The feeling of fall is in the air as we have seen cooler temperatures in recent weeks. The autumnal equinox took place on September 22nd and marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Harvest will start soon as well as watching the trees turn their beautiful fall colors. Days will begin to get shorter and shorter leading up to the holidays ahead.

As you are all aware, election day is right around the corner. On November 5, 2024, you will be asked to vote for the president and vice president of the United States, your Senator and Representative to Congress, your Nebraska State Senator, and many other offices at the local level.

First of all, I would encourage you to make sure you have registered to vote. This is one of the most important rights you have as a United States citizen. In order to vote in Nebraska, you must be a United States citizen; live in the state of Nebraska; be at least 18 years of age on or before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November; have not been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, your civil rights have been restored; and have not been officially found to be mentally incompetent. The online registration deadline to register is 11:59.59 p.m. Central Time on the third Friday before the election. The only thing you need to register online is your Nebraska driver’s license or state-issued identification card. If you are not sure you have registered to vote, go to https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/voterview and enter your information. It will tell you if you are registered and where your polling location is. (Nebraska Secretary of State (n.d). Online voter registration frequently asked questions. Nebraska Secretary of State–Voter Registration Portal FAQs)

Over the next several weeks I would like to highlight the ballot initiatives and referendums that will be on the 2024 General election ballot. It is good to do our research and know what we as voters are being asked to approve or not approve for the Nebraska Constitution through initiatives and referendums so we are informed when we fill out our ballot. Bob Evnen, Nebraska Secretary of State, certified the final list of candidates on Friday, September 13th. Many of these ballot initiatives were challenged before the Nebraska Supreme Court and their rulings came out before the certification of the 2024 ballot.

There have been six initiative and referendum ballot measures. They include ‘Protect Women and Children’; Private Education Scholarship Partial Referendum’; ‘Paid Sick Leave’; ‘Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection’; ‘Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation’; and ‘Protect the Right to Abortion’. This means that each initiative met the threshold for signatures and now goes to the voters of Nebraska. Per state law, Bob Evnen will hold hearings on the ballot measures in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts. (Augustine, M. (2024, September 13). Commitment 2024: Nebraska Secretary of State certifies November ballot. KETV Omaha. https://shorturl.at/O0jUE.) This week I would like to talk about ‘Protect Women and Children’ and ‘Protect Our Right to Abortion’ initiatives.

‘Protect Women and Children’ (Initiative Measure 434) says Except when a woman seeks an abortion necessitated by a medical emergency or when the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest, unborn children shall be protected from abortion in the second and third trimesters. This initiative creates basic constitutional protections for preborn children in Nebraska. If passed, Nebraska would be the first state in the nation to provide constitutional protection to preborn children in a state constitution. This initiative establishes a floor of protection, not a ceiling, meaning preborn children must, at a minimum, be protected by the second trimester, and stronger pro-life laws could still be passed going forward. This initiative would retain current Nebraska law that prevents elective abortions after 12 weeks with noted exceptions. (Nebraska Family Alliance. (2024). Protect women and children Nebraska. https://shorturl.at/eVVe2.)

‘Protect the Right to Abortion’ (Initiative Measure 439) says All persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient, without interference from the state or its political subdivisions. Fetal viability means the point in pregnancy when in the professional judgment of the patient’s treating health care practitioner, there is a significant likelihood of the fetus’ sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures. This initiative contains a vague “health exception” determined entirely by the abortionist. Exceptions could include non-physical factors, such as emotional, spiritual, and financial health. This opens the door to abortions up until birth. Viability is defined as being solely based on the abortionist’s judgment and would allow abortions in the second and third trimesters. Babies feel pain before viability–at 15 weeks or earlier. Babies who can experience pain would be subjected to painful late-term abortions. The initiative creates a fundamental right to abortion for “all persons,” including children and minors. This would eliminate our state’s parental consent law, meaning parents will not have any ability to consent or even know if their child seeks or obtains an abortion. Furthermore, the negation of parental notification laws could lead to the protection of child predators and human traffickers. A “fundamental right to abortion without interference from the state” puts existing medical safeguards that protect the health and safety of women at risk of being eliminated. This includes informed consent statutes and requirements that the abortion be performed in person and by a licensed doctor. (Nebraska Family Alliance. (2024). Protect women and children Nebraska. https://shorturl.at/eVVe2.)

As you can see, these two initiatives are very different from one another. I would encourage you to make sure you read the wording of each one carefully. Make sure you know what you are voting for when you check “Yes” or “No”.

As always, I invite you to let me know your thoughts, ideas, concerns, or suggestions by calling my office at (402) 471-2716 or emailing me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov.