Under proposed bill, Nebraska would provide free contraceptives

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Under a proposed legislative bill the state would fund free contraceptives to anyone who requests them, but it’s coming with backlash from some who say this would be detrimental to society.

“With everybody talking in the Legislature about banning abortion, I think that we should be looking at some very effective alternatives to that, which is quite frankly making it so that contraception is more widely available,” Senator Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said. “That’s the most effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies and potentially abortions.”

Under LB1129, introduced by Morfeld, the state would provide free FDA-approved birth control to anyone who wants it. He said this bill would address the root cause of abortions which is oftentimes a lack of access to affordable contraception.

“I tell you what – when I was looking into the issue more, I was shocked at how the prices of contraceptives have gone up over the last several years and it really is sometimes a barrier for people,” Morfeld said.

Planned Parenthood is in support of the bill and says contraception is an essential health care service and every Nebraskan deserves the health care they need to lead their fullest lives, but not everyone agrees.

David Zebolsky, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Nebraskans Embracing Life, says that contraception equals abortion.

“Most contraceptives are abortifacient or have an abortifacient quality and that’s are essential objection is that life begins at conception and these abortifacient contraceptions destroy life in the early part of pregnancy and that’s why we don’t think the state has any business paying for or providing these abortifacient contraceptives,” Zebolsky said.

Zebolsky says studies have shown contraceptives have led to an increase of sexually transmitted diseases. He also added, as a person of faith, contraceptives are problematic because they disrupt the unity between a couple and God. But most importantly, he says this comes at a cost to our children.

“Parents across Nebraska, across our great state, by large would rather see a moral quality of education that promotes abstinence, not permissive sex in contraception,” Zebolsky said.

Currently, LB1129 sits in the Health and Human Services Committee where it waits on a vote before it could hit the floor for debate.