Articles and Videos – Page 746 – Family Council

Arkansas Senate Passes Measure Restricting Abortion Facilities

Apr 8, 2021Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Arkansas Legislature

On Wednesday the Arkansas Senate passed S.B. 388 by a vote of 28 to six.

This good bill by Sen. Charles Beckham (R – McNeil) and Rep. Joe Cloud (R – Russellville) requires any facility that performs abortions to be licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health as an abortion facility.

S.B. 388 also prohibits abortions in hospitals except in cases of medical emergency.

Under current law, clinics are not required to be licensed or inspected as abortion facilities unless they perform more than ten abortions in a month.

This means that a clinic potentially could perform more than 100 abortions per year without being licensed or inspected as an abortion facility.

S.B. 388 addresses this problem in state law.

This bill will make it easier for the Arkansas Department of Health to enforce existing pro-life laws that restrict abortion at abortion facilities.

S.B. 388 will ensure that every clinic that performs abortions is licensed and inspected, and that Arkansas’ laws against abortion are properly followed.

The bill now goes to the Arkansas House for consideration.

Arkansas House Passes Bill to Help Keep Planned Parenthood Out of Public Schools

Apr 8, 2021Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Arkansas Legislature

On Wednesday the Arkansas House of Representatives passed H.B. 1592 by a vote of 73 to 18.

This good bill by Rep. Mark Lowery (R – Maumelle) prohibits public schools in Arkansas from engaging in transactions with abortion providers.

The measure is similar to H.B. 1589 that recently passed into law.

Planned Parenthood has issued multiple statements opposing this good bill.

We have written many times about Planned Parenthood’s efforts to gain access to public school students in Arkansas.

H.B. 1592 will help make sure Planned Parenthood and other abortionists don’t work their way into our state’s public schools.

H.B. 1592 now goes to the Arkansas Senate for consideration.

Below is a breakdown of the vote on H.B. 1592 in the Arkansas House of Representatives.

Voted FOR H.B. 1592

Voted AGAINST H.B. 1592

F. Allen
Clowney
A. Collins
Ennett
D. Ferguson
V. Flowers
D. Garner
Godfrey
M. Hodges
Hudson
Love
Magie
McCullough
Murdock
Richardson
Scott
Springer
D. Whitaker

Did Not Vote

Dotson
K. Ferguson
Fielding
Hillman
Nicks
Payton
Perry
Slape
Shepherd

Arkansas Senate Passes Bad “Hate Crimes” Bill

Apr 7, 2021Jerry CoxHate CrimesArkansas Legislature, Hate Crimes

On Wednesday the Arkansas Senate passed S.B. 622, a bad bill widely being referred to as a “hate crimes” measure.

As we have written repeatedly, S.B. 622 is vague and subjective.

The bill is so ambiguous that it’s impossible to know just how far-reaching this legislation may be.

S.B. 622 fails to define important terms like ‘recognizable and identifiable.’

Its protections for religious liberty are not adequate.

It does not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent cities and counties from enacting their own, more stringent hate crimes ordinances.

It does not do enough to protect free speech or prevent thought-policing.

The bill now goes to the Arkansas House for consideration.

Below is a breakdown of the vote on S.B. 622.

The Following Senators Voted FOR S.B. 622

B. Ballinger
Beckham
Bledsoe
Caldwell
B. Davis
J. Dismang
L. Eads
J. English
Flippo
T. Garner
K. Hammer
J. Hendren
Hester
Hickey
Irvin
B. Johnson
M. Pitsch
Rice
B. Sample
J. Sturch
D. Sullivan
D. Wallace

The Following Senators Voted AGAINST S.B. 622

L. Chesterfield
Elliott
S. Flowers
K. Ingram
G. Leding
Teague
C. Tucker

The Following Senators Voted “Present” on S.B. 622

Gilmore
Hill
M. Johnson
Rapert
G. Stubblefield

The Following Senator Was Excused

A. Clark