LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas’ top health official on Thursday encouraged a Little Rock abortion clinic to stop seeing out-of-state patients during the coronavirus outbreak but stopped short of ordering the facility to halt abortions.Health Secretary Dr. Nathaniel Smith said officials investigated the Little Rock Family Planning Services, the state’s only surgical abortion provider. Arkansas has ordered medical providers to reschedule elective procedures that can be “safely postponed” because of the outbreak, but has not said whether that restricts or bans abortion in the state.”We have found a significant portion of the patients were coming from surrounding states and have advised them to discourage that,” Smith told reporters. He said the state would consider further directives if the clinic doesn’t follow its advice.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which represents the clinic, has said the facility has modified its practices in response to the state’s directives but did not say whether that means the facility has stopped performing abortions for out-of-state patients.
Other states, including neighboring Texas and Oklahoma, have moved to ban or restrict abortions using similar orders.
THREE MORE DEATHS
Health officials said the number of coronavirus cases in Arkansas has risen to at least 1,119, up from 1,071 the night before.
Three more people have died from the virus, bringing the state’s total deaths to 21. Smith said two of the deaths were in their 60s, while the other was in their 70s.
EASING ABSENTEE RULES REJECTED
Arkansas lawmakers rejected an effort to allow voters this fall to cast an absentee ballot without an excuse because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Joint Budget Committee voted down the proposal, which would have waived state law that only allows absentee ballots due to illness, physical disability or the voter being unavoidably absent. The proposal would have waived the requirement through the end of this year.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson had waived the requirement for the state’s primary runoff last month. Arkansas does not have a statewide election until the November general election.
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