2026 Policy Priorities
Our priorities center the needs of real Nebraskans—rural and urban, young and old, of various cultural and faith backgrounds—from Omaha to Ogallala. RHCN’s advocacy work is informed by sound data, medical best practice, and learnings from our statewide network of 10 healthcare agencies at 30 clinical sites. These priorities aim to ensure access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare for all Nebraskans. Stay updated throughout the 2026 legislative session by joining our email list!
Preserve our reproductive and maternal health safety net programs, ensuring everyone has a pathway to care
Expand access to contraception, STI testing and treatment, and other essential sexual health services
Carryover bills from Nebraska’s 2025 legislative session are marked with an asterisk (*). For updates on bills introduced in 2026, check back soon or sign up to receive emails.
Strengthen systems that advance access to care statewide
LB 1161: Allow pregnant and parenting minors, as well as 18-year-olds, to consent to healthcare
- Introducer: Juarez
- Committee: Judiciary
Supports Nebraska families by addressing barriers and broadening access to prenatal care and other essential services.
LB 369*: Allow 18-year-olds to consent to healthcare, and persons under 19 years of age in correctional facilities to consent to healthcare
- Introducer: Hunt
- Committee: Judiciary
Amends current law to address Nebraska’s unique age of majority statute for medical consent, broadening access to care
LB 110*: Provide for requirements when conducting pelvic exams on unconscious and anesthetized patients
- Introducer: Hughes
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Strengthens patient autonomy and trust in providers by reinforcing standard of care around informed consent practices
LB 731: Establish new medical malpractice risk for providers
- Introducer: Kauth
- Committee: Judiciary
Weakens statewide systems of care—amidst a rural workforce shortage—by opening providers up to new risk, resulting in higher malpractice insurance premiums, added administrative costs, and heightened fear of litigation.
LB 732: Allow for unprecedented civil penalties against providers
- Introducer: Kauth
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Weakens statewide access to sexual and reproductive healthcare by allowing for excessive, damaging civil penalties against providers.
LB 655*: Provide for medical conscience-based objections
- Introducer: Murman
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Weakens statewide access to care, allowing providers and payors to opt out of providing healthcare services based upon religious, moral, or ethical beliefs
LB 202*: Exempt certain activities from disciplinary action under the Medicine and Surgery Practice Act
- Introducer: Kauth
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Shields providers from disciplinary action when expressing opinions divergent from medical consensus, including instances where damaging and/or non-evidence-based claims are shared in public and professional forums
Preserve our reproductive and maternal health safety net programs, ensuring everyone has a pathway to care
LB 773: Eliminate a sunset date and change provisions of the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program
- Introducer: Dungan
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Supports Nebraska families by extending access to essential prenatal services for Medicaid-eligible mothers through the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program
LB 858: Direct funds to the Department of Health and Human Services for federally qualified health centers
- Introducer: Fredrickson
- Committee: Appropriations
Bolsters delivery of healthcare, especially in rural areas, through aid to federally qualified health centers.
RHCN’s funded network includes four federally qualified health centers with Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, Good Neighbor Community Health Center, Midtown Health Center, and One World Community Health Center.
LB 68*: Require coverage of self-administered birth control by insurance
- Introducer: Raybould
- Committee: Banking, Commerce and Insurance
Addresses contraceptive access gaps by providing for insurance and Medicaid coverage of certain methods
Expand access to contraception, STI testing and treatment, and other essential sexual health services
LB 67*: Require hospitals to offer emergency contraception when treating survivors of sexual assault
- Introducer: Raybould
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Expands options and autonomy for survivors by requiring hospitals to provide medically accurate and objective information about emergency contraception in cases of sexual assault
Champion effective, high-quality, and medically accurate sexual health education
There are currently no bills in this priority area for 2026. Check back soon or sign up to receive emails to stay updated.
Get Involved
Nebraska’s unique unicameral structure makes our citizens proud to function as the state’s “second house,” and RHCN’s advocacy work supports your ability to stay informed, engaged, and empowered. Here are a few ways you can help shape sensible policy that supports sexual and reproductive health!
Share Your Story
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Learn More
Explore resources from the Nebraska Legislature to learn more about the lawmaking process.