Nebraska is on track to ban all abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

On Friday, lawmakers rescued Legislative Bill 933, which had stalled in the Judiciary Committee, using a rarely-used administrative procedure.

Scout Richters, legal and policy counsel for the ACLU of Nebraska, opposes the measure, and said every Nebraskan should be free to make health decisions that are best for themselves and their families.

"And by pushing through LB 933, politicians are inserting themselves into health care decisions that should belong to Nebraskans," Richters asserted.

Gov. Pete Ricketts welcomed the move by lawmakers to pull the measure out for debate, and promised to sign the bill if passed. The nation's highest court is expected to issue a decision sometime this year which could overturn its 1973 ruling the U.S. Constitution protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.

The measure would make it a felony for anyone to provide medication or perform procedures to end a pregnancy, starting at fertilization, before women even know they are pregnant.

Richters pointed to recent data showing a strong majority of Nebraskans believe abortion should stay safe and legal in the state, and said lawmakers are out of step with voters.

"Nebraska voters oppose the proposed ban, LB 933, by a double-digit margin," Richters reported. "And in that same poll, most respondents said that the U.S. Supreme Court should not overturn Roe v. Wade."

Richters argued when someone has made the decision to get an abortion, regardless of their reasoning, the government should not stand in their way. She added banning access to the procedure altogether, even in cases of incest or rape, would force many Nebraskans who cannot afford to travel out of state to carry a pregnancy against their will.

"Nebraska's laws already impose significant barriers on Nebraskans who are seeking abortion care," Richters contended. "And we know that those barriers fall hardest on those who are working to make ends meet, people of color, young people, people in rural areas."

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed landmark legislation to expand access to essential OB/GYN services across Michigan.

Between 2018 and 2022, about 19 mothers per 100,000 live births in Michigan died from pregnancy-related issues, mostly in marginalized communities. The new legislation aims to expand maternal and prenatal care.

Rep. Julie Rogers, D-Kalamazoo, a former health policy chair, sponsored several bills in the package, including one to reduce government red tape for breast milk donors.

"That required HIV testing for breast milk donors every 90 days, and to contrast that with the rest of the United States, we're the only state that requires that," Rogers pointed out. "Forty-nine other states do a one-and-done test at the onset of donations."

Data from 2022 showed white mothers having the highest number of maternal transfusions, followed by Black mothers.

A new report from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists revealed a startling statistic: More than 60% of pregnancy-related deaths could have been prevented with improved quality and safety in the maternal care system.

Rogers noted the new law mandates insurance companies to provide support for people without health coverage or access to care.

"Often times people that are not able to access primary care or obstetrics care," Rogers observed. "This would require insurance coverage for blood pressure monitors, so mothers can check their blood pressure at home."

Rogers stressed the legislation expands access to postpartum mental health screenings. She added most bills in the package received strong bipartisan support in the Legislature.


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There are growing concerns about the prevalence of Christian Nationalism, an ideology that seeks to establish a theocracy rooted in Christian principles. Research indicates that about one-in-three Pennsylvanians support Christian Nationalist views, which opponents argue challenge the American ideal of separation of church and state.

Rachel Tabachnick, an independent researcher and former political research associate fellow, said the rise of Christian Nationalism, seen during the 2024 elections, threatens reproductive healthcare access.

"This is supposed to be a bottom-up theocracy based on biblical law being enforced at the family,
church and local civil government level. So, in order for this to work, women must stay in their God given roles, which is to have children and raise her family," she said.

On a recent episode of the "(In)Accessible" podcast, Tabachnick spoke about the history of Christian Nationalism, and how Theocratic Libertarianism advocates for laws based on biblical principles.

Tabachnick said that movement seeks minimal federal government and governance based on biblical law, aiming to dismantle institutions like the IRS and Department of Education.

Rebecca Susman, communications and development director with Keystone Progress, added that Project 2025, a 900-page guide by the Heritage Foundation, is intended as a blueprint for another Trump administration. The guide covers numerous issues, which Susman argues pose threats to basic rights and freedoms, particularly reproductive rights. She added that aspects of the plan were proposed last year.

"Conservatives have already begun implementing it, with one example being the addition of an anti-trans health care rider in a military spending act that was right out of the Project 2025 playbook, and it passed out of committee," Susman explained.

Tabachnick pointed out that in the 1970s and 1980s, the founders of Christian Reconstructionism wrote thousands of pages detailing how to reshape society and government under Old Testament law. Decades later, these blueprints remain relevant, as they were designed for a long-term transformation. Like Project 2025, most Americans reject these ideas, but they still need greater exposure and scrutiny.

Evanston Regional Hospital is discontinuing its labor and delivery services next week, citing a "steady decline of demand."

It is the fourth Wyoming facility to end services since 2016. The change will add to the state's list of "maternity care deserts," which included five counties last year, according to the March of Dimes.

Gov. Mark Gordon requested about $2.4 million in supplemental budget funding to better reimburse hospitals for Medicaid births, which make up about one-third of all births in the state.

Rebekah Hazelton, director of the Wyoming Women's Foundation, called it a "really positive thing."

"Labor and delivery services in Wyoming are not paying for themselves, even at the market rates," Hazelton pointed out. "That's part of the problem why they're closing, is because there are relatively few births in Wyoming and the birth rate has gone down."

Declining birth rates also mean providers are getting less practice in birthing rooms, which Hazelton noted could affect the quality of care. With ongoing abortion litigation and an expected slew of legislation, Hazelton added physicians are leaving the state because the laws are "vague enough," some fear providing care could bring legal consequences.

Maternal health access has been a priority for Gordon, whose Health Task Force includes an OB Subcommittee. The topic was also high on the Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee's agenda but Hazelton noted many seats turned over on Election Day.

"A lot of the legislators that are new won't have benefited from that interim study," Hazelton acknowledged. "We'll be kind of starting over to educate them about the problem, in terms of advocates for moms and babies in Wyoming."

She added both groups are working on various solutions. So far, no 2025 bills have been drafted on the subject.


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