ACLU of Arkansas Statement on Gov. Hutchinson Signing 18-Week Abortion Ban

LITTLE ROCK – The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas issued the following statement on HB 1439, which was signed into law by Gov. Asa Hutchinson today.

“Once again Arkansas politicians have put their own ideological agenda ahead of women’s health and safety,” said Rita Sklar, ACLU of Arkansas executive director. “This bill is a dangerously extreme attack on abortion access and another heavy-handed government intrusion into a woman’s personal medical decisions. The Supreme Court has been clear: important medical decisions should be made by women and their doctors – not dictated by politicians or government bureaucrats. We’ve successfully challenged these kinds of unconstitutional abortion bans before – and we’re fully prepared to do so again. Governor Hutchinson: we’ll see you in court.”

Federal courts struck down Arkansas’ 12-week abortion ban that was passed in 2013. In Mississippi, a federal court has preliminarily enjoined a 15-week abortion ban. In 2013, the Supreme Court refused to review a decision permanently blocking Arizona’s ban on abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy.