Ark. Senate Advances 20-Week Abortion Ban, House Panel Rejects Fetal Heartbeat Bill
February 19, 2013 — The Arkansas Senate on Monday voted 25-7 to approve a bill (HB 1037) that would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, Reuters reports. The House previously approved the measure. Currently, abortion is illegal after 25 weeks in Arkansas, according to Reuters (Parker, Reuters, 2/18).
Before a Senate committee vote last week, the bill's sponsor -- state Rep. Andy Mayberry (R) -- added exceptions in cases of rape and incest, which helped convince an additional senator on the panel to support it (Goins, KARK/Ozarks First, 2/14).
The measure now returns to the House for consideration of the changes.
Gov. Mike Beebe (D) has not indicated whether he would sign the bill (Reuters, 2/18).
AT-A-GLANCE
Issues
State by State
ABOUT REPRO WATCH
Repro Health Watch — an exciting new edition of the Women’s Health Policy Report — compiles and distributes media coverage of proposed and enacted state laws and ballot initiatives affecting women's access to comprehensive reproductive health care, as well as litigation in response to those provisions.
