Arkansas Legislature Passes Measure Authorizing $1 Million in Grants for Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Organizations

On Tuesday the Arkansas Legislature passed a measure authorizing a million dollars in funding for grants to pregnancy help organizations in the state.

S.B. 286 by Sen. Scott Flippo (R – Bull Shoals) and Rep. Lane Jean (R – Magnolia) authorizes $1 million in state-funded grants for crisis pregnancy centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies, and social services agencies that provide material support to women with unplanned pregnancies.

The bill also contains language clarifying that grant funding cannot go to abortion providers or their affiliates.

S.B. 286 passed at the Arkansas Legislature without a single lawmaker voting against it!

This measure is virtually identical to a good appropriation measure the Arkansas Legislature passed last year.

It ensures that the grant program that lawmakers authorized in 2022 will continue to provide funding for pregnancy help organizations in the coming year.

We are grateful to the General Assembly for supporting this good measure. Now that abortion is prohibited except to save the life of the mother, legislation like S.B. 286 will help support women with unplanned pregnancies and build a culture of life in Arkansas. That’s something to celebrate.

The Following Senators Voted For S.B. 286

  • J. Boyd
  • J. Bryant
  • Caldwell
  • L. Chesterfield
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. Dotson
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • S. Flowers
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • B. King
  • G. Leding
  • F. Love
  • M. McKee
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • J. Petty
  • Rice
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan
  • C. Tucker
  • D. Wallace

The Following Representatives Voted For S.B. 286

  • Achor
  • F. Allen
  • Andrews
  • Barker
  • Beaty Jr.
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • M. Berry
  • S. Berry
  • Breaux
  • Brooks
  • K. Brown
  • M. Brown
  • Burkes
  • Joey Carr
  • John Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • C. Cooper
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Dalby
  • Duffield
  • Duke
  • Eaves
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • D. Ferguson
  • K. Ferguson
  • C. Fite
  • L. Fite
  • V. Flowers
  • Fortner
  • Furman
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Gramlich
  • Haak
  • Hawk
  • D. Hodges
  • G. Hodges
  • Holcomb
  • Hollowell
  • Jean
  • L. Johnson
  • Ladyman
  • Long
  • Lundstrum
  • Lynch
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • J. Mayberry
  • McAlindon
  • McClure
  • McCollum
  • M. McElroy
  • McGrew
  • B. McKenzie
  • McNair
  • S. Meeks
  • Miller
  • Milligan
  • J. Moore
  • K. Moore
  • Nicks
  • Painter
  • Pearce
  • Perry
  • Pilkington
  • Puryear
  • Ray
  • J. Richardson
  • Richmond
  • Rose
  • Schulz
  • Scott
  • R. Scott Richardson
  • T. Shephard
  • Springer
  • Steimel
  • Tosh
  • Underwood
  • Unger
  • Vaught
  • Walker
  • Wardlaw
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • D. Whitaker
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooldridge
  • Wooten

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

  • Ennett
  • D. Garner
  • Hudson
  • McCullough
  • Rye
  • Speaker Shepherd

House Public Health Committee Narrowly Passes Pro-Life Bill

Above: A photo of the roll call vote on pro-life bill S.B. 463 from the House Public Health Committee. Passing a bill in a House committee requires 11 or more votes.

On Tuesday the House Public Health Committee narrowly passed a pro-life bill addressing abortion-inducing drugs in Arkansas.

S.B. 463 by Sen. Ben Gilmore (R – Crossett) and Rep. Mindy McAlindon (R – Centerton) clarifies that the State Medical Board will revoke the license of a physician that violates Arkansas’ laws against abortion-inducing drugs.

The bill will help ensure that physicians in Arkansas face professional penalties if they break the state’s pro-life laws.

The bill previously passed in the state senate. On Tuesday S.B. 463 received 11 votes in the House Public Health Committee; passing a bill in a House committee requires 11 or more votes.

The bill now goes to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.

Committee Passes Good Bill Concerning Pro-Life Cities, Counties in Arkansas

On Monday the House City, County, and Local Affairs Committee passed a bill to help expand Pro-Life political subdivisions in Arkansas.

S.B. 446 by Sen. Joshua Bryant (R – Rogers) and Rep. Kendon Underwood (R – Cave Springs) builds on Arkansas’ law that lets cities and counties pass Pro-Life resolutions.

Act 392 of 2021 affirms that cities and counties can designate themselves as Pro-Life. To date, nearly half of all Arkansans live in a Pro-Life City or Pro-Life County.

S.B. 446 expands this 2021 law so that any political subdivision of the state can declare itself to be Pro-Life — not just a city or a county.

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade and abortion is generally prohibited in Arkansas, citizens and their elected officials need to establish exactly where they stand when it comes to protecting innocent human life.

S.B. 446 is a good bill that will help communities do exactly that.

The bill previously passed the Arkansas Senate. S.B. 446 now goes to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.