Nebraska governor certifies state amendment prohibiting abortion after first trimester

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen officially certified the state’s abortion ballot measure on Thursday, codifying an amendment that prohibits abortions after the first trimester.

The state’s amendment, Initiative 434, was passed during an election that was unique in that Nebraska voters were confronted with two abortion-related ballot measures. Though both would have constitutionally allowed the killing of preborn children, the measure that failed would have permitted abortion through all nine months of pregnancy while stripping important pro-life protections from state law.

The abortion industry is lamenting the passage of Initiative 434, because it upheld a state law already in place that protected preborn children after 12 weeks. The amendment also leaves the door open for lawmakers to pass more pro-life protections in the future.

“Anti-abortion politicians got what they wanted: the loss of an initiative to protect abortion rights through a rival campaign that relied on deceit,” claimed ACLU of Nebraska Policy Director Scout Richters. “As a result, Nebraskans needing care after 12 weeks will have to continue to flee the state or carry pregnancies against their will. Although there is no question that Nebraska is taking a step backward by adding our current abortion ban to the state constitution, Nebraskans should not lose sight of how close this race was.”

READ: Parents concerned that high school health center may offer ‘reproductive’ services

Though the state still constitutionally allows the killing of thousands of preborn children in the first trimester — 2,547 preborn lives were aborted in Nebraska in 2022 — pro-life groups are celebrating that voters did not choose to open the door to even more killing.

“Defeating 439, the abortion measure, means we held back late-term abortion, taxpayer-funded abortion, unlicensed medical providers determining fetal viability and a protection for the many laws we worked so hard to pass in the last 50 years,” wrote Nebraska Right to Life last month. “As we celebrate today, we can be encouraged that our future efforts will continue to save lives. We will continue to advocate tirelessly for preborn babies and women until all lives are saved and every mother is supported.”

Tell President Trump, RFK, Jr., Elon, and Vivek: Stop killing America’s future.

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