Public education ballot group continues signature collection

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

For AR Kids says they are almost halfway to collecting the amount of signatures they need to put their proposal on the ballot.

It's called the “The Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024.” The proposal comes after the passage of Arkansas LEARNS last year, which allows for public tax money to go to private schools through a voucher program. The amendment would add requirements for private schools accepting tax money. The group says this will equalize education in Arkansas, though they are short on funding.

To get their proposal on the ballot, For AR Kids needs more than 90,000 signatures from over 50 counties, with a deadline of July 5. Group leaders say they will have to collect 1,000 signatures a day for the next 45 days. For AR Kids says they have more than 1,000 volunteers collecting signatures.

Public education ballot group continues signature collection

Megan Prettyman

The 11th grade social studies classroom of Megan Prettyman at Little Rock West High School of Innovation.

Arkansas marijuana, patient group resubmits ballot proposal to increase access to medical cannabis

KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A marijuana industry and patient group has resubmitted language to the attorney general for a ballot measure to expand access to medical cannabis in Arkansas.

Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected the first version of the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Amendment of 2024 due to improper formatting and ambiguities about how the measure would affect existing state laws and rules.

Arkansans for Patient Access on Monday submitted new versions of the proposed constitutional amendment, ballot title and popular name with mostly technical changes, but the new version would also preclude the state Legislature from making changes to constitutional amendments.

Arkansas marijuana, patient group resubmits ballot proposal to increase access to medical cannabis

State Board of Election Commissioners denies certification of recreational marijuana ballot measure

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

The State Board of Election Commissioners on Wednesday (Aug. 3) denied certification of a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21.

The SBEC review is part of a new process for ballot petitions. The panel cited concerns regarding sufficient background checks for dispensary owners and limits on THC, tetrahydrocannabinol,  a chemical found in marijuana.

Responsible Growth Arkansas, the group supporting the ballot measure, turned in more than 193,000 signatures for adult recreational marijuana use, more than twice what was needed to qualify. Secretary of State John Thurston signed off last week on the measure as having sufficiently met the signature threshold to qualify for the November ballot.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/08/state-board-of-election-commissioners-denies-certification-of-recreational-marijuana-ballot-measure/

Two groups gathering signatures for Arkansas recreational marijuana proposals

KUAR | By Laura Isensee

Two groups are hoping to place proposals on the November ballot in Arkansas that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana. This comes six years after voters approved the use of marijuana for people in the state with certain medical conditions.

Backers of the separate proposed state constitutional amendments are working to gather enough valid petition signatures before a July deadline.

The proposal by Responsible Growth Arkansas would expand the number of grower licenses in the state to 20 and dispensary licenses to 40. Campaign Chairman Eddie Armstrong says it would enable more craft products to be grown.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-05-10/two-groups-gathering-signatures-for-arkansas-recreational-marijuana-proposals

Npr.Org/NPR News

Signatures are being collected by two groups hoping to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas.