Credit Arkansas Senate
A bill that would have established an online voting registration system in Arkansas failed to pass the state Senate on Thursday.
Under the bill, citizens in Arkansas, who have conducted business with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, would have had the ability to register to vote through an online system.
Citizens would have to submit their application at least 30 days before an election in order to qualify to vote in said election. They would also have to provide a current driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number.
The bill also requires Arkansas Secretary of State to go through voting registration data before each election and identify and purge from the rolls any listed voter who is deceased by comparing data received from the Social Security Administration.
Credit Michael Hibblen / KUAR News
A constitutional amendment that would make it harder to amend the Arkansas Constitution or pass an initiated act passed the House of Representatives. Members voted 74-18-1 on Thursday to advance House Joint Resolution 1005.
The Constitutional Amendment and Ballot Initiative Reform Amendment by Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle, would raise the bar for amending the Constitution or passing a voter-led initiated act from the 50% to 60%. Referenda, where voters review a legislative act, would continue to require only a 50% threshold. The measure would apply to ballot measures whether they are referred by the Legislature or the voters, Ray said. He said referenda would have a lower threshold because they are a defensive measure.
Aconstitutional amendment that would make it harder to amend the Arkansas Constitution or pass an initiated act passed the House of Representatives. Members voted 74-18-1 on Thursday (April 15) to advance House Joint Resolution 1005.
The Constitutional Amendment and Ballot Initiative Reform Amendment by Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle, would raise the bar for amending the Constitution or passing a voter-led initiated act from the 50% to 60%. Referenda, where voters review a legislative act, would continue to require only a 50% threshold. The measure would apply to ballot measures whether they are referred by the Legislature or the voters, Ray said. He said referenda would have a lower threshold because they are a defensive measure.
Credit Arkansas Senate
The Senate on Tuesday voted 24-6, with 5 present, to pass House Bill 1728. It now goes to Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
The legislation, which has had bipartisan support, makes the distinction that the use of campaign funds to pay for a candidate’s childcare expenses would not be considered as a taking of campaign funds as personal income as long as the childcare being paid for because the candidate is engaging in campaign activity.
In presenting the bill to the Senate, Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, said the Arkansas Ethics Commission has already ruled that this practice is allowed, and this bill would just codify that decision.
Credit Arkansas Senate
A bill that would eliminate early voting in Arkansas on the Monday before an Election Day has failed in a Senate committee for a second time.
During a voice vote Tuesday, members of the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee did not have enough yes votes to advance Senate Bill 485. It would eliminate all early voting in Arkansas on the day before both a preferential primary or general election day.
Four members of the public spoke against the bill, including Joshua Price, an election commissioner with the Pulaski County Election Commission. He addressed claims brought up in the prior hearing on the bill suggesting that poll workers needed a day off before Election Day in order to prepare.