Bill would prohibit remotely administered chemical abortions

The Judiciary Committee heard testimony March 9 on a bill that would prohibit chemical abortions from being administered from remote satellite locations.

LB521, introduced by Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln, would require that chemical abortions be administered in the physical presence of a performing physician.

Under the bill, a physician, or person acting on his or her behalf, must ensure that a patient returns 12 to 18 days after administration of the drug to confirm that the pregnancy has been terminated and assess the patient’s medical condition.

A person in violation of the bill could be charged with a Class I misdemeanor. No penalty would be assessed against the patient.

Currently, Fulton said, physicians in Iowa are administering chemical abortions from remote locations. Although this practice is not currently taking place in Nebraska, he said, the bill could prevent the proliferation of such a practice in the state.

“Chemical abortions should not be administered without a physician present,” he said.

Greg Schleppenbach, state director of the Nebraska Catholic Conference, testified in support of the bill, saying the FDA requires a physician to be present when administering drugs used for chemical abortions.

Schleppenbach said allowing a physician from a remote location to supervise a woman who is receiving an abortion is “pushing the limits of safety.”

Tracy Durbin of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, opposed the bill and said there is no evidence that physicians providing abortion care via satellite are putting their patients at risk.

Durbin said 94 percent of women who were surveyed about this method were satisfied with their experience.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.