The League of Women Voters of Nebraska submitted testimony on three bills with hearings before committees at the Nebraska Legislature during the week of Feb. 10-14. The week’s testimonies were prepared by members of the social policy and natural resources and energy action teams.
On Feb. 13, some 25 members of the LWVNE visited the State Capitol to distribute information about the state League – which celebrated its 105th birthday on Feb.14 – during its annual Legislative Day. Participants also were introduced as a group by Senator George Dungan of Lincoln while they watched floor debate from the gallery and met for conversation over lunch. Some participants in Legislative Day attended the hearing on LB512, the Adopt the Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act, which the LWVNE opposes.
You can find the LWVNE’s online and in-person testimony on our 2025 Advocacy Summary table, which will be updated weekly through the committee hearings, here and on our Legislative Advocacy 2025 link at the top of the LWVNE website. Here is the summary of the LWVNE’s support or opposition to proposed legislation for the week of Feb. 10-17:
- LB181 (support) – Provide for benefits under the Young Adult Bridge to Independence Act for young adults not lawfully present in the United States
- LB317 (oppose) – Merge the Department of Natural Resources with the Department of Environment and Energy and change the name to the Department of Water, Energy and Environment and provide, change and eliminate powers and duties
- LB512 (oppose) – Adopt the Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act
The LWVNE submitted testimony through the Legislature’s online platform to support LB181, introduced by Senator Michaela Cavanaugh, and to oppose LB317, introduced by Senator Tom Brandt at the request of Governor Jim Pillen. These testimonies were prepared by members of the social policy (LB181) and natural resources and energy (LB317) action teams.
LB181 was heard by the Health and Human Services Committee on Feb. 13. LB317 was heard by the Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 13. According to an article published on Feb. 14 in the Nebraska Examiner, the “Nebraska Association of Resources Districts and key ag leaders were among those who threw cold water” on the governor’s request to merge the two state agencies.
On Feb. 13, Sheri St Clair, the LWVNE’s co-director of government, was among the 15 people who testified in person before the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee to oppose LB512 – which would add new requirements for physicians who prescribe abortion-inducing medications, including testing their patients for ectopic pregnancies, scheduling follow-up visits within two weeks of the drug being prescribed, and reporting complications to the state.
In addition to the 15 people testifying against LB512, introduced by Senator Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, eight people testified in favor of it and four people were neutral, asking lawmakers to consider completely abolish abortion instead. Additionally, 406 people submitted written comments in opposition and 278 people submitted written comments in support of the bill.
Opponents to LB512 included several obstetrician-gynecologists and other physicians as well as representatives of Planned Parenthood North Central States, the Nebraska chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Nebraska Medical Association, the Nebraska Nurses Association, the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, I Be Black Girl, the Women’s Fund of Omaha and the League of Women Voters of Nebraska.
Reading from a letter prepared by members of the LWVNE’s Social Policy Action Team, St Clair noted that the national League has affirmed the “constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices” since 1983.
“Deeply held, personal health decisions should always remain between patients and their doctors, not with legislators. Bills like LB512 create medically unnecessary barriers that hinder a pregnant person’s access to medication abortion – a safe and highly effective method of abortion according to the World Health Organization,” St Clair said.
Bailey Joy Aanenson – who introduced herself as a new member of the League of Women Voters who was testifying as an individual opposed to LB512 – expressed concern about the impact the legislation could have on Nebraskans like her who are considering starting families.
The state already has a shortage of maternal care providers, Aanenson said, and LB512 could put providers at risk of losing their license for things that are out of their control, such as a patient not returning for a scheduled follow-up visit.
“The reality is, if you have [fewer] maternal care doctors in your state, you are just going to have more maternal deaths,” she said.
As senators serving on the all-male Health and Human Services Committee introduced themselves at the beginning of the hearing, Senator John Fredrickson of Omaha noted that none of the committee members have the personal experience of being pregnant to inform their decisions on LB512 moving forward.
“I’m sorry that we’re going to be making decisions on this committee that are deeply personal and have zero representation of the population that’s most impacted,” Fredrickson said.
Photo: State Senator Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue prepares to testify Feb. 13 to the Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. (Screenshot of Nebraska Public Media stream)