Nebraskans will no longer be exposed to a series of abortion-related billboards along Interstate 80 that falsely claim Nebraska women are being incarcerated due to the state’s abortion ban.
In response to recent prosecutions involving a mother and daughter in Norfolk related to abortion, the out-of-state abortion-rights organization Free & Just had erected five billboards in August through Lamar Outdoor Advertising. Four of these billboards were situated along I-80.
However, the Nebraska Right to Life organization, led by Sandy Danek, expressed strong opposition to the messaging and engaged in discussions with Lamar Omaha. Despite these efforts, they were unable to reach an agreement. Determined to have their concerns heard, Danek mobilized her organization’s supporters through an email campaign launched on Wednesday.
Within hours of sending the email, Danek received notification that Lamar Omaha would be taking action to address the controversial messaging on the billboards.
Lamar Omaha confirmed on Friday that the billboards would no longer be displayed. However, they did not provide specific details on whether the decision was made by the company itself or if it was due to the expiration of Free & Just’s contract.
Danek criticized the billboards as misleading, emphasizing that Nebraska law does not prosecute women who have abortions and no woman has been incarcerated for this reason. The billboards were part of Free & Just’s broader messaging strategy targeting Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, represented by Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican.
Free & Just plans to follow up the billboards with digital ads and other initiatives to shed light on the consequences of extreme abortion bans in post-Dobbs America, according to a statement released on August 4.
The Norfolk case
The case in Norfolk, which Free & Just references, involves 18-year-old Celeste Burgess and her mother, Jessica Burgess. The mother was convicted for assisting her then-17-year-old daughter in obtaining abortion pills beyond the legal limit of 20 weeks post-fertilization. Following the abortion procedure, the mother and daughter disposed of the fetus by burning and burying it, which prompted an investigation by the Norfolk police after a tip was received.
Celeste Burgess pleaded guilty to concealing or abandoning a dead body and received a 90-day jail sentence along with two years of probation for her actions. Jessica Burgess pleaded guilty to providing an illegal abortion, false reporting, and tampering with human skeletal remains. She is awaiting sentencing later this year.
Criminal and civil liability for women
Legislative Bill 574, passed in the spring, imposed restrictions on abortions after 12 weeks of gestational age, corresponding to around 10 weeks post-fertilization. The legislation includes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk. It explicitly states that women who undergo or attempt an abortion shall not be held liable. Despite this, Celeste Burgess faced charges due to the circumstances surrounding the termination of her pregnancy.
State Sen. Jen Day, one of nine lawmakers advocating for the passage of LB 391, has emphasized the importance of protecting women from being held responsible for pregnancy outcomes. The proposed bill aims to provide criminal and civil immunity for pregnancy-related issues but has yet to progress beyond the Judiciary Committee.
Day and her colleagues argue that LB 391 is necessary to ensure that women seeking abortion care are not subjected to prosecution. However, Danek is concerned about the potential false impressions created by the billboards and the impact they may have on public understanding of Nebraska’s laws.
“I just shudder to think of all those Omaha people who have looked at that billboard for a month,” said Danek. “How many could believe that this is truthful?”
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