Issue 4: Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal, and Pollution Abatement Facilities Financing Act of 2025 (Act 578)
Statewide — all of Arkansas
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- The 95th General Assembly referred this bond question to the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot through Act 578 of the 2025 regular session (Sen. Bart Hester, Rep. Howard Beaty Jr.; Senate Bill 421). The Senate passed it 24-3 on March 19, 2025 and the House 86-3 on April 7, 2025, according to the Legislature's roll calls. Arkansas voters must approve all general obligation bonds. Voters approved a similar $300 million bond question in 2008 by 631,767 to 332,507.[1][2][4]
The question on the ballot
Shall the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission be authorized to issue general obligation bonds under the authority of the Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal, and Pollution Abatement Facilities Financing Act of 2025, for the financing and refinancing of the development of water, waste disposal, water pollution control, abatement and prevention, drainage, irrigation, flood control, and wetlands and aquatic resources projects to serve the citizens of the State of Arkansas, in total principal amount not to exceed five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000), with no more than one hundred sixty-five million dollars ($165,000,000) in total principal amount of such bonds to be issued to finance and refinance the development of irrigation facilities, in series from time to time in principal amounts not to exceed, without prior approval of the General Assembly, sixty million dollars ($60,000,000) in any two-year period beginning on July 1 of each odd-numbered year, which bonds shall be secured by a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State of Arkansas?[1]
Issue 4 would authorize up to $500 million in state general obligation bonds, backed by the full faith and credit of the state, issued by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for water, waste disposal, pollution control, drainage, irrigation, flood control and wetlands projects. No more than $165 million could go to irrigation facilities, and no more than $60 million could be issued in any two-year period without General Assembly approval. Under the Public Policy Center's summary, the commission would prepare a plan for the governor, the state's chief fiscal officer and legislators to review before bonds are sold, and the debt would be repaid over 35 years at the longest.[1][2]
A YES vote means
A FOR vote means you are in favor of allowing the state to issue bonds to finance the development of water, waste disposal and pollution abatement facilities in Arkansas. The amount pledged cannot exceed $500 million or $60 million in any two-year period without legislative approval.
A NO vote means
An AGAINST vote means you are not in favor of allowing the state to issue new water, waste disposal and pollution abatement bonds.
The law today
Per the Public Policy Center voter guide: voters approved a $300 million general obligation bond question for water, waste disposal and pollution abatement facilities in 2008, and the last available amount from it was offered for sale in July 2026. If Issue 4 does not pass, the state could not sell new bonds for these purposes and the legislature would need to allocate general revenue or other money for the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to match federal funds and continue loans and grants.[5]
Official fiscal estimate
Per the Public Policy Center voter guide: the bonds would total up to $500 million, no more than $60 million in any two-year period without legislative approval and no more than $165 million for irrigation, repaid over 35 years at the longest. Initial costs are normally paid from state general revenue; debt service on general obligation bonds has first priority on general revenue and is also paid from loan repayments. The guide does not give a total interest cost, and no official fiscal note was found.[5]
Arguments made for
- Rep. Howard Beaty, R-Crossett, said ahead of the House vote: “Current estimates are that the wastewater needs are about $13 billion over the next 20 years. Remaining bond authority will be exhausted in 2027.”[3]
Arguments made against
- None found in public sources.
On record in support
- Sen. Bart Hester of Cave Springs and Rep. Howard Beaty Jr. of Crossett are identified as the main sponsors of the measure.[5]
On record in opposition
- None found in public sources.
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. No named opponent was found: the Public Policy Center page reports that no opposition committee had registered with the Arkansas Ethics Commission as of Sept. 16, 2026, so argumentsAgainst is empty. Vote counts are from the Arkansas Legislature's roll calls (s4); the Legislature's record shows SB421 became Act 578. No named opponent or opposition committee was found, so opponents is empty; no campaign-finance figures were found.
Sources · 5
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.Issue No. 4 (Act 578 of 2026 referral notice) · Arkansas Secretary of State Official record
- 2.Facts about Arkansas Ballot Issue 4 (2026 Arkansas Ballot Issues Voter Guide) · University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Public Policy Center Reference
- 3.Arkansas voters to weigh bond-related ballot measures · The Bond Buyer News report
- 4.SB421 (2025 Regular Session, now Act 578): bill history and roll calls · Arkansas State Legislature · 2026-10-19 Official record
- 5.2026 Arkansas Ballot Issues Voter Guide · University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Public Policy Center Reference