Nebraska is a pioneer in passing legislation to protect unborn children’s right to life. In 2010, it was the first state in the country to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The Lincoln Journal Star reported that after that law was passed, the number of abortions decreased by almost 8 percent.
Nebraska also regulates that the procedures must be done by a licensed physician, and minors must have written parental consent before obtaining an abortion.
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The state also has a waiting period of 24 hours before a woman is able to have the surgery. She must first have a consulting session in which she hears the physical and psychological risks of abortion and continued pregnancy and is given information on available benefits and the developmental process of a baby.
Nebraska’s regulations are not very different from its neighboring states. Kansas has a ban on abortions after 20 weeks as well. South Dakota bans it after 24 weeks and Wyoming bans it once the child viably can survive outside the womb on its own, which is typically around the 24-week mark. Iowa bans abortions in the third trimester, but Colorado allows for
late-term abortions, according to Find Law.
All states surrounding Nebraska also require the procedure to be performed by a licensed official, but South Dakota regulates that the surgery must be performed in a hospital as well.
Though Wyoming, Colorado, and Iowa do not have waiting periods after consultation, Kansas and South Dakota do.
The Guttmacher Institute reports that Kansas’ waiting period is 24 hours while South Dakota’s is 72.
All the states surrounding Nebraska likewise require that parents have some sort of notice prior to a minor having an abortion. South Dakota, Iowa, and Colorado require a parent or guardian to be notified about the abortion procedure before it is performed. In Kansas, a parent or guardian will need to provide consent before the operation is done. In Wyoming, both the minor and a parent must provide written consent for the procedure, and the physician must notify the parents in writing 48 hours before the abortion.
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