A Constitutional Amendment To Provide That Certain Vacancies Shall Be Filled By Appointment By The Governor.
HJR1013 is a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution that would revise the rules for filling vacancies in certain public offices. Under the resolution, vacancies in the offices of United States Senator, U.S. Representative, and most elective state, district, circuit, county, and township offices would be filled by appointment by the Governor. The measure expressly preserves existing exceptions for the Lieutenant Governor, members of the General Assembly, and U.S. Representatives, as reflected in the amended constitutional language.
If approved by voters, the amendment would become part of the Arkansas Constitution and take effect on January 1, 2027. The resolution also sets the ballot title and popular name for submission to the electorate at the next general election. In practical terms, the proposal centralizes vacancy-filling authority in the governor for a broad range of offices, while leaving some offices subject to different rules.
The bill would amend Arkansas Constitution Amendment 29, changing the method for filling vacancies in many elected offices by placing appointment authority with the Governor. It would affect state, district, circuit, county, and township offices, as well as U.S. Senate vacancies, while preserving existing exceptions for the Lieutenant Governor, General Assembly members, and U.S. House vacancies. Because it is a constitutional amendment, it would alter state law only if approved by voters, and it would not take effect until January 1, 2027.
No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or partisan sentiment in the available materials. Based on the text alone, the resolution appears to be a structural/governance proposal rather than a policy bill with obvious fiscal or social controversy. The measure’s framing suggests an intent to streamline vacancy appointments, but the absence of discussion makes overall support or opposition impossible to determine from the record provided.
The main point of contention would likely be the concentration of appointment power in the Governor, especially for vacancies in elected offices that are currently filled through other mechanisms or have special exceptions. Potential concerns could include reduced local control, diminished legislative influence, and the treatment of congressional vacancies versus state and local vacancies. However, no specific objections or supporters are identified in the available committee or voting history.