Cherokee Nation Entertainment sues Arkansas over passage of anti-casino amendment

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate, Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The Pope County casino license holder sued the state of Arkansas Friday after voters approved a statewide ballot initiative that repealed the license and requires countywide elections for future casinos in the state.

Plaintiffs have asked a federal judge to declare the amendment unconstitutional and issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent the amendment from taking effect on Nov. 13.

Arkansans supported the constitutional amendment, known as Issue 2, on Tuesday 637,110 to 505,038, according to complete but unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office. The majority of voters in seven counties, including Pope County, rejected the proposed amendment.

Cherokee Nation Entertainment sues Arkansas over passage of anti-casino amendment

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of Legends Resort & Casino in Pope County.

Issue 2 passes, Pope County casino dead; Issue 1 receives voter approval

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Tens of millions of dollars spent for and against an effort to block construction of a casino in Pope County with a constitutional amendment resulted in the passage of Issue 2. Voter approval of the issue means a Pope County casino will not be built.

Arkansas Secretary of State numbers show that 55.8% of voters were for Issue 2 as of 11:45 p.m. However, 55.6% of Pope County voters were against Issue 2 – an amendment based on the belief that voters should have a say about having a casino in their county.

Voters overwhelmingly approved Issue 1 with 89.7% of the vote as of 11:45 p.m. Issue 1 was a referred constitutional amendment from the Arkansas General Assembly that would expand the use of lottery proceeds so that they can be used to fund scholarships for Arkansas citizens enrolled in vocational- technical schools and technical institutes. The popular legislative referral was pushed by Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Elm Springs, and Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock.

Issue 2 passes, Pope County casino dead; Issue 1 receives voter approval

Arkansas Supreme Court partially denies challenge to anti-casino ballot measure

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

A proposed anti-casino ballot initiative is still alive following a decision from the Arkansas Supreme Court on Monday, though its fate remains uncertain with another decision pending.

The court did not decide whether the popular name and ballot title of the proposed constitutional amendment are insufficient.

Another ruling will determine if votes will be counted on Issue 2, which would repeal a Pope County casino license and require any new casino in the state to be approved in a countywide special election before a license is issued. The measure is already on the ballot.

Arkansas Supreme Court partially denies challenge to anti-casino ballot measure

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of Legends Resort & Casino in Pope County.

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