Nebraska lawmaker 3 weeks into filibuster over trans bill

By MARGERY A. BECK
Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh is three weeks into a pledge to filibuster every bill that comes before the Legislature — even the ones she supports. The Omaha lawmaker is pontificating on the Senate floor about everything from her favorite Girl Scout cookies to the plot of the animated movie “Madagascar” in protest against conservatives’ advancement of a bill that would outlaw gender-affirming therapy for those 18 and younger. Cavanaugh declared she would “burn the session to the ground” in an effort to stymie the bill. And so far, she has, slowing the Legislature’s business to a crawl. Wednesday marks the halfway point of this year’s 90-day session, and not a single bill will have passed thanks to the filibuster.