The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that two abortion-related ballot measures will appear in front of voters in November.
The state Supreme Court ruled on Friday morning that Nebraskans will be able to cast votes on both measures, one in favor of abortion rights and one against. The abortion rights ballot measure asks voters if they would like to enshrine abortion access until fetal viability, or somewhere around 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy, into the state constitution. The measure opposed to abortion rights seeks to codify the state’s current 12-week abortion ban.
The state Supreme Court heard arguments on both amendments earlier this week after a conservative Christian law firm brought two lawsuits against the pro-choice measure. The suit filed against the pro-choice amendment, filed on behalf of anti-abortion advocates, argued that the measure violated state law that says amendments can address only a single subject. A local physician filed a suit against the anti-abortion amendment, arguing that if one measure is allowed on the ballot then both should be allowed.
This is the first time competing abortion measures will be on a state ballot since the Supreme Court repealed Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The state Supreme Court decision was handed down just hours before the deadline to take an amendment off the Nebraska ballot.