Tense Moments During Floor Debate in the Nebraska Legislature Wednesday Leads to Censure Motion

LINCOLN–(KFOR Mar. 15)–Debate got tense Wednesday in the Nebraska Legislature, mainly due to the ongoing filibuster from Omaha Senator Machaela Cavanaugh regarding two anti-transgender bills that will go before state lawmakers.

Cavanaugh on Wednesday explained she wants debate and a vote done on LB 574 and LB 575, which are bills that target transgender people, in order to have a record of those senators who stood by them. Cavanaugh called the bills “genocide” toward transgender people. Dunbar Senator Julie Slama took exception and moved to censure Cavanaugh.

“I’m beyond words right now because that is a level of ignorance that is unacceptable of an elected body,” Slama said.  Cavanaugh stated the term (genocide) has been used in academic papers.

Speaker of the Legislature John Arch says the Legislature is not going to take that censure motion up at this time.

Cavanaugh has primarily been filibustering LB574, which is a bill that bans gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The other bill, LB 575, would ban trans people from using bathrooms and locker rooms or playing on sports teams that don’t align with the gender listed on their birth certificates.

Cavanaugh said she will continue advocating for the people that would be affected by both bills.