Opinion ID: 1777946
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Omission of Material Information Expansive Powers of Commission

Text: Petitioners contend that the proposed amendment creates an Arkansas Lottery Commission and grants sweeping and comprehensive powers to the Commission that will have enormous consequences without disclosing these powers in the popular name or ballot title. We agree. We find particularly disturbing the following language from Section 8(d)(6) of the proposed amendment: The Arkansas Lottery Commission shall prescribe such other rules and regulations as it deems necessary for the conduct and regulation of Bingo and Raffles and shall retain full authority to change any and all provisions of this amendment pertaining to charitable bingo and raffle games at its sole discretion as times and conditions may dictate. [Emphasis added.] The proposed amendment thus clearly gives the Commission the power to amend the terms of the amendment as it relates to bingo and raffles. This power of the Commission to amend a constitutional amendment is not disclosed in the ballot title. Respondent and Intervenors argue that the ballot title's disclosure of the Commission's authority to adopt rules and regulations includes a disclosure that the Commission has authority to amend the proposed amendment. We disagree. Under present law, the Arkansas Constitution may only be amended by two methods. The General Assembly may draft amendments and submit them to the voters pursuant to Article 19, Section 22, and the people may propose amendments through the initiative process pursuant to Amendment 7, as was done in this case. The marked departure from existing law created by Section 8(d)(6) of the proposed amendment should have been disclosed in the ballot title. Before casting their votes, citizens no doubt would pause for reflection if they were aware that they might be giving the Commission authority to amend, or even completely rewrite, parts of the very amendment upon which they were voting. Thus, we conclude that the omission in the ballot title of the Commission's power to amend the terms of this amendment is a material omission that renders this ballot title insufficient. We note that this is but one example of material omissions in the ballot title concerning the Commission's powers. The Commission's power to raise the price of wagers is discussed later herein. There are others we could discuss, but find it unnecessary to do so.