The Republican Party of Arkansas will hold its biennial State Convention on Saturday, June 8, 2024, in Rogers, Arkansas. The State Convention is made up of delegates selected by all County Committees across the state and is recognized by RPA Rules as the “final authority in all party matters.”
The State Convention will consider (among other things) amendments to its platform as well as changes to its state party rules. It takes a majority vote by State Convention delegates to approve any changes to these foundational documents. In order to be considered, submissions for changes must be filed with the respective committee chairs in writing at least sixty (60) days before the convention. See RPA Rule Article 1, Section 6F:
All proposed rule changes and/or proposed platform provisions shall be filed in writing with the appropriate committee at least 60 days prior to the date of the convention. Those proposed rule changes and/or proposed platform resolutions recommended for adoption at the State Convention shall be mailed or electronically transmitted by the appropriate committee chair to each County Chairman 30 days before the date of the convention. It shall be the responsibility of every County Chairman to inform delegates and alternates to the State Convention of the proposed rules changes and/or proposed platform resolutions. Copies of proposed rules changes and/or proposed platform resolutions will not be mailed to delegates and alternates by the State Party.
Seven proposed amendments to the Platform were timely submitted. Four of the seven are being recommended by the Platform Committee and have been sent to the County Chairs. To review the Platform Committee recommended changes, go to the end of this article, or click here to review the draft.
Three submissions were not recommended. It is the current position of the State Party Chair and his appointed chairs of the Platform/Resolution and Rules committees that these timely filed amendments are not to get a hearing on the floor of the State Convention.
This declaration of “no hearing” of timely submissions before the State Convention flies contrary to the past practices of the RPA as well as being in direct conflict with Robert’s Rules of Order regarding Conventions (RONR 58-60). It is our hope that our party leaders will review RONR before the State Convention and allow these three timely filed submissions to be heard and voted on by the State Convention delegates.
The following are the three timely filed submissions which the Party Chair currently plans not to be heard by the State Convention delegates:
Not–Recommended Change #1—Medical Freedom and Economic Freedom —red font are the changes— underlined are additions, strike-through are omitted; pages renumbered per inserts.
Added to Principles–page 1 adds the words:
- “Medical Freedom”
- “Freedom of Contract”
Added to Preamble–page 2 inserts three new paragraphs and inserts three words into the 8th paragraph:
- New Paragraph 2-affirms medical freedom.
- New Paragraph 3-affirms economic freedom.
- New Paragraph 5-affirms freedom of contract (part of economic freedom)
- Paragraph 6—inserts words “preserve economic freedom.”
Added to Body of Platform:
- Page 4 of 14—akin to economic freedom:
- deletes the phrase in paragraph 5—”government development of programs that facilitate” and
- deletes the entire paragraph 7 regarding “strongly support the use of economic development.”
- Page 12 of 14—inserted under “Individual Freedom” category, last two paragraphs on page 12 of 14, related to Medical Freedom: defines Medical Freedom and recites the type of Medical Freedom legislation which we support.
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Not-Recommended Change #2—Election Integrity —yellow highlighted and underlined are additions, strikethroughs are omitted.
AMENDMENT TO SUPPORT ELECTION INTEGRITY
Added under “Government Reform 
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Not-Recommended Change #3—Government Transparency —yellow highlighted and underlined are additions, strike-through are omitted.
AMENDMENT TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY
Added under “Government Reform
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There are four timely submitted changes recommended by the 2024 Platform Committee, which Conduit endorses. Those recommended changes are as follows:
Recommended Change #1 under “Government Reform” –Page 7: submitted by Dr. Anita Wells and Sarah Dunklin (Partisan Judicial Races)
Nonpartisan judicial elections have resulted in election outcomes against the will of the majority party in our state and the will of the Arkansas General Assembly representing Arkansas citizens. In an effort for full transparency regarding Party affiliation, we support the revision of the Arkansas Constitution and Arkansas Code to allow partisan judicial elections.
Recommended Change #2 under “Government Reform” –Page 8: submitted by Alison Gray (Opposing ESG and Social Credit Scores)
We stand strongly against government entities depositing public funds in any financial institutions that use Environmental Social Governance (ESG) or other social engineering criteria to discriminate against the free will of individuals or businesses. We vehemently oppose the establishment and utilization of any private or governmental systems that establish the practices and practical use of a “social credit score.”
Recommended Change #3 under “Individual Freedom” –Page 12:
Furthermore, we support the appointment and election of judges who respect traditional family values, the sanctity of human life, and are committed to overturn Roe v. Wade support the Dobbs v. Jackson precedent.
Recommended Change #4 under “Individual Freedom” –Page 12: submitted by Sarah Dunklin (Anti-Globalism)
We are opposed to globalist organizations such as the World Health Organization, World Economic Forum, and United Nations usurping the rights of Arkansans.
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