Late yesterday afternoon the Arkansas Senate passed pro-life bill H.B. 1424.

This good bill strengthens Arkansas’ parental involvement laws concerning minors who seek an abortion.

Right now, Arkansas law requires abortion-providers to obtain parental-consent before performing an abortion on a minor; however, the law does not adequately ensure the person signing the parental-consent form is a parent.

H.B. 1424 inserts additional provisions into the law that will help verify the identity of the person signing the parental-consent form. This will help protect minors from exploitation by adults posing as their parents or legal guardians. It will also better ensure parents or legal guardians are involved when a young girl is seeking an abortion.

Parents have a vested interest in the health and safety of their children, and we believe when parents are involved, they are more likely to help their daughter understand abortion, its risks, and its alternatives–potentially saving the lives of unborn children.

The bill passed the Arkansas Senate, with 24 senators voting for it; 1 senator voting against it; and 9 senators not voting. It now goes to Governor Hutchinson to be signed into law.

You can see how your senator voted here.

You can see how your representative voted here.