Above: Sen. Gary Stubblefield presents S.B. 43 in the Arkansas Senate.
On Tuesday the Arkansas Senate overwhelmingly passed a measure protecting children from drag shows.
S.B. 43 by Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R – Branch) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) clarifies that drag shows are a type of adult performance under Arkansas law, and it prohibits adult performances on public property or in view of children.
Some of these events have been canceled following public backlash.
At public libraries in particular there has been a push to let men dressed in hyper-sexualized, female costumes read books to children. In some parts of the country events like these have exposed children and families to sexual predators.
On Tuesday the Arkansas Senate passed S.B. 43 by a vote of 29 to six.
Drag shows should not take place on public property or anywhere near children. S.B. 43 will protect children from these performances.
The bill now goes to the Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.
Above: Family Council staff member Luke McCoy testifies against H.B. 1024 in the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee.
On Tuesday a bill that could expand public drinking in “entertainment districts” in Arkansas failed to pass in the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee.
H.B. 1024 by Rep. David Ray (R – Maumelle) and Sen. Matt McKee (R – Pearcy) eliminates the provision in Arkansas law that restricts public drinking in “entertainment districts” to cities and towns that collect advertising and promotion taxes on hotels, restaurants, and similar businesses.
The tax provision in current law helps make sure that communities establish “entertainment districts” in areas where the hospitality and tourism industry is present.
Under H.B. 1024, communities could authorize public drinking in entertainment districts even if the community does not cater toward hospitality and tourism.
That has the potential to expand public drinking across the state.
On Tuesday H.B. 1024 was presented in the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee. Following testimony from members of the public and questions from the senators, the bill failed by a vote of four to four.
The bill could be presented in the committee again at a later date.
Public drinking is a scourge in our state, and we are grateful to the members of the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee for rejecting this bill that could expand public drinking in cities and towns across Arkansas.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
Above: A file photo of Little Rock Family Planning Services, the last surgical abortion facility to close in Arkansas. The facility shut down following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Decision.
On Thursday Rep. Richard Womack (R – Arkadelphia) and Sen. Matt McKee (R – Pearcy) filed H.B. 1174.
The bill would change Arkansas’ law concerning fetal homicide. It also would amend the state’s wrongful death law that governs lawsuits people can file when an unborn child is killed.
Current law exempts a woman from prosecution or other legal action when her unborn baby is killed. This prevents a woman from being prosecuted or sued for the death of her unborn child — even if the child’s death is caused by an abortion.
H.B. 1174 would amend Arkansas’ law in such a way that a woman could be prosecuted for having an abortion, and she could be sued if her unborn child dies.
The bill contains exceptions for “accidental miscarriage,” and for certain types of medical procedures necessary to save the life of the woman. It is unclear at this time how a court might interpret these exceptions in light of Arkansas’ other laws concerning abortion.
#1. Women were not prosecuted for having illegal abortions before Roe.
Before 1973, abortion generally was illegal in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Legislature enacted the state’s first laws against abortion around 1875.
As far as our team can tell, from 1875 to 1973 Arkansas never prosecuted women for having illegal abortions.
The abortionist could be prosecuted for breaking the law, but not the woman. The same was true in many other states that prohibited abortion prior to Roe v. Wade.
Even though Arkansans recognized that abortion was wrong, they also recognized that there were serious problems with prosecuting a woman who has an abortion.
#2. Some women are coerced into having an abortion.
Over the decades, we have heard countless women say that they were pressured into having an abortion against their will.
In some cases it was a parent who told them they had to have an abortion. In other cases it was an abusive boyfriend.
Some pro-lifers have speculated that human traffickers may force their victims to have abortions if they become pregnant.
It isn’t right to prosecute a woman who may have been forced to have an abortion against her will.
#3. How will our state prosecute illegal abortionists if the women face prosecution too?
Now that abortion is prohibited in Arkansas, our authorities need to be able to prosecute abortionists who violate the law.
In order to do that, they may need testimony from women who have gone to those abortionists for illegal abortion procedures.
Will women come forward to testify against abortionists in court if they know that they can be prosecuted too?
In the long run, prosecuting women as well as abortionists may make it harder to hold abortionists accountable for breaking the law.
#4. We don’t have to prosecute women to prevent abortion.
Under our existing pro-life laws, the State of Arkansas can prosecute abortionists and close their abortion facilities.
We don’t have to prosecute women in order to prevent abortion in Arkansas.
We Appreciate Rep. Womack and Sen. McKee
The Arkansas Legislature is very likely the most pro-life legislature in the nation. After all, Arkansas has been ranked the most pro-life state in America for several years now. We applaud the pro-life spirit demonstrated by our good friends Rep. Womack and Sen. McKee. Their introduction of this bill proves that they care deeply about this issue, and we are grateful for that. Sometimes friends simply agree to disagree on certain policies. We are looking forward to working with both of these great lawmakers on many more good laws during this legislative session.
