This one will definitely make the ballot

Brawner

As Arkansans wait to see whether proposed constitutional amendments pertaining to casino gambling, medical marijuana and abortion make the November ballot, one that’s a lot less contentious will definitely be there.

Issue 1 would allow state lottery scholarship proceeds to be used by students attending public and private vocational or technical schools and institutes.

Currently, that money can be used only by students attending universities and colleges, including private and two-year colleges. Primarily those scholarships have gone to two-year and four-year degree-seeking students, although scholarships also are available for some high-demand technical certificates offered by those schools.

This amendment definitely will make the ballot. Because legislators proposed it, it doesn’t have to go through the signature-gathering process required of citizen-led ballot initiatives.

It’s not controversial, and it’s not complicated. Voters can decide that students seeking technical certificates at the vo-tech schools for skills like welding and cosmetology should be eligible. Or they may decide that the scholarships should be reserved for students at colleges and universities in a state that ranks near the bottom in its percentage of residents with four-year degrees. Or, they may just decide that the Arkansas Constitution has been amended enough for a while.

Randy Zook, president of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, is among the amendment’s supporters. He said the State Chamber will form a ballot question committee and run a low-cost social media campaign. The C h a m b e r ’ s members include business owners looking for the kinds of skills that vocational- technical schools can produce.

“We think it’s good to support technical education,” he said. “We think more kids need to have an opportunity to pursue whatever they need to do rather than just a degree. So it will allow them the opportunity to have access to a wider range of options.”

Legislators exercised restraint in 2023 in referring only this one narrowly focused amendment to the voters.

That restraint is no coincidence. In the previous two elections they’ve referred three, the maximum amount the Constitution allows them. In 2022, all three amendments lawmakers referred to voters failed. They decided less would be more this time.

In contrast, there’s no limit to how many proposed amendments citizens can submit. But the process is much harder. This year, they must submit at least 90,704 verified voter signatures along with their amendment.

Until July 24, secretary of state office employees had been verifying signatures for two of those. One would revoke the Pope County casino license approved by voters statewide in 2018 — but not by a majority of Pope County residents. It also would require a local county majority vote for all future casino licenses issued anywhere. The other proposed amendment would expand medical marijuana availability. The office said on July 25 that it expected the counts on those to be completed by the end of the next week.

On July 24, the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered the secretary of state’s office to count signatures collected by volunteers, but not paid canvassers, for a third proposed amendment that would legalize abortion in Arkansas.

Secretary of State John Thurston had disqualified the entire effort, saying its supporters, Arkansans for Limited Government, had failed to submit a signed statement that they had provided paid canvassers a copy of his office’s handbook. He also said the sponsor had not signed a statement to that effect. Arkansans for Limited Government disputes all this. The case is still being litigated. If only volunteer signatures are counted, supporters will fall short of the required tally.

The secretary of state’s office has until Aug. 22 to certify which proposed amendments qualify. Those that do probably will be challenged in court. Ultimately, the Arkansas Supreme Court will decide which ones, if any, make the ballot.

Issue 1 will not have to run that gauntlet. It will be on the ballot.

So what do you think? Should students at technical colleges and institutes be eligible for lottery-funded scholarships? Or should those scholarships be reserved for students attending the state’s two-year and four-year colleges and universities?

You get to decide this one, for sure.

••• Steve Brawner’s column is syndicated to 17 news outlets in Arkansas. Email him at brawnersteve@ mac.com.