Updated: Arkansas House of Representatives Passes Religious Freedom Measure

Legislation, Religious Freedom, , ,

On Monday the Arkansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a good bill enhancing protections for religious freedom.

H.B. 1615, the Conscience Protection Act by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R — Elm Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch), makes important clarifications to the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The bill also helps prohibit religious discrimination against individuals, business owners, and organizations that want to follow their deeply held religious convictions.

In 2015 Gov. Hutchinson signed Arkansas’ Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law. That good law has been on the books for the past eight years.

Since then, we have seen wedding venues, bakeries, photography studios, and florist shops come under fire, because their owners wanted to operate according to their deeply held convictions. That is why it is so important for our laws to protect religious liberty as much as possible.

H.B. 1615 improves on good state law to help prevent the government from burdening the free exercise of religion in Arkansas.

If enacted, H.B. 1615 would provide Arkansans with some of the best religious freedom protections in the nation.

The bill now goes to the Arkansas Senate for consideration.

The Following Representatives Voted For H.B. 1615

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

The Following Representatives Voted Against H.B. 1615

  • F. Allen
  • Clowney
  • A. Collins
  • Duke
  • Ennett
  • D. Ferguson
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Hudson
  • Magie
  • McCullough
  • Nicks
  • J. Richardson
  • Scott
  • T. Shephard
  • Springer
  • D. Whitaker

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

  • K. Ferguson
  • Jean
  • S. Meeks
  • Perry
  • Speaker Shepherd

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Committee Advances Religious Freedom Legislation at Arkansas Capitol

Religious Freedom,
From left: Family Council President Jerry Cox discusses the Conscience Protection Act with two of its supporters, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Greg Chafuen and attorney Bob Ballinger of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, outside the House Judiciary Committee.

On Thursday the House Judiciary Committee passed a good bill enhancing protections for religious freedom in Arkansas.

H.B. 1615, the Conscience Protection Act by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R — Elm Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch), makes important clarifications to the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

In 2015 Gov. Hutchinson signed Arkansas’ Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law. H.B. 1615 builds upon that good state law to clarify its language wording and help prevent the government from burdening the free exercise of religion.

H.B. 1615 also helps prohibit religious discrimination against individuals, business owners, and organizations that want to follow their deeply held religious convictions.

Christian-owned wedding venues, bakeries, photography studios, and florist shops have come under fire in state and federal court in recent years. That is why it is so important for our laws to protect religious liberty.

If enacted, H.B. 1615 would provide Arkansans with some of the best religious freedom protections in the nation.

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

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ACLU Opposes Religious Freedom Protections in Arkansas

Religious Freedom, ,
Above: A screenshot of one of the ACLU’s statements against H.B. 1615, a bill that would help protect the free exercise of religion in Arkansas.

The ACLU opposes a bill at the state legislature that would help protect religious freedom and rights of conscience in Arkansas.

H.B. 1615 by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R — Elm Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch) makes important clarifications to the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The bill amends state law to add important language that would help prevent the government from burdening the free exercise of religion.

H.B. 1615 helps prohibit religious discrimination against individuals, business owners, and organizations that want to follow their deeply held religious convictions.

Christian-owned wedding venues, bakeries, photography studios, and florist shops have come under fire in state and federal court in recent years. That is why it is so important for our laws to protect religious liberty.

If passed, H.B. 1615 would provide Arkansans with some of the best religious freedom protections in the nation.

Family Council is pleased to support this good bill.

The House Judiciary Committee could vote on H.B 1615 this week.

You Can Read The Bill Here.

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