Arkansas Senate Fails to Pass Bill Banning Marijuana Edibles

Legislature, Marijuana, ,

This week a good bill that prohibits the manufacture or sale of marijuana “edibles”—food or drink infused with marijuana—failed to pass the Arkansas Senate.

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment currently lets companies manufacture and sell foods—like candy and cookies—or drinks infused with marijuana. These marijuana edibles often contain extremely concentrated levels of marijuana and are routinely sending people in other states to emergency rooms.

S.B. 333 lets medical marijuana users and caregivers mix marijuana with food or drink at home, but it prevents companies from manufacturing or selling marijuana edibles in Arkansas. It’s a good, commonsense bill that protects people from dangerous marijuana products.

However, the bill failed to clear the Arkansas Senate. The bill needed twenty-four votes to pass. It received fifteen.

Here are the senators who voted for S.B. 333:

  • Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R-Rogers)
  • Sen. Eddie Cheatham (D-Crossett)
  • Sen. Linda Collins-Smith (R-Pocahontas)
  • Sen. John Cooper (R-Jonesboro)
  • Sen. Trent Garner (R-El Dorado)
  • Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs)
  • Sen. Missy Irvin (R-Mountain View)
  • Sen. Bryan King (R-Green Forest)
  • Sen. Bruce Maloch (D-Magnolia)
  • Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway)
  • Sen. Terry Rice (R-Waldron)
  • Sen. David Sanders (R-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch)
  • Sen. Larry Teague (D-Nashville)
  • Sen. Eddie Joe Williams (R-Cabot)

Here are the senators who voted against S.B. 333:

  • Sen. Will Bond (D-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Linda Chesterfield (D-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale)
  • Sen. Joyce Elliot (D-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Jake Files (R-Fort Smith)
  • Sen. Stephanie Flowers (D-Pine Bluff)
  • Sen. Jimmy Hickey (R-Texarkana)
  • Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson (R-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Keith Ingram (D-West Memphis)
  • Sen. Uvalde Lindsey (D-Fayetteville)
  • Sen. David Wallace (R-Leachville)

Here are the senators who did not vote on S.B. 333:

  • Sen. Ron Caldwell (R-Wynne)
  • Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Beebe)
  • Sen. Lance Eads (R-Springdale)
  • Sen. Jane English (R-North Little Rock)
  • Sen. Scott Flippo (R-Bull Shoals)
  • Sen. Jim Hendren (R-Gravette)
  • Sen. Blake Johnson (R-Corning)
  • Sen. Bill Sample (R-Hot Springs)
  • Sen. Greg Standridge (R-Russellville)

READ MORE

Good Bill Banning Marijuana-Smoking Fails to Clear Senate

Legislature, Marijuana, ,

This week a good bill that prohibits “medical marijuana” users from smoking marijuana failed to clear the Arkansas Senate.

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment currently lets practically anyone qualify to smoke marijuana. Even children are allowed to smoke it.

Smoking is a recreational activity that is almost universally recognized as unhealthy.

That’s why S.B. 357 by Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) and Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-Elm Springs) prohibits marijuana smoking; other forms of medical marijuana use—such as marijuana oils, tinctures, and vaporizers—would remain legal, but not smoking.

This week S.B. 357 failed to pass the Arkansas Senate. The bill needed twenty-four votes to pass; it received only ten.

Here are the senators who voted for S.B. 357:

  • Sen. Ron Caldwell (R-Wynne)
  • Sen. Linda Collins-Smith (R-Pocahontas)
  • Sen. John Cooper (R-Jonesboro)
  • Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs)
  • Sen. Missy Irvin (R-Mountain View)
  • Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway)
  • Sen. Bill Sample (R-Hot Springs)
  • Sen. David Sanders (R-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch)
  • Sen. Eddie Joe Williams (R-Cabot)

Here are the senators who voted against S.B. 357:

  • Sen. Will Bond (D-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale)
  • Sen. Joyce Elliot (D-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Jane English (R-North Little Rock)
  • Sen. Jake Files (R-Fort Smith)
  • Sen. Stephanie Flowers (D-Pine Bluff)
  • Sen. Trent Garner (R-El Dorado)
  • Sen. Jim Hendren (R-Gravette)
  • Sen. Jimmy Hickey (R-Texarkana)
  • Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson (R-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Keith Ingram (D-West Memphis)
  • Sen. Uvalde Lindsey (D-Fayetteville)
  • Sen. Bruce Maloch (D-Magnolia)
  • Sen. Terry Rice (R-Waldron)
  • Sen. David Wallace (R-Leachville)

Here are the senators who did not vote on S.B. 357:

  • Sen. Eddie Cheatham (D-Crossett)
  • Sen. Linda Chesterfield (D-Little Rock)
  • Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Beebe)
  • Sen. Lance Eads (R-Springdale)
  • Sen. Scott Flippo (R-Bull Shoals)
  • Sen. Blake Johnson (R-Corning)
  • Sen. Bryan King (R-Green Forest)
  • Sen. Greg Standridge (R-Russellville)
  • Sen. Larry Teague (D-Nashville)

Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R-Rogers) was not able to vote due to an excused absence from the Arkansas Senate. However, she has assured us she supports S.B. 357.

READ MORE

Family Council Supports Physical Privacy and Safety Act

Legislation

On Monday state Senator Linda Collins-Smith (R-Pocahontas) filed S.B. 774, the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “This is a good bill that will help ensure all Arkansans are protected and their privacy is respected. Arkansas needs this legislation to help protect children in public school showers, locker rooms, and restrooms. I hope the Arkansas Legislature will support this good bill.”

Cox said the legislation protects the physical privacy of people in showers, restrooms, and locker rooms on government property. “This bill does not affect private businesses like Walmart or Target. It is narrowly tailored to apply to government property, such as public schools, state parks, and government buildings. It simply requires a person using a public shower, locker room, restroom, or similar facility on government property to use the facility that corresponds to the biological sex listed on his or her original birth certificate. It also provides reasonable accommodations for transgender individuals.”

Cox said the legislation is important, because Arkansas law currently does not protect the privacy of students and others on government property. “Every student in Arkansas has a right to privacy and safety. Public school students’ school records are protected by law, because we value students’ privacy. A student’s physical privacy should be just as important. This bill will help protect the privacy of public school students in school locker rooms and restrooms.”

Cox said Family Council plans to support passage of the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act. “Arkansas has a duty to protect the privacy and safety of its schoolchildren. I believe that’s something our elected officials want to do. That’s what S.B. 774 does. We look forward to working with legislators to pass this good bill into law.”

###

READ MORE