The committee on Tuesday asked the state Supreme Court to disqualify the measure from the November ballot. The proposal would legalize casinos in Boone, Miller and Washington counties for three companies owned by supporters of the amendment.
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Asa Hutchinson says he’s staying neutral on a ballot measure to limit damages awarded in medical lawsuits despite his general support for so-called tort reform efforts. The lawsuit calls the proposal misleading and accuses the group behind it of not following state law for reporting paid canvassers.
“There are too many flaws in the way the signatures were gathered and too much uncertainty about how it affects our state’s ability to manage what kind of gaming we want in Arkansas”, Chuck Lange, the chairman of the group suing to block the measure, said in a statement.
“Arkansas does have a history and tradition when it comes to gaming, unfortunately our tradition is sending jobs, tourism, and tax revenue to other states instead of keeping them here in Arkansas”, Robert Coon, a spokesman for the group, said in an email. While casino gambling is strictly prohibited in Arkansas, the law does allow facilities that have parimutuel wagering on dog and horse races to also offer electronic games of skill, which are now only offered at Southland Park Gaming & Racing in West Memphis and Oaklawn Park Racing & Gaming in Hot Springs.
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It was officially revealed last week that two competing medical marijuana initiatives would appear on the Arkansas ballot this November – a ridiculous feud that could confuse the voters and ultimately sabotage legalization altogether in 2016. The tracks both offer electronic gambling such as video poker and opposed similar casino measures four years ago. It also says the ballot title doesn’t tell voters the impact the measure would have on employers, landlords, churches and schools.
