Nebraska senators debate bans on abortion, transgender care as protesters fill Capitol

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The latest attempt to restrict abortion in Nebraska could live or die depending on what happens at the State Capitol on Tuesday.

Legislative Bill 574 is being debated again in the Nebraska Legislature.

The proposal seeks to ban gender-affirming care for minors.

But conservative lawmakers are backing an amendment that would also ban abortion at 12 weeks of gestation.

UPDATE: Nebraska senators advance gender-affirming health care, 12-week abortion bans

Since legislative rules don’t allow amendments to be attached in the final round, senators are debating whether to send the bill back to the second round.

Those opposing the move see it as a desperate last-ditch attempt.  

“The bottom line is that both bills really take away the bodily autonomy of Nebraskans to be able to make the best decisions for themselves,” said Scout Richters with the ACLU of Nebraska.

Lawmakers were expected to vote at 4:30 p.m., but that has been delayed by procedural hurdles.

For example, they spent about two hours debating a motion to overrule the chair.

If supporters get the amendment attached, Tuesday’s debate will count as the second round.

The proposals will then need just one more round of debate before they are passed. That could happen anytime.

Anti-abortion senators wanted to pass a six-week ban this year, but it failed to survive a filibuster.

Nebraska Right to Life said that it is still disappointed in that outcome but that it supports any effort to protect the unborn.

“And while that does help save lives, we are terribly disappointed that the majority of abortions are performed before 12 weeks,” Executive Director Sandy Danek said.

Protesters on both sides of the issues were at the Capitol all day.

By evening, they filled the rotunda and the hallways.

At times during debate, their chants could be heard inside the legislative chamber.