NEBRASKA’S SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY LAST WEEK ON THREE BILLS THAT WOULD CHANGE ABORTION REGULATION IN NEBRASKA.
ONE PROPOSAL, BY LOCAL SENATOR JONI ALBRECHT OF THURSTON, WOULD BAN ALL ABORTIONS IN THE STATE WHILE THE OTHER MEASURES WOULD RESTRICT ACCESS TO THE PROCEDURE.
HER BILL, LB-933, WOULD BAN ABORTION IN NEBRASKA IF STATES ARE GIVEN FULL REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER THE PROCEDURE, AND WOULD BE CONTINGENT UPON ONE OF THREE NATIONAL TRIGGERING EVENTS.
THAT INCLUDES THE U.S. SUPREME COURT OVERTURNING ROE VS. WADE, OR CONGRESS ENACTING A LAW GIVING STATES COMPLETE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE ABORTION, OR IF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION IS AMENDED TO GIVE STATES THAT AUTHORITY.
THE BILL WOULD PROHIBIT BOTH MEDICAL AND CHEMICAL ABORTIONS STARTING AT FERTILIZATION.
A PHYSICIAN WHO KNOWINGLY VIOLATES THE BILL’S PROVISIONS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A FELONY CHARGE CARRYING A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 20 YEARS IMPRISONMENT.
IN NEBRASKA, THERE HAVE BEEN ALMOST 200,000 ABORTIONS PERFORMED SINCE ROE VS. WADE WAS DECIDED IN 1973.
THAT’S 10 PERCENT OF NEBRASKA’S CURRENT POPULATION.
THE COMMITTEE TOOK NO IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THE PROPOSAL.
