The Nebraska Legislature ended its 2011 session May 26, three days short of its normal 90-day session. Adjourning three days early is pretty remarkable given the weighty issues confronting the Legislature: a nearly one billion dollar deficit, redistricting, reform of the Commission on Industrial Relations, etc.
Equally remarkable—and unprecedented—is the Legislature’s passage of three pro-life bills, all of which were signed into law by Governor Dave Heineman. In the days of Sen. Ernie Chambers, who filibustered every pro-life bill, the pro-life movement was fortunate to get one bill enacted by the Legislature.
The first bill adopted overwhelmingly by the full Legislature (37 to 7) was LB 22. This bill prohibits abortion coverage in health insurance plans offered through state exchanges created by the new federal health care law. It also prohibits private health insurance plans, contracts or policies from providing coverage for an elective abortion except through an optional rider to the policy for which an additional premium is paid solely by the insured.
The second pro-life bill enacted was LB 521, which prohibits so-called "web cam abortions." This bill requires an abortionist to be physically present in the same room with the pregnant woman when the abortion is performed. LB 521 was enacted on a final vote of 38 to 9.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (PPH), which has facilities in Iowa and Nebraska, has killed more than 2,000 unborn babies in Iowa over the last few years by dispensing the chemical abortion drug RU 486 via web cam. LB 521 was introduced to prohibit expansion of this potentially unsafe abortion method in Nebraska, a concern that was heightened by PPH’s announced plan to open offices in six Nebraska communities.
The third bill enacted into law on a final vote of 41 to 6 was LB 690. This bill replaces Nebraska’s parental notification law (in effect since 1991) with the requirement that a pregnant minor (under the age of 18) obtain notarized parental consent from a parent or guardian before obtaining an abortion.
There are many individuals whose hard work was critical to the success of these pro-life bills. First, the senators who introduced and prioritized the bills deserve our gratitude.
Sen. Beau McCoy introduced and prioritized LB 22. Sen. Tony Fulton introduced LB 521 and Sen. Dave Bloomfield prioritized it. Sen. Lydia Brasch introduced and prioritized LB 690, a particularly courageous act given that she was in her first session as a legislator.
Julie Schmit-Albin, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life and its lobbyist, deserves much credit for leading the lobbying effort on LB 521. Suzanne Gage (state director for Americans United for Life) and Dave Bydalek (executive director of Family First) deserve our gratitude for leading the lobbying effort on LB 690.
For more information about these bills and to see how your senator voted on them, go to www.nebcathcon.org and click on the "Nebraska" link under "Pro Life Legislation 2011." If your senator voted for any of these bills, please e-mail him/her a note of thanks for that vote(s). If your senator voted against any of these bills, please politely express your disappointment to him/her for that vote(s). Senator contact information can be obtained online at www.nebraskalegislature.gov.
Finally, I’m pleased to say that Nebraska is not the only state seeing an increase in pro-life legislation introduced and enacted. In 2011, legislators in 49 states introduced hundreds of bills. As of mid May, 15 bills had been enacted into law.
The increase in state pro-life legislation was due in large part to a sizable pro-life shift in state houses following the 2010 elections. Prior to 2010, 21 governors were considered to be anti-abortion compared to 29 after the elections. Likewise, the 2010 election increased the number of states with both a legislature and a governor that are anti abortion from 10 to 15.
As the saying goes: elections have consequences!
You can contact Greg at The Nebraska Catholic Conference, 215 Centennial Mall South Suite 310, Lincoln, NE 68508; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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