A Nebraska lawmaker has paused her persistent filibuster over a bill banning transgender gender-affirming therapies.
Omaha Senator Machaela Cavanaugh had been staging a filibuster to protest a bill that would outlaw gender-affirming therapies for minors. The therapies include hormone treatments and gender-affirming surgeries.
Cavanaugh had been staging a filibuster of every single bill before the legislative body since late February. That even includes ones she supported.
Cavanaugh’s filibuster pause came on a deal with Speaker of the Legislature Sen. John Arch to begin debate on the gender-affirming treatments bill next Tuesday.
Debate on the bill can’t be stopped by supporters until after 8 hours, so it’s expected to be Thursday morning before a cloture vote is taken.
If supporters have the 33 votes needed to end the filibuster, a vote on first-round approval of the bill will follow. If cloture fails, the bill is likely done for the session.