LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Supreme Court has ordered Secretary of State John Thurston to “immediately begin verifying” voter signatures submitted in support of a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to expand access to medical marijuana in Arkansas. This process will continue until the required threshold to qualify the measure for the ballot is met.
In a formal order, the court specified that Thurston must file a report and notice of compliance by Friday, October 4, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. The order also grants a motion filed by Arkansans for Patient Access (APA) for an expedited hearing.
Dispute Over Medical Marijuana Signatures
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 initially failed to make the November ballot after Secretary Thurston rejected the latest submission of signatures. In response, APA filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse his decision and resume counting the 18,000 submitted signatures.
Thurston stopped the count due to concerns over the validity of paperwork filed by APA. He announced Monday that the proposal did not meet the required 90,704 signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Opposition and Legal Developments
A group opposing the amendment, Protect Arkansas Kids (PAK), has joined the ongoing case, aiming to raise awareness about potential issues related to the proposal. Although their request for a separate briefing from APA was denied, the group’s motion for an expedited hearing was granted.
Due to a lawsuit filed by APA member Bill Paschall against the Secretary of State, Chief Justice Dan Kemp and Associate Justice Courtney Hudson will recuse themselves from the case. Governor Sarah Sanders is required by law to appoint replacements from practicing Arkansas lawyers.
