Arkansas Senate supports special tax on medical marijuana

By Associated Press - Thursday, March 30, 2017

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Arkansas Senate has approved legislation that would levy a special tax on medical marijuana.

The Senate passed the bill 31-1 on Wednesday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (https://bit.ly/2nPlbbL ) reported.

The bill would impose a 4 percent tax on medical marijuana per transaction. The tax is estimated to raise $1.2 million in fiscal 2018 and $2.4 million in fiscal 2019.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Hendren said the bill is critical because the state regulatory program is frail without necessary funding.

Republican Sen. Jake Files, opponent of the bill, said fees imposed on marijuana facilities are already expected to generate millions of dollars to support the program.

Lawmakers also considered other bills regarding marijuana, including limiting the ability of dispensaries to grow some plants.

The House Rules Committee denied a bill allowing the Arkansas Marijuana Commission to decide whether dispensaries should be allowed to grow up to 50 mature medical marijuana plants. The Senate Education Committee approved a bill that would allow a public school to ban a medical marijuana user from attending school or events if the user is impaired by the drug.