The ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and Little Rock Family Planning Services are suing the state over three pro-life laws that contain sensible restrictions on abortion and hold abortion doctors to reasonable standards.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 27, 2019
On Wednesday the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and Little Rock Family Planning Services filed legal challenges against three pro-life laws recently passed by the Arkansas Legislature. The laws are Act 493, prohibiting abortion after the eighteenth week of pregnancy, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother; Act 619, prohibiting abortion of an unborn baby solely because the child has Down Syndrome; and Act 700, requiring abortion doctors to be board certified or board eligible OB/GYNs.
Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “These lawsuits are almost unbelievable. The ACLU is challenging laws designed to do things like ensure abortion doctors are properly certified in obstetrics and gynecology and protect babies from being aborted simply because they have Down Syndrome. Planned Parenthood is challenging laws that hold abortion doctors to reasonable standards and prohibit abortion after the eighteenth week of pregnancy. The fact that abortionists would challenge a state law holding them to reasonable training and certification standards speaks volumes.”
Cox said Arkansans support reasonable restrictions on abortion. “Last November’s annual Arkansas Poll shows the vast majority of Arkansans believe abortion ought to be either completely illegal or legal only under certain circumstances. Historically, even people who support abortion have said abortion doctors need proper training. The fact that the ACLU and Planned Parenthood would challenge these laws shows they are severely
out of touch with the rest of Arkansas.”
Cox said he expects a pro-life victory from these lawsuits. “I believe these laws can withstand a legal challenge. However, even when courts strike down a pro-life law, there’s always a silver lining in the ruling. I believe these lawsuits will simply pave the way for even better pro-life laws in the future—no matter how the courts rule.”
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A pro-life law the Arkansas Legislature passed in 2015 has saved an estimated 1,251 unborn children from abortion in the past three years, based on information gathered from state reports.
The Woman’s Right to Know Act of 2015 requires abortionists to give women all the facts about abortion up front — including information about abortion’s risks, consequences, and alternatives.
The law also requires doctors to give women plenty of time to weigh their options before having an abortion.
In the past three years since the law took effect, about 12% of the women given all the facts about abortion chose not to go through with the abortion procedure.
Reports released from the Arkansas Department of Health show some 3,589 women were given the informed-consent information required by state law in 2018, and that 3,069 women ultimately had abortions.
Based on those numbers, we estimate this one pro-life law saved 520 unborn children last year alone, and has saved 1,251 lives since 2015.
Abortion in Arkansas is at a 42-year low, and most Arkansans believe abortion ought to be either completely illegal or legal only in certain circumstances.
All of this goes to show that we are saving children from abortion and building a culture that values innocent human life.