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Arkansas Senate Committee Hears SJR 15 Term‑Limits Proposal; Amendment Adopted by Voice Vote
Summary
A Senate committee heard hours of testimony on SJR 15, which would change Arkansas term limits to a 12‑year/consecutive model and restrict future citizen-initiated revisions; supporters called it 'good government' while opponents said it would 'ignore the will of the people.'
LITTLE ROCK — Lawmakers, municipal officials and petition‑drive organizers traded arguments on SJR 15 on the floor of the Senate committee as the body debated whether to replace Arkansas’s prior six‑and‑eight year limits with a 12‑year/consecutive model and constrain future citizen-initiated changes.
“I'm Senator Allen Clark,” the bill sponsor said as he resumed the hearing, defending the consecutive cooling‑off approach and arguing it strikes a balance between fresh leadership and experienced lawmakers. “It’s a good compromise…four years requires more of a break,” Clark said, urging the committee to consider how other states have implemented cooling‑off periods.
Why it matters: The measure would change how long lawmakers may serve and whether voters may later submit amendments addressing term limits. Supporters said a longer consecutive limit gives legislators time to master…
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