‘Heartbeat Law’ Restricting Abortion Passed by Nebraska Legislature Committee
LINCOLN, Nebraska (Nebraska) — The Legislative Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services has voted to pass legislation to restrict abortion in Nebraska.
LB 626 was introduced by Senator Johny Albrecht and prohibited abortions after a fetal heartbeat was detected.
“Heartbeats are a universal sign of life, and we know that abortions stop the heart from beating.”
Family planning advocates in Nebraska released a statement after the bill was passed by the committee.
“Today’s vote came as no surprise — it’s what we expected,” said Andy Curry Grubb, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska. “We have a long fight ahead of us, and we stand with the people of Nebraska — a growing majority of whom support keeping abortion safe and legal — to block this dangerous near-total ban on abortion. Health care decisions belong to the patient and his doctor, not to politicians who lack medical knowledge. But the reality is that Nebraska legislators now have more control over our bodies and the future than we do. And it is imperative that we make it clear to them that the proposed ban is unacceptable.”
Opponents of abortion also released statements welcoming the committee’s vote.
“Today, Nebraska has taken a giant step forward in respecting the rights of every person, regardless of race, creed, socioeconomic status, or age—born or unborn,” said Sandy Danek, executive director of Nebraska’s Right to Live. “By limiting abortion to cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother when a heartbeat is detected, we will save thousands of innocent lives in Nebraska.”
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