Court Opinion

ID: 3265714
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-07-05 16:34:37.047895+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:08:58.526359
License: Public Domain

Mr. Barry Emigh 1720 Arrowhead Road, Apt. O North Little Rock, AR 72118
Dear Mr. Emigh:
This is in response to your request for certification, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107 (Repl. 1993), of the following popular name and ballot title for a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution:
 POPULAR NAME  GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL AND OFF TRACK PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING AS A LOCAL BALLOT OPTION
 BALLOT TITLE  AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE ANYONE OR GROUP THE RIGHT TO INITIATE AND PETITION THE LEGAL VOTERS OF A COUNTY AND CITIES OF THE FIRST CLASS AND SECOND CLASS WITHIN THE PROVISIONS OF AMENDMENT 7 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS TO ACCEPT OR REJECT BY THE LEGAL VOTERS AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE LOCAL BALLOT OPTION THE OPERATION OF PAY TO PLAY BINGO, RAFFLES, LOTTERIES AND GAMES OF SKILL OPERATED BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS AN INITIATED ACT ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT; TO PROVIDE AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE LOCAL BALLOT OPTION THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE, SKILL AND OFF TRACK PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING IN HOTELS, MOTELS, MOTOR LODGES, INNS AND OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESS WITH NO LESS THAN TEN THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF ENCLOSED FLOOR SPACE OF WHICH NO MORE THAN TEN PERCENT OF THE OVER ALL ENCLOSED FLOOR SPACE SHALL BE USED FOR PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL BUT SHALL EXCLUDE PAY TO PLAY BINGO AND RAFFLES FROM THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION IN HOTELS, MOTELS, INNS AND OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES AS AN INITIATED ACT ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT; TO PROVIDE AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE LOCAL BALLOT OPTION THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE, SKILL AND OFF TRACK PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING ON WATER VESSELS NO LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED FEET IN LENGTH ON NAVIGABLE WATER WAYS AND PUBLIC LAKES BUT SHALL EXCLUDE PAY TO PLAY BINGO AND RAFFLES FROM THE FOR PROFIT OPERATION ON WATER VESSELS AS AN INITIATED ACT ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT; TO PROVIDE AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE LOCAL BALLOT OPTION THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF OFF TRACK PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE BUSINESS AND AS A PART OF A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL IN HOTELS AND ON A WATER VESSEL AS AN INITIATED ACT ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT; TO PROVIDE SEVERABILITY AND TO REPEAL ANY STATUTES AND LAWS IN CONFLICT WITH THIS AMENDMENT[.]
The above popular name and ballot title are identical to a previous submission which resulted in my issuance of Opinion 99-388. In that Opinion, I stated that I was unable to certify a popular name and ballot title for your measure due to a number of unresolved ambiguities in the text of the proposed amendment. You have now submitted a virtually identical text, the only difference appearing in Section (3) which is entitled "Regulations." I assume that you made the current submission prior to your receipt of Opinion 99-388. I will not, therefore, restate the substance of Opinion 99-388, but instead refer you to that Opinion for the necessary revisions. With regard to Section (3) of the text (which appears to contain the only difference between the two texts), the comments in Opinion 99-388 (see p. 6) apply with equal force to the current submission because the ambiguous language is the same.
Accordingly, pursuant to my statutory duty, I hereby reject your proposed ballot title and popular name; and I refer you to Opinion 99-388 for the basis for this determination, as well as instruction in redesigning the proposed measure and ballot title. See generally A.C.A. § 7-9-107 (c). As I have previously noted you may, after clarification of these matters, resubmit your proposed amendment, along with a proposed popular name and ballot title, at your convenience. I anticipate that some changes or additions to your submitted ballot title may be necessary. I will be pleased to perform my statutory duties in this regard in a timely manner after resubmission.
Sincerely,
MARK PRYOR Attorney General