Photos: Abortion debate at Nebraska Legislature
Nebraska Sen. Jen Day of Omaha speaks in opposition to LB626 on Wednesday. The bill, introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht, would limit abortion access.
Protesters hold up signs towards passing cars early Wednesday outside the Capitol, where debate began on LB626, which would limit abortion access.
Nebraska Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair passes by opponents to LB626 as they ask him to, "vote with compassion," on Wednesday before debate began at the Capitol.
Citizens and opponents to LB626 fill the balcony on Wednesday at the Capitol. Debate on LB626, named the Nebraska Heartbeat Act, began early in the morning.Â
Nebraska Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln greets protesters against LB626 as she enters the Capitol on Wednesday before debate began on the bill to limit abortion access.
A large crowd of abortion rights activists gather during a rally in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday. Debate on LB626, which limits abortion access, began earlier in the Legislature.Â
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha speaks in front of a large crowd of supporters during a abortion-rights rally in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday. Debate on LB626, which limits abortion access, began earlier.Â
Nebraska Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha addresses a crowd of abortion-rights activists during a rally in the Capitol Rotunda on April 12. Hunt says she has changed her political affiliation to independent.
Meg Jackson, Jordan Hasselbalch, Kenna Lehmann, Allison Johnson and one individual who did not give their name (from left) hold a sign that spells out "no bans" outside the Capitol on April 12. Groups on either side of the abortion debate rallied at the Capitol as debate began on LB626, which would have restricted abortions in Nebraska after six weeks. The bill failed to advance.Â
Sen. Megan Hunt (first right) embraces Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh (second right) as a crowd cheers following speeches during a abortion rights rally in the Capitol Rotunda in April. Protect Our Rights, a coalition driving the effort to add abortion rights to the state constitution, will need to collect roughly 122,000 signatures by July in order to put the measure before voters later this year.
A woman's "thank-you" card and donation to Planned Parenthood in response to a 37-year-old man's anti-abortion mailing did not justify a protection order, the Nebraska Court of Appeals said.
