The Arkansas Legislature has approved a bill to permanently extend the state’s medical marijuana special privilege tax, delivering it to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders for consideration.
Senate Bill 219 passed the Senate unanimously on March 6 with a 31 to 0 vote and cleared the House yesterday by a vote of 74 to 7. It was officially delivered to the governor today.
SB 219 repeals the sunset provision of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Special Privilege Tax Act of 2017, which was set to expire on July 1, 2025.
“It is found and determined by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the current special privilege tax on medical marijuana expires on July 1, 2025; that the General Assembly intends to continue levying the special privilege tax on medical marijuana; and that this act is immediately necessary to ensure the uninterrupted, consistent, and efficient administration and imposition of the special privilege tax on medical marijuana”, states the proposal. “Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective on:
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the bill; or
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.”
The move follows the governor’s recent signing of legislation that directs medical marijuana tax revenue toward funding free school meals. That bill, signed last month, allocates a portion of the tax revenue to providing free breakfast and lunch for students in low-income schools.
Governor Sanders has not indicated whether she will sign or veto SB 219.
