Biden Administration Committed to Codifying Roe v. Wade

Abortion, , ,

Last week marked the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade abortion decision that overturned pro-life laws and legalized abortion on demand nationwide.

President Biden and Vice President Harris issued a joint press release celebrating Roe v. Wade on its anniversary.

Among other things, the statement read,

In the past four years, reproductive health, including the right to choose, has been under relentless and extreme attack.  . . .

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to codifying Roe v. Wade and appointing judges that respect foundational precedents like Roe. 

Codifying Roe v. Wade would involve making the principles of the pro-abortion ruling part of U.S. federal law or the U.S. Constitution.

This would make it much more difficult for states like Arkansas to enact pro-life legislation.

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New Book Highlights Unsafe Abortion Practices in Arkansas and Other States

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On Monday the pro-life organization Americans United for Life (AUL) published the groundbreaking report Unsafe: America’s Abortion Industry Endangers Women.

The book examines conditions at abortion facilities in all 50 states — including Arkansas.

AUL writes,

Arkansas has some regulatory limitations in effect statewide, and so their response to AUL’s request for information included mostly individual physician records, the majority of which were routine documentation. Clinical inspection reports included citations for discharging patients before the 48-hour waiting period expired, failure to properly clean facilities, and failure to perform accurate drug counts of controlled substances. The record for an abortionist employed at Little Rock Family Planning Services included several citations for over prescribing opioids, including one woman who blamed her mother’s death in 1994 on the abortionist’s over-prescription. The abortionist’s record also included a 2008 DUI which he self-reported to the Arkansas Medical Board, and a patient complaint letter following an adverse event from her 2006 abortion which left her incapable of having children.

AUL’s investigation revealed abortion facilities in Arkansas were among those cited for failing to properly perform or document staff training, failing to “ensure a safe and sanitary environment for their patients,” and failing to properly handle medications.

Abortion is not safe. It kills unborn children, and it carries significant health risks for women.

This latest report simply further illustrates that fact.

You can read AUL’s full report and find out which abortion facilities in Arkansas were implicated here.

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A Quick Legislative Recap

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The Arkansas Legislature is in session.

Our team is currently monitoring about two dozen pieces of legislation at the Arkansas Capitol.

Here is a brief rundown of good bills and bad bills — and a few bills that we simply are keeping an eye on.

Good Bills Filed

S.B. 6 (Prohibiting Abortion): This good bill by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) prohibits abortion in Arkansas, except in cases when the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Family Council fully supports this good bill. Family Council is working closely with Sen. Rapert to pass this good bill that could save the lives of thousands of children and give the courts an opportunity to overturn decades of bad, pro-abortion rulings. Read The Bill Here.

S.B. 85 (Abortion): This good bill by Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R – Rogers) and Rep. Joe Cloud (R – Russellville) requires an abortionist to show an ultrasound image of the unborn baby to the pregnant woman before an abortion. Currently, Arkansas law says an abortionist must offer to let the woman see the ultrasound image. Research indicates that some women are less likely to have an abortion once they see an ultrasound image of their unborn child. That means pro-life bills like S.B. 85 can help further decrease the number of abortions in Arkansas. Arkansas Right to Life is the chief proponent of this bill, and we fully support their efforts. Read The Bill Here.

H.C.R. 1007 (Abortion): This good resolution by Rep. Jim Wooten (R – Beebe) and Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) recognizes January 22—the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade abortion decision—as “The Day of Tears” in Arkansas. The resolution acknowledges the 61 million of unborn babies killed in abortion in America over the past five decades, and encourages Arkansans to lower their flags to half-staff on January 22 to mourn the innocent children who have lost their lives. Read The Resolution Here.

H.B. 1116 (Simon’s Law): This good bill by Rep. Jim Dotson (R – Bentonville) and Sen. Bart Hester (R – Cave Springs) is named in honor of an infant in Missouri who died after doctors put a Do Not Resuscitate order on his chart without his parent’s knowledge or permission. If passed, it would protect children in Arkansas from being denied life support or having a DNR placed on their medical charts without parental consent. Read The Bill Here.

H.B. 1160 (Used Car Tax): This good bill by Rep. John Payton (R – Wilburn) and Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) would eliminate the tax on used cars sold for less than $7,500; the bill contains a provision that would take effect in 2023 eliminating the tax on used cars sold for less than $10,000. Family Council has worked for years to eliminate the used car tax, because it hurts single moms and middle class families who often can barely afford to buy a used vehicle, much less pay sales tax on one. Read The Bill Here.

Bad Bills Filed

S.B. 3 (Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation): This bad bill by Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) and Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) enacts hate crimes legislation by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against certain protected classes of people listed in the bill. The bill is virtually identical to H.B. 1020. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 20 years, and we oppose this bill as well. Read The Bill Here.

H.B. 1020 (Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation): This bad bill by Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) and Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) enacts hate crimes legislation by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against certain protected classes of people listed in the bill. The bill is virtually identical to S.B. 3. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 20 years, and we oppose this bill as well. Read The Bill Here.

H.B. 1069  (Contraceptives): This bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Clarksville) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) lets pharmacists dispense oral contraceptives to women without a prescription from a doctor. Oral contraceptives carry a number of health risks — which is why women currently need a prescription from a doctor — and they can cause the death of an unborn child by preventing the unborn child from implanting and growing inside the mother’s womb. As of January 13, 2021, Family Council opposes H.B. 1069, but we are prepared to offer Rep. Pilkington amendments to the bill that would address our concerns. Read The Bill Here.

Other Bills We Are Watching

H.B. 1066 (Alcohol): This bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Clarksville) would let microbrewery operators ship beer directly to private residences anywhere in the state of Arkansas or to residences in other states that allow direct shipment of alcohol. The bill may not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent alcohol from being delivered to someone who is under 21. Read The Bill Here.

S.B. 32 (Alcohol): This bill by Sen. Jane English (R – North Little Rock) and Rep. Karilyn Brown (R – Sherwood) would let retail liquor permit holders — such as liquor stores — deliver alcoholic beverages to private residences in the county where the store is located. The bill may not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent alcohol from being delivered to someone who is under 21. Read The Bill Here.

S.B. 76 (Alcohol): This bill by Sen. Lance Eads (R – Springdale) and Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R – Springdale) lets “excursion trains” serve alcoholic beverages to passengers. Read The Bill Here.

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