Arkansas HJR 1013: AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO REPEAL THE EXCEPTION TO THE PROHIBITION OF SLAVERY AND INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE.

Bill Text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the Arkansas
Constitution.
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/27/23 1
94th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2023 HJR 1013 3
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By: Representatives V. Flowers, F. Allen, Beck, M. Berry, Clowney, A. Collins, Cozart, Crawford, 5
Duffield, Ennett, Eubanks, Evans, D. Ferguson, K. Ferguson, D. Garner, Gazaway, Hudson, Jean, L. 6
Johnson, Magie, McCollum, McCullough, Milligan, J. Moore, Nicks, Pilkington, J. Richardson, 7
Richmond, Scott, T. Shephard, Springer, Vaught, Wardlaw, D. Whitaker, Womack 8
By: Senators L. Chesterfield, A. Clark, Hester, G. Leding, R. Murdock, C. Tucker 9
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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 11
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO REPEAL 12
THE EXCEPTION TO THE PROHIBITION OF SLAVERY AND 13
INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE. 14
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Subtitle 17
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION 18
TO REPEAL THE EXCEPTION TO THE 19
PROHIBITION OF SLAVERY AND INVOLUNTARY 20
SERVITUDE. 21
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 24
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND BY THE SENATE, A MAJORITY OF ALL 25
MEMBERS ELECTED TO EACH HOUSE AGREEING THERETO: 26
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THAT the following is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of 28
the State of Arkansas, and upon being submitted to the electors of the state 29
for approval or rejection at the next general election for Representatives 30
and Senators, if a majority of the electors voting thereon at the election 31
adopt the amendment, the amendment shall become a part of the Constitution of 32
the State of Arkansas, to wit: 33
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SECTION 1. Intent of amendment. 35
(a) Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 27, permits slavery and 36

As Engrossed: H3/27/23 HJR1013

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involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. 1
(b) As the Arkansas Constitution is the moral and legal foundation of 2
our state, abolishing all forms of slavery in the Arkansas Constitution 3
represents the fundamental values held by the citizens of Arkansas. 4
(c) If a prisoner is working, he or she should be compensated for that 5
labor with money or "good time" to aid his or her re-entry into society. 6
(d) The intent of this amendment is to repeal the portion of Arkansas 7
Constitution, Article 2, § 27, allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as 8
a punishment for crime to fully abolish slavery in the State of Arkansas and 9
recognize the moral and economic benefits that will result from ending this 10
practice. 11
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 27, is amended to read 13
as follows: 14
§ 27. Slavery — Standing armies — Military subordinate to civil power. 15
There shall be no slavery in this State, nor involuntary servitude, 16
except as a punishment for crime. No standing army shall be kept in time of 17
peace; the military shall, at all times, be in strict subordination to the 18
civil power; and no soldier shall be quartered in any house, or on any 19
premises, without the consent of the owner, in time of peace; nor in time of 20
war, except in a manner prescribed by law. 21
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This amendment shall be effective on and 23
after January 1, 2025. 24
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SECTION 4. BALLOT TITLE AND POPULAR NAME. When this proposed 26
amendment is submitted to the electors of this state on the general election 27
ballot: 28
(1) The title of this joint resolution shall be the ballot 29
title; and 30
(2) The popular name shall be "A Constitutional Amendment to 31
Repeal the Exception to the Prohibition of Slavery and Involuntary 32
Servitude". 33
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/s/V. Flowers 35
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