Current Events – Family Council

Obamacare Abortion Report Shows Importance of a Law Arkansas Passed in 2013

Sep 21, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent Events

Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report showing insurance companies pay for abortions in a number of states under Obamacare. The report underscores the importance of a good, pro-life law that Arkansas passed in 2013.

The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Act — commonly known as “Obamacare” — created a system of state and federal health insurance exchanges. Insurance plans under Obamacare are not supposed to pay for abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the mother. But the data from the GAO shows that millions of Americans have abortion coverage through Obamacare.

The GAO found more than one out of every four (26%) Obamacare plans available nationwide paid for “non-excepted” abortions — that is, abortions that were not performed due to rape or incest or to save the life of the mother. The GAO said those Obamacare plans covered an estimated 4.4 million people.

The GAO data indicates most of the Obamacare plans covering abortion were in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota.

None of the Obamacare plans offered in Arkansas covered elective abortions, thanks to a good law the state legislature passed in 2013.

Act 72 of 2013 by former Rep. Butch Wilkins (D — Bono) and former Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R — Rogers) prevents taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions under Obamacare in Arkansas.

It took pro-lifers two years to pass a law like Act 72. In 2011, similar legislation failed in committee, and Act 72 was narrowly defeated in committee once before it finally garnered enough support to pass and become law.

At the time, many people said Arkansas did not need Act 72. Some thought that the federal restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortion would be enough. But looking back, lawmakers clearly did the right thing by passing Act 72.

A lot has changed since 2013. Today, Arkansas is the most pro-life state in the nation, and abortion is generally prohibited except to save the life of the mother. There is still a lot of work for pro-lifers to do. For example, right now abortionists in other states are mailing abortion drugs into states like Arkansas — which is both dangerous and illegal. That is why Family Council is urging pro-lifers to go to abortioncrimebymail.com and ask their leaders in Washington to stop abortionists from sending abortion drugs through the mail into states like Arkansas.

Still, taxpayer-funded abortion is prohibited under the Arkansas Constitution, and thanks to Act 72 of 2013, elective abortions aren’t being paid for in Arkansas under Obamacare. That is something to celebrate.

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

From Zombie Arguments to Prioritizing Prayer, Here is a Look Back at the Week

Sep 18, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsCurrent Events, Update, Weekly Rewind

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Here’s a quick recap of the week’s top stories from Family Council and our friends:

From Family Council

Colorado Hedging its Bets in the Wake of Sports Gambling Problems. Nationwide, sports betting is legal in 39 states — including Arkansas, where people are on track to wager nearly a billion dollars this year on sports betting alone. But a growing body of evidence shows this type of gambling is causing serious financial harm. Keep Reading.

ADF: “There’s No Way for a State to Protect Life” if Doctors Can Mail Illegal Abortion Drugs. Last week, Alliance Defending Freedom Of Counsel Erin Hawley told Morning Wire there is “no way for a state to protect life if a doctor from New York or California can simply mail an illegal [abortion] drug to someone’s doorstep.” Keep Reading.

Kentucky Man Indicted for Secretly Swapping Girlfriend’s Medication With Abortion Drug. Abdullah Mohmand, 27, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of attempting to kill her unborn child. Keep Reading.

The Population Zombie Strikes Again: Guest Column. A group of scientists are, once again, predicting imminent disaster because of overpopulation. Keep Reading.

Company Offers Assisted Suicide in NY for $12K. Late last year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced an agreement to enact legislation letting healthcare professionals prescribe lethal drugs via so-called “Medical Aid in Dying.” New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act officially took effect on August 5. That same day, a new company called Quiĕtus began offering assisted suicide in New York. Moneywise and Yahoo Finance write: Keep Reading.

Marijuana Edibles “a Growing Danger” for Kids: CNN. Nationwide, policymakers have legalized marijuana to varying degrees, and federal regulators have eased restrictions on the drug. But pundits continue to raise concerns about legalization’s unintended consequences — especially when it comes to children. Keep Reading.

Family Council Joins Brief Asking Supreme Court to Protect Prayer Meetings in Homes. Last week, Family Council joined 55 other conservative, pro-family leaders in an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the right to host prayer meetings at home. Keep Reading.

Augustine: The Philosopher Who Solved Anxiety. More and more young people today suffer from anxiety, depression, or loneliness. But it turns out this isn’t a new problem. Sixteen hundred years ago, a restless university student named Augustine suffered the same maladies. This young man, who would become one of history’s most famous philosophers, found a solution. It still works today. Owen Anderson, Arizona State professor of philosophy and religious studies, tells the story. Keep Reading.

From Our Friends

Netherlands Review Board Says Euthanasia of 2-Year-Old Was Perfectly Fine. From LifeNews.

Massachusetts Family Fights for Custody of ‘Trans’ Daughter. From Daily Citizen.

The Baby-Purchasing Business Continues To Be An Unmitigated Disaster For Everyone Involved. From The Federalist.

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

Courtroom Conflict, a Billion in Bets, and More This Week

Sep 11, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsWeekly Rewind

Here’s a quick recap of the week’s top stories from Family Council and our friends:

From Family Council

Family Council Joins Amicus Brief Defending Parental Rights Before 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The brief argues that “the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children is essential to liberty and is deeply rooted in American tradition and practice,” and that schools undermine parental rights when they deceive parents about a child’s gender dysphoria or social transition at school. Keep Reading.

Louisiana Still Waging Legal Battle Over Abortion Drugs in Federal Court. The State of Louisiana and our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom are waging an ongoing legal battle over the abortion drug mifepristone in federal court. Keep Reading.

U.S. Issues Sanctions Against Foreign Organization that Aided Violent Pro-Abortion Group “Jane’s Revenge.” On August 26, the U.S. Department of State designated Autistici/Inventati (A/I Collective) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Keep Reading.

Founder of “Have My Baby in Miami” Pleads the Fifth During Congressional Inquiry into Birth Tourism. On September 1, the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses conducted a hearing regarding birth tourism. During the hearing, Task Force Chairman Brandon Gill (R-Texas) asked Dr. Wladimir Lorentz, founder of Have My Baby in Miami, whether his business facilitated birth tourism. Dr. Lorentz pled the Fifth in response to the questions. Keep Reading.

Arkansans On Track to Wager Almost $1 Billion on Sports This Year. The figure does not take into account “prediction market” wagers on sports or illegal sports betting. Keep Reading.

Antisemitism on the Rise, Again: Guest Column. According to a new report from the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism, “In both the number of lethal attacks and the number of casualties, 2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks . . . in more than 30 years.” Keep Reading.

Courageous Culture Building in a World of Desecration. Walking the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland I saw a long line of historic buildings and cobblestone streets that millions traverse every year. As my group walked along the historic alleyways and the famous Royal Mile, rainbow flags came into view. Keep Reading.

Temu Denies Allegations That It Engaged in Deceptive Trade. Temu is an online shopping platform similar to Amazon or Walmart.com. In 2023, Temu was reported to be the most widely downloaded app in the U.S., and its multibillion-dollar marketing campaign — which included a Super Bowl ad in 2024 — contributed to its success. But Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin sued Temu in 2024, alleging Temu uses bargain pricing as a lure so the company can secretly harvest users’ private information. Keep Reading.