Arkansas House Passes H.B. 1211 Declaring Religion is Essential

Legislation, Legislature, Religious Freedom,

On Thursday afternoon the Arkansas House of Representatives passed H.B. 1211 declaring religion is essential.

This good bill by Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) recognizes that religion and religious organizations are essential in Arkansas.

Public officials have the authority to protect health and public safety, but the the free exercise of religion is never suspended.

H.B. 1211 ensures our government never closes churches during a disaster or other emergency.

H.B. 1211 protects churches from being singled out during an emergency. It prevents the government from penalizing a church that meets during an emergency. And it requires churches to comply with the same basic health and safety standards as everyone else.

Churches and charities support their communities during an emergency. They need to be free to serve people without worrying that the government might punish them. H.B. 1211 provides that protection.

H.B. 1211 passed with 75 votes; 10 representatives voted against it. The bill now goes to the Arkansas Senate.

Voted For The Bill

  • Barker
  • Beatty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • Berry
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • Brown
  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Christiansen
  • Cloud
  • Coleman
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Dalby
  • M. Davis
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • C. Fite
  • Fortner
  • Furman
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • M. Gray
  • Haak
  • Hawks
  • Hillman
  • Hollowell
  • Hudson
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Lowery
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • 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
  • Underwood
  • Vaught
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooten

Voted Against The Bill

  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • Ennett
  • Fielding
  • D. Garner
  • Godfrey
  • M. Hodges
  • McCullough
  • Springer
  • D. Whitaker

Voted “Present” On the Bill

  • F. Allen
  • V. Flowers
  • Love
  • Nicks
  • Richardson
  • Scott

Did Not Vote

  • Bragg
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Ferguson
  • L. Fite
  • Holcomb
  • Murdock
  • Perry
  • Tosh
  • Shepherd

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President Biden Revokes Policy Preventing Taxpayer Funding of Abortionists Overseas

Abortion, , ,

On Thursday afternoon President Biden issued an executive order revoking the pro-life “Mexico City Policy” that prevents U.S. taxpayer dollars from going to abortionists overseas.

The Mexico City Policy is an executive order first issued by President Reagan.

It bars public dollars from going to organizations that perform or promote abortions in foreign countries.

Historically, the policy has been revoked and reinstated by different presidents over the years.

President Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy on January 23, 2017. He later expanded the order to make it as far-reaching as possible.

As a result, abortion organizations worldwide lost millions of dollars in taxpayer funds.

President Biden’s decision today reinstates that public funding.

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Pro-Abortion Group Lobbying Arkansas Senators

Abortion, Arkansas Capitol, , , , ,

On Thursday morning the group Arkansas Abortion Support Network posted a photo of post cards addressed to Arkansas senators on the Senate Public Health Committee.

The post cards ask the senators to oppose S.B. 6, the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act.

Arkansas Abortion Support Network provides abortion facility escorts and abortion funding. The group has previously made statements opposing S.B. 6.

S.B. 6 by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) is a good, pro-life bill that prohibits abortion in Arkansas except when the mother’s life is in jeopardy.

It sets the stage for federal courts to overturn bad decisions like Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Arkansans are overwhelmingly pro-life.

Recent public opinion polling shows 23% of Arkansans believe abortion ought to be completely illegal, and 59% believe abortion ought to be legal only under certain circumstances.

S.B. 6 is an opportunity for Arkansas to be a real leader in the effort to end abortion in America.

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