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LB 512

Adopt the Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ben Hansen and 1 co-sponsor

LB 512 requires in-person pre/post abortion checks ectopic screening, 3-28 day follow-ups, and DHHS reporting for abortion-inducing drugs, with licensure discipline for violations.

Holdcroft FA992 filed
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Bill Summary · LB 512

Summary — LB 512 (Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act)

Status: Introduced Jan 21, 2025. Placed on General File with amendment AM519 (Mar 14, 2025). Advanced from Health & Human Services Committee (committee vote: Aye — Senators Hardin, Ballard, Hansen, Meyer; Nay — Senators Fredrickson, Riepe; Present not voting — Senator Quick).

Purpose / Intent

LB 512 would establish mandatory clinical and reporting protocols for physicians before and after providing an abortion‑inducing drug (commonly called medication or chemical abortion). The bill’s stated aim is to reduce serious adverse health outcomes by requiring in‑person evaluation, follow‑up care, and structured reporting to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Key provisions

  • Definitions (Sec. 2):

    • “Abortion‑inducing drug” — drug(s) provided to a woman known to be pregnant with the specific intent to terminate the pregnancy. (AM519 clarifies exclusion for drugs that are capable of terminating a preborn child but are provided for another medical purpose, e.g., management of miscarriage or removal of an ectopic pregnancy.)
    • “Adverse event” — enumerates outcomes (shock, infection, incomplete abortion, missed ectopic pregnancy, death, etc.). (AM519 narrows “hemorrhage” to hemorrhage requiring surgical management or blood transfusion.)
    • “Provide” means give, prescribe, dispense, administer, transfer possession of, or sell an abortion‑inducing drug.

  • Pre‑provision clinical requirements (Sec. 3): Before providing an abortion‑inducing drug, a physician must:

    • examine the woman in person;
    • independently verify pregnancy;
    • determine whether the pregnancy is ectopic; and
    • document gestational age and pregnancy location in the medical record.
      (The introduced version required blood type/Rh testing and offering Rh immunoglobulin; AM519 removed those Rh testing provisions.)

  • Follow‑up visit (Sec. 4): The physician (or agent) must schedule a follow‑up visit occurring no earlier than day 3 and no later than day 28 (AM519 changed from 14 days to 28 days) after the drug was provided. At follow‑up the physician shall: confirm complete termination, assess for adverse events (including ongoing bleeding), and document findings.

  • Reporting to DHHS (Sec. 5): Within 30 days after the end of the calendar month in which the drug was provided, the physician must file a DHHS standard form that includes: physician name; name(s) of drug(s) and dates provided; date of any follow‑up visit; documentation of adverse events; any follow‑up treatment the physician provided; and purpose of any referral. Reports must not include personally identifying information for the woman.

  • Enforcement and legal effects:

    • Violation is listed as “unprofessional conduct” under the physician licensure statute (sec. 38‑2021) (Sec. 7).
    • Sec. 6: No criminal or civil liability for the woman upon whom an abortion is attempted, induced, or performed.
    • Severability clause included.

Who is affected

  • Physicians who prescribe, dispense, or otherwise provide abortion‑inducing drugs in Nebraska (clinical and reporting obligations; potential licensure discipline for violations).
  • DHHS (responsible for producing a standard reporting form and receiving reports).
  • Facilities/clinics that deliver medication abortion (operational changes for scheduling and documentation).
  • Pregnant people receiving abortion‑inducing drugs (required in‑person evaluation and scheduled follow‑up; protections re: women’s liability preserved).

Procedural / timeline items

  • Introduced Jan 21, 2025 by Senator Rick Holdcroft (primary) with Senator Hansen added as cosponsor.
  • Health & Human Services Committee hearing Feb 13, 2025 (testimony from proponents and opponents including medical associations, advocacy groups, and clinicians).
  • AM519 filed by committee and adopted for General File; notable substantive amendments described above.
  • Placed on General File with AM519 on Mar 14, 2025. Multiple motions related to postponement/bracketing and recommit were filed and later withdrawn.

Considerations

  • The bill moves several clinical tasks (in‑person verification, ectopic evaluation, documentation, and time‑bounded follow‑up) into statute, and creates a statutory reporting regime (aggregate data, non‑identifying).
  • Enforcement through professional discipline raises practice‑standard and regulatory questions; medical societies and reproductive health providers were among the opponents at committee.
  • AM519 removed Rh‑testing requirements and extended the follow‑up window, and narrowed the hemorrhage definition, altering some clinical obligations from the original draft.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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