[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6306783,"mediaKeyId","2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921","parentId",2436640,"title","Senate panel backs tighter rule to stop prefilled voter-registration forms, limits change to party field","audioSeconds",7443,"startMs",47000,"endMs",7490000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921&start=47&end=7490","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921/thumbnail_47000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6306783/Arkansas/Senate-panel-backs-tighter-rule-to-stop-prefilled-voter-registration-forms-limits-change-to-party-field","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306783-75a37c59216f270956dcc8c0366882af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158293&Signature=B856KdgpfD1mtpNVK3xNR-Yp8JyL29pfIPZDXDn48a9Ke9EWsbbKPE3Hzq144XQN7qHfUkcoQNcs4DnjgtNLUjD5jvABvMNODOKajGDrsqkqqCfNMch8XDKN1kZgOjLFYSvBfTM1gRpmDiDE~ebIfJ37AOL3qLTtRrBtIkFnlcnkhO-8gJuY00nWH91J8uis44TCTPwD-nmaQNURJxgvcesUZKupueobyWef1-aq-Wsl4uAamMAdbfYVfHuZYoM2cfTwjAlybMKvGcvsRTb-8xxVeMWhfr9eBaw3VJy~qVwS0czaLpaPRngMkRmzYutPFLI~YIRWU5tzsOyiyDMn~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas Legislature","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","The committee approved an amended bill that prohibits distribution of voter-registration applications that are prefilled and — after a negotiated change — specifically requires the form's party-affiliation field be delivered blank to the applicant.

Senator Ben Kroll, the bill sponsor, said the measure was intended to stop instances in which stacks of forms were prefilled and handed out at community events or party meetings, leaving applicants unaware that a party choice had already been marked on their behalf. \"We've had instances where they will prefill it and that is something we don't want to do,\" Kroll said.

County election officials and the Association of Arkansas Counties described cases where outside parties took stacks of forms from clerks and distributed them prefilled to groups outside the registrar's presence. Lindsey French of the Association of Arkansas Counties said a county clerk received a batch of clearly prefilled forms that had not been completed in the clerk's presence.

Committee discussion focused on how to preserve legitimate forms of assistance for voters while preventing improper prefiling. Senator Clark and Senator Tucker suggested narrowing the bill so that only the party-affiliation field must be left blank; sponsors agreed to send language to the Bureau of Legislative Research (BLR) and return an amendment later in the day. Members ultimately adopted that narrower approach and passed the measure as amended.

Committee members also clarified that registrars can still help applicants who request assistance and that federal or other state rules for disability assistance remain in effect. Senator Payton and others asked whether a registrant who signs a blank form and later asks someone to finish writing in details would be covered; sponsors said assistance on request would remain permitted but unsolicited prefiling would be prohibited.

Senator Hammer later returned the bill to the committee with an engrossed amendment; after final consideration the committee passed the bill as amended by voice vote. The transcript records the chair announcing the bill \"passes\" after the aye responses; no roll-call tally appears in the transcript.

Ending: The bill moves forward from committee as amended; sponsors said they would work with BLR to finalize wording to ensure assistance rules and disability exceptions are preserved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate State Agencies and Govt'l Affairs Feb 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved an amended bill that prohibits distribution of voter-registration applications that are prefilled and — after a negotiated change — specifically requires the form's party-affiliation field be delivered blank to the applicant.","taxTitle","STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas","taxId",21187,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306779,"Committee roundup: bills on military staffing, Hoxie monument, divestiture cleanup and ballot-language posting advance",876,1241000,2117000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921&start=1241&end=2117","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921/thumbnail_1241000.jpg","/articles/6306779/Arkansas/Committee-roundup-bills-on-military-staffing-Hoxie-monument-divestiture-cleanup-and-ballot-language-posting-advance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306779-0050650ece9b5ed8f517b98e9cc3a7ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158293&Signature=jIrFi4TmecN-uLhpGGHvPZXqretYsKcFJS3W5xa~LunmZIMwH5mTLbcjfCzHv9ew0q-af-0qd1MBUjHKhfWdgzyHQ0iwUgph4F4XiB8yoVNKGmEc5Ke1LsLJHxxJpa7ld9w~rX9HPg4DBCKAxWgYwjSt9MHM~yqNThFDjvwbGHPPGTS7vYfpLKtmVZHAoLwZ1M5VBE2Y1IbtFJVHNa5Bvac-FGdJNAV2L9yTZVd7GdiJOb~QzCBDr92nEhC7m4~eZM8qusu4Bc8OFgZMLW5r0WeH1TXfu2DDj0Fq7L0R6gpRm-wUnw4t6Uh~~TEY8ClugrHi2ijTTaySFWbwZgtwYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate State Agencies committee advanced several measures with minimal debate on Friday, approving bills ranging from personnel policy changes to a monument authorization and a statutory cleanup related to public-entity divestiture.

House Bill 1514: The committee approved an amendment adding the Department of Military to the uniform attendance and leave policy's list of agencies with \"critical need\" employees. Sponsors said the change clarifies that 24-hour positions such as firefighters, law enforcement officers, security officers and dispatchers at military installations are covered.

Representative Fran Kavanaugh's Hoxie monument bill: The committee approved a measure to permit a privately funded monument on the Capitol grounds commemorating Hoxie's role in school integration; the bill permits a fund to be set up in the secretary of state's office to hold private donations and allows the existing nonprofit to raise money.

Senator Dan Sullivan's divestiture clarification: The committee approved a cleanup that extends a statutory exemption, allowing public entities to defer divestiture of investments if divestiture would cause a financial harm; sponsors said the change responds to a specific public-entity impact in Jonesboro and clarifies legislative intent.

Senate Bill 188 (ballot-language posting): The committee approved a bill that requires initiative sponsors to provide attorney-general-approved language to the secretary of state so the secretary can post the text on the agency website. The bill places the obligation on sponsors, not the attorney general, and explicitly allows the secretary of state to post language on its own if sponsors do not comply; the measure contains no penalty for noncompliance.

Procedural concurrences: The committee also concurred in several House amendments to statutory language in other bills (for example, changes to ID-verification text and canvasser affidavit rules). Those were carried by unanimous or near-unanimous voice votes.

Ending: Each of these bills was advanced by the committee for further legislative consideration; most were noncontroversial or were narrowed in committee to address members' questions.","The Senate State Agencies committee advanced several measures with minimal debate on Friday, approving bills ranging from personnel policy changes to a monument authorization and a statutory cleanup related to public-entity divestiture.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306787,"Senate committee OKs law enforcement authority for lottery investigators to pursue fraud",1138,2160000,3298000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921&start=2160&end=3298","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921/thumbnail_2160000.jpg","/articles/6306787/Arkansas/Senate-committee-OKs-law-enforcement-authority-for-lottery-investigators-to-pursue-fraud","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306787-623c3450a56bfa43dc073e65954a9919/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158293&Signature=oe1BDfqs84LpkE0N9vUlF~l~H0rnaS8O8YJ2ME8I8DBAmA0CXXAzgkORPaLbqUKYibXN7azeQdrRp4jAkmlOCwNQZL2YQd9ueu30a-v~Jq4m1Di5wkMLC36rWTOPf7Mb5TjzyKL7ULg-pKIITHhM7GQu4N5EokB69aVkejxSa5MapHlkhDgIjJmlky1fjsGkezss1R8bVOCoOUpa~MIOngxQnIr61x7Wxkovlp3jnOZEaIY8weryTlqgFF6C2m4BkdvI70Ca-c4Jp3WkXMRhlRSBVslC1rLdbAKU7HY5m0PsBTGpL5-LSxkII6bquwv8ea-rk0u3KYZ4pDgzD8zUEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee voted to pass a measure that gives designated employees in the Arkansas Lottery's investigative unit limited law-enforcement authority to investigate lottery-related crimes, subpoena records and refer cases to prosecutors.

Senator John Dodson carried the bill and called directors from the Arkansas Lottery to the committee to explain why investigators need authority beyond the agency's current administrative tools. Blake Hudson, director of investigations and enforcement for the lottery, told senators the office had seen organized schemes, multi-jurisdictional fraud and incidents at the lottery's claims center that its current resources struggle to address.

\"We're looking for a few people that are allowed to have this law enforcement authority... Our claims center operations as well as community events make us clear targets for criminal behavior,\" Hudson said, describing recent cases involving tens of thousands of dollars in alleged fraud and theft.

Hudson and the lottery team said the measure would not create a police force, require cars or lights, or generate a general taxpayer appropriation; the agency said it would use existing revenue-funded positions and that the investigators would be Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST)-certified officers.

Senators asked about scope and limits. Senator Sullivan asked whether recovered funds would return to lottery proceeds; agency witnesses said recovered funds would go to net proceeds and that prosecutorial decisions remain with the attorney general or local prosecutors. Senator Hammer asked those designated would be CLEST-certified; the lottery said the investigators would be certified and subject to CLEST oversight.

The lottery described several open investigations, including multi-jurisdictional schemes and organized retail fraud that the agency said had caused losses in the tens of thousands of dollars and that, over time, could reduce scholarship funds financed by lottery revenue.

After questions from members, Senator Dodson closed, asked for a favorable vote, and the committee approved the bill on a voice vote. The transcript does not include a roll-call tally.

Ending: With committee approval, the measure will move forward in the legislative process; the lottery said it will continue coordinating with the attorney general's office and local prosecutors for prosecutions and that CLEST will govern training and oversight.","The committee approved a bill granting limited statewide law-enforcement authority to designated investigators in the Arkansas Lottery's enforcement division to investigate lottery fraud and related crimes, a change the agency said is needed to protect employees, retailers and scholarship revenues.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306791,"Senate rejects bill that would have created secretary of state's document-validity unit after hours of public concern",3622,3720000,7342000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921&start=3720&end=7342","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436640-e5970134ce855d6dfceb934a1ef06921/thumbnail_3720000.jpg","/articles/6306791/Arkansas/Senate-rejects-bill-that-would-have-created-secretary-of-states-document-validity-unit-after-hours-of-public-concern","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306791-128cc2cbc3175306ee8f11789a100e9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158293&Signature=iwB1xst~y-ehnTCvNRMLg7dH92USWwqd2hZWlmvrGgUTINPYrAH54o7FfdWZqFz3qOWQKqS-idU5lE27tN3uRq66CdaCC8XkE4fGzp4QbKcvvl1C2bkSMwoVH3Ub70NT84GHx-4ZdfhtuRahp-SJjXcM7PLYDQn6WwgWPkqz6u07j2RyGR3mLvqcLBXXLuoCI616PjM1pkr9gLtueQNgi~XHcOzQTkcFuUttA11Hz9Xww4QxoGssUtwiV9f2R3~BMc-GmrCey1KnvYkxZkz3XHId~e0H8GUGR6qVH-MW2oJWmL4c81Ppv1DQI6Am8fEL0VEzKzWh3W1DTUhvRv44-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators voted down Senate Bill 212 on a voice vote after roughly three hours of public testimony and committee questions, leaving in place the current system for handling alleged petition and filing irregularities.

Supporters said the bill would give the secretary of state's office tools to investigate suspected fraud in petitions and filings and to refer possible crimes to prosecutors; opponents said it created an unaccountable law-enforcement-like unit that could strip signatures without adequate due process.

Senator Larry Hammer, who carried the measure, told the committee the bill was narrowly tailored to let the secretary of state's office conduct fact-finding about alleged falsity in documents and to refer possible crimes to prosecutors. \"We're just asking give them the ability to investigate so they can bring the evidence, turn it over, and then let the legal process work,\" Hammer said.

Nathan Lee, chief counsel for the secretary of state, said the proposed document validity division would act as a fact-finding unit and that any criminal prosecutions would still require referral to the attorney general or a local prosecutor. \"You'd have to get two concurring opinions before charges and prosecution was brought,\" Lee said, describing the division as a means to centralize complaints and evidence gathering.

Multiple members of the public and petition-circulator groups urged rejection. Jimmy Kevin, who testified as a private citizen, argued the bill would permit the secretary of state to declare a signature invalid by a \"preponderance of evidence\" without giving the signer the opportunity to present a defense, calling that approach \"a power I'm not willing to give anybody.\" Joey McCutcheon and Davis Hendricks also warned the measure would chill the petition process and amount to an expansion of government authority over citizens exercising the right to petition.

Other witnesses raised cost and implementation questions. Blake Hudson and lottery office witnesses stressed the training and certification burdens that accompany law-enforcement designations, and several speakers flagged the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) requirements that apply to recognized law-enforcement agencies.

Senators also expressed competing concerns. Senator Payton said he supported vigorous investigation of wrongdoing but opposed expanding policing powers to every state agency. Senator Clark noted the bill would allow unilateral removal of petition signatures by the secretary of state's office and asked where an aggrieved signer could appeal.

After debate and public comment, the committee voted on the motion to pass; the chair announced the bill failed on the voice vote.

The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript for the final vote. The secretary of state's office and committee staff indicated later in the hearing that some language changes had been made earlier in response to feedback from prosecutors and the attorney general, but opponents said the core due-process and oversight concerns remained.

With SB212 defeated, the existing procedures for handling petition complaints remain unchanged; persons and groups who testified said they expected litigation and further legislative proposals on petition integrity and initiative procedures.

Ending: The committee left the issue unresolved; sponsors and opponents indicated continued interest in addressing petition integrity, but the measure as written did not advance out of committee.","Senators declined to advance a bill that would have created a \"document validity\" division in the secretary of state's office with investigatory powers and authority to declare certain filings void by a preponderance-of-evidence standard after extensive public testimony raised due-process and cost concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate panel backs tighter rule to stop prefilled voter-registration forms, limits change to party field

Committee roundup: bills on military staffing, Hoxie monument, divestiture cleanup and ballot-language posting advance

Senate committee OKs law enforcement authority for lottery investigators to pursue fraud

Senate rejects bill that would have created secretary of state's document-validity unit after hours of public concern