Room 1525 – 1:30 PM
SUPPORT: LB626
Introducer: Albrecht, J.
Contact: jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov
Description: Adopt the Nebraska Heartbeat Act
If you cannot join us in person, please submit online testimony, comments must be submitted by January 31st at noon!
View the bill and Submit online comments here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50641
ALSO Email the Health and Human Services Committee!!!!
Health and Human Services Committee Members:
Sen. Ben Hansen, Chairperson – bhansen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Beau Ballard – bballaard@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh – mcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Jen Day – jday@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Brian Hardin – bhardin@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Merv Riepe – mriepe@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Lynne Walz – lwalz@leg.ne.gov
Talking Points:
NAGO stands for the inalienable right to live for all life granted by God. That life begins at conception and the creation of that life is the responsibility of the consenting adults who partook reproducing.
There are many common arguments presented in response to this:
Who’s going to take all the unwanted babies?
This is a tactic of avoidance and often made by individuals with little knowledge of the adoption and foster care system. The answer to this question can also be approached from a number of different ways. A. There are a plethora of parents wishing to adopt that have failed due to a cumbersome system. B. Children in foster care are placed in the care of government approved parents (again a difficult system to navigate) with the intent of reunification with the children’s parents.
The root of the issue here is that there are many alternatives to abortion but the process set in place by our government makes abortion easy and the alternatives a daunting task.
How can you be for medical freedom and not support a woman’s right to choose?
This is a two-fold answer. First, it is important to advocate for the medical freedom of the unborn baby – the one that is MOST effected and has ZERO say in the matter. Secondly, the woman, and her partner, had the choice to accept any potential responsibilities that resulted from their consenting actions. Whether it be soreness, STDs, or pregnancy. The responsibility doesn’t get to be eliminated certainly at the expense of the innocent life. No person’s choice is being removed, but as we learn when we’re young, we have to accept responsibility for the results of our own actions.
What about women who were raped or became pregnant due to incest?
A hard issue. No one, one any side, wishes to further the harm caused to a woman that has been violated. This is likely where LB626 makes the most sense. It gives women who have been sexually abused a cutout to take the appropriate steps to insure a pregnancy doesn’t occur. Otherwise, in the 6wk window, whether reported or not, whether a woman has support or not, or whether its just an unwanted pregnancy, there are over the counter options and women’s health centers that can provide her care in that case.
Lb626 also does a good job of addressing the concern that this cutout will be abused at a later time – no one can say that there won’t be people that try, but this bill does at least reduce the likelihood by requiring the physician to fill out an affidavit explaining the emergency warranting an abortion beyond the 6wk period.
This bill WOULD reduce abortions being sought out in place of using contraceptives and/or safe-sex practices, saving a large percentage of the lives currently lost to abortion in NE.
Additional Resources/Articles to develop talking points:
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/11/nebraska-anti-abortion-senators-proposing-heartbeat-bill/
https://www.ketv.com/article/lincoln-abortion-rights-senators-claim-process-not-followed-on-heartbeat-bill/42680483
https://rivercountry.newschannelnebraska.com/story/48258769/state-hearing-on-abortion-ban-this-week
https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-woman-shares-personal-story-abortion/42680800
https://www.ketv.com/article/lincoln-abortion-rights-senators-claim-process-not-followed-on-heartbeat-bill/42680483
https://www.omahadailyrecord.com/content/nebraska-anti-abortion-senators-proposing-%E2%80%98heartbeat%E2%80%99-bill
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/12/nebraska-lawmakers-propose-fetal-heartbeat-bill-to-protect-the-unborn/
https://www.liveaction.org/news/nebraska-lawmakers-introduce-heartbeat-bill/
The bills orginially amended changes as proposed:
NOTE:
Please be aware that this hearing is expected to go late into the evening. You may find yourself standing for extended periods of time. Dress comfortably. Bring a charger, snacks, and money for food (there is a cafeteria at the Capitol) if you think you might get hungry. It is okay to leave the line to go to the bathroom before giving testimony.
LB626 is not the only bill being heard on Wednesday. It is likely to be the last bill heard that day, so it will not start right at 1:30pm. This also means that if you don’t get off work until later in the afternoon or evening, you will still likely make it to testify, and it IS worth you showing up in support!!!
