Debate in Arkansas over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

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Debate over responses to coronavirus pandemic

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Topics
Elections • Protests • Religious service restrictions • School closures • State lockdowns • Testing

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Arguments by topic
Testing • Mask requirements • School closures • Travel restrictions • Lockdown/stay-at-home orders • Expansion of absentee/mail-in voting • Religious service restrictions

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Debate by state
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

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Related coronavirus coverage
Changes to elections • Federal responses • State responses

Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America's political and civic life. In addition to monitoring federal, state, and local responses to the coronavirus, we are also capturing the nationwide and local debates on whether to extend or lift coronavirus-related restrictions affecting the economy, schools, government operations, public health, religious services, and travel.

These arguments come from a variety of sources, including public officials, journalists, think tanks, economists, scientists, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to share the debates happening in your local community to editor@ballotpedia.org.

This article covers the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in Arkansas in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You will find the following:

* Debate over the stay-at-home order
* Debate over abortion
* Debate over school closures
* Debate over religious service restrictions
* Debate over election policy
* Links to coverage of responses to the coronavirus in Arkansas

## Contents

* 1 Debate over stay-at-home orders in Arkansas
* 2 Debate over abortion in Arkansas
* 3 Debate over school closures in Arkansas
* 4 Debate over religious service restrictions in Arkansas
* 5 Debate over election policy in Arkansas
* 6 Responses to the coronavirus in Arkansas
* 7 General resources
* 8 See also
* 9 Footnotes

## Debate over stay-at-home orders in Arkansas[edit]

See also: Debate over stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the stay-at-home order in Arkansas.

* Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) (CNN): "We want to take the long-term approach to this and you're not going to win simply by a lockdown. We have masks and social distancing and the people of Arkansas have embraced that. That gives you success. If we need to do more, we will do more." - "Arkansas governor defends no stay-at-home statewide order as 'successful'," April 12, 2020.

* State Rep. Denise Garner (D) (Baxter Bulletin): "We need to act decisively now, so that we can minimize the duration and long-term impact of this virus. While our efforts so far have made some difference and have been well intentioned, it’s clear that far too many people are disregarding guidance to stay home and avoid crowds. Arkansas needs to focus on shutting down all but essential activities, providing food and economic support to people for the duration of the crisis, and then on rebuilding and restarting our economy. With each day we delay, we are making our own crisis worse." - "Arkansas Governor: State does not need coronavirus stay-at-home order," April 2, 2020.

## Debate over abortion in Arkansas[edit]

See also: Debate over abortion during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders regarding the operation of abortion clinics and the performing of abortions amid the coronavirus pandemic in Arkansas.

On April 3, 2020, the Arkansas Department of Health published a directive ordering medical procedures to be postponed unless necessary to prevent death, permanent physical damage, or disease advancement. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) said the order applies to "any type of abortion that is not immediately medically necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother."

The ACLU and Little Rock Family Planning Services filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas on April 13, 2020. On April 14, 2020, federal judge Kristine Baker temporarily blocked the Arkansas Department of Health order. Baker wrote that plaintiffs "are likely to prevail on their argument that the Challenged Provisions unconstitutionally restrict pre-viability abortions and, therefore, are facially unconstitutional."[1]

* Lawyers for the ACLU and Arkansas abortion providers (CNN): On April 27, 2020, the Arkansas Department of Health released a directive requiring those seeking elective medical procedures, including abortions, to obtain at least one negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to the procedure. Arkansas abortion providers and the American Civil Liberties Union sued state officials, arguing that the directive prohibits women seeking abortions from exercising their constitutional rights to abortion.

"Delaying abortion care across the board for a COVID-19 test is especially unwarranted in view of Arkansas's otherwise permissive approach to letting individuals mix and mingle in restaurants and gyms without negative COVID tests. For women who cannot obtain access to COVID-19 NAAT testing within 48-hours of their procedures, the Directive entirely bars them from exercising their constitutional right to receive pre-viability abortion care in Arkansas." - "ACLU and abortion providers sue Arkansas over order requiring negative Covid-19 test before elective medical procedures," May 1, 2020.

* Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge Communications Director Amanda Priest (CNN): "[Attorney General Rutledge] stands ready to defend the Arkansas Health Department's directive which provides reasonable standards to implement surgical abortions and other medically elective procedures." - "ACLU and abortion providers sue Arkansas over order requiring negative Covid-19 test before elective medical procedures," May 1, 2020.

* Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge Communications Director Amanda Priest (KTBS): "Attorney General Rutledge is extremely disappointed in today’s decision to blatantly disregard good public health guidelines and temporarily halt the Health Department’s directive without allowing the State to be heard." - "Federal judge blocks Arkansas surgical abortion virus ban," April 14, 2020.

* Holly Dickson, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas (KTBS): "The state’s action had nothing to do with public health, and everything to do with politicians using the pandemic as an excuse to violate the constitution and further their extreme agenda." - "Federal judge blocks Arkansas surgical abortion virus ban," April 14, 2020.

## Debate over school closures in Arkansas[edit]

See also: Debate over school closures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on school closures in Arkansas.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.

## Debate over religious service restrictions in Arkansas[edit]

See also: Debate over religious service restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on religious service restrictions in Arkansas.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.

## Debate over election policy in Arkansas[edit]

See also: Debate over election policies and procedures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on election policies in Arkansas.

* John Thurston, AR Secretary of State (Arkansas Democrat Gazette): Arkansas residents sued the state to uphold no-excuse absentee voting. Secretary of State John Thurston declined.

"Given where we are at with the COVID-19 pandemic, those county officials have conveyed to my office that they feel the current voting system will be adequate in November. Our office will continue to work with each county to provide supplies and resources to ensure that the upcoming Presidential election is safe and secure." - "Mail-in voting focus of suit filed in state," June 24, 2020.

## Responses to the coronavirus in Arkansas[edit]

See also: Government responses to and political effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 (Arkansas)

Click the links below for more on responses to the coronavirus pandemic in Arkansas.

* Changes to election dates and procedures
* Statewide stay-at-home order
* Statewide travel restrictions
* Executive orders
* Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus
* Enacted legislation
* Legislative session changes
* School closures
* Court closures
* Prison inmate release responses
* Rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies

## General resources[edit]

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
* National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
* Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
* U.S. Department of Education
* World Health Organization
* Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State/Territory
* Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations, Our World in Data (Number of vaccines administered)
* Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, New York Times (Progress of vaccine trials)

## See also[edit]

* Ballotpedia: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
* State government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
* Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021
* Changes to ballot measure campaigns, procedures, and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2022
* Ballotpedia's elections calendar

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ ACLU, "TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER IN LITTLE ROCK FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES ET AL V. RUTLEDGE ET AL," accessed April 21, 2020

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Political responses to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020-2021

Overviews|

Overview • Changes to election dates and procedures • Ballotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemic • Resources for citizens • Terms and definitions

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Federal policy responses • State government responses • Local government responses • Diagnosed or quarantined incumbents, candidates, and officials • State legislative session changes • State legislative responses • State executive orders •  Eviction and foreclosure policies • Travel restrictions • School responses (2021-2022) • School responses (2020-2021) • School responses (2019-2020) • State court closures • Stay-at-home order status • States that issued stay-at-home orders • States that did not issue stay-at-home orders • Changes to ballot measure campaigns and policies • Changes to vote-by-mail and absentee voting procedures • Initial key federal official responses • Arguments in support of and opposition to government responses • Lawsuits • Multistate agreements • Non-governmental plans to reopen • Unemployment filings • Analysis articles • Paycheck Protection Program • Mask requirements • School budget changes • State budgets • Federal definitions of essential and nonessential businesses • Federal aid to states • Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program • State emergency power authority • Changes to state emergency power authority • Municipal emergency power authority • Halloween guidelines • Vaccine distribution plans • State plans to end federal unemployment • Changes to emergency power laws • Active COVID-19 emergency orders • State vaccine requirement (vaccine passport) policies • Recalls related to the pandemic • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on school responses to the coronavirus • State employee vaccine requirements • Healthcare worker vaccine requirements

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Coronavirus debate topics|

Elections • Protests • Religious service restrictions • School closures  • State lockdown

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Coronavirus debate by state|

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