Ark. Code § 7-9-127

Current with legislation from 2024 Fiscal and Special Sessions.
Section 7-9-127 - Interference with initiative petitions and proposed measures
(a) Upon conviction, a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if the person knowingly:
(1) Changes a signature other than his or her own signature on a petition;
(2) Erases or otherwise removes a signature other than his or her signature on a petition;
(3) Intentionally destroys or discards a signature other than his or her own signature on a petition;
(4) Pays a person any form of compensation in exchange for not signing a petition as a petitioner;
(5) Accepts or pays money or anything of value for the purpose of not obtaining signatures on a petition when the person is included on the sponsor's list filed with the Secretary of State under § 7-9-601;
(6) Misrepresents the purpose and effect of the petition or the measure affected for the purpose of causing a person to not sign a petition when acting as a canvasser; or
(7) Pays a person any form of compensation in exchange for destroying a signature on a petition.
(b) A person may be charged with a Class A misdemeanor for each violation under subsection (a) of this section.
(c)
(1) A ballot question committee organized to support a ballot initiative may destroy or discard signatures or petitions collected as a result of its efforts if:
(A) The reason for the destruction or discard is documented; or
(B) The petition did not obtain enough signatures to qualify to appear on the ballot.
(2) Actions taken by a ballot question committee under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall not be considered a violation of this section.

Ark. Code § 7-9-127

Added by Act 2023, No. 766,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023.