Legislators to take up issue of care for pregnant illegals

Nebraska lawmakers voted to suspend legislative rules so a bill could be introduced that would provide prenatal health care coverage for illegal immigrants. State Senator Brenda Council says the action is called for in extraordinary circumstances.
“And that’s exactly what we are confronted with today what makes it extraordinary is the fact that thousands of children, unborn children and their mothers would be affected if we elected to just rest on our rules and not consider a bill at this time.”
State Senator Beau McCoy emphasized that a vote for suspending the rules doesn’t mean support for the eventual bill.
“I want it to be very clear however that my support for the motion before us is not to be construed in any way my support for the bill in its current form.”
It is a reaction to federal notification to the state that it had been breaking federal rules by allowing unborn children–not just their mothers-to qualify for Medicaid. The babies are legal citizens when born in the U.S.