Pro-life advocates in Arkansas are celebrating after the state ranked number one on the Americans United for Life (AUL) list for 2021.
AUL’s Life List, which is determined annually, ranks each state on where it stands with laws and policies that protect human life from conception to natural death.
Arkansas rose to the top as more pro-life laws protecting the unborn were passed. Since 2019, the state enacted 10 pro-life laws that the US Supreme Court’s ruled on and signed into law.
AUL President & CEO, Catherine Glenn Foster made the announcement Wednesday during a news conference in Little Rock.
“Every year the team at Americans United for Life ranks all 50 states on how welcoming and protective they are to all human life,” Foster said. “For 2021, I couldn’t be more proud to announce that Americans United for Life has ranked the great state of Arkansas as the most pro-life state in our union!”
CBN News previously reported that a federal judge blocked three abortion restrictions from taking effect in Arkansas, including one that an official with Arkansas’ only surgical abortion clinic said would force the facility to close.
That law required doctors performing abortions to be board-certified or board-eligible in obstetrics and gynecology.
And a judge blocked two other abortion restriction laws that were to go into effect, one banning late-term abortions. The other prohibited doctors from performing the procedure if it’s solely being sought because the fetus was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge tweeted, “Arkansas has been named the Most Pro-Life State in the Nation by @AUL! It’s an incredible day in the State and it is the most important fight we could take on and WIN!”
Arkansas has been named the Most Pro-Life State in the Nation by @AUL! It’s an incredible day in the State and it is the most important fight we could take on and WIN! @AR_RTL pic.twitter.com/zAKNLcpT2u
— Leslie Rutledge (@AGRutledge) December 16, 2020
States that made the top ten include:
1. Arkansas
2. Louisiana
3. Oklahoma
4. Mississippi
5. Indiana
6. Kansas
7. Arizona
8. Missouri
9. South Dakota
10. Idaho
Arkansas is number 1!
CONGRATULATIONS to all of the amazing pro-life advocates in Arkansas! pic.twitter.com/k4y3VxLsDt
— Americans United for Life (@AUL) December 16, 2020
Additionally, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected a request by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for a hearing before the court concerning four pro-life laws the Arkansas Legislature approved in 2017.
Since the Eighth Circuit denied ACLU’s appeal, the laws could take effect at the end of this month. ACLU has indicated that it will seek further litigation against the four laws.
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