A six-week abortion ban failed in the Nebraska legislature on Thursday, after supporters of the ban fell one vote short of breaking a filibuster to enact the new law.
The bill, which sought to ban abortion after cardiac activity is detected around six weeks of pregnancy, lost a crucial supporter when Republican state Sen. Merv Riepe abstained from the vote. Riepe, who had previously supported the bill, surprised his colleagues last month by announcing he planned to introduce an amendment to extend abortion access through 12 weeks of He previously told Nebraska's Flatwater Free Press that he was worried that the six-week law would be perceived as a "total ban."
"At the end of the day, I need to look back and be able to say to myself, ‘Did you do the best?'" Riepe said. "No group came to me, asking me to do this. This is of my own beliefs, my own commitments." Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) said in a statement that he was "profoundly disappointed" by Thursday's vote, taking particular aim at Riepe's abstention.
He previously told Nebraska's Flatwater Free Press that he was worried that the six-week law would be perceived as a "total ban." "At the end of the day, I need to look back and be able to say to myself, ‘Did you do the best?'" Riepe said. "No group came to me, asking me to do this. This is of my own beliefs, my own commitments."
He previously told Nebraska's Flatwater Free Press that he was worried that the six-week law would be perceived as a "total ban." "At the end of the day, I need to look back and be able to say to myself, ‘Did you do the best?'" Riepe said. "No group came to me, asking me to do this. This is of my own beliefs, my own commitments."
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) said in a statement that he was "profoundly disappointed" by Thursday's vote, taking particular aim at Riepe's abstention.
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