LITTLE ROCK, AR – Arkansas has been ranked by Americans United for Life as the fourth most pro-life state in the nation.
On January 12, the Washington, D.C. based pro-life organization released its eleventh annual report ranking the states on how well they protect the safety of women seeking abortions and on the passage of laws that protect the unborn.
The top five states include number-one Oklahoma, followed by Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Nebraska. This marks the eighth year in a row Arkansas has ranked in the top five. For the first time, Americans United for Life also recognized Arkansas as their number-one All Star State for passing seven pro-life laws in 2015.
Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “Finally, there is a national ranking that Arkansans can be proud of. Several years ago, we set a goal of making Arkansas the most pro-life state in the nation. The Arkansas Legislature, the Governor, and the Attorney General have done yeoman’s work in creating a culture of life that every Arkansan can be proud of. This high national ranking and the fact that Arkansas’ abortion rate is near the lowest it has been since the 1970’s prove the efforts of so many for so long are finally paying off.”
The seven pro-life bills recently passed by the Arkansas Legislature include a law that prevents state funding of abortion clinics; a law that requires a 48-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; one that strengthens the requirements concerning abortions performed on minors; and a law that requires providers of drug-induced abortions to follow FDA protocols.
Cox noted that while Arkansas needs more pro-life laws on the books, the public needs to get behind volunteer efforts that operate a network of pregnancy and adoption centers established to help women and girls with unplanned pregnancies. “Being pro-life means a lot more than being against abortion,” Cox said. “Being pro-life also means taking good care of the elderly in nursing homes, providing homes for foster children, and viewing every innocent human life as sacred.”
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