ARKANSAS ARKANSAS. Defending Life 2012 RANKING: 5

Transcription

1 603 ARKANSAS RANKING: 5 Arkansas has made great strides in prtecting wmen frm the harms f abrtin, requiring nt nly basic infrmed cnsent but als requiring the prvisin f infrmatin n fetal pain and ultrasund availability. Arkansas is als ne f nly a small number f states that has banned human clning fr all purpses. Hwever, the state maintains n laws regulating destructive embry research r prtecting healthcare wrkers wh cnscientiusly bject t participating in such research. ABORTION: Arkansas s plicy, as explained in Amendment 68, 2 t the state cnstitutin, is t prtect the life f every unbrn child frm cnceptin until birth, t the extent permitted by the Federal Cnstitutin. Arkansas requires that, 24 hurs prir t an abrtin, a physician prvide a wman with infrmatin abut the risks f abrtin, the risks f cntinued pregnancy, and the prbable gestatinal age f her unbrn child. Further, state-prepared materials must be made available t her. These materials include pictures r drawings f the prbable anatmical and physilgical characteristics f the unbrn child at tw-week gestatinal increments and a list f private and public agencies prviding cunseling and alternatives t abrtin. The state requires that wmen cnsidering abrtin receive infrmatin abut fetal pain. Arkansas requires that abrtin prviders ffer a wman the pprtunity t see the ultrasund image if ultrasund is used in the preparatin fr the abrtin. A wman must als be infrmed that a spuse, byfriend, parent, friend, r ther persn cannt frce her t have an abrtin. The Arkansas Cnstitutin prvides that n public funds will be used t pay fr any abrtin, except t save the mther s life. Hwever, Arkansas fllws the federal standard fr Medicaid funding fr abrtins, nly permitting the use f federal r state matching Medicaid funds fr abrtins necessary t preserve the life f the wman r when the pregnancy is the result f rape r incest. The state prhibits the use f public funds fr abrtins, abrtin referrals, r the pur- ARKANSAS Defending Life 2012

2 604 chase r dispensing f abrtin-inducing drugs in public schls. Arkansas s cmprehensive abrtin clinic regulatins apply t any facility in which the primary functin is the willful terminatin f pregnancy. The regulatins prescribe minimum health and safety standards fr the building r facility, staffing, and clinic administratin. All facilities perfrming 10 r mre abrtins each mnth must be licensed by the Department f Health. Only a persn licensed t practice medicine in the state f Arkansas may perfrm an abrtin. Abrtin prviders must maintain admitting privileges. Arkansas pssesses an enfrceable abrtin prhibitin shuld the U.S. Cnstitutin be amended r certain U.S. Supreme Curt decisins be reversed r mdified. Arkansas prhibits partial-birth abrtin. Hspitals must prvide sexual assault victims with infrmatin abut emergency cntraceptin. Hwever, an individual prvider may assert bjectins based n religius r mral beliefs. Arkansas has implemented a Chse Life license plate prgram, directing the prceeds t rganizatins prviding abrtin alternatives. Hspitals must prvide sexual assault victims with infrmatin abut emergency cntraceptin. Hwever, an individual prvider may assert bjectins based n religius r mral beliefs. The state has an enfrceable abrtin reprting law, but des nt require the reprting f infrmatin t the Centers fr Disease Cntrl (CDC). The measure pertains t bth surgical and nnsurgical abrtins and requires abrtin prviders t reprt shrt-term cmplicatins. Arkansas requires insurance cmpanies and emplyers prviding prescriptin cverage als prvide cverage fr cntraceptin. Cverage f emergency cntraceptin is specifically excluded. The state prvides an exemptin t emplyers r insurers with a cnscientius bjectin t cntraceptives. Americans United fr Life

3 605 LEGAL RECOGNITION OF UNBORN AND NEWLY BORN: Under Arkansas law, the killing f an unbrn child after 12 weeks f gestatin is defined as a frm f hmicide. The state als criminalizes nnfatal assaults n the unbrn. Arkansas allws parents and ther relatives t bring wrngful death (civil) lawsuits when a viable unbrn child is killed thrugh the negligence r criminal act f anther. Under the Child Maltreatment Act, neglect includes prenatal drug use that causes the child t be brn with an illegal substance in his r her system r a drug-related health prblem. Mrever, such test results may be used as evidence f neglect in subsequent prceedings. Arkansas requires healthcare prviders t reprt the birth f an infant with fetal alchl syndrme t the state. Arkansas allws a wman wh lses a child after 20 weeks gestatin t seek a certificate f birth resulting in stillbirth, which is filed with the state registrar. BIOETHICS LAWS: Arkansas bans bth clning-t-prduce-children and clning-fr-bimedical-research. The state maintains n laws regarding destructive embry research r egg harvesting. Mrever, the state s fetal experimentatin statute nly prhibits research n a fetus brn alive thereby allwing research n a fetus brn dead (i.e., abrted) with the permissin f the mther. The state s Newbrn Umbilical Crd Initiative Act establishes a netwrk f pstnatal tissue and fluid banks fr the purpse f cllecting and string pstnatal tissue and fluid. Arkansas mandates that artificial inseminatin prcedures be dne by a physician, thereby regulating assisted reprductive technlgies t sme degree. END OF LIFE LAWS: Assisted suicide is a felny in Arkansas. ARKANSAS Defending Life 2012

4 606 HEALTHCARE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE LAWS: Participatin in Abrtin: Arkansas law prtects healthcare prviders wh cnscientiusly bject t participating in abrtins. Under the law, healthcare prviders cannt be subject t civil liability r ther recriminatry actin fr their refusal t participate in abrtins. In additin, n hspital is required t permit an abrtin within its facility. Arkansas prvides sme prtectin fr the civil rights f pharmacists and pharmacies. Participatin in Research Harmful t Human Life: Arkansas currently prvides n prtectin fr the rights f healthcare prviders wh cnscientiusly bject t participatin in human clning, destructive embry research, r ther frms f immral medical research. WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011: Arkansas enacted a prhibitin n the use f public funds fr abrtins, abrtin referrals, r the purchase r dispensing f abrtin-inducing drugs in public schls. T better prtect wmen, Arkansas enacted a bill requiring that all facilities perfrming 10 r mre abrtins each mnth be licensed by the Department f Health. The state als cnsidered a cmprehensive ban n abrtin, as well as a ban n abrtins at r after 20 weeks n the basis f pain experienced by unbrn children, a measure aimed at regulating the use f abrtin-inducing drugs like RU-486, a measure strengthening existing infrmed cnsent requirements, legislatin limiting insurance cverage f abrtin, and a measure prhibiting abrtins in state-wned healthcare facilities. The state cnsidered legislatin criminalizing assaults n pregnant wmen and/r prviding enhanced penalties fr such actins. Arkansas enacted a measure clarifying a law prviding that insurance plicies shall cver services and prcedures perfrmed at a medical facility licensed r certified by the Department f Health r anther state health department and that cnfrm t Americans United fr Life

5 607 the guidelines and minimum standards f the American Cllege f Obstetricians and Gyneclgists fr IVF clinics r the American Sciety fr Reprductive Medicine fr prgrams f IVF. The state cnsidered a measure relating t advanced planning (healthcare) dcuments. Arkansas cnsidered cmprehensive healthcare rights f cnscience legislatin. Americans United fr Life

6 608 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ARKANSAS TOP PRIORITIES: Abrtin-Mandate Opt-Out Act Abrtin Subsidy Prhibitin Act Wmen s Health Prtectin Act Abrtin-Inducing Drugs Safety Act Child Prtectin Act Crimes Against the Unbrn Child Act (t prtect children frm cnceptin) OTHER PRIORITIES: Abrtin Jint Reslutin Cmmending Pregnancy Centers Legal Recgnitin and Prtectin fr the Unbrn: Unbrn Wrngful Death Act (fr pre-viable child) Brn-Alive Infant Prtectin Act Statutry prhibitin n wrngful life lawsuits Biethics: Prhibitin n Public Funding f Human Clning and Destructive Embry Research Act Healthcare Freedm f Cnscience: Healthcare Freedm f Cnscience Act Americans United fr Life