Senate Committee Backs Ballot Initiative Reforms

Legislation, , , , ,

On Tuesday the Senate State Agencies Committee passed several good bills shoring up Arkansas’ ballot initiative process.

The Arkansas Constitution lets canvassers circulate petitions to place measures on a general election ballot. However, in recent years Arkansas’ ballot initiative process has become the opposite of what it was intended to be. Its original intent was to provide citizens a means of functioning as a “legislative body.” Instead, powerful corporate special interests have used our own ballot initiative process against us.

During committee testimony on Tuesday, pro-life leader Vikki Parker testified about how canvassers for the Arkansas Abortion Amendment encouraged people to sign the abortion petition more than once — which is against the law.

Following extensive testimony on Tuesday, the Senate State Agencies Committee passed the following good bills by Sen. Hammer and Rep. Underwood concerning ballot measures:

  • S.B. 207 requiring petition canvassers to inform people that petition fraud is a crime before obtaining their signatures on a petition.
  • S.B. 208 requiring canvassers to verify a person’s identity via photo ID before obtaining the person’s signature on a petition. This helps prevent people from fraudulently signing someone else’s name on a petition.
  • S.B. 209 clarifying that the signatures a canvasser collects will not count if the Secretary of State finds the canvasser has violated Arkansas’ laws concerning canvassing, perjury, forgery, or fraud in the process of gathering signatures.
  • S.B. 210 requiring people to read the ballot title of the measure before signing a petition. The ballot title includes a summary of the ballot measure. Reading the ballot title helps ensure people understand the measure before they sign a petition to place the measure on the ballot.
  • S.B. 211 requiring petition canvassers to file an affidavit with the Secretary of State verifying that the canvasser complied with the Arkansas Constitution and all Arkansas laws concerning canvassing, perjury, forgery, and fraud in the process of gathering signatures.

These bills now go to the entire Arkansas Senate for consideration.

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

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Lawmakers File Measure Addressing Marijuana Use in Public, On the Highway

Legislation, Marijuana,

A new bill filed at the Arkansas Legislature would clarify state laws concerning medical marijuana use in public and on the highway.

H.B. 1452 by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R — Elm Springs) and Sen. Tyler Dees (R — Siloam Springs) amends Arkansas law concerning the use and transportation of medical marijuana in Arkansas.

The bill clarifies that it is illegal to smoke marijuana in public — including at a school, a daycare, a college, a drug and alcohol abuse treatment center, at a community or recreation center, on a military base, in the presence of a pregnant woman — or anywhere that tobacco smoking is prohibited by law.

The bill also makes it clear that it is illegal drive on a highway with an unsealed container of smokable medical marijuana within reach of the driver or passenger.

Research shows that marijuana use clouds brain function. Marijuana exposure is a public health hazard that harms pregnant women and children.

H.B. 1452 will help uphold public health and safety in Arkansas when it comes to marijuana. You Can Read The Bill Here.

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

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CT Poison Control Centers See Spike in Marijuana-Related Calls

Marijuana

Marijuana is sending Connecticut children to the E.R. and prompting people to call Poison Control.

Local news outlets report,

The Connecticut Poison Control Center says it receives 40-60 calls a month on average for children 17 and younger who have inhaled or ingested cannabis. There have been 668 calls into the center since 2019 with 280 cases of children younger than 6 and 110 for ages 6-11.

Doctors say [marijuana] edibles are the real issue because they are made to look like candy.

For years now, public health data across America has shown marijuana products are sending kids to the emergency room.

Marijuana edibles often mimic popular candies that appeal to children. But because marijuana edibles often contain high concentrations of THC, the products are dangerous.

From heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects, marijuana has been found time and time again to pose serious health hazards.

All of this simply underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

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

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