Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge recently rejected for the fourth time this year a proposed constitutional amendment asking voters to approve gambling in the state. The proposal, which was working its way through the state Senate, also would allow the sale of alcohol in casinos and permit the Fairplay Holdings Ballot Question Committee to launch ballot measures.
In a letter, Rutledge said the name of the amendment was “overly long and complicated” and the proposal does not specify how the committee would be formed or how it would initiate a ballot measure for gambling. Rutledge gave the same rationale for rejecting three gambling proposals submitted since January by Barry Emigh of Hot Springs.
The proposal stated when at least 3 percent of the voters in a county or a city with a minimum population of 28,000 sign a petition seeking a local vote on casino gambling, a vote must be held in the next general election on whether to allow gambling licenses for no more than two casinos to operate in that city or county.
The bill’s supporters of the bill said they expect officials to conduct a statewide poll to determine voters’ position regarding gambling.
