Committee Advances Measure to Permit Pro-Life “Baby Boxes” at Volunteer Fire Stations in Arkansas

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On Thursday the House Judiciary Committee unanimously passed H.B. 1098 expanding Arkansas’ Safe Haven law that lets women anonymously surrender a newborn.

Arkansas’ Safe Haven Act of 2001 lets a woman surrender her newborn baby to law enforcement, medical personnel, and first responders.

The law gives women with unplanned pregnancies an option besides abortion, and it protects newborns from being abandoned.

Similar laws are on the books in all 50 states.

Act 185 of 2019 by Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R – Rogers) and Rep. Rebecca Petty (R – Rogers) improved Arkansas’ Safe Haven law by letting fire stations install Safe Haven Boxes — sometimes called ‘baby boxes’ — where women can anonymously place their newborn. Placing a baby inside the box triggers a silent alarm notifying first responders about the child.

Since then, multiple babies in Arkansas have been saved by these baby boxes.

H.B. 1098 by Rep. Julie Mayberry (R – Hensley) and Sen. Missy Irvin (R – Mountain View) makes it possible for volunteer fire departments to install baby boxes at their stations, provided that the department maintains and monitors the baby box in accordance with state law, and first responders are able to reach the baby in less than four minutes.

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

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Proposal Would Provide Income Tax Credit for Baby Supplies

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Above: Sen. Hammer presents legislation in this file photo from 2021.

On Tuesday Rep. DeAnn Vaught (R – Horatio) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) filed H.B. 1148 providing an income tax credit for purchasing certain baby supplies.

Under H.B. 1148, Arkansans would receive an income tax credit of up to $1,000 for money spent on diapers, baby formula, baby wipes, and prepackaged baby food.

Now that abortion is prohibited in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother, Arkansans need to look for ways to assist women and families.

Measures like H.B. 1148 could alleviate taxes for parents with small children and help families who are struggling.

You can read H.B. 1148 here.

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Lower Your Flags to Half Mast On Sunday

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Sunday, January 22, marks Arkansas’ second annual Day of Tears.

In 2021 the state legislature passed H.C.R. 1007 acknowledging January 22 — the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade abortion decision — as the Day of Tears in Arkansas.

The resolution encourages all Arkansans to lower their flags to half-staff to mourn the millions of lives lost to abortion.

The resolution reads,

WHEREAS, on January 22, 1973, the majority of the members of the United States Supreme Court ruled that abortion was a right secured by the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, over sixty-one million (61,000,000) unborn children have perished since that fateful day,

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN:

THAT the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Third General Assembly, the Senate concurring, recognize January 22, in perpetuity, as the “Day of Tears” in Arkansas and that the citizens of Arkansas are encouraged to lower their flags to half-staff to mourn the innocent unborn children who have lost their lives to abortion.

The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade and Arkansas’ laws prohibit abortion except to save the life of the mother, but it’s still important to remember the innocent lives that abortion claimed for nearly 50 years.

The Day of Tears is a simple way to mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in Arkansas and acknowledge the destruction that abortion has caused in our country.

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