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Senate committee approves bill to modernize county clerk certification process

CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - SENATE · March 13, 2025
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Summary

The City, County & Local Affairs Committee passed Senate Bill 271 to replace an outdated 'registered mail' requirement with 'certified mail' for county clerk notifications and to eliminate a duplicate certification deadline for school board candidates when those contests coincide with primary or general elections.

Chair Cesar Quam opened the City, County & Local Affairs Committee and recognized Senator Crowell, who presented Senate Bill 271.

Senator Crowell said the bill, sponsored by the County Clerk's Association, updates archaic language in current law. "This is a bill by the County Clerk's Association, and it's not just a technical cleanup, but it's a cleanup of some archaic language," Lindsay French of the Association of Arkansas Counties told the committee. The measure replaces a requirement that county clerks notify party officials by registered mail with certified mail and eliminates a duplicate certification deadline for school board candidates when those elections occur alongside primary and general elections.

The committee offered no substantive questions, and no members of the public asked to speak for or against the bill. After a brief closing by Senator Crowell, the committee took a voice vote and the chair announced SB271 passed. Lindsay French also noted a scheduling reminder for the Circuit Clerk's Association luncheon.

The committee recorded the passage of SB271 and moved on to other business.