Bill Protecting Babies Born Alive After Abortion Now Goes to Governor

This afternoon the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 148, the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act by Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch) and Rep. Charlene Fite (R-Van Buren).

This bill protects babies born alive following an abortion procedure. It requires doctors to provide nourishment, medical treatment, and emergency care for a baby born alive after an abortion.

In other states we have heard horror stories about living, breathing babies being left to die or being denied care after an abortion. S.B. 148 helps prevent that from happening in Arkansas.

Out of the entire Arkansas House, only one representative voted against the bill: Rep. David Whitaker (D-Fayetteville).

Eighty-four representatives voted for it, and fifteen did not vote for one reason or another.

S.B. 148 now goes to Governor Hutchinson’s desk. You can see a breakdown of the vote in the Arkansas House below.

Voted FOR S.B. 148 (84 Representatives)

E. Armstrong Ballinger Baltz Barker Beck Bentley
Boyd Bragg Branscum Brown Burch Capp
Cavenaugh Coleman Collins Cozart Dalby Davis
Deffenbaugh Della Rosa Dotson D. Douglas C. Douglas Drown
Eaves Eubanks Farrer D. Ferguson C. Fite L. Fite
Fortner Gazaway Gonzales M. Gray M.J. Gray Hammer
Henderson K. Hendren Hillman M. Hodges G. Hodges Holcomb
Hollowell House Jean Jett Ladyman Leding
Lemons Lowery Lundstrum Lynch Maddox Magie
A. Mayberry McCollum McElroy McNair D. Meeks S. Meeks
Miller Nicks Payton Penzo Petty Pilkington
Pitsch Richmond Rushing Rye Sabin Shepherd
B. Smith Sorvillo Speaks Sturch Sullivan Tosh
Tucker Wardlaw Warren Watson Wing Womack

Voted AGAINST S.B. 148 (1 Representative)

D. Whitaker

Did Not Vote (15 Representatives)

F. Allen Blake K. Ferguson Fielding V. Flowers Gates
Johnson Love G. McGill Murdock Richey Vaught
Walker J. Williams Mr. Speaker

Arkansas House Passes Ban on “Wrongful Birth” Lawsuits

This afternoon the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 340 by Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson (R-Little Rock) and Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Clarksville).

This good, pro-life bill prevents parents from suing doctors or hospitals for “wrongful birth.”

In other states, parents have filed “wrongful birth” lawsuits claiming their son or daughter should have been aborted.

S.B. 340 helps ensures our laws treat human life with respect and dignity and that no one is able to argue in court that a child should have been aborted.

The bill now goes to Governor Hutchinson to be signed into law.

Below is a breakdown of how the Arkansas House of Representatives voted on S.B 340.

Voted FOR S.B. 340 (82) Representatives

E. Armstrong Ballinger Baltz Barker Beck Bentley
Boyd Bragg Branscum Brown Burch Capp
Cavenaugh Coleman Collins Cozart Dalby Davis
Deffenbaugh Della Rosa Dotson D. Douglas C. Douglas Drown
Eaves Eubanks Farrer D. Ferguson C. Fite L. Fite
Fortner Gazaway Gonzales M. Gray M.J. Gray Hammer
Henderson K. Hendren Hillman M. Hodges G. Hodges Holcomb
Hollowell House Jean Jett Ladyman Leding
Lemons Lowery Lundstrum Lynch Maddox Magie
A. Mayberry McCollum McElroy McNair D. Meeks S. Meeks
Miller Payton Penzo Petty Pilkington Pitsch
Richmond Rushing Rye Shepherd B. Smith Sorvillo
Speaks Sturch Sullivan Tosh Tucker Wardlaw
Warren Watson Wing Womack

Voted AGAINST S.B. 340 (6 Representatives)

V. Flowers Love G. McGill Murdock Walker D. Whitaker

Did Not Vote (12 Representatives)

F. Allen Blake K. Ferguson Fielding Gates Johnson
Nicks Richey Sabin Vaught J. Williams Mr. Speaker

9 Out of 10 State Reps Voted For This Pro-Life Bill

This afternoon the Arkansas House of Representatives passed H.B. 1566. Ninety state representatives voted for H.B. 1566; no one voted against it.

This is a good, pro-life bill by Rep. Kim Hammer (R-Benton). It will help prevent aborted babies from being bought or sold in Arkansas.

Undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted baby parts has spurred several states to look at how aborted fetal remains are handled. The videos even prompted a congressional investigation.

According the congressional report released last month, in 2015 an Arkansas abortion clinic provided StemExpress–the company featured in the undercover videos–with tissue obtained from aborted babies.

Rep. Hammer sponsored good legislation two years ago that helped address how the bodies of aborted babies are treated. H.B. 1566 strengthens that good law and will help further ensure aborted babies’ organs are not bought or sold.

H.B. 1566 now goes to the Arkansas Senate for consideration. Below is a breakdown of the House vote on H.B. 1566.

Voted FOR H.B. 1566 (90 State Representatives)

F. Allen Ballinger Baltz Barker Bentley Blake
Boyd Bragg Branscum Brown Burch Capp
Cavenaugh Coleman Collins Cozart Dalby Davis
Deffenbaugh Della Rosa Dotson D. Douglas Drown Eaves
Eubanks Farrer D. Ferguson C. Fite L. Fite V. Flowers
Fortner Gates Gazaway M. Gray M.J. Gray Hammer
Henderson Hillman M. Hodges G. Hodges Holcomb Hollowell
House Jean Jett Johnson Ladyman Leding
Lemons Love Lowery Lundstrum Maddox Magie
A. Mayberry McCollum McElroy G. McGill McNair D. Meeks
S. Meeks Miller Murdock Payton Penzo Petty
Pilkington Pitsch Richey Richmond Rushing Rye
Sabin Shepherd B. Smith Sorvillo Speaks Sturch
Sullivan Tosh Tucker Vaught Walker Wardlaw
Warren Watson D. Whitaker J. Williams Wing Womack

Did Not Vote (10 State Representatives)

E. Armstrong Beck C. Douglas K. Ferguson Fielding Gonzales
K. Hendren Lynch Nicks Mr. Speaker