The Arkansas Senate has rejected House Bill 60, which would have banned crypto mining facilities within a 30-mile radius of any military installation in the state.
The bill called for an end to crypto mining within that area unless they were granted permissions before December 31, 2024.
Arkansas lawmakers say no to crypto mining restrictions
House Bill 60, titled “To prohibit a cryptocurrency mining business from being located within a thirty-mile radius of a military installation,” was rejected on Thursday (30) in a 6-1 vote, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Senator Ricky Hill and Representative Brian S. Evans introduced the bill. They argued that while digital asset mining—commonly known as crypto mining—presents economic opportunities, it also carries risks.
The risks posed by digital asset mining include, but are not limited to, threats to national security and the security of the State of Arkansas, the document details.
The bill added that the risks of crypto mining are heightened when such facilities operate within a 30-mile radius of military bases in Arkansas.
This act is immediately necessary to ensure the health and safety of the State of Arkansas and its citizens.
Crypto mining at risk in Arkansas?
If passed, the legislation would have required digital asset mining businesses within the designated radius to cease operations. This would apply unless they had obtained permits from the Oil and Gas Commission before December 31, 2024.
In addition, ongoing construction of mining facilities within these areas would have been required to stop. The bill also granted the Attorney General the authority to investigate potential violations, including the power to issue subpoenas and collect sworn testimony to ensure compliance.
Despite these provisions, the initiative failed to gain sufficient support, leaving digital asset mining businesses free to operate without the proposed restrictions.
Arkansas has a “Right to Mine” law
This development follows Arkansas’ April 2023 “Right to Mine” law. The law protected Bitcoin mining activities in the state by loosening restrictions on commercial crypto mining. However, it faced substantial opposition, with critics citing environmental and energy consumption concerns.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in North Dakota have introduced legislation to protect the rights of cryptocurrency users and miners. Representative Nathan Toman introduced a bill to protect fundamental rights related to Bitcoin.
Dennis Porter, CEO of the Satoshi Action Fund, confirmed the introduction of the bill via social media.
This bill will protect the: Right to Mine – Right to Self-Custody – Right to Peer-2-peer Transactions – Right to Run a Node, Porter said.
These developments come as interest in crypto grows at the national level. President Donald Trump, now in his second term, has expressed strong support for the domestic Bitcoin mining industry. He has publicly advocated for all future Bitcoin mining to occur within the United States, reinforcing the new administration’s pro-crypto stance.
The article Arkansas Rejects Bill to Ban Crypto Mining Near Military Bases appeared first on BeInCrypto Brasil.
