ISSUE NO. 1: Arkansas Lottery Proceed Funding for Vocational-Technical School Scholarships and Grants Amendment:
Family Council’s Summary: This proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution was referred to the ballot by the Arkansas Legislature. Issue 1 would change the Arkansas Constitution to let proceeds from
the state lottery fund scholarships and grants for vocational-technical schools and technical institutes.
ISSUE NO. 2: An Amendment Requiring Local Voter Approval in a Countywide Special Election for Certain New Casino Licenses and Repealing
Authority to Issue a Casino License in Pope County, Arkansas:
This proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution would remove Pope County as
a location where casino gaming is allowed, and it would prevent the Arkansas Racing Commission from authorizing a casino in a community without local voter approval at a special election.
This ballot issue is sponsored by the group Local Voters in Charge. According to the group’s campaign finance reports, they received $5.3 million from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, as of June 30. If passed, Issue 2 would become part of the Arkansas State Constitution, and it could not be changed without
passage of another amendment in a statewide vote. They hired canvassers to gather enough petition signatures to place the amendment on the ballot.
ISSUE NO. 3: Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024:
This proposed State Constitutional Amendment would expand access to marijuana. This amendment makes over 30 changes to the Arkansas Constitution. The amendment allows a doctor, pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant to, for any reason, issue a certificate that permits a person to use marijuana for three years. The amendment allows people to grow marijuana at home. Adults at any residence would be able grow and process up to fourteen plants. It repeals current laws that prohibit marijuana advertising and it repeals current packaging and labeling standards. The amendment prohibits any additional regulation or taxation of marijuana by the Arkansas Legislature. In addition, the amendment changes Article 5, Section 1 of the Arkansas Constitution by making it clear that the Arkansas Legislature can never change any of our State Constitutional Amendments. This amendment freezes the number of licenses to grow and sell marijuana. Most of the financial support for this amendment has been from the Arkansas marijuana industry who paid canvassers to gather enough petition signatures to place the amendment on the ballot.