2008 Arkansas Act 1

Arkansas Proposed Initiative Act No. 1 (2008) is an initiated state statute that was approved on November 4, 2008, election in Arkansas. This measure makes it illegal for any individuals cohabiting outside of a valid marriage to adopt or provide foster care to minors. While the measure was proposed primarily to prohibit same-sex couples from being adoptive or foster parents, this measure also applies to all otherwise qualified couples who are not legally married.[1]

Elections in Arkansas
Federal government Presidential elections 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1836 1837 1840 1843 1844 sp 1846 1848 1848 sp 1853 1855 1859 1868 1870 1876 1877 1878 1883 1885 1885 sp 1889 1891 1895 1897 1901 1903 1906 1907 1909 1913 1913 sp 1914 1916 sp 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1932 sp 1936 1937 sp 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 2028 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1836 1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1847 AL sp 1848 1851 1852 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1885 3rd sp 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 2nd sp 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 6th sp 1914 1916 1918 1920 1921 6th sp 1922 1923 6th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 4th sp 1932 1933 5th sp 1934 1936 1938 1939 4th sp 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1961 6th sp 1962 1964 1966 4th sp 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2001 3rd sp 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government State elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1862 (C) ... 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 ... 1910 1912 1913 sp 1914 1916 1918 ... 1922 ... 1926 ... 1930 1932 ... 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 2022 Secretary of State elections 2022 Attorney General elections 2022 Treasurer elections 2022 Senate elections 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2020 2022
Ballot measures 1990 Amendment 3 2004 Amendment 3 2008 Act 1 2012 Issue 1 2018 Issue 5
Little Rock Mayoral elections 1994 ... 2018

On December 30, 2008, the ACLU filed suit in state court on behalf of 29 adults and children, challenging Act 1 as unconstitutional.[2]

On April 16, 2010, the law was overturned by Circuit Court Judge Chris Piazza in the case Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole.[3] His ruling was upheld unanimously by the Arkansas Supreme Court on April 7, 2011.[4]