Lawmakers File Over 450 Bills in One Day
Yesterday Arkansas’ lawmakers filed over 450 pieces of legislation ahead of the filing deadline.
Many of these bills were what we call “shell bills.” These are bills with little more than a title, like, “A Bill to Improve Public Education.” These bills may be amended later to flesh them out; we will keep an eye on them to see how they are amended.
However, several complete bills were filed. Below are a few you may want to know about.
A Bill Making Sexual-Orientation and Gender-Identity Protected Classes
Twenty-two years ago, the Arkansas Legislature passed the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993. Over the years we have fought to make sure Arkansas’ civil rights and hate crimes laws are not used to promote a homosexual agenda.
House Bill 1950 by Rep. Leding makes sexual-orientation and gender-identity protected classes in the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993—right alongside race, religion, national origin, gender, and disability.