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Showing posts from October, 2016

Issue 5, Arkansas Wins....Loses

Issue 5, the casino amendment, is all but dead.  Last week, the Arkansas Supreme Court issued a ruling and held that the issue would not reach voters, because the ballot title was legally insufficient.  Even though you are probably still seeing those crazy ads on television, and fliers in the mail, it appears that the effort to install casinos in Arkansas will have to wait. In this case , Petitioners, the Committee to Protect Arkansas' Values/Stop Casinos Now, argued to the Arkansas Supreme Court that Issue 5 should be rejected because the ballot title was misleading. Among its concerns, was a provision in the title that purported to allow the new casinos to "accept wagers on sporting events" and offer " any game, device, or type of wagering permitted at a casino operated within. . . Nevada".  This language was problematic because Federal law expressly prohibits sports books and sports gaming, subject to just a few well- known exceptions . When testing a bal

Issue 5, Arkansas Wins....Loses

Issue 5, the casino amendment, is all but dead.  Last week, the Arkansas Supreme Court issued a ruling and held that the issue would not reach voters, because the ballot title was legally insufficient.  Even though you are probably still seeing those crazy ads on television, and fliers in the mail, it appears that the effort to install casinos in Arkansas will have to wait. In this case , Petitioners, the Committee to Protect Arkansas' Values/Stop Casinos Now, argued to the Arkansas Supreme Court that Issue 5 should be rejected because the ballot title was misleading. Among its concerns, was a provision in the title that purported to allow the new casinos to "accept wagers on sporting events" and offer " any game, device, or type of wagering permitted at a casino operated within. . . Nevada".  This language was problematic because Federal law expressly prohibits sports books and sports gaming, subject to just a few well known exceptions . When testing a ball

Arkansas Ballot Issue 5-The Casino Amendment

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A few days ago, I outlined some items that Arkansas registered voters may want to consider before deciding on Ballot Issue 6, the Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016 .  This election is not just about medical marijuana; casinos are on the ballot too (again). This measure looks a little different from the initiative proposals you may remember. Issue 5, if approved, would authorize casino gambling in three Arkansas counties: Miller, Washington, and Boone. You may have questions about the proposed amendment before you vote, so here are five things you should know before you go to the polls.   1. Who Will Operate the Casinos? If Issue 5 passes, three separate companies would become designated licensees and operators of three separate casinos: Washington County Gaming, LLC, Arkansas Gaming and Resorts, LLC (operating in Boone County, Arkansas), and Miller County Gaming, LLC The individual, LLC's, and their "successors and assigns" would have the const

The Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016; How Will You Vote on Arkansas Issue 6?

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Although, it is common knowledge that there will be a hotly contested presidential race on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, most voters are not fully aware of the serious issues that affect them locally, here in Arkansas.  Between now and election day, I'll brief some of the major, and potentially controversial issues.  For example, today I'll discuss one of the proposed Arkansas constitutional amendments, Issue 6--The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016.  A complete copy of the proposed amendment is found here . Where you side on medical marijuana may depend on several personal factors--morals, health, religion, or even economics may play a role.  Regardless of your motivation, the most important thing is to arm yourself with sufficient information about the measure before you head to the polls.  The Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Research and Extension has developed fact sheets for several of these hotly debated issues, including Issue 6. Here are five other t