Status: Highly Restrictive (first state to ban youth healthcare)
| Category | Status | Law/Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Ban | 🔴 ENACTED | HB 1570 / Act 626 (2021) |
| Sports Ban | 🔴 ENACTED | SB 354 / Act 461 (2021) |
| Bathroom Restrictions | 🔴 ENACTED | HB 1156 (2023) |
| ID Restrictions | Limited | |
| Shield Law | 🔴 None |
Trans Youth Affected: ~2,400 (Williams Institute estimate)
Full Title: TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS SAVE ADOLESCENTS FROM EXPERIMENTATION (SAFE) ACT.
Historical Significance: First state in the US to pass a law banning gender-affirming healthcare for minors. Governor Asa Hutchinson vetoed the bill, but the legislature overrode his veto.
Lead Sponsor:
Other Primary Sponsor:
Cosponsors (64 total):
House Members (45):
Barker, Bentley, Brown, Bryant, Cavenaugh, Cloud, Coleman, C. Cooper, Cozart, Crawford, Dalby, Dotson, C. Fite, Furman, Gazaway, Gonzales, M. Gray, Haak, Hollowell, Ladyman, Lowery, Lynch, J. Mayberry, McGrew, McNair, S. Meeks, Miller, Payton, Penzo, Pilkington, Ray, Richmond, Slape, B. Smith, Speaks, Tollett, Tosh, Underwood, Vaught, Warren, Watson, Wing, Bragg, Hillman, Wooten
Senate Members (19):
B. Ballinger, Beckham, Bledsoe, B. Davis, J. English, Gilmore, K. Hammer, Hill, Irvin, B. Johnson, M. Johnson, Rapert, Rice, G. Stubblefield, D. Wallace, D. Sullivan, Hester, T. Garner
| Date | Chamber | Action | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25, 2021 | House | Filed | Bill History |
| Feb 25, 2021 | House | Referred to Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee | |
| Mar 2, 2021 | House | Amendment No. 1 adopted, bill engrossed | |
| Mar 8, 2021 | House | Amendment No. 2 adopted, bill engrossed | |
| Mar 9, 2021 | House | Committee: Do Pass | Video |
| Mar 10, 2021 | House | Passed 70-22-8 | House Votes |
| Mar 10, 2021 | Senate | Received, referred to Public Health, Welfare and Labor | |
| Mar 22, 2021 | Senate | Committee: Do Pass | Video |
| Mar 29, 2021 | Senate | Passed 28-7 | Senate Votes |
| Mar 30, 2021 | Transmitted to Governor | ||
| Apr 5, 2021 | Governor | VETOED by Gov. Hutchinson | |
| Apr 6, 2021 | House | Veto Override Passed | House Votes |
| Apr 6, 2021 | Senate | Veto Override Passed | Senate Votes |
| Apr 6, 2021 | Transmitted to Governor's Office as Act 626 | ||
| Apr 13, 2021 | Notification that HB1570 is now Act 626 |
House Initial Passage (March 10, 2021)
Barker, Beatty Jr., Beck, Bentley, M. Berry, S. Berry, Boyd, Bragg, Breaux, Brooks, Brown, Bryant, Carr, Cavenaugh, Cloud, Coleman, C. Cooper, Cozart, Crawford, M. Davis, Deffenbaugh, Dotson, Eaves, Eubanks, Evans, C. Fite, L. Fite, Fortner, Furman, Gazaway, Gonzales, M. Gray, Haak, Hillman, Holcomb, Hollowell, Jean, Ladyman, Lowery, Lundstrum, Lynch, Maddox, J. Mayberry, McClure, McCollum, M. McElroy, McGrew, McKenzie, McNair, S. Meeks, Miller, Milligan, Payton, Penzo, Pilkington, Ray, Richmond, Rye, Slape, B. Smith, Speaks, Tollett, Tosh, Underwood, Wardlaw, Warren, Watson, Wing, Womack, Wooten
F. Allen, Clowney, A. Collins, Ennett, D. Ferguson, K. Ferguson, V. Flowers, D. Garner, Godfrey, Hawks, M. Hodges, Hudson, L. Johnson, Love, Magie, McCullough, Nicks, Perry, Richardson, Scott, Springer, D. Whitaker
Christiansen, Dalby, Fielding, Jett, Murdock, S. Smith, Vaught, Mr. Speaker (Shepherd)
House Veto Override (April 6, 2021)
Senate Veto Override (April 6, 2021)
| Chamber | No. | Sponsor | Date | Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | H1 | Lundstrum | Mar 1, 2021 | |
| House | H2 | Lundstrum | Mar 4, 2021 |
On April 5, 2021, Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) vetoed HB 1570. In his veto statement, Hutchinson cited concerns about government overreach in medical decisions between parents, children, and doctors.
The legislature overrode his veto the following day, making Arkansas the first state to enact such a ban.
Brandt v. Rutledge → Brandt v. Griffin
Lead Sponsor: Senator Missy Irvin (R-18)
| Name | Party | Chamber | District | Key Bills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Lundstrum | R | House | 21 | HB 1570 (SAFE Act) — Primary Author |
| Missy Irvin | R | Senate | 18 | SB 354 (sports ban) |
| Jason Rapert | R | Senate | 35 | Multiple anti-LGBTQ bills |
| Asa Hutchinson | R | Governor | — | VETOED HB 1570 (overridden) |
Governor Asa Hutchinson was the only Republican governor to veto an anti-trans healthcare bill. The legislature overrode his veto, but his veto statement acknowledged concerns about government overreach in medical decisions.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 25, 2021 | SB 354 (sports ban) becomes Act 461 | Legislature |
| Apr 5, 2021 | Governor Hutchinson vetoes HB 1570 | |
| Apr 6, 2021 | Legislature overrides veto, HB 1570 becomes Act 626 | Vote Records |
| May 2021 | ACLU files Brandt v. Rutledge | ACLU |
| July 2021 | Preliminary injunction blocks HB 1570 | |
| 2023 | District court finds law unconstitutional |
All legislative information sourced from official Arkansas Legislature records:
Last updated: March 31, 2026