Arkansas high court breathes life into medical marijuana ballot initiative

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A ballot initiative that would significantly expand Arkansas’ medical marijuana program is still alive after the state’s Supreme Court ordered a key government official to resume counting roughly 18,000 signatures that he allegedly declined to count.

Wednesday’s ruling by the high court comes two days after Secretary of State John Thurston announced that Arkansans for Patient Access had submitted only 88,040 valid signatures – 2,664 signatures shy of the 90,704 required.

The following day, the group filed a lawsuit challenging Thurston’s decision and asking the Supreme Court to order Thurston to certify the MMJ initiative for the November ballot.

Thurston said some of the signatures obtained had to be disqualified because they were collected by paid canvassers and therefore could not be counted, National Public Radio’s Little Rock affiliate, KUAR, reported.

According to the NPR station, Arkansans for Patient Access hired a third-party company that then employed paid signature collectors and also signed the required paperwork.

However, only sponsors of such campaigns are permitted to sign the required paperwork, meaning that the third-party representatives violated the law when they signed the required paperwork, KUAR reported.

How the court ultimately rules on the matter could decide whether the MMJ expansion measure will be included on the ballot

Opening briefs from both sides are due by 4 p.m. CT Friday, according to KUAR, and responses are due Monday.

The secretary of state’s office, however, must file a notice of compliance by noon CT Friday, the NPR affiliate reported.