Competing measures on abortion to appear on November ballot, along with proposal for paid sick leave

Nebraskans will vote on six ballot issues during this fall's General Election, including competing initiatives on the issue of abortion.

Here's a rundown of three of those ballot issues, those concerning abortion and paid sick leave:

– Initiative 434, titled the "Protect Women and Children" initiative, would, if approved, place the state's current policy on abortion, which allows the procedure only during the first 12 weeks of gestation, into the State Constitution. 

A "yes" vote for Initiative 434 would ban abortion in the second and third trimester, except in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger.

A "no" vote would reject that policy proposal.

Pushed by opponents of abortion, Initiative 434 provides an alternative to another measure on the ballot pushed by advocates of reproductive rights, Initiative 439.

Initiative 439, if approved, would place in the State Constitution a right to an abortion until the fetus is viable – when the fetus would survive outside the womb – which is around the 23rd or 24th week, as determined by a doctor.

A "yes" vote for Initiative 439 would enshrine a right to abortion in the State Constitution.

A "no" vote would oppose that constitutional measure.

Because there are two, competing ballot measures on abortion, if both are approved, the one with the largest number of votes would become the state's policy on abortion, the Nebraska Secretary of State has said.

The campaign to put the anti-abortion measure on the ballot raised over $3.1 million and was financially backed primarily by U.S. Sen. and former Gov. Pete Ricketts (a $1.1 million donation), his mother Marlene Ricketts ($1 million) and the Peed family of Lincoln (a combined $1 million), according to the most recent state political contribution records.

The pro-choice Protect Our Rights campaign for Initiative 439 also raised more than $3.1 million. Its top contributors, in staff time, signature gathering and money, were Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska ($860,503), the ACLU of Nebraska ($688,503), the Second House Collaborative ($484,313), the Nebraska Appleseed Action Fund ($417,955) and the Women's Fund of Omaha ($251,763).

Nebraska is one of 11 states so far where ballot measures concerning abortions will be voted on this fall. It is the only state with two, competing proposals.

Another ballot measure, Initiative 436, or the Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, seeks to enact a state law allowing eligible workers the opportunity to earn paid sick leave.

Workers at businesses with fewer than 20 employees could earn up to 40 hours of paid sick leave a year if voters approved the Act, while workers at companies with 20 or more employees could earn up to 56 hours of paid sick leave a year. An employee would accrue a minimum of 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Advocates for paid sick leave say it will reduce the spread of illnesses by encouraging sick workers to stay home, and would reduce turnover and improve workplace morale. Opponents of paid sick leave maintain that such benefits should not be mandated, and that workers will use all of their sick leave if it's paid.

Eighteen states, including neighboring Colorado, currently have laws mandating paid sick leave.

In Nebraska, the campaign to place the issue on the ballot has raised more than $3 million over the past two years. A leading donor, the Washington, D.C.-based Sixteen Thirty Fund, was a major backer of the effort to raise the minimum wage in Nebraska via the ballot box. That fund gave $1.9 million for the paid sick leave effort.