Nebraska Is First Ever Conservative State To Vote Against Death Penalty, Lawmakers Abolish Governor's Veto Power

The Nebraska legislature voted 30-19 resulting to overriding the veto power of Governor Pete Ricketts regarding the abolishment of death penalty in the state. The success of the voting resulted to Nebraska being the first ever Republican state to abolish the death penalty in a span of more than 40 years.

Nebraska has a unicameral legislature wherein bills must pass three times and the votes must favor them. The bill has passed these three rounds with the following number of votes: 30-16, 30-13, and Tuesday's vote 32-15. Experts are saying that the latest move of Nebraska is believed to be a new push of the Republican Party against executions.

Aside from Nebraska, nineteen more states and the District of Columbia have banned the capital punishment. There are then men in Nebraska who are under the death penalty row but the latest move of Nebraska's government will no longer allow them to have the sentence carried out. These inmates are then subjected to life sentences.

Senators Lydia Brasch and Dave Bloomfield express their concern over the bill noting that capital punishment might not be perfect but the state needs it. They added that the death penalty might not be always fair and equal but it needs to be there.

However, Senator Ernie Chambers, who has been trying to abolish the death penalty for years now, countered their statements. He shared, "There has been a confluence of individuals groups and circumstances that have put Nebraska on the threshold of stepping into history, on the right side of history."

Governor Ricketts released a statement regarding the passing of the bill and he said that he is appalled that the state has lost a critical tool to protect law enforcement and Nebraska families. Adding, "I will continue to stand with Nebraskans and law enforcement on this important issue."

Many of the conservative lawmakers of the state pointed out that death penalty is not cost effective and also affects one's religious beliefs as per the sanctity of life. Bills to repeal this law have been carried out since 1981 and the state has not carried out death penalty sentences since 1999.