Court Opinion

ID: 3264573
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-07-05 16:34:09.570511+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:59:55.284707
License: Public Domain

The Reverend Miriam (Peggy) Hays 12 Deerwood Conway, AR 72034
Dear Rev. Hays:
You have requested certification, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107 (Repl. 2000), of a popular name and ballot title for a proposed initiated measure. My office has revised and certified the popular name and ballot title for a similar measure, as evidenced by Op. Att'y Gen. 2001-299. That measure was subsequently withdrawn. Two similar measures were rejected due to ambiguities in the texts of the proposed measures. See
Op. Att'y Gen. Nos. 2001-371 and 2001-346. You have since made additional changes to the measure and submitted a revised popular name and ballot title for my certification. Your proposed popular name and ballot title state:
 Popular Name                     THE ARKANSAS ANIMAL CRUELTY ACT Ballot Title  AN ACT AMENDING ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS TO ADD A SECTION ESTABLISHING THE OFFENSE OF "AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS," TO BE CODIFIED AS ARKANSAS CODE ANNOTATED § 5-62-102; PROVIDING THAT A PERSON COMMITS THIS OFFENSE IF HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY TORTURES, MUTILATES, MAIMS, BURNS, POISONS, OR MALICIOUSLY KILLS, STARVES, OR DISFIGURES ANY ANIMAL; CLASSIFYING AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS AS A CLASS D FELONY; PROVIDING AN EXEMPTION FOR CONDUCT OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY LAW OR LEGAL PRIVILEGE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: 1) HUNTING, FISHING, OR ANY OTHER ACTIVITY AUTHORIZED BY AMENDMENT 35 OF THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, THE ARKANSAS CODE, OR ANY ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION REGULATIONS PROMULGATED THEREUNDER, 2) ROUTINE ACCEPTED LIVESTOCK, POULTRY, OR AQUACULTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, 3) THE PROTECTION OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY AS AUTHORIZED BY ARKANSAS CODE ANNOTATED § 20-19-102, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE RIGHT TO KILL A DOG THAT HAS KILLED OR IS ABOUT TO CATCH, INJURE, OR KILL LIVESTOCK OR POULTRY, 4) LAWFUL VETERINARY PRACTICES, AND 5) LAWFUL PEST CONTROL PRACTICES; ESTABLISHING A NEW SECTION TO BE CODIFIED AS ARKANSAS CODE ANNOTATED §  5-62-103, AUTHORIZING THE COURT TO ORDER ANY OFFENDER CONVICTED OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, UNLAWFUL ANIMAL FIGHTING, OR UNLAWFUL BEAR EXPLOITATION TO UNDERGO A PSYCHIATRIC OR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND COUNSELING OR TREATMENT, AT THE OFFENDER'S EXPENSE; ESTABLISHING A NEW SECTION TO BE CODIFIED AS ARKANSAS CODE ANNOTATED § 5-62-104, RECOGNIZING THE STATUS OF ABUSED ANIMALS AS CONTRABAND; PROVIDING A PROCEDURE WHEREBY A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY MAY SEEK AND OBTAIN FORFEITURE BY A COURT OF AN ABUSED ANIMAL TO A SOCIETY INCORPORATED FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR TO AN ANIMAL CONTROL AGENCY BY FILING A VERIFIED PETITION STATING THE BASIS FOR HIS OR HER BELIEF THAT THE ANIMAL DESCRIBED IN THE PETITION WAS POSSESSED IN VIOLATION OF LAWS PROHIBITING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS; AND PROVIDING A SOCIETY INCORPORATED FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY A STATUTORY LIEN AGAINST ABUSED ANIMALS SEIZED AS EVIDENCE FOR COSTS INCURRED FOR FOOD, HOUSING, MEDICAL, AND OTHER NECESSARY EXPENSES; AMENDING ARKANSAS CODE ANNOTATED § 5-62-101 (CRUELTY TO ANIMALS) TO DELETE EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION, COUNSELING, OR TREATMENT, TO DELETE EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR CUSTODY TRANSFER OF ABUSED ANIMALS, AND TO ADD A PROVISION SPECIFYING THAT AN OFFENSE OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS SHALL BE A CLASS D FELONY IF THE DEFENDANT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED OF ANY OFFENSE INVOLVING THE USE, ATTEMPTED USE, OR THREATENED USE OF VIOLENCE TOWARD OR CRUEL MISTREATMENT, CRUEL NEGLECT, ABANDONMENT, OR UNAUTHORIZED KILLING OF AN ANIMAL; AMENDING THE EXISTING ARKANSAS UNLAWFUL DOG FIGHTING STATUTE (ARKANSAS CODE ANNOTATED § 5-62-120) TO CHANGE THE WORD "DOG" TO "ANIMAL" THEREBY ESTABLISHING THE OFFENSE OF "UNLAWFUL ANIMAL FIGHTING" AND EXTENDING THE EXISTING FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR PENALTIES TO COCKFIGHTING AND OTHER ANIMAL FIGHTING EVENTS; DEFINING "ANIMAL" FOR PURPOSES OF THE ANIMAL FIGHTING SECTION AS ANY ANIMAL THAT IS IN THE CUSTODY OF HUMANS, INCLUDING ANY DOG OR BIRD; DEFINING" ANIMAL FIGHT" OR "ANIMAL FIGHTING" AS COMBAT BETWEEN TWO OR MORE ANIMALS AS DEFINED IN THE ANIMAL FIGHTING SECTION; ESTABLISHING A CLASS D FELONY OFFENSE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR SALE OF DEVICES INTENDED TO ENHANCE AN ANIMAL'S FIGHTING ABILITY; ESTABLISHING A CLASS D FELONY OFFENSE FOR THE PURCHASE, POSSESSION, OR CONFIGURATION OF ANY DEVICE WITH THE INTENT OF USING SUCH DEVICE FOR ANIMAL FIGHTING OR TO ENHANCE AN ANIMAL'S FIGHTING ABILITY; AND ESTABLISHING A CLASS D FELONY OFFENSE FOR PERMITTING ONE'S PREMISES TO BE USED FOR ANIMAL FIGHTING; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS OF THE ACT.
The Attorney General is required, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107, to certify the popular name and ballot title of all proposed initiative and referendum acts or amendments before the petitions are circulated for signature. The law provides that the Attorney General may substitute and certify a more suitable and correct popular name and ballot title, if he can do so, or if the proposed popular name and ballot title are sufficiently misleading, may reject the entire petition.
A.C.A. § 7-9-107 neither requires nor authorizes this office to make legal determinations concerning the merits of the act or amendment, or concerning the likelihood that it will accomplish its stated objective. Consequently, this review has been limited to a determination, pursuant to the guidelines that have been set forth by the Arkansas Supreme Court, discussed below, of whether the proposed popular name and ballot title accurately and impartially summarize the provisions of your proposed act.
The purpose of my review and certification is to ensure that the popular name and ballot title honestly, intelligibly, and fairly set forth the purpose of the proposed act. See Arkansas Women's Political Caucus v.Riviere, 282 Ark. 463, 466, 677 S.W.2d 846 (1984).
The popular name is primarily a useful legislative device. Pafford v.Hall, 217 Ark. 734, 233 S.W.2d 72 (1950). It need not contain detailed information or include exceptions that might be required of a ballot title, but it must not be misleading or give partisan coloring to the merit of the proposal. Chaney v. Bryant, 259 Ark. 294, 532 S.W.2d 741
(1976); Moore v. Hall, 229 Ark. 411, 316 S.W.2d 207 (1958). The popular name is to be considered together with the ballot title in determining the ballot title's sufficiency. Id.
The ballot title must include an impartial summary of the proposed act that will give the voter a fair understanding of the issues presented.Hoban v. Hall, 229 Ark. 416, 417, 316 S.W.2d 185 (1958); Becker v.Riviere, 270 Ark. 219, 223, 226, 604 S.W.2d 555 (1980). According to the court, if information omitted from the ballot title is an "essential fact which would give the voter serious ground for reflection, it must be disclosed." Bailey v. McCuen, 318 Ark. 277, 285, 884 S.W.2d 938 (1994), citing Finn v. McCuen, 303 Ark. 418, 798 S.W.2d 34 (1990); Gaines v.McCuen, 296 Ark. 513, 758 S.W.2d 403 (1988); Hoban v. Hall, supra; andWalton v. McDonald, 192 Ark. 1155, 97 S.W.2d 81 (1936). At the same time, however, a ballot title must be brief and concise (see A.C.A. §7-9-107(b)); otherwise voters could run afoul of A.C.A. § 7-5-522's five-minute limit in voting booths when other voters are waiting in line. Bailey v. McCuen, supra. The ballot title is not required to be perfect, nor is it reasonable to expect the title to cover or anticipate every possible legal argument the proposed measure might evoke. Pluggev. McCuen, 310 Ark. 654, 841 S.W.2d 139 (1992). The title, however, must be free from any misleading tendency, whether by amplification, omission, or fallacy; it must not be tinged with partisan coloring. Id. A ballot title must convey an intelligible idea of the scope and significance of a proposed change in the law. Christian Civic ActionCommittee v. McCuen, 318 Ark. 241, 884 S.W.2d 605 (1994). It has been stated that the ballot title must be: 1) intelligible, 2) honest, and 3) impartial. Becker v. McCuen, 303 Ark. 482, 798 S.W.2d 71 (1990), citingLeigh v. Hall, 232 Ark. 558, 339 S.W.2d 104 (1960).
Having analyzed your proposed act and your proposed popular name and ballot title under the above precepts, I find that the ballot title and popular name are sufficient. They are therefore hereby approved as submitted.
Pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-108, instructions to canvassers and signers must precede every petition, informing them of the privileges granted by the Constitution and of the penalties imposed for violations of this act. Enclosed herewith, over the signature of the Attorney General, are instructions that should be incorporated in your petition prior to circulation.
Sincerely,
MARK PRYOR Attorney General
MP:EAW/cyh