Senate Joint Resolution 16 (SJR 16) SJR 16 was one of three proposed constitutional amendments referred to the ballot by the 89th General Assembly of Arkansas. It will be considered on the November 2014 ballot by the voters of Arkansas. This ballot item will amend Article 5, Section 1 of the Arkansas Constitution The proposed amendment addresses changes to the citizen ballot initiative process. Section 1. SJR 16 will create a new requirement for ballot items initiated by the public. Currently any petitioning group who turns in the necessary number of signatures (valid or not) gains an additional 30 days to gather signatures. Future ballot initiatives would be required to have at least 75 percent valid signatures of the required total in order to continue to gather signatures. They would also be required to meet the 75 percent threshold in at least 15 counties. SJR 16 is in direct response to recent ballot initiative attempts that have turned in petitions with very low percentages of valid signatures. These initiatives are viewed as abusing the system by actually turning in signatures they know or suspect to be false in order to gain extra time. SJR 16 is heavily supported by Oaklawn and Southland because it will add a hurdle to perennial attempted amendments to launch casino gambling in Arkansas. It has gained support beyond those stakeholders because it can be viewed as protecting the process against outside interest groups. Opponents will say it adds an undue obstacle between citizens and the ballot.
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