Nebraska’s unicameral legislature passed a bill to repeal the state’s death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life without parole. On May 20, the bill passed its third and final round of debate on a 32-15 vote, receiving bipartisan support. Senator Al Davis said, “There are so many reasons why we need to eliminate the death penalty in Nebraska. It’s fundamentally unfair, a terrible mistake and bad justice.” Gov. Pete Ricketts has indicated that he will veto the bill, but a veto can be overridden with the support of 30 senators. The bill is prospective only, so if it becomes law, it will not affect the 11 inmates currently on Nebraska’s death row. Nebraska has executed three prisoners, all by electrocution, since re-enacting the death penalty in the 1970s. Its last execution was in December 1997.

(K. Schubert, “Conservative Nebraska moves toward death penalty repeal,” Reuters, May 20, 2015; Doug Stanglin, “Nebraska lawmakers vote to abolish death penalty,” USA Today, May 20, 2015.) See Recent Legislative Activity and Life Without Parole.

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