Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signs stringent anti-transgender and anti-abortion bill into law

During a press conference on Monday morning, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed Legislative Bill 574 into law, a piece of legislation that bans gender-affirming care for minors and puts severe restrictions on abortion procedures. At the top of the press conference, Pillen referred to the bill as “the most significant win for the conservative agenda in the last generation for the state of Nebraska.”

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signs LB 574, an abortion and gender-affirming care ban: “[This bill is] the most significant win for the social conservative agenda in over a generation in Nebraska. I think that’s something we need to clap and shout about.” pic.twitter.com/ptF0lmx8Ir

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Effective immediately, anyone under the age of 19 will not be able to receive gender-affirming care under the new law, while the state’s chief medical officer will have the power to establish limitations on hormone therapy and puberty blockers. Abortion access will be restricted after 12 weeks of gestation with exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of the pregnant person. Despite these harmful regulations, Pillen insisted that this bill is aimed at saving children. “You know, again, we believe in protecting our kids and make sure that they, parents and kids, don’t get duped into this silliness, that if you do this you’re going to become happy,” Pillen said. “That is absolutely Lucifer at its finest. We believe this law protects and allows our children to make decisions on their own when they become of age.” For the last several months, Democratic state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh  has been continuously filibustering every bill that came to the floor in protest of LB 574. She was joined by several other Democrats and left-leaning non-partisans — including Sen. Megan Hunt, who recently took her Republican colleagues to task flippantly complaining about every day issues. Cavanaugh and other opponents of LB 574 have vowed to challenge the bill through lawsuits. A reporter asked Pillen if Republicans were prepared to fight those challenges in court. “Yeah, of course we’re prepared,” Pillen responded. “And, of course, we’re going to win if that takes place.”