'Social transition' bill pulled amid First Amendment concerns

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A bill that would open up liability to Arkansans who assist in someone's "social transition" was pulled following debate in committee.

The bill to create “The Vulnerable Youth Protection Act” would give broad litigation rights to people seeking to sue those who provide minors with gender-affirming care. A person could seek up to $10 million in punitive damages for 15 years against anyone who assists in social transitioning. The bill would expand previous legislation making it easier to sue doctors who participate in the medical transition of a minor.

The bill met pushback in a meeting of the House Judiciary committee Tuesday over its definition of “social transitioning” as “changes in clothing, pronouns, hairstyle, and name,” meaning a person could possibly sue their barber or person who calls them by a nickname.

'Social transition' bill pulled amid First Amendment concerns

Michael Hibblen/Little Rock Public Radio

Steps leading up to the Arkansas Senate chamber in the state Capitol.

Arkansas committee approves amended bill to hold libraries accountable for ‘obscene’ material

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

A proposed Arkansas law that would open the door to criminal liability for the distribution of “obscene” content by school and public libraries passed a legislative panel and will go to the House floor after being amended.

Senate Bill 81 would add the loaning of library materials to the statute governing the possession and distribution of obscene material. Arkansas’ definition of obscenity is “that to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest,” with prurient meaning overtly sexual.

The bill would remove schools and public libraries from the part of Arkansas law that exempts them from prosecution “for disseminating a writing, film, slide, drawing, or other visual reproduction that is claimed to be obscene.”

Arkansas Legislature

The House Judiciary Committee discusses Senate Bill 81 on March 9, 2023.

Arkansas ‘Stand Your Ground’ Bill Fails in House Committee; Floor Move Expected

by Marine Glisovic (msglisovic@sbgtv.com)

Following a more than three-hour long debate, members of the House Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday (Feb. 2) against SB 24 – a proposal to end the duty to retreat when using physical or deadly force.

Despite the bill failing to get out of committee, its lead sponsor, Sen. Bob Ballinger, R-Oark, said he’s “confident it becomes law.”

The House co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Clarksville, said he plans to ask the full House to extract the bill out of committee as early as Wednesday, potentially bringing it to a vote on the House floor.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/02/arkansas-stand-your-ground-bill-fails-in-house-committee-floor-move-expected/