The Capitol Update is a regularly occurring column authored by staff members of the Nebraska Catholic Conference and published in diocesan news publications. It provides the latest public policy updates on state and federal legislative policy.
When we look around and see the brokenness in our political parties, politicians, and governmental branches, we need only to turn to Christ, as easy and as difficult as that can be. Christ alone makes sense of our brokenness and provides the path for restoration and wholeness.
As we enter the final third of the legislative session—always its fastest and most volatile time—I want to introduce readers to three important bills this year that address the human dignity of unborn children and their mothers. There are others deserving mention, but we’ll focus today on LB632, LB512, and LB669.
As Senators exit the bill hearing process and are more engaged in floor debate, your advocacy will be critical. Senators need to hear from you—their constituents—about which bills are important to pass and which bills should be defeated.
This legislative session, the Nebraska Catholic Conference has taken positions on 50 bills.
Gaining trust of and educating the general public about the dignity of all human life is a labor of love that takes time. It requires prudent decisions and strategies, built on prayer, fasting, and unwavering trust in God.
Last week, four school choice bills had legislative hearings, one in the Appropriations Committee and the other three in the Education Committee.
Sen. Murman’s bill would protect health care professionals in their exercise of conscience rights.
Remember, your voice matters and State Senators are influenced by Catholics when they speak up. God bless your efforts bearing the light of Christ in the public square!
For the last several years now, Catholics at the Capitol has boasted a sell-out crowd, so let’s keep it going (watch out Memorial Stadium, here we come)! Visit www.NEcatholic.org to register now, as seats are limited.
The bills we are working on run the gamut, but they all fall under our five main advocacy areas: 1) Life & Human Dignity; 2) Marriage, Family, & Human Sexuality; 3) Education; 4) Social & Human Development; and 5) Church as Institution.
LB78 would provide funding assistance to victims and survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. The funding would be available to organizations—like Catholic Charities of Omaha and Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska—to help with housing-related services and costs, to ensure that victims and survivors have a safe place to live as they flee violence and abuse.
This legislative session, numerous school choice bills have been introduced by several different senators. The number of advocacy groups in favor of school choice at the Capitol is greater than it ever has been. And thousands of families are prepared to fight for their right to school choice. This is a clear sign that, notwithstanding the November ballot loss, the momentum for school choice is on the rise.
On the third day of session, the Stand with Women Act (LB89) was introduced by Senator Kathleen Kauth of Millard. This legislation is a major priority of the Nebraska Catholic Conference.
Praise God for the work He has done through us! Life can win on the ballot where pro-life people are faithful, smart, unified, and unafraid.
Nebraska Catholics should also know the incredible leadership we enjoy from our bishops: Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha, Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, and Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt of Grand Island. Their commitment to the truth of the Gospel and the dignity of every human person drives the work of the NCC.
During Advent, we await not only a celebration and a memorial of His birth in Bethlehem, but we prayerfully anticipate His Second Coming in glory as King.
The Nebraska Catholic Conference and Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, along with other organizations, are fully committed to continued school choice advocacy, because this is what parents and children deserve.
God be praised for His mercy on Nebraska, through the defeat of Initiative 439 and the passage of Initiative 434.
The law written on the heart of each of us will be so attuned to the desires of the Father, that the human law whatever it is will give way to right actions and motivations that God has in store for a people who love Him.
We do not want to wake up on the morning after Election Day and have any regrets about what we could have or should have done before all the ballots were cast. We must “leave it all on the field.”
We must take time to reach out to five people a day and courageously communicate this message to family, friends, fellow parishioners, and other Nebraskans. The race isn’t over yet. Justice demands our involvement. The real lives of human beings—women and babies—demand our involvement.
A small but vocal minority of advocates have recently increased their engagement against both Initiatives 434 and 439. They are urging pro-lifers to “Vote No on Both.” Their efforts to oppose and undermine Initiative 434 are misplaced and could do serious damage to Initiative 434’s ability to defeat Initiative 439, leaving us with unsafe and unregulated late-pregnancy abortions well into the second and third term of a pregnancy.
Praying and fasting will be the most important element of our efforts this election cycle to defeat the pro-abortion industry’s attempt to legalize abortion in Nebraska late into pregnancy (Initiative 439—vote AGAINST) and defeat the efforts of school choice opponents to strip children of their education funding (Referendum 435—vote RETAIN!), all while we uphold commonsense health and safety protections for women and babies (Initiative 434—vote FOR).
