Arkansas Supreme Court issues provisional order placing recreational marijuana amendment back on ballot

Conditional certification stipulated

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Wednesday granted a petition to allow a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize recreational marijuana back on the November ballot until it decides how to proceed with the Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners’ decision to not approve its ballot title.

The Arkansas Supreme Court stated in court documents that the secretary of state had been ordered to conditionally certify Responsible Growth Arkansas’ proposed initiated amendment pending its decision in this case.

Officials for Responsible Growth Arkansas filed a petition that stated they were seeking a preliminary injunction because the Aug. 25 deadline for certification of initiated measures is pressing, and it asks the court to order John Thurston, Arkansas’ secretary of state, to conditionally certify the petitioners’ proposed initiated amendment pending the court’s decision.

The proposed constitutional amendment would issue adult-use cannabis cultivation and dispensary licenses to businesses that already hold licenses under the state’s medical marijuana program, followed by an additional 40 licenses chosen by a lottery.

Board of Election Commissioners member Bilenda Harris-Ritter, the Republican Party’s designee, made the motion to deny the ballot title and popular name for the amendment partly because it would repeal the current THC limits without explaining if a new limit would be set. [Read More @ Arkansas Online]