Updated: Arkansas House of Representatives Passes Bad “Hate Crimes” Measure

On Monday the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 622, a bad bill widely being referred to as a “hate crimes” measure. The measure passed by a vote of 65 to 26. The bill previously passed the Arkansas Senate.

As we have written repeatedly, S.B. 622 is so ambiguous that it’s impossible to know just how far-reaching this legislation may be.

The bill fails to define crucial terms like ‘recognizable and identifiable.’

Its protections for religious liberty are inadequate.

It does not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent cities and counties from enacting their own, more stringent hate crimes ordinances.

It does not do enough to protect free speech or prevent thought-policing.

The bill now goes to Governor Asa Hutchinson.

Below is a breakdown of the vote on S.B. 622.

Voted FOR S.B. 622

  • F. Allen
  • Barker
  • S. Berry
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Bragg
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • Brown
  • Cavenaugh
  • Christiansen
  • Coleman
  • Cozart
  • Dalby
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Ferguson
  • Fielding
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • Fortner
  • Gonzales
  • M. Gray
  • Haak
  • Hawks
  • Hillman
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Milligan
  • Nicks
  • Penzo
  • Perry
  • Pilkington
  • Richmond
  • Rye
  • Shepherd
  • Slape
  • S. Smith
  • Tollett
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Vaught
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • Wing
  • Wooten

Voted AGAINST S.B. 622

  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Cloud
  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • Crawford
  • Ennett
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Gazaway
  • Godfrey
  • M. Hodges
  • Hudson
  • Love
  • Lowery
  • McCullough
  • McKenzie
  • Miller
  • Ray
  • Richardson
  • Scott
  • B. Smith
  • Speaks
  • Springer
  • D. Whitaker
  • Womack

Voted “Present”

  • Beatty Jr.
  • Bentley
  • C. Cooper
  • J. Mayberry
  • Murdock

Did Not Vote

  • Beck
  • M. Davis
  • Furman
  • Payton

Arkansas Legislature Passes Bill That Will Help Protect Victims of Botched Abortions

Rep. Bentley presents S.B. 527 to the Arkansas House of Representatives.

On Monday the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 527. The bill previously passed the Arkansas Senate with overwhelming support.

This good bill by Sen. Ben Gilmore (R – Crossett) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) requires abortion facilities to have transfer agreements with hospitals, and it fixes a flawed definition in a pro-life law passed in 2019.

S.B. 527 is similar to a Kentucky law that survived a legal challenge.

This is a good bill that will help protect women who are victims of botched abortions. Abortion carries a number of serious risks — including risk of laceration, hemorrhaging, and death.

Legislation like S.B. 527 helps protect women in the event of complications from a dangerous abortion procedure.

The bill now goes to the governor to become law.

Voted FOR S.B. 527

  • Barker
  • Beatty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • S. Berry
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Bragg
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • Brown
  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Christiansen
  • Cloud
  • Coleman
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Dalby
  • M. Davis
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • Fortner
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Haak
  • Hawks
  • Hillman
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • L. Johnson
  • Lowery
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • J. Mayberry
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • McKenzie
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Miller
  • Milligan
  • Payton
  • Penzo
  • Pilkington
  • Ray
  • Richmond
  • Rye
  • Slape
  • B. Smith
  • S. Smith
  • Speaks
  • Tollett
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Vaught
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooten

Voted AGAINST S.B. 527

  • F. Allen
  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • Ennett
  • D. Ferguson
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Godfrey
  • M. Hodges
  • Hudson
  • McCullough
  • Murdock
  • Scott
  • Springer
  • D. Whitaker

Voted “Present”

  • M. Gray
  • Love

Did Not Vote

  • K. Ferguson
  • Fielding
  • Furman
  • Ladyman
  • Magie
  • Nicks
  • Perry
  • Richardson
  • Shepherd

Arkansas House Passes Bill to Reduce Used Car Tax

On Monday the Arkansas House of Representatives passed H.B. 1160 by a vote of 97 to 0.

This good bill by Rep. John Payton (R – Wilburn) and Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) eliminates the tax on used cars sold for less than $7,500.

In two years, the bill would expand to apply to used cars sold for less than $10,000.

This is a good bill. It changes state law so that people won’t have to pay sales tax if they spend less than $7,500 on a used car. That’s going to help a lot of families get a reliable vehicle without breaking the bank.

Family Council has worked on this issue for over a decade.

The used car tax hurts Arkansas’ poor and middle class families. A lot of folks can barely scrape together a few thousand dollars to buy a used car. They can’t afford to pay the state on top of that.

Single moms who need a reliable vehicle shouldn’t be penalized for buying a used car. H.B. 1160 gives families some relief.

This is commonsense legislation that’s going to help a lot of families, and it won’t cost the State very much in tax revenue.

H.B. 1160 now goes to the Arkansas Senate for consideration.

Photo Credit: Ben Schumin, CC BY-SA 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.