House Public Health Votes Against Good Pro-Life Legislation

Yesterday, the Arkansas House Public Health Committee voted down a bill that would have prohibited abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy.

HB1887, also known as the “fetal pain” bill strongly supported by Arkansas Right to Life, by Rep. Mayberry would have prevented unborn children from being aborted after the 20th week of pregnancy, except to save the life of the mother or prevent irreparable physical harm.

By the 20th week, an unborn child can feel pain—and abortion is believed by many experts to be an excruciatingly painful process for the child. This bill would have prevented the unnecessary and cruel killing of these unborn children, but it was stopped by the House Public Health Committee.

The bill received 9 votes. If it had received just 2 more, it would have passed. Below is a breakdown of the vote. Please call those committee members who did not vote or voted against the bill, and ask them to support the remaining pro-life bills pending before their committee. And don’t forget you can talk to these committee members in person if you join us at the Capitol on Tuesday morning for an emergency Pro-Life Day at the Capitol.

Present, But Did Not Vote

Tyler, Linda S. (D-45) Phone: 501-329-8644
Smith, Garry L. (D-7) Phone: 870-574-1792
Wagner, Charolette (D-77) Phone: 870-561-4600
Word, James L. (D-16) Phone: 870-543-6391

Voted Against the Bill

Leding, Greg (D-92) Phone: 479-422-8099
Perry, Mark (D-44) Phone: 501-982-4561
Lovell, Buddy (D-56) Phone: 870-358-4104

Voted For the Bill

Gaskill, Billy W. (D-78) Phone: 870-239-4383
Wardlaw, Jeff (D-8) Phone: 870-226-9501
Lampkin, Sheilla E. (D-10) Phone: 870-723-6449
Hyde, Barry (D-40) Phone: 501-371-0255
King, Bryan B. (R-91) Phone: 870-438-4565
Lea, Andrea (R-68) Phone: 479-967-4922
Malone, Stephanie (R-64) Phone: 479-452-4554
Mayberry, Andy (R-27) Phone: 501-888-3522
Woods, Jon (R-93) Phone: 479-200-3100

Not Present for the Vote

Allen, Fred (D-33) Phone: 501-225-4979
Hall, Clark (D-13) Phone: 870-829-3382
Pennartz, Tracy (D-65) Phone: 479-285-4800
Wilkins, Butch (D-74) Phone: 870-972-5503

This is why citizens need to come to the Capitol on Tuesday. Some representatives on the House Public Health Committee are willing to take a stand on pro-life issues, but if two or three more don’t join them, the Arkansas Legislature won’t pass a single pro-life bill this session.

Please come to the Capitol on Tuesday from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, and talk to the representatives on the committee about how important this legislation is to you. Ask them to support every pro-life bill left pending before their committee.