Ohio House Passes Pro-Life “Baby Olivia” Bill Similar to Arkansas Measure

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On November 19, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill that would help educate public school students about unborn children.

Ohio House Bill 485, The Baby Olivia Act, makes it possible for public school students to see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as well as Live Action’s computer-animated “Meet Baby Olivia” video that teaches about human development from conception to birth.

Ohio’s bill is nearly identical to legislation proposed and passed in Arkansas earlier this year.

H.B. 1180, The Baby Olivia Act, by Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) would have let public school students in Arkansas see an ultrasound recording and watch the Baby Olivia video as part of sex education and human development courses.

Arkansas’ Baby Olivia Act passed with overwhelming support in the Arkansas House, but it failed repeatedly in the Senate Education Committee.

Fortunately, the Arkansas Legislature did eventually pass S.B. 450 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. Kendra Moore (R — Lincoln). The law does not reference the Baby Olivia video, but it does let public school students see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound and learn important facts about how unborn children develop in the womb.

Ultrasound images help demonstrate that unborn children are human beings.

Very few medical advancements have done more to change hearts and minds on abortion than ultrasound technology. In fact, research has shown that some women are less likely to have an abortion if they see an ultrasound image of their unborn child.

With that in mind, it’s good for states like Arkansas to pass laws teaching students about unborn children.

Below is the “Meet Baby Olivia” video by Live Action that Ohio House Bill 485 would let public schools show to students.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Pregnancy Centers Provided Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Goods and Services Last Year

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A new report from our friends at the Charlotte Lozier Institute shows pro-life pregnancy resource centers provided hundreds of millions of dollars in goods and services to families last year.

Pregnancy resource centers provide material support to women facing unplanned pregnancies.

Many offer everything from pregnancy tests and ultrasounds to adoption referrals and parenting classes to maternity clothes, diapers, and formula — all typically free of charge. 

The Charlotte Lozier Institute report looked at the work of 2,775 pregnancy centers nationwide. The report found these centers provided over $452 million in medical care, education services, material goods, and other types of support in 2024.

The report also found pregnancy resource centers served one million new clients last year. All of that is great news.

Since the 2022 Dobbs decision reversing Roe v. Wade, state legislatures around the country have begun appropriating funding for pregnancy help organizations, because they are so effective when it comes to helping women and families.

Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Ohio, and many other states provide millions of dollars in state funding for pregnancy resource centers.

Lawmakers in Arkansas have also voted to provide grant funding for pregnancy resource centers.

In April, Governor Sanders signed Act 1006 of 2025, by the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee, providing $2 million for grants to pregnancy help organizations — including pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies, and other charities that provide material support to women with unplanned pregnancies.

The State of Arkansas has funded this grant program every year since 2022 to help promote alternatives to abortion.

In July, DFA received 39 applications for grant funding under the program. However, the department has not taken any action on the applications and reportedly does not have a timeline for awarding grants to the pregnancy help organizations.

Now that abortion is generally prohibited in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother, the state needs to make abortion unthinkable and unnecessary. As the Charlotte Lozier Institute’s report shows, supporting the work of pregnancy help organizations is one way we can do that.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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State of Arkansas to Hold Hearing on $2M Pregnancy Center Grant Rules Today

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The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) will hold a public hearing on Thursday at 2:00 PM to discuss a proposed amendment to its rules governing the Pregnancy Help Organization Grant Program.

In April, Governor Sanders signed Act 1006 of 2025 by the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee providing $2 million for grants to pregnancy help organizations — including pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies, and other charities that provide material support to women with unplanned pregnancies.

The State of Arkansas has funded this grant program every year since 2022 to help promote alternatives to abortion.

In July, DFA received 39 applications for grant funding under the program. However, the department has not taken any action on the applications and reportedly does not have a timeline for awarding grants to the pregnancy help organizations.

Based on DFA’s public hearing notice, Thursday’s meeting likely will not address when the department might begin awarding grants to pregnancy centers. Instead, it will focus on technical changes to the official rules governing the grant program.

DFA’s public hearing notice is available here. A copy of the proposed rule changes is available here.

Arkansans may submit written comments on the proposed rule changes to the Department of Finance and Administration – Office of Intergovernmental Services, P.O. Box 8031, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 or to igsclearinghouse@dfa.arkansas.gov.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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