APRIL 2021 UPDATE LETTER Dear Friends, “An act to abolish abortion in Arkansas and protect the lives of unborn children.” I never thought I would ever hear those words echo through the chamber of the Arkansas Sen- ate, but I did! I listened as the secretary read the title of S.B. 6 by Sen. Jason Rapert and Rep. Mary Bentley over the loudspeaker ahead of the historic vote. From the gallery overlooking the floor of our Arkansas Senate, I watched as senators received message after message from constitu- ents asking them to support the bill to ban abortion. In the end, S.B. 6 didn’t just pass—it passed with overwhelming support in the Arkansas Senate and the Arkansas House. If you could have been at the Arkansas Capitol ten years ago, you might not have believed that a bill to ban abortion could even be filed—much less pass—at our legislature. If you had followed me around the capitol in 2011, you would have seen pro-life bill after pro-life bill pass the Arkansas Senate only to languish and die in the House Public Health Committee that former state Rep. Linda Tyler (D – Conway) chaired. inside: If you had been there in 2009, you would have seen pro-abortion lawmakers add hostile — amendments to pro-life bills just to make sure the bills failed. From 1989 to 2009, you would have seen very little pro-life legislation enacted. The few exceptions would have Here’s How to been bills like the parental-consent law and the Woman’s Right to Know Act of 2001 Explain S.B. 6 in that implemented some of Arkansas’ first informed-consent requirements for abortion. 60 Seconds or Less You would have seen pro-life bills fail by a single vote. You would have watched as leg- — islators quietly slipped out of committee rooms to avoid voting on a bill you support. You would have given testimony to lawmakers who literally turned their backs on you Arkansas Just to show they weren’t willing to extend the courtesy of looking you in the eye while you Banned Abortion. spoke against abortion. Now What? You also would have seen a pro-life surge at the capitol as pro-abortion lawmakers like Rep. Linda Tyler were replaced by pro-life legislators like Sen. Jason Rapert. You would — have monitored the rankings from groups like Americans United for Life as Arkansas rose Here’s How Your into the top ten most pro-life states in the country—and then the top five—and finally State Legislators the number one spot. If you had been at the Arkansas Legislature for the past 32 years, Voted on S.B. 6, you would have seen decades of hard work by countless pro-lifers slowly begin to pay off. the Bill to Prohibit You may not have been physically present at the capitol all these years, but if you sup- Abortion port the work of Family Council, then you were there in a way. Your friendship, your prayers, your kind words, and your financial support have let my team and me be — active at the Arkansas Legislature. They’ve let us equip and educate Arkansans. They’ve Bills Filed & Passed helped us fight for children who are alive because of pro-life bills you helped us pass. at the Arkansas We are a team—and you are a vital member of that team. Family Council is proud to Legislature work with our friends at Arkansas Right to Life, Americans United for Life, Alliance Defend- ing Freedom, and the state legislators to enact really good laws that save the unborn. — Nobody gets very far as a Lone Ranger in the pro-life fight. We cannot do what we do without good friends like you who believe in our mission. Thank you. And now let me tell & MORE you a little more about that mission—and how you can continue to be a part of it. 414 S. Pulaski St., Suite 2 • Little Rock, AR 72201 • 501-375-7000 • [email protected] FC_April_21_update_letter.indd 1 3/18/21 7:45 PM MY THOUGHTS: HERE’S HOW TO EXPLAIN S.B. 6 IN 60 SECONDS OR LESS The Arkansas Legislature has passed S.B. 6 (now Act 309 of 2021), a bill prohibiting abortion, by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville). It’s important for Arkan- sans to understand what this good law does. Here’s everything you need to know to explain S.B. 6 to your friends in 60 seconds or less: 1. S.B. 6 prohibits abortions in Arkansas, except in cases of medical emergency when the mother’s life is at risk. Family Council President Jerry Cox 2. It applies to all forms of abortion—both surgical abortion and chemical abortions that use the RU-486 regimen. 3. S.B. 6 does not contain exceptions for rape or incest. Part of the reason for that is that placing those exceptions in this particular law could make the law more difficult to defend in court. 4. It contains an exemption clarifying that it does not affect contraceptives—including emergency contraceptives like the morning-after pill. 5. If enforced, S.B. 6 will save approximately 3,000 unborn children from abortion every year. 6. If challenged by the ACLU, S.B. 6 will give our federal courts an opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade and other pro- abortion decisions. Policy Points: Arkansas Just Banned Abortion. Now What? By David Cox, Assistant Director On Monday, February 22, 2021, the to explain, Judge Baker has presided over nearly every Arkansas Senate passed S.B. 6 by abortion-related lawsuit in Arkansas for the past several Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and years even though the judges for these cases are chosen Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville). It at random. If the past is any indicator of the future, Judge prohibits abortion in Arkansas. Ten Baker will issue a temporary restraining order blocking the days later on March 3 the Arkansas state from enforcing Act 309. Then she will follow up within House passed it. In all, 103 out of two weeks with a preliminary injunction against Act 309. Arkansas’ 135 state legislators voted Again, if the past is any indicator, Arkansas Attorney Gen- to ban abortion. Arkansas Gov- eral Leslie Rutledge will appeal Judge Baker’s pro-abortion ernor Asa Hutchinson has signed ruling to the Eighth Circuit of Appeals, where a three-judge Assistant Director S.B. 6 into law, making it Act 309 of David Cox panel might disagree with Judge Baker’s decision to block 2021. What happens now? the law—or at least disagree with her reasons for doing There are a few things we can expect. For starters, the bill so. Regardless of the decision, the case could go all the won’t officially take effect until 90 days after the legisla- way to the full Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and even ture adjourns—which will be sometime this summer. If the the U.S. Supreme Court. Altogether, this process could ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and the abortionists in Little take anywhere from 18–36 months or more. Along the way, Rock choose not to file a lawsuit against Act 309, abor- Arkansas will elect a new Attorney General in 2022 due to tion will be illegal in Arkansas except in cases of medical term limits, and it’s going to be really important that the emergency when the mother’s life is at risk. S.B. 6 will save new A.G. be fully committed to defending Act 309 in court. approximately 3,000 unborn children from abortion every Even though this process is going to take the next several single year. months or years, at the end of it we almost certainly will have court decisions that we can use to pass even better If pro-abortion groups decide to challenge the law—which pro-life laws that will save unborn babies from abortion— seems likely—then they probably will file a federal lawsuit. and we just might overturn Roe v. Wade along the way. That The lawsuit most likely will go to U.S. District Judge Kris- ought to be encouraging to every pro-lifer in Arkansas. tine Baker’s court; for reasons that nobody has been able FC_April_21_update_letter.indd 2 3/18/21 7:45 PM Here’s How Your State Legislators Voted on S.B. 6, the Bill to Prohibit Abortion If your state senator and state representative voted for S.B. 6, the bill to end abortion in Arkansas, please be sure to thank them for being pro-life. Below is a breakdown of all 135 votes on S.B. 6—now Act 309 of 2021. The Following State Representatives Voted FOR S.B. 6 Rep. Sonia Barker (R - District 7) Rep. Brian Evans (R - District 43) Rep. Ron McNair (R - District 98) Rep. Howard Beaty (R - District 9) Rep. Charlene Fite (R - District 80) Rep. Stephen Meeks (R - District 67) Rep. Rick Beck (R - District 65) Rep. Lanny Fite (R - District 23) Rep. Josh Miller (R - District 66) Rep. Mary Bentley (R - District 73) Rep. Jack Fortner (R - District 99) Rep. Jon Milligan (R - District 53) Rep. Mark Berry (R - District 82) Rep. Tony Furman (R - District 28) Rep. John Payton (R - District 64) Rep. Stan Berry (R - District 68) Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R - District 57) Rep. Clint Penzo (R - District 88) Rep. Justin Boyd (R - District 77) Rep. Justin Gonzales (R - District 19) Rep.