Abortion Clinic Legislation Heading to Governor Hutchinson’s Desk

Late yesterday the Arkansas Senate passed H.B. 1428 by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-Elm Springs) and Sen. Scott Flippo (R-Bull Shoals).

This bill cleans up Arkansas’ abortion laws. It is similar to a good, pro-life bill Sen. Flippo sponsored in 2015.

It gives the Health Department the power to immediately close any clinic that fails a health inspection, and clarifies that abortion clinics must be inspected at least annually.

Laws like this one literally help states close abortion clinics. That’s a good thing.

The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk for his signature. Below is a breakdown of the senate vote on H.B. 1428.

Voted FOR H.B. 1428 (28 Senators)

Bledsoe Caldwell E. Cheatham A. Clark Collins-Smith J. Cooper
J. Dismang L. Eads J. English Files Flippo T. Garner
J. Hendren Hester Hickey J. Hutchinson Irvin B. Johnson
B. King Maloch Rapert Rice B. Sample D. Sanders
Standridge Teague D. Wallace E. Williams

Voted AGAINST H.B. 1428 (5 Senators)

Bond L. Chesterfield Elliott S. Flowers U. Lindsey

Did Not Vote (2 Senators)

K. Ingram G. Stubblefield

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