GET RID OF DRY COUNTIES, LAWYER SAYS

LITTLE ROCK -- The attorney general's office has approved a ballot title
and popular name for a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow
restaurants and grocery stores anywhere in the state to sell beer and wine.

Charles Embry of North Little Rock confirmed Monday that his proposal was
approved Feb. 20 and he has begun collecting signatures of registered
voters to get it on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

Under the proposal, restaurants and grocery stores would be allowed to sell
beer and wine even in dry counties.

Of Arkansas' 75 counties, 43 are dry, though private clubs sometimes
provide an exception to the law.

The proposal doesn't address alcohol sales on Sundays.

The proposed constitutional amendment also would add a 2 percent tax on
alcohol at the wholesale level, with the additional money going to the
Department of Human Services.

Embry and his organization called Arkansans for Economic Growth, have until
July 5 to collect 71,600 valid signatures.

Four other groups also are gathering signatures on proposals that have had
the ballot titles and popular names approved by the attorney general's office.

Two are proposed constitutional amendments and two are initiated acts. An
initiated act, which can be repealed or changed by a two-thirds vote of the
Legislature, requires 56,481 signatures.

The four measures are:

* A proposed constitutional amendment that would double the length of
legislative terms. Representatives would be limited to no more than 12
years and senators to no more than 16 years. The proposal was filed by
state Rep. Jim Lendall, D-Mabelvale.

Voters in 1992 approved Amendment 73 that limited House members to three
two-year terms and senators to two four-year terms.

* A proposed initiated act, supported by the Fayetteville-based Alliance
for the Reform of Drug Policy in Arkansas, to legalize use of marijuana
with a doctor's prescription.

* A proposed constitutional amendment by the Libertarian Party of Arkansas
to abolish sales tax on groceries.

* A proposed initiated act that would make torturing an animal a felony.
Under the proposal, it would be a Class D felony to knowingly torture,
mutilate, maim, burn, poison, maliciously kill, starve or disfigure any
domesticated animal. Anyone convicted would face up to six years in prison,
a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

Animal cruelty is now a misdemeanor and punishable by up to a year in jail
and a fine of up to $1,000.