On Wednesday Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) and Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) filed H.B. 1010, the Arkansas Human Heartbeat and Human Life Civil Justice Act, at the state legislature’s special session.
The bill appears to be virtually identical to S.B. 13 that Sen. Rapert filed on Tuesday.
H.B. 1010 is very similar to the heartbeat law that Texas passed earlier this year. Texas’ pro-life law has generally stopped abortion in that state. If passed, H.B. 1010 could stop abortions in Arkansas as well.
Here are some key facts about H.B. 1010 and S.B. 13:
- Both bills prohibit abortion in Arkansas, except to save the life of the mother.
- If passed, H.B. 1010 and S.B. 13 would let any Arkansas resident file a lawsuit against anyone who performs an abortion or who directly aids or abets an abortion.
- The bills are very similar to Texas’ heartbeat law; so far Texas’ law has withstood legal challenges.
- Both measures are very similar to Arkansas’ “trigger law” — Act 180 of 2019 — and to Act 309 of 2021 prohibiting abortion in Arkansas.
- H.B. 1010 and S.B. 13 would not subject a woman to criminal or civil penalties for having an abortion, and they would not let a rapist file a lawsuit if his victim has an abortion.
News articles indicate that a growing number of women have travelled to Arkansas for abortions since abortion facilities in Texas closed in September. Without S.B. 13 or H.B. 1010, Arkansas could see more women cross state lines for abortions.
H.B. 1010 is a good, pro-life measure that could stop abortion in Arkansas.
