ARKANSAS, USA — The group trying to put Arkansas FOIA laws on the ballot has reached a roadblock after a recent proposal was once again rejected.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin denied the proposal for the second time, citing issues such as a lack of clarity, and the fact that it was submitted in all caps.
Arkansas State Senator Clarke Tucker said the Arkansas Citizens for Transparency met several times a week over the winter of 2023 to iron out the details of a proposed constitutional amendment of Arkansas FOIA laws.
"The fundamental premise is that government transparency is a right of the people of Arkansas," Tucker said. "And what we're doing is ensuring that to the extent that government transparency laws that exist in Arkansas right now, they can't be weakened without the approval of the people of Arkansas."
The Attorney General's first rejection letter stated undefined terms including the phrases "government transparency" and "notice, meetings, and records" would likely give voters serious ground for reflection.
However, Tucker disagrees, saying that it's clear to voters.
"In our view, that's a pretty clear term, it's obvious what it means," Tucker said.
“We're, of course, contemplating the possibility of litigation— filing a lawsuit to get this on the ballot,” Tucker said.
Tucker says the group is racing against the clock to get this proposal approved. They must gather 90,000 signatures from Arkansans before the summer of 2024 for this amendment to be on the ballot in the November 2024 election.
"Every day that we're not gathering signatures, makes it tougher. Time is of the essence, and I think we'll submit an alternative proposal soon. I don't know exactly when, but we are working on it very expeditiously," Tucker said.
This amendment proposal comes after Governor Sanders' special session back in September to make revisions to the state's FOIA laws.
Tucker says the committee's efforts include politicians on both sides of the aisle. They hope to protect the balance of power between the people and the legislature.
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