From the Arkansas Advocate:
Supporters of ballot initiatives on abortion, medical marijuana and education said they’re not concerned about the formation of a new opposition group led by an adviser to Arkansas’ governor.
Stronger Arkansas is chaired by Chris Caldwell, a political consultant who served as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ 2022 gubernatorial campaign manager. Caldwell will also lead her 2026 re-election campaign.
According to a statement of organization filed with the Arkansas Ethics Commission on Friday, the ballot question committee is pursuing “the disqualification and/or defeat” of three constitutional amendments, including the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024.
The abortion measure, which is backed by Arkansans for Limited Government, would allow abortion within 18 weeks of fertilization and in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly or “to protect a pregnant female’s life or to protect a pregnant female from a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury.”
Arkansas law only allows abortion to save the life of a pregnant person in a “medical emergency,” making it one of the strictest bans in the nation.
Arkansans for Limited Government Communications Director Gennie Diaz said she’s not surprised by the creation of Stronger Arkansas because about a half dozen other ballot question committees have already formed in opposition to the abortion amendment, including Family Council Action Committee 2024, Arkansas Right to Life Inc. and Catholic Diocese of Little Rock.
Diaz said she’s happy to see Arkansans exercising their First Amendment rights.
“That’s how we feel about ballot initiatives in general and of course how we also feel about protesters who come to our events,” she said. “That is their right to be there and to make their voices heard. What has surprised us is finding out that one of these groups is spearheaded by top Sanders advisers.”
Stronger Arkansas’ vice chair is Vicki Deere, the mother of Sanders’ deputy chief of staff Judd Deere. The group’s treasurer, Cathy Lanier, served as the finance director for Sanders’ gubernatorial campaign. Sanders also appointed Lanier to the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Commission in January 2023 and the Old State House Commission last May.
Neither the governor’s office nor the Stronger Arkansas officers could be reached for comment Tuesday.
In addition to the abortion amendment, Stronger Arkansas is also opposing the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024.
The proposed measure, which is supported by Arkansans for Patient Access, would allow patients to grow their own plants at home, expand who qualifies for patient ID cards, remove retail prohibitions on certain smokeable products — like pre-rolled joints — and trigger the legalization of recreational marijuana in Arkansas if the drug is federally legalized, among other changes.
Bill Paschall, Arkansans for Patient Access board member and Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association executive director, said opposition from people with ties to Sanders is not a shock.
“The governor’s made it relatively clear over the years that she’s not a fan of medical marijuana, so not a surprise,” Paschall said. “We’re confident that the people of Arkansas will support our proposed amendment. They’ll sign the proposed petitions to put it on the ballot, and when November rolls around, we’re fully expecting them to give it a thumbs up.”
Paschall said supporters are busy recruiting and training volunteers, but he anticipates they’ll begin collecting signatures soon.
Meanwhile, For AR Kids, the group behind the Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024, launched its signature gathering effort with a rally at the state Capitol on March 7.
The measure — which spawned out of opposition to the governor’s signature education law, the LEARNS Act — proposes holding private schools that receive state funding to the same standards at public schools, as well as guaranteeing voluntary universal access to pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, after-school and summer programming, quality special education and assistance for children in families within 200% of the federal poverty line ($62,400 for a family of four).
The measure would also establish the minimum quality standards ordered in the Lake View School District No. 25 v. Huckabee court decision. That case, which lasted 15 years, established a process for Arkansas public schools to be adequately funded.
“We’ve expected opposition from the get-go, we’re not surprised, it’s unfortunate,” For AR Kids spokesman Bill Kopsky said. “We think that everybody in Arkansas should want every child in the state to have access to a high-quality education and that’s what our measure’s all about.”
Supporters of all three proposed constitutional amendments have until July 5 to collect 90,704 signatures from at least 50 counties to qualify the measure for the 2024 ballot. They must also withstand any legal challenges.
