Nebraska Medicine opposes two bills introduced by the Nebraska legislature that limit medical and abortion rights for transgender youth.
The “Let Them Grow Act” LB574, introduced by Omaha Senator Kathleen Cout, prohibits transgender youth under the age of 19 from undergoing gender verification procedures.
Nearly every major medical and mental health organization in the United States supports gender-affirming care, according to an emailed statement from a Nebraska Medicine spokesperson.
“Our opposition to LB574 is rooted in the barrier it creates between patients and the evidence-based care they deserve,” a spokesperson said.
Young people and their families deserve compassionate, age-appropriate and personalized healthcare, the spokesperson said.
“Parental consent is required by law and is important in providing all types of medical care to minor patients, including gender care,” the spokesperson said.
The “heartbeat law” LB626, introduced by Senator Joni Albrecht of Thurston, generally prohibits doctors from performing abortions when heart activity is detected around six weeks of gestation.
“[LB626] It interferes with the doctor-patient relationship and penalizes providers who act within their medical training,” the spokesperson said.
The bill states that if a medical emergency arises that requires an abortion “with reasonable medical judgment,” it counts as a medical exception to the bill. However, Nebraska Medicine said the exceptions mentioned in the bill are insufficient to account for all the different scenarios in which abortion is medically necessary.
“Medicine is very complicated,” said a spokesperson. “Each patient and each case is different. Each professionally trained provider must be able to rely on that training to do their best without fear of penalty.”
On Wednesday, the Nebraska Legislative Committee on Health and Human Services heard LB574’s testimony at the state capitol. The same commission heard him testify on LB626 on 1 February.
