On March 30, Arkansas SB 277 passed the State Senate. It had passed the House on March 27. It eases procedures for newly-qualifying parties. The number of signatures drops from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote (about 27,000 signatures) to exactly 10,000 signatures. The petition can now circulate starting on January 1 of any odd year. It is due three weeks before the primary, which is in May in midterm years and March in presidential years. That expands the petitioning period to sixteen months in midterm years, and fourteen months in presidential years. Formerly the petition had to be completed in 90 days, and the group chose its own 90-day period. Formerly the filing deadline was four months before the primary.

Also the newly-qualifying party need not submit the names of its nominees until primary day (the names of the presidential and vice-presidential nominees are due much later, in September of the election year).

Only four legislators voted against the bill: Senator Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville), Senator Fredrick Love (D-Mabelvale), Representative Mark Berry (R-Ozark), Representative Josh Miller (R-Heber Springs).