FAULKNER COUNTY ISSUES

MALCOLM ROSE | STAFF WRITER

Photo by Addi Jarrell

They don’t always get as much spotlight as bigname candidates, but ballot issues are a crucial part of every election, and can have major impacts on the future of the state. Four statewide ballot measures will be voted on in November. The first three of these are amendments referred by the Arkansas State Legislature and the fourth is an initiative to legalize marijuana.

The first of these, Issue 1, would allow the legislature to call itself into special sessions. Right now, only the governor has this power. Many, including Governor Asa Hutchinson, oppose the amendment, seeing it as a power grab by the legislature. The governor believes that a full-time legislature would be bad for the state of Arkansas and that such a measure would upset the checks and balances of Arkansas’ government. Democrat Chris Jones and Libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. are against Issue 4 as well, also believing that the legislature does not need more power. Issue 2 is an amendment proposed by the state legislature that would change the popular vote requirement to pass amendments from a simple majority of 50% to a supermajority of 60%. A similar amendment was on the ballot this year in South Dakota, where it was defeated. The Protect AR Constitution committee was created to oppose the amendment, claiming that it would take power away from voters and destroy majority rule in Arkansas. The committee believes that the amendment was proposed by the legislature to take power away from Arkansas voters after ballot initiatives were used to “create term limits for them, establish ethics rules they have to follow, and take some of the money out of politics.” State Representative David Ray (R) has argued for the amendment, claiming that “It is entirely too easy to amend our state constitution. We shouldn’t amend our constitution in just some sort of willy-nilly fashion.”

Issue 3 would create an amendment called the “Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment,” which would mean that the government could not burden a person’s freedom of religion except for in rare cases where it is the least restrictive way of furthering a compelling government interest. While there is a federal equivalent of this law, the Arkansas law would go much further, with the law being triggered by any burden on religious expression as opposed to a substantial burden. The Arkansas ACLU(American Civil Liberties Union) has spoken out against the proposed amendment, saying that “The unintended consequences of this measure would be severe and far-reaching, giving people a basis to challenge and exempt themselves from virtually any state law.” They also believe that the law would be one of the most extreme in the country and that it would damage Arkansas’ economy.

Issue 4 is a ballot initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana. If the law were passed, anyone 21 or older would be legally allowed to have up to one ounce of marijuana. Sales would be taxed at 10%, and 15% of the money collected would go to an annual stipend for police officers, with Responsible Growth Arkansas marketing the bill as a vote for law enforcement. Democratic and Libertarian candidates for governor Chris Jones and Ricky Dale Harrington Jr both support Issue 4, with Jones calling it “a good first step toward Arkansas embracing a pragmatic cannabis policy.” On the other hand, Republican candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders and governor Hutchinson are opposed to it. Safe and Secure Communities, the group that leads the opposition to ballot issue 4, claims that legalized drugs have destructive effects and that “Many cities around the nation are destroyed, and now Arkansas is at risk.” If marijuana was legalized here in Arkansas, it would be part of a national trend, as 19 states along with Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana. Ballot initiatives are often sidelined during elections, as attention is usually focused on candidates. In addition, the wording of ballot initiatives is often confusing and sometimes even misleading, which leads to a lack of interest. However, the ballot initiatives to be voted on this Nobember have the potential to massively affect the future of Arkansas. Issue 2 in particular has the potential to change the process for future ballot initiatives, making it much more difficult for ballot initiatives of any kind to pass later on. All these initiatives could mean big changes for the average Arkansan, and in an increasingly polarized political scene informed voting is more important than ever.