A Nebraska state court handed down a decision Friday, upholding Nebraska’s new restrictions on gender-related care for transgender youth and abortion access.
The 12-week ban on abortion services and restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, detailed in the recently adopted LB574, will remain law at this time.
The groups challenging the restrictions, Planned Parenthood North Central States & ACLU of Nebraska, plan to appeal the courts decision.
Lancaster County District Court Judge Lori Maret granted a request by the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, Friday, to reject a legal challenge to the state law brought by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and its medical director, Dr. Sarah Traxler, litigated by ACLU of Nebraska and Powers Law.
The lawsuit argued Nebraska state senators violated a state constitutional requirement that “no bill shall contain more than one subject” when they added an abortion ban after 12 weeks of pregnancy to a bill that restricted gender-related care for trans youth. Judge Maret sided with the attorney general’s argument that the two distinct bans are linked by a broad connection to health care.
Planned Parenthood continues to provide abortion services at health centers in Nebraska prior to the 12-week point of pregnancy.
Click here to read the full statements of the Planned Parenthood North Central States CEO and the ACLU of Nebraska Executive Director.