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Senate committee advances measure to ban abortion except to save the mother's life after contested testimony
Summary
Sen. Rapert presented SB 6, the "Unborn Child Protection Act," to prohibit abortion in Arkansas except to save the mother's life; legal counsel argued the law would prompt Supreme Court review. The committee passed SB 6 by voice vote after time-limited public testimony both for and against.
The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 6, the "Unborn Child Protection Act," after sponsor Senator Rapert and legal counsel described the measure as a state ban on abortion except to save the life of the mother and urged the committee to advance the bill to press the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit Roe v. Wade.
Senator Rapert framed the bill as rooted in changed scientific and social circumstances since 1973 and cited endorsements and prior state laws. He said the Department of Health reported 2,963 abortions in Arkansas in 2019 and stated that nearly 62,000,000 abortions have occurred in the U.S. since 1973. "It's time for the United States Supreme Court to redress…
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