Arkansas House Approves Bill to Expand Public Drinking to Dry Counties

Alcohol, Public Drinking, ,

On Thursday the Arkansas House of Representatives voted to advance a bill that expands public drinking in dry counties.

Currently, cities and towns in wet counties can approve public drinking in commercial neighborhoods where bars and restaurants are located.

H.B. 1228 by Rep. Lee Johnson (R – Greenwood) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) effectively makes it possible for many cities in dry counties to approve public drinking in these so-called “entertainment districts.”

Public drinking doesn’t attract new businesses or bolster the economy. It hurts neighborhoods and families.

This bad bill passed with 54 votes. It now goes to the Arkansas Senate.

Below is a breakdown of the vote on H.B. 1228 in the Arkansas House.

Voted For The Bill

  • Barker
  • Beatty Jr.
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Breaux
  • Brown
  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Christiansen
  • Clowney
  • Coleman
  • A. Collins
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Dalby
  • M. Davis
  • Ennett
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Ferguson
  • Fielding
  • C. Fite
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Godfrey
  • M. Gray
  • Haak
  • Hillman
  • M. Hodges
  • Hollowell
  • Hudson
  • L. Johnson
  • Lowery
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • McCollum
  • McCullough
  • McNair
  • Penzo
  • Perry
  • Pilkington
  • Ray
  • Richardson
  • Scott
  • Slape
  • Speaks
  • Springer
  • Tollett
  • Underwood
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • D. Whitaker

Voted Against the Bill

  • Berry
  • Cloud
  • C. Cooper
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Fortner
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Lynch
  • J. Mayberry
  • M. McElroy
  • McKenzie
  • Miller
  • Milligan
  • Payton
  • Rye
  • B. Smith
  • Vaught
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooten

Voted “Present” on the Bill

  • Bragg
  • Brooks
  • Eaves
  • L. Fite
  • Furman
  • Hawks
  • Holcomb
  • Love
  • Lundstrum
  • McClure
  • McGrew
  • S. Meeks
  • Nicks

Did Not Vote

  • F. Allen
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • Ladyman
  • Murdock
  • Richmond
  • Shepherd
  • S. Smith
  • Tosh
  • Wardlaw

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Bill Would Expand Public Drinking in Arkansas

Legislature, Public Drinking, ,

On Thursday Rep. Lee Johnson (R – Greenwood) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) filed H.B. 1228. The bill effectively makes it possible for many cities in dry counties to approve public drinking in “entertainment districts.”

Currently, cities and towns in wet counties can approve public drinking in commercial neighborhoods where bars and restaurants are located.

Under H.B. 1228, city councils could permit public drinking in neighborhoods where private clubs are located.

Arkansas law lets private clubs serve alcohol — even if the private club is located in a dry county.

H.B. 1228 also changes state law regarding where the city has to be located in order to authorize public drinking. If there are entities in the county that are authorized to sell alcohol — like private clubs — then H.B. 1228 says the city council can permit public drinking.

Taken together, these two changes to the law likely would let cities in dry counties permit public drinking districts around private clubs.

Family Council has opposed public drinking for years, because it raises serious concerns about public safety.

Public drinking doesn’t attract new businesses or bolster the economy.

It hurts neighborhoods and families.

Arkansans ought to stay away from any proposal that would expand public drinking in their communities.

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Legislation We’re Watching: Hate Crimes, Contraceptives, Abortion, and More

Abortion, Alcohol, Hate Crimes, Legislation, Legislature, , , , , , , ,

A number of bills have been pre-filed ahead of the 2021 legislative session in Arkansas.

Here are a few of the bills that Family Council is watching.

Good Bills Filed

S.B. 6 (Prohibiting Abortion): This good bill by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) prohibits abortion in Arkansas, except in cases when the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Family Council fully supports this good bill. Read The Bill Here.

Bad Bills Filed

S.B. 3 (Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation): This bad bill by Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) and Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) enacts hate crimes legislation by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against certain protected classes of people listed in the bill. The bill is virtually identical to H.B. 1020. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 20 years, and we oppose this bill as well. Read The Bill Here.

H.B. 1020 (Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation): This bad bill by Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) and Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) enacts hate crimes legislation by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against certain protected classes of people listed in the bill. The bill is virtually identical to S.B. 3. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 20 years, and we oppose this bill as well. Read The Bill Here.

H.B. 1069  (Contraceptives): This bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Clarksville) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) lets pharmacists dispense oral contraceptives to women without a prescription from a doctor. Oral contraceptives carry a number of health risks — which is why women currently need a prescription from a doctor — and they can cause the death of an unborn child by preventing the unborn child from implanting and growing inside the mother’s womb. Family Council opposes H.B. 1069. Read The Bill Here.

Other Bills We’re Watching

H.B. 1066 (Alcohol): This bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Clarksville) would let microbrewery operators ship beer directly to private residences anywhere in the state of Arkansas or to residences in other states that allow direct shipment of alcohol. Read The Bill Here.

S.B. 32 (Alcohol): This bill by Sen. Jane English (R – North Little Rock) and Rep. Karilyn Brown (R – Sherwood) would let retail liquor permitholders — such as liquor stores — deliver alcoholic beverages to private residences in the county where the store is located. Read The Bill Here.

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