Senator Storer discusses Brand Bill, failed LB669 in weekly column

BY: Sen. Tanya Storer

I want to begin by saying how much I appreciate the many calls and messages I’ve received in support of LB669. This was a bill to protect women in domestic violent relationships and/or victims of human trafficking, and your support has been a true blessing. I am grateful to everyone who reached out and stood with us on this important issue. Unfortunately, upon cloture, we fell two votes short of moving the bill forward, including the lack of support from two of my Republican colleagues.

I introduced LB669 last year, and it was designated as a priority bill by Senator Lonowski this session. As introduced, LB669 focused on informed consent related to abortion procedures. It added a requirement for providers to screen for signs of coercion, domestic violence, and human trafficking before an abortion could be performed, ensure access to national hotlines, and provide an opportunity for a confidential phone call in a private setting. Supporters viewed these provisions as safeguards for women in crisis, while opponents argued the bill unfairly targeted one category of healthcare and created new legal liabilities for providers.

In response to concerns raised during the first day of debate, I worked in good faith on AM1924. The amendment would have expanded the screening requirement to all pregnant patients, not just those seeking abortions, and required the screening to occur at a patient's first scheduled prenatal visit. The intent was to make clear that the focus of the bill was addressing domestic violence and human trafficking, regardless of a woman's medical decisions. Despite this effort to address concerns and find common ground, the opposition chose to filibuster the bill and block the amendment. While concerns were raised on the floor, those raising objections did not bring forward alternative amendments to address the issues they identified.

While the outcome was heartbreaking, the discussion reinforced the continued need to address coercion, abuse, and human trafficking in a way that prioritizes women's safety and accountability.

I want to also talk about upcoming legislative activity that has generated considerable interest in my office. I have received several calls and emails regarding the Brand Bill introduced by Senator Hansen, which would dismantle the Nebraska Brand Committee and make statewide inspections voluntary. This bill will be heard by the Agriculture Committee on February 17, alongside Senator DeKay's LB1187, which is a bill to increase fees necessary to meet the needs of the continuation of the Brand Committees work. Individuals who wish to testify or submit comments may do so in person or through the Legislature's online comment system. Please note that you cannot do both. If you are interested in testifying or adding comments, you can read the rules for public participation here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/committees/public-input.php. If you are unable to attend in person but want to ensure your voice is heard and formally entered into the legislative record, you'll need to submit your comments through the Legislature's online comment system prior to 8:00 am on February 170000. Please visit the following link: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=63334&docnum=LB1258&leg=109. Once you're on the bill page, scroll down to the box that states "Click to submit comments online for LB1258" and follow the instructions there.

Please don't hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions about the submission process or if there's anything else we can assist you with. Your engagement and input remain invaluable as we continue our work this session.