OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Wednesday, the Supreme Court began hearing arguments on Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which is centered on a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
RELATED: Abortion rights on the line as court weighs Mississippi case
Both pro-abortion rights advocates and abortion-rights opponents in Nebraska are keeping a close eye on the proceedings.
“It can only be described as the most important abortion rights or reproductive rights case in 50 years," said Scout Richters, the ACLU of Nebraska legal and policy counsel.
The Mississippi case making it this far into the court system alarms those who want to keep abortion legal.
"The threat is real," Richter said. "And the fact that they even took up this case and heard it today, it’s very disheartening."
Those wanting to ban abortions entirely see a lot of potential in how the justices are looking at the case.
“[They] had some very good questions," said Sandy Danek, President of Nebraska Right to Life. "Some of it was clear what they were thinking, but you never assume anything until the decision comes down.”
Danek says in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned and states are given the option, she believes Nebraska will ban the procedures.
“I think this is a pro-life state," Danek said. "I think it would be quite a battle because there is certainly a split in the unicameral like we’ve never seen before. But i think the citizenry of Nebraska would prefer to not have abortion in our state.”
Despite what Danek said, several polls show either an even split or a slight majority of Nebraska citizens in favor of abortion rights.
Senator Megan Hunt doesn’t think abortion access should be determined by the state, but feels if it came down to it, Nebraska’s unique unicameral could vote in favor of abortion rights.
“We don’t have any official party control, we don’t have any caucuses, we don’t have any majority/minority leaders like what you would see in any other states," Hunt said. "And a benefit to that is that we haven’t had the heavy hand of the Republican party platform on us.”
Hunt said she expects a six-week ban of abortions to be introduced on the state level soon.
The case currently in front of the Supreme Court is expected to be decided in late June.
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