State House 30
1. Abortion: Arkansas’ current law that prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.
2. Abortion: Establishing a permanent funding stream to provide state-funded grants to charities that provide women with alternatives to abortion.
Josh Longmire (Republican)
Support
I will support funding means to helping women choose other options besides abortion.
I will support funding means to helping women choose other options besides abortion.
3. Education: The Arkansas LEARNS Act Educational Freedom Accounts that lets families use public dollars to pay for an education at a private school or homeschool.
Josh Longmire (Republican)
Support
Parents should have the freedom to choose what is best for their child's education.
Parents should have the freedom to choose what is best for their child's education.
4. Drugs: Legalizing recreational marijuana in Arkansas.
Josh Longmire (Republican)
Oppose
I will not support legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug.
I will not support legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug.
5. Tech: Requiring major social media websites to verify all users’ ages in order to protect children on their platforms.
6. Gambling: Letting casinos in Arkansas conduct gambling online.
7. Elections: Current ballot initiative efforts to change the Arkansas Constitution to make it easier for private individuals or entities to place measures on the ballot for a statewide vote.
Josh Longmire (Republican)
Oppose
The current law regarding placing ballot initiatives on the statewide ballots is fine the way it is. It doesn't need to made easier.
The current law regarding placing ballot initiatives on the statewide ballots is fine the way it is. It doesn't need to made easier.
Coty Powers (Republican)
Support
After a recent Arkansas Supreme Court ruling on this issue, I do think it is necessary to update those provisions within the Arkansas Constitution involving citizen-led initiatives and referendum. Namely, I do not feel it is appropriate for the Arkansas General Assembly to be able amend CONSTITUTIONAL provisions without voter approval. It defeats the purpose of having a constitution and also creates a two-tiered constitution. Those provisions of the state constitution referred by the citizens of the state are not as entrenched as those initiated by the General Assembly. This is not acceptable in my view.
After a recent Arkansas Supreme Court ruling on this issue, I do think it is necessary to update those provisions within the Arkansas Constitution involving citizen-led initiatives and referendum. Namely, I do not feel it is appropriate for the Arkansas General Assembly to be able amend CONSTITUTIONAL provisions without voter approval. It defeats the purpose of having a constitution and also creates a two-tiered constitution. Those provisions of the state constitution referred by the citizens of the state are not as entrenched as those initiated by the General Assembly. This is not acceptable in my view.
8. Guns: Confiscation of firearms from citizens that the government deem a danger to themselves or others, otherwise known as red flag laws.
Josh Longmire (Republican)
Oppose
It is our right to bare arms and we should be able to protect ourselves and our families from anyone.
It is our right to bare arms and we should be able to protect ourselves and our families from anyone.
9. Marriage: The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriage.
Coty Powers (Republican)
Oppose
In the 5 to 4 US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Court announced the 14th Amendment protected the right to same-sex marriage. I do not agree with this finding. The courts have morphed the 14th Amendment into something the framers and ratifiers of it never intended. Marriage, like any other contract, is a state issue. The states have the right to define the terms and limits of a marriage contract no less than it does a landlord-tenant contract.
In the 5 to 4 US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Court announced the 14th Amendment protected the right to same-sex marriage. I do not agree with this finding. The courts have morphed the 14th Amendment into something the framers and ratifiers of it never intended. Marriage, like any other contract, is a state issue. The states have the right to define the terms and limits of a marriage contract no less than it does a landlord-tenant contract.