Family Council Action Committee Releases 2023 Legislative Report Card, Names ‘2023 Statesman Award’ Recipients

Legislature, News,

The following is a news release from Family Council Action Committee.

LITTLE ROCK, AR – On Friday Family Council Action Committee released its legislative report card for the 2023 Arkansas General Assembly. The report card scored 25 laws passed by the Arkansas House and Senate. Legislative topics ranged from right-to-life and education to the LGBT agenda, religious liberty, and other issues. Lawmakers earned letter grades ranging from A-F based on how they voted on the bills. Lawmakers had to vote on at least 60% of the bills in the report card in order to receive a letter grade and to be considered for the 2023 Statesman Award. 

Family Council Action Committee President Jerry Cox said, “One of the most common questions I hear from people around the state is, ‘How did my legislator vote?’ That’s the question this report card tries to answer. This report card is not an endorsement of any candidate or political party. It does not measure any lawmakers’ integrity, commitment to their faith, work ethic, or rapport with Family Council Action Committee. It is only a report on how each lawmaker voted. We chose bills based on our core belief in promoting, protecting, and strengthening traditional family values. These bills were chosen because they address abortion, religious liberty, the LGBT agenda, education, and other issues conservative Arkansans care about. Arkansans can see their lawmakers’ votes and grades online at ArkansasReport.com.”

Family Council Action Committee also announced the recipients of the 2023 Statesman Award. “This year we again awarded legislators for their hard work and good votes,” Cox said. “We commend these legislators for promoting, protecting, and strengthening traditional family values during the 2023 legislative session.” Seventy-seven legislators received the award based on how they voted on 25 different bills. 

The 2023 Statesman Award recipients included 20 senators and 57 representatives:

  • Sen. Justin Boyd (R-Fort Smith)
  • Sen. Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale)
  • Sen. Steve Crowell (R-Magnolia)
  • Sen. Tyler Dees (R-Siloam Springs)
  • Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville)
  • Sen. Jane English (R-North Little Rock)
  • Sen. Scott Flippo (R-Bull Shoals)
  • Sen. Ben Gilmore (R-Crossett)
  • Sen. Kim Hammer (R-Benton)
  • Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs)
  • Sen. Blake Johnson (R-Corning)
  • Sen. Mark Johnson (R-Little Rock)
  • Sen. John Payton (R-Wilburn)
  • Sen. Clint Penzo (R-Springdale)
  • Sen. Jim Petty (R-Van Buren)
  • Sen. Terry Rice (R-Waldron)
  • Sen. Matt Stone (R-Camden)
  • Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch)
  • Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Jonesboro)
  • Sen. David Wallace (R-Leachville)
  • Rep. Brandon Achor (R-Maumelle)
  • Rep. Wade Andrews (R-Camden)
  • Rep. Sonia Barker (R-Smackover)
  • Rep. Howard Beaty (R-Crossett)
  • Rep. Rick Beck (R-Center Ridge)
  • Rep. Mary Bentley (R-Perryville)
  • Rep. Mark Berry (R-Ozark)
  • Rep. Harlan Breaux (R-Holiday Island)
  • Rep. Matt Brown (R-Conway)
  • Rep. Karilyn Brown (R-Sherwood)
  • Rep. Rebecca Burkes (R-Lowell)
  • Rep. Frances Cavenaugh (R-Walnut Ridge)
  • Rep. Cameron Cooper (R-Romance)
  • Rep. Cindy Crawford (R-Fort Smith)
  • Rep. Matt Duffield (R-Russellville)
  • Rep. Les Eaves (R-Searcy)
  • Rep. Jon Eubanks (R-Paris)
  • Rep. Brian Evans (R-Cabot)
  • Rep. Lanny Fite (R-Benton)
  • Rep. Charlene Fite (R-Van Buren)
  • Rep. Jack Fortner (R-Yellville)
  • Rep. Tony Furman (R-Benton)
  • Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R-Paragould)
  • Rep. Zack Gramlich (R-Fort Smith)
  • Rep. Delia Haak (R-Centerton)
  • Rep. Grant Hodges (R-Centerton)
  • Rep. DeAnna Hodges (R-Springdale)
  • Rep. Mike Holcomb (R-Pine Bluff)
  • Rep. Lane Jean (R-Magnolia)
  • Rep. Lee Johnson (R-Greenwood)
  • Rep. Jack Ladyman (R-Jonesboro)
  • Rep. Wayne Long (R-Bradford)
  • Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-Elm Springs)
  • Rep. John Maddox (R-Mena)
  • Rep. Mindy McAlindon (R-Centerton)
  • Rep. Rick McClure (R-Malvern)
  • Rep. Ron McNair (R-Harrison)
  • Rep. Stephen Meeks (R-Greenbrier)
  • Rep. Jon Milligan (R-Lake City)
  • Rep. Jeremiah Moore (R-Clarendon)
  • Rep. Stetson Painter (R-Mountain Home)
  • Rep. Shad Pearce (R-Batesville)
  • Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Clarksville)
  • Rep. Chad Puryear (R-Hindsville)
  • Rep. R. Scott Richardson (R-Bentonville)
  • Rep. Marcus Richmond (R-Harvey)
  • Rep. Ryan Rose (R-Van Buren)
  • Rep. Johnny Rye (R-Trumann)
  • Rep. Bart Schulz (R-Cave City)
  • Rep. Trey Steimel (R-Pocahontas)
  • Rep. Dwight Tosh (R-Jonesboro)
  • Rep. Kendon Underwood (R-Cave Springs)
  • Rep. Steve Unger (R-Springdale)
  • Rep. Steven Walker (R-Horseshoe Bend)
  • Rep. Jeff Wardlaw (R-Warren)
  • Rep. Carlton Wing (R-North Little Rock)
  • Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge (R-Marmaduke)

Family Council Action Committee is working with the recipients to schedule presentations of the awards to the legislators at the capitol in October. 

Family Council Action Committee is a conservative, pro-family, Christian 501(c)(4) organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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Arkansas Attorney General Joins Coalition Urging Congress to Address AI’s Exploitation of Children

Technology, , ,

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office recently joined a coalition of state attorneys general urging congress to address the ways in which artificial intelligence may be used to exploit children.

In a statement, Attorney General Griffin said,

AI poses a very real threat to our children. This ‘new frontier for abuse’ opens the door for children to be exploited in new ways, including publishing their location and mimicking their voice and likeness in sexual or other objectionable content.

The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from across the country expressed concern over how artificial intelligence and “deepfake” technology might be used to generate child sexual abuse material — also known as child pornography.

In 2001 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1496 addressing computer exploitation of a child. The law generally makes it a felony to produce or reproduce child sexual abuse material “by computerized means.”

At the time there was serious discussion about how computers and computer software could be used to manufacture child sexual abuse material. Of course, in 2001 very few people could have imagined the artificial intelligence technology that exists today, but lawmakers recognized the need to address the issue — and Family Council supported the good law they passed.

As technology changes and artificial intelligence advances, lawmakers likely will need to enact new legislation to protect children. That is what this coalition of state attorneys general is calling on lawmakers to do.

You Can Read the Coalition’s Letter and Call to Action Here.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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