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Arkansas lawmaker wants to stop patients from crossing state lines for abortions

Sen. Jason Rapert and the National Association of Christian Lawmakers have begun working on legislation that would ban people crossing state lines for abortions.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — State Senator Jason Rapert is among of a group of lawmakers who are moving forward with the intent to pass laws that would stop people from crossing state lines to get abortions.

The latest plan to further restrict abortions following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court has gained momentum among anti-abortion groups, according to a report by The Washington Post.

One of those groups is the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, which is led by Rapert and other Republican lawmakers. The group is working on legislation that would ban people from crossing state lines in order to get an abortion.

Rapert told the Post he may present this legislation in a special session that is planned for later this year.

“Many of us have supported legislation to stop human trafficking,” Rapert told the Post. “So why is there a pass on people trafficking women in order to make money off of aborting their babies?”

In the landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a concurring opinion noted that laws that ban people from traveling for abortions would likely fail "based on the constitutional right to interstate travel."

It remains to be seen if the proposal will receive support in the Arkansas legislature, but at least one other Arkansas senator indicated support to the Post.

Arkansas was one of several states that banned nearly all abortions due to a trigger law once Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Governor Asa Hutchinson indicated on CBS Mornings on Friday he would not sign a bill that bans people from interstate travel to get an abortion procedure.

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