This past week some of the brightest high school students in Arkansas participated in the 2013 Arkansas Girls State program.

These young ladies learned about government by being elected to serve as officials carrying out the duties of elected offices at the Arkansas State Capitol.

One of the most contentious issues this past legislative session was the passage of the Human Heartbeat Protection Act, making abortion past the 12th week of pregnancy illegal in the State of Arkansas if a fetal heartbeat is detected. The all-female legislature at GirlsState took on and debated this issue themselves last week. After all was said and done, the Arkansas Girls State House of Representatives decided to pass the Human Heartbeat Protection Act by a vote of 63-25.

With the actual passage of this law a few months ago there was a lot of talk about a so-called “War on Women.” However, if the debate and results of the 2013 Arkansas Girls State is any indication of that “war,” then the pro-choice movement might want to re-evaluate where the current generation stands in Arkansas and take a look at what that future generation voted to stand for last week.

Arkansans have time and time again voted for and stood tall in the pro-life movement, and the next generation seems ready to stand up again.