LINCOLN- The abortion bill in the Nebraska Legislature may have a new direction as Senator Merv Riepe proposed amending LB626 to instead make abortions illegal after 12 weeks. The current bill would ban abortion after about six weeks of gestation. Sen. Riepe said he and other senators who oppose abortion but prefer a “measured approach” want to discuss an alternative to the “heartbeat bill".

Riepe said the “six-week ban is tantamount to a total ban,” which many of his constituents oppose, he said. His comments echoed the views of most of the doctors who testified against LB 626 in a public hearing. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Joni Albrecht, said she is disappointed by the amendment and it may put the bill in jeopardy when the debate comes.

Currently, there are believed to be exactly 33 votes for LB626, the exact amount needed to pass the bill. A single senator's departure could fail the bill in all. Sen. Albrecht said Riepe’s 12-week ban “is not acceptable to myself or the other 32 (supporters).” She argued that her bill is “not about a ban.” Riepe has indicated that he will be the 33rd vote in the first round of debate but expects a fair and in-depth debate in the second round.

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