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Chamber-Backed Marijuana Bill Awaiting Governor’s Signature

2 min read

A bill backed by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce to amend the state’s new medical marijuana law has passed both houses of the Legislature and needs the governor’s signature to become law. 

When it will go into effect once signed is up in the air though, said Attorney Bruce Cross of Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus of Little Rock. The firm wrote the legislation they said provides more protection to employers and defines certain terms and phrases contained in the marijuana amendment, which voters approved in November.

State Rep. Carlton Wing, R-North Little Rock, sponsored HB 1460. He said he expected the governor to sign it.

Wing also said a lot of input was gathered for this legislation that he said will benefit both employers and employees because it ensures a safe workplace.

Typically, a new law would go into effect in 90 days, Cross said.

He also said, “This is unique because they still don’t have everything else passed yet … Whether they say 90 days, whether they say upon the implementation of all the rules and regulations for all of the different agencies that are oversighting this amendment or whether they make everything effective the first of the year, we don’t know yet.”

Cross was referring to the ongoing implementation of the amendment and all the bills filed that concern different parts of it.

He said this bill won’t have an impact on employers’ actions until everything is implemented.

Cross also said the firm feels good about the bill being approved by both houses.

“We feel like something was needed to be able to address this and we feel this bill does that, provides guidance for employers,” he said.

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