NEBRASKA SENATORS HAVE ADVANCED A BILL THAT WOULD BAN ABORTION ONCE A HEARTBEAT CAN BE DETECTED IN A FETUS, AROUND THE SIXTH WEEK OF PREGNANCY.
THE BILL IS FROM SENATOE JONI ALBRECHT OF THURSTON.
THE “NEBRASKA HEARTBEAT ACT” WOULD REQUIRE DOCTORS TO PERFORM AN ULTRASOUND TO TEST FOR A FETAL HEARTBEAT AND BAN ABORTIONS THEREAFTER.
DURING DEBATE, SENATOR BRIAN HARDIN OF GERING SUPPORTED THE BILL, SAYING A BABY WITH A BEATING HEAR DESERVES TO BE PROTECTED:
HEARTBEAT1 OC…….MEDICAL PROFESSION. :26
SENATOR WENDY DEBOER OF BENNINGTON OPPOSES THE BILL AND SAYS ABORTION IS NOT GOING AWAY:
HEARTBEAT2 OC……AT RISK :18
DEBATE ENDED AFTER A CLOTURE VOTE WITH THE BARE MINIMUM OF THIRTY-THREE VOTES.
THE BILL FACES TWO MORE ROUNDS OF DEBATE, AMENDMENTS AND VOTES DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
Jerry Oster contributed to this story
