House Committee Refers Bad Internet Gambling Bill to Interim Study

Gambling, ,

On Thursday, the Arkansas House Judiciary Committee referred H.B. 1861 — a bad bill that would legalize internet gambling — to Interim Study.

Sending a bill to Interim Study means the legislature may discuss the legislation between now and the next regular legislative session, but the lawmakers will not vote on the issue for now.

H.B. 1861 by Rep. Matt Duffield (R — Russellville) and Sen. Jamie Scott (D — North Little Rock) would let casinos licensed in Arkansas conduct Internet gambling online from anywhere in Arkansas.

Current law allows gambling at three casinos in the state — Oaklawn, Southland, and Saracen — and sports betting is allowed online via smart phones.

H.B. 1861 would let these casinos run slots and other types of gambling online, statewide. Following extensive debate in committee on Wednesday, Rep. Duffield requested to pull the bill down so it could be sent to Interim Study.

We already have seen how gambling addiction has become a serious problem. Last year the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council announced it has seen a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling — driven largely by sports betting.

Internet gambling would make it possible for compulsive gamblers to gamble — and lose — 24 hours a day from anywhere in Arkansas. That kind of gambling ruins lives, tears families apart, and hurts communities.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Medical Conscience Protection Law Receives Strong Support in Arkansas Senate

Bioethics, ,

On Thursday afternoon, a conscience protection measure received strong support in the Arkansas Senate.

S.B. 444 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Lee Johnson (R — Greenwood) strengthens the healthcare workers’ rights of conscience law Arkansas passed in 2021. Among other things, this good bill adds whistleblower protections for healthcare workers, and it helps protect all medical professionals from having their rights of conscience violated.

In 2021, Arkansas passed Act 462 protecting healthcare workers’ rights of conscience.

Before that law passed, Arkansas’ conscience protections were narrowly focused on abortion and end of life decisions, and they protected very few people. Act 462 helped broaden those protections and apply them to all healthcare workers.

S.B. 444 will help enhance the conscience protections Arkansas enacted four years ago. It now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Following Senators Voted For S.B. 444

  • J. Boyd
  • J. Bryant
  • Caldwell
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. Dotson
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • B. King
  • M. McKee
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • J. Petty
  • Rice
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan

The Following Senators Voted Against S.B. 444

  • G. Leding
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Scott
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senators Were Excused from the Arkansas Senate

  • S. Flowers
  • D. Wallace

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Senate Passes Good Bill Prohibiting Drugs Made From Hemp

Marijuana, ,

On Thursday the state senate passed a good bill to protect Arkansans from dangerous drugs — like THC — made from hemp.

THC is the main psychoactive drug in marijuana.

In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act legalizing industrial hemp — or cannabis — that is low in THC. The goal was to let farmers grow cannabis plants for use in textiles like rope or cloth, but manufacturers have found ways to extract and refine the little bit of THC in industrial hemp. Doing this on a commercial scale means they can produce a lot of THC to infuse into drinks, candies, e-cigarettes, and other products.

In response, many state and federal policymakers have pushed back against these dangerous drugs.

For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that federal law prohibits hemp-derived THC in food products.

Massachusetts, South Dakota, California, and many other states have successfully prohibited food, drinks, and other products that contain THC made from hemp.

In 2023, Arkansas passed Act 629 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) to prohibit THC made from industrial hemp.

Family Council supported that good law, and the legislature voted to pass it.

However, members of the hemp industry filed a lawsuit against Act 629, and the law has been tied up in federal court ever since.

This year Sen. Dees and Rep. Gazaway filed S.B. 533 to address the issues raised in the lawsuit over Act 629.

S.B. 533 is a good bill that would help prohibit intoxicating hemp products that contain THC and other drugs in Arkansas.

The bill effectively stops THC and other drugs made from hemp from being put into food or drinks sold in the state.

It also contains provisions to ensure other hemp products — like CBD oil or cosmetics — do not contain dangerous drugs or other contaminants.

On Thursday, the Arkansas Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass S.B. 533. The bill now goes to the Arkansas House of Representatives.

The Following Senators Voted For S.B. 533

  • J. Boyd
  • Caldwell
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Payton
  • J. Petty
  • Rice
  • J. Scott
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan

The Following Senators Voted “Present”

  • J. Bryant
  • J. Dotson
  • G. Leding
  • M. McKee
  • C. Penzo
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senators Were Excused From Voting

  • S. Flowers
  • D. Wallace

The Following Senator Did Not Vote

  • B. King

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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