Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the Arkansas
Constitution.
*MBM017* 11/20/2024 4:31:31 PM MBM017
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SJR 1 3
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By: Senator B. King 5
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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO REQUIRE 9
A VOTE OF THREE-FOURTHS OF EACH HOUSE OF THE GENERAL 10
ASSEMBLY TO ENACT, AMEND, OR REPEAL LAWS CONCERNING 11
ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS OR ACCESS TO PUBLIC 12
MEETINGS. 13
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Subtitle 16
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS 17
CONSTITUTION TO REQUIRE A VOTE OF THREE -18
FOURTHS OF EACH HOUSE OF THE GENERAL 19
ASSEMBLY TO ENACT, AMEND, OR REPEAL LAWS 20
CONCERNING ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS OR 21
ACCESS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS. 22
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 24
STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, A MAJORITY OF ALL 25
MEMBERS ELECTED TO EACH HOUSE AGREEING THERETO: 26
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THAT the following is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of 28
the State of Arkansas, and upon being submitted to the electors of the state 29 SJR1
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for approval or rejection at the next general election for Representatives 1
and Senators, if a majority of the electors voting thereon at the election 2
adopt the amendment, the amendment shall become a part of the Constitution of 3
the State of Arkansas, to wit: 4
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, is amended to add an 6
additional section to read as follows: 7
§ 43. Laws concerning access to public records or access to public 8
meetings. 9
(a) The General Assembly may only enact, amend, or repeal a law 10
concerning access to public records or access to public meetings by a three -11
fourths (3/4) vote of each house. 12
(b) The vote requirement under subsection (a) of this section shall 13
apply to the amendment or repeal of a law concerning access to public records 14
or access to public meetings existing on or after January 1, 2027, including 15
without limitation an amendment to or repeal of the Freedom of Information 16
Act of 1967, Arkansas Code § 25 -19-101 et seq. 17
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SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This amendment to the Arkansas 19
Constitution is effective on and after January 1, 2027. 20
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SECTION 3. BALLOT TITLE AND POPULAR NAME. When this proposed 22
amendment is submitted to the electors of this state on the general election 23
ballot: 24
(1) The title of this Joint Resolution shall be the ballot 25
title; and 26
(2) The popular name shall be "A Constitutional Amendment to 27
Require a Vote of Three -Fourths of the General Assembly to Enact, Amend, or 28
Repeal Laws Concerning Access to Public Records or Access to Public 29
Meetings.". 30
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