LITTLE ROCK (AP) Supporters of a ballot measure targeting illegal immigrants and another aimed at banning homosexuals from adopting or fostering children said Wednesday they're ready to submit petitions to place their measures on the November ballot.
The director of the Arkansas Family Council Action Committee said the group has more than 62,000 signatures in support of a measure banning unmarried couples living together from fostering or adopting children. The group needs 61,974 certified signatures to get on the ballot.
Monday is the deadline for supporters of proposed ballot measures to submit signatures with the state. If the petitions are found to not have enough valid signatures, supporters have another 30 days to gather signatures.
Jerry Cox, the conservative group's director, said he's still gathering signatures and expects that he'll have to go out and gather more later.
"Based on our experience with (an earlier proposed) amendment, around 25 percent of those we submit will be deemed invalid," Cox said. The group had successfully pushed for a constitutional amendment in 2004 banning same-sex marriage.
Cox had originally said the group wanted to gather more than 100,000 signatures. He blamed not reaching that goal on lack of interest in the adoption and foster-care issue.
The proposal would effectively ban gays and lesbians from adopting or fostering children. The state Supreme Court in 2006 struck down a state policy that specifically banned gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents.
Backers of a proposal that would require government agencies to verify that everbody seeking public benefits in the state is a legal U.S. resident are also preparing to submit their signatures to the state on Monday. Jeannie Burlsworth, chairwoman of Secure Arkansas, said she expected to have enough signatures for her proposed initiated act to appear on the ballot.
Burlsworth said she didn't know yet exactly how many signatures her group has.
"We're still counting them all," she said.
Petitions have already been submitted for another high-profile ballot measure a proposed constitutional amendment creating a state-run lottery to raise money for college scholarships. Lt. Gov. Bill Halter last week submitted 138,615 signatures in support of his proposal, more than the 77,468 needed to place it on the ballot. Proposed constitutional amendments require a greater number of signatures to get on the ballot than do proposed initiated acts such as the illegal-immigration and gay-adoption measures.
Tim Humphries, attorney for the secretary of state's office, has said officials will begin counting the signatures on Monday.
