Two bills, which would have protected most preborn children from abortion in both Nebraska and South Carolina, have both been defeated.
In Nebraska, LB 626, or the Nebraska Heartbeat Act, had been introduced by Senator Joni Albrecht in January. Currently, preborn children are protected from abortion in the state after 20 weeks gestation; LB 626 would have protected them after a heartbeat can be detected, typically at six weeks gestation.
The bill narrowly failed to pass, coming short just one vote to break filibuster.
“Our hearts are broken for the lives who will suffer from this decision, but it’s not over,” Nebraska Right to Life said in a statement. “We will continue fighting to protect babies and mothers in our state.”
Gov. Jim Pillen also criticized the vote, singling out Senator Merv Riepe, who chose not to vote.
“I am profoundly disappointed in the cloture vote today,” he said. “It is unacceptable for senators to be present not voting on such a momentous vote. I call on Senator Merv Riepe to make a motion to reconsider and stand by the commitments to Life he has made in the past.”
In South Carolina, H. 3552, or the Human Life Protection Act, would have protected preborn children from abortion beginning at fertilization, the very moment of their existence. The bill specifically referenced the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, by pointing out that South Carolina was exercising its political power to protect preborn children. Yet lawmakers voted 22-21 to shelve the bill for the rest of the year.
Senator Shane Massey admitted that there hadn’t been enough support for the legislation to pass, he told WIS. “I think we all kind of knew where this was headed,” Massey said. “But look, we wanted to give it our best shot. We gave it our best shot.” Though the South Carolina House of Representatives could take up the bill, they have so far chosen not to do so.
