Mr. Craig Douglass Arkansas' Future Committee P.O. Box 7648 # 9 Gay Place Little Rock, Arkansas 72207
Dear Mr. Douglass:
This is in response to your request for certification, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107, of the following popular name and ballot title for a proposed constitutional amendment:
(Popular Name) AN AMENDMENT TO ESTABLISH A STATE LOTTERY; TO PERMIT CHARITABLE BINGO GAMES AND RAFFLES CONDUCTED BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS; AND TO ALLOW VOTERS IN HOT SPRINGS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO AUTHORIZE CASINO GAMBLING AT OR ADJACENT TO THE OAKLAWN RACETRACK AND AT TWO OTHER CASINO ESTABLISHMENTS IN HOT SPRINGS LOCATED AT SITES TO BE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF HOT SPRINGS
(Ballot Title) A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO ESTABLISH A STATE-OWNED LOTTERY, TO BE REGULATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; REQUIRING ALL STATE LOTTERY PROCEEDS, LESS EXPENSES AND PRIZES, TO BE APPROPRIATED AS FOLLOWS: 50% FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND 50% TO LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS (ALLOCATED BY AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE); EXPRESSING INTENT THAT SUCH APPROPRIATIONS BE IN ADDITION TO AND NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR FUNDS OTHERWISE APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSES; PROHIBITING SALE OF LOTTERY TICKETS TO MINORS OR THROUGH PURCHASER-OPERATED DEVICES; PROVIDING BINGO GAMES AND RAFFLES MAY BE CONDUCTED FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND SHALL BE REGULATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; PROVIDING IF AUTHORIZED BY VOTERS IN THE CITY OF HOT SPRINGS, CASINO GAMBLING SHALL BE LAWFUL AT OR ADJACENT TO THE OAKLAWN RACETRACK, WHEN CONDUCTED BY A PARI-MUTUEL FRANCHISEE, AND AT TWO OTHER CASINO ESTABLISHMENTS IN HOT SPRINGS LOCATED AT SITES TO BE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF HOT SPRINGS; DEFINING CASINO GAMBLING AS WAGERING ON GAMES PLAYED WITH CARDS, DICE, OR ANY MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC, ELECTROMECHANICAL OR COMPUTER DEVICE; DEFINING OAKLAWN RACETRACK AS THE OAKLAWN RACETRACK SITE IN HOT SPRINGS WHERE PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING ON HORSE RACING WAS CONDUCTED IN 1995; DEFINING PARI-MUTUEL FRANCHISEE AS A PERSON OR ENTITY THAT HOLDS A PARI-MUTUEL FRANCHISE AND CONDUCTS PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING ON HORSE RACING AT OAKLAWN RACETRACK; PROVIDING FOR A LOCAL ELECTION IN HOT SPRINGS 90 TO 150 DAYS AFTER PASSAGE OF THE AMENDMENT AND FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS IN HOT SPRINGS REGARDING AUTHORIZATION OF CASINO GAMBLING AT THE LOCATIONS SET FORTH ABOVE; PROVIDING THE FORM OF BALLOT QUESTION FOR ANY SUCH LOCAL ELECTION; PROVIDING IF CASINO GAMBLING IS AUTHORIZED BY HOT SPRINGS VOTERS, SUCH AUTHORIZATION MAY NOT BE AMENDED OR REPEALED EXCEPT AT A SUBSEQUENT LOCAL ELECTION HELD NO EARLIER THAN FIVE YEARS THEREAFTER; PROVIDING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL REGULATE SUCH CASINO GAMBLING AND PRESCRIBE PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING CASINO OPERATOR LICENSES TO A PARI-MUTUEL FRANCHISEE AND TWO OTHER PERSONS OR ENTITIES; PROVIDING CASINO GAMBLING AT OR ADJACENT TO OAKLAWN RACETRACK SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO TIMES WHEN PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING IS CONDUCTED; REQUIRING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO LEVY A PRIVILEGE TAX ON CASINO OPERATORS OF 14% TO 18% OF NET CASINO GAMBLING REVENUES; PROHIBITING OTHER SPECIAL TAXES OR FEES WITH RESPECT TO CASINO GAMBLING OR RELATED ACTIVITIES; ALLOCATING SUCH PRIVILEGE TAX 85% TO THE STATE, 10% TO