Detention facility; use of restraints prohibited; exception; detention facility employee; presence in room during labor or childbirth; administrator of detention facility; duties.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 47-1004
in effect47-1004. Detention facility; use of restraints prohibited; exception; detention facility employee; presence in room during labor or childbirth; administrator of detention facility; duties.
(1) A detention facility shall not use restraints on a prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant, including during labor, delivery, or postpartum recovery or during transport to a medical facility or birthing center, unless the administrator makes an individualized determination that there are extraordinary circumstances as described in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) Restraints for an extraordinary circumstance are only permitted if the administrator makes an individualized determination that there is a substantial flight risk or some other extraordinary medical or security circumstance that dictates restraints be used to ensure the safety and security of the prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant, the staff of the detention facility or medical facility, other prisoners or detainees, or the public, except that:
(a) If the doctor, nurse, or other health professional treating the prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant requests that restraints not be used, any detention facility employee accompanying the prisoner or detainee shall immediately remove all restraints;
(b) Under no circumstances shall leg or waist restraints be used on the prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant unless the prisoner or detainee presents an immediate and serious risk of harm or a substantial and immediate flight risk; and
(c) Under no circumstances shall any restraints be used on any prisoner or detainee in labor or during childbirth unless the prisoner or detainee presents an immediate and serious risk of harm or a substantial and immediate flight risk.
(3) Upon a prisoner's or detainee's admission to a medical facility or birthing center for labor or childbirth, no detention facility employee shall remain present in the room during labor or childbirth unless specifically requested or approved by medical personnel. A detention facility employee may ask medical personnel to allow such employee to remain present. If a detention facility employee's presence is requested or approved by medical personnel, the employee shall, if practicable, be female.
(4) If a prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant is transported to a medical facility or birthing center and restraints are used, the administrator of the detention facility shall inform the relevant staff at the medical facility or birthing center of the risks and dangers of removing the restraints from the specific prisoner or detainee.
(5) If restraints are used on a prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant pursuant to subsection (2) of this section:
(a) The type of restraint applied and the application of the restraint must be done in the least restrictive manner necessary; and
(b) The administrator shall make written findings within ten days as to the extraordinary circumstances that dictated the use of the restraints. These findings shall be kept on file by the detention facility for at least five years and be made available for public inspection, except that no individually identifying information of the prisoner or detainee shall be made public under this section without the prisoner's or detainee's prior written consent.
Laws 2019, LB690, § 4.
Source: Nebraska Legislature (nebraskalegislature.gov)URL: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=47-1004Fetched: 10/20/2026