House Committee Advances Pro-Life City Legislation

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Family Council President Jerry Cox and Rep. Kendon Underwood testify in favor of H.B. 1544 before the House City, County, and Local Affairs Committee.

On Monday the House City, County, and Local Affairs Committee passed H.B. 1544 Rep. Kendon Underwood (R – Cave Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R – Branch). The bill affirms the rights of cities and towns across Arkansas to declare themselves pro-life.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that cities can pass pro-life resolutions. H.B. 1544 affirms that right and helps outline how a city in Arkansas can exercise its right to declare itself pro-life.

The bill passed 12 to 6 in committee Monday. It now goes to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives.

Below is a breakdown of the committee vote on H.B. 1544.

Voted For H.B. 1544

  • Rep. Mike Holcomb
  • Rep. Frances Cavenaugh
  • Rep. Johnny Rye
  • Rep. Keith Slape
  • Rep. Richard McGrew
  • Rep. David Tollett
  • Rep. Howard Beaty
  • Rep. Delia Haak
  • Rep. John Carr
  • Rep. Kendon Underwood
  • Rep. Joshua Paul Bryant
  • Rep. Lanny Fite

Voted Against H.B. 1544

  • Rep. Mark Perry
  • Rep. Jamie Scott
  • Rep. Megan Godfrey
  • Rep. Andrew Collins
  • Rep. Tippi McCullough
  • Rep. Milton Nicks

Did Not Vote

  • Rep. Carol Dalby
  • Rep. Les Warren

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Bill Filed to Strengthen State Law On Abortion Facilities

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On Wednesday Sen. Dan Sullivan (R – Jonesboro), Rep. Joe Cloud (R – Russellville), and Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R – Springdale) filed S.B. 388 amending Arkansas law concerning abortion facilities.

The bill requires any facility that performs abortions to be licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health as an abortion facility, and it prohibits abortions in hospitals except in cases of medical emergency.

Under current law, a facility does not have to be licensed as an abortion facility unless it performs ten or more abortions in any given month.

That means a clinic could perform up to nine abortions per month — or 108 abortions per year — without being licensed and inspected as an abortion facility.

Arkansas currently has two licensed abortion facilities — both of which are in Little Rock — but it’s possible some abortions are taking place at unlicensed facilities around the state.

S.B. 388 will help ensure that every clinic that performs abortions follows all of Arkansas’ laws concerning abortion facilities. This has the potential to save many women and unborn children from abortion.

Read The Bill Here.

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Legislation Filed to Let Municipalities in Arkansas Declare Themselves Pro-Life

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On Tuesday Rep. Kendon Underwood (R – Cave Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R – Branch) filed H.B. 1544 letting municipalities in Arkansas declare themselves pro-life.

Under this bill, cities and towns would be able to pass a resolution designating themselves as a Pro-Life City.

H.B. 1544 outlines some of the findings and language that cities can put in their pro-life resolution.

The bill also clarifies that Pro-Life Cities can install signs or banners announcing that they are pro-life.

Currently, nothing in Arkansas law prevents a city from declaring itself a Pro-Life City, but H.B. 1544 writes a foundation for these pro-life resolutions into state law.

This is a really good bill that will help communities in Arkansas foster a culture of life.

One of Family Council’s goals for 2021 is to help Arkansans statewide designate their communities as Pro-Life Cities. H.B. 1544 will help make that happen.

Read the bill here.

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