Neb. Ultrasound Bill Advances To Full Legislature

The Nebraska Legislature's Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted 6-0 to advance a bill (L.B. 675) to require doctors to offer ultrasound images to women one hour prior to an abortion, the Omaha World-Herald reports. The bill, which now goes to the full Legislature for consideration, was approved after lawmakers reached a compromise over language that originally required the ultrasound image to be displayed one hour prior to the procedure in a manner in which women could either choose to see it or avert their eyes. According to the World-Herald, abortion-rights advocates objected to the language, saying that it seemed to require the image to be placed directly in front of women. Under the compromise, the committee-approved bill now states that the ultrasound screen should be within a woman's view (Hammel, Omaha World-Herald, 4/9). Julie Schmit-Albin of Nebraska Right to Life said that the amended language "makes it a little clearer that no one is forcing women to view ultrasounds" and that the image "just needs to be displayed so that she has the option of seeing it."

According to the AP/Newark Star-Ledger,the bill was also modified on Thursday to remove a requirement that doctors tell women that abortion places them at risk for psychological trauma, endometritis and an incomplete or failed abortion. State Sen. Kent Rogert (D) called for the change and said that there "could just be psychological trauma for just being pregnant, or for a stillbirth or miscarriage." Although an official with Planned Parenthood of Nebraska and Council Bluffs would not comment on the amended bill because the group had not had a chance to review it, spokesperson Bobbie Kierstead said women "should have all the information they need to make sound medical decisions." Kierstead added that the group does not "believe the Legislature should be directing medical practice" (Jenkins, AP/Newark Star-Ledger, 4/9).


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