State Senator ends three week filibuster
Tensions high as LB 574 passes through first round of debate
Senator Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha made national headlines with her resolution to “burn the session to the ground” over Legislative Bill 574. LB 574 would prohibit gender-affirming treatment including puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and gender-affirmation surgery for individuals under 19 years of age. The bill also restricts medical providers from making referrals for the procedures. The bill was introduced by Republican Senator Kathleen Kauth.
Cavanuagh used multiple filibusters, a tactic common in the unique Unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Filibusters are a political maneuver used to extend debate on a bill to delay or block its passage. She spent three weeks filibustering almost every bill that appeared before the Legislature, including ones she supported. Her protest began when LB 574 advanced out of committee.
After three weeks, Cavanuagh reached an agreement with Senator John Arch, the speaker of the legislature, and ended her legislative technique. LB 574 was pushed to the front of the queue and debate on the bill started on Tuesday, March 21.
The debate was contentious. Cavanaugh stated that if the vote passed, she would resume filibustering every bill for the 90-day session. Kauth responded by calling Cavanuagh’s filibusters “self-serving and childish.” During the debate, Senators Jen Day, Megan Hunt and Danielle Conrad said they would join Cavanuagh’s filibusters.
A motion to end the debate called “cloture” passed with a 33-16 vote. The bill advanced to another round of debate with a 30-17 vote. LB 574 must pass through two more rounds in order to become law. The first round of debate can take up to eight hours, the second round four hours and the final round two hours.
In response to Cavanuagh’s filibusters, Senator Steve Erdman of Bayard introduced new rules for the Legislature that restrict motions to pause debate, return a bill to committee or postpone discussion. The new rules limit each type of motion to be used once per day, per round of debate. Prior to this rule change, Senators could file unlimited priority motions on bills. The new rules passed with a 32-13 vote.
Senators Cavanaugh and Hunt have stated their intentions to continue obstructing legislation through other methods. One such method is filing amendments for bills that pass through committee. Cavanaugh, Hunt, and Conrad have filed 742 motions as of March 28.
Friday, March 31 was Trans Day of Visibility. Hundreds of individuals gathered outside the Lincoln Capitol building to protest the legislation. Opponents of LB 574 argue that it is an infringement of parental rights and discriminatory. The legislation introduced in Nebraska is following a nationwide trend, with around 150 bills regarding transgender individuals introduced in state legislatures this year.
By: Aubrey Benton