State House 69
1. Abortion: The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization abortion decision.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Undecided
I preface all of my answers by saying that it is my belief that an elected representative can have his/her/their own opinions on various issues and, at the same time, should ALWAYS actively engage his/her/their willing constituents in dialogue to figure out how specific pieces of legislation will affect the public education, health, safety, and welfare for the public good. Without a specific piece of legislation in front of me and without the opportunity to engage constituents, I am only left with my own opinion which, I believe, is not much.
I have read the opinion in its entirety and have concluded that the U.S. Supreme Court rested on a “states’ rights” resolution that empowers the people to choose whether or not the medical procedure known as abortion would continue to be a right available to the women in each state. As a proponent of direct democracy, I support this and I would like to see the legislatures, the governors, the courts, and the special interests stand down and completely move out of the way and give the people the opportunity to make that decision at the ballot box.
I preface all of my answers by saying that it is my belief that an elected representative can have his/her/their own opinions on various issues and, at the same time, should ALWAYS actively engage his/her/their willing constituents in dialogue to figure out how specific pieces of legislation will affect the public education, health, safety, and welfare for the public good. Without a specific piece of legislation in front of me and without the opportunity to engage constituents, I am only left with my own opinion which, I believe, is not much.
I have read the opinion in its entirety and have concluded that the U.S. Supreme Court rested on a “states’ rights” resolution that empowers the people to choose whether or not the medical procedure known as abortion would continue to be a right available to the women in each state. As a proponent of direct democracy, I support this and I would like to see the legislatures, the governors, the courts, and the special interests stand down and completely move out of the way and give the people the opportunity to make that decision at the ballot box.
David Ray (Republican)
Support
Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. There is no constitutional right to an abortion, as this issue is not mentioned anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. It is a political issue that should be subject to the states and the Congress.
Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. There is no constitutional right to an abortion, as this issue is not mentioned anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. It is a political issue that should be subject to the states and the Congress.
2. Abortion: Arkansas' current law that prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Undecided
Under Arkansas law, the medical procedure known as abortion is not found in Subtitle 2 (Offenses Against the Person) of the Criminal Code, but instead in Subtitle 6 (Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare) which is where public vices like intoxication, prostitution, obscenity, etc. are located. So, the gravity of its legality, where compared to offenses like, murder, rape, etc., seems, from its placement in the Criminal Code, to be of a lesser evil and classified more as a temperance or prohibition offense than an actual crime.
Beyond this, as a man who does not feel that his opinion in this matter should be given the same or greater weight than a woman’s, I have not really ever formed a belief as to whether or not abortion should be legal. I have, instead, read the current law to see what it says: The Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act of 2021 says that an abortion is legal under seven different scenarios, five of which do not include “life of the mother cases.” (The Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act of 2021 also compares unborn children to formerly enslaved Africans in America, which I find to be very odd and interesting at the same time.)
Under Arkansas law, the medical procedure known as abortion is not found in Subtitle 2 (Offenses Against the Person) of the Criminal Code, but instead in Subtitle 6 (Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare) which is where public vices like intoxication, prostitution, obscenity, etc. are located. So, the gravity of its legality, where compared to offenses like, murder, rape, etc., seems, from its placement in the Criminal Code, to be of a lesser evil and classified more as a temperance or prohibition offense than an actual crime.
Beyond this, as a man who does not feel that his opinion in this matter should be given the same or greater weight than a woman’s, I have not really ever formed a belief as to whether or not abortion should be legal. I have, instead, read the current law to see what it says: The Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act of 2021 says that an abortion is legal under seven different scenarios, five of which do not include “life of the mother cases.” (The Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act of 2021 also compares unborn children to formerly enslaved Africans in America, which I find to be very odd and interesting at the same time.)
David Ray (Republican)
Support
I am proud to have maintained a 100% pro-life voting record in the Arkansas House of Representatives.
I am proud to have maintained a 100% pro-life voting record in the Arkansas House of Representatives.
3. Education: The 2023 LEARNS Act passed by the Arkansas Legislature that makes comprehensive changes to Arkansas' education laws.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Undecided
The 2023 LEARNS Act was a 144-page special interest omnibus bill. I personally believe that most people who claim to either SUPPORT it or OPPOSE it have not actually taken the time to thoroughly read it. It also has some meaningful provisions in it that will provide some citizens benefit. However, those good things are greatly overshadowed by a lot of things that are harmful to various segments of the population, particularly rural communities like the ones that I intend to represent once elected.
Additionally, the manner in which the LEARNS Act became law demonstrates the absolute worse example of legislating public policy. It was drafted in secret outside of Arkansas and outside the normal legislative process with very little transparency, very little factual data to justify it, and absolutely no substantive input from the citizens that would be mostly affected by its passage.
The 2023 LEARNS Act was a 144-page special interest omnibus bill. I personally believe that most people who claim to either SUPPORT it or OPPOSE it have not actually taken the time to thoroughly read it. It also has some meaningful provisions in it that will provide some citizens benefit. However, those good things are greatly overshadowed by a lot of things that are harmful to various segments of the population, particularly rural communities like the ones that I intend to represent once elected.
Additionally, the manner in which the LEARNS Act became law demonstrates the absolute worse example of legislating public policy. It was drafted in secret outside of Arkansas and outside the normal legislative process with very little transparency, very little factual data to justify it, and absolutely no substantive input from the citizens that would be mostly affected by its passage.
David Ray (Republican)
Support
I was proud to co-sponsor the LEARNS Act, which included historic teacher pay raises as well as a landmark expansion of educational freedom and parental rights for Arkansas families.
I was proud to co-sponsor the LEARNS Act, which included historic teacher pay raises as well as a landmark expansion of educational freedom and parental rights for Arkansas families.
4. Marijuana: Legalizing recreational marijuana.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Support
Cannabis is found in Schedule VI of the Arkansas Controlled Substance List, which is the lowest classification available. Medical marijuana is already legal, but is controlled by a very small and elite class of profiteers. Hopefully, legalizing marijuana will democratize the legal cannabis trade so that, at minimum, those that have their lives turned upside down by the criminal legal system due to its criminalization can reap some benefit from its legalization. Also, I believe that it is completely unfair that there are still citizens incarcerated, on probation and on parole for non-violent drug charges due solely to marijuana consumption when so-called “medical marijuana” is now a constitutional right.
Cannabis is found in Schedule VI of the Arkansas Controlled Substance List, which is the lowest classification available. Medical marijuana is already legal, but is controlled by a very small and elite class of profiteers. Hopefully, legalizing marijuana will democratize the legal cannabis trade so that, at minimum, those that have their lives turned upside down by the criminal legal system due to its criminalization can reap some benefit from its legalization. Also, I believe that it is completely unfair that there are still citizens incarcerated, on probation and on parole for non-violent drug charges due solely to marijuana consumption when so-called “medical marijuana” is now a constitutional right.
5. Guns: Banning firearms that are commonly known as "assault weapons."
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Undecided
As a gun owner several times over who believes that there is a way to balance public safety and gun rights, I envision being an active participant in the discussions and debates that will figure this out. I am a former Tactical EMT who has owned an “assault weapon.” But, I had only ever used it in the course of work-related training. I also know that the historical significance of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is rooted in the institution of chattel slavery and was a means to quell rebellions from indentured and enslaved persons (i.e., poor white and black people). So, I do not know how relevant that argument is today from a constitutional originalist perspective. I do believe that we as Arkansans really need to grow up and figure this out together.
As a gun owner several times over who believes that there is a way to balance public safety and gun rights, I envision being an active participant in the discussions and debates that will figure this out. I am a former Tactical EMT who has owned an “assault weapon.” But, I had only ever used it in the course of work-related training. I also know that the historical significance of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is rooted in the institution of chattel slavery and was a means to quell rebellions from indentured and enslaved persons (i.e., poor white and black people). So, I do not know how relevant that argument is today from a constitutional originalist perspective. I do believe that we as Arkansans really need to grow up and figure this out together.
David Ray (Republican)
Oppose
I am a life member of the NRA as well as a member of Gun Owners of America. I am a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment.
I am a life member of the NRA as well as a member of Gun Owners of America. I am a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment.
6. Gender-Identity: Prohibiting minors from receiving puberty blockers, hormones, or surgery for the purpose of gender transition.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Undecided
As a strong advocate of parental rights, I am extremely hesitant to create, out of thin air, a state interest that encroaches upon such. Also, I am not interested in selectively encroaching upon the rights of a statistically very small percentage of parents using legislative violence to unnecessarily control patient care decisions without any sound medical reason to do so.
As a strong advocate of parental rights, I am extremely hesitant to create, out of thin air, a state interest that encroaches upon such. Also, I am not interested in selectively encroaching upon the rights of a statistically very small percentage of parents using legislative violence to unnecessarily control patient care decisions without any sound medical reason to do so.
David Ray (Republican)
Support
I was a co-sponsor of Arkansas's SAFE Act. Children should not be subjected to life-altering and irreversible medical procedures such as sex change operations, administering cross-sex hormones, or non-medically necessary puberty blockers.
I was a co-sponsor of Arkansas's SAFE Act. Children should not be subjected to life-altering and irreversible medical procedures such as sex change operations, administering cross-sex hormones, or non-medically necessary puberty blockers.
7. COVID-19: Allowing state government to close private businesses during a health emergency.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Undecided
This is one issue on this list where I have a working grasp of the pros and cons in order to have a halfway decent conversation on the topic at hand. Not only am I a trained (former) member of both the public health and emergency management communities, but I am also vaccine-hesitant. So, any opinion that I pontificate on this subject will be totally situational.
This is one issue on this list where I have a working grasp of the pros and cons in order to have a halfway decent conversation on the topic at hand. Not only am I a trained (former) member of both the public health and emergency management communities, but I am also vaccine-hesitant. So, any opinion that I pontificate on this subject will be totally situational.
8. Nursing Homes: Letting nursing home residents voluntarily place cameras in their own rooms to enable their family members to see and hear them.
9. Freedom of Information: Further amending the Freedom of Information Act to prevent disclosure of deliberative documents such as government memos and letters, as discussed in the special legislative session of 2023.
Kwami Abdul-Bey (Democrat)
Oppose
The campaign to gut Arkansas' FOIA law in the extraordinary session of 2023 was a very sad time in Arkansas. I am a supporter of the act and amendment that will undo the harm caused during the extraordinary session of 2023, while also strengthening our current FOIA law.
The campaign to gut Arkansas' FOIA law in the extraordinary session of 2023 was a very sad time in Arkansas. I am a supporter of the act and amendment that will undo the harm caused during the extraordinary session of 2023, while also strengthening our current FOIA law.
David Ray (Republican)
Support
Freedom of Information laws are a valuable tool to ensure that citizens know about the operations of their government. But when circumstances warrant, we should update our laws to help account for people who abuse our open records laws and mitigate some of the negative externalities associated with that -- such as exorbitant costs to taxpayers, commercialization of our open record laws, impossible response times for voluminous requests, and crippling inefficiencies in state government. Arkansas policy can modernize our laws while also preserving robust transparency that citizens value and deserve.
Freedom of Information laws are a valuable tool to ensure that citizens know about the operations of their government. But when circumstances warrant, we should update our laws to help account for people who abuse our open records laws and mitigate some of the negative externalities associated with that -- such as exorbitant costs to taxpayers, commercialization of our open record laws, impossible response times for voluminous requests, and crippling inefficiencies in state government. Arkansas policy can modernize our laws while also preserving robust transparency that citizens value and deserve.