2008 Arkansas Act 1

Arkansas Proposed Initiative Act No. 1 (2008)is aninitiated state statutethat was approved on November 4, 2008, election inArkansas.This measure makes it illegal for any individualscohabitingoutside of a valid marriage to adopt or provide foster care to minors. While the measure was proposed primarily to prohibitsame-sex couplesfrom being adoptive or foster parents, this measure also applies to all otherwise qualified couples who are not legally married.

On December 30, 2008, theACLUfiled suit in state court on behalf of 29 adults and children, challenging Act 1 as unconstitutional.

On April 16, 2010, the law was overturned by Circuit Court JudgeChris Piazzain the caseArkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole.His ruling was upheld unanimously by the Arkansas Supreme Court on April 7, 2011.

Results

Arkansas Proposed Initiative Act No. 1 (2008)

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	586,248	57.07
No	440,945	42.93
Invalid or blank votes	60,243	5.5
Total votes	1,087,436	100.00

See also

• LGBT rights in Arkansas
• LGBT adoption

External links

• The initiative in full text
• Arkansas Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban (2008)ballotpedia.org
• Family Council (Supportive)
• Arkansas Families First (Opposition)
• Cole v. Arkansas- Case Profile (ACLU challenge to Act 1)
• The Money Behind the 2008 Same-Sex Partnership Ballot Measures - National Institute on Money in State Politics