Supreme Court orders signature count on medical marijuana measure

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

The day after an advocacy group filed a lawsuit over the rejection of its signatures, the Arkansas Supreme Court on Wednesday (Oct. 2) ordered the disputed signatures of a proposed medical marijuana amendment, Issue 3, to be counted and it approved an expedited hearing to decide if the measure would be on the Nov. 5 ballot.

On Monday (Sept. 30), Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston said Arkansans for Patient Access (APA), the ballot question committee seeking approval of Issue 3, did not meet the signature threshold of 90,704. Thurston cited incorrect filings of signatures as his reason for the rejection.

The state’s high court ordered the following actions take place in response to the filing by Arkansans for Patient Access:

• A preliminary injunction is granted;

• Secretary of State John Thurston must verify the disputed signatures;

• The group’s requested hearing on Thurston’s decision will be expedited; and

• A special master will not be appointed to the case, in opposition to APA’s request.

Supreme Court orders signature count on medical marijuana measure