Update – Family Council

Prohibiting Parlays, Protecting the Preborn (Plus Plenty More)

Mar 13, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsUpdate, 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

From Prop Bets to Proper Rules, Here are Eight Ways Arkansas Could Stop Predatory Sports Betting: Nationwide, sports betting is now legal in 39 states — including Arkansas, where people wager an average of nearly $1.8 million on it every day. But a growing body of evidence shows sports betting is harmful. Here are eight examples of common sense steps the State of Arkansas could take to rein in out-of-control sportsbooks. Keep Reading.

Nearly Half of NCAA Basketball Players Harassed by Sports Bettors: A recent NCAA study found that 46% of Division I men’s basketball players reported harassment from bettors on social media. Keep Reading.

Florida Lawmakers Add Surrogacy Ban to Foreign Interference Measure: Unlike most nation’s, the United States has few restrictions on commercial surrogacy arrangements, and that means commercial surrogacy agencies are able to hire women to bear children for paying customers — some of whom may be overseas. But lawmakers in Florida recently proposed legislation that would prevent some foreign nationals from entering into commercial surrogacy agreements in their state. Read More.

Building a Culture of Life One Resolution at a Time: Family Council has created a free toolkit to assist anyone who is interested in securing passage of a pro-life resolution in Arkansas. Be a part of this growing movement and help your community pass a pro-life resolution! Keep Reading.

Safe Haven Baby Box Dedications set for Morrilton and Jacksonville March 9 & 10: The new surrender locations mark the 419th Safe Haven Baby Box in the nation and the 35th in Arkansas, expanding access to safe, anonymous surrender options for mothers in crisis. Keep Reading.

A Christian Reflection on the Dangers of Marijuana and THC: Marijuana and drugs made from THC have spread across the nation, and marijuana’s supporters often say these products are completely harmless. But the evidence tells a very different story. Keep Reading.

From Our Friends

Biden Administration Endangered Women With Abortion Pill Change, Research Finds. From Daily Citizen.

U.S. Rejects UN Document Sidestepping Biological Womanhood amid Global Gender Ideology Push. From The Washington Stand.

Assisted Suicide Becomes a Leading Cause of Death in Canada. From Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

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

Safe Haven Baby Box Dedications set for Morrilton and Jacksonville March 9 & 10

Mar 9, 2026Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life, Update

The following is a press release from Arkansas Right to Life.

Safe Haven Baby Box dedications will be held at 1 p.m. March 9 at Med Tech EMS, 10 Medical Services Drive, Morrilton, and at 1 p.m. March 10 at Fire Department Station No. 2, 1520 Graham Road, Jacksonville. The public is invited to attend.

The new surrender locations mark the 419th Safe Haven Baby Box in the nation and the 35th in Arkansas, expanding access to safe, anonymous surrender options for mothers in crisis.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes was founded by Monica Kelsey on a mission to end infant abandonment. In addition to baby boxes, the organization provides a confidential National Hotline, 1-866-99BABY1. Twenty-four states have a Baby Box presence within their state. Kelsey shared, “We have seen time and time again that preparation can save and change lives.

We never know when or where we will be needed, so it is crucial to have options for mothers in crisis. I am grateful for local advocates who take our mission to their community.”

Dozens of infants have been safely and legally surrendered in a Baby Box. The National Safe Haven Crisis line has assisted with more than 150 handoff surrenders. Each year the numbers increase with more baby boxes available across the country. Surrendered infants are adopted by families who have registered as foster to adopt. The Local Department of Family Services coordinates the adoption process.

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Marijuana, Marriage, and More: New This Week

Mar 6, 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

Arkansas State Police Seize Hundreds of Pounds of Illegal Drugs in February Traffic Stops: In one stop alone, troopers found 600 pounds of illegal marijuana and 15 boxes of THC products in a van traveling from Los Angeles to North Carolina. Other stops netted 45 pounds of marijuana from Oklahoma City, 19 pounds of marijuana from Memphis, and 115 pounds of methamphetamine from Dallas. Keep Reading.

Marijuana Use Reduces Brain Activity: Research reminds us that heavy marijuana use is associated with reduced activity in regions of the brain that are critical for young adults. Keep Reading.

Revisiting How Sports Betting Hurts Young Adults: Research shows that gambling is more addictive for college-aged individuals. Player prop bets let college students to engage in “micro-betting,” a more repetitive — and therefore more addictive — form of sports betting. Keep Reading.

Research Reminds Us Marriage Still Matters: A recent study from Barna reveals that fewer Americans are getting married today, but most still believe marriage is important and they want to get married someday. Keep Reading.

Supreme Court Sides with Parents Against California Public Schools’ Secret Gender Transition Policies: On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a group of parents who challenged California’s secret social gender transition policy. The policy requires public school teachers and administrators to hide children’s gender dysphoria and social gender transition from parents. Keep Reading.

Spain’s Top Court Says 25-Year-Old Woman Paralyzed After Attempted Suicide Now Qualifies for Assisted Suicide: Noelia, 25, from Barcelona, attempted suicide multiple times before an October 2022 attempt left her paralyzed and in chronic pain. Two years later, she received approval for assisted suicide under Spain’s euthanasia policies. Keep Reading.

Western Civilization is Worth Defending: Marco Rubio has made a name, and a meme, for himself as the indispensable figure in the American government. Keep Reading.

Kansas Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto, Protects Women’s Privacy in Public Restrooms: Kansas Senate Bill 244 requires public buildings—including schools and universities—to maintain single-sex private spaces “for use only by individuals of one sex.” The law also mandates that birth certificates and driver’s licenses designate gender based on biological sex, not subjective gender identity. Keep Reading.

Canada’s Alarming Milestone: 100,000 Deaths from Assisted Suicide: According to the country’s most recent Report on Medical Assistance in Dying, 76,475 Canadians had died via assisted suicide as of December 31, 2024. With an average of 45 assisted suicide and euthanasia deaths every day, Canada is projected to surpass its 100,000th death by early June. Keep Reading.