LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — An Omaha lawmaker made a final push to revive transgender-related proposals by attaching them as amendments to other bills late in the legislative session.
State Sen. Kathleen Kauth introduced amendments aimed at requiring bathrooms to be designated by sex at birth and restricting certain medical treatments for minors.
“This is our last chance,” Kauth said, adding the amendments were not intended to derail the bills they were attached to.
The strategy, often referred to as “catching a ride,” allows amendments to be considered with fewer votes than standalone legislation. The proposals revive elements of earlier bills that failed to reach full debate this session.
One amendment, added to a maternity leave bill introduced by Dunixi Guereca, would require schools and state agencies to designate bathrooms based on sex at birth.
Another amendment, attached to a medical cannabis-related bill from John Cavanaugh, seeks to ban doctors from prescribing hormone therapy or puberty blockers to minors for gender-related care.
Cavanaugh strongly criticized the move, calling the amendments “hostile” and unrelated to the bill’s purpose.
“There are several senators attempting to hijack this bill… intended to help families get access to medicine,” he said.
Later in the evening, Cavanaugh pulled his bill, saying it no longer served its original goal of ensuring access to medical cannabis.
Opposition to the amendments also came from ACLU of Nebraska, which urged lawmakers to stay focused on the original intent of the legislation rather than shifting the debate to transgender rights.
Advocacy groups like Rainbow Parents of Nebraska criticized the amendments, while Nebraska Family Alliance voiced support, arguing the measures are about privacy, safety, and protecting children.
Meanwhile, Sen. Merv Riepe dismissed the effort, saying the issue had already been addressed and calling the debate a waste of time.
Lawmakers were expected to continue debating the amendments as the legislative session nears its end.
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