OMAHA, NEBRASKA—Nebraska politicians today introduced a bill, LB933, that would ban abortions in the absence of federal abortion protections.
The bill, commonly called a “trigger law,” is the second abortion ban to be introduced in less than a week by state lawmakers, who are also pushing a bill to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
“Abortion is currently safe and legal in Nebraska, but Nebraska politicians are working hard to ban abortion in Nebraska crystal clear, and we cannot allow that to happen,” said Andi Curry Grubb, State Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska. “Every Nebraskan deserves the right to make the best decision for their lives and families. When people can do this, families thrive. Forcing someone to carry a pregnancy can have devastating and lasting consequences and does not align with the values of Nebraskans.”
The abortion ban bills come shortly after State Sen. Megan Hunt announced a push to expand abortion access in Nebraska. Sen. Hunt introduced two bills, one that repeals the private insurance ban on abortion coverage and another that allows Certified Nurse-Midwives, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, and physician assistants to provide abortion care. These bills are in addition to LB276, a bill to repeal the telemedicine abortion ban.
The bills come during a time of national uncertainty around federal abortion protections. The U.S. Supreme Court in December heard arguments regarding a 15-week ban in Mississippi that directly challenges the protections established by Roe v. Wade almost 50 years ago and is expected to release a ruling this summer. The Court has also declined to intervene in a Texas six-week ban that places enforcement in the hands of private citizens.
If the Court erodes or eliminates the federal right to abortion, Nebraska’s 49 state senators would decide the future of abortion access. Abortion in Nebraska is already highly restricted by laws that place burdensome, medically unnecessary requirements on patients and providers. The Guttmacher Institute categorizes the state as hostile to reproductive rights.
“As abortion access is being threatened at the national level, we recognize the need to not only protect abortion in Nebraska but also expand it,” Curry Grubb said. “A patient’s health—not politics—should drive important medical decisions. These issues are between Nebraskans, their families, and their doctors. Abortion is health care, plain and simple. And we will fight to keep it that way. Planned Parenthood is committed to providing everyone, regardless of where they live, with access to the reproductive health care they need and deserve.”
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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska Action Fund, formerly PP Voters of Nebraska, is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization. As the advocacy and electoral arm of PPNCS, we mobilize supporters of all parties to defend and increase access to family planning services and fact based, medically accurate sexuality education. We work to inspire and engage citizens to take up the cause of reproductive health and rights through education, electoral activity, grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy.
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