Secretary of State Thurston disqualifies medical marijuana amendment; advocacy group plans lawsuit

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston on Monday (Sept. 30) informed representatives of a group seeking to make changes to the state’s medical marijuana amendment that it had failed to collect enough signatures to make the November ballot. Arkansans for Patient Access, a ballot question committee supporting the measure, vowed to challenge the determination.

Thurston’s letter said only 10,521 signatures collected during a 30-day cure period “were deemed valid.”

“When that number is combined with the number of signatures previously deemed valid in the initial submission, the total number of signatures is 88,040,” Thurston wrote. “For a proposed constitutional amendment, the required number of overall signatures in 2024 is 90,704. Therefore, I am obligated to deem your petition insufficient.”

Secretary of State Thurston disqualifies medical marijuana amendment; advocacy group plans lawsuit

Abortion amendment delivers signatures; FOIA, education, ‘pink’ tax fail

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Supporters of an amendment that would legalize abortion in Arkansas submitted signatures to qualify for the November ballot on Friday afternoon (July 5), the last day to do so.

However, efforts to change the state’s education system, enshrine the Freedom of Information Act into the Constitution, and remove the sales tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products, also known as the “pink tax,” fell short of the required number of signatures.

Earlier in the day, signatures were submitted by groups supporting proposed constitutional amendments that would expand medical marijuana access in Arkansas and would revoke the Pope County casino license while allowing for local option voting for casinos.

Abortion amendment delivers signatures; FOIA, education, ‘pink’ tax fail

Poll: Opposition to recreational marijuana amendment grows, but slight majority still favor

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Voter attitudes toward recreational marijuana have shifted significantly over the last month, according to a new Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College Poll.

The survey, conducted on Oct. 17-18, 2022, collected opinions from 974 likely Arkansas voters statewide. Respondents were asked:

Q. On November 8th, voters will be asked to consider one proposed constitutional amendment proposed by the people. Issue 4 would authorize the possession, personal use, and consumption of cannabis by adults in Arkansas sold by licensed adult use dispensaries and provide for the regulation of those facilities. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against Issue 4?

Definitely for – 36.5%
Probably for – 14%  (50.5% For)
Probably against – 9.5%
Definitely against – 33.5%  (43% Against)
Undecided – 6.5%

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/10/poll-opposition-to-recreational-marijuana-amendment-grows-but-slight-majority-still-favor/

New Arkansas recreational marijuana amendment proposed

KUAR | By Remington Miller

A proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas was filed late last week.

The Arkansas Adult Use and Expungement Marijuana Amendment would allow for one cannabis dispensary license for every 15,000 residents in the state and limit the number of cultivation facility licenses to one per every 300,000 residents. It would also allow anyone with felony or misdemeanor convictions related to the possession of marijuana to petition the courts for relief.

This will be one of possibly three amendments that will be on the Nov. 2022 ballot about recreational cannabis. One amendment, filed in May 2020, comes from the group Arkansas True Grass. Called the Arkansas Recreational Marijuana Amendment of 2022, it would legalize recreational cannabis for people 21 and older without putting a cap on the number of related businesses.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-11-08/new-arkansas-recreational-marijuana-amendment-proposed

House Committee Advances "Moral Grounds," Votes On Bills Related To Health Emergency

By SARAH KELLOGG

An amended version of a bill that would allow healthcare providers to refuse to perform certain services on an objection of "moral grounds" advanced a House committee on Thursday.

The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor committee passed by a voice vote, Senate Bill 289, which allows those in the medical profession to refuse performing some medical services if they have “religious, moral or ethical” objections. This would not apply to any emergency medical services.

The committee initially failed the same bill in late February. It has since been amended.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/house-committee-advances-moral-grounds-votes-bills-related-health-emergency

Rep. Brandt Smith, R-Jonesboro, (left) again presents Senate Bill 289 to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee

CREDIT ARKANSAS HOUSE

Arkansas Legislature Considers Centralized Sample Election Ballots Web Portal

By JACQUELINE FROELICH

Arkansas House Bill 1202, a bipartisan measure proposed by State Rep. Andrew Collins, D-Pulaski County, amends Arkansas election law to establish statewide online access to sample election ballots via the Arkansas Secretary of State Voter View portal.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/arkansas-legislature-considers-centralized-sample-election-ballots-web-portal

Arkansas Democrat Rep. Andrew Collins shows his draft bill to create a statewide sample ballot portal.

COURTESY / ANDREW COLLINS