I mentioned further news developments in the campaign to beat the initiated act that would make it harder to adopt and find foster parents, proposed Initiated Act 1.
It’s a statement from a list of distinguished retired judges, including three former chief justices of the Supreme Court, who say the proposed legislation would present new obstacles for judges who handle these difficult cases.
Statement in Opposition to Proposed Initiated Act 1
“By narrowing the qualifications required of people who seek to adopt children or to act as foster parents, proposed Initiated Act No. 1 would limit the ability of every Arkansas judge to choose custodial parents who would serve the best interests of vulnerable children. The choices available to neglected and abused children and to the judges who must find homes for them are already tragically limited by the children’s circumstances. Instead of imposing a blanket rule that would apply to every case, the needs of these children, and the best means of satisfying their needs, should be left to elected judges to decide case-by-case. Any step, such as that proposed in Initiated Act. No. 1, to limit further the options for stable homes for these children would do them grave injustice. It is in the best interests of these children that Initiated Act. No. 1 be defeated.”
· W.H. “Dub” Arnold, retired Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas
· Tom Glaze, retired Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas
· Steele Hays, retired Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas
· Jack Holt, Jr., retired Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas
· Bradley D. Jesson, former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas
· Robin L. Mays, retired Chancery Judge
· Olly Neal, retired Judge, Arkansas Court of Appeals
· David Newbern, retired Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas
· John Plegge, retired Circuit Judge
· Andree Roaf, retired Judge, Arkansas Court of Appeals
· Judith W. Rogers, retired Judge, Arkansas Court of Appeals
· Edward Thomas Smitherman, retired Circuit Judge
· John F. Stroud, retired Judge, Arkansas Court of Appeals