Calls for Special Session in Arkansas without Rutledge interference

CONWAY, Ark. – Arkansas Lieutenant Governor candidate and State Senator Jason Rapert today released the following statement after the Texas Supreme Court ruled against a challenge by abortion providers to a Texas law providing a civil cause of action against those performing or facilitating abortions after six weeks of pregnancy:
 
“This is a win for the Pro-Life movement in the United States. I ask Governor Hutchinson when he will call a special session to consider an abortion ban with the civil cause of action and save Arkansas babies.  I also challenge Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to refrain from using her office and staff lawyers like she did last month to interfere and block passage of the most successful tool saving babies that exists in the United States today.
 
“It is high time our state enacts its own civil cause of action abortion law to save the lives of future Arkansans and prevent the Natural State from becoming an abortion destination state.  I congratulate my friends in the Texas legislature who took language from the Arkansas Heartbeat Act and added the civil cause of action to protect it from activist judges and save thousands of babies’ lives since it became law.”
 
On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that state officials have no enforcement authority over Senate Bill 8, the Texas law banning abortion and including a civil cause of action.  The ruling “effectively” ends challenges to the law according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. 

###