2023 school choice bill won’t be on the ballot in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A referendum on a school choice bill in Nebraska will not be on the ballot in November.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced the decision Thursday, citing the fact that the bill was already repealed by the Legislature.

Legislative Bill 753, which was enacted last year, awarded tax credits to people who donate to private school scholarships.

Opponents undertook an extensive effort to repeal the bill.

They gathered more than 91,000 valid signatures from Nebraska voters, far surpassing the required 61,000, to put the issue on the ballot.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska group submits over 117,000 signatures to repeal school choice bill

Evnen said in August that the referendum would be on the general election ballot.

But this year, state lawmakers passed a new school choice bill, LB 1402, that provides $10 million a year in state funding for scholarships for private school students.

The new bill also repeals LB 753.

“Since the previous law will no longer be in effect by the time of the general election, I do not intend to place the original referendum on the ballot,” Evnen said Thursday.

He said he consulted with the Attorney General’s Office on the decision.

Both bills were sponsored by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha.

The Nebraska State Education Association said Linehan introduced the new bill to avoid the vote on the old bill, accusing her of “ignoring the will of the voters.”

“It was a shameful, cowardly act by the senators who voted for LB1402 – and we cannot let this stand,” said Jenni Benson, president of the association.

The teachers union and Support Our Schools Nebraska are still collecting signatures to put a repeal of LB 1402 on the ballot.

They have until July 17 to gather about 62,000 valid signatures.

SEE ALSO: ‘The voters will reject this’: Petition in motion against Nebraska school choice bill