# Arkansas SB591: TO PROHIBIT RACE-SELECTION ABORTION IN THIS STATE; AND TO CREATE THE RACE DISCRIMINATION BY ABORTION PROHIBITION ACT. Arkansas SB591, TO PROHIBIT RACE-SELECTION ABORTION IN THIS STATE; AND TO CREATE THE RACE DISCRIMINATION BY ABORTION PROHIBITION ACT., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Clint Penzo (Republican), Karilyn Brown (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-23 (Notification that SB591 is now Act 973) (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB591-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB591 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO PROHIBIT RACE-SELECTION ABORTION IN THIS STATE; AND TO CREATE THE RACE DISCRIMINATION BY ABORTION PROHIBITION ACT. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-03-31 - Last action: 2025-04-23, Notification that SB591 is now Act 973 - Sponsors: Clint Penzo (Republican), Karilyn Brown (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (107 yes, 32 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Women gain abortion-case liability and privacy protections: benefit, low. A woman who receives or tries to receive a prohibited abortion cannot be prosecuted or held criminally or civilly liable under this law. She also gets crime-victim rights, protections, and notices in related cases. Her identity stays confidential in civil cases unless she consents to disclosure. Sp… - Providers face race-selection abortion limits: cost, low. Providers cannot intentionally perform or attempt an abortion they know is sought solely because of the unborn child's race. Before any abortion, providers must ask whether the woman knows that race and explain the ban if she does. They must request records covering her entire pregnancy history and… - Abortion violations bring penalties and damages: mixed, low. Knowingly performing or attempting a prohibited abortion is a Class A misdemeanor, and violating providers face license suspension or revocation. A woman who received a prohibited abortion without being told about the ban may sue for a reckless violation. A parent or guardian may also sue for a min… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Clint Penzo (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Karilyn Brown (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-16 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 12:35:12 PM | pass | 63 | 17 | 4 | | 2025-04-09 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 9:54:14 PM | pass | 29 | 6 | | | 2025-04-08 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, April 8, 2025 6:24:03 PM | pass | 15 | 9 | 4 | ## Actions (22) - 2025-04-23: Notification that SB591 is now Act 973 (Senate) - 2025-04-16: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-04-16: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-15: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-04-10: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-04-10: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-04-09: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Rules suspended. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Rules suspended. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Motion to Expunge the Vote by which SB591 failed. Motion Carried. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Read the third time and failed. (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB591 - Introduced, 2025-03-31: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB591.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=973.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [SB591 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB591.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=973.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills) - [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB591-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).