Sex ed Rights

• Nebraska state law does not require schools to provide sex education. Local school boards decide whether to provide sex ed, which subjects must be covered and what grade levels will be taught.
• The Nebraska State Board of Education supports “an abstinence approach to risk behaviors associated” with “sexual activity.” The Board has abstinence-only-until-marriage (AOUM) guidelines for schools and these are the “expected standard.”
• Nebraska state law does not require parental permission for students to participate in sex ed.
• The Nebraska Board of Education recommends that school districts let parents know about sex ed classes and allows parents to remove their child or children from these classes.
• If you want your school to offer comprehensive sex ed, be sure to learn more at SIECUS about your state. You can make a difference!

HIV/AIDS and Other STDs Education

• Nebraska state law does not require STDs and HIV/AIDS education. Local school boards decide whether or not to teach sex ed and which subjects.
• You do not need your parents’ permission to participate in sexuality education or HIV/AIDS education classes and parents can remove their child or children from these classes.

Age of Minority

18

• In Nebraska, you are considered a “minor” (someone who is not an adult) if you are under 19 years old. Being 19 or younger and therefore considered a minor affects your right to information and services. In most states, the age you become an adult (under the law) is 18. Alabama is one of three states that puts this age above 18.
• Keep in mind that these laws may be different for you if you are legally considered an emancipated minor, pregnant minor, minor living apart or married minor. To learn more, read on!

Age of Consent

16

• Legally, people can’t consent (or agree) to sex (with someone who is considered an adult) until they reach a specific age. This is called the “age of consent.”Consent laws are meant to protect minors from being manipulated or forced into sex with older people.
• The age of consent in Nebraska is 16.

LGBTQ Rights

• Schools in Nebraska have no Safe Schools Law in effect, which is a statewide anti-harassment and/or non-discrimination law that includes the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity.
• There are no statewide anti-bullying laws to protect students based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
• State hate crimes laws include protections based on sexual orientation but do not cover gender identity.
• If discrimination, harassment or a hate crime happens to you or someone you know, please call the Gay and Lesbian National Hotline at 1-888-THE-GLNH (843-4564) for help and support, or check out Lambda Legal. No one deserves discrimination or harassment!

HIV / AIDS Testing

• Minors don’t need permission from a parent or guardian to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) but the law does not clearly state that this includes HIV testing.
• So, If you’re a minor, it’s important for you to ask questions about confidentiality when you call to make your appointment. Specifically ask, “If I make an appointment and receive any kind of services at your clinic, will you tell my parents or anyone else?” This applies to all services, including testing for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
• Find an HIV testing site in your area here or call the Centers for Disease Control’s 24-hour National AIDS Hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).

Condoms

• People of any age, including teens, can buy condoms from a drugstore, pharmacy, grocery store or even online. A pack of twelve condoms costs about $12. Internal or female condoms are about $2 to $4 per condom.
• You can get condoms for free or at a reduced cost from health clinics (like Planned Parenthood), HIV testing centers and local health departments. Call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the nearest Planned Parenthood.
• Always check the expiration date on condoms to make sure that the condoms haven’t expired yet. For information on how to use a condom correctly, check out this FAQ. Learn all about internal/female condoms on Sexetc.org.

Birth Control

• In Nebraska, the law does not clearly state that minors are allowed to get a prescription for birth control without a parent’s permission, but a married minor may get a prescription for birth control.
• A doctor may (but is not required to) inform your parents/guardian if you wish to get a prescription for birth control.
• Visits to clinics known as Title X (ten) clinics are confidential for teens and adults.
• Use this tool to find a Title X clinic near you:
• Or call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the nearest Planned Parenthood.
• When you make an appointment for health care, ask about confidentiality rules. When you call, ask:
  • Can I get services at your office without my parents’ permission?
  • Can my parent/s have access to my records?
  • Will my parent/s see the bill?
• It is your right to get sexual and reproductive health care where you feel safe and comfortable, so don’t worry about asking these questions.

Abortion Access

This section is currently being updated and may not have the most current information (as you know, these laws have been shifting quickly). We are working to refresh it ASAP! For now, you can see updated abortion policies here.

• If you are under 18 years old and want an abortion, one parent must give you permission in writing before you can get one. This is called “parental consent.” If that’s not possible, you are able to ask a judge for permission, or get special permission if it’s an emergency. This is called “judicial bypass.”
• You do not need parental notification if you are seeking an abortion because of abuse, assault, incest or neglect or if it’s a medical emergency.
• There is a 24-hour mandatory waiting period in Nebraska before someone can get an abortion in Nebraska.
• Nebraska provides Medicaid (health care) coverage for abortions in the cases if the pregnant person’s life is endangered, and for pregnancies that are a result of rape or incest.
• If you need help paying for an abortion, call the National Abortion Federation Hotline at 1-800-772-9100, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). The hotline can tell you where and how to get financial help for an abortion in the U.S.

Adoption

• To learn more about adoption, visit the National Council for Adoption.

Pregnancy

• You do not need a prescription from a doctor or health care provider to get a pregnancy test. You can purchase a pregnancy test from a pharmacy, grocery store or online. They cost between $10 and $18. You can also take a pregnancy test at a doctor’s office or clinic, like Planned Parenthood. Many clinics offer free or reduced-cost pregnancy tests.
• Visits to clinics known as Title X (ten) clinics are confidential for teens and adults.
• Use this tool to find a Title X clinic near you:
• Or call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the nearest Planned Parenthood.
• If you pay for your visit by using your family’s health insurance, your parents are likely to see the details of your visit when the bill arrives. Almost all clinics provide free or reduced-cost services to teens to make it easier to afford services.
• Beware of so-called crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). These centers claim to give you complete and accurate information about your pregnancy options when they actually want to discourage you from getting an abortion. They offer misleading and medically inaccurate information about abortion. Common names of these centers are “Crisis Pregnancy Center,” “Pregnancy Aid,” “Birth Right,” “Open Door” or “Pregnancy Counseling Center.” They are often set up near clinics and Planned Parenthood locations in order to confuse patients to accidentally enter the CPC instead.

Emergency Contraception

• There are several types—or “brands”—of emergency contraception, sometimes called EC or the morning after pill.
• People of any age can buy the brand Plan B One Step and its generic versions at a local pharmacy over the counter, which means you can buy EC without a prescription.
• EC sells for between $35 and $60. Prices vary depending on the brand and the pharmacy.
• To find an EC provider, call the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (668-2528). They can help you find access to EC if you’re having any trouble at all.
• Nebraska does not require emergency rooms to provide EC or information on EC to rape survivors.
• If you have been raped and you want EC, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Open 24 hours, the hotline will connect you to EC providers near you. For other helpful information, check out the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s Web site.

Sexting

• In Nebraska, it is illegal to have or distribute nude or sexual images of a minor. To protect minors from being prosecuted for child pornography for sending consensual sexts, though, Nebraska law allows minors to have an image of someone who is 15 years old or older that was taken and sent consensually.