Fresh from a victory in Ohio, radical abortion activists are setting their sights on Nebraska as the next state for a ballot measure that would legalize abortions up to birth.
Pro-abortion extremists want to making killing babies in abortions a constitutional right, which would overturn the state’s current law protecting babies up to 12 weeks and stop every pro-life law that protects women and unborn children.
ACLU and Planned Parenthood, along with other leftist groups, are behind the measure, which would appear on the 2024 ballot. ACLU has already put $25,000 towards the campaign.
The amendment would also ensure abortions are available “when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient, without interference from the state or its political subdivisions.” Because health can be defined as anything, it allows unlimited abortions up to birth.
State Sen. Joni Albrecht called the measure “extreme.”
“An amendment that jeopardizes the health and safety of women and abandons babies who deserve love and protection to painful late-term abortion procedures must be rejected,” she said.
Other leading pro-life advocates condemned the abortions up to birth proposal and said they would fight it.
“Nebraska’s law currently allows abortion throughout the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, but that isn’t enough for the abortion industry and activists who are trying to write second- and third-trimester abortions into our constitution. This amendment would allow for abortion until the moment of birth,” Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director Sandy Danek. “This ballot measure is not pro-choice, it’s pro-abortion, and it does not reflect the values of Nebraskans.”
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“Right out of the gate, those behind this ballot measure are parroting the lies told by pro-abortion activists in Ohio by saying women are dying without this amendment. Their claim that Nebraska does not have an adequate life of the mother provision is completely dishonest. The confusion they’re sowing does not just deceive voters but endangers pregnant women in Nebraska who need to know that state law unequivocally allows for them to receive emergency care,” said Adam Schwend, western regional director for SBA Pro-Life America.
“At 12 weeks, a baby’s major organs have formed and his or her heart has beat over 10 million times. You can find out whether the baby is a boy or girl by 12 weeks, start to see if they resemble mom or dad, and you’ll see the baby suck their thumb on an ultrasound,” said Paige Brown, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Catholic Conference. “The lie Planned Parenthood is selling that it is in a mother’s best interest to end her baby’s life at 12 weeks and beyond is appalling and goes against the science which shows women are increasingly at risk for complications with abortions beyond the first trimester.”
“Under this extreme amendment, a girl who is not old enough to get her ears pierced or get a tattoo on her own will be able to obtain an abortion without a parent ever knowing. This evisceration of parental rights is something that will concern every mom and dad in Nebraska. Women and children deserve real compassionate care, not lies from the abortion industry,” said Karen Bowling, executive director of Nebraska Family Alliance.
Abortion activist have to collect signatures from 10% of Nebraska’s registered voters to get the measure on the ballot, which means they need 122,000 authorized signatures, including 5% of registered voters in at least 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.
Implications of the abortion ballot measure include:
- Abortion throughout pregnancy — the amendment leaves post-viability abortion for “health” to the discretion of the abortionist. Without defining “health,” courts have found that it can be based on non-medical factors, including mental, spiritual, financial or familial health. Furthermore, viability is defined as being based solely on the abortionist’s judgment and would not include any baby who needs “extraordinary medical measures,” which could be as simple as a short stay in the NICU.
- The elimination of health and safety protections for women — language on the fundamental right to abortion “without interference from the state” puts all of Nebraska’s medical safeguards are at risk. This includes obtaining informed consent and performing a medical screening, seeing a physician in person or even seeing a medical professional at all. It would allow pills to be sold through the mail by people with no medical background.
- The evisceration of parental rights – by using the words “all persons” rather than “women” in the amendment, this will mean parents will not have any ability to consent or even know if their minor daughter seeks an abortion. They may also have no recourse if their daughter is harmed during the abortion.
