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Arkansas

Arkansas judge will allow amended complaint in challenge to new ballot petition law • Arkansas Advocate

A Central Arkansas judge is allowing the group challenging Arkansas’ new ballot petition law to amend its complaint before he decides whether to grant the attorney general’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Herb Wright wrote in an order this week that he had concerns about whether a sitting state senator and […]

Arkansas

Arkansas attorney general rejects first draft of direct democracy initiative

Arkansas’ attorney general has rejected the first version of a proposed constitutional amendment intended to improve the state’s ballot initiative process, but sponsors plan to resubmit. The text of the measure — which would change parts of the initiative process that have frustrated ballot groups, including ballot title review and signature verification, as well as […]

Arkansas

Arkansas AG approves proposed FOIA changes; supporters plan to start gathering signatures soon

Arkansas government transparency advocates expect to begin collecting signatures this week for two proposed ballot measures meant to make government records and meetings more accessible to the general public. On Monday, Attorney General Tim Griffin certified ballot language for a proposed set of changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. The decision came less […]

Arkansas

Group will submit fourth proposed Arkansas FOIA change to AG’s office after third rejection

A government transparency group will send a fourth draft of proposed changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act after Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected its third proposal on Thursday. In his opinion, Griffin cited a “misleading provision” of the text of the proposed act and ballot title. Previous submissions contained the same problem that […]

Arkansas

Arkansas transparency group will collect signatures for proposed amendment OK’d by AG

Arkansas government transparency advocates will begin collecting signatures for a November ballot measure to enshrine government openness in the state Constitution. Attorney General Tim Griffin certified language for four potential popular names and ballot titles, including “The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment of 2024,” a title he substituted for the submission of “The Arkansas Government Transparency […]

Arkansas

Group submits third proposed Arkansas FOIA change to attorney general after second rejection

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin received a third proposed set of changes to the state’s Freedom of Information Act after he rejected the second ballot proposal Tuesday. Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT) submitted a new draft Tuesday evening after deleting the two sections from the previous draft that Griffin said made it unfit for the […]

Arkansas

UPDATED: Third proposed Arkansas government transparency amendment submitted to AG

This story was updated at 8:16 p.m. to include the third submission of the proposed amendment. Proposed ballot language that would make government transparency a constitutional right in Arkansas still lacks clarity and is unfit for a statewide vote, Attorney General Tim Griffin wrote in a Monday opinion. In response, the nonpartisan Arkansas Citizens for […]

Arkansas

Arkansas AG rejects proposed ballot measure to make government transparency a constitutional right

A proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution that would create the right to state government transparency isn’t sufficient for the 2024 statewide ballot, Attorney General Tim Griffin wrote in a Tuesday opinion. Griffin rejected the proposed ballot title and popular name, saying the amendment lacks clarity in its use of specific terms, including “government transparency.” […]

Arkansas

Citizen-initiated government transparency act proposal submitted to Arkansas Attorney General

Arkansas government transparency advocates proposed a ballot measure on Monday that would define a public meeting and create a special body to help citizens denied access to public records. Arkansas Citizens for Transparency submitted a proposed ballot title and popular name for the “Arkansas Government Transparency Act,” a companion to a proposed constitutional amendment submitted […]