Rep. John Payton (R – Wilburn) and Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) have filed H.B. 1160 eliminating the tax on used cars sold for less than $7,500.
In two years, the bill would expand to apply to used cars sold for less than $10,000.
This is a good bill. It changes state law so that people won’t have to pay sales tax if they spend less than $7,500 on a used car. That’s going to help a lot of families get a reliable vehicle without breaking the bank.
Family Council has worked on this issue for over a decade.
The used car tax hurts Arkansas’ poor and middle class families. A lot of folks can barely scrape together a few thousand dollars to buy a used car. They can’t afford to pay the state on top of that.
Single moms who need a reliable vehicle shouldn’t be penalized for buying a used car. H.B. 1160 gives families some relief.
This is commonsense legislation that’s going to help a lot of families, and it won’t cost the State very much in tax revenue.
The Arkansas Legislature is convening this week, and Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R – Rogers) and Rep. Joe Cloud (R – Russellville) have filed S.B. 85 amending Arkansas’ law concerning ultrasounds before abortion.
Currently, Arkansas law requires abortionists to perform an ultrasound and offer to show the ultrasound to the mother.
S.B. 85 changes the law by requiring abortionists to show the ultrasound of the unborn baby to the pregnant woman; if the woman doesn’t want to see the ultrasound images, she can look away.
The bill also requires the abortionist to explain the ultrasound images to the pregnant woman. The bill contains exceptions for abortions performed due to medical emergencies.
Former abortionist Bernard Nathanson is credited with observing that, “Fewer women would have abortions if wombs had windows.” That’s exactly what an ultrasound image is.
Research indicates that some women are less likely to have an abortion once they see an ultrasound image of their unborn child.
That means pro-life bills like S.B. 85 can help further decrease the number of abortions in Arkansas.
A number of bills have been pre-filed ahead of the 2021 legislative session in Arkansas.
Here are a few of the bills that Family Council is watching.
Good Bills Filed
S.B. 6 (Prohibiting Abortion): This good bill by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Mary Bentley (R – Perryville) prohibits abortion in Arkansas, except in cases when the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Family Council fully supports this good bill. Read The Bill Here.
Bad Bills Filed
S.B. 3 (Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation): This bad bill by Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) and Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) enacts hate crimes legislation by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against certain protected classes of people listed in the bill. The bill is virtually identical to H.B. 1020. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 20 years, and we oppose this bill as well. Read The Bill Here.
H.B. 1020 (Enacting Hate Crimes Legislation): This bad bill by Rep. Fred Love (D – Little Rock) and Sen. Jim Hendren (R – Gravette) enacts hate crimes legislation by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against certain protected classes of people listed in the bill. The bill is virtually identical to S.B. 3. Family Council has opposed hate crimes legislation for more than 20 years, and we oppose this bill as well. Read The Bill Here.
H.B. 1069 (Contraceptives): This bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Clarksville) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) lets pharmacists dispense oral contraceptives to women without a prescription from a doctor. Oral contraceptives carry a number of health risks — which is why women currently need a prescription from a doctor — and they can cause the death of an unborn child by preventing the unborn child from implanting and growing inside the mother’s womb. Family Council opposes H.B. 1069. Read The Bill Here.
Other Bills We’re Watching
H.B. 1066 (Alcohol): This bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Clarksville) would let microbrewery operators ship beer directly to private residences anywhere in the state of Arkansas or to residences in other states that allow direct shipment of alcohol. Read The Bill Here.
S.B. 32 (Alcohol): This bill by Sen. Jane English (R – North Little Rock) and Rep. Karilyn Brown (R – Sherwood) would let retail liquor permitholders — such as liquor stores — deliver alcoholic beverages to private residences in the county where the store is located. Read The Bill Here.
