Six of eight crypto mining resolutions fall short in Arkansas House
The Arkansas House on Wednesday authorized the introduction of two bills proposing stricter regulations on cryptocurrency mining while six other proposals failed to gain enough votes.
By: Tess Vrbin
Arkansas Advocate
The Arkansas House on Wednesday authorized the introduction of two bills proposing stricter regulations on cryptocurrency mining while six other proposals failed to gain enough votes.
All of the proposed bills would have amended Act 851 of 2023, or the Arkansas Data Centers Act, which passed with bipartisan support and limited the state’s and local governments’ ability to regulate crypto mining operations.
The resolutions required a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the Legislature in order to be introduced during the fiscal session. The Senate passed all eight resolutions with at least the minimum of 24 votes.
Six resolutions sponsored by Rep. Josh Miller, R-Heber Springs, fell short of the 67 votes needed to pass the House Wednesday.
Senate Resolution 11, the equivalent of HR 1019, fell three votes short of passing the Senate Thursday, but senators voted to expunge the vote later that day and passed the resolution Monday.
King said he does not expect the same to happen with the failed House resolutions.
Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, sponsored identical resolutions in the Senate and has been the Legislature’s biggest advocate for regulating crypto mining. He said in an interview after the House vote that he believed “the fix is in” for crypto mines to arrive and thrive in Arkansas.
There are crypto mines in DeWitt and in the Bono community near Greenbrier, and officials have raised concerns over foreign ownership and whether the mines pose a national security risk. Additionally, Greenbrier-area residents have filed a lawsuit claiming noise pollution from a crypto mine.
One of the two policy proposals that passed the House would place noise limits on Arkansas crypto mines and prohibit them from being owned by certain foreign entities. Sen. Joshua Bryant, R-Rogers, and Rep. Rick McClure, R-Malvern, sponsored the resolution, which received 80 yes votes.
Bryant and McClure also sponsored Act 851 last year. King said the resolution they sponsored was essentially “pro-crypto.”
The other resolution, sponsored by Rep. Jeremiah Moore, R-Clarendon, would require crypto mines to be licensed by the state Department of Energy and Environment. It would also require the department to inform legislative committees of its crypto mine regulation methods. It passed the House with 84 yes votes and had the sponsorship of Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, in the other chamber.
Bryant and Irvin filed Senate Bill 78 and Senate Bill 79, respectively, Wednesday afternoon after their resolutions passed the House.
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