House Committee Passes Medical Conscience Protection Law

Bioethics, Legislation, ,

On Tuesday, the House Public Health Committee passed a conscience protection measure.

S.B. 444 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Lee Johnson (R — Greenwood) strengthens the healthcare workers’ rights of conscience law Arkansas passed in 2021. Among other things, this good bill adds whistleblower protections for healthcare workers, and it helps protect all medical professionals from having their rights of conscience violated.

In 2021, Arkansas passed Act 462 protecting healthcare workers’ rights of conscience.

Before that law passed, Arkansas’ conscience protections were narrowly focused on abortion and end of life decisions, and they protected very few people. Act 462 helped broaden those protections and apply them to all healthcare workers.

S.B. 444 will help enhance the conscience protections Arkansas enacted four years ago. It now goes to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives for a vote.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Medical Conscience Protection Law Receives Strong Support in Arkansas Senate

Bioethics, ,

On Thursday afternoon, a conscience protection measure received strong support in the Arkansas Senate.

S.B. 444 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Lee Johnson (R — Greenwood) strengthens the healthcare workers’ rights of conscience law Arkansas passed in 2021. Among other things, this good bill adds whistleblower protections for healthcare workers, and it helps protect all medical professionals from having their rights of conscience violated.

In 2021, Arkansas passed Act 462 protecting healthcare workers’ rights of conscience.

Before that law passed, Arkansas’ conscience protections were narrowly focused on abortion and end of life decisions, and they protected very few people. Act 462 helped broaden those protections and apply them to all healthcare workers.

S.B. 444 will help enhance the conscience protections Arkansas enacted four years ago. It now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Following Senators Voted For S.B. 444

  • J. Boyd
  • J. Bryant
  • Caldwell
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. Dotson
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • B. King
  • M. McKee
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • J. Petty
  • Rice
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan

The Following Senators Voted Against S.B. 444

  • G. Leding
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Scott
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senators Were Excused from the Arkansas Senate

  • S. Flowers
  • D. Wallace

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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New Bill Would Implement Reporting for Assisted Reproduction Technology

Bioethics,

A new bill would mandate reporting regarding assisted reproductive technology — like in vitro fertilization — in Arkansas.

H.B. 1554 by Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs) and Sen. Jim Dotson (R — Bentonville) establishes the Assisted Reproductive Technology Reporting Act in Arkansas.

The bill would require fertility clinics to track and report key data related to assisted reproductive technology. H.B. 1554 also would mandate annual reporting on embryo creation, usage, and outcomes, as well as tracking maternal and neonatal health for children conceived through ART.

All of this would help the Arkansas Department of Health better track assisted reproductive technology in the state.

We have written before about the ethical problems with human egg harvesting, in vitro fertilization, commercial surrogacy, and other artificial reproductive technologies. H.B. 1554 could help expose unethical behavior in Arkansas.

You Can Read H.B. 1554 Here.

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