Arkansas Legislature – Page 199

UPDATED: Ask Your Representative to Support Religious Freedom

Apr 5, 2013JerryLegislation, Religious FreedomAlert, Arkansas Legislature, Legislation, Legislature, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, RFRA

SB1119, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, needs your support.

This good law affirms the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and can prevent the future erosion of religious liberty. The Home School Legal Defense Association has written extensively about how state Religious Freedom Restoration Acts like this one help protect home schoolers who want to home school for religious reasons from harassment. Last week Texas’ religious freedom law was used to overturn a Dallas city ordinance preventing local ministries from distributing food to the homeless.

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Why Arkansas Needs The Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Apr 3, 2013JerryLegislation, Religious FreedomArkansas Legislature, Legislation, Legislature, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, RFRA

SB1119, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) affirms the traditional interpretation of “free exercise of religion” under the U.S. Constitution and the Arkansas Constitution. It provides legal recourse for individuals whose religious freedoms are infringed and prescribes penalties for filing frivolous or fraudulent lawsuits. (more…)

Four Great Bills Advance in the Arkansas Legislature

Mar 15, 2013JerryLegislatureArkansas Legislature

Four great bills passed key legislative hurdles yesterday.

In the House Education Committee, Rep. Clemmer’s bill (HB1629) was approved. This bill would ensure that home-schooled students have an equal opportunity to receive the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship. HB1690 by Rep. Debra Hobbs—which would institute a minute of silence at the beginning of each public school day—also passed the committee. Both bills will be considered by the Arkansas House of Representatives next week.

In the House Judiciary Committee, Sen. Jim Hendren’s bill, SB417, was approved by the committee. This pro-life bill doesn’t address abortions; it updates Arkansas’s fetal homicide law in the criminal code. It now heads back to the Senate to concur in some amendments, but it’s safe to say that it’ll become law soon. Another great bill that passed was Rep. Charlene Fite’s bill, HB1447, requiring abortion facilities to be mandatory reporters of child abuse. This bill will be considered by the Arkansas House of Representatives next week.

We’ll continue to keep you updated as the session moves along.