The Honorable Charles L. Ormond State Representative 1500 View Street Morrilton, AR 72110-3725
Dear Representative Ormond:
This is in response to your request for certification, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107 (Repl. 2000), of the following popular name and ballot title for a proposed constitutional amendment:
Popular Name AN AMENDMENT TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS COMMISSION ON LOTTERIES AND WAGERING TO OPERATE CHARITABLE BINGO, LOTTERY GAMES, AND WAGERING
Ballot Title PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS COMMISSION ON LOTTERIES AND WAGERING WHICH SHALL BE VESTED WITH THE POWER TO OPERATE AND REGULATE CHARITABLE BINGO, LOTTERY GAMES, AND WAGERING GAMES; TO PROHIBIT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM REGULATING THE COMMISSION OR CHARITABLE BINGO, LOTTERY GAMES, OR WAGERING GAMES CONDUCTED BY THE COMMISSION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF 1967 AND THE ARKANSAS ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT WILL NOT APPLY TO THE COMMISSION; TO PROVIDE THAT UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED, STATE LAWS REGULATING A STATE AGENCY SHALL NOT APPLY TO THE COMMISSION; TO LICENSE CHARITABLE BINGO; TO PROVIDE FOR A STATE-WIDE LOTTERY; TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION TO CONDUCT WAGERING GAMES IN FACILITIES OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE COMMISSION OR MAY ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH ANY PERSON TO OPERATE WAGERING GAMES; TO LEGALIZE SHIPMENTS OF GAMBLING DEVICES INTO STATE; TO REQUIRE APPROVAL BY THE VOTERS OF A COUNTY BEFORE WAGERING GAMES MAY BE CONDUCTED IN THE COUNTY; TO ESTABLISH WAGERING DISTRICTS CONSISTING OF COUNTIES THAT APPROVE THE CONDUCT OF WAGERING GAMES; TO ESTABLISH WAGERING DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEES; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM WAGERING GAMES, WAGERING FACILITIES, AND ANCILLARY OPERATIONS SHALL BE USED IN WAGERING DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO LOCAL TAXING UNITS, REBATES TO TAXPAYERS FOR A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY TAXES PAID, AND REIMBURSEMENT TO RESIDENTS FOR A PORTION OF THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS; TO AUTHORIZE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND THOROUGHBRED RACING TRACKS AND GREYHOUND RACING TRACKS FOR THE CONDUCT OF WAGERING GAMES BY THE TRACKS; TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION TO CONDUCT PROMOTIONS THAT GIVE AWAY LODGING, FOOD, NON-ALCOHOLIC OR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, OR ANY THING OF VALUE; TO PROVIDE FOR THE SERVICE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT WAGERING FACILITIES; TO CONTRACT IN THE COMMISSION'S NAME, BORROW MONEY AND EXECUTE NEGOTIABLE EVIDENCES OF DEBT, TO PLEDGE REVENUE, AND TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY, TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION TO EXERCISE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEBTS AND LIABILITIES OF THE COMMISSION SHALL NOT BE DEBTS OR LIABILITIES OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS; TO ESTABLISH THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AND METHOD OF SELECTING COMMISSIONERS OF THE COMMISSION AND THEIR TERMS OF OFFICE; TO NAME CHARLES ORMOND AS THE INITIAL DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION; TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH THE SALARIES OF THE DIRECTOR, COMMISSIONERS, AND EMPLOYEES; TO AMEND SECTION 14 OF ARTICLE 19 OF THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO CONFORM WITH THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
You have previously submitted popular names and ballot titles for similar proposed measures, which were rejected on the grounds of certain ambiguities in the text of the