primary election that is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 32
73+ 33
74+ SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-304(b)(1), concerning the names to be 34
75+included on the ballots in a preferential primary, is amended to read as 35
76+follows: 36 SB353
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78+ 3 03/03/2025 10:10:18 AM SSS199
79+ (b)(1) The county clerk shall certify to the county board of election 1
80+commissioners full lists of the names of all candidates who have filed party 2
81+certificates with him or her to be placed on the ballot at the preferential 3
82+primary election not less than : 4
83+ (A) Seventy-five (75) days before a preferential primary 5
84+election that is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 6
85+ (B) Ninety-two ninety-two (92) days before a preferential 7
86+primary election that is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 8
87+ 9
88+ SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-305(b)(1), concerning the printing of 10
89+ballots and draw for ballot position, is amended to read as follows: 11
90+ (b)(1) The order in which the names of the respective candidates are 12
91+to appear on the ballots at all preferential and general primary elections 13
92+shall be determined by lot at the public meeting of the county board of 14
93+election commissioners held not later than : 15
94+ (A) Seventy-two (72) days before a preferential primary 16
95+election that is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 17
96+ (B) Eighty-nine eighty-nine (89) days before a 18
97+preferential primary election that is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 19
98+ 20
99+ SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 10 -2-101(b)(1), concerning the time for 21
100+meeting by the General Assembly in fiscal session, is amended to read as 22
101+follows: 23
102+ (b)(1) The General Assembly shall meet in a fiscal session to consider 24
103+appropriation bills in each even -numbered year at 12:00 noon on the : 25
104+ (A) Second Monday in February in years in which the 26
105+preferential primary election is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 27
106+ (B) Second second Wednesday in April in years in which the 28
107+preferential primary election is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 29
108+ 30
109+ SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 10 -2-112(a)(1), concerning the prefiling of 31
110+bills and resolutions, is amended to read as follows: 32
111+ (a)(1) The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives and the 33
112+Secretary of the Senate, under the direction and supervision of the Speaker 34
113+of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 35
114+shall establish a system for the prefiling of bills and resolutions beginning 36 SB353
44115
45- 1
46- SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6 -14-111(k), concerning candidate filing 2
47-procedures for school elections, is amended to read as follows: 3
48- (k) The order in which the names of the respective candidates are to 4
49-appear on the ballot shall be determined by lot at the public meeting of the 5
50-county board of election commissioners held not later than: 6
51- (1) The deadline to conduct the ballot draw for the preferential 7
52-primary or general election for an annual school election held in even -8
53-numbered years; and 9
54- (2) The seventh day of March for Eighty-nine (89) days before an 10
55-annual school election held on the second first Tuesday after the first 11
56-Monday in May March of an odd-numbered year; and 12
57- (3) Seventy-two (72) days before an annual school election held 13
58-on the second Tuesday of November of an odd -numbered year. 14
116+ 4 03/03/2025 10:10:18 AM SSS199
117+on: 1
118+ (A) November 15 of each year preceding a regular session 2
119+of the General Assembly; and 3
120+ (B) The second Monday of January of each year of a fiscal 4
121+session of the General Assembly which is held in a year in which the 5
122+preferential primary election is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 6
123+ (C) The second Monday of March of each year of a fiscal 7
124+session of the General Assembly which is held in a year in which the 8
125+preferential primary election is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 9
126+ 10
127+ SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 10 -3-2104(d)(3), concerning reports under 11
128+the Continuing Advocacy Evaluation Act of 2004, is amended to read as 12
129+follows: 13
130+ (3) If the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee 14
131+on Education find that the recommendations in the most recent adequacy 15
132+evaluation report filed under this section should be amended, the House 16
133+Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education, jointly or 17
134+separately, or both, shall advise in writing the President Pro Tempore of the 18
135+Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of their findings and 19
136+amendments to the adequacy evaluation report : 20
137+ (A) By November 1 of the calendar year before the 21
138+beginning of a fiscal session that is held in a year in which the 22
139+preferential primary election is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 23
140+ (B) By by March 1 of the calendar year before the 24
141+beginning of a fiscal session that is held in a year in which the 25
142+preferential primary election is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 26
143+ 27
144+ SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 19 -4-304(b), concerning regular and fiscal 28
145+session preparations, is amended to read as follows: 29
146+ (b) The secretary shall submit the annual revenue forecast to the 30
147+Legislative Council: 31
148+ (1) By December 1 of the year preceding a fiscal session that is 32
149+held in a year in which the preferential primary election will be held in May 33
150+under § 7-7-203; 34
151+ (2) By February 1 of a year preceding a fiscal session that is 35
152+held in a year in which the preferential primary election is held in March 36 SB353
153+
154+ 5 03/03/2025 10:10:18 AM SSS199
155+under § 7-7-203; and 1
156+ (3)(2) No later than sixty (60) days before the start of a 2
157+regular session. 3
158+ 4
159+ 5
160+ 6
161+ 7
162+ 8
163+ 9
164+ 10
165+ 11
166+ 12
167+ 13
168+ 14
59169 15
60- SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-203(a) and (b), concerning the dates of 16
61-the general primary election and preferential primary election, are amended 17
62-to read as follows: 18
63- (a) The general primary election shall be held : 19
64- (1) For years in which the office of Governor will appear on the 20
65-ballot at the general election, on the third Tuesday in June preceding the 21
66-general election; and 22
67- (2) For years in which the office of President of the United 23
68-States will appear on the ballot at the general election, on the Tuesday four 24
69-(4) weeks following the preferential primary election. 25
70- (b) The preferential primary election shall be held : 26
71- (1) For years in which the office of Governor will appear on the 27
72-ballot at the general election, on the Tuesday four (4) weeks before the 28
73-general primary election; and 29
74- (2) For years in which the office of President of the United 30
75-States will appear on the ballot at the general election, on the first 31
76-Tuesday after the first Monday in March. 32
77- 33
78- SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 7-7-203(c)(1), concerning the dates of the 34
79-general primary election and preferential primary election, is amended to 35
80-read as follows: 36 As Engrossed: S3/10/25 S3/12/25 SB353
81-
82- 3 03-12-2025 10:10:46 SSS199
83-
84-
85- (c)(1) The party filing period shall be a one -week period beginning 1
86-and ending on the following dates and times: 2
87- (A) For years in which the office of Governor will appear 3
88-on the ballot at the general election, beginning at 12:00 noon one (1) week 4
89-prior to the first day in March and ending at 12:00 noon on the second day in 5
90-March; and 6
91- (B) For years in which the office of President of the 7
92-United States will appear on the ballot at the general election, beginning at 8
93-12:00 noon on the first Monday in November preceding the general primary 9
94-election and ending at 12:00 noon on the eighth day thereafter. 10
95- 11
96- SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-304(a)(1), concerning the names to be 12
97-included on the ballots in a preferential primary, is amended to read as 13
98-follows: 14
99- (a)(1) The Secretary of State shall certify to all county boards of 15
100-election commissioners full lists of the names of all candidates who have 16
101-filed party certificates with him or her to be placed on the ballots in their 17
102-respective counties at the preferential primary election not less than : 18
103- (A) Seventy-five (75) days before a preferential primary 19
104-election that is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 20
105- (B) Ninety-two ninety-two (92) days before a preferential 21
106-primary election that is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 22
107- 23
108- SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-304(b)(1), concerning the names to be 24
109-included on the ballots in a preferential primary, is amended to read as 25
110-follows: 26
111- (b)(1) The county clerk shall certify to the county board of election 27
112-commissioners full lists of the names of all candidates who have filed party 28
113-certificates with him or her to be placed on the ballot at the preferential 29
114-primary election not less than : 30
115- (A) Seventy-five (75) days before a preferential primary 31
116-election that is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 32
117- (B) Ninety-two ninety-two (92) days before a preferential 33
118-primary election that is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 34
119- 35
120- SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 7 -7-305(b)(1), concerning the printing of 36 As Engrossed: S3/10/25 S3/12/25 SB353
121-
122- 4 03-12-2025 10:10:46 SSS199
123-
124-
125-ballots and draw for ballot position, is amended to read as follows: 1
126- (b)(1) The order in which the names of the respective candidates are 2
127-to appear on the ballots at all preferential and general primary elections 3
128-shall be determined by lot at the public meeting of the county board of 4
129-election commissioners held not later than : 5
130- (A) Seventy-two (72) days before a preferential primary 6
131-election that is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 7
132- (B) Eighty-nine eighty-nine (89) days before a 8
133-preferential primary election that is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 9
134- 10
135- SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 7-11-205(a), concerning dates of special 11
136-elections on measures and questions, is amended to read as follows: 12
137- (a)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (a)(2) of this section, 13
138-all special elections on measures or questions referred to the voters by 14
139-governmental entities as authorized by law shall be held on the second 15
140-Tuesday of: 16
141- (A) First Tuesday after the first Monday in March or 17
142-November in a year when a presidential election is held ; and or 18
143- (B) May or Second Tuesday of November of all other years. 19
144- (2)(A) Special elections scheduled to occur in a month in which 20
145-the second Tuesday is on a legal holiday: 21
146- (i) In March on the first Tuesday after the first 22
147-Monday shall be held on the second Tuesday of the month; and 23
148- (ii) In November on the second Tuesday shall be held 24
149-on the third Tuesday of the month. 25
150- (B) Special elections held in months in which a 26
151-preferential primary election or general election is scheduled to occur shall 27
152-be held on the date of the preferential primary election or general election. 28
153- (C) A special election on a measure or question may be 29
154-scheduled on the second Tuesday of a month, other than the months provided in 30
155-subdivision (a)(1) of this section, if necessary to comply with the 31
156-requirements of Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 1. 32
157- 33
158- SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 10 -2-101(b)(1), concerning the time for 34
159-meeting by the General Assembly in fiscal session, is amended to read as 35
160-follows: 36 As Engrossed: S3/10/25 S3/12/25 SB353
161-
162- 5 03-12-2025 10:10:46 SSS199
163-
164-
165- (b)(1) The General Assembly shall meet in a fiscal session to consider 1
166-appropriation bills in each even -numbered year at 12:00 noon on the : 2
167- (A) Second Monday in February in years in which the 3
168-preferential primary election is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 4
169- (B) Second second Wednesday in April in years in which the 5
170-preferential primary election is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 6
171- 7
172- SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 10-2-112(a)(1), concerning the prefiling 8
173-of bills and resolutions, is amended to read as follows: 9
174- (a)(1) The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives and the 10
175-Secretary of the Senate, under the direction and supervision of the Speaker 11
176-of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 12
177-shall establish a system for the prefiling of bills and resolutions beginning 13
178-on: 14
179- (A) November 15 of each year preceding a regular session 15
180-of the General Assembly; and 16
181- (B) The second Monday of January of each year of a fiscal 17
182-session of the General Assembly which is held in a year in which the 18
183-preferential primary election is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 19
184- (C) The second Monday of March of each year of a fiscal 20
185-session of the General Assembly which is held in a year in which the 21
186-preferential primary election is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 22
187- 23
188- SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 10 -3-2104(d)(3), concerning reports under 24
189-the Continuing Advocacy Evaluation Act of 2004, is amended to read as 25
190-follows: 26
191- (3) If the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee 27
192-on Education find that the recommendations in the most recent adequacy 28
193-evaluation report filed under this section should be amended, the House 29
194-Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education, jointly or 30
195-separately, or both, shall advise in writing the President Pro Tempore of the 31
196-Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of their findings and 32
197-amendments to the adequacy evaluation report : 33
198- (A) By November 1 of the calendar year before the 34
199-beginning of a fiscal session that is held in a year in which the 35
200-preferential primary election is held in May under § 7 -7-203; and 36 As Engrossed: S3/10/25 S3/12/25 SB353
201-
202- 6 03-12-2025 10:10:46 SSS199
203-
204-
205- (B) By by March 1 of the calendar year before the 1
206-beginning of a fiscal session that is held in a year in which the 2
207-preferential primary election is held in March under § 7 -7-203. 3
208- 4
209- SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 19 -4-304(b), concerning regular and fiscal 5
210-session preparations, is amended to read as follows: 6
211- (b) The secretary shall submit the annual revenue forecast to the 7
212-Legislative Council: 8
213- (1) By December 1 of the year preceding a fiscal session that is 9
214-held in a year in which the preferential primary election will be held in May 10
215-under § 7-7-203; 11
216- (2) By February 1 of a year preceding a fiscal session that is 12
217-held in a year in which the preferential primary election is held in March 13
218-under § 7-7-203; and 14
219- (3)(2) No later than sixty (60) days before the start of a 15
220-regular session. 16
170+ 16
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222-/s/Hester 18
172+ 18
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225-APPROVED: 3/25/25 21
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