Nebraska Supreme Court Upholds Abortion, Trans Care Ban

The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld Legislative Bill 574, which limits abortions to 12 weeks and bans gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland challenged the law, arguing it violated the state’s single-subject rule by addressing both abortion and transgender medical care in one bill. The court ruled that both are related to medical procedures and public health, thus falling within a single subject. Chief Justice Mike Heavican emphasized the ruling did not comment on the substance of the law but affirmed its constitutionality. Gov. Jim Pillen and other Nebraska officials praised the decision, while the ACLU and Planned Parenthood expressed disappointment, noting the negative impact on affected individuals. The ruling comes as part of a broader trend of states enacting restrictive measures on abortion and transgender care since the reversal of Roe v. Wade.