While two local groups have been working to get their abortion initiatives, both for and against, on the ballot in November in Nebraska, a third has joined in with its own effort, challenging both sides and illustrating differing pro-life approaches.
The Nebraska state legislature passed a 12-week abortion ban in 2023 following the Supreme Court Dobbs decision. This ban held to the exceptions of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. Nebraska pro-lifers were pleased as this seemed like a win.
The pro-abortion group Protect Our Rights Nebraska has put forth an initiative for the November ballot seeking to change to the state constitution to make abortion a “fundamental right without interference from the state or its political subdivisions until fetal viability,” with a non-specific definition of viability.
Pro-life group Protect Women and Children is aiming to get an initiative on the ballot for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion in the second and third trimesters, keeping the gestational age for the state’s abortion ban at 12 weeks and allowing exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, much like the original legislation.
A third group, Choose Life Now, is hoping for an amendment that protects life from conception with no exceptions.
The requirements to get an initiated constitutional amendment certified for the 2024 ballot in Nebraska approximately 124,465 signatures by July 5.
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Choose Life Now started collecting petitions in late May. Their initiative would create personhood for every embryo and human life form in Nebraska. They are working from the disadvantage from the late start, and according to David Zebolsky with Choose Life Now, the state attorney general had told them “It has never been done.”
Zebolsky communicated with Pregnancy Help News about the matter through email.
The coalition formed immediately following announcement of the Protect Women and Children initiative after that group filed with the secretary of state March 1, Zebolsky said. They posted their proposed language and composed the website chooselifenow.net website the following week.
He referenced the divide in the pro-life approaches, referencing the Protect Women and Children ballot initiative as “compromised.”
“We carefully prayed and planned with faithful attorneys, OB GYNS, faithful religious, and pro-life leaders to compose this simple and effective language as an amendment to the state constitution,” Zebolsky said.
Zebolsky’s group sent a letter to churches and pro-life advocates asking them to circulate the Choose Life Now petition.
Zebolsky and others who support this third initiative believe God intended pro-lifers to be bolder in their stance and should not compromise.
The Choose Life Now website discusses the beginning of life at conception, including that human beings are made in God’s image, and that this qualifies them for protection from abortion.
In the case of rape, incest or life of the mother, there is no gray area, the site said.
Zebolsky said that no mother in any U.S. state dies from lack of medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy, and that an intentional abortion can never occur morally.
Sandy Danek is the Executive Director of Right to Life Nebraska. She and many other pro-life leaders in the state, are supporting the Protect Women and Children initiative and the 12-week limit.
“I support it largely because it makes good strategic sense,” Danek said during a phone interview with Pregnancy Help News. Danek said her 35 years with Right to Life has been spent working toward and praying for a total abortion ban in Nebraska.
However, “We don’t see a way that Nebraska is in a place now that will pass a total abortion ban.”
The Republican-dominant state is not as red as it used to be, Danek said. She noted that media and leftist propaganda has shifted the mindset of more conservatives since the Dobbs decision. Danek said that while Nebraska has been regarded as conservative, it is now more of a “purple” state.
Danek said Right to Life Nebraska is working closely with Protect Women and Children because it is a step toward progress and a step away from pro-abortion dominance.
The focus is to stop the initiative from pro-abortion Protect Our Rights, she said.
The language in the pro-abortion initiative is “vague,” Danek said, and many Nebraskans do not understand what has happened since Dobbs was overturned. Further, many conservative voters are on the fence regarding abortion exceptions.
The Protect Our Rights abortion initiative states that abortions should be allowed until the point of viability, however, Danek pointed out, while this is determined by “a medical professional,” such a “professional” may not have an MD.
“There are no clear definitions,” she said of the pro-abortion ballot initiative. “The vague language is dangerous. We have a lot to lose if this passes. We have to stop it. It will be catastrophic to our state.” Danek said.
That’s why it is important that pro-life voters are unified, she said.
“We ask (pro-life voters) if you want to sign (the Choose Life Now petition), please sign it. Sign them both,” she said referring to the Protect Women and Children petition.
“We support the initiative that will pass on November 5,” Danek said.
The website for Choose Life Now says they fully believe despite the odds against them, that they will have enough signatures, and the initiative will be on the ballot November 5 and voters will approve a total ban on abortion.
“We don’t rely on polls or secular numbers, expectations, forecasts or history, we don’t look for superstitious ‘expert’ opinion or marketing analysis, we don’t rely on politicians and pundits, we are not influenced by secular or monetary powers; we don’t guess or assume or predict-we don’t have to. We have the Lord,” the site stated.
Zebolsky said that although collecting this many signatures for an initiative has never been done in Nebraska in such a short time, he is not calling it impossible.
He was unable to confirm how many signatures they had as of mid-June.
Danek said she and many pro-life supporters of Protect Women and Children are distributing petitions and was also unable to confirm how many signatures they had obtained as of press time.
“Twelve weeks is not what we want to see,” Danek said, stressing that the Dobbs decision and the state’s current legislation on abortion is important. “But many of us are traveling the state working aggressively to help people understand.”
Danek credits the 29 pregnancy centers across the state for continuing to offer life affirming options and are on the front lines every day. Many centers are in support of the petitions for Protect Women and Children, she said.
Tweet This: Danek credits the 29 pregnancy centers across the state for continuing to offer life affirming options and being on the front lines every day.
Danek said she is not at all against the efforts of the Choose Life Now movement.
“I applaud their effort and enthusiasm,” she told Pregnancy Help News. “We are not either-or. We should not be divisive. Sign both. Vote for both,” she said.
Zebolsky said he is grateful for Danek’s support, but he said that both Protect our Rights and Protect Women and Children would keep abortion at the high current levels, and his initiative would end abortion in the state.
Danek said the state of Nebraska may see as many as eight initiatives on the ballot in November on issues from abortion to marijuana and taxes.
“Voters are going to be heavily laden with initiatives,” she said.
