Arkansas: AG Rejects 7th Marijuana Ballot While Separate Title Gathers Signatures

[Robert Celt]

Arkansas' attorney general has now rejected seven marijuana ballot titles since taking office, the latest one on Wednesday. Little Rock Attorney David Couch, who filed two of them, plans to file an amended version next week.

Most of the reasons given by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge for her rejections were ambiguous language according to her rejection letters. Rutledge's Spokesman Judd Deere tells Channel 7 News she has made it clear that her rejections have no reflection of her views on medicinal or recreational marijuana.

In the latest rejected marijuana ballot title proposal Rutledge sites several problems with language, such as one section that deals with the amount of ounces a dispensary can give to a patient. She states that there is no clarity whether a patient could go visit multiple dispensaries; exceeding the 2.5 ounces allowed every two weeks.

Couch released this statement to KATV:

We're disappointed that the attorney general rejected the ballot title again. The problems she pointed out this time was language included in the first submission that she didn't point out then with the first rejection.

In addition to the problems she pointed out this time, those have been included since the 2012 proposal that made it to the ballot with approval from the Arkansas Supreme Court. The ballot title was approved by former Attorney General Dustin McDaniel with the same language as my first proposal.

Deere released this statement:

Attorney General Rutledge takes very seriously her responsibility to certify or reject ballot titles. In her response to any request for a ballot title approval, Rutledge states, 'neither certification nor rejection of a popular name and ballot title reflects my view of the merits of the proposal.

This office has been given no authority to consider the merits of any measure when considering the sufficiency of a proposed ballot title.' The attorney general is charged with this responsibility under Ark. Code Ann. 7-9-107, which requires the attorney general to determine whether the popular names and ballot titles of certain ballot measures meet legal requirements before an entity may begin soliciting signatures for an initiative to be placed on the ballot.

While Rutledge has rejected seven ballot titles, Arkansans for Compassionate Care have gathered 53,000 signatures after their ballot title was approved by the former AG Dustin McDaniel in 2014.

"You can't just go to a doctor and go, I'm a new patient give me a recommendation, you have to have a relationship with your doctor," said Campaign Director and Treasurer, Melissa Fults.

"What I've seen more than anything, is that some of the people that have been so dead set against it, something has happened to a family member where this literally can make the difference of them living or dying and they realize, this is something that can save lives," added Fults.

Other parts to the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act include having been treated for at least six months, have qualifying conditions and there is an affordability clause.

"We made a promise to every patient in the state of Arkansas that no patient would be denied cannabis as a medicine because of distance or affordability," said Fults.

68,000 valid signatures will need to be gathered for this proposal to make the ballot in 2016.

Couch tells KATV if his third ballot titled is rejected he'll file suit against the Rutledge in the Arkansas Supreme Court.

News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Arkansas: AG Rejects 7th Marijuana Ballot While Separate Title Gathers Signatures
Author: Marine Glisovic
Contact: KATV
Photo Credit: None found
Website: KATV

 

[Radogast]

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge appears to be part of a conspiracy to obstruct the will of the people.