Signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits public and open-enrollment public charter schools from entering into any type of transaction with any person or entity who performs, induces, or provides abortions.

Highlights:

• Defines "abortion" as the act of using or prescribing an instrument, medicine, drug, device, or other substance or means with the intent to terminate the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a woman with knowledge that the termination by those means will with reasonable likelihood cause the death of the unborn child (Sec. 1-1.A).

• Defines "transaction" as a formal or informal agreement, contract, or arrangement of any kind between a public school or open- enrollment public charter school and a private entity, regardless of whether the private entity or the public school or open-enrollment public charter school receives anything of value in return (Sec. 1-4).

• Classifies an action is not an abortion if the action taken is performed with the intent to (Sec. 1-1.B):

• Save the life of the mother;

• Save the life or preserve the health of the unborn child;

• Remove a dead unborn child caused by spontaneous abortion; or

• Remove an ectopic pregnancy.

• Prohibits a public school or open-enrollment public charter school from knowingly entering into any type of transaction with an individual or entity that (Sec. 1-6-18-2203):

• Performs abortions;

• Induces abortions; or

• Provides abortions.

• Requires each public school and open-enrollment public charter school to promulgate policies for the implementation of this subchapter and the rules promulgated by the division (Sec. 1-6-18-2204.b).

• Requires a public school or an open-enrollment public charter school that knowingly violates this law to, at the direction of the division or the State Board of Education, appear before the state board to determine (Sec. 1-6-18-2204.c):

• Why this law and division rules were violated; and

• How to prevent the violation of this law and division rules in the future.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits public and open-enrollment public charter schools from entering into any type of transaction with any person or entity who performs, induces, or provides abortions.

Highlights:

• Defines "abortion" as the act of using or prescribing an instrument, medicine, drug, device, or other substance or means with the intent to terminate the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a woman with knowledge that the termination by those means will with reasonable likelihood cause the death of the unborn child (Sec. 1-1.A).

• Defines "transaction" as a formal or informal agreement, contract, or arrangement of any kind between a public school or open- enrollment public charter school and a private entity, regardless of whether the private entity or the public school or open-enrollment public charter school receives anything of value in return (Sec. 1-4).

• Classifies an action is not an abortion if the action taken is performed with the intent to (Sec. 1-1.B):

• Save the life of the mother;

• Save the life or preserve the health of the unborn child;

• Remove a dead unborn child caused by spontaneous abortion; or

• Remove an ectopic pregnancy.

• Prohibits a public school or open-enrollment public charter school from knowingly entering into any type of transaction with an individual or entity that (Sec. 1-6-18-2203):

• Performs abortions;

• Induces abortions; or

• Provides abortions.

• Requires each public school and open-enrollment public charter school to promulgate policies for the implementation of this subchapter and the rules promulgated by the division (Sec. 1-6-18-2204.b).

• Requires a public school or an open-enrollment public charter school that knowingly violates this law to, at the direction of the division or the State Board of Education, appear before the state board to determine (Sec. 1-6-18-2204.c):

• Why this law and division rules were violated; and

• How to prevent the violation of this law and division rules in the future.

Full Bill Text