Tornadoes Kill Dozens In US
The worst swarm of tornadoes in years devastated Kentucky and five other U.S. states, killing at least scores of people and leaving a trail of destruction, authorities said.
Arkansas
Arkansas Lawmaker to Introduce Pro-Life Heartbeat Bill, Like the Texas Law
Arkansas State Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) is preparing to introduce a pro-life heartbeat bill, like the new Texas law, when the Arkansas General Assembly meets in a special session on Monday, Oct. 25.
Record number of pro-life laws passed in 2021
This year has seen 106 new pro-life laws passed, a record which overtook the previous record of 100 anti-abortion laws passed in 1973, The 19th reports. The 2021 laws were passed by 19 states, with twelve of the new acts incorporating some kind of total ban on abortion, The 19th said.
Texas doctor sued for violating state’s new “heartbeat” law
In what will be a test case to assess the legality of Texas’ new law banning abortion after six weeks, a doctor in San Antonio has become the first person to be sued for violating the legislation, the Guardian reports. After publicly stating he had violated the law by carrying out a first-trimester abortion on September 6, Dr. Alan Braid received notification he is being sued by two former lawyers in Arkansas and Illinois respectively.
20 states sue Biden administration over gender identity-sexual orientation rules
Twenty states have filed suit against the Biden administration to block what they say are unconstitutional new laws on sex and gender discrimination in schools, Just the News (JN) reports. In January this year, President Biden issued an executive order to “prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.”
Arkansas Attorney General: Teaching Critical Race Theory violates state and federal law
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said on Monday that teaching Critical Race Theory in public schools and universities violates both state and federal law.
U.S. President Joe Biden To Address Nation Over Afghanistan
U.S. President Joe Biden was to return to the White House on Monday to deliver long-delayed remarks on Afghanistan, the White House said.
Federal judge blocks Arkansas law banning transgender surgery/hormones for minors; 17 Republican states join
At the request of the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of families of transgender youth, on Wednesday a federal court in Arkansas blocked a new state law that would ban transgender surgery and hormones for minors under the age of 18, the Washington Times reports. Seventeen Republican states joined with Arkansas in defending the law, which would have gone into effect on July 28.
Federal judge blocks Arkansas law that would ban almost all abortion
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked an Arkansas law that would ban all abortions except when the woman’s life is in danger, the Washington Examiner reports.
Arkansas: Activists hang giant ‘God bless Abortions’ banner over 65ft Christ of the Ozarks statue
On Thursday night, members of an activist group called Indecline entered property belonging to the Great Passion Play theater organization in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and draped a 45-foot banner reading “God Bless Abortions” over the 65-foot tall Christ of the Ozarks statue installed there. According to Great Passion Play, the activists risked their lives to hang the giant banner up, and the lives of those who then took the banner down, the Christian Post reports.
US States pass record number of Pro-Life bills in 2021
States in the US have enacted a record total of 90 pro-life laws in the first half of this year alone, already more than the previous record of 89 in the whole of 2011, the Guttmacher Institute said in a July 1 report. The laws have been enacted in the face of US Supreme Court rulings that women can choose to have an abortion before fetal viability.
California bars state-funded travel to 5 more states over LGBT laws; 17 now banned
California added Florida, Arkansas, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia to its list of states banned from state-funded, state-sponsored travel due to a wave recently passed legislation that California Democrats deems “discriminatory” toward LGBT individuals.
30 states move to bar transgender youth from competing in female sports
Conservative lawmakers in over thirty US states have introduced legislation to prohibit transgender youth from competing in female sports, the American Family Association reports.
Record-breaking 536 abortion restrictions introduced since January
According to data supplied by the Guttmacher Institute, this year has so far already seen an unprecedented 536 abortion restrictions introduced across 46 states. Sixty-one of these restrictions have become law across 13 states.
Arkansas House Passes Bill to Protect Teachers Who Refuse to Use Transgender Students’ Preferred Names, Pronouns
On Thursday, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill that will protect teachers from repercussions if they are unwilling to use a transgender student’s preferred name or pronouns.
Arkansas House votes to override governor’s veto of bill preventing use of surgeries and hormones on ‘trans children’
Arkansas lawmakers voted on Tuesday to override Governor Asa Hutchinson’s veto of HB-1570, also called the Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act, 40/29 News reports.
Arkansas GOP Gov. Hutchinson vetoes anti transgender health care bill
Arkansas GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed a bill Monday that would have made the state the first in the nation to restrict gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.
Arkansas gov. signs law to protect the religious conscience of healthcare providers
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed legislation Friday to provide conscience protections for the religious objections of healthcare providers, payers and institutions.
New Arkansas Law Protects Religious Rights of Doctors
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a bill Friday protecting the right of medical practitioners to refuse to perform medical activities that would violate their religious or moral objections.
Arkansas gov. signs bill banning trans-identified males from competing in girls’ sports
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has signed a bill into law that bans biological males from competing in sports designated for women or girls.