The Arkansas legislature is making an improvement to the state constitution’s right to keep and bear arms language to the ballot for the next election. Here is the current Arkansas Constitution Article 2, § 5:
Right to Bear Arms
The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear arms, for their common defense.
The current language is problematic because it only mentions “common defense” and does not specifically mention individual rights, although individual rights are implied. Arkansas became a Constitutional Carry state on April 4th, 2013. On April 12, 2023, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee signed SB480 into law, clarifying that Arkansas was a Constitutional Carry state.
SJR11 passed the Senate on Thursday, April 10, 2025, on a vote of 28-7. Arkansas SJR11 would change the Arkansas Constitution Article 2, § 5 to read as follows:
SECTION 1. INTENT OF AMENDMENT. It is the intent of this amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to protect the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed under the Arkansas Constitution.
SECTION 2. Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 5, is amended to read as follows:
§ 5. Right to keep and bear arms.
(a) The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear arms, for:
(1) their Their common defense;
(2) Lawful hunting and recreational use; and
(3) Any other lawful purpose.(b) The right to keep and bear arms under subsection (a) of this section includes without limitation the possession and use of:
(1) Ammunition;
(2) Firearm accessories; and
(3) Firearm components.(c) The right to keep and bear arms under subsection (a) of this section is a natural, fundamental, and individual right that shall not be infringed
The House approved the measure on April 15. The vote was 86 to 10, with 2 not voting. SJR11 was enrolled and sent to the Governor on April 16, 2025.
The Arkansas legislature adjourned on April 16, 2025.
In Arkansas, it is easier than in most states to pass a state constitutional amendment. From Ballotpedia:
A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Arkansas State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 51 votes in the Arkansas House of Representatives and 18 votes in the Arkansas State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor’s signature to be referred to the ballot.
The legislature has approved the constitutional amendment to be on the ballot. There are strategic reasons for placing a Right to Keep and Bear Arms measure on the ballot. Such measures enhance turnout by patriotic Second Amendment supporters, who tend to vote for Republicans. These amendments typically pass with high percentages of 60% to 75% of those voting. The next Arkansas election is scheduled for November 2026, concurrent with the Federal midterm elections. Whether President Trump will be able to make structural changes in the United States Government will depend, in large part, on his ability to have Republicans keep control of the House and Senate in the mid-term elections of 2026.
Republicans should place SJR11 on the 2026 ballot. This correspondent predicts it will pass with more than 70% of the vote.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
