New Bill Would Simplify Notice of Intent to Home School

Home School

Yesterday Rep. Mark Lowery (R-Maumelle) filed H.B. 1574. This bill simplifies the Notice of Intent to Home School that home schoolers are required to file annually, and it removes the requirement that home school parents sign a waiver acknowledging the State is not responsible for their child’s education.

The bill also clarifies that the Notice of Intent can be filed electronically–including by email; that the information on the Notice of Intent is confidential; and that the Department of Education cannot add requirements to the Notice of Intent without legislative approval.

This is a good bill we believe will simplify the process of filing the annual Notice of Intent to Home School.

You can read H.B. 1574 here.

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New Bill Will Help Ensure Aborted Babies Are Not Sold

Abortion, , ,

This afternoon Rep. Kim Hammer (R- Benton) filed H.B. 1566. This is a good, pro-life bill that 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.

You can read H.B. 1566 here.

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Senate Committee Passes Two Good, Pro-Life Bills

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Today the Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee passed two really good, pro-life bills.

The first bill was S.B. 148 by Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch) protecting babies who survive an abortion from being denied medical treatment or nourishment.

We have heard many horror stories from other states over the years about babies who survive abortion being left to die or denied medical treatment. This bill requires abortionists to call 911 if a baby is born during an abortion, and it requires medical professionals to provide nourishment and medical care to any baby who survives an abortion. You can read S.B. 148 here.

The second bill was S.B. 340 by Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson (R-Little Rock) banning “wrongful birth” lawsuits.

In other states parents of children born with Down Syndrome and similar conditions have sued doctors and hospitals, claiming that the child should have been aborted. In some cases, couples have collected millions of dollars in these lawsuits.

Currently, Arkansas has no law regarding “wrongful birth” lawsuits, but state court decisions seem to permit them in certain circumstances.

Human life is sacred. No one should be able to file a lawsuit claiming another person should have been killed.

S.B. 340 is a good, pro-life bill that affirms the sanctity of human life. You can read S.B. 340 here.

From here, S.B. 148 and S.B. 340 go to the entire Arkansas Senate for a vote.

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