Nebraska's Heartbeat Act Fails to Pass Despite Governor's Call for Reconsideration.
The Nebraska Heartbeat Act, which would have banned abortions after six weeks, was defeated after Senator Merv Riepe decided not to vote, leaving supporters one vote short. Riepe wanted to amend the bill to a 12-week ban but didn't have the votes. Many of the bill's supporters were members of the Catholic Church, and the Nebraska Catholic Conference Executive Director called it a crushing day for the anti-abortion movement. Governor Jim Pillen called on Riepe to reconsider and make a motion to stand by his commitments to life.
