Arkansas Abortion Amendment

July 8, 2024

WE DID IT!

THE ARKANSAS ABORTION AMENDMENT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE ARKANSANS WHO SIGNED THE PETITIONS!

OVER 100,000 ARKANSANS SIGNED THE PETITION!

IT’S ON! Enough signatures collected to put abortion rights on Arkansas ballot

They did it. They did it on a shoestring budget, with no organizational support from national groups. Just Arkansas women with clipboards, hustling.

With 100,000 signatures in hand and more still being counted, backers of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment say they’ve got the numbers they need to put reproductive rights on the November ballot. And so far 53 counties reached the qualifying minimum, more than the state’s required 50.

Arkansans for Limited Government, the group behind the Arkansas Abortion Amendment, will turn in petitions at the Arkansas Capitol today.

Today we celebrate America’s 248th birthday

July 4, 2024

Today we celebrate America’s 248th birthday. I know there are many of us who wonder what our 250th celebration will be like. I saw a post on social media this morning that is stuck in my head as I write this. The post was questioning what other rights will be taken away from us. And it stood out to me because, when I think of America, I try to remember that we still have one very significant blessing - the promise of freedom.

This has always been a privilege we have as Americans. July 4th was deemed Independence Day because people were willing to die so that others could live in a free country. But while we sit in the comfort of their victory, we can easily lose sight of the work that needs to be done to maintain that promise of freedom. There are still battles to be fought. That’s evident in the efforts of volunteers who are out there today canvassing to get some of our freedoms back. Some things are worth fighting for. Our rights, our freedom, our goal of achieving equality, the privilege of being able to pursue happiness… these things have significant meaning for us.

We are blessed to be living in a flawed country with more freedom than a lot of people will ever know. But we can’t continue to sit comfortably in the victory of the revolutionaries before us. We have to work to maintain the freedom we have been given. But we have to fight to achieve the freedoms that have been alluding us for 248 years.

Amie Gates

"The point in history at which we stand is full of promise and danger. The world will either move forward toward unity and widely shared prosperity - or it will move apart."

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Russellville Pride Festival

June 29, 2024

Last night’s Russellville Pride festival was a huge success. We estimate over 300 people in attendance during the 3 hour event. Thank you to everyone who came to our city’s first ever Pride festival!!!! It was a beautiful experience for those of us in the LGBTQIA+ community, and our allies and families.

We had our only meeting to organize the event on the previous Friday afternoon. Given that we had a week to pull it together, and we had such a high attendance, Russellville was clearly ready for a Pride festival. Quite a few expressed to me how thankful they were for it throughout the evening. The laughter and smiles from everyone made it a very memorable night. 🏳️‍🌈

We will have all SIX petitions available to read and sign.

June 20, 2024

*Arkansas Abortion Amendment

*Medical Marijuana Amendment

*both FOIA petitions

*Educational Rights Amendment

*Pink Sales Tax elimination

11am - 3pm in the RVAC parking lot, Russellville, AR

Juneteenth Celebration

June 15, 2024

We will be at the Juneteenth celebration today with petitions. You will find us in Downtown Russellville by the lodge from 3-10(?)pm. Some of you have mentioned wanting to read the text of the amendments. The text of each one is available to read at every event. This is your chance to read them while celebrating the full emancipation of black folks from slavery, AND hopefully supporting some locally owned businesses.

A picture of me and two of the protestors at the Depot the other night

June 15, 2024

A picture of me and two of the protestors at the Depot the other night. I have had a few conversations with them, mostly the gentleman on the left, about a variety of topics. I shared this pic to show that we may disagree on one key topic, but we can still maintain civil discourse. And that there are several things we agree on... It takes a special kind of swimmer to do the buttterfly stroke well. Sometimes it sucks going to the dentist. Arkansas summers are crazy hot. We agree that the Ozarks are beautiful. We agree that human life is valuable. And with our presence at these events, we show that we agree everyone has a right to use their voice.

I asked them if we could take a selfie, and they immediately agreed. They asked if the flier was ok in the pic, and I agreed... of course, I knew I would be adding the text of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment in the post 😉 ... and yes, they were aware this picture was going on my campaign Facebook, and that I wasn’t going to be mean or nasty.

The Arkansas Abortion Amendment Text

1. The government of the State of Arkansas, its officers, or its political subdivisions shall not prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion services (A) in cases of rape, (B) in cases of incest, (C) in the event of a fatal fetal anomaly, or (D) when, in a physician’s good-faith medical judgment, abortion services are needed to protect a pregnant female’s life or to protect a pregnant female from a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury.

2. The government of the State of Arkansas, its officers, or its political subdivisions shall not prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion services within 18 weeks of fertilization.

3. Definitions:

A. “Fatal fetal anomaly” means a medical condition diagnosed before birth that, in the physician’s good-faith medical judgment, will lead to fetal or neonatal death for which life-saving medical intervention would be futile.

B. “Physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury” includes, without limitation, a life-endangering physical disorder, physical illness or physical injury caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself and any situation in which continuation of a pregnancy will create a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function of a pregnant female.

(i) “Major bodily function” includes, without limitation, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, and digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions; and operation of an individual organ within a body system.

C. “Fertilization” means the fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum.

D. “Abortion services” are medical interventions provided to pregnant females to end the medical condition of pregnancy but do not include accidental or unintentional injury or death of an embryo or fetus prior to birth. Abortion services assisted by a physician may be provided in a hospital, emergency department, physician’s office or clinic, surgery center, free-standing birthing center, or other licensed healthcare facility.

4. Amendment 68 of the Arkansas Constitution shall be amended as follows: “Section 2: Public Policy: The policy of Arkansas is to protect the life of every unborn child from conception until birth, to the extent permitted by the Federal Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas.”

5. All provisions of the Constitution, statutes, and common law of this State to the extent inconsistent or in conflict with any provision of this Amendment are expressly declared null and void.

6. This Amendment shall be self-executing. Any provision of this Amendment held invalid shall be severable from the remaining portions of this Amendment.

Vote Blue in November

June 6, 2024

Vote Blue in November. We*ve seen what our current legislators are doing for Arkansans in terms of housing and wages... NOTHING! The status quo isn’t working for the majority of Arkansans. 💙

The LEARNS Act and Public Education

January 14, 2024

The LEARNS Act as it stands, will be devastating to our public-school economy and the lives of a multitude of Arkansas residents. The LEARNS Act has been touted proudly by current Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, who also made statements in support of the recent changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. The current edition of the LEARNS Act will only benefit a specific small group of upper-income families.

I will work toward an overhaul of the current LEARNS Bill to make it more equitable for everyone, not just the children lucky enough to attend charter schools. All government-funded educational systems need to be held to the same accountability and certification requirements. Children who attend public schools deserve the same quality of education as everyone who attends private and/or semi-private schools.

A Commitment to Creating A Brighter Future

January 1, 2024

Look Beyond the Doorstep

I have been a Democrat long before I was old enough to vote. Just like any relationship, we do not agree on every detail of everything. We can connect in our core values, and that’s essential to a healthy long-standing relationship. Democrats have the ability to look at the world beyond their own doorstep to recognize that we need to work towards what benefits our society over what benefits individuals. The current Arkansas legislature does not appear to operate within this principle.