A collaborative effort between Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ predicts that Nebraska voters will approve a law that bans abortions later in pregnancy. Nebraska Initiative 434 supports legislation that has already been introduced by the Republican legislature and signed into law by the state’s Republican governor. This law prohibits abortion after the first trimester, with exceptions for medical emergencies, rape, and incest.
However, this measure may be in conflict with another ballot initiative, Initiative 439, which seeks to amend the state’s constitution to allow access to abortion until fetal viability, typically around 24 weeks. Initiative 439 also includes exceptions for the life of the mother and leaves the determination of viability to the practitioner. Votes were still being counted to determine the outcome of Initiative 439.
Nebraska currently prohibits abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for saving the life or health of the mother, as well as in cases of rape or incest. If both Initiative 434 and Initiative 439 pass, Republican Governor Jim Pillen will need to determine if a conflict exists according to state law. The existing law, banning abortions after 12 weeks, went into effect in June of 2023. The outcome of these initiatives will shape the future of abortion access in Nebraska.
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