Jim Hendren (I-AR), Arkansas State Senator and nephew of Governor Asa Hutchinson has come out in defense of his uncle’s veto of the SAFE Act, the bill banning child gender mutilation in Arkansas which became law on Tuesday after the legislature overrode the governor’s veto.
Hendren, a former Republican RINO who left the Republican Party in February, warned on Twitter he would make a motion to Adjourn Sine Die, a motion to adjourn the entire 2021 session with no plan to reconvene, if the Senate made a motion to override his uncle’s veto of the bill.
Maybe when they make motion to override, I’ll make a substitute motion to #SineDieAlready #arleg https://t.co/Zu9PW8oJv5
— Jim Hendren (@JimHendren1) April 5, 2021
Hendren, who opposed the bill from the beginning, said in a statement that the law was “bad policy” which is “addressing a problem that’s better addressed by parents with their physicians and their children.”
Governor Hutchinson seemed to have similar reasoning for his veto of the bill, arguing that the bill was in example of government overreach not in line with conservative principles on Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Our debate with the Governor of Arkansas, a man who vetoed a bill which bans doctors from prescribing puberty blockers to children.https://t.co/g5izzkasZI
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 7, 2021
Some think that Hendren’s move to become an independent indicates a possible run for Governor in 2022. Hendren has neither confirmed nor denied this.
Trying to indefinitely adjourn the state legislature over a popular piece of legislation is an unprecedented move. Especially since he tried to prevent a bill that protects children, this move may hurt his chances in future elections.
However, Hendren’s attempt ultimately failed, and the Arkansas legislature overrode the Hutchinson’s attempt to veto the bill, meaning children will be protected from permanently life altering puberty blockers in the state.
Arkansas Senate candidate Jan Morgan slammed both Hutchinson’s attempt to veto the bill, and Hendren’s attempt to override the will of the people, as professed through their elected leaders in the Arkansas legislature.
“My campaign manager Alex Rountree just slammed Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s nephew, Senator Jim Hendren who threatened a motion to end the legislative session (#sinedie) if Republicans dared to override the Governors veto of a bill that bans transgender sex reassignment surgeries,” wrote Morgan on Facebook. “Governor Asa Hutchinson is now advocating sex reassignment surgeries for minors in Arkansas.”