Issue 3: Economic Development Districts Amendment (SJR 15)
Statewide — all of Arkansas
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- The 95th General Assembly referred this amendment to the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot as Senate Joint Resolution 15, proposed in the 2025 regular session by Sen. Jonathan Dismang with Rep. Howard Beaty as House sponsor. The Senate adopted it 28-6 on April 14, 2025 and the House 74-21 on April 16, 2025, according to the Legislature's roll calls. If adopted, it is effective Jan. 1, 2027. The Reason Foundation, a think tank, reports that proposed enabling legislation did not pass in the most recent session, so the Legislature would write the rules for districts in a later session.[1][3][4][5][6]
The question on the ballot
A Constitutional Amendment Concerning Economic Development in the State of Arkansas; and Authorizing the General Assembly to Provide for the Creation of Economic Development Districts Within Cities, Counties, or Cooperative Areas to Promote Economic Development Within the Economic Development District. Ballot title: An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution concerning economic development in the state of Arkansas; and authorizing the General Assembly to provide for the creation of economic development districts within cities, counties, or cooperative areas to promote economic development within the economic development district.[1]
Notwithstanding other constitutional provisions, the amendment would allow the General Assembly to create programs and make loans and grants of public money to develop and diversify the economy, reduce unemployment, develop transportation or commerce, and improve real estate that contributes to economic development, including by creating economic development districts. A district could issue bonds for projects within it; those bonds would not count toward certain constitutional debt limits. Cities and counties could fund or lend credit to a district. Property in a district would be exempt from taxation except for taxes, assessments or other charges levied by the district, and bonds payable from ad valorem taxes by counties, municipalities or other political subdivisions would need a majority vote of local voters. The amendment states it prevails over conflicting constitutional provisions and court interpretations. The Public Policy Center notes the amendment itself would not create a district or approve any project; legislators would pass laws setting how districts work.[1][2]
A YES vote means
A FOR vote means you are in favor of changing the Arkansas Constitution regarding economic development, including allowing the legislature to create programs, loans or grants of public money and establish economic development districts, allowing districts to levy taxes, assessments and fees, allowing local governments and districts to issue bonds to finance economic development projects, and repealing parts of the constitution and superseding court rulings that conflict with the amendment.
A NO vote means
An AGAINST vote means you are not in favor of changing the Arkansas Constitution regarding economic development in the ways described.
The law today
Per the Public Policy Center voter guide: Amendment 97 (2016) allows local governments to give public funds to private entities for economic development, and Arkansas has had tax increment financing (TIF) districts since Amendment 78 (2000); a 2007 Arkansas Supreme Court decision barred TIF districts from using the 25-mill school property tax. Arkansas voters have not previously voted on economic development districts. If approved, the amendment takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and the legislature would pass laws setting how districts operate.[7]
Arguments made for
Arguments made against
- The Reason Foundation wrote in a commentary: “Voters in Arkansas are being asked to approve a constitutional amendment that would authorize powerful and unaccountable economic development districts and vaguely defined corporate subsidy programs, opening the door to long-term fiscal instability, public corruption, and other harmful outcomes.”[5]
On record in support
On record in opposition
- The Reason Foundation published a commentary titled “Arkansas’ proposed economic development amendment is fatally flawed.”[5]
Research notes & limits
Arkansas publishes no official voter pamphlet with pro/con arguments. The University of Arkansas Public Policy Center voter guide lists supporter and opponent statements but does not attribute them to named people, so none are quoted here; arguments below are statements by named people or organizations reported by news outlets. Question text is the official popular name and ballot title as certified by the General Assembly and posted by the Secretary of State. No fiscal note was found. The Reason Foundation is a think tank and its piece is a commentary, so it is attributed as the organization's argument, not as reporting; it is the only named opposing statement found. Only one against item and two for items are quoted. Senate and House vote counts are from the Arkansas Legislature's roll calls (s6). The Reason Foundation item (s5) is typed 'reference' because it is advocacy commentary, not reporting; only its enabling-legislation statement and its quoted argument are used. Supporters and opponents lists are short: the Public Policy Center guide lists unattributed opposing statements and no organized opposition committee or fiscal note was found, so none are named. No campaign-finance figures were found.
Sources · 8
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.Issue No. 3 (SJR 15 of 2026 referral notice) · Arkansas Secretary of State Official record
- 2.Facts about Arkansas Ballot Issue 3 (2026 Arkansas Ballot Issues Voter Guide) · University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Public Policy Center Reference
- 3.Arkansas voters to decide on three constitutional amendments in 2026 · Ballotpedia News · 2025-04-18 Reference
- 4.Arkansas Issue 3 would let local governments create economic development districts · KATV · 2026-08-18 News report
- 5.Arkansas’ proposed economic development amendment is fatally flawed · Reason Foundation Reference
- 6.SJR15 (2025 Regular Session): bill history and roll calls · Arkansas State Legislature · 2026-10-19 Official record
- 7.2026 Arkansas Ballot Issues Voter Guide · University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Public Policy Center Reference
- 8.Issue 3 Explained: Economic Development Districts in Arkansas · Associated General Contractors of Arkansas Candidate's own words