Nebraska Supreme Court to Decide If Abortion Appears on Ballot

Justices on the Nebraska Supreme Court are weighing whether to allow two abortion-related amendments on the state’s general election ballot. The court heard arguments on Sept. 9 as to whether the citizen-led initiatives meet the state’s single-subject requirement and if they should be treated equally. Abortion is currently legal in Nebraska through 12 weeks of pregnancy. An initiative put forward by Protect Our Rights would expand that period by establishing a right to abortion through fetal viability—typically recognized around 22 to 24 weeks—and when considered necessary to protect the life or health of the mother. The proposed Protect Women and Children amendment to the state’s constitution, on the other hand, states that “unborn children shall be protected from abortion in the second and third trimesters,” with exceptions for situations involving rape, incest, or a medical emergency....