Title: Constitutional Amendments Calendar 1

1884

Amendment 1: "Holford" Bonds

This amendment allowed local governments to issue bonds for capital improvements.

1898

Amendment 2: Regulation of Transportation Rates

This amendment implemented rail rate regulations such as preventing excessive charges by railroads, canals, and turnpike companies and creating offices to enforce the regulations.

Amendment 3: Three-Mill County Road Tax

This amendment levied a 3-mill tax to provide revenue to build and repair county roads. It was later repealed by Amendment 61 in 1982.

1900

Amendment 4: Sureties on Official bonds by Bonding Companies

This amendment dealt with sureties, or people who take responsibility of another's debt. It stated that sureties of official bonds of state employees must be residents of Arkansas or own enough property in Arkansas to cover the bond.

1912

Amendment 5: Sixty-Day Session of the Legislature

This amendment regulated travel compensation and daily pay for members of the General Assembly. They would receive a daily salary only for the first sixty days of a regular session. It was later replaced by Amendment 56 in 1976.

1914

Amendment 6: Governor and Lieutenant Governor

This amendment established the office of the Arkansas Lieutenant Governor. It was replaced by Amendment 63 in 1984.

1920

Amendment 7: Initiative and Referendum

This amendment better defined the terms "initiative" and "referendum" from the Constitution.

Amendment 8: Equal Suffrage

This amendment permitted women to vote in Arkansas and instituted a poll tax. The poll tax requirement was repealed by Amendment 51 in 1964.

1924

Amendment 9: State Supreme Court

This amendment increased the size of the state supreme court from four to five judges and allowed their salaries to be fixed by law. Amendment 43 later replaced the fixed salary provision.

Amendment 10: Local Bond Issues for Debts Only

This amendment limited legislative and taxing power by changing local government debt limitations.

1926

Amendment 11: Eighteen-Mill District School Tax

This amendment levied a 18-mill tax for school construction and maintenance.

Amendment 12: Cotton Mills Tax Exempt for Seven Years

This amendment exempted cotton mills from being taxed for seven years. It was one of Arkansas' first industrial development initiatives and has since been interpreted broadly to include single usage products and limited-life products made from rayon and polyester.

Amendment 13: Municipal Improvement Bonds

This amendment allowed municipalities to issue and sell bonds. It was repealed by Amendment 62 in 1984.

Amendment 14: Local Acts by Legislature Prohibited

This amendment prohibited the legislature from passing any local acts but still allowed the legislature to repeal them.

1928

Amendment 15: Salaries of State Officials

This amendment increased the salaries of the governor, state secretary, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, and judge of the circuit courts and chancellors. It was replaced by Amendment 37 in 1946 then later by Amendment 56 in 1976.

Amendment 16: Trial by Jury

This amendment laid out details about jury trials.

Amendment 17: Construction and Building Tax

This amendment implemented a county construction tax to build or remodel county courthouses and jails. It was repealed by Amendment 62 in 1984.

Amendment 18: Tax to Aid Industries

This amendment implemented a 5-mill tax to increase industry in Arkansas. The money could be used for things such as by buying land for factories, paying for advertising, or making loans to factories.

1934

Amendment 19: Tax Increase Restrictions—Passage of Laws

This amendment required majority vote in the legislature to enact a law and outlined specific measures regarding taxes.

Amendment 20: Issuance of Bonds

This amendment prohibited the state from issuing bonds without a majority approval of voters at a statewide election.

1936

Amendment 21: Criminal Prosecutions—Salaries of Prosecuting Attorneys

This amendment allowed the legislature to pass laws determining the amount and method of payment for the salaries of prosecuting attorneys.

Amendment 22: Exemption of Homesteads from Certain State Taxes

This amendment exempted homesteads from certain state taxes and prevented legislators from enacting new taxes to fund any lost revenue from the exemptions.

Amendment 23: Board of Apportionment

This amendment allowed for the Board of Apportionment to divide and assign districts to representatives and senators. The Board consisted of the governor, the secretary of state, and the attorney general.

1938

Amendment 24: Probate Courts

This amendment allowed county probate courts (courts that deal with wills and estates) to be presided over by the judge of the chancery court (court that deals with ownership, domestic matters, and the constitutionality of state laws).

Amendment 25: County Construction Tax

This amendment ruled that building or remodeling county courthouses, jails, and hospitals had to be approved by popular vote, and it allowed for a tax to defray construction costs. It was repealed by Amendment 62 in 1984.

Amendment 26: Workmen's Compensation

This amendment allowed the legislature to pass laws determining the amount of worker compensation for injury or death. It also created measures for judging claims and securing payment.

Amendment 27: Industry Tax Exemption

This amendment exempted new industries from property tax for up to ten years.

Amendment 28: Rules for Law Practice

This amendment allowed the Supreme Court to make rules to regulate the practice of law and the professional conduct of lawyers.

Amendment 29: Vacancies

This amendment outlined the methods to fill vacancies and prohibited the governor and lieutenant governor from giving positions to their relatives.

1940

Amendment 30: Municipal Library Tax

This amendment allowed for the establishment of a mill tax for maintaining public city libraries. Unlike the county road tax which had to be reenacted every two years, this tax stayed in effect until being repealed. It was replaced by Amendment 38 in 1946.

Amendment 31: Municipal Retirement Tax

Similar to the library tax, this amendment allowed for the establishment of mill taxes for the firefighter and the police retirement funds.

1942

Amendment 32: County or City Hospital Tax

This amendment allowed for the establishment of a mill tax for maintaining public county or city hospitals.

Amendment 33: Boards and Commissions

This amendment outlined term limits and the number of seats for boards and commissions governing state institutions.

1944

Amendment 34: Labor Union Membership

This amendment prevented people from being denied employment because of their affiliation with a labor union or their refusal to join one.

Amendment 35: Game and Fish Commission

This amendment established the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and gave it the authority to enforce rules regarding wildlife conservation and preservation.

Amendment 36: Votes of Military Personnel

This amendment exempted members of the military from paying the poll tax to vote. The poll tax was repealed by Amendment 51 in 1964.

1946

Amendment 37: State Officers—Compensation

This amendment increased the salaries of the governor, lieutenant governor, state secretary, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, and the state land commissioner. It also outlined a method for setting the salaries of municipal officers. It replaced Amendment 15 from 1928 then parts of it were replaced by Amendment 63 in 1984.

Amendment 38: County Library Tax

This amendment replaced Amendment 30, which allowed for the establishment of a mill tax for maintaining public city libraries.

1948

Amendment 39: Voter Registration

This amendment allowed the General Assembly to establish legislation that would make registration a prerequisite to voting.

Amendment 40: School Tax Millage

This amendment removed the school tax limit and provided a financial safety net for schools. Schools would still receive tax money even if voters defeated a millage proposal because the existing rate would remain in effect until a new one replaced it.

1952

Amendment 41: County Clerk

This amendment provided for the election of county clerks.

Amendment 42: Highway Commission

This amendment is also known as the Mack-Blackwell Amendment. It created the State Highway Commission and gave it the authority to perform the administration duties of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) and carry out its regulations and laws.

1956

Amendment 43: Judges' Salaries

This amendment replaced the fixed salary portion of Amendment 9. It allowed the General Assembly to increase the salaries of judicial officers.

Amendment 44: Interposition

This amendment implemented a doctrine of interposition, which allowed states to reject federal mandates. In this case, the doctrine defied school desegregation as required by <i>Brown V. Board of Education</i> and made segregation legal. This amendment was unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution, and it was repealed in 1990 by Amendment 69.

Amendment 45: Senatorial Districts

This amendment replaced Amendment 23 and changed how the state divided senatorial districts. Two sections of it were found to be unconstitutional.

Amendment 46: Hot Springs Horse Racing

This amendment legalized pari-mutuel gambling on horse races in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

1958

Amendment 47: State Ad Valorem Tax Prohibition

This amendment abolished the state property tax.

Amendment 48: Compensation of members of General Assembly

This amendment increased the salaries of state legislators and the speaker of the house. It was later replaced by Amendment 56 in 1976.

Amendment 49: Industrial Development Bonds Authority

This amendment allowed cities and counties to issue bonds for industrial development. It was repealed by Amendment 62 in 1984 and by Amendment 65 in 1986.

1962

Amendment 50: Permissive Voting Machine Amendment

This amendment allowed people to vote by voting machine, and it instituted the secret ballot to ensure voter anonymity.

1951

Amendment 51: Voter Registration without Poll Tax Amendment

This amendment abolished the poll tax and instated free voter registration.

Amendment 52: Community College Enabling Act

This amendment gave the legislature the power to establish community college and technical school districts. It also allowed voters to determine the amount of property tax money the schools would receive.

1968

Amendment 53: Kindergarten

This amendment eliminated age restrictions for free public education, allowing for the creation of statewide kindergartens. It authorized the General Assembly and public school districts to spend public funds on individuals under the age of six and over the age of 21.

1974

Amendment 54: State Printing Contracts

This amendment required that competitive bidding be used for state printing and supply jobs. Competitive bidding is where different companies give an estimated cost to complete a job, and the company with the lowest cost gets hired.

Amendment 55: Revision of County Government

This amendment revised county governments by giving them more power and decreasing the number of county judges.