State Capitol news in brief: Senate OKs bill to ban sale of Delta-8

Products advertised as containing synthetically derived delta-8 THC are offered for sale at a smoke shop in north Seattle in this Feb. 25, 2022 file photo. (AP/Gene Johnson)
Products advertised as containing synthetically derived delta-8 THC are offered for sale at a smoke shop in north Seattle in this Feb. 25, 2022 file photo. (AP/Gene Johnson)

Senate OKs bill to ban sale of Delta-8

A bill that would ban the sale of marijuana-related products known as Delta-8 and other similar products zipped through the Arkansas Senate on Wednesday.

The Senate voted 33-1 to send Senate Bill 358 by Sen. Tyler Dees, R-Siloam Springs, to the House for further consideration.

Dees said Delta 8 and similar products are on shelves of stores across the nation and the industry is intentionally marketing and selling the products to children by attempting to mimic candy products.

"This is synthetic recreational marijuana," he said, adding that he won't support the profits of industry over protecting children.

Dees said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Attorney General Tim Griffin and state Department of Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward support the bill.

SB358 states that it's the General Assembly's intent to prohibit the production and sale of intoxicating substances derived from industrial hemp, and that the General Assembly recognizes that the cultivation of hemp for industrial use, such as home and building construction, should remain authorized under the Arkansas Industrial Hemp Production Act.

-- Michael R. Wickline

Bill for Sherwood election falls short

A bill that would clear the way for the city of Sherwood to call a special local election election to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages in the defunct Gray Township fell short of clearing the Senate on Wednesday.

The Senate's 22-6 vote on Senate Bill 201 by Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock, fell two votes short of the 24 votes required for approval.

The bill would amend the law regarding local option elections in defunct townships that resulted from Initiated Act 1 of 1942. The Senate expunged the vote to clear the way for another vote on the bill.

English said the city of Sherwood is wet, and the defunct Gray Township years ago voted to be dry.

-- Michael R. Wickline

Senate approves election reviews

The Arkansas Senate on Wednesday handily approved a bill that would require the state Board of Election Commissioners to conduct an election integrity review of election-related documents and records following each election cycle in the odd-numbered years after an election.

The Senate voted 25-3 to send Senate Bill 272 by Sen. Jim Petty, R-Van Buren, to the House for further consideration.

Under the bill, the counties selected to participate in the election integrity review would be chosen at random in a public meeting of the state Board of Election Commissioners; designated by a two-thirds vote of the board if information obtained through the complaint process or by a certified election monitor indicates that a substantial violation of election or voter registration laws may have occurred in that county; or designated by the Legislature's Joint Performance Review Committee.

The board would be required to pick 15 counties by designation or by random selection by Jan. 31 of the odd-numbered year to participate in the election integrity review, starting Jan. 1, 2025. The board may conduct an election integrity review of election-related documents and records prior to Jan. 1, 2025, as a pilot program. The election integrity review would include not less than 15 counties and no more than 20 counties in an odd-numbered year under SB272.

-- Michael R. Wickline

Upcoming Events