Rights of Conscience – Page 2

See How Your State Rep. Voted on Protecting Rights of Conscience

Mar 16, 2021Jerry CoxRights of ConscienceArkansas Legislature, Conscience

Yesterday the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 289, the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act.

This good bill by by Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) and Rep. Brandt Smith (R – Jonesboro) protects healthcare workers’ rights of conscience in Arkansas.

Family Council has worked with state lawmakers for the past several years to come up with good legislation that will protect healthcare providers from being forced to perform procedures that violate their deeply held convictions.

S.B. 289 will give doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and others protections for their rights of conscience.

S.B. 289 passed the Arkansas House of Representatives by a vote of 72 to 20. Below is a breakdown of the vote.

The Following Representatives Voted FOR S.B. 289

Barker
Beatty Jr.
Beck
Bentley
S. Berry
M. Berry
Boyd
Bragg
Breaux
Brooks
Brown
Bryant
Carr
Cavenaugh
Cloud
Coleman
C. Cooper
Cozart
Crawford
M. Davis
Deffenbaugh
Dotson
Eaves
Eubanks
Evans
L. Fite
Fortner
Furman
Gazaway
Gonzales
M. Gray
Haak
Hawks
Hillman
Holcomb
Hollowell
Jean
L. Johnson
Ladyman
Lowery
Lundstrum
Lynch
Maddox
J. Mayberry
McClure
McCollum
M. McElroy
McGrew
McKenzie
McNair
S. Meeks
Miller
Milligan
Payton
Penzo
Pilkington
Ray
Richmond
Rye
Slape
B. Smith
S. Smith
Speaks
Tollett
Tosh
Underwood
Wardlaw
Warren
Watson
Wing
Womack
Wooten

The Following Representatives Voted Against S.B. 289

F. Allen
Christiansen
Clowney
A. Collins
Ennett
D. Ferguson
Fielding
V. Flowers
D. Garner
Godfrey
M. Hodges
Hudson
Jett
Love
Magie
McCullough
Nicks
Richardson
Scott
D. Whitaker

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

Dalby
K. Ferguson
C. Fite
Murdock
Perry
Shepherd
Springer
Vaught

House Passes Bill Protecting Healthcare Workers’ Rights of Conscience

Mar 15, 2021Jerry CoxRights of ConscienceArkansas Legislature, Conscience

On Monday the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 289.

This good bill by by Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) and Rep. Brandt Smith (R – Jonesboro) protects healthcare workers’ rights of conscience in Arkansas.

State law’s current conscience protections are narrowly focused. They protect only a limited number of people.

S.B. 289 helps broaden and safeguard healthcare workers’ conscience protections.

The bill passed by a vote of 72 to 20.

S.B. 289 now goes back to the Arkansas Senate for concurrence in amendments the House of Representatives made to it.

Conscience Protection Bill Has Only One Step Left to Go

Mar 11, 2021Jerry CoxRights of ConscienceArkansas Legislature, Conscience

*From Left: Rep. Brandt Smith, Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Stephanie Nichols, and Family Council staff member Luke McCoy gather following passage of S.B. 289.*

On Thursday afternoon the House Public Health Committee passed S.B. 289, the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act, by by Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) and Rep. Brandt Smith (R – Jonesboro).

The bill has only one final step — passing the entire Arkansas House of Representatives — before going to the senate for concurrence in amendments and then the governor’s desk.

S.B. 289 protects healthcare workers’ rights of conscience in Arkansas.

Current conscience protections in state law are narrowly focused and protect only a limited number of people.

S.B. 289 helps broaden these protections for healthcare workers.

The bill passed the Arkansas Senate, but it previously failed to pass in the House Public Health Committee.

Thursday’s vote clears the way for S.B. 289 to head to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.