Deakins said the Arkansas legislature’s passing of Act 392 affirmed the right for municipalities to voice their opinions through resolutions on pro-life issues. The act, passed earlier in 2021, allowed municipal governments to declare themselves “pro-life.”
“I feel it’s our turn to make our voices heard at local levels,” he said.
During the committee meeting, two people sitting in the public section were thrown out for disrupting the meeting. The chair of the committee, JP Sam Duncan threatened to clear the room if the disruptions continued.
Deakins called the Washington County region “blessed,” noting the large number of nonprofits and volunteers available to help pregnant women. He said he will continue to highlight and promote these organizations in the coming weeks.
In an attempt to halt the resolution, JP Evelyn Rios Stafford – who identifies as a transgender woman – raised a motion to table the ordinance until a financial impact analysis could be done on the resolution; Stafford did not receive any support on the motion.
Stafford also unsuccessfully attempted to halt it by proposing amendments to the resolution. The amendments would have stated the county’s policy of providing sex education, as well as “widely available access to all forms of contraception, universal healthcare, affordable childcare support services, and a living wage.”
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