Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the Arkansas
Constitution.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SJR 11 3
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By: Senators J. Payton, Stone, Flippo, Hill, Irvin, M. Johnson, Rice 5
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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO PROVIDE 9
THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS SHALL HAVE 10
THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS FOR THEIR COMMON 11
DEFENSE, FOR LAWFUL HUNTING AND RECREATIONAL USE, AND 12
FOR ANY OTHER LAWFUL PURPOSE; PROVIDING THAT THE 13
RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS INCLUDES WITHOUT 14
LIMITATION THE POSSESSION AND USE OF AMMUNITION, 15
FIREARM ACCESSORIES, AND FIREARM COMPONENTS; 16
PROVIDING THAT THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS IS A 17
NATURAL, FUNDAMENTAL, AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHT THAT SHALL 18
NOT BE INFRINGED; AND PROVIDING THAT ANY RESTRICTION 19
ON THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS UNDER THE ARKANSAS 20
CONSTITUTION SHALL BE UPHELD ONLY IF IT IS NARROWLY 21
TAILORED TO SERVE A COMPELLING STATE INTEREST. 22
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Subtitle 25
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO AMEND 26
ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 2, § 5, 27
TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR 28
ARMS. 29
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 31
STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, A MAJORITY OF ALL 32
MEMBERS ELECTED TO EACH HOUSE AGREEING THERETO: 33
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THAT the following is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of 35
the State of Arkansas, and upon being submitted to the electors of the state 36 SJR11
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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. INTENT OF AMENDMENT. It is the intent of this amendment to 6
the Arkansas Constitution to protect the right to keep and bear arms granted 7
under the Arkansas Constitution. 8
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 5, is amended to read 10
as follows: 11
§ 5. Right to keep and bear arms. 12
(a) The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear 13
arms, for: 14
(1) their Their common defense; 15
(2) Lawful hunting and recreational use; and 16
(3) Any other lawful purpose . 17
(b) The right to keep and bear arms under subsection (a) of this 18
section includes without limitation the possession and use of: 19
(1) Ammunition; 20
(2) Firearm accessories; and 21
(3) Firearm components. 22
(c)(1) The right to keep and bear arms under subsection (a) of this 23
section is a natural, fundamental, and individual right that shall not be 24
infringed. 25
(2) Any restriction on the right to keep and bear arms under 26
subsection (a) of this section shall be upheld only if the restriction is 27
narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest. 28
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This amendment to the Arkansas 30
Constitution is effective on and after January 1, 2027. 31
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SECTION 4. BALLOT TITLE AND POPULAR NAME. When this proposed 33
amendment is submitted to the electors of this state on the general election 34
ballot: 35
(1) The title of this joint resolution shall be the ballot 36 SJR11
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title; and 1
(2) The popular name shall be "A Constitutional Amendment to 2
Amend Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 5, to Protect the Right to Keep and 3
Bear Arms.". 4
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