Legislation – Page 5 – Family Council

Arkansas Passes Law to Protect Physical Privacy and Safety in State Buildings, Jails, and Shelters

Apr 17, 2025Jerry CoxLegislationArkansas Legislature, Privacy

On Wednesday, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed S.B. 486 by Sen. Blake Johnson (R — Corning) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville).

This good bill protects physical privacy and safety of Arkansans in showers, locker rooms, changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in government buildings and in state and local jails.

The bill also applies to changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters in shelters for victims of domestic violence.

S.B. 486 is similar to a law Arkansas passed in 2023 to protect privacy in public schools and on overnight school trips.

The bill would require the facilities named in the bill to be designated for “male” or “female” use. The measure generally requires people to use the facility that corresponds to their biological sex.

Over the years, we have seen efforts to house men with women in jails, let men stay in women’s shelters, and give men access to women’s changing areas, locker rooms, showers, and restrooms.

S.B. 486 is common sense legislation narrowly tailored to protect physical privacy and safety in public buildings and shelters in Arkansas.

S.B. 486 already passed in the Arkansas Senate. With its passage in the House, the measure now goes to Governor Sanders’ desk to be signed into law.

The Following Representatives Voted For S.B. 486

Andrews
Barker
Beaty Jr.
Beck
Bentley
S. Berry
Brooks
A. Brown
K. Brown
M. Brown
N. Burkes
R. Burkes
Joey Carr
John Carr
Cavenaugh
Childress
C. Cooper
Cozart
Crawford
Duffield
Duke
Eaves
Furman
Gazaway
Gramlich
Hall
Hawk
Henley
Hollowell
L. Johnson
Ladyman
Long
Lundstrum
Maddox
McClure
McCollum
McGrew
B. McKenzie
McNair
Milligan
J. Moore
K. Moore
Nazarenko
Painter
Pearce
Pilkington
Puryear
Ray
Rose
Rye
Schulz
R. Scott Richardson
M. Shepherd
Steimel
Torres
Tosh
Underwood
Wing
Wooldridge
Wooten

The Following Representatives Voted Against S.B. 486

F. Allen
Barnett
Clowney
A. Collins
Ennett
K. Ferguson
D. Garner
Gonzales
Hudson
Magie
J. Mayberry
McCullough
McGruder
Perry
J. Richardson
T. Shephard
Springer
Steele
Vaught
D. Whitaker
Womack
Gonzales Worthen

The Following Representatives Did Not Vote

Achor
Barnes
Breaux
Dalby
Eaton
Eubanks
Holcomb
Jean
Lynch
McAlindon
M. McElroy
S. Meeks
Richmond
Unger
Walker
Wardlaw
Warren
Speaker Evans

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

Arkansas Passes Medical Conscience Protection Law

Apr 17, 2025Jerry CoxBioethics, LegislationAbortion, Arkansas Legislature, Bioethics, Life, Medical Ethics, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life

On Wednesday the Arkansas Legislature passed a law protecting medical rights of conscience in the state.

Four years ago, Arkansas passed Act 462 of 2021 to uphold healthcare workers’ rights of conscience.

Before that law passed, Arkansas’ conscience protections were narrowly focused on abortion and end of life decisions, and they protected very few people.

Act 462 changed that. It helped broaden those protections and apply them to all healthcare workers.

S.B. 444 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Lee Johnson (R — Greenwood) strengthens the healthcare workers’ rights of conscience law Arkansas passed in 2021.

Among other things, this good law adds whistleblower protections for healthcare workers, and it helps protect all medical professionals from having their rights of conscience violated.

S.B. 444 will help enhance the conscience protections Arkansas enacted four years ago. It now goes to the governor to be signed into law.

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

Arkansas Becomes Fifth State to Teach Public School Students About Development of Unborn Children

Apr 16, 2025Jerry CoxLegislationArkansas Legislature, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life

On Tuesday the Arkansas Legislature passed a good law to help teach public school students about unborn children.

Similar legislation reportedly has passed in North Dakota, Tennessee, Idaho, and Kansas.

S.B. 450 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. Kendra Moore (R — Lincoln) lets public school students see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as part of human fetal growth and development education courses.

The law also makes it possible for students to learn important facts about how unborn children develop in the womb.

This year Arkansas lawmakers filed several good bills to teach students about unborn children.

H.B. 1180 by Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) would ensure public schools show students a high-definition ultrasound video that is at least three minutes long as part of sex-education and human growth and development education courses. The bill also makes it possible for students to see a video like Live Action’s computer-animated “Meet Baby Olivia” video that teaches about human development from conception to birth.

And H.B. 1946 by Rep. Bentley and Sen. Penzo requires public school human growth and development courses in grades 6 – 12 to include a three-minute high-definition ultrasound video and a high-quality, computer animated video depicting the process of fertilization and every stage of fetal development. Under H.B. 1946, this instruction would be included in biology instruction and in courses related to sex-education.

S.B. 450 received overwhelming support in the Arkansas Senate and House of Representatives. With its passage, Arkansas becomes the fifth state in America to provide fetal development and ultrasound education to public school students.

As we have said time and again, 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.

S.B. 450 will help teach students that unborn children are living human beings. Family Council is pleased to support this good law.