GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

It’s time for common sense gun laws that reflect the views of Arkansans and not the gun-manufacturing lobby. We need evidence-based changes to our gun laws that will save lives. For instance, gun violence and domestic abuse are often intertwined. Access to a gun makes it 5 times more likely that an abuser will kill a female victim and the victims of such violence are disproportionately women of color. 

That’s why Rep. Clowney introduced HB1655 to keep guns out of the hands of those convicted of domestic violence. The bill had bipartisan support, as well as the support of domestic violence prevention advocates, prosecutors, and law enforcement.

Renters’ rights

Every Arkansan deserves a safe home. Yet, Arkansas continues to trail the rest of the country in providing safe homes for renters. For instance, nobody should be forced to stay in a rental where their abuser can easily find them, simply because they can’t afford to pay an early-termination penalty. 

That’s why Rep. Clowney filed HB1538, which would have amended landlord-tenant law to allow survivors of a recent documented history of domestic abuse to break their leases early without penalty. 

Juvenile Justice

As a lawyer, Rep. Clowney worked at a nonprofit law firm that represented children, including those in the juvenile justice system. She saw firsthand how inequities in the juvenile system created lifelong problems for children who found themselves in trouble at a young age, particularly children of color, with disabilities, or from low-income families. Protecting the rights of juveniles and their families in the justice system is a priority for Rep. Clowney. 

That’s why Rep. Clowney filed HB1756 to require parental consent before juveniles waive their right to counsel. The bill had broad support including that of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, defense attorneys, and judges.

FIRST RESPONDERS

Our state government must protect those who protect us when we need it most. That’s why Rep. Clowney filed HB1773, “Crump’s Law,” which created 6 months of sick leave for firefighters with occupational cancer. The bill was signed into law on April 12, 2019. 

After meeting Jessica Crump, whose husband Nathaniel died from colon cancer at age 30, Rep. Clowney learned about the link between certain kinds of cancers and fighting fires. Firefighters across Arkansas were battling these cancers and were quickly exhausting their sick leave. This meant that instead of spending this valuable time recovering or being with their loved ones in their final days, they were going back to work in their sickest days to provide for their families. Now, they won’t have to make that impossible choice.

Workers

When workers can’t do their jobs because their jobs have left them disabled, they should have access to full retirement benefits. Through her work with firefighters, Rep. Clowney learned of another gap in Arkansas’s law: firefighters were provided for if they died from occupational cancer, but not if they were disabled by such a cancer, and thus forced to retire early. 

That’s why Rep. Clowney filed HB1345 to expand disability retirement benefits to firefighters who retire early due to occupational cancer. This bill was signed into law on April 11, 2019.