Legislation
LB 675 passed 40-5-3.
Voting No = Campbell, Council, Howard, McGill, Nantkes
Present Not Voting = Avery, Cook, Louden
Not Present = Harr
The law will be effective three months from today.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/29/09
CONTACT: Julie Schmit-Albin 402-430-8649 cell 402-438-4802 work
Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director
and/or
National Right to Life Committee State Legislative Dept.
Mary Spaulding Balch
202-626-8800
NEBRASKA HAS ONE OF STRONGEST ULTRASOUND LAWS IN COUNTRY WITH PASSAGE OF LB 675
LINCOLN—-Nebraska Right to Life (NRL) hailed the final passage of LB 675, the Mothers’ Right to See Her Unborn Child Ultrasound bill, in the Legislature today. LB 675 was NRL’s key legislative priority this session.
“During floor debate we heard much from our opponents about the doctor/patient relationship being interfered with in LB 675.” said Julie Schmit-Albin, Executive Director of Nebraska Right to Life. “We are pleased that the majority of the Legislature recognizes that the abortion industry does not operate in the same manner as other medical professionals. It behooves the State to pass legislation which ensures women undergoing abortion have true informed consent about the procedure. Stipulating that the abortion facility must display the ultrasound screen to the woman gives her ability to determine whether or not she wants to see the screen. The burden will no longer be on the mother in a crisis situation to have to ask to view the screen.”
“Abortion facilities have a vested interest in completing every abortion they undertake.” said Schmit-Albin. “LB 675 may impact the assembly line nature of how abortions are performed because the woman will know she truly has an ability to view her unborn child on the screen one hour before going through with what is an irreversible decision.”
NRL worked closely with its parent organization, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) in Washington, D.C. and its State Legislative Director, Mary Spaulding Balch, to lobby for LB 675. Spaulding Balch registered to lobby in the Nebraska Legislature and came to Nebraska twice during the session to speak to the grassroots and senators about the bill. NRL and NRLC also acknowledge the leadership of Senators Tony Fulton, LB 675’s main sponsor and Beau McCoy, prioritizer, as instrumental to the passage of the bill.