Arkansas Senate Narrowly Passes Bad Bill Limiting What Injury Victims Can Receive in Damages

On Thursday the Arkansas Senate narrowly passed H.B. 1204, a measure limiting what people can receive in damages when they are injured through no fault of their own.

Right now, when innocent people are injured because of someone else’s negligence or misconduct, they can go to court to make the guilty party pay for their injuries.

The person or business who caused the injury cannot use the injured person’s insurance to reduce the damages they owe.

Courts can review evidence and award appropriate damages based on the facts of the case.

This ensures injured people get fair compensation for harm that others do to them.

H.B. 1204 would limit what innocent people can recover in damages when someone injures them through no fault of their own.

Under H.B. 1204, the wrongdoer could use the victim’s insurance to reduce what they have to pay. In other words, the wrongdoer would get a discount at the expense of the victim.

You can read more about why Family Council opposes this bill here.

The Arkansas House of Representatives passed H.B. 1204 last week. On Thursday it received 18 votes in the Arkansas Senate — which is the minimum a bill requires in order to pass.

H.B. 1204 now goes to Governor Sanders to be signed into law.

Below is a breakdown of how each senator voted on H.B. 1204.

The Following Senators Voted FOR H.B. 1204

  • J. Boyd
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. Dotson
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • Blake Johnson
  • M. McKee
  • J. Petty
  • Stone
  • D. Wallace

The Following Senators Voted AGAINST H.B. 1204

  • J. Bryant
  • Caldwell
  • A. Clark
  • S. Flowers
  • Hickey
  • Mark Johnson
  • B. King
  • G. Leding
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • Rice
  • J. Scott
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan
  • C. Tucker

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

Arkansas House Overwhelmingly Passes Measure to Bring Ultrasound Images into Public School Classrooms

Above: Rep. Bentley presents H.B. 1180 in the Arkansas House of Representatives on Thursday, February 6, 2025.

On Thursday the Arkansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passes the “Baby Olivia Act” to ensure public school students receive appropriate education about unborn children.

This good bill by Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) ensures public schools show students a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video that is at least three minutes long as part of sex-education and human growth and development education courses.

Schools also must show Live Action’s computer-animated “Meet Baby Olivia” video that teaches about human development from conception to birth.

H.B. 1180 now goes to the Arkansas Senate for consideration.

The Following Representatives Voted FOR The Baby Olivia Act

  • Achor
  • Andrews
  • Barker
  • Beaty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • S. Berry
  • Brooks
  • A. Brown
  • K. Brown
  • M. Brown
  • N. Burkes
  • R. Burkes
  • Joey Carr
  • John Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Childress
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Duke
  • Eaves
  • Evans
  • Furman
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Gramlich
  • Hall
  • Hawk
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Jean
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Long
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • J. Mayberry
  • McAlindon
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • B. McKenzie
  • Milligan
  • J. Moore
  • Nazarenko
  • Painter
  • Pearce
  • Pilkington
  • Ray
  • Richmond
  • Rose
  • Rye
  • Schulz
  • R. Scott Richardson
  • M. Shepherd
  • Steimel
  • Torres
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Unger
  • Vaught
  • Walker
  • Wardlaw
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooldridge
  • Wooten

The Following Representatives Voted AGAINST The Baby Olivia Act

  • F. Allen
  • Barnes
  • Barnett
  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • Ennett
  • D. Garner
  • Hudson
  • Magie
  • McCullough
  • McGruder
  • Perry
  • J. Richardson
  • T. Shephard
  • Springer
  • Steele
  • D. Whitaker
  • Gonzales Worthen

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

  • Breaux
  • Dalby
  • Duffield
  • Eaton
  • Eubanks
  • K. Ferguson
  • Henley
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • K. Moore
  • Puryear
  • Warren

Senate Committee Passes Bad Bill Limiting What Injury Victims Can Receive in Damages

On Wednesday the Senate Judiciary Committee passed H.B. 1204, a measure limiting what people can receive in damages when they are injured through no fault of their own.

Right now, when innocent people are injured because of someone else’s negligence or misconduct, they can go to court to make the guilty party pay for their injuries.

The person or business who caused the injury cannot use the injured person’s insurance to reduce the damages they owe.

Courts can review evidence and award appropriate damages based on the facts of the case.

This ensures injured people get fair compensation for harm that others do to them.

H.B. 1204 would limit what innocent people can recover in damages when someone injures them through no fault of their own.

Under H.B. 1204, the wrongdoer could use the victim’s insurance to reduce what they have to pay. In other words, the wrongdoer would get a discount at the expense of the victim.

You can read more about why Family Council opposes this bill here.

H.B. 1204 passed the Arkansas House of Representatives last week. It now goes to the entire Arkansas Senate for a vote.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.