This week the Arkansas Supreme Court began reviewing a lawsuit challenging the certification of a bill imposing restrictions on casinos. The case has garnered additional attention following a recent 4-3 decision by the court, which ruled that the state’s abortion amendment would not appear on the ballot due to a paperwork error. This prior ruling may influence the outcome of the ongoing lawsuit concerning casino regulations.

Special Judge William Wright has been appointed to hear arguments in the case, filed by the Arkansas Compliance Committee (ACCC). This lawsuit was initiated just a day after Secretary of State John Thurston approved an amendment allowing local voters to control casino gambling, which will be on the ballot in November.

The proposed amendment seeks to revoke the casino licence in Pope County and mandates that any new casino built in Arkansas must receive approval through a special county election before a license can be issued. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, an out-of-state casino operator, has contributed $5.3 million to the voting committee known as Local Voters in Charge.

The ACCC claims that the petition to restrict casinos may have involved illegal practices. In a petition filed with the court on August 1, the ACCC contended that many signatures collected by local voters were falsified. Thurston’s office accepted over 162,000 signatures from all 75 counties submitted by Local Voters in Charge by the 5 July deadline.?

Legal challenges over campaign practices

The ACCC alleges that the organisation hired out-of-state residents to gather signatures, offered financial incentives for their collection, and spread misleading information to potential signers.

Elizabeth Robben Murray, an attorney for Local Voters in Charge, admitted on Tuesday that a small number of campaigners received bonuses for collecting signatures, estimating that these individuals gathered approximately 1,500 signatures. Initially, Local Voters in Charge was not named in the lawsuit but later intervened in the case.

The hearing is set to continue on 4 September, potentially starting with video footage of observers hired by the ACCC. According to attorneys for Local Voters in Charge, these videos could be damaging to their case, and they have requested that the court exclude them from the proceedings.

Local governance and community in Arkansas

The “Local Voters in Charge” committee is focused on local governance and community issues in Arkansas. They are responsible for organizing and managing local ballot initiatives and legislative questions. The committee ensures compliance with Arkansas ethics laws and regulations, providing guidance and oversight for local campaigns. They also handle the filing of necessary forms and reports related to local ballot measures. Additionally, the committee offers resources and support to citizens interested in participating in local governance. Their goal is to promote transparency and ethical practices in local elections and legislative processes.

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