Arkansas House Rejects Bad End-of-Life Legislation

Bioethics,
Rep. Gazaway testifies against H.B. 1685 on the floor of the House.

On Wednesday the Arkansas House Representatives rejected two bad pieces of end-of-life legislation.

The first was H.B. 1685.

This bad bill lets healthcare workers who are not physicians work through end-of-life decisions with patients and family members. It does not require healthcare workers making these decisions to have appropriate training in end-of-life care. It makes it easier to deny a dying person food or water. Read H.B. 1685 Here.

H.B. 1685 received 31 votes. Fifty-five representatives voted against it.

The second was H.B. 1686. 

This bad bill lets healthcare workers who are not physicians complete Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) forms. It removes an important provision in state law that says a POLST form is not intended to replace an advance directive. It inadvertently prevents consulting physicians — such as palliative care physicians — from completing POLST forms with patients. Read H.B. 1686 Here.

H.B. 1686 received 38 votes. Forty-eight representatives voted against it.

Both bills were opposed by several different groups, including:

  • National Right to Life
  • Arkansas Right to Life
  • Euthanasia Prevention Coalition USA
  • Family Council
  • Northwest Arkansas Respect Life
  • Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents

Below is a breakdown of the vote on H.B. 1685 and H.B. 1686.

Voted FOR H.B. 1685

  • F. Allen
  • Barker
  • Bentley
  • Cavenaugh
  • Clowney
  • Coleman
  • Dalby
  • M. Davis
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Ferguson
  • Fielding
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Godfrey
  • M. Gray
  • M. Hodges
  • Hollowell
  • Ladyman
  • McCullough
  • Miller
  • Murdock
  • Payton
  • Perry
  • Richmond
  • S. Smith
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • D. Whitaker
  • Wing

Voted AGAINST H.B. 1685

  • Beatty Jr.
  • S. Berry
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • Brown
  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Christiansen
  • Cloud
  • A. Collins
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Ennett
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • Fortner
  • Gazaway
  • Haak
  • Holcomb
  • Hudson
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • L. Johnson
  • Lowery
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • J. Mayberry
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • McKenzie
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Milligan
  • Penzo
  • Ray
  • Richardson
  • Rye
  • Scott
  • Slape
  • B. Smith
  • Speaks
  • Springer
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Watson
  • Womack
  • Wooten

Voted “Present” on H.B. 1685

  • Bragg
  • Furman
  • Hillman

Did Not Vote On H.B. 1685

  • Beck
  • Eaves
  • Gonzales
  • Hawks
  • Love
  • Magie
  • Nicks
  • Pilkington
  • Shepherd
  • Tollett
  • Vaught

Voted FOR H.B. 1686

  • F. Allen
  • Barker
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • Brown
  • Cavenaugh
  • Clowney
  • Coleman
  • Dalby
  • M. Davis
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Ferguson
  • Fielding
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Godfrey
  • Gonzales
  • M. Gray
  • Hillman
  • M. Hodges
  • Hollowell
  • Hudson
  • Ladyman
  • McClure
  • McCullough
  • S. Meeks
  • Miller
  • Murdock
  • Nicks
  • Payton
  • Perry
  • S. Smith
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • D. Whitaker

Voted AGAINST H.B. 1686

  • Beatty Jr.
  • S. Berry
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Bragg
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Christiansen
  • Cloud
  • A. Collins
  • C. Cooper
  • Crawford
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Ennett
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • Gazaway
  • Haak
  • Hawks
  • Holcomb
  • L. Johnson
  • Lowery
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • J. Mayberry
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • McKenzie
  • Milligan
  • Penzo
  • Pilkington
  • Ray
  • Rye
  • Scott
  • Slape
  • B. Smith
  • Speaks
  • Springer
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Watson
  • Womack
  • Wooten

Voted “Present” On H.B. 1686

  • Furman
  • Vaught

Did Not Vote on H.B. 1686

  • Cozart
  • Fortner
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • Love
  • Magie
  • McNair
  • Richardson
  • Richmond
  • Shepherd
  • Tollett
  • Wing

READ MORE

Attorney General Rutledge Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Review Arkansas Law Barring Abortion Based on Down Syndrome

Abortion, , ,

The following is a press release from Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s office.

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed a petition for a writ of certiorari asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that held the Constitution guarantees a right to selective abortion of children with Down syndrome. In January, the Eighth Circuit affirmed a lower court’s order that blocked Arkansas’s law prohibiting abortions that are performed solely on the basis of Down syndrome. Attorney General Rutledge’s petition asks the Supreme Court to reverse the Eighth Circuit.

“The Constitution does not require Arkansas to permit discrimination-by-abortion against Americans with Down syndrome,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Through my personal friendships, I know that while individuals with Down syndrome may have an extra chromosome, they also have extra love and joy they share unconditionally, and I will not stand by while God’s gifts are exterminated as has been done in other countries.”

In 2019, Arkansas lawmakers passed Act 619, the Down Syndrome Discrimination by Abortion Prohibition Act. It prohibits a practitioner from performing an abortion if the woman is seeking the abortion “solely on the basis of” a diagnosis of Down syndrome or any other reason to believe the child has Down syndrome.

Shortly before Act 619 took effect, the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and O’Melveny & Myers, an international law firm based in California, sued to block it and other laws. The federal district court in Little Rock took their side and ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to selectively abort children with Down syndrome.

The Eighth Circuit affirmed, because it felt bound by prior decisions that have misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s precedent. Although the Eighth Circuit ultimately ruled against Arkansas, two of the three judges agreed with Arkansas that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to discriminatory, selective abortions. These two judges asked the Supreme Court to correct its precedent.

The case is called Rutledge v. Little Rock Family Planning Services, No. 20-1434. For a copy of the petition, click here.

READ MORE

Religious Freedom Amendment Advances in Senate State Agencies Committee

Religious Freedom,

On Tuesday the Senate State Agencies Committee passed S.J.R. 14.

This good proposal by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) amends the Arkansas Constitution.

It prevents the government from burdening a person’s free exercise of religion.

S.J.R. 14 is similar to Arkansas’ state Religious Freedom Restoration Act. However, it writes religious freedoms into the Arkansas Constitution instead of state law.

Family Council strongly supports this good amendment to the Arkansas Constitution.

You Can Read S.J.R. 14 Here.

If passed by the Arkansas Legislature, S.J.R. 14 would be placed on the 2022 General Election ballot to give voters the opportunity to decide if they want to add S.J.R. 14 to the Arkansas Constitution.

You can call (501) 682-2902 to leave a message asking your state senator to support S.J.R. 14, the Religious Freedom Amendment.

You can find your senator’s name and email address below. Ask your senator to support S.J.R. 14.

Contact Your Senator

Sen. Bart Hester (Republican – Dist. 1): bart.hester@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Jim Hendren (Independent- Dist. 2): jim.hendren@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (Republican – Dist. 3): cecile.bledsoe@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Greg Leding (Democrat – Dist. 4): greg.leding@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Bob Ballinger (Republican – Dist. 5): bob.ballinger@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Gary Stubblefield (Republican – Dist. 6): gary.stubblefield@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Lance Eads (Republican – Dist. 7): lance.eads@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Mathew Pitsch (Republican – Dist. 8): mathew.pitsch@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Terry Rice (Republican – Dist. 9): terry.rice@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Larry Teague (Democrat – Dist. 10): larry.teague@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Jimmy Hickey (Republican – Dist. 11): jimmy.hickey@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Charles Beckham (Republican – Dist. 12): charles.beckham@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Alan Clark (Republican – Dist. 13): alan.clark@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Bill Sample (Republican – Dist. 14): bill.sample@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Mark Johnson (Republican – Dist. 15): mark.johnson@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Breanne Davis (Republican – Dist. 16): breanne.davis@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Scott Flippo (Republican – Dist. 17): scott.flippo@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Missy Irvin (Republican – Dist. 18): missy.irvin@senate.ar.gov

Sen. James Sturch (Republican – Dist. 19): james.sturch@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Blake Johnson (Republican – Dist. 20): blake.johnson@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Dan Sullivan (Republican – Dist. 21): dan.sullivan@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Dave Wallace (Republican – Dist. 22): dave.wallace@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Ronald Caldwell (Republican – Dist. 23): ronald.caldwell@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Keith Ingram (Democrat – Dist. 24): keith.ingram@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Stephanie Flowers (Democrat – Dist. 25): stephanie.flowers@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Ben Gilmore (Republican – Dist. 26): ben.gilmore@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Trent Garner (Republican – Dist. 27): trent.garner@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Jonathan Dismang (Republican – Dist. 28): jonathan.dismang@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Ricky Hill (Republican – Dist. 29): Ricky.Hill@Senate.ar.gov

Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Democrat – Dist. 30): linda.chesterfield@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Joyce Elliott (Democrat – Dist. 31): joyce.elliott@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Clarke Tucker (Democrat – Dist. 32): clarke.tucker@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Kim Hammer (Republican – Dist. 33): kim.hammer@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Jane English (Republican – Dist. 34): jane.english@senate.ar.gov

Sen. Jason Rapert (Republican – Dist. 35): jason.rapert@senate.ar.gov

READ MORE