Gov. Mike Beebe has signed a bill allowing him not to call a special election to fill the lieutenant governor’s office.

Senate Bill 139, now Act 210, allows the governor to forgo a special election to fill a vacancy in the lieutenant governor’s office when the vacancy occurs within 10 months of a general election, if holding a special election would be impractical or burdensome.

Mark Darr left the lieutenant governor’s office vacant after being fined $11,000 by the state Ethics Commission for misuse of campaign contributions and taxpayer dollars.