A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROVIDING THAT A PROPOSED STATE-WIDE INITIATED ACT OR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT SHALL BECOME A LAW WHEN APPROVED BY A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST IN THE ELECTION AND A MAJORITY OF THE COUNTIES OF THE STATE.

HJR 1017 proposes a constitutional amendment in Arkansas to change the requirements for state-wide initiated acts and constitutional amendments to become law. Currently, these measures pass with a state-wide majority vote. Under this proposed amendment, they would also need to receive a majority of votes in a majority of the state's counties to be approved. However, an act or measure subject to a state-wide referendum would still be repealed if rejected by a state-wide majority of voters, regardless of county-level results. This amendment, if approved by voters, would take effect on January 1, 2027.