Page 35 – Family Council

Kansas Legislature Passes Privacy Measure Similar to Arkansas Law

Feb 2, 2026Jerry CoxLegislationLGBT, Privacy, Transgender

On Wednesday, the Kansas Legislature passed a measure protecting physical privacy and safety in showers, restrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas in public buildings. The legislation requires these facilities to be designated specifically for male or female use.

Kansas’ measure is similar to Arkansas Act 955 of 2025 by Sen. Blake Johnson (R — Corning) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville).

Over the past several years, lawmakers in Arkansas have worked diligently to strengthen state laws protecting physical privacy and safety. Act 955 is the latest step in that process. Now Kansas joins a growing list of states that have considered similar measures.

Laws like these are necessary to protect students from federal overreach that seems to come and go with each election cycle.

In 2016 the Obama Administration issued federal “guidelines” directing every public school in America — including schools in Arkansas — to let biological males use girls’ locker rooms, showers, bathrooms, and similar facilities at school. The Trump Administration rescinded those federal policies in 2018, which gave schools a brief reprieve, but the Biden Administration moved to reinstate the policies shortly after the 2020 election.

Since his inauguration last year, President Trump has signed a series of executive orders addressing issues like this one, but a future president could repeal those executive orders.

State laws can help clarify how public schools protect student privacy in the face of changing federal policy. They also prevent school officials from jeopardizing student privacy.

It’s good to see policymakers in Kansas taking steps to protect physical privacy and safety in their state.

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

Abortion Lawsuit Complains to Court About Arkansas’ Pro-Life Groups, Leaders

Feb 2, 2026Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life, Update

A pro-abortion lawsuit announced in Little Rock last week complains to the court about the effective pro-life work that Family Council, Arkansas Right to Life, and Arkansas’ many pro-life leaders have accomplished over the past several years.

Attorneys with Amplify Legal are representing plaintiffs who want to strike down Arkansas’ law that prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother. Amplify Legal describes itself as “the litigation arm of Abortion in America.”

The group’s 86-page legal complaint challenging Arkansas’ abortion restrictions also specifically mentions the pro-life work of groups like Family Council and Arkansas Right to Life against a failed 2024 abortion amendment. The complaint says:

“[C]anvassers for the abortion amendment faced unique harassment and intimidation from anti-abortion advocates, including those with direct ties to Defendant Huckabee Sanders. Hundreds of volunteers from across the state as well as paid canvassers from a company called Verified Arkansas LLC (“Verified”) worked to collect signatures to put the amendment on the ballot. The canvassers faced verbal assaults and were often followed by protesters from organized groups, including Family Council Action Committee, Arkansas Right to Life, and Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. Another group, the Arkansas Family Council posted on its website the names and home cities of 79 paid canvassers hired by Verified.”

The lawsuit fails to mention that abortion amendment canvassers allegedly were promised $500 bonuses to provoke “altercations” with pro-lifers. It does not provide evidence of any “verbal assaults” that abortion amendment canvassers faced in 2024.

The lawsuit also fails to make it clear that the names and addresses of a ballot initiative’s donors and its paid canvassers are public records under Arkansas’ campaign laws and its transparency laws. The transparency helps voters know who is responsible for a ballot measure, and it helps ensure compliance with Arkansas’ other laws governing the initiative process.

It also does not address allegations that pro-abortion canvassers encouraged citizens to sign petitions more than once.

The lawsuit also complains about Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ strong, pro-life positions and about Attorney General Tim Griffin’s decision to send cease-and-desist letters to abortionists in other states promoting dangerous abortion drugs in Arkansas.

Governor Sanders has consistently issued statements affirming the sanctity of human life, and she has signed pro-life legislation from Arkansas’ General Assembly.

Besides taking action against out-of-state groups that ship abortion drugs into Arkansas, Attorney General Griffin has urged the federal government to help states like Arkansas enforce their pro-life laws.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin told media outlets last week that the lawsuit on its face appears to have little legal merit. Family Council agrees with the A.G.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states like Arkansas are free to enact laws restricting or prohibiting abortion. We are confident our courts ultimately will uphold Arkansas’ pro-life laws against this legal challenge.

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

Life in the Dock, Prayer in Schools, and Commandments in Court: New This Week

Jan 30, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsUpdate, Weekly Rewind

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

From Family Council

Legal Challenge Seeks to Overturn Arkansas’ Pro-Life Law: On Wednesday, attorneys with a pro-abortion group filed a lawsuit in Pulaski County to overturn Arkansas laws that generally prohibit abortion except to save the life of the mother. Keep Reading.

Atheist Group Targets Arkansas School District Over Student Prayer: The Freedom From Religion Foundation has once again targeted religious expression in Arkansas. Keep Reading.

Family Council Joins Legal Brief Asking Supreme Court to Protect Parental Rights: On Wednesday, Family Council joined 65 other organizations in a legal brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to defend parental rights and stop a California school district’s secret social gender transition policy. Keep Reading.

Celebrities Push to Let Boys Compete Against Girls in Sports: The ACLU recently released a 30-second video featuring nine celebrities urging the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down laws protecting girls’ sports. The ad aired as justices heard arguments in two key cases that will determine whether states can keep boys out of girls’ athletics. Keep Reading.

Watch Arkansans Rally for Life in This Video: Pro-lifers in Arkansas recently gathered to celebrate the sanctity and dignity of human life. You can watch video from the 2026 March for Life on our website. Keep Reading.

Federal Courts Weigh Ten Commandments in Schools: A federal appeals court heard arguments last week in cases that could determine how states display the Ten Commandments in public buildings. Keep Reading.

Assisted Suicide Puts Pressure on Vulnerable Patients: Despite the claim that assisted-suicide laws contain “safeguards,” patients facing expensive medical care also face pressure to opt for assisted suicide or euthanasia. Keep Reading.

Guest Column: Where Has All the Creativity Gone? Is This The Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture? That was the question asked by a recent Atlantic article about the sheer number of prequels, sequels, remakes, and expanding “cinematic universes.” Keep Reading.