By LEWIS DELAVAN / Staff author
The public is invited to hear about a number of proposed Arkansas constitutional amendments, and an initiated act, at a free occasion sponsored by the Democratic Club of Hot Springs Village.
The forum is 6-9 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at Coronado Community Center, 150 Ponderosa Way.
(*4*) a release stated.
The forum is open to the public. No RSVP or registration is needed. The POA money bar for alcoholic drinks will be open.
The program is a non-partisan, public-service occasion being held to help make sure the public is absolutely knowledgeable as to the professionals and cons of every of the petitions, the Democratic Club says.
“Volunteers can help if you do choose to sign any of the petitions. If so, be prepared to show your voter’s registration card or be able to access your information online at https://www.voterview.ar-nova.org/voterview/.”
The University of Arkansas System’s Division of Agriculture, Research and Extension, presents monitoring info on these and different proposed amendments at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/ced-blog/posts/2023/october/tracking-2024-arkansas-ballot-issues.aspx.
The amendments being discussed, together with Thursday’s audio system and a few information from the UA Cooperative Extension Service web site:
• The Arkansas Government Disclosure Act of 2024 (Jennifer Standefer)
• The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment of 2024 (Jennifer Standefer)
Both proposals concern the state Freedom of Information Act, and would strengthen entry to public information and conferences.
• An Act to Exempt Feminine Hygiene Products and Diapers from Sales and Use Tax (Katie Clark).
All diapers, together with grownup diapers, would be exempt, whether or not disposable, reusable or old style washable. “Diaper” is outlined as an absorbent garment worn by people who’re incapable of, or have issue, controlling their bladder or bowel actions.
• Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 (Lauren Cowles).
The initial portion of the poll title: “An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to change Arkansas law regarding abortion; current Arkansas law prohibits abortion except to save the life of the pregnant female in a medical emergency, and the current Arkansas Constitution does not restrict the State of Arkansas’s authority to regulate abortion services to protect the health and safety of the pregnant female or for other purposes; this amendment changes Arkansas law by amending the Arkansas Constitution to provide that the government of the State of Arkansas, its officers, or its political subdivisions shall not prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion services (1) in cases of rape, (2) in cases of incest, (3) in the event of a fatal fetal anomaly, or (4) when, in a physician’s good-faith medical judgment, abortion services are needed to protect a pregnant female’s life or to protect a pregnant female from a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury; to provide that the government of the State of Arkansas, its officers, or its political subdivisions shall not prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion services within 18 weeks of fertilization, which equates to approximately 20 weeks since the first day of the pregnant female’s last menstrual period; to define a ‘fatal fetal anomaly’ as a medical condition diagnosed before birth that, in a physician’s good-faith medical judgment, will lead to fetal or neonatal death and for which life-saving medical intervention would be futile …”
• The Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024 (April Reisma). “A proposal requiring any school receiving state or local funds to have identical academic standards and identical standards for accreditation, including assessments of students and schools based on such standards was approved for signature gathering.”
Proposals permitted for signature gathering require a sure proportion of signatures from at least 50 counties. Ballot concern teams should submit their voter petitions to the Arkansas Secretary of State by July 5, 2024.
Proposed constitutional amendments require legitimate signatures from at least 90,704 Arkansas voters. Proposed initiated acts require legitimate signatures from at least 72,563 Arkansas voters. Both measures require a minimal quantity of legitimate signatures from at least 50 counties.
Successful petition measures will seem on the Arkansas basic election poll on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
—
Speaker bios:
Jen Standerfer of Bentonville is an legal professional with Waymack Standerfer Law. She holds a juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law and has represented shoppers all through the state in all areas of the law, however herexperties lies in elections, native authorities and felony justice.
Standerfer labored at the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research as a legislative legal professional drafting laws for the Arkansas General Assembly. She introduced this expertise to Arkansas Citizens for Transparency because the lead drafter for the Arkansas Government Transparency Amendment of 2024 and the Arkansas Government Transparency Act of 2024.
—
Katie Clark moved to Little Rock after graduating from school to do a 12 months of service by means of the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Later she started graduate faculty at the Clinton School of Public Service and UAMS College of Public Health.
—
Lauren Cowles is a drafter of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 and coalition member with Arkansans for Limited Government. The group goals to enshrine abortion rights into the Arkansas Constitution.
She spent 14 years in Washington, D.C., working as director at Van Scoyoc Associates for 4 years and within the U.S. Senate for 10 years. Cowles served as appropriations director for Sen. Mark Pryor and as a employees member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
—
April Reisma, a particular training instructor at Joe T. Robinson Middle School, Pulaski County Special School District, is on depart from her place whereas serving as president of the Arkansas Education Association.
Keywords
2024 basic election,
petitions,
proposed,
constitutional modification,
initiated act,
Freedom of Information Act,
authorities,
disclosure,
abortion,
Hot Springs Village,
Democratic Club,
Arkansas,
gross sales tax,
female hygiene merchandise