Arkansas AG rejects proposed education constitutional amendment for 2026 ballot

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas’ attorney general on Thursday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would require identical standards for public and private schools that receive state funding.

In his six-page opinion, Attorney General Tim Griffin said he could not certify the proposal because the submission did not include the full text of the measure as required by law.

“Thus, a failure to submit the proposed amendment’s full text in compliance with A.C.A. § 7-9-107 makes it impossible for me to determine whether your proposed popular name and ballot title are misleading,” Griffin said.

Arkansas AG rejects proposed education constitutional amendment for 2026 ballot

Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate

For AR Kids spokesperson Bill Kopsky talks about why the group’s constitutional amendment initiative came up short of the required number of signatures during a press conference at Arkansas Public Policy Panel offices in Little Rock on Friday, July 5, 2024.

Publication of abortion amendment canvasser list is intimidation, ballot question committee says

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Supporters of a proposed Arkansas constitutional amendment that would allow a limited right to abortion denounced a conservative advocacy group’s publication of a list of paid canvassers, calling the move an intimidation tactic.

The right-wing Family Council posted Thursday on its website a list of 79 people that the Arkansans for Limited Government ballot question committee is paying to collect signatures from across the state. The committee needs 90,704 signatures from registered voters by July 5 for the proposed amendment to appear on the November ballot.

The Family Council obtained the list of paid canvassers and their home cities via an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request, according to the post. Ballot question committees do not have to submit lists of unpaid or volunteer canvassers to the state.

Publication of abortion amendment canvasser list is intimidation, ballot question committee says

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Supporters of a proposed Arkansas constitutional amendment that would create a limited right to abortion seek signatures at the intersection of 9th and State streets in Little Rock on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Little Rock police arrived during the collection efforts and parked outside the event venue The Hall.

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/