Business Interests File Brief Opposing Protections for Children in Arkansas
On Friday six business organizations filed an amicus brief opposing Arkansas’ Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act in federal court.
The business interests are:
- LiveRamp Holdings
- Acxiom
- Kinesso
- The Northwest Arkansas Council
- The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce
- The Walton Family Foundation
The SAFE Act is a 2021 law that protects children in Arkansas from sex-reassignment procedures, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones.
It’s a very good law that passed with strong support from the Arkansas Legislature.
Researchers do not know the long term effects puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones can have on kids. That is why many experts agree that giving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children is experimental, at best.
That’s also why a major hospital in Sweden announced earlier this year that it would no longer administer puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children.
However, the ACLU and others filed a lawsuit to block the State of Arkansas from enforcing the SAFE Act, and now half a dozen business interests have decided to oppose the law as well.
It’s unfortunate that these business interests oppose a law that protects children from sex-reassignment procedures, but it isn’t entirely surprising either.
During the 2021 legislative session the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Walmart opposed legislation protecting healthcare workers’ rights of conscience. Walmart’s CEO even wrote a letter to Governor Hutchinson expressing his opposition to that legislation.
In April the Walton Family Foundation issued statements criticizing the SAFE Act.
And in June the Walton Family Foundation announced plans to award $1 million in grant money to pro-LGBT groups in Arkansas. The money could go to groups like Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign, the ACLU, and others.
Unfortunately this amicus brief against the SAFE Act seems to be another example of the State Chamber of Commerce, the Walton family, and other business interests pushing a radically progressive agenda in Arkansas. However, the Arkansas Attorney General’s office is fighting back, and we believe that federal courts will uphold this good law that protects children.
