Nebraska lawmakers on Wednesday heard testimony on two antiabortion-rights bills, the Omaha World-Herald reports.
Details of bill targeting medically proven abortion method
One of the bills (LB 767), proposed by state Sen. Tommy Garrett (R), would ban a medically proven method of abortion care (Duggan, Omaha World-Herald, 3/3). The measure would not prohibit abortion care during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, but it would restrict which methods physicians can use. The state prohibits abortion after 20 weeks' gestation.
The bill includes exceptions only if the procedure could save the woman's life or prevent her from suffering "extreme physical harm" (Women's Health Policy Report, 1/8).
Hearing on bill targeting medically proven abortion method
During the Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Meg Mikolajczyk, lobbyist for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, noted that courts have halted similar bans in Oklahoma and Kansas. In addition, she said courts would likely view the measure as imposing a "barrier to a woman's right to choose."
Diane Loos, a retired physician, told lawmakers that the bill would be "a bad law, it's bad medicine and it creates tremendous problems for doctors."
According to the World-Herald, LB 767 is not expected to pass this year. None of the state senators have prioritized the measure, meaning there is a low likelihood that the bill will be debated before the session adjourns on April 20. The bill has yet to advance out of committee.
Hearing details on fetal tissue bill
Committee members on Wednesday also heard testimony on a bill (LB 990) that would ban the sale of fetal tissue, which is already prohibited under federal law, the World-Herald reports.
The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Al Davis (R).
Under the bill, the state attorney general could seek an injunction against the professional licenses of a person or organization that violates the ban. No senator has made the bill a priority, according to the World-Herald.
Citing the federal ban on fetal tissue sales, opponents said the bill was unnecessary (Omaha World-Herald, 3/3).
