LINCOLN- An abortion rights group is petitioning to put the topic in front of Nebraska voters during the 2024 election. Documents filed with the Secretary of State’s office show the new petition aims to amend the state constitution to provide the right to an abortion until fetal viability – usually 23 to 24 weeks of pregnancy – and when needed to “protect the life or health of the pregnant patient.”

The effort, spearheaded by the Protect our Rights Campaign, goes further than Nebraska’s previous 20-week restriction, which lawmakers tightened to 12 weeks during the contentious 2023 legislative session. The petition’s language echoes the constitutional amendment Ohio voters recently passed, which guarantees abortion access until fetal viability in that state.

The Protect our Rights Campaign will need signatures from 10% of Nebraska’s registered voters to get it onto the 2024 ballot.

As of November 1, that means just under 123,000 signatures. They’ll also need to collect signatures from 5% of registered voters in 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.

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