Bill Declaring Religion is Essential Becomes Law in Arkansas

Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) presents H.B. 1211 to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives.

On Wednesday H.B. 1211 declaring religious organizations essential in Arkansas became Act 94 of 2021.

The measure is now in effect as a part of state law.

This good law by Representative Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) and Senator Kim Hammer (R – Benton) recognizes that religion and religious organizations are essential in Arkansas.

It helps protect churches and other religious organizations from being targeted, penalized, or discriminated against during a time of emergency.

Act 94 will help protect churches and religious groups from discrimination without hampering the government’s ability to respond to an emergency. 

See how your state representative voted on this measure here

See how your state senator voted on this measure here

Read Act 94 of 2021 Here.

Senate Public Health Committee Advances Bill to End Abortion in Arkansas

Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) presents S.B. 6 in the Senate Public Health Committee on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

On Wednesday the Senate Public Health Committee advanced S.B. 6 by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) on a unanimous voice vote.

If enacted, this good bill would prevent abortion in Arkansas except in cases when the mother’s life is at risk and give the U.S. Supreme Court an opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade, Doe v. Bolton, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and other pro-abortion decisions.

Family Council fully supports the passage of this good measure. This is an opportunity for Arkansas to be a real leader in the effort to end abortion in America.

Many people have been saying for almost fifty years that abortion should be illegal. The time has come for us to make it so.

Several pro-lifers, including Rose Mimms of Arkansas Right to Life, testified in favor of the bill in Wednesday’s committee meeting.

Members of the Arkansas Abortion Support Network testified against the bill.

S.B. 6 now goes to the entire Arkansas Senate for consideration; most of the members of the Arkansas Senate are co-sponsoring this good bill.

Bill Filed to Protect Healthcare Workers’ Rights of Conscience in Arkansas

On Thursday Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) and Rep. Brandt Smith (R – Jonesboro) filed S.B. 289, the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act. This good bill protects healthcare workers’ rights of conscience in Arkansas.

S.B. 289 supplements existing conscience protections in Arkansas law.

It emphasizes the right of healthcare providers, institutions, and payers to decline to participate in medical procedures that violate their moral, religious, or ethical convictions. It also prohibits retaliatory discrimination against healthcare providers, institutions, or payers for declining to participate in healthcare services that violate their consciences.

Arkansas’ current conscience protections are narrowly focused on abortion, abortifacients, and end of life decisions, and they protect only a limited number of people. S.B. 289 helps broaden and strengthen those protections for healthcare workers.

No one should have to worry about facing discrimination for obeying their conscientious convictions.

You can read S.B. 289 here.