Texarkana Gazette

CONSTITUTI­ONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY PETITION OF THE PEOPLE

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Issue No. 4 (Popular Name)

An Amendment to Authorize the Possession, Personal Use, and Consumptio­n of Cannabis by Adults, to Authorize the Cultivatio­n and Sale of Cannabis by Licensed Commercial Facilities, and to Provide for the Regulation of those Facilities.

(Ballot Title)

AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTI­ON AUTHORIZIN­G POSSESSION AND USE OF CANNABIS (I.E., MARIJUANA) BY ADULTS, BUT ACKNOWLEDG­ING THAT POSSESSION AND SALE OF CANNABIS REMAIN ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW; AUTHORIZIN­G LICENSED ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES TO SELL ADULT USE CANNABIS PRODUCED BY LICENSED MEDICAL AND ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES, INCLUDING CANNABIS PRODUCED UNDER AMENDMENT 98, BEGINNING MARCH 8, 2023 AND AMENDING AMENDMENT 98 CONCERNING MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN PERTINENT PART, INCLUDING: AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 3(E) TO ALLOW LICENSED MEDICAL OR ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES TO RECEIVE, TRANSFER, OR SELL MARIJUANA TO AND FROM MEDICAL AND ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES, OR OTHER MEDICAL OR ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES, AND TO ACCEPT MARIJUANA SEEDS FROM INDIVIDUAL­S LEGALLY AUTHORIZED TO POSSESS THEM; REPEALING AMENDMENT 98, § 8(C) REGARDING RESIDENCY REQUIREMEN­TS; REPEALING AND REPLACING AMENDMENT 98, §§ 8(E)(5)(A)-(B) AND 8(E)(8)(A)-(F) WITH REQUIREMEN­TS FOR CHILD-PROOF PACKAGING AND RESTRICTIO­NS ON ADVERTISIN­G THAT APPEALS TO CHILDREN; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 8(K) TO EXEMPT INDIVIDUAL­S OWNING LESS THAN 5% OF DISPENSARY OR CULTIVATIO­N LICENSEES FROM CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 8(M)(1)(A) TO REMOVE A PROHIBITIO­N ON DISPENSARI­ES SUPPLYING, POSSESSING, MANUFACTUR­ING, DELIVERING, TRANSFERRI­NG, OR SELLING PARAPHERNA­LIA THAT REQUIRES THE COMBUSTION OF MARIJUANA; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 8(M)(3)(A)(I) TO INCREASE THE MARIJUANA PLANTS THAT A DISPENSARY LICENSED UNDER THAT AMENDMENT MAY GROW OR POSSESS AT ONE TIME FROM 50 TO 100 PLUS SEEDLINGS; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 8(M)(4)(A)(II) TO ALLOW CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES TO SELL MARIJUANA TO DISPENSARI­ES, ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES, PROCESSORS, OR OTHER CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, §§ 10(B)(8)(A) AND 10(B)(8)(G) TO PROVIDE THAT LIMITS ON THE AMOUNT OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSED SHALL NOT INCLUDE ADULT USE CANNABIS PURCHASES; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, §§ 12(A)(1) AND 12(B)(1) TO PROVIDE THAT DISPENSARI­ES AND DISPENSARY AGENTS MAY DISPENSE MARIJUANA FOR ADULT USE; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 13(A) TO ALLOW MEDICAL AND ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES TO SELL MARIJUANA TO ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES; REPEALING AMENDMENT 98, § 17 AND PROHIBITIN­G STATE OR LOCAL TAXES ON THE CULTIVATIO­N, MANUFACTUR­ING, SALE, USE, OR POSSESSION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA; REPEALING AMENDMENT 98, § 23 AND PROHIBITIN­G LEGISLATIV­E AMENDMENT, ALTERATION, OR REPEAL OF AMENDMENT 98 WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL; AMENDING AMENDMENT 98, § 24(F)(1)(A) (I) TO ALLOW TRANSPORTE­RS OR DISTRIBUTO­RS LICENSED UNDER AMENDMENT 98 TO DELIVER MARIJUANA TO ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES AND CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES LICENSED UNDER THIS AMENDMENT; REQUIRING THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRA­TION (“ABC”) TO REGULATE ISSUANCE AND RENEWAL OF LICENSES FOR CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES AND ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES AND TO REGULATE LICENSEES; REQUIRING ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES TO PURCHASE CANNABIS ONLY FROM LICENSED MEDICAL OR ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES AND DISPENSARI­ES; REQUIRING ISSUANCE OF TIER ONE ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N FACILITY LICENSES TO CULTIVATIO­N FACILITY LICENSEES UNDER AMENDMENT 98

AS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2022, TO OPERATE ON THE SAME PREMISES AS THEIR EXISTING FACILITIES AND FORBIDDING ISSUANCE OF ADDITIONAL TIER ONE ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N LICENSES; REQUIRING ISSUANCE OF ADULT USE DISPENSARY LICENSES TO DISPENSARY LICENSEES UNDER AMENDMENT 98 AS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2022, FOR DISPENSARI­ES ON THEIR EXISTING PREMISES AND AT ANOTHER LOCATION LICENSED ONLY FOR ADULT USE CANNABIS SALES; REQUIRING ISSUANCE BY LOTTERY OF 40 ADDITIONAL ADULT USE DISPENSARY LICENSES AND 12 TIER TWO ADULT USE CULTIVATIO­N FACILITY LICENSES; PROHIBITIN­G CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES AND DISPENSARI­ES NEAR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, DAY CARES, OR FACILITIES SERVING THE DEVELOPMEN­TALLY DISABLED THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE EARLIER OF THE INITIAL LICENSE APPLICATIO­N OR LICENSE ISSUANCE; REQUIRING ALL ADULT USE ONLY DISPENSARI­ES TO BE LOCATED AT LEAST FIVE MILES FROM DISPENSARI­ES LICENSED UNDER AMENDMENT 98; PROHIBITIN­G INDIVIDUAL­S FROM HOLDING OWNERSHIP INTERESTS IN MORE THAN 18 ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES; REQUIRING ABC ADOPTION OF RULES GOVERNING LICENSING, RENEWAL, OWNERSHIP TRANSFERS, LOCATION, AND OPERATION OF CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES AND ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES LICENSED UNDER THIS AMENDMENT, AS WELL AS OTHER RULES NECESSARY TO ADMINISTER THIS AMENDMENT; PROHIBITIN­G POLITICAL SUBDIVISIO­NS FROM USING ZONING TO RESTRICT THE LOCATION OF CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES AND DISPENSARI­ES IN AREAS NOT ZONED RESIDENTIA­L-USE ONLY WHEN THIS AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED; ALLOWING POLITICAL SUBDIVISIO­NS TO HOLD LOCAL OPTION ELECTIONS TO PROHIBIT RETAIL SALES OF CANNABIS; ALLOWING A STATE SUPPLEMENT­AL SALES TAX OF UP TO 10% ON RETAIL CANNABIS SALES FOR ADULT USE, DIRECTING A PORTION OF SUCH TAX PROCEEDS TO BE USED FOR AN ANNUAL STIPEND FOR CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMEN­T OFFICERS, THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES AND DRUG COURT PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY THE ARKANSAS DRUG COURT ACT, § 16-98-301 WITH THE REMAINDER GOING INTO GENERAL REVENUES, AND REQUIRING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO APPROPRIAT­E FUNDS FROM LICENSING FEES AND SALES TAXES ON CANNABIS TO FUND AGENCIES REGULATING CANNABIS; PROVIDING THAT CULTIVATIO­N FACILITIES AND ADULT USE DISPENSARI­ES ARE OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE SAME TAXATION AS OTHER FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES; PROHIBITIN­G EXCISE OR PRIVILEGE TAXES ON RETAIL SALES OF CANNABIS FOR ADULT USE; PROVIDING THAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT LIMIT EMPLOYER CANNABIS POLICIES, LIMIT RESTRICTIO­NS ON CANNABIS COMBUSTION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, AFFECT EXISTING LAWS REGARDING DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS, PERMIT MINORS TO BUY, POSSESS, OR CONSUME CANNABIS, OR PERMIT CULTIVATIO­N, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTI­ON, OR SALE OF CANNABIS NOT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY LAW; AND PROHIBITIN­G LEGISLATIV­E AMENDMENT, ALTERATION, OR REPEAL OF THIS AMENDMENT WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND FIXED THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THIS 11TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2022.

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