The annual rally for reproductive rights will be held on the Capitol steps from 1 to 3 p.m. today.

More information at this link.

These are difficult times in Arkansas, not only for abortion rights but also for family planning and women’s health services generally. The state’s top legal official, a woman, seeks to give corporations the power to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage for employees. The governor and legislature want to close the doors on a major provider of women’s health services.

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Coming at the next regular legislative session will be a bill to outlaw the safest form of abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy., dilation and excavation. For political purposes, the anti-abortion lobby has dubbed this a “dismemberment.” A wave of such legislation has been introduced around the country. And, this week, such legislation was ruled unconstitutional by a Kansas court.

The state of Arkansas publicized last week’s anti-abortion rally at the Capitol by sending a propaganda news release to all state employees who work at the Capitol complex. It claimed it was providing a service to people who might work on the weekend and find some accustomed parking places taken and that the propaganda news release was distributed merely to provide information about the event. A state spokesman said there was no need to publicize the pro-choice event because attendance would be smaller.

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