Arkansas Representative Joshua Bryant (R-Rogers) has introduced HB 1784. It somewhat improves the non-presidential independent candidate petition deadline. In midterm years it would move from March 1 to May 1. In presidential years, it would move from mid-December of the year before the election, to mid-February, which is still far too early.

The only reason this bill exists is that in December 2017, a U.S. District Court struck down the old deadline, which is still on the books. The bill is an attempt to conform the statute to the court ruling. The case was Moore v Martin, e.d., 4:14cv-65.