LINCOLN, Neb. – A bill that would enact one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans cleared its first round of debate today in the Nebraska Legislature.
Nebraska state senators overcame a filibuster of LB 626 on a 33 - 16 vote and then advanced the ban by the same margin. The bill, which would ban abortions at around six weeks of pregnancy, will need to make it through two more rounds of votes before heading to Gov. Jim Pillen’s desk.
Today marks the first time that the full Nebraska Legislature has voted on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion — a decision opposed by most Nebraskans.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska Senior Legal and Policy Counsel Scout Richters made this statement on today’s vote:
“Under this extreme ban, our state government would force Nebraskans to carry pregnancies against their will or flee the state for care,” Richters said. “The harm would fall hardest on those who already face barriers to care, including Nebraskans of color, young people and Nebraskans living in rural communities. State senators who support this near-total ban are disregarding what most Nebraskans want, ignoring clear warnings from medical professionals, and preparing to rob Nebraskans of their freedom to control their own bodies, lives and futures. With that said, there is still time to stop this ban and prevent immense harm. We will continue to do everything we can to mobilize Nebraskans and change the next vote count.”
During LB 626’s February hearing, hundreds of Nebraskans came to the Capitol in opposition of the bill. Many of them waited in line for hours to testify only to be denied the opportunity after the committee cut off testimony. A minority committee statement filed last week criticized the time limitation as arbitrary.
Abortion is currently legal in Nebraska up until 20 weeks after fertilization, although there are significant restrictions affecting access to abortion care.
HOW THEY VOTED
YES ON THE BAN
Aguilar, Albrecht, Arch, Armendariz, Ballard, Bosn, Bostelman, Brandt, Brewer, Briese, Clements, DeKay, Dorn, Dover, Erdman, Halloran, Hansen, Hardin, Holdcroft, Hughes, Ibach, Jacobson, Kauth, Linehan, Lippincott, Lowe, McDonnell, Moser, Murman, Riepe, Sanders, Slama, von Gillern
NO ON THE BAN
Blood, Bostar, J. Cavanaugh, M. Cavanaugh, Conrad, Day, DeBoer, Dungan, Fredrickson, Hunt, McKinney, Raybould, Vargas, Walz, Wayne, Wishart