LINCOLN—Nebraska Right to Life will make passage of LB 300 its priority for the 2013 Nebraska Unicameral session. LB 300, Women’s Right to Know: 4-D Ultrasound, was introduced today by Senator Bob Krist of District 10 from Omaha.
“Nebraska’s public policy since 1993 provides women with informed consent information prior to abortion,” said Julie Schmit-Albin, Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director. “We thank Senator Krist for his desire to improve and expand upon that information by directing the Department of Health & Human Services to set up a dedicated web page within the DHHS web site that brings all of the informed consent information to one spot and enhances it by adding links to 4-D moving ultrasound images of unborn babies developing in the womb.”
The 1993 statute provided for a written booklet with drawings of fetal development, a list of abortion alternative agencies, as well as the risks and complications that can result from abortion.
“What was state-of-the-art in 1993 is not the same for 2013,” said Schmit-Albin. “LB 300 will bring the informed consent for abortion information current with the way people search for information these days: via their smart phones, laptops and tablets rather than having to request a booklet from DHHS that had to be mailed out. Women and young girls considering an abortion appointment can pull up 4-D moving ultrasound images of babies developing in the womb and have that information immediately as they consider their decision.”
Under LB 300, abortion facilities must provide a link on their web sites to the DHHS dedicated informed consent for abortion web page.
Schmit-Albin noted that abortion providers had been doing the bare minimum to comply with Nebraska’s 1993 law, simply providing a pre-recorded message from their facilities which listed an 800 number for DHHS which women could call to have DHHS provide them the information. making access to accurate information difficult.
“For years Nebraska’s abortionists have skirted around the spirit of the 1993,” said Schmit-Albin. “They never stocked the DHHS booklets on informed consent. They have a pre-recorded message women listen to which spews out the 1-800 number to DHHS saying women can call there for more information. Clearly there has not been a demand for the booklets, according to what we have been told by DHHS and that means abortion facilities are not pushing that information. Big surprise.”
“Let’s remember too that in 1993, 4-D ultrasound was not available,” said Schmit-Albin. “We need to keep our statutes in tune with changes in technology. There is no reason that our DHHS should not link to 4-D ultrasound images as a matter of providing full informed consent for people who are making an irreversible life and death decision.”
“By having abortion providers link to the DHHS web page on informed consent, those women considering abortion will have this information at their fingertips,” she said. “Hopefully more women considering abortion will have better access to the information that our public policy is to provide to them.”
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
