Joni Albrecht | |
Predecessor: | Dave Bloomfield |
Birth Date: | 28 July 1958 |
Birth Place: | Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
Party: | Republican |
Children: | 6 |
Occupation: | Farmer |
State Legislature: | Nebraska |
District: | 17th |
Birth Name: | Joni Jones |
Joni Albrecht (Jones; born July 28, 1958) is an American politician who has served in the Nebraska Legislature from the 17th district since 2017.[1] [2] She previously served on the Papillion City Council and Sarpy County Board of Commissioners.
Albrecht opposes abortion, and has introduced several bills to restrict it in the state of Nebraska.[3]
In 2017, Albrecht told the Lincoln Journal Star that she was "shocked" by the number of abortions in the state of Nebraska, commenting that "[w]e need to start talking about things differently and not thinking that it's just so easy to just take a life." On the subject of heartbeat bills being passed in numerous states in 2017, Albrecht commented that she was excited, "but I hope that we're all mindful of what's right for the woman."
In 2021, Albrecht introduced a resolution in the Nebraska Legislature recognizing Julie Schmit-Albin, the daughter of Nebraska Senator Loran Schmit. Among other things, the resolution praised Schmit-Albin for having "successfully shepherded numerous significant pro-life bills through the process to be signed into law by Nebraska governors". The resolution also praised Schmit-Albin as "never one to let a public official waffle on pro-life legislation", and recognized her as the director for the Nebraska Right to Life organization for thirty years, starting in 1989; the resolution also cites the Lincoln Journal Star, which wrote "Check with Schmit-Albin if you want to win" of her political influence.[4] The resolution was adopted by the Nebraska Legislature.[5]
In 2021, the Nebraska Department of Education proposed new state health education standards that would include lessons for kindergarteners about family structures, including families with same-gender parents. The standards would also teach first-graders about gender identity and gender stereotypes, and teach sixth-graders about sexual orientation. Albrecht was part of a group of 30 state legislators that signed a letter urging the Nebraska Department of Education not to adopt the standards.[6] [7] The standards would have been optional if approved.
Albrecht served on the Papillion City Council from 1998 to 2005 and the Sarpy County Board of Commissioners from 2006 to 2010.[8]