Good and Bad Legislation Filed So Far
Lawmakers began pre-filing legislation for the 2021 session in November.
Our team has reviewed every bill pre-filed so far.
Here are some good and bad pieces of legislation we are watching.
Good Bill: S.B. 6 Ending Abortion in Arkansas. S.B. 6 by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) would prohibit abortion in Arkansas except in cases when the mother’s life is at risk. If passed, it would give our federal courts the opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade and other pro-abortion decisions. Family Council fully supports this good bill.
Bad Bills: S.B. 3 and H.B. 1020 Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation in Arkansas. S.B. 3 and H.B. 1020 by Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) and Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) would write special, protected classes into Arkansas law by enacting hate crimes legislation. The bills are identical to one another. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 25 years, and we oppose these two bills as well.
Pro-Abortion Group Vows to Fight Legislation Prohibiting Abortion in Arkansas
This week the pro-abortion group Arkansas Abortion Support Network issued a press release vowing to oppose S.B. 6, the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act, by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville).
The Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act would prohibit abortion in Arkansas except when the mother’s life is at risk. The bill would give the federal courts an opportunity to dismantle Roe v. Wade and other pro-abortion rulings.
Arkansas Abortion Support Network says it plans to organize phone calls to state legislators, post card writing campaigns, letters to the editor, and demonstrations at the Arkansas Capitol.
It’s important to remember that the vast majority of Arkansans believe abortion ought to be either completely illegal or legal only in certain circumstances. That’s what the Unborn Child Protection Act does.
Pro-life Arkansans need to be prepared to stand up for the sanctity and dignity of human life in 2021.
Family Council is committed to supporting S.B. 6, the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act, and we plan to encourage all of our friends and supporters around the state to do the same.