This week, on February 24th, the Judiciary Committee heard three pieces of pro-life legislation– LB 933, LB 1086, and my LB 781. These three bills will protect the most innocent among us from murder.

LB 933, introduced by Senator Albrecht will completely erase the scourge of abortion in our state after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Currently, eight states have abortion bans that were in place prior to Roe. When Roe is overturned, abortion will be illegal again in these states. Since the State of Nebraska repealed our abortion ban in response to the Roe decision, we now need to join the twelve states that have laws in place that will ban abortion when Roe is overturned. LB 933 would do just that as a “trigger bill.”

Senator Geist’s LB 1086 would protect both women and babies from the dangerous drugs that induce abortions by adopting regulations to these prescriptions. These regulations include an in-person screening of women before dispensing the drug, a follow-up after abortion appointment to ensure treatment for serious complications, and a prohibition of sending abortion-inducing drugs through the mail. This bill would also require abortion providers to report any complications that occur due to the abortion-inducing drugs. Finally, LB 1086 would prohibit physicians from providing abortion-inducing drugs to women who are more than seven weeks pregnant because, by this time, the risk of complications to the woman is dramatically increased. 70%  of abortions in Nebraska are committed using these underregulated drugs. LB 1086 would protect women from harm, and save countless lives in the meantime.

LB 781 is my Heartbeat Bill. This piece of legislation requires an ultrasound be performed before an abortion to determine whether a fetal heartbeat is detectable. If a heartbeat is detected, this bill would make it illegal to perform an abortion. We often hear of the emotion parents feel when they get to hear their baby’s heartbeat for the first time. When we hear his sound, we know that we are listening to the rhythm of life coming from a tiny human being in his or her earliest moments. This bill is in response to what we all know to be true– at just 6 weeks gestation, a baby’s heart is formed and beating. Abortion stops this beating heart and kills that baby. 

Abortion has killed over 63 million babies nationwide since Roe v. Wade, and over 200,000 here in Nebraska. Nebraska is a pro-life state, and it’s long overdue that our laws reflect it. In addition to these bills, we must continue to support pro-life and pro-family policies to streamline adoption and support women and families.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.