Jerry Cox – Page 1072 – Family Council

Good Bill Filed to Rein in Arkansas Lottery

Mar 3, 2017Jerry CoxArkansas LotteryArkansas Lottery

Rep. Warwick Sabin (D-Little Rock)

Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock)

Today Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock) and Rep. Warwick Sabin (D-Little Rock) filed S.B. 583.

This is a really good bill that simply requires the Arkansas Lottery to allocate at least 25% of its gross revenue for scholarships.

Right now the Arkansas Lottery allocates around 18%. To put that into the perspective, the average state lottery budgets approximately 30% of its gross revenue for education; Louisiana budgets 35%.

It’s simple math: If the Arkansas Lottery budgets a higher percentage of its money for scholarships, Arkansas’ college students will get more money. That’s what S.B. 583 does.

S.B. 583 is similar to legislation Family Council has supported in years past. We look forward to working with Sen. Elliott and Rep. Sabin to help pass this good, commonsense bill at the Arkansas Legislature.

Senate Committee Passes Bill to Ban Smoked Marijuana

Mar 1, 2017Jerry CoxMarijuanaMarijuana

This morning the Senate Public Health Committee passed S.B. 357 by Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) and Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-Elm Springs).

S.B. 357 is a good bill that prohibits people from smoking “medical marijuana” in Arkansas.

Currently, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act lets marijuana cardholders smoke marijuana. Smoking is not a necessary, safe, or reliable delivery mechanism for medical marijuana.

It is opposed by organizations like the American Lung Association. Other methods of marijuana use would remain legal under this bill—such as vaporizing or the use of marijuana oils.

According to the CDC states spend nearly $500 million dollars per year on tobacco smoking cessation programs. Tobacco smoking costs the United States $300 billion in total economic costs every year. It makes no sense to compound this problem by permitting marijuana smoking.

Research shows secondhand marijuana smoke is unsafe. If secondhand marijuana smoke isn’t healthy, firsthand marijuana smoke can’t be either.

S.B. 357 will help protect Arkansans from marijuana smoke. The bill now goes to the entire Arkansas Senate for a vote.

You can read the bill here.

Abortion Clinic Legislation Heading to Governor Hutchinson’s Desk

Feb 28, 2017Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life

Late yesterday the Arkansas Senate passed H.B. 1428 by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-Elm Springs) and Sen. Scott Flippo (R-Bull Shoals).

This bill cleans up Arkansas’ abortion laws. It is similar to a good, pro-life bill Sen. Flippo sponsored in 2015.

It gives the Health Department the power to immediately close any clinic that fails a health inspection, and clarifies that abortion clinics must be inspected at least annually.

Laws like this one literally help states close abortion clinics. That’s a good thing.

The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk for his signature. Below is a breakdown of the senate vote on H.B. 1428.

Voted FOR H.B. 1428 (28 Senators)

Bledsoe	Caldwell	E. Cheatham	A. Clark	Collins-Smith	J. Cooper
J. Dismang	L. Eads	J. English	Files	Flippo	T. Garner
J. Hendren	Hester	Hickey	J. Hutchinson	Irvin	B. Johnson
B. King	Maloch	Rapert	Rice	B. Sample	D. Sanders
Standridge	Teague	D. Wallace	E. Williams

Voted AGAINST H.B. 1428 (5 Senators)

Did Not Vote (2 Senators)

K. Ingram

G. Stubblefield