LINCOLN, Neb. – Today, Nebraska State Senator Megan Hunt and reproductive health advocates announced a new effort to expand access to abortion care in Nebraska. Sen. Hunt said the effort will focus on three bills when the Nebraska Legislature reconvenes, two of which she plans to introduce this year and one that will carry over from last year.

The Council of State Governments is excited to recognize Senator Megan Hunt as a recipient of the 2021 CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award. This annual honor highlights the outstanding work of 20 up-and-coming elected and appointed officials from across the country who not only exemplify strong leadership skills but have also demonstrated a true commitment to serving the citizens of their states.

Senator Hunt has introduced LR 135 to condemn attempts to erode the right of all Americans to participate equitably in elections, introduced in response to LR 107, a blatantly partisan resolution signed by 31 state senators.

Senator Megan Hunt Introduces Legislative Resolution Addressing Climate Change Resolution introduced in response to LR 107, a blatantly partisan resolution signed by 31 state senators

Senator Hunt has introduced LR 121 to condemn the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic from some government leaders and to commend the work of those elected officials, public health leaders, front line workers and medical personnel who have sacrificed greatly to provide a robust response to the pandemic for the health and safety of the public. This resolution is introduced in response to LR 107, a blatantly partisan resolution signed by 31 state senators.

Resolution introduced in response to LR 107, a blatantly partisan resolution signed by 31 state senators Lincoln, Nebraska - State Senator Megan Hunt is concerned but amused by the precedent set by Senator Mike Groene and the thirty other state senators who cosponsored LR 107, including attorneys Speaker Mike Hilgers, Senator and former Speaker Mike Flood, Senator Tom Briese, and Senator Matt Williams. LR 107 is a blatantly partisan and frivolous resolution, which relates to subjects including election laws and voting rights, free exercise of religion, federalism and sharing of powers with the federal government, states’ rights as provided in the 9th and 10th Amendments, First Amendment rights, Second Amendment rights, healthcare and vaccines and the right to assemble and travel, a rejection of “vaccine passports,” and the private use of land and water. In keeping with this precedent set by Senator Groene and the thirty cosponsors of LR 107, Senator Hunt has introduced LR 118 to denounce the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., and the acts of sedition and insurrection surrounding it.

A day before the riot at the Capitol, robocalls were sent from the Republican Attorneys General Association, urging them to march on the Capitol to “stop the steal” and “continue to fight to protect the integrity of our election.” Today (1.10.21) I filed a public records request to see to what extent public funds have supported Attorney General Doug Peterson’s membership of RAGA, including any impact those funds may have had in organizing support for the Capitol riot. We need accountability for how these funds were used and for who is responsible. Those behind this dangerous attack an attack on the Capitol that left 5 people dead and directly targeted our elected representatives need to be condemned and punished. Every public official should agree: To let this insurrection pass without a full investigation would set a dangerous precedent for the future of our democracy.

Today Senator Megan Hunt introduced LB504, a bill that would expand the current definition of hate crimes to include crimes based on gender identity. Gender identity refers to an individual's internal concept of their gender, regardless of their assigned sex at birth. State Legislatures across the country have been moving to include crimes based on gender identity in hate crime statutes. Nineteen states have passed legislation to include crimes based on gender identity in their hate crime laws, including Nebraska’s neighboring states of Missouri and Colorado. In 2009, the federal definition of hate crimes was updated to include gender identity. LB504 brings Nebraska statutes up to date with this federal standard. The bill also updates hate crime statutes to include strangulation.