Family Life

03.07.11 | Sarah Harnisch

Nebraska women with private health insurance will find it much more difficult to get an abortion, thanks to the advancement of Legislative Bill 22 last week. Legislative Bill 22 would add Nebraska to the list of six states -- Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota and Oklahoma -- that ban private insurance companies from providing abortion coverage unless the payer has a separate insurance rider for abortion. The measure gained approval with a 39-9 vote. It faces another two rounds of votes before it becomes law. in the law, abortion is exempt if the mother's life is in danger -- but abortion in cases of rape or incest is not. In neighboring state South Dakota, lawmakers are debating a bill that would require women to wait 72 hours and receive counseling before getting an abortion.