The close of Nebraska’s 2025 legislative session on June 2 came as a relief to lawmakers and the public alike. It will be known for setting a new and unfortunate precedent for legislators’ repeated disregard for voters’ intent on ballot initiatives, as well as for procedural bungles that made for a chaotic final few weeks.
Three issues passed by ballot initiative came before the Legislature for senators to craft enacting legislation, or to determine the language and detail necessary to put the new legislation passed by voters into statute. These were:
›› Paid sick leave, passed by 75% of voters in November 2024;
›› Medical marijuana, passed by 71% of voters in November 2024; and
›› A minimum wage increase, passed by 59% of voters in November 2022.
In each case, the majority of lawmakers either eroded the intent of voters or outright ignored their directive. In LB415, paid sick leave was amended from what voters passed to exempt businesses employing 10 or fewer people from being subject to the law. It passed 33-16.
Medical marijuana, LB677, was argued over in the General Affairs Committee until the final days of the session, and then stalled on the floor due to disagreements over the details of the regulation. A vote to invoke cloture, or cease debate on the bill, failed on a 23-22 vote. Thirty-three votes were needed for passage.
And the minimum wage increase, LB258, was watered down to only a 1.75% annual increase and modified to pay young workers less; it had the 33 votes to overcome a filibuster and pass, but failed on final reading because a supporter of the bill was not on the floor to vote. Various attempts were made to amend these provisions to other bills unsuccessfully, and we can expect these attempts to continue in the next session, despite the ballot initiative indicating that the new $15 minimum wage will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
It must be said that each of these issues, which have long had the support of the majority of Nebraskans, has come before the Legislature many times over. Senators repeatedly declined to address these issues despite strong public support. Having been ignored by their Legislature for years, Nebraskans understandably took the next step to appeal to voters to implement the legislation directly. We call this direct democracy.
Only half of U.S. states allow citizen-led ballot initiatives. In these states where lawmakers have grown less responsive to their voters, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of initiatives brought as a result. This is a right Nebraskans have in our state constitution, and it should go without saying that our lawmakers should respect it. The fact that the majority of them did not should be alarming to every voter in the state.
Also:
›› In April, the Legislature rejected LB3, which sought to shift the state’s Electoral College system from its unique district-based allocation to a winner-take-all model. This decision preserved Nebraska’s distinctive method, shared only with Maine, of awarding electoral votes by congressional district. We expect this effort to return in January, this time with legislators considering a constitutional amendment that would put it on the November 2026 ballot.
›› Together, we stopped LB541, introduced by Sen. Rick Holdcroft, which would have radically overhauled the state’s election procedures. LB541 proposed eliminating online voter registration, restricting mail-in registration, imposing stricter criteria for early voting eligibility, mandating hand-counting of ballots, and requiring watermarks on official ballots. LB541 would have disenfranchised voters, particularly rural residents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, by limiting convenient voting options and introducing error-prone counting methods.
›› We worked to garner support for a pair of proposed constitutional amendments aimed at enhancing legislative effectiveness and accessibility. LR19CA proposes allowing state senators to serve three consecutive terms instead of the current two. LR19CA passed on May 28 and will be considered by the state’s voters in 2026. We support this measure, which is one of two long-term strategies introduced this year to strengthen the Legislature over time. Extending term limits can retain experienced lawmakers, build institutional knowledge, and create greater legislative continuity.
›› Meanwhile, LR25CA seeks to tie senators’ salaries to Nebraska’s minimum wage and provide access to health insurance. Adequate compensation and benefits are essential to attract a diverse and representative group of Nebraskans to public service, ensuring that financial barriers do not deter qualified individuals from pursuing legislative roles. We expect to continue our advocacy for this proposed amendment in January.
Thank you for staying active, engaged, and outspoken throughout this year’s Nebraska legislative session. Whether you contacted your senator, testified at a hearing, or stayed informed, your voice made a difference. It was a year marked by high-stakes proposals and pivotal decisions, and your commitment to service helped protect voting rights, strengthen our institutions, and push for a fairer and more inclusive Nebraska. We’re proud to stand with you, and even prouder to keep building together.
– Heidi Uhing, Director of Public Policy
